《Monster Awakened (A litRPG Monster Evolution Story)》 0: The Light before Dark On the 16th day Of the 9th month. On the 350th year Post Advent ¨C ¨C A wish-granting star fell into the world. Its woes reverberated through the continents of world, reaching distant continents as the mega city ¨C the Nex Megalopolis ¨C was set alight. Millions watched as the heavens hurled flaming brimstone upon them. The Eyes that monitored the Cities collapsed into crowds as a million more hands reached for the star, believing that they could capture it. But it was no more than a pipe dream. After all, stars were never meant to be reached. It was an illusion that distracted the world away from a train that left the hundred-meter walls of the great city as the world was plunged into a starless night. The darkness masked the behemoth of iron, a 200-meter-long train that was better described as an iron coffin. The unmanned train¡¯s destination was a Facility that did not exist. It followed a railway in the form of a singular strip of iron. The train itself floated as it barreled through mountains and thickets, villages, and towns, rattling and groaning as much as the monsters within. A gravitational singularity controlled the train, altering its gravity as it ¡®fell¡¯, rather than ¡®drove¡¯. Kept within were monsters born from the psyche of the disturbed mind. Machines that sung. Trees that ate. Apples that poisoned. Fairytales twisted to the deranged emotions that gave birth to it. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Trauma manifested into reality. Reality perverted by supernatural objects¡­ ¡­ These entities were the Corrupted. They were affronts to existence itself, breeding devastation so long as they were alive. Lacking sapience, they were slaves to a purpose they could not even understand. All cognitive functions were absent in them. All biological reasoning was violated by bodies of amalgamative flesh, and physics discarded by transmutational machines that yearned to sing. But there was one peculiar Corrupted amongst them that sat in the darkness of their compartment, shackled by chains, and collared by magical items. The darkness consumed them as they made a single wish on the eve of the world¡¯s starless night. It simply wished that it would one day awaken from its nightmare¡­ * * * ¡°¡­ Coming in. This is ARU K-Type, Unit-23 Operator.¡± A transmission was relayed through an earpiece ¨C a Cognition Receiver, made from one of the largest powers of the world, an Atelier of the Nexus. The earpiece was smothered in mud as fires fanned in the background. And in the distance, one could see the great, white pillar that floated in the skies of their world, reaching a height that none has yet found. That floating superstructure was the Nexus. ¡°An outdated shipping train was struck by several pale, unidentified objects and crashed through a rural town. The wreckage remains within the depths of a 2,000-hectare woodland.¡± The transmission continued as a golden apple rolled along as though possessing a mind of its own. It soon found itself in the hands of a sleeping girl, who cradled the apple as the world burned all around them. ¡°... there are no signs of survivors. But a warning is being issued out that a potential Corrupted breakout has occurred. If you¡¯re hearing this message, then please stay away from here until we can assess the situation! Stay away ¨C!¡± The transmission broke as pale stones rained from the skies. It was as though the stars themselves were falling. And on this cursed night, as the eyes of the world were drawn to the Nexus ¨C ¨C A Corrupted awakened. And the girl¡¯s eyes gently peeled open, revealing a crimson glow. 1. A Monster Awakens //////// < WARNING > /////// < The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns¡¯ Poison Has Taken Effect > These words appeared before the eyes of a nameless monster. Ragged breaths were taken through pierced lungs. A horrible croak left her bleeding lips as she desperately gasped for air. No words could leave her lips. There was so little she knew to begin with aside from the hatred she bared. ¡°¡­ live¡­ wake up¡­ and die now¡­?¡± Her broken words were accompanied by the pain that spread through her body. A living root grew from the side of her, reaching for the moonlit skies like a hand. Tendrils spread across her body like poisoned veins, hardening as they gorged on her flesh. < Your Body Corrodes > < The Bitter Thorns Are Envious > For the first time she experienced pain. Her memories of hunting creatures like herself reminded her that this fate was inevitable. Her red-hooded cloak became saturated with blood as she stared at the moon with fading eyes. ¡°¡­ I¡­ have to kill the White Wolf¡­ who ate grandma¡­¡± Only nonsensical words could leave her lips. ¡°¡­ the monsters¡­ that hurt people¡­ that make them sleep forever¡­¡± The girl¡¯s aspirations had hit a dead end. And she aspirated on them in her last moments, hearing a phantom howl and the sound of distant explosions. The dead trees of the woodlands shivered. The leaves never sat still to mourn her. Once again, she¡¯d be sent into the darkness of the void. All alone to be left suspended in a sea of emotional torment for no reason of her own. ¡°I¡­ was born as a monster¡­ but I helped people¡­ I thought good people¡­ don¡¯t die¡­ is it because I¡¯m a monster¡­?¡± Soon, the growing thorn blocked the light of the moon as it bared a purple fruit. An apple hung at the top, made from the fluids it had stolen from her. Death¡¯s call neared; their scythe held against her throat. The end was near. But even so, her heart had not yet been vanquished. Vengeance: a blazing wrath replaced all fleeting sensation as she marked the Corrupted entity ¨C the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns ¨C for elimination. Before she was plunged into that sea of darkness, a message suddenly appeared: //////// < CAUTION > //////// < You Have Accumulated 1 Nemesis Token Against the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns > A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. * * * Black. An eternal darkness entombed the sleeping beast. The tangible blackness compressed against their formless body as they desperately tried to fight their way out. Like a bird trapped within a shell, the monster struggled and fought against the tangible darkness, wriggling until suddenly, a crack formed. It split the world in half. Cracks branched from it as the light of the world beyond bled into their purgatory. Finally, a hand broke free as their shell rolled along the ground, shattering all at once. The beast¡¯s body rolled around along blue, smooth stones until they laid flat on their back, blinking away the remnants of sleep. Their senses came alive. An unfamiliar world held them captive. Water dripped from the ceiling, landing into a pool just behind them as they struggled to understand where they were. ¡°Plonk?¡± The beast spoke with a rather delicate voice, mimicking the sound of the dripping water from the narrow cave they had found themselves in. Memories, once vivid, were now enshrouded in a mysterious fog. And they laid there for an unknown amount of time, savoring the sensation of the cold, stone ground. The otherworldly silence of the cave, and the strange, blue, glowing worms that clung to the ceiling. ¡°¡­ blue¡­¡± They at least understood that color, raising a 5-digit hand into the air. It was a tiny hand, one belonging to that of a young human. Seeing their hand roused confusion as they quickly rose to their feet, patting their red, oversized coat in search for something. Halfway through the search, their eyes suddenly fell into the glowing pool. And there, they saw a girl with crimson eyes and red hair staring back. ¡°Red¡­¡± She spoke as if having never spoken before, brushing a finger along her fair skin, wincing unexpectedly as she threw her hands out. ¡°¡­ gloves gone? Where?¡± She knew exactly what she was looking for. A precious pair of gloves. But a listener would have questioned if she even knew what she wanted. Her speech was broken, although, Corrupted like herself were not supposed to be able to speak so freely to begin with. Indeed. What confused her the most was that she could think for herself. Somehow, she had gained consciousness. And when she tried to make sense of her existence, something suddenly appeared before her.
< LEVEL : 1 > AFFINITY : Amalgamation ??? < Hatchling Red > ATTRIBUTE : Identity < CORRUPTED >
NAME : ??? HP : 350 MP : 600 AGI : 25 RESIST : 40
AGE : 0 ATT : 25 MAG ATT : 5 O : 1 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 30 MAG DEF : 15 S : 0 E : 0
It was a transparent window carrying information. She could sense the knowledge it contained, and it felt like someone was speaking directly to her. For some reason, she questioned the legitimacy of the information. Like it was¡­ wrong. Or rather, like it stated that she was weak. In the past, she was an esteemed Corrupted. One who hunted manifested trauma that paraded themselves as fairytales. Corrupted in the first place were monsters¡­ ¡­ and that was all she really knew. Her existence as one came flooding back as she stood still for a moment, once again, savoring her consciousness. Corrupted possessed no such thing, so it took her a minute to try to understand why she could think. Why she could control her breathing. And why she could stop and question the world. It took her aback, because she had once lived a life driven by no other purpose than to bare her vengeance against the White Wolf who ate her grandmother, and the fairytales that worked alongside it. Just thinking about it caused her to run up to a wall and throw a punch. Expecting the wall to break, she bared a fang and eyes lathered with bloodlust. However, it was her fists that were soon lathered with blood. ¡°O-Ouch?¡± She didn¡¯t jolt or shriek. She was genuinely taken aback that the wall didn¡¯t just crumble. Baffled, she tried again. And again. ¡°Oww.¡± ¡°Ouch¡­¡± ¡°Hurt¡­¡± ¡°Wall bad¡­¡± And again, and again. Hatchling Red | HP: 340 Eventually, she arrived at the only logical conclusion. ¡°Wall too strong¡­ hmm. Ah! Maybe containment units are made from this stone!¡± Precisely. This had to be true. In the past she was contained within the confines of a facility that experimented on the Corrupted. Her containment cell was indestructible, although, there was something that allowed her to breach through its doors. After all, there was no possible way that she, the Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin, had become so weak that a measly wall could withstand her punches. There was no way that she was, in a sense, reborn as a weakling. And so, she reached for her back and clasped at the air. Her brows furrowed. ¡°Oh no¡­ my weapon is ¨C!¡± What used to be an otherworldly weapon capable of shooing projectiles faster than the speed of sound was no longer with her. The only thing she had on her were her clothes and, luckily, a hunting knife. *Grrrrr* ¡°Huh. My tummy made a sound¡­?¡± And a strange sensation she¡¯d soon come to understand as ¡®hunger¡¯. 2. What Are Skills? What is Reading? I’m Hungry! Hunger was a foreign concept to an entity that solely lived and breathed combat. Literally. There was never a moment when she considered putting slain prey into her mouth. In fact, she never thought of creatures devouring another as ¡®eating¡¯. From her combat standpoint, she¡¯d call it ¡®reloading¡¯. ¡°Or is recharging better?¡± She pondered, her voice echoing under the blue, bioluminescent lights of the glowworms overhead. The caverns were larger than she anticipated, twisting, and turning at random intervals. Drops and climbs split the caves into sizable sections. So far, everything appeared level for now. She followed a trail that looked like something was dragged along the earthy cave floor. It must lead to the entrance, she thought. The reason being? She vaguely remembered waking up just earlier prior to hatching from that egg thingy in a forest. After that, she blacked out and appeared inside of the egg. Either she sleepwalked, her egg rolled into a cave, or ¨C she was brought there. Her stomach grumbled. ¡°Eat or be eaten. A giant egg would look tasty. Ugh¡­ *Grumble* My stomach needs to reload too. But do I have a stomach?¡± Her mind couldn¡¯t quite stay on one thing at once for too long. One moment she was patting her belly in search of this mysterious, glorious organ called the ¡®stomach¡¯, and the next she was fawning over tiny crystals, or staring at her own reflection in various pools. At some point she began skipping along in high spirits, which became a steady walk, then a slow crawl as her stomach growled loud enough to emit a haunting echo. *Grrrrr* ¡°Maybe the stomach is a monster inside of people. What an evil thing. Uuuuuuuu.¡± She hunched over a rocky outcrop, patting her stomach as her short hair cascaded over like willow leaves. ¡°Sad... maybe rocks can help?¡± She intently stared at the rock. A strange compulsion to sink her teeth into it overcame her. Her intrusive thoughts won as she wrapped her teeth along the outcrop and chomped. ¡°Mwwwoooow!? Mwhy mwid mwy mwo mwat!? (Why did I do that!?)¡± The compulsion to eat the rock came from out of nowhere, and she recoiled in pain, clutching her mouth as she watched another sliver of her HP drop. Hatchling Red | HP: 330 Dumb rock. Why is it so hard!? Nn¡­ My HP doesn¡¯t regenerate. Aren¡¯t monsters like me supposed to be capable of it? *Grrrrrr* Her stomach turned again. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I¡¯d rather have my belly full of bullets than starve like this.¡± She muttered as she held onto a piece of the broken shell, staring at the faint reflection of her crimson eyes. ¡°I miss Fairy Tale¡¯s Bane. I wonder if it¡¯s hungry too¡­ *Grrrrr* Ugh. My poor death rod. What¡¯s its status like?¡± Suddenly, and without warning, the floating, transparent glass with words that appeared earlier filled her vision again. It showed her all of her stats once more, but in addition to this, she was able to find other pieces of information further beneath. < PROFESSIONS >
(O) OFFENSIVE (D) DEFENSIVE (S) SUPPORT (E) EXPLORATION (C) CORRUPTION
HUNTRESS: 1 Nil. FRIENDSHIP: 0 APPRAISER: 0 Unknown.
< ACTIVE SKILLS >
(O) Huntress¡¯ Slash [0/10] (O) Punch [0/10] (S) Friends! [0/10] (E) Appraise Object [0/10] (C) Unknown.
< You do not yet meet the Nex and Level/Soul requirements > ¡°Huuuuuh? Nex? Level? Soul? Whaaaaat?¡± It went without saying that she had zero idea what any of these things meant, and to be perfectly honest, she didn¡¯t really care to read at all. She just saw the Friends! Skill and her eyes immediately twinkled. Would she be making friends? She hoped so! She remembered the Workers and Employees of her previous facility and how they would look after her. But more than that, she remembered a kind, blue-uniform woman with blonde hair who once looked after her! Maybe she¡¯d meet wonderful people like them again. She could only hope! < PASSIVE SKILLS >
(O) Bladeworks (O) Critical Eye (S) Bonds! (E) Boosted Appraisal
< ABILITIES > Blessing of the Star Child | Unrealized | Vengeful Colors | Aspect of Amalgamation | Fairytale Huntress There was a lot to read, but also a lot she didn¡¯t care about. Words used to mean nothing to her, and they still do. It was that, and the fact that her stomach pried her attention away from the words and onto more pressing matters. Because she realized something. The constant echoes of her growling stomach weren¡¯t actually originating from her stomach. Deeper within the cave, she peered around a corner and found a wide, spacious den. There, she saw a pack of wolves feeding on the dragged carcass of a deer. ¡°Wolves¡­¡± Her eyes suddenly glowed a vibrant red. 3. Wolves…!? Wolves. Her sworn enemies. She recalled a distant past where a white wolf had disguised itself as her grandmother. It had long eaten her in that lonely bed, tricked the poor girl and nearly took her life as well. All she ever did was bring fresh confectionary and bread through the woodlands until that fateful night. Her memories of the encounter were vague and clouded with missing details. But she was certain that they were real and belonged to her. Regardless, it fueled her vengeance against the White Wolf that had wronged her, and the creatures of tales and folklore that worked alongside it. It was the basis of her existence when she was just a mindless monster; driven by this one goal and nothing more, and nothing less. Seeing those wolves drove her mind into a sudden state of utter clarity. Her eyes became sharper than the hunting blade in hand as she observed her prey feasting on the deer carcass from the shadows, shielding her eyes with her hair as she quickly realized that they emitted a subtle glow; enough to give her position away in the darkness. She rested her back against the wall, watching them through the reflection of the 30cm blade. Not a single sound left her lips. The compression of her chest slowed to a complete stop as she considered her chances against the wolves. As moronic as she was, combat was where she excelled, and she was not an idiot to understand that she was likely at a disadvantage against the wolves. ¡®Status¡¯ was an inherent ability of hers that allowed her to not only see her own stats ¨C
LEVEL : 15 Adolescent Cave Wolf
ORIGIN : Animalia HP : 450 ATT : 100 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 30
¨C But other creatures as well. A pack of 3, adolescent wolves were her targets. Their grey fur blended with the rock as splashes of red from the deer coated their furry mantle. Bigger numbers have to mean they¡¯re stronger, right¡­? She took this opportunity to finally consolidate what she knew of the stats. Levels obviously meant how strong they were. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Origin probably meant that why were, since ¡®animalia¡¯ was just a longer version of ¡®animal¡¯ in her mind. HP referred to one¡¯s health. ATT was very likely how hard something could hit. MAG ATT made no sense to her. And AGI was probably how fast someone could move. In terms of raw stats alone, she was incredibly weak in comparison. 15 times weaker¡­? Wolves are supposed to be 1,000 times weaker than me. Grr. Why are you making that poor dear look so tasty? She practically drooled at the sight but was quickly consumed by her bloodlust again. For now, she decided to wait in the dark until they¡¯d fall asleep or waddle away to their dens. She had only just awakened from being a monster, and she refused to die and return to that eternal purgatory behind her eyelids. So, she approached this slowly, breathing calmly as she thought back to her skills. And just like that, she was greeted with a prompt that explained them in brief detail. < PROFESSIONS > < Reflection of your existence > She jolted, shoving her hands into the transparent, aberration of words in a sudden panic. Not realizing that she was the only one who could see this, she shuffled quietly behind a dripping pillar, holding a finger to her lips as if trying to hush the prompt. Is this thing trying to get me killed!? I don¡¯t wanna die already! I¡¯m a good person. And good people don¡¯t die¡­! I think? Glaring at the prompt, she shook her head like a wet dog and tried again. < OFFENSIVE > < Combat-based professions > < HUNTRESS > < Hunt the wild and unfriendly with arms in hand > < (O) HUNTRESS¡¯ SLASH > < Follow the bloody trail and deliver a guaranteed Critical Strike when using bladed weaponry. Inflict Bleeding Condition > < COST: 200 MP > What the heck are these words anyway. I didn¡¯t know I could read too. What¡¯s a Critical Strike? < Critical Strike > < Attacks that connect with a vulnerable opponent or when conditions allow. Multiplies damage by 5x > Huh¡­ this thing can answer me? Do you know how I can beat the wolves right now? The mysterious prompt didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she was shown the definitions of her other skills, for it would be up to her to decide how to deal with them. Seeing that she could quintuple her attack output suddenly made her eager to learn more about these mysterious powers. She had a few when she was a monster, but she either didn¡¯t remember well or they vanished after awakening. Her eyes lit up as she watched the words form before her very eyes, the pale letters twinkling along her crimson irises like stars. Then, her eyes widened. Did she find the holy grail of all powers? Did she stumble upon something that would allow her to obliterate those wolves? < Punch > < The thrust of your fist > No. What she received instead was perhaps the most generic description of all. The disappointment was immeasurable, and because of that, she suddenly stabbed the air with her blade. However ¨C she did not take into account just how tiny her body had become. She slipped along the watery ground, her boots surrendering their grip. *SPLASH* Her coat was drenched, and the running water spilled into her mouth, causing her to gag at its despicable flavor. But this was the least of her concerns. Because suddenly, the wolves began snarling before they let loose of a terrible howl. The hunter was now the hunted. 4. Red VS Wolves! A chase ensued within the caverns. A pack of sprinting wolves followed the distinctive footsteps of potential prey. Snarls echoed closely behind the girl as she raced back into the cave, vaulting over rocks and dodging stalactites with her baggy coat curled into a giant yarn. She tucked it between an arm, navigating through the maze of rocky pillars with surprising agility. It was nothing compared to the wolves however, who quickly approached as her mind scrambled for ideas. ¡°THINK ME! THINK!¡± She cried, keenly observing the wolves through the reflection of her hunting knife. Their jaws hung open, tongues following like fleshy ribbons as their bloodshot eyes promised her a swift death. For some reason, the wolves¡¯ movements became increasingly accurate in response to her voice. ¡°VOICE! TALK! WRITE SOMETHING! DO I HAVE SOMETHING I CAN USE!?¡± Suddenly, she reached a slope and suddenly found herself sliding down the cave, with only sections of it illuminated by the glowworms above. < PASSIVE SKILLS > < (O) Bladeworks > < Increased proficiency using edged weapons. Additional 25% ATT to equipped edged weapon > < (O) Critical Eye > < Critical Strikes dealt by you multiplies all ATT damage by 10x > < (S) Bonds! > < Make some friends first! > < (E) Boosted Appraisal > < Appraise Object levels significantly faster > ¡°Dumb, stupid, useless sentence!¡± She cried, her echoing voice temporarily confusing the wolves as they twitched their heads, as if unable to find her until the sifting gravel of her descent reeled them back in for the hunt. ¡°What am I supposed to do with Appraise Object!?¡±
The Hunt Must Go On < When ammunition depletes, the hunt will only become bloodier. The knife is most personal of all tools >
ORIGIN: Hatchling Red AFFINITY : Wrath TYPE : Weapon
ATT : 35
EFFECT: The Hunt Must Go On scales with Hatchling Red¡¯s Emotional State If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Her blade, The Hunt Must Go On, was inadvertently appraised, revealing unwanted information that cluttered her field of view. ¡°GO AWAY!¡± She tucked, rolled, and threw herself from side to side, plunging her blade into the wall to make precise movements. It cut deeply into the rock, which she quickly realized was a thick, earthy material. But this did not mean she was unharmed by the ordeal. Hatchling Red | HP: 310 The wolves hopped from the outcropping rocks to one another, descending as quickly as her. Jagged rocks cut deeply into her flesh, her cheeks were sliced, and legs bruised by her rapid descent. Rocks fell alongside her, tumbling into the recesses of the world as the wolves suddenly displayed confusion, pausing at weirdly specific timings. The girl was not so stupid to fail to notice this. At the same time, the sweet, irony scent of blood filled her lungs as she suddenly saw a strange, crimson trail in the corner of her eye. They were like tiny strings. Three of them to be precise. ¡°GRRRHH ¨C! CLOSE!¡± She twisted herself just in time before she was impaled by a jutting rock. Her cry caused the closest wolf to lunge mouth wide at the rock and to her surprise, she heard its brief whimpers as droplets of blood dripped into her nape. Hatchling Red | HP: 290 In the reflection of her blade, she saw the wolf willingly skewer itself. There was enough light to navigate the slope, and wolves should have superior eyesight within the darkness. However, this did not seem to be the case with these wolves. That was when she realized that they relied on sound rather than sight. The scent of blood became stronger, as did the crimson strings that connected the tip of her blade with the throats of the wolves like an umbilical cord. She had never seen such a thing before. Even in her prime as a monster no different from the rabid beasts chasing her, she never hallucinated strings. Hatchling Red | HP: 250 The bottom of the pit was now in plain sight. It was a relatively flat surface, enclosed by nothing but walls and more glowworms. There was little, if any cover available, meaning only one thing. I have to fight! It¡¯s the only thing I¡¯m good at. My whole life before being reborn to think was nothing but hunting down bad wolves and living stories. Her eyes glowed red as she focused on the trail, her body moving instinctively around the rock. It wasn¡¯t perfect. Wounds quickly accumulated as she could feel the putrid breath of the wolves above her head. Hatchling Red | HP: 230 She held her breath moments before reaching the ground. An epiphany suddenly struck her as she recalled the description of one of her Active Skills: Huntress¡¯ Slash. Follow the bloody trail¡­ The blade¡¯s grip reversed in her hand as she slammed it into the wall at the last possible moment, throwing her coat at the ground with a heavy thud. She laid her body flush against the slope, the blade dancing in the bioluminescent light as it followed that instinctual trail of manifested bloodlust. And one of the wolves so happened to glide itself across the tip of the blade. From the neck down, the wolf was gutted as innards spilled at that moment, coating her in crimson fluids. The wolf did not die immediately. Adolescent Cave Wolf | HP: 0 Hatchling Red | MP: 400 It died instantly. She had followed through the blade, as well as the intention of using the Huntress¡¯ Slash Skill. The carcass of the wolf plopped behind the last one as she remained perfectly still, never allowing herself to breathe. Beside her was a jutting rock. A spear perfectly capable of killing that wolf. Her observations were also correct. As the wolf whimpered and whined over its fallen companion, she realized that Cave Wolves were indeed blind. I hate wolves. Where was your compassion for grandma when you are her? When you tried to pretend that you were her? When you maimed me and left me for dead? Don¡¯t you know what I am? ¡®what¡¯ I used to be!? Her free hand grasped a portion of her dangling coat and flicked it onto the nearby rock. In that instant, the wolf lunged towards it, only to have a portion of its shoulder pierced by the rock. It collapsed onto it, crushing a paw as Hatching Red dropped down with a light thud, her footsteps signaling its encroaching doom. She was swift. And so was the wolf. It injuries did not put it out of commission just yet. Adolescent Cave Wolf | HP: 140 However, it was just enough for to put herself on an even playing field with the beast. It pounced at her, and she ducked to slash its belly open similar to the first one. The wolf dragged spilling innards as Hatchling Red¡¯s shoulder profusely bled. Adolescent Cave Wolf | HP: 140 < The Adolescent Cave Wolf has received 60 Bleed Stacks > Hatchling Red | HP: 120 < You have received 30 Bleed Stacks > < You will gradually lose HP > Both were severely weakened. Both were destined to die here, but Hatchling Red would fall into despair if she died without at least killing that wolf first. And so, whilst invoking Huntress¡¯ Slash once again as she and the wolf clashed ¨C ¨C both sides of the cave walls were stained with blood. The silhouettes of both fighters stood back-to-back. Moments later, as both drew their last breaths, the wolf collapsed first, missing a portion of its head. Adolescent Cave Wolf | HP: 0 She had won. Hatchling Red, a level 1, conscious Corrupted had prevailed against 3 level 15 wolves. In her mind she believed that her power stemmed from her being a Corrupted, and she wore a proud look as she wiped away the blood from her lips. Hatchling Red | HP: 10 Then, her world turned black as her silhouette finally joined the wolf in a pool of blood. 5. Time to Eat! *Drip* *Drip* *Drip* Cold droplets fell from a lonely stalagmite. *Drip* *Drip* It echoed throughout the cavern like a choir of bells. The girl slipped into the darkness she feared, surrounded by nothing but the harrowing splashes. *Drip* She could feel the harsh thumps banging against her forehead. *Drip* And at some point, she tasted the bitterness of the water as it trickled past her lips. *Drip* Was she dead? She didn¡¯t know. But this sensation was eerily familiar to her. *Drip* < There are no current Antagonists detected > < 0 Nemesis Tokens Gained > < Your tale is still in the prelude, isn¡¯t it? > A voice from beyond the void spoke. Subtle ticking accompanied it like a heartbeat. The origin of the voice came from everywhere at once within her dark purgatory, haunting her as she tried to understand who this voice belonged to. The void was cold. Terribly lonely. Her existence was rendered null by the darkness as her consciousness voyaged without purpose or a goal in sight. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Suddenly, an ember of light hovered before her. It flew like a firefly, its light fleeting as she instinctively reached for it with invisible hands. The light was warm, and it warded away the cold, monotonous ticking. The drips soon returned, replacing the ticking heartbeat. *Drip* This was not the first time she had experienced this abnormal dream-like state. She heard that life usually flashes before one¡¯s eyes when they die, but for her, there was only darkness. Not even the memories of her life as a monster carried enough weight to be reminisced. Always¡­ always, she was brought back here in this primordial ooze of darkness. ¡°¡­ Vengeful Red¡­ Hooded Assassin¡­¡± She whispered her name in full, one that once fought for the murdered denizens of her dark forest. Something inside of her chest cracked. * * * < One Sanity Token has been deducted > //////// < WARNING > //////// < Lowering Sanity increases the likelihood of Instability > < When Sanity reaches 0¡­ > < Sanity Scale > < 11 > She didn¡¯t know what it meant at the time. But one day, she would be reminded of its significance. * * * The blue glow of the cave ceiling blinded her momentarily. The dizziness rattled her senses as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. It didn¡¯t occur to her that she was alive, and so, she began murmuring to herself like she was on her way to the elusive place people called ¡®heaven¡¯. ¡°I wanna eat tasty things. Apples. Meat. Wolf meat. Apple pie. Apple and wolf meat pie. Mmm¡­¡± She groggily spoke to herself, lazing in a pool of an unknown liquid like a starfish. She didn¡¯t bother to look down. Instead, focused on the droplets that fell onto her forehead. ¡°That Facility had people eating delicious things too. I wonder if there are Corrupted that want to eat tasty things too, just like animals and monsters.¡± The thought stuck with her for a while. The glowworms twinkled like false stars, as if replying to her question. Slowly, her hand slid onto her chest, smearing a crimson liquid over her drenched articles. The iron scent immediately heightened her senses, and before she knew it, she threw herself upright, now wide awake. ¡°Mm¡­ no. That¡¯s right. We just want to kill each other. Corrupted don¡¯t think. They just do. Animals and monsters are different.¡± She was awfully sober compared to her clumsy self just¡­ ¡­ Minutes prior? Hours? Days? She didn¡¯t know how long she had been out for. Her hands immediately explored her body for signs of injury, but to her shock ¨C ¡°No cuts. No bruises. No lacerations. My clothing is fixed too¡­ I survived¡­¡± It looked like she had reached an epiphany. Like all her wisdom of the past returned all at once. However, this was far from the truth. Instead, her tiny fists clenched into balls as she made a small, celebratory jig whilst simmering in a concoction of her blood, and the slaughtered wolves. ¡°Naturally, heh.¡± She proudly announced with a smug face. Two of the wolves were left exactly as she remembered: freshly disemboweled. The third was left skewered somewhere above, its blood trickling down the slope from whence she came from like a red waterfall. The girl¡¯s stomach grumbled as she feasted her eyes upon their carcasses. Another drip echoed within the cavern. But this was not from the water above. *Grrrr* ¡°I know stomach. Food¡­¡± It was the drool dripping from her lips. She swiped the blade, spinning it dangerously between her fingers with spectacular skill before she pounced on the nearest wolf, plunging her blade into its body where she began to remove the pelt from the flesh. Hatchling Red was once the Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin. A Corrupted that thrived on the essence of the hunt. Butchering them was nothing to her, and once she carved out a sizeable fillet of meat, she messily munched on it like it was no more than a peeled dragon fruit. However ¨C ¡°Pffffft. *Cough* How do wolves eat meat if it tastes this bad!?¡± She complained, spitting the food out. But her growling stomach urged her to steel herself. ¡°Tch. Yuck¡­ How come you can eat stuff like this, but I can¡¯t? Mnn¡­ I bet it¡¯s because it comes from a wolf.¡± *Munch* *Squelch* *Slurp* Her stomach thanked her for the meal, but her tastebuds screamed at her. It was nothing like she expected. She had seen people eat meat before. It wasn¡¯t quite as red as this, but meat was meat! So, like the logical person she was, she blamed the lackluster quality on the fact that it came from a wolf. Munching mouthfuls, she began to speak to her prey¡¯s head. ¡°You know, I always wondered why monsters and animals get the freedom to eat. You had the choice to leave grandma alone. But you decided to eat her. It¡¯s only fair that I get eat you too.¡± She easily rationalized her hunt, peeling flesh from the bone with her blade. Hatchling Red didn¡¯t realize it immediately because of her overwhelming hunger, but the longer she ate, the more she realized that her hands weren¡¯t quite as small as they were. Staring down at her blood-soaked body, she blankly blinked and then studied herself in the reflection of the crimson puddle. ¡°Um¡­ Aren¡¯t I a little bigger now?¡± 6. Level Up and Learning More! The size increase wasn¡¯t anything major, but it was still a tangible difference all things considered. Her hands were slightly larger, her height just a tad bit higher, and her physical strength seemed to increase as well.
LEVEL : 2 Hatchling Red
HP : 370 ATT : 30 AGI : 26
ATT DEF : 32 MAG DEF : 15
They were reflected upon her status, although she didn¡¯t know what actually caused her to become a little stronger. What interested her the most, however, was that she had reached level 2! ¡­ whatever that was supposed to mean. ¡°Wolves are now 7.5 times stronger than me now. If my maths is right, then that means they¡¯re going to be twice as weak too!¡± Hatchling Red¡¯s cheerful voice was tamed this time around. She now knew that the Cave Wolves relied heavily on sound, so limiting the sounds she made was her number one priority. Atop her shoulder was the remains of a wolf, skinned cleanly and would serve as rations the next time she became hungry. Additionally, various fangs were kept inside of pocket found along her sticky, red coat which was strangely undamaged. It was as if the fibers of her coat had regenerated, much like the wounds of her body. She didn¡¯t put much thought into it. Previously as a Corrupted, her coat had the same ability, and she too could regenerate from lethal wounds. However, what did ¡®lethal¡¯ actually mean to a being like her now? She became oddly sentimental, lost in her whacky train of thoughts as she scoured the mostly vacant caverns. They became wider the longer she explored and came across numerous dead ends. Her sore calves were all she had to show for her efforts, although it was but a minor complaint. Was it really a train of thought, or just a monkey slamming a pair of cymbals in her brain? ¡°I could become hungry at any second now. My stomach growls louder than wolves. Scary.¡± She muttered, slapping her belly as if to temper it. ¡°Ugh. Food tastes bad. But how come I saw people eating it with smiles on their faces? Weird. Maybe humans and people with wolf ears have scarier stomachs.¡± She recalled a brown version of meat that people used to eat, and she wondered how they achieved that color on the meat in the first place. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± She engaged a few brain cells. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Then half. ¡°MMMMM¡­.!¡± Alas, not even an army of brain cells could lead her to understand the existence of this mystical browned meat. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. At best, she might have to find someone to teach her. The thought made her giddy enough to skip, but soon after as she passed by a small pool of crystal-clear water, she gazed down at her own reflection with a solemn look. ¡°Will people run away from me?¡± This was her first immediate thought. She knew exactly what she was, but also what she wanted to become. Survival should have been her priority. But that was easy only for a being that had lived its life ¡®living¡¯, rather than being a slave to the twisted monster that once defined them. The Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin had never ¡®lived¡¯ before. A finger was brought to her hair, where she twirled and pushed her bangs aside before smiling at herself and skipping off deeper into the luminous cavern. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t try. Hehe. I have a thingy called ¡®Friendship¡¯ too. I wanna know what tasty meat is like. What is tasty, by the way? Can the voice tell me? Helloooo~?¡± Hatchling Red also understood the importance of her skills after the last encounter. The information stored within this weird, yet helpful voice was a treasure trove and her lifeline. It was clear that fighting the way she once did wasn¡¯t going to cut it. At least not as she currently was, and certainly not without her weapon ¨C Fairytale¡¯s Bane. ¡°Fine then. Don¡¯t answer me. Hm. What about levels. Can you tell me more about that?¡± < Levels > < The quality of the soul > < Levels are a numerical value that reflects the quality of a being¡¯s soul. The higher the number grows, the greater the quality becomes. Limitations: Level 140. Level 200+ for the Blessed > It was a standard definition. Nothing too much to learn about, but at least the voice was responding again in the form of its weird visual prompts. She reached towards the slightly blue, translucent floating screen before her, and her hand went right though. ¡°The wolves couldn¡¯t see this. I¡¯m the only one who can, huh. Level 200. I have a skill that says ¡®Blessing¡¯. Does that mean I can become strong?¡± < Blessing of the Nexus > < Unknown. You do not have this Blessing > ¡°What about the one I already have?¡± Hatchling Red felt a little weirded out talking to what was just a wall of text as she clambered over rocky walls, crawled through tight gaps, and swam in shallow, underwater sections. Now that she thought about it, how did those wolves end up that deep into the cavern? There was likely another route, but she followed the one where the air swept through the strongest. Periodically, she¡¯d lick a finger and hold it into the air to check for the wind. < Blessing of the Star Child > < A wish is granted¡­ > < EFFECT: Unknown > That¡¯s it¡­? She thought, disappointed by the lackluster description yet again. Still, she went through the rest of her abilities in case there was something special, just like [Huntress¡¯ Slash], or [Critical Eye]. But first, she wanted to know what a ¡®Blessing¡¯ was. < Blessings > < A fundamental resonance with an Advent or Archetype > < Advent > < Object of power that can, have or will change the world > < Archetype > < Entities born from the Second Advent; the Advent of Amalgamation; the Nexus. They are the thesis of all concepts their namesake comprises of, sewn up into a conscious entity that encapsulates it > ¡°Amalgamation¡­¡± For some reason, this word resonated deeply with Hatchling Red as she asked her soundless companion about a peculiar ability of hers as she reached a strangely expansive cavern, where dozens of stalactites rose like the spears of giants. < ABILITY: Aspect of Amalgamation > < The sum of the parts is truly larger than the whole > < EFFECT: Able to absorb the stats of fallen enemies through consumption > ¡°Oh¡­ So that¡¯s why my stats grew.¡± Armed with this knowledge, Hatchling Red set her sights on several patrolling wolves in the distance and lapped her lips as though she were a wolf herself. 7. Look At All Those Wolves! Fighting the wolves head on was not an option at her current level. Fighting just one was risky enough. So, she hugged the towering stalactites, moving from one to another as though the wolves could see her. The glowworms high above illuminated the cavern like a moon, banishing all shadows as she mentally mapped out the area. But this wasn¡¯t enough. At around halfway into the cavern she realized that she could not progress any further with the number of wolves that patrolled the area. There were dozens, and likely more in the surrounding tunnels. So how in the world was she supposed to take out even one of them without alerting the others? Think me, think! How would I hunt down a bunch of wolves if I couldn¡¯t fight them head on? As she wracked her mind with this question, she briefly took a break in an elevated place to further scout ahead. Somehow, the wolves didn¡¯t make much noise. Even when one brushed its fur against the rock, tripped or sprinted, the other wolves didn¡¯t react. They ignored it, going about their ways as they lapped on running streams that trickled down the side of major stalactites. It was here where she plucked a sharpened wolf fang from her side and inspected it closely, casting [Appraise Object] through intention alone. Adolescent Cave Wolf Fang < It¡¯s a fang collected from a growing Cave Wolf > Very helpful. Her sarcastic remark caused veins to appear on her forehead. Suffice to say, Hatchling Red had a particularly short fuse when it came to vague explanation. She was dumb enough and even though she knew this, she¡¯d rather just call herself inexperienced. In a show of frustration, she hurled the tooth away with a spectacular throw. The tooth shimmered briefly before it struck the ground somewhere in the rocky maze ahead. The wolves immediately howled at the disturbance as several could be seen rushing through towards the sound, whilst others assumed a predatory stance. But it¡¯s made of wolf too. The teeth aren¡¯t supposed to lure them. Weird, stupid wolves¡­ However, having the power to lure them in such a way was interesting enough for her to mentally dot down. As a huntress, it was in her blood to take note of the smallest details, as it was usually those that hinted at bigger and more decisive things. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. So far, she gathered that their blindness could be exploited, and their necks and underside were substantially weakerother parts of their body. She even tested this as she brushed her hunting knife against the pelt she harvested earlier. The lighter one didn¡¯t even resist the blade, whereas the dark-blue patches required some effort. Sturdy Cave Wolf Pelt < Sturdy pelt from a Cave Wolf. Smelly > Soft Cave Wolf Pelt < Soft pelt from a Cave Wolf. Soft. But smelly > Hatchling Red had to wonder just who or what came up with these descriptions. When she asked the all-mighty text prompt in her head, she was greeted with prompt that read: < Unknown > < Where all known knowledge resides > Huuuh? Why explain to me what it does, but not tell me what it is? Are you stupid? She half expected it to respond but was only met with silence. She felt lonely all of a sudden as she sat at the top of the spiky pillar, allowing small drips to cascade down her head. A part of her wondered what this prompt was and if it could even converse to her. The voice and ticking she heard earlier reminded her that she was all alone. I want to see people¡­ Did the wolves eat them all? Unforgivable. Grandma wasn¡¯t enough, huh. She broodingly went to cross her arms after slipping the pelt into her black skirt¡¯s waistband and went to check her levels again. To her surprise ¨C (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash [2/10] (E) Appraise Object [1/10] ¨C She had gained a few levels in her skills. Perhaps reaching 10 would improve them? Only one way to find out. I wonder what¡¯s the best way to take them on. I can¡¯t walk close to them because they¡¯ll hear me. Grrrr. Why don¡¯t I just rip their ears off? Can I lure them somewhere and trap them? Her mind defaulted to traps. She was able to use tools to terrifying effectiveness since she was a humanoid entity. Even as a Corrupted, the majority of her strength came in the form of small but extremely fast, metal projectiles. Otherwise known as bullets. Pondering on this thought and deeply missing her huge gun, she rocked her body left and right, rattling her mind as if trying to dispense a better idea. Traps was certainly the way to go, but her movement was heavily restricted. Even if she tried her hardest to remain silent, the wolves would detect her if she came anywhere near them. Suddenly, one of the pelts slipped from her waistband. H-Huh!? She swiftly reached down for it but missed it by mere inches, grasping the air. The pelt was not light. It dropped like a brick, tumbling down the pillar as she desperately searched for a method of escape. These wolves were dexterous enough to climb these pillars, and she scoured the area for the closest one to leap towards. However, just as she was about to make her escape, she suddenly realized something. The falling pelt didn¡¯t make any sound at all, as if it had absorbed it. Curious, she peered over the edge and found that it had already fallen to the ground without creating a single sound. I¡­ can use that! I can upgrade my boots to fuzzy boots! Heh. Now I can trample on them all the time! It seemed like her stealthy conundrum had a lucky solution. 8. A Suspicious-Looking Rock Hatchling Red was blessed with serendipity. It was only by chance that she realized she possessed a material capable of masking all sound from her mortal enemies, for they believed her to be one of them. Like a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing! Wait, does that work when you¡¯re with wolves to begin with? How about like a hunter in wolf¡¯s clothing! Better. And so, she got to work. Hiding near the entrance of the tunnel from whence she came, she carefully began cutting away a pocket into the pelt. A thin membrane peeled away, creating a fluffy pouch which she slipped her boots into. The fur covered her soles, and she temporarily held her leg out to critique her work. It was hardly a work of art, and her small body didn¡¯t allow her to make the most precise cuts. A crude, rudimentary upgrade best described her fluffy boots and to her surprise¡­ [Appraise Object].
Vengeful Boots (+Soft Cave Wolf Pelt)
ORIGIN : Hatchling Red ATTRIBUTE : Wrath TYPE : Apparel
ATT DEF : 15
This brought her ATT DEF to a total of 47. Hatchling Red ATT DEF : 32 (+15) It was not nearly enough to completely negate an attack from the Cave Wolves, but it certainly helped. She had practically halved their damage already! But she wondered if this additional defensive stat applied to the entire part of her body or just her legs. Her curiosity drove her to test this with the length of her blade. She made a small incision at her fingertip. Hatchling Red | HP: 365 It did not deal as much damage as the stats led her to believe. Then it hit her. Does that mean this is the maximum possible damage it can inflict? That makes more sense now. Wait, weird text! Does the defense apply to my entire body? < Defensive Stats > < Explicitly defines the total resistance of a given entity against physical or magical attacks. All damage inflicted against a higher DEF opponent becomes 1 > So does that mean it protects my entire body or what!? Hatchling Red was close to blurting this out loud as she stood herself up, wobbling immediately due to the bumpy texture of her sole. She waddled like a penguin, grasping at nearby pillars of stone like a newborn fawn. The largest downside of these silent shoes was stability, but it wasn¡¯t something she couldn¡¯t learn to adapt to. On the same vein of her boots, she wondered if her apparel gave her any benefits to begin with. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Supporting herself along the wall, she analyzed her clothes, and to her surprise ¨C
Colorless Huntress¡¯ Garbs
< Finely tailored to hunt the biggest and baddest of villains >
ATT DEF : 32 MAG DEF : 15
¨C It had the exact same stats as her own DEF stats, but it didn¡¯t add up for some weird reason. The longer she pondered on this, the more her stomach started to rumble. Thinking was a tiring effort for something like her who had as many brain cells as fingers, not that she really knew what brain cells were. She just knew the term. Or something like that. It must be connected to me, right? If it can regenerate, then is this like my own skin? It was the only logical conclusion she could come up with. Removing it would therefore likely remove her DEF stats entirely. She peered around the corner, ensuring there were no wolves in sight and undressed.
Hatchling Red
ATT DEF : 0 MAG DEF : 0
Whaaaat? This really is my skin! What the ¨C so I¡¯m not allowed to take it off? Does this ¡®grow¡¯ with me too? I don¡¯t get it. She lumped backwards, covering herself with the bundle of red, white and black clump of fabric as she held back a frustrated sigh. To begin with, how does a boot protect someone from a slash against the chest or back? How did that make any sense? The longer she let this train of thought chug around in circles in her mind, the more she felt like punching something. Eventually, she redressed and began to wander around the tunnel that led into the wolf-infested cavern. Dozens of wolves could not be taken out in an honorable fight to the death, so she mapped out her surroundings for the best choke point available. Everything was too wide, and it wasn¡¯t like she could prepare spike traps with no access to sticks at hand. The rocks were too large to utilize as well. She thoroughly investigated various avenues and came to the realization that these tunnels were devoid of all wolves. That large cavern seemed to be where they either originated from or was the beginning of a much larger wolf den. Eventually, she arrived at a sudden, unexpected descent similar to the one she fell into earlier. This is prime trapping grounds. You¡¯re telling me trees don¡¯t grow underground!? < Deeproot Trees > < Native to the Anid and Gnawer Region > What¡¯s that? < Anid Region > < Region of the Anids. Permanent winter and snow > < Gnawer Region > < Region of the Insectids. Permanent war of billions of humanoid insects > It was mostly useless information, but a part of her became giddy when she learned a little more of the world outside. Although, the thought of humanoid insects disgusted her more than she was willing to admit. It caused goosebumps to form, and her eyes to darken as she shivered at what those things must have looked like. < Insectid Appearance > < Multiple limbed ¨C > Nuh uh. Stop! Get the prompts away! She punched at the air, as if expecting to break the prompt. However, and much to her shock, her hand connected with something. It was like a string. Sticky, and nearly invisible. What she struck was a web. And in that moment, as she stared deep into the caverns ahead, the blue light of the glowworms had become much duller. Eventually, she heard clicking. A wet, disgusting churning that caused her to investigate a strange, rocky mound¡­ ¡­ and that mound sprouted six legs and two giant scissor-like mandibles.
LEVEL : 5 Rock Bug
ORIGIN : Insect HP : 600 ATT : 75 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 5
9. Underground Bugs!? Are They Tasty? It was a bug. A six-legged freak of nature that clamped its mandibles in the direction of Hatchling Red. Its tiny, beady black eyes stared at her with every intention to tear her apart, and she instinctively raised her arms in preparation for the next bloodiest brawl. And not only was it a putrid bug, but it was made of rocks. The impenetrable, indigestible material that injured her knuckles. Indeed, Hatchling Red not only possessed a vendetta against wolves, but also rocks after her last interaction. Her blade glistened in the light of the glowworms as she circled around the insect, which simply twisted itself, following her every lead. This bug is smart. It knows what I want. I know what it wants. Jump at me already, coward. She mentally calculated her odds against this beast, which was roughly the same size as herself. They were locked in a stalemate, with her circling around it counterclockwise, seeking an opening. Unfortunately for her, she couldn¡¯t follow the illusionary ¡®bloody trail¡¯ in this instance. She then began hopping from leg to leg, looking down at the intelligence of the six-legged monstrosity. She figured that she could fool it into turning away, and to her surprise ¨C That¡¯s right. Dumb rock bug. You¡¯re my next meal! ¨C It turned its back towards her, and she lunged forward int that instant. However, when her blade met with its rocky shell, she was unexpectedly repelled backwards after a loud, metallic twang. She stagged backwards, losing her footing before the insect backed into her and simply knocked her away with its backside. ¡°Yowch!¡± Hatchling Red | HP: 369 Rock Bug | HP: 599 She fell onto her butt, wondering how her attack did virtually nothing to it. Even if it was a rock, her combined ATT was surely high enough to be able to damage it, right? Gripping her blade, she suddenly remembered the < Defensive Stats > prompt which outlined how all damage done against a higher DEF target will always become 1. Meaning¡­ ¡°I¡¯m that weak¡­?¡± As if it wasn¡¯t already obvious enough, this realization struck her harder than the wolves. A bug ¨C a rock bug ¨C a simply, creepy oversized level 5 monstrosity possessed a DEF stat higher than something 3 times more than its level. ¡°Maybe I should try wearing rocks. But that¡¯ll slow me down.¡± She considered the prospect but left it alone as the Rock Bug went back to its inactive state, nestling into its small dugout without a care in the world. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you. Just you wait.¡± She vowed before venturing deeper into the cavern. The lights became dimmer here as the number of glowworms above dropped significantly. Chunks were torn out from the ceiling, as though something were eating them. Cautious, she wandered through the stalactites, finding nothing of interest aside from more Rock Bugs. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Something else lurked here, evident by the strands of webs left around. From what she knew, webs were used to capture prey, but here it was used in a manner that felt like a creature was marking its territory. These early signs were likely warnings, but Hatchling Red pushed deeper regardless of the fact, holding her blade in a reversed grip. Eventually, she reached a relatively flat chamber where strange insects with dozens of legs scuttled around clumsily.
LEVEL : 5 Soft Shell Mini Millipede
ORIGIN : Insect HP : 450 ATT : 12 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 5
They were grey and about half her size. They swarmed over one another as they moved through connected tunnels almost aimlessly, bumping their heads against the walls and one another. The sight caused hairs around her body to rise. The wriggling soup of dozens of insects caused her great discomfort. There was something eerie about being faced with something with multiple limbs. It didn¡¯t feel ¡®right¡¯. The best solution? Kill them. Or in her case: devour them! She wondered if they were also blind as she sunk behind a rock, tossing one of the wolf teeth into the crowd. To her surprise, a few of them crawled towards the noise like curious beasts, smashing their head against the stone ground. Do they think it¡¯s food? I don¡¯t see any mouths on them. ¡®Soft Shell¡¯ makes me believe they have low DEF stats, but what if that¡¯s a red fish? What do they call it? A red tuna? Red¡­ salmon? *Grrrrr* Her stomach rumbled at possibly the worst time, and she cursed at herself for thinking of something she believed to be tasty. However, only one of the insects crawled towards her location, curiously waddling by as she then threw a tooth further down to lure it into the direction she came from. She felt like a Sheppard leading a lamb to the slaughter, occasionally tossing teeth. The fur boots allowed her to walk side by side with it as she inspected its outer membrane. It was a fleshy, leathery exterior and when brought underneath direct light, one could see various organs within its semi-transparent flesh. How do people eat things like this? They eat stuff like giant millipedes too, right? She pondered on what was supposed to be normal cuisine as she spun her blade in her hands, positioning herself behind its head and in one swipe ¨C ¨C Black and green blood came spewing out. She dragged the blade lengthwise quickly to bleed it as much as possible. The creature squirmed, nearly crushing her against the wall but thankfully, it died almost as quickly as it could react. Its head deflated as its guts spilled out. Another hunt successful, and she dragged its surprisingly light body far enough in case the others could smell its corpse. Finally, with her newest meal in hand, she reached into its cavity and tore out a chunk of leathery, pinkish meat. It smelt foul, and it wobbled in her hands like jelly. The taste was to be expected. ¡°Pfffft. Pffffffft. PPPPPPPFFFFFT! It¡¯s not just wolves that taste like crap! It¡¯s like this isn¡¯t meant to be consumed or something!¡± She complained to the air but stuffed herself full regardless. And she wasn¡¯t the only one who did as well. Something scuttled beside her, ripping chunks from the millipede its scissor-like mandibles. She glanced down with furrowed eyes, knowing that she couldn¡¯t do anything to stop this thief from feeding off her catch. ¡°See this? This is gonna be you soon. Heh. I bet you¡¯re scarred. That¡¯s right. Be afraid of Hatchling Red!¡± She taunted a certain bug with an evil chuckle. Indeed. The very same Rock Bug had come to take its share! 10. An Underground Jungle?
LEVEL : 8 ??? < Hatchling Red > < CORRUPTED >
NAME: ??? HP : 430 MP : 620 AGI : 26 RESIST : 42
AGE : 0 ATT : 30 (+35) MAG ATT : 5 O : 7 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 32 (+15) MAG DEF : 15 S : 1 E : 3
Hatchling Red¡¯s prowess against the Soft Shell Mini Millipedes allowed her to increase her HP as well as her total level. From what she understood, leveling did not occur from killing creatures, but instead by leveling Active Skills. Huntress¡¯ Slash became her most used Skill, allowing her to make quick work of the unsuspecting insects. The problem was that she could only use it a total of 3 times before she would have to wait for her mana to restore, which was an agonizingly slow process. She didn¡¯t have a clock or a frame of reference to time how exactly much mana she was able to restore per minute, and the voice in her head refused to tell her. So, as she munched on the carcass of the 30th Millipede, she counted the number of drips from a nearby stalagmite. She counted 3,600 drips, which equaled roughly 200 MP restored. The same was with her HP. Each drip represented a second in her mind, and she quickly asked the voice in her head how many seconds existed in a minute. < Minute > < A measure of time containing 60 seconds > ¡°Handy voice.¡± She complimented cheerily, slurping the putrid juices of her prey. By now her palette had grown accustomed to the repulse flavor. But that didn¡¯t mean she enjoyed it. Rather, it made her keener on tasting real food; the kind that smelt good, was warm, and made people smile. This just made her grimace at every bite. At least the Rock Bug seemed to enjoy it. ¡°60 minutes. That¡¯s an hour, I think. So that¡¯s 200 Mana thingies per hour.¡± She concluded and as if to reward her efforts ¨C
NAME: ??? HP : 430 ^3/Min MP : 620 ^3/Min AGI : 26 RESIST : 42
AGE : 0 ATT : 30 (+35) MAG ATT : 5 O : 6 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 32 (+15) MAG DEF : 15 Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. S : 1 E : 3
¨C The mysterious prompt revealed this hidden information. ¡°Huuuh? What¡¯s the point of hiding things from me? Grrr! Are you making fun of me?¡± She slashed the air again, waving the blade around wildly in frustration. ¡°Is there anything else you wanna hide?¡± To an onlooker, she¡¯d look completely insane. The Rock Bug stared at her, tilting its head to the side judgingly before it went back to feast on the Millipede, again inciting a curse from Hatchling Red who wondered if boiling the creature would kill it. It became evident that the Soft Shell Mini Millipedes did little for her stats. However, they did allow her to level up her skills. < ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash [6/10] (O) Punch [1/10] (S) Friends! [1/10] (E) Appraise Object [3/10] As she made her way back into the now vacant chambers of the Soft Shell Mini Millipedes, she pondered on how she gained a level in [Friends!]. Curious, she checked the description of this bizarre skill. < (S) Friends! > < Become friends with the most likely and unlikely of things! > < COST: Nil > She wondered just who she had become friends with. Not that it mattered much to her. * * * Her total level did not add up with the rest of her Active Skills. This was because each ODSE level was valued differently. The voice in her head summarized how total levels were calculated. < Total Levels > < Calculated by the following equation: O+(D/2)+(S/4)+(E/10) > This meant her actual level was closer to 7.55, but the weird prompt must have rounded it to the highest number. To preface things, Hatchling Red was no genius, but when she engaged all 20 of her braincells then one could expect results, so long as she didn¡¯t fry her brain. There was a lot to learn about these numbers, skills, and the very existence of this ability of hers to see her stats. She wondered if there were others with the same powers as her. Was it unique? She skipped along the caverns, becoming giddy as she hoped to find out as soon as she left this cursed place. Being able to think so freely was a leisure she never knew was a right to the living. The caverns became dimmer, the light slowly transitioning from blue to a radioactive green. The terrain became largely varied, bearing miniature hills and pillars as yet another gargantuan chamber began to unravel itself. Strange, ivy-like foliage dangled from above, the ends of the plants coiled like the tails of a chameleon. Upon closer inspection, she revealed that these green, glowing plants were in fact a different form of Glowworms.
LEVEL : 1 Green Glowworms
ORIGIN : Insect HP : 1 ATT : 0 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 0
No nutritional value. Like salad. I bet salad has no nutritional value too, like these colonies of green worm noodles. She cautiously manuvered past them, entering a space that was closer to an underground jungle than a cavern thanks to the Green Glowworms. They dangled from all manners of rock formations, creating the illusion of trees as tiny insects gathered by them and around pools of water. One landed onto the back of her hand. It was tiny, strange insect with a long proboscis. Normally, she¡¯d be creeped out by any multi-limbed creature, but this looked kinda cute for some reason. However, this couldn¡¯t be further from the truth because in the next moment, it began to suck her blood. Her heart dropped as she swatted it.
LEVEL : 1 Cave Mosquitoes
ORIGIN : Insect HP : 1 ATT : 0 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 8
¡°¡­ vampire insects¡­¡± To think these creepy crawlies would also have a thirst for blood. Suddenly, loud buzzing could be heard in the distance. When her eyes moved in its direction, her face turned pale. Because what she saw was no ordinary Cave Mosquito, but instead ¨C ¡°¡­ A giant vampire insect¡­¡± ¨C She gripped her blade, staring at the long, lance-like proboscis of a giant Cave Mosquito. If she thought wolves were bad, then this was an utter nightmare. 11. Giant Mosquitoes! Hatchling Red had no wings. If she was a hatchling, then wouldn¡¯t that imply she was a bird? Or could at least grow some later? She held onto this thought as she hid amongst the living foliage, throwing her hood over her face as she hacked a few off and created a makeshift ghillie suit. Not that it granted any bonuses, or any advantage as she figured that the giant, looming Cave Mosquito was blind just like the wolves. Her evidence? A giant patch of moss could be found tucked away between two boulders. It shivered as a tinge of red bled through the green. If one didn¡¯t look closely enough, then they¡¯d believe it to be an oversized slug, or a mysterious patch of moss. This, however, was none other than the infallible Hatchling Red! Two tiny hands protruded from the front as she shaped them into binoculars, observing her blind, buzzing enemy from roughly 50 meters away. I thought lots of air makes bugs bigger. Do levels do the same? Is that why I¡¯m getting bigger too? She grated her teeth wondering how she was supposed to take down a flying creature with a rapier-like nose. A couple thoughts came to mind, like wrapping the green glowworms around the handle of her blade like a rope dart. Unfortunately for her, the glowworms were a colony of many, rather than a few super long worms. This was perhaps the only time she tolerated the creepy crawlies. At least they didn¡¯t have any legs. Enhance¡­ She curled her hands, ¡®zooming¡¯ in with her binoculars as she calmly observed the giant mosquito. It was an eyeless, smooth beast shaped like a giant prawn, with 6 stick-like legs that stuck out like blades. They lacked joints, causing it to appear like a giant spike trap waiting to drop on an unsuspecting prey. However¡­ ¡­ it can retract its legs into its body. Indeed. The greenish, reflective Mosquito was able to conceal its legs. The purpose confused her, and she wondered if it was to do with its speed? Maneuverability? Creepiness factor? Why the heck are bugs so gross!? Status!
LEVEL : 10 Giant Cave Mosquito
ORIGIN : Insect HP : 50 ATT : 250 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 35
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Deducting the total ATT from her ATT DEF stats, it could shave off nearly half of her HP. In theory, she could survive two direct hits as long as it didn¡¯t hit her head, which would immediately kill her as it would undoubtedly count as a Critical Strike. But she was not going to take her chances. Not until she figured something out. For now, she was wedged between a rock and hard place. On one hand, one good swipe could kill it, but that applied to the Giant Cave Mosquito as well. Who comes up with these names by the way? Voice? Message prompt thing? Do you know? < Unknown > It flashed this before her, causing her brows to furrow. Huh? Hey. Hey. Heeeeey? Can you speak to me normally? I¡¯m pretty sure I heard you or someone talking to me while I was out. Is it because you sound like a clock? The Giant Cave Mosquito hovered along the ridges high above, its eyeless, smooth head pointing in the direction of various, inconspicuous rocks littered around the vast chamber. She felt like she had seen them before. Suddenly, the Mosquito landed beside one of these rocks, using its legs to anchor it into place. Its head twitched, tilted curiously as its proboscis tapped on the surface in search of something. The rock didn¡¯t move, but there was something about it that piqued the interest of the bug. Its spear-like proboscis tapped on the rock several times before its transparent wings fluttered, preparing to leave. What was that all about? Does it hunt with touch? It can¡¯t be sound because it would¡¯ve already heard me. Weird. And just as it was about to lift off, its head unexpectedly reared back before it plunged its proboscis into the rock, and to her shock ¨C the rock bled. Crimson fluids and chunks of meat were syphoned through its hollow tube, entering the head of the Mosquito as Hatchling Red realized that those rocks were in fact Rock Bugs. She rapidly exhaled at the realization, and to her horror ¨C ¨C The Mosquito jolted, turning its head in her direction, its eyeless gaze drilling into her soul. She instinctively sealed her mouth shut and immediately slithered away, her fur boots concealing her movements as the giant Mosquito curiously flew towards her last location. Her heart raced as she kept close to the many pillars and glowworms, eventually making enough space where she could confidentially observe the insect again. Did it hear my breath? Her mind screamed ¡®no¡¯. For what reason did it react to her breath then? It poked its proboscis into the space between the boulders, rummaging around in hopes of finding a meal. When it seemed like it would give up, it instead began patrolling the nearby area, its head raised to the sky. Could it be my breath that¡¯s attracting it? She backed up against the cavern walls, rocks sifting beneath her boots and yet the insect did not respond, confirming her suspicions. With her blade in hand, she moved around the various Rock Bugs that littered the edge of the cavern. They curiously turned to her, snapping their jaws near her ankles. Don¡¯t you dare! She leaped away, assuming a defensive stance as she wondered what had come over the Rock Bugs. They waddled over a small patch of green glowworms that had dropped from her coat and began feasting on it. Do you think I¡¯m a giant green glowworm? Dumb Rock Bugs¡­! Tch ¨C! The sudden spike of activity lured the Giant Mosquito towards them, and this time, it fiercely lunged itself forward. It miraculously missed the glowing satellites, approaching like a speeding bullet as she threw herself to the side, watching it just barely graze her before it impaled its proboscis into the mass of Rock Bugs. Dust exploded, as did the poor insects. It was terrifyingly fast. The sluggish movements it once exhibited were replaced with brisk, twitch-like movements that made it unpredictable and frankly, too dangerous for her to immediately charge in. She considered it. This was an opportune moment to strike. However, her instincts demanded that she exercise caution. Her body was spring loaded, primed to lunge forward and finish it off, for its proboscis was jammed within the rocks. However, before she could even blink, it had ripped itself free, replacing the proboscis with a fresh, slime-coated one. ¡­ so that¡¯s why its legs were so weird. It has replacement parts. Ammunition. And it was pointed right at her as it now took to the skies with five legs. ¡°But that¡¯s bound to be depleted. Fine then. Bring it on, you five-legged freak!¡± 12. Red VS Mosquito! From wolves to giant creepy crawlies, Hatchling Red just wasn¡¯t going to catch a break. She committed herself to a preemptive dive. Having seen the immense speed of the creature made it clear that if she relied on reaction alone, then she¡¯d end up just like those skewered Rock Bugs. Her instincts were correct. At the apex of her following roll the Giant Cave Mosquito lunged forward like a spear, its hollow proboscis piercing the rock where she previous was with a deafening crack. ¡°So that¡¯s what 250 damage looks like. Tch.¡± Her crimson eyes narrowed sharply, emitting a faint, glow like an ember had been lit. ¡°Give a grub a good weapon and they¡¯re just as dangerous as anyone else!¡± Hatchling Red charged straight into the stone forest, throwing herself against every pillar she came across as she keenly kept an eye on the reflection of her hunting knife. Any normal person would have been disorientated by the act of running and monitoring their back, but she was a huntress at heart. Pillars exploded behind her, the giant Mosquito ramming its body side by side as it held its replacement proboscis at an angle to avoid damaging it. Its legs were reduced to only 4. If she could whittle it down, then it¡¯d be a sitting duck. The Mosquito seemed to further hone her whereabouts with every vented breath, its proboscis steadily pointing into her direction like a divining rod. Its body shivered with excitement, its metaphorical mouth drooling at the prospect of siphoning the warm blood and innards of its prey. However ¨C Just when it seemed to have narrowed her figure down, it unexpectedly smashed against a stone pillar. Because of how closely it followed her tracks, Hatchling Red threw herself into a particularly dense section of the subterranean jungle. The pillars were not infinite. A quarter of the towering stalactites had already been cut down, leaving behind a sprawl of boulders indistinguishable from the Rock Bugs, and green, writhing masses of spilled Green Glowworms. 3 more legs to go! Plus one! Her stamina was unfortunately limited, and she could feel the burn in her legs which seemed to also attract the attention of the Giant Mosquito somehow. Dammit. Can sense my breath AND my pain!? < Giant Cave Mosquito > < Highly sensitive to the expelled wastes of the living and the production of lactic acid > The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. HUH!? WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS NOW!? < Hidden Criteria > < Reach the First Total Level Milestone to uncover your secrets > There was more to her than what met the eye, and to die here would mean she¡¯d never get to see what else finally being able to live would have to offer. The prompt served as both a source of frustration as well as motivation as her grip strangled the throat of her blade, yearning to slash that thing wide open. In the meantime, she herded it further through the densely packed rocks trying to make sense of its speed. Its AGI was 35 compared to her 26. The difference of 9 AGI made it appear far too quickly for her to react to, but she found it hard to believe that this was the sole reason for it. Giant Cave Mosquito | HP : 45 She focused, still not yet bleeding the beast as it had taken minor damage from its surroundings. Its DEF was very likely to be high as a result, and she questioned whether her blade could penetrate through the membrane. Doubt filled her mind. She¡¯d have to hit a Critical Strike to bring it down in one fell swoop. She mentally thanked her instincts. If she had gone for the kill earlier, then she likely would have died now that she was aware that its DEF stats were higher than those level 15 wolves. Once again, another probiscis was lost, meanwhile the chamber was wrecked by the single level 10 creature. She didn¡¯t know what level she was at in her past life, so she had no way to tell if this was normal or not. However, if this was what level 10 creatures were capable of, then one had to imagine what those level 200+ beings could do. The quality of the soul. That means levels don¡¯t exactly equal strength, huh!? Tch ¨C ¡°Ngh! Get ¨C the hell ¨C AWAY FROM ME!¡± She threw her blade at the creature as a rock was flung against her shoulder, instantly bleeding her as a sharp, deadly pain pulsed through her body. Her blade swung in the air as she dragged it with her bioluminescent rope. It struck the creature, and to her anguish, it bounced off its membrane. She tugged her blade back, catching it perfectly as it spun dangerously through the air like a boomerang. Strangely enough, the biological rope was plenty strong. Probably enough to support her weight, even if for a short amount of time. ¡°I need something stronger! C¡¯mon Red! The voice isn¡¯t going to help you down here, so you gotta think! Think! What would you do if you were being chased by a killer blood sucking, balloon-like mosquito!?¡± She bashed her forehead with the hilt of her knife. By now more than half of the pillars were devastated, and she soon had no choice but to return to the same clearing where the battle began. Then it hit her as her eyes fell onto the protruding needle: the proboscis that had nearly ended her just minutes ago. It faced her, and she almost didn¡¯t see it. ¡°You burst it! My blade can¡¯t hurt you, but your needle can! Just like the wolves! Tch¡­ Gotta resort to tactics like this because you things don¡¯t like to fight fair!¡± She complained to the air. If the Mosquito could hear and understand her words, then it absolutely would have given up its pursuit. It was on her heels now, and she felt a sudden, unnatural burst of movement behind her. For a split second, the Mosquito had lunged itself forward before it returned to its previous place. It appeared like a vibration, and she realized that this was why it was so hard to keep track of. Upon making this observation ¨C < BIOLOGICAL PASSIVE SKILL: Mosquito Buzz > < EFFECT: Double AGI in extremely short bursts. Will return to last known place. When committing to a lunge, double AGI. Cannot redirect attack > ¨C The prompt revealed the power of this creature. A racial passive skill! 13. A Taste of It’s Own Medicine! The hidden criteria she possessed rewarded her for making observations of her prey! It didn¡¯t seem like much, but now knowing the reason as well as the fact that it would commit to its attack only caused a mischievous grin to form. ¡°Heh. So you can be helpful, HUH VOICE!? Alright then¡­ COME AND GET SKEWERED YOU VAMPIRE BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUG!¡± She roared on purpose, expelling as much air as she could as she approached the needle. Her legs felt like they would fall off at any moment now. Her breathing became rash as sweat poured down her cheeks. But her striving to see this hunt through gave her the last bit of energy she needed to throw herself to the side. Her last exhale baited the creature to make its decisive and final lunge. ¡°Get skewered! Haha! YEAH!¡± Red laughed, watching as it impaled itself onto one of its own proboscises. Giant Cave Mosquito | HP : 30 But to her shock, it did not die immediately. ¡°¡­ 250 is the maximum damage. Is your body all slush inside?¡± Red heavily breathed. The Mosquito was secured firmly, so it was not at any risk of escaping. Its pitiful, remaining needles were sucked into its body as they directed the ground one by one, its wings desperately trying to lift itself free from its skewer stick. Red blood dribbled from its wound. When she caught whiff of it, her eyes immediately turned to daggers as she saw the red strings. They demanded her to cut along where its legs used to reside, for this was the chink in its armor. It quivered, screaming soundlessly as Red listened to the sloshing sounds of its rupturing innards. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°Can¡¯t feel sorry when you wanted to do that to me. That¡¯s a big needle for me, you know?¡± She panted, speaking to the creature before she used [Punch]. Her fist bounced right off, and she placed it onto her chin in a pondering manner. ¡°Your skins really tough and leathery. Hm. I think it¡¯ll look good on someone else. Hold still! I¡¯m going to borrow it now, ok~?¡± She dragged her blade against its flesh, the scraping sounds enough to break the mind of this creature. ¡°It¡¯s only fair that I get to do this, because you wanted to do that to me too. I want to live too, you know? But¡­ Those millipedes probably wanted to live as well.¡± She tilted her head, placing the tip of her knife into the eye-shaped pore before she slowly began to drag it down, and to her surprise, it cut right through its flesh. Giant Cave Mosquito | HP : 15 Globs of red and black goop came spilling out, splattering by her ankles. ¡°It¡¯s an eat or be eaten world, huh? There¡¯s always going to be prey ¨C¡± She carved it open like a bag of fluids, causing its innards to finally gush out as its body deflated, hanging only by the same needles it had used to try to kill her. ¡°¨C And a hunter.¡± Giant Cave Mosquito | HP : 0 ¡°I¡¯d slurp you up with those things, but¡­ I think they¡¯ll be better as weapons!¡± She struggled to pull one out, wielding the long, thin needle in both hands. ¡°250 ATT! It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s beautiful!¡± She celebrated with the weapon in hand as Rock Bugs scuttled around her, gazing up momentarily before feasting on her catch. ¡°Wait ¨C HEY! Leave my food alone!¡± She shouted, raising the weapon, and stabbing one of these critters. But unfortunately for her¡­ ¡°W-What¡­ B-But it¡¯s 250 ATT¡­? I saw it kill them with my own two eyes!¡± Her spear was deflected into the stone. It did little other than slightly bother the Rock Bug. ¡­ the 250 ATT was not solely because of its proboscis. Her eyes watered like she was on the verge of tears. ¡°My food¡­ it¡¯s being stolen by bugs again¡­¡± She lamented. Just because she harvested the most promising piece of a monster did not mean it would possess the same damage potential in her hands. It was like expecting to be able to maul like a bear after taking its claws. Giant Proboscis < The unremarkable proboscis of a giant bug > ATT : 80 14. Friends…? The Giant Cave Mosquito was putrid, even worse than her previous meals combined. Yet the blackened slurry of flesh was the tastiest thing the Rock Bugs had ever laid their mandibles on. Their black, beady eyes glimmered with a strange light whenever they turned to her. ¡°Stupid bug.¡± She complained, poking at one and garnering a weird, disgusting head tilt. ¡°First you steal my food, and now you steal the stars and put them in your eyes.¡± Needless to say, she didn¡¯t adore her rocky company. Vengeful Red had too much pride to be beaten by a docile bug, so she exploited their sudden show of weakness. An evil grin came across her face as she explored her hands along the boulder-sized bug¡¯s body, searching for a pore or an opening to jam her newest weapon ¨C the Giant Proboscis. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be something on you! How do you breathe then!? You don¡¯t even have a nose!¡± She scratched her head, lying to get a better look at how they fed, only to find that they didn¡¯t have a mouth either. And yet they consumed without a maw, wiping their faces along the mass of fluids. Her brows furrowed. ¡°¡­ I really, really need an explanation. Voice?¡± < BIOLOGICAL PASSIVE SKILL: Sophisticated Permeable Membrane > < EFFECT: Evolution has allowed this insect/bug to consume with no maw, allowing it to bottom feed for decades without the need to expend energy > She blankly blinked, like she had just read a cryptic riddle. ¡°Eh? Permeable? What the¡­ C-Can you explain?¡± < Nil > ¡°Huh? You can tell me aaaallllllll about different parts of the world, but you can¡¯t give me a definition? Fine then. How about the sophisticated part? What part of a rock is sophisticated? What¡¯s a rock going to do if I roll it down a hill? Fight back?¡± She vented, irritated at the thought that these things were comparable to complex creatures. When she thought of a sophisticated creature, she thought of humans! People! Her! Not some rock bug! Her coat soaked the gore like a piece of bread dipped into tomato soup as she figured that permeable meant to be able to pass through, judging from what she observed. A prompt suddenly appeared upon understanding this. Rock Bug < Observation Level 1 > < The Rock Bug is a subterranean creature with a mostly liquid diet. They boast high resistance to all forms of attack. Additionally, they have a liking to a certain red haired Corrupted. This is all to your knowledge > < Observation Level 2 required for further information > ¡°What the ¨C are you talking about me!? A liking? Hey, voice, don¡¯t forget that they¡¯re my prey so forget about friendship!¡± She puffed the prompt away, garnering the stares of several Rock Bugs. ¡°Grrr. It¡¯s a trick. Don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to fool me with those eyes!¡± She began bouncing her newfound weapon atop their backs, and to her surprise, they seemed to enjoy it. Almost as if she were patting them! The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. And to her dismay, one of her Passive Skills came to light. < (S) Bonds! > < Now that you have made a friend, your emotional state varies depending on the condition of your Friends. Similarly, your bonded friends will experience the bends of emotion depending on your circumstance > //// ALERT //// < This is based on how closely bonded you are with said friend > < Scales with Friends! > //// CAUTION //// < All creatures are independent entities and therefore will not all react the same way > //// WARNING //// < EMOTIONAL EXCESS MAY INDUCE ADVERSE EFFECTS > < Bonded > < Insect > < Rock Bug | Lvl: 5 | 24x > ¡°I have an army of Rock Bugs at my disposal!?¡± She rejoiced, moving onto her feet with a small hop as her haughty demeanour suddenly turned smug. ¡°Heh. So that¡¯s why you¡¯re looking up at me! But¡­ if you¡¯re really my friends, then ¨C¡± She stomped in a puddle of gore, trying to block the way for one of the insatiable Rock Bugs. ¡°¨C STOP EATING MY FOOD! AT LEAST HELP ME HUNT IF YOU WANT A FAIR SHARE!¡± Needless to say, the Rock Bugs scurried by her and continued dining. * * * Vengeful Red couldn¡¯t find a use for them even as she took a small breather to recalibrate her approach moving forward. Almost every enemy thus far were not only stronger than her, but also faster. This posed a massive problem as deeper into the caverns the space gradually became larger, with less towering stalactites to take refuge in the case of another attack. For all she knew a hundred more Giant Cave Mosquitoes thrived deeper yet.
LEVEL : 9 ??? < Hatchling Red > < CORRUPTED >
NAME: ??? HP : 430 ^3/Min MP :620 ^3/Min AGI : 28 RESIST : 42
AGE : 0 ATT : 50 (+80) MAG ATT : 5 O : 8 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 52 (+15) MAG DEF : 15 S : 1 E : 3
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash [7/10] (O) Punch [1/10] (S) Friends! [2/10] (E) Appraise Object [3/10] Her stats had nearly doubled thanks to the Giant Cave Mosquito, so there was a silver lining after all thanks to her Ability: Aspect of Amalgamation. Aspect implied that it was only a piece of something. Of course, meaning a piece of Amalgamation ¨C but what did that really mean? Neither she nor the ¡®Voice¡¯ knew. As she pondered on the rest of her overlooked Abilities, she reclaimed 6 Giant Proboscis¡¯, with one remaining impossible to unwedge. Furthermore, she began cutting off large strips of the Giant Mosquito¡¯s membrane flesh, laying them out to dry while the soundless Voice fed her prompts. < ABILITY: Unrealized > < Is this the ideal you? > < EFFECT: No known effect is derived from this Ability > < ABILITY: Vengeful Colors > < Wrath manifested in a kaleidoscope of colors > < EFFECT: Gain and lose Tokens of all kinds. Their uses will be known in time. Mark your Antagonist with a Nemesis Token > < ABILITY: Fairytale Huntress > < Hunt, track, and create the one tale to rule them all > < EFFECT: Awaiting¡­ > Once again, she lamented that the prompts were still too vague with her Abilities. 15. A Moment of Thought Hatchling Red had slowly been gaining power with each bug she slayed. The bioluminescent biome teemed with far more than just Rock Bugs and the Giant Mosquitoes. Glowing slugs the size of a thumb could be seen hiding underneath rocks. Those that made the mistake of hiding beneath a Rock Bug were left until more came along. When the bundle was ripe enough, the Rock Bug feasted on these glowing slugs. But not before Red could get her hands on them! ¡°Slimy. Chewy. Ugh¡­ What¡¯s with that repulsive taste?¡± She held a handful of these small slugs which had clouds of green and blue swirling within their gelatinous bodies. One by one, she dropped them into her mouth like they were grapes, sinking her teeth into their disgusting bodies as her belly begged her for a meal. *Squelch* *Squish* *Splatter* ¡°Uuuuuuu. I¡¯m drooling. Are people supposed to eat these things? Hey, Rock Bwug. Hwow cwom ywou cwan weat wis? (How come you can eat this?).¡± As expected, the Rock Bug in question didn¡¯t answer her. Instead, it lightly rammed her shins in response to her having stolen her meal. ¡°OUCH! I¡¯m not allowed to take your food, but it¡¯s ok to take mine!? You greedy little bug. I bet you taste better than you look ¨C HEY! STOP THAT!¡± It rammed her shin again, causing her to collapse into a shallow pool of murky water. She laid there for a short while, staring up into the boundless ceiling. So far, she had eaten a few dozen medium sized bugs, namely Giant Slugs which were hardly any trouble. In fact, they were the easiest prey, but had the most putrid flesh. As a result, her stomach roared like a dying engine, yearning for subsistence. ¡°I wanna see the sky.¡± She muttered, spitting excess mucus from her slimy meal. ¡°I¡¯m tired to seeing blue wriggling stars. But those idiot wolves are there. The only choice is to keep eating to get bigger. Stronger. Hey Voice. What happens if I continue to get more levels?¡± Hatchling Red had indeed grown since her last major encounter with the Giant Mosquito. Again, it wasn¡¯t anything substantial, but it was certainly noticeable. Status.
LEVEL : 11 Hatchling Red < CORRUPTED >
NAME: ??? HP : 470 ^3/Min MP : 620 ^3/Min AGI : 28 RESIST : 42
AGE : 0 ATT : 50 (+80) MAG ATT : 5 If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. O : 8 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 52 (+15) MAG DEF : 15 S : 1 E : 3
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash [9/10] (O) Punch [1/10] (S) Friends! [2/10] (E) Appraise Object [4/10] The Voice didn¡¯t respond. She was left to sort through her hazy thoughts alone in the company of the echoing drips, and the soft scuttling of the Rock Bugs. She had already explored a good portion of this cavern, and it seemed to open up to other multiple areas, some that were devoid of light. She grabbed a nearby handful of stringing Green Glowworms and sifted through them like they were strands of hair. ¡°¡­ what¡¯s so different between you and me?¡± She asked the Glowworm, which only responded with its writhing movements. ¡°We both eat. Live in this world. You were born under here in the dark. I think I was too. So how come we don¡¯t speak the same language? Do you also have a Voice in your head?¡± A sudden sentimental tone crept into her voice as she lost herself in that haze. ¡°¡­ I miss the Workers of that Site. They used to come talk to me when I was held inside of my containment unit. This place isn¡¯t any different. And it¡¯s cold. Creepy crawlies everywhere. Is this the price of freedom? Little bugs, are you happy the way you are?¡± Her crimson eyes sparkled with a faint light. The bugs could never respond. This was the way things were. Red felt somewhat sad that worms could only amount to worms. She didn¡¯t know exactly why she became like this all of a sudden, but just for a moment, there was a glimmer of blue in her eyes. ¡°Wolves will be wolves. That¡¯s how things will always be. I need to get stronger. So I can hunt down that White Wolf once and for all!¡± She proclaimed, slicing the air with her knife as she sat up, dripping from head to toe with muddy water. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate a huntress! Everything¡¯s been too weak so far.¡± Her eyes moved to a darker section of the cavern; a tunnel leading into yet another area where the loud buzz of many Giant Mosquitoes undoubtedly resided. ¡°I want food. Better food. I want to eat wolves or something. Green Glowworms. You¡¯re going to help me get through.¡± * * * She harvested handfuls of the Green Glowworms and piled them into small grenade-sized balls. A test throw revealed their effectiveness in illuminating a good 10-meter radius around them, but at the cost of killing the little colony of helpful critters. They splattered, throwing bioluminescent juices across like a bloodstain. Meanwhile, as she chased and murdered several large, chunky flies, a strange thought came across her mind. ¡°These are called flies, right?¡± She poked at the carcass of a giant, beady-eyed insect called a ¡®Giant Fly¡¯ with the tip of her blade, gutting it with a casual swipe. ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s an insect called a Walk out there? What a straightforward name. I like it! Reminds me of me! Red. Vengeful Red. Hey Voice! Hey, listen! Do you think that if we were to take off its wings, this would be called a Walk?¡± < Unknown¡­ > The Voice displayed an abnormal message unbeknownst to Hatchling Red. The kind that one would associate with a face palm. With her preparations made, Hatchling Red braved into the dimmest parts of the cavern with nothing but her blade and sharpened wits¡­ ¡­ as well as an army of Rock Bugs. ¡°You know, you¡¯d all be pretty intimidating if you did SOMETHING other than just steal my meals!¡± < (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash I [0/10] > < Follow the bloody trail and deliver a guaranteed Critical Strike when using bladed weaponry. The bloody trail will extend to two additional identical entities > < COST: 150 MP > 16. Slow Walking in the Dark The voyage into the dark began at the furthest edge of the current cavern. After eating the majority of its ecosystem ¨C which admittedly wasn¡¯t all that much ¨C she set foot into the dark tunnels wrapped in the light of many glowworms. Cladding her body was the hide of the Giant Mosquito, torn into long strips and wrapped with the green, living strings. It wouldn¡¯t do much against an attack against another Giant Mosquito, but it would suffice against slashing attacks. Giant Cave Mosquito Membrane < The membrane of a Giant Cave Mosquito. Smells like iron > ATT DEF : 35 This combined with the Soft Cave Wolf Pelt she also draped herself with pushed her bonus ATT DEF stat to 50. ATT DEF : 52 (+50) Vengeful Red could now completely negate the attacks of the Adolescent Cave Wolves. The problem was that they were ¡®adolescent¡¯. Depending on how big those wolves became, an adult version could easily be twice as strong. So, she ventured deeper in hopes of two things: to find her weapons, and to eat as many foes as possible to bolster her bolster her strength. Cleaning the cavern before heading out was the best possible option. Furthermore, it would increase the likelihood of finding her weapon. Dumb wolves won¡¯t know what will hit them. Heh. Just you wait and see how strong I¡¯ll soon be! The chittering of the Rock Bugs disappeared the moment her body was engulfed by the darkness. They didn¡¯t follow and abandoned her as she clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°Cowards. At least I can come back for a tasty meal.¡± She grinned, looking forward to the post-exploration meal. She considered them desert as she marched onwards, keeping a hand pressed against the wall, and another gripping the handle of her blade. Truth be told, there was another reason why she chose to investigate these caverns. A small rumble could be felt from deep within which piqued her curiosity. It was like an explosion that reverberated throughout the impenetrable walls and up her bones. The kind that she would associate with her weapon. Nothing else in her mind could associate the rumbling with anything but her Fairytale¡¯s Bane. And so, she ventured deeper into the abyss with a steeled heart. The caverns were dryer further ahead, like something was sucking the moisture out from the air. It made breathing slightly difficult and she figured that the reason why Glowworms couldn¡¯t live here was because of this. Her proof? ¡°Wet and sticky fellas wouldn¡¯t want to live in dry places.¡± She muttered to herself, dragging a hand across the icky glowworms. ¡°Right, Voice?¡± Glowworms < Observation Level 1 > < Glowworms can only thrive in moist environments. However, existing outside of ideal conditions increases their physical resilience until their light disappears > Meaning what exactly? The less light they have the better they are? Huh¡­ Now that I think about it, how come you told me this even though I haven¡¯t observed that happening yet? No response. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The Voice simply functioned on an entirely different realm of reasoning from her. She had to wonder if there was a consciousness behind the written words. Was this Voice something that was living? Or was she undergoing what normal people called ¡®brain damage?¡¯. Better yet, it could be the result of the Third Man Syndrome. The quiet drips of water could no longer be heard the deeper she ventured. Before long the path ahead was completely obscured, causing her to rely on throwing a yarn of glowworms ahead to plot her course. Suddenly, one of these balls silently disappeared. A big hole¡­ How deep does that go? She pondered as she gazed down into the abyss, unable to tell the true extent of this cave. What struck her as bizarre was the fact that the hole was shaped in a perfect circle. It was as though someone had dug it out. Or rather, something. Her hair instantly brushed aside as warm air vented through the hole. She had more than enough glowworms to create a trail to mark precisely where it was safe to retreat. The walls became steeper, and the only sound was the beating of her heart and the sound of her controlled breath. Then, she noticed something lurking above. A small glimmer of red light caused her to immediately stop in her tracks as her instincts warned her of a lurking danger. A soft, rapid pattering surrounded her as she twisted herself into the direction of every single sound, holding her blade defensively in one hand and the proboscis in the other before suddenly ¨C ¡°Gngh!? FROM BEHIND!?¡± She shouted as she was unexpectedly shoved forward by an incredible force. Were it not for her insane reaction times then she would have plummeted to her death. She jammed the proboscis on the edge of the hole, barely keeping herself balanced before she made a risky leap onto the other side. Vengeful Red | HP: 450 She tapped her shoulders, feeling the other proboscises that were attached to her back and she felt claw marks along its length. Lengths of glowworms were thrown around her like the silk of a spider web, illuminating a 10-meter radius around her as watched the shadows of an entity stalk her from beyond the boundary. ¡°Tch ¨C So you¡¯re an assassin like me too, huh! I didn¡¯t make a sound and it still knew where I was¡­ If it¡¯s avoiding the light, then does that mean it can detect it!?¡± Her wild guess was as accurate as it came. The fact that the creature knew where the sources of the light had tipped her off that this thing could see in some capacity. No matter where she moved, she felt like the creature knew exactly where was. So, she threw the yarn far ahead to see what else laid there. And to her surprise, the creature went after that ball of light rather than her this time, striking it until it was reduced to gore and ribbons. ¡°Bright light! OF COURSE! I¡¯m like a beacon in the dark! I¡¯m practically asking to get hunted!¡± Realizing this, she immediately began to remove the glowworms from her body as the entity lunged straight for her again. Its claws swiftly met with her arm, lacerating it shallowly thanks to the protection of her newfound armor. Vengeful Red | HP: 410 ¡°What¡¯s the maths behind it? 102 plus 40 is 142 damage. This thing hits harder than the damned wolves!¡± A part of her reconsidered turning back, but she was hellbent on reuniting with her weapon. The fact is ¨C her weapon should not have been able to discharge by itself, meaning it was either in someone¡¯s possession or it was damaged. Nothing was going to stop her from getting her hands on it! With each strand of glowworm stripped and thrown aside, she made a perilous jump for safety as she attempted to predict its attacks. She succeeded a number of times but nevertheless ¨C Vengeful Red | HP: 350 ¨C She had taken considerable damage. By now she had caught a glimpse of her foe¡¯s black exterior, and giant, beady eyes which were the size of melons. It was a mantis-like insect, clad in black and roughly the same size as her. Its hideous proportions gave her a sudden fright, however, it no longer seemed to be interested in her as it dove onto the mass of glowworms, digging its claws into the mound with reckless abandon.
Mantid Stalker
LEVEL : 8 ORIGIN : Insect HP : 120 ATT : 150 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 35
She didn¡¯t give it the luxury to know of her approaching attack, and just like that, she embedded the length of her proboscis spear into its eye and followed it up with a slash from her blade. It tore its eye open like a balloon, sending chunks of aqueous material all over her before she dug her entire arm straight into its head, confirming the kill. The beast didn¡¯t even screech. It was so preoccupied with the light that it probably didn¡¯t even know it had just died. ¡°O-Oh ¨C I¡¯m jammed in ¨C wait, it¡¯s heavy!¡± She grumbled, struggling to pull her arm free. A chunk of its flesh was left on the tip of her blade once she was freed. She posed victoriously with a foot onto the head of the one-eyed mantis before she took a bite of the sampler. Her eyes suddenly lit up. ¡°¡­ it tastes like mud. Hah. That¡¯s the tastiest thing I¡¯ve had so far!¡± She rejoiced, instinctively turning back to see if the Rock Bugs had somehow crept up to steal her food. ¡°Phew. It¡¯s all mine now~!¡± However, what she didn¡¯t realize was that she had attracted the attention of far more than just one of these Mantid Stalkers¡­ 17. Rock Bugs Are Friends, Right? The Mantid Stalkers were nothing to worry about compared to the Giant Mosquito. In fact, after figuring out that they were like exaggerated moths to a flame, she had an easy time slaughtering them. ¡°Hup~!¡± She casually tossed a ball of light in one direction, herding them together as she began stabbing them indiscriminately from behind. Due to how huddled they were, it was impossible for them to distinguish friend from foe. It became a bloodbath, and Hatchling Red reaped the rewards with a diabolical smirk. ¡°If getting levels is this easy then its no wonder that people can become so strong!¡± Red exclaimed, poking nonstop at the enemies with her proboscis spear. ¡°Atelier people probably used us to get stronger while we were kept in captivity.¡± She spoke to herself again, opening the floodgates as gloopy flesh ran past her knees. The carnage was self-inflicted by the brainless insects, and she was proud that she got out far more than what she put in. The goop drained into the many holes surrounding her as she wiped her forehead, smearing her face with sticky liquid. ¡°But I wonder if it was worth losing so many more friends. Maybe people are like insects. What do you think, voice?¡± < Atelier Personnel > < Personnel belonging to one of ten Ateliers of the Nexus. This does not include personnel of Ateliers beyond the official ten > ¡°There you go again saying something random.¡± Red sighed, munching on her food as the sound of chittering could be heard from behind. ¡°Anything else to tell me?¡± Mantid Stalker < Observation Level 2 > < Mantid Stalkers are hypersensitive to light and will become attracted to it in search of prey. Other than their lackluster eyesight, they do not possess any notable sensory organs aside from tactility. Therefore, they are considered bottom feeders that frequently inhabit warm caves located near magma chambers to regulate their body heat and digestive enzymes > ¡°Voice. You know, how does Observation Level 2 even know what¡¯s the insides of a creature is like? I know I kinda smashed their heads in and went ¡®stabby stab¡¯, but isn¡¯t that like¡­ cheating?¡± < Unknown > ¡°Yeah, yeah. Unknown. Stop agitating me. Maybe I¡¯ll just call you Agate! Short for Agitate!¡± She said, stuffing her face with a mouthful of dirt-tasting insect flesh. The feast, however, was not solely hers to claim. The chittering from behind were the dozens of Rock Bugs that followed her, devouring carcasses in their wake. They were the ultimate bottom feeders, and Red couldn¡¯t wait to crack their shells open. ¡°You Rock Bugs are gonna get fatter and fatter. So keep eating. That¡¯ll be more levels for me!¡± She thrust a fist into the air. ¡°If there turns out to be more rocks in you, then I¡¯m gonna dip you all into molten lava.¡± For some reason, this caused a few of the Rock Bugs to look up at her with their innocent, beady eyes. One tilted its head, teetering on being cute. But Red just saw them as a nuisance. The cave was nearly pitch black, but her eyes had acclimated to the darkness by now. Also, further in the holes emitted a soft, orange glow. ¡°Don¡¯t puppy eye me all of a sudden. Besides¡­ the last thing I want to see in front of me is a dog.¡± She vented through clenched teeth, smacking the head of the Rock Bug. She recoiled immediately in pain but didn¡¯t show it in front of these little critters in case they saw it as a sign of weakness. The last thing she wanted for these Rock Bugs was to mount a revolt against her. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°T-Tch¡­ That¡­ didn¡¯t hurt at all¡­¡± * * * Hatchling Red progressed further through the cave. A blazing heat wafted through the holes which she realized were vents. Breathing became difficult as superheated air burned her lungs. But even so, she pushed forward in hopes of finding her precious weapon as the quakes intensified. The path winded down at a slope that increased at every passing minute until she came across a glowing gorge where a river of magma sputtered from beneath. ¡°I must have missed where the insects came from. Voice. No, Agate. Insects can¡¯t live in this kind of environment, right?¡± No response. She could barely lean over the edge without wincing in pain. A narrow path bridged the gap along the right-most wall. It was just large enough for her to cross with her back pressed flat against the wall. Due to the amount of insects she had eaten, she had grown to the size of a very young teenager now. ¡°Size has become disadvantageous.¡± She scoffed, planting her blade into the wall as she tested her weight on it. ¡°This will work. But the rocks are pretty soft. You¡¯d think harder rocks would be closer to magma.¡± Before she crossed, she took a short break as the Rock Bugs bumped into her from behind. She pulled out a fillet of Mantid Stalker meat and munched on it as she checked her stats. Status.
LEVEL : 17 < Hatchling Red > < CORRUPTED >
NAME: ??? HP : 950 ^3/Min MP : 680 ^3/Min AGI : 32 RESIST : 43
AGE : 0 ATT : 75 (+80) MAG ATT : 5 O : 16 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 60 (+50) MAG DEF : 15 S : 5 E : 6
< ACTIVE SKILLS >
(O) Huntress¡¯ Slash I [4/10] (O) Punch [2/10] (S) Friends! [5/10] (E) Appraise Object [6/10]
[Huntress¡¯ Slash] had gained a weird symbol indicating that it had evolved. Looking deeper into her stats, she investigated just what changed since the Agate didn¡¯t mention anything to her. Until now, of course. < (O) HUNTRESS¡¯ SLASH > < Follow the bloody trail and deliver a guaranteed Critical Strike when using bladed weaponry. Inflict the Bleeding Condition. Increased Bleed Stacks > < Stacks > < The precursor to a Condition. A target¡¯s RESIST, HP, DEF STATS and factors including race, apparel and biology determine the number of Stacks required before a Condition is applied > ¡°Why does the Bleeding Condition have stacks in itself? I guess there¡¯s different rates in which blood can flow. If I hit here¡­¡± She used the back of her blade to make a mock cut along the outside of her thigh. ¡°Then not much blood is going to come out. But here¡­¡± Then, she made one across her neck. ¡°Then it¡¯s totally going to be, what, a hundred Bleed Stacks? I guess it¡¯s useful for fleshy things. Rocky stuff?¡± *Ding* *Ding* She tapped her blade on the head of one of the Rock Bugs. ¡°Not going to work at all. Hope you guys don¡¯t come and eat me, cause I¡¯m pretty much your benefactor at this point.¡± < Bonded > < Insect > < Rock Bug | Lvl: 5 | 24x > Her friendship level had increased, but nothing else had changed in her Bonded status screen. She never thought about it till now, but the ecosystem of this cavern seemed halphazard, like someone had artificially introduced these creatures here. It didn¡¯t help that the vents didn¡¯t seem natural too. There weren¡¯t any clues to hint at the purpose of this cave. The reason why she brought this up was because she was a huntress. Small things tended to be leads to larger things. She itched the side of her head with the tip of her blade, sighing as she tried to wrap her mind around it. Unbeknownst to her, she was patting the head of the Rock Bug in front of her. Suddenly, she felt the ground shift. What she thought was another tremor turned out to be the gathering of all twenty-four Rock Bugs, who eagerly stared at her with half-cocked heads, their beady little eyes dazzling with expectation. ¡°Huh?¡± She still had a piece of the filleted meat sticking from her mouth like a tongue, and she quickly slurped it up in case they tried to steal it from her. ¡°This is mine. Go steal your own. Hey ¨C wait ¨C what¡¯s up with you all wanting my hand!?¡± One by one, they brushed their heads against the palm of her hand, utterly confusing the poor girl who interpreted it as a sign of an imminent uprising. ¡°So that¡¯s how you declare me as an enemy¡­ Just so you know ¨C you¡¯re never going to take me down you little pieces of ¨C!¡± < Friends! Has gained a level > ¡°¡­ excuse me? Agate? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re on their side too!¡± She wildly slashed at the prompt before her, smacking her blade across many rocky heads like a drummer. 18. Rock Bug Uses Rock Raft! Its Super Effective! A series of chasms appeared following the first. Her suspicion of the place being artificially crafted was now almost a certainty. Perilous pillars jutted from the slow-flowing magma far beneath. An obstacle course where one wrong step meant death sprawled before her. At the other end was another path leading further down into the caverns. She peered over the edge of her solid foundation, kicking stones into the pool beneath. Her red hood fluttered behind her like a cape as a heat wave wafted from below. Evidence of rope bridges could be seen in the form of charred thatch. Broken chains were also found dangling from the pillars. ¡°Did magma not used to flow through here?¡± She had to wonder. ¡°Unless the people that came before me were idiots and used something flame-able. Flame-enable ¨C however you¡¯re supposed to say it.¡± It could¡¯ve been to cover their tracks. But still, no one¡¯s dumb enough to do that unless there¡¯s an exit ahead? Even then it¡¯s so stupid. Red was faced with a gripping challenge all of a sudden. She scratched the side of her head with the hilt of her blade and wore a quizzical expression. ¡°Question is ¨C how do I get across? All of my Glowworms are dead now. The heat isn¡¯t making this easier.¡± She hopped on the spot before jumping as high as possible, testing the limits of her mobility. Suddenly, the ground beneath her crumbled away the moment she landed. ¡°Dumb rock ¨C!¡± Were it not for her reflexes, then she would¡¯ve been dragged down to a fiery death. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not going to be able to jump all the way across. Agate. Rock Bugs. You think the people that came before me were monkeys?¡± She ran back deeper from where she came from and attempted a long jump, further testing her limits. Unfortunately, this further confirmed that it was still beyond her reach. Agi was a stat that directly affected one¡¯s mobility. Even with hers which she already considered high was not enough to cross the seven-meter gap to the next pillar. ¡°¡­ I shouldn¡¯t exhaust myself here. If I get thirsty then it¡¯ll be bad. Let¡¯s hope there¡¯s something that will let me crack one of you open like a coconut!¡± She leaned over one of the Rock Bugs with a foot over its back, assessing the situation further. ¡°I could always come back. But if my weapon really is further in, then that¡¯s not an option. I have some sacks of the Manitid Stalker¡¯s fluids to keep me going.¡± She slapped one of the sacks that were tied around her waist. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s places I missed too. There has to be a lot more of those giant mosquitoes somewhere. Did this place used to be an underground jungle? Questions, questions. Agate. Where are my answers?¡± Unbeknownst to her, the Rock Bugs began to scale down the sides of the cliff face. Their feet were flattened towards the end, and were unfit to scale such a terrain. Not to mention that they were incredibly heavy. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Yet they defied all logic, casually swarming down before they plopped into the lava. ¡°Hey ¨C hey, hey, hey, hey HEY!¡± Suddenly, Red noticed that she was alone, and caught a glimpse of the last Rock Bug walking straight off the edge. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to jump in like that! I was kidding about throwing you into lava!¡± Red scrambled to the side of the cliff, staring down as the Rock Bug sank into the lava, raising one of its legs as if to give her a thumbs up. ¡°Roooooock Buuuuuuuugs!¡± Never did she think she¡¯d give a single damn about them, and here she was screaming at the top of her lungs. Although¡­ ¡°HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT YOU WHEN YOU¡¯RE ALL MELTED DAMMIIIIIIIIT!¡± ¡­ the reason was not because she cared about them. Rather, as was anyone in a survival situation; she did not want to waste food. And given that she sacrificed 70% of her hunt to them, seeing them drop to their deaths was too much for the poor girl¡¯s heart to handle. Red slumped over, her hand dangling over the edge as she let loose of along, defeated sigh. ¡°¡­ Friendship? Yeah right. Agate. Remind me to never trust a bug. They¡¯re all garbage, useless, tasteless, disgusting, putrid, ugly, unreliable piece of ¨C!¡± Her mouth didn¡¯t stop spewing nonsense. It reached a point where even the ¡®Voice¡¯ had to show her a prompt stating: < Your Bonded Rock Bugs are still alive > ¡°Huh?¡± Red blankly blinked. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Magma is molten rock. Basically, lava that hasn¡¯t surfaced! Even I know that! They were Rock Bugs! Are you telling me that they haven¡¯t already become molten rock?¡± Agate ¨C the Voice ¨C didn¡¯t need to answer. Because suddenly, bubbles began to violently form over the surface of the magma stream. And before she knew it, the Rock Bugs surfaced all at once, creating a giant raft large enough to carry several dozens of her. Their lower bodies glowed a gentle orange due to the immense heat, but their backs were completely untouched. The intense heat disappeared beneath her, causing her to suspect that the back of the Rock Bugs was significantly colder than the rest of their body. And to her surprise: Rock Bug < Observation Level 2 > < The Rock Bug has an unassumingly high tolerance to the elements. Due to their body composition and the existence of a vacuum between the inner shell and the outer shell, they have tremendously low temperature transfer and are able to withstand extreme temperatures. < Observation Level 3 > < Additionally, despite their weight they have a very high buoyancy, allowing them to surface in all manners of liquids > ¡°Like a balloon?¡± Red pictured them taking a deep breath in order to float upwards. ¡°But how did they breathe under the magma? Ugh¡­ Grr. All these tricks you little bugs have under your carapaces. And people called me a monster!¡± Red still didn¡¯t know what enabled her to identify these Observations, let alone Skills from other creatures. She figured the Corruption Profession category was responsible for it. I don¡¯t meet the Nex and Level/Soul requirement yet. Whatever ¡®Nex¡¯ means. Nex short for Nexus? < Awaiting¡­ > ¡°So you know, but are waiting for something huh? Fine then. Keep your secrets. I do know that people who used to contain me were really uptight about it.¡± Red shrugged, wrapping herself tightly with her coat. ¡°I¡¯m practically naked without this. Alright. I¡¯m coming down! You better not betray me or anything!¡± She threw a fist around. ¡°Cause if I die then I¡¯m dead, and none of you want that happening to the one and only, Hatchling Red!¡± 19. Rockie Grey, the Rock Bug! Hatchling Red was the captain of her own ship. It was ship made of Rock Bugs, but a ship regardless. She braved through the molten river, posing with a hand on her hip and a finger that pointed deeper into the cavern. ¡°This is what it must be like to be a sailor!¡± She giddily announced. ¡°I wonder if there¡¯s oceans somewhere out there! Blue seas. Seashells. Sea-people. Oh, and to see people too!¡± She spoke as if expecting someone or something to miraculously respond. The gushing lava and her echoes were all that replied, much to her disappointment. The bonds between the Rock Bugs were tight enough to keep the lava from seeping through. Their bodies were oddly cool to the touch, and she found herself placing her hands onto their backs with a mused expression. ¡°We¡¯re bonded now, huh. I wonder if monsters can level up too. Do you get bigger as you grow? Can you change like me? Evolution-thingy. That¡¯s what it¡¯s called.¡± Speaking to the Rock Bugs was no different than speaking with the cave walls. She clicked her tongue as her belly grumbled. ¡°Ugh¡­ Food again. Tch. Onwards my rocky raft! Towards the other side ¨C WOAH!¡± She was almost thrown overboard the moment she jumped onto her feet. The Rock Bugs collided with one of the columns, causing them to spin around as they continued their way down the river of lava. ¡°Dammit, do you really want to see me die that badly!?¡± Once they reached the other end, Hatchling Red kissed the ground before wiping her tongue along her sleeves. The ground, as it turned out, was both putrid and scorching hot. Her lips were lightly seared as she clutched onto them. ¡°Onthwardth! (Onward!)¡± She commanded with a painful lisp. ¡°Weth goth furtherth mnowth! (We go further now!).¡± * * * The caverns were winding and far narrower at this depth. It was still large enough to accommodate all twenty-four of the Rocks Bugs, but she feared that she would soon be alone. Fear? She pondered on the thought. Yeah right. They¡¯re dispensable. They¡¯re monsters. Bugs too. I¡¯m not afraid of losing them. There was an air of artificiality with how the caverns twisted. The jagged rocks that ones jutted from the walls were long gone. A smooth, black stone replaced the walls. It was obsidian ¨C dull but it glistened to the stray lava pools they occasionally passed. Soon, the dullness turned lustrous. Her reflection slowly materialized along every surface as they approached a crimson glow at the far end of the tunnel. It was oddly cool here. No. Goosebumps formed along her skin. It was freezing. ¡°Is this place really natural?¡± She asked herself in the mirror as she shrugged in response. ¡°Hm. I also didn¡¯t think obsidian was so reflective.¡± She stopped for a moment to knock on the walls. When her heels were fully planted, the Rock Bugs began to emit a small chittering sound as they too gazed into their reflections. They were irritated by something unseen. A sudden tremor passed again. This time, she could clearly hear it originating from deeper ahead. Then, she caught a glimpse of something in the walls. Amongst the darkness was a single speck of light. It was like the only star in the night sky. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. A sole, lonely star. It should not have been anything significant and yet she felt her heart clench. ¡°[Appraise Object].¡± She coldly commanded. Looking-Glass < A material that reveals fragments of the unconsciousness > It was vague. Terribly vague. Her reflection had become that lonely star. She instinctively felt a drive towards it. She reached into the Looking-Glass, only to find out that she could not grasp that glimmer of light. Suddenly, that light propagated. The walls and ceiling exploded with countless stars, illuminating the dark path forward. ¡°Weird. So weird. Agate. What just happened?¡± < Unknown > ¡°Great. So this could all be just an elaborate trap. My Rock Bugs! Towards the light!¡± She called out and at once, the Rock Bugs began to march forward. All save for one. It remained at the back, staring at itself with what seemed to be confusion. Hatchling Red approached this sole Rock Bug and knocked on its shell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re just realizing how ugly you look. Heh!¡± The Rock Bug didn¡¯t respond to her taunts. In fact, it just slumped onto its belly as though it had lost the will to move on. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the matter with you? On your feet! C¡¯mon! Nnnngh! So! HEAVY!¡± The Rock Bug did not budge no matter how hard she tried to move it. She tried lifting it from below, then pushing it with her feet, and even tried to shoulder barge it but in the end ¨C ¡°Ow- Ow, ow, ow¡­ Note to self; don¡¯t charge into a rock.¡± She squirmed, clasping onto her shoulder before she plopped herself down beside the Rock Bug, her back sliding against its side. ¡°Tch. What the hell is wrong with you? Did you see something you didn¡¯t like?¡± It didn¡¯t respond. It just continued staring into its own reflection defeatedly. ¡°What¡¯s the point in mulling over a reflection? It¡¯s not like bugs have ambitions. All you do is laze around like the bottom feeder you are.¡± She didn¡¯t know exactly why she was speaking, and not to mention it was hardly motivational. Not like the Rock Bug can understand me anyway. ¡°Do you also feel lonely? Tell me about it. I found myself in this weird place all of a sudden. All I remember is the light of a fallen star. I made one wish, and I ended up in a cavern where everything wants to kill me. Except for you guys.¡± Hatchling Red looked up at the sparkling constellations, resting her head against the side of the hard, cold shell of her¡­ ¡®friend¡¯. ¡°Listen. It never once crossed my mind to give up. Falling down like you is like dying for me. I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯ve given up or are content with staying here. All I can say is that no matter how many stars this illusion is going to show me ¨C I¡¯d rather leave this place and see the real deal for myself.¡± She vented a long sigh and returned to her feet. ¡°Do what you want. It¡¯s not like I can drag you with me anyway. I¡¯d like it if you did come. So that I can eat you one day of course. Well, whatever.¡± Her back remained turned to the Rock Bug. And just as she was about to leave ¨C < The Rock Bug requests a name > ¨C A strange prompt appeared before her. ¡°A name, huh¡­ How about¡­¡± She pondered on it for a short while. Not much thought went into it else her two brain cells would have fried. ¡°¡­ Rockie Grey. Rockie because you¡¯re a rock. And Grey because of your color.¡± A small shuffle could be heard from behind. Suddenly, she felt a strange coolness press against the back of her legs before she was swept onto the head of the Rock Bug. ¡°W-Woah! What¡¯s up now!? Don¡¯t tell me that giving you a name gave you the will to live or something¡­ Well, I can¡¯t say I¡¯m not happy.¡± She rode the Rock Bug like it was an oversized spider. It crawled towards the light at the end of the tunnel, its black, beady eyes glistening with an unknown passion. < The Rock Bug has Successfully been Named > < Bond level with Rockie Grey has risen > < Bonded > < Rock Bug | Lvl: 5 | 23x > < Fellowship > < Rockie Grey | Lvl: 5 > Hatchling Red didn¡¯t notice it at first. But Rockie Grey was slightly more¡­ ¡­ faster than usual. ¡°Is it just me or did your shell also get harder?¡± < Friends! Has gained a level > (S) Friends! [7/10] 20. Still Unborn The light was a red herring. Only more lava existed in the chamber beyond the obsidian corridor. It cascaded down from pores in the walls like tears, plopping into a stream that cascaded around the rims of the cavern. Hardened obsidian sludge spread itself unevenly. It yielded as the Rock Bugs scuttled onto it, causing lava to seep through its seems like a burst pimple. Hatchling Red rode on Grey¡¯s back, sensing that something was terribly wrong as she scanned her surroundings with the eyes of a keen of a huntress. We¡¯re rocking as we move. The ground isn¡¯t very stable. I doubt I¡¯ll be able to walk on the obsidian without burning up. Also, it really is obsidian too. Nothing like the Looking Glass. But more than that, the chamber and its depths further ahead felt artificially created. The holes in the walls pulsated as they sealed themselves like salivary ducts. If she did not know any better, then she would have believed that she had entered the maw of a beast. And to her surprise the heat had dwindled significantly. The haze from before was nonexistent. She could see clearly far ahead. It was more of a hallway than a cavern, with ridges that ran from the side of the walls to the ceiling like ribcages. Caves aren¡¯t supposed to be like this, right? She wondered to herself, wracking her two brain cells together like a monkey slamming its cymbals. The vastness of the previous caverns did not compare. She imagined that the cave system would only continue to get tighter but no, it instead opened into an entirely different world. Is this even a cave to begin with? She asked herself again as the Rock Bugs moved onward on her command. < Unknown > //////// < CAUTION > //////// ¡°What¡¯s up with the message?¡± She tilted her head, seeing a small glimmer of light ahead as the world quaked to an explosion once again. ¡°Is something ahead?¡± They bobbed up and down due to the unevenness of the floor, quickly realizing that in the event of an attack she would be completely vulnerable. She took the message to heart and began assessing her situation. However, before she could acclimate herself with the odd world ¨C something oozed from the pores of the walls. Wingless entities were born a tragic birth, most falling into the lava whilst others splattered against the obsidian floors. ¡°Waaaaa! Waaaa!¡± ¡°Waaaaa! Waaaa!¡± The wails of children immediately filled the air, and to her horror they came from the maggot-like beings. And worst of all ¨C ¡°What¡­ the hell¡­? Are those people!?¡± She could hardly believe her eyes. ¨C The heads attached to those worms had the faces of distraught infant humans. They were fetuses. Connected to the walls were the fleshy, burning umbilical cords that ran down to their throats like a leash. ¡°Waaaaaaa!¡± They cried in a horrible cacophony as bloodied, hot tears ran down their cheeks. It caused the obsidian to melt, for their tears were lava. And when their pair of golden, twisted eyes fell onto her, they unleashed a terrible scream. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± //////// < CAUTION > //////// < TRICKLE > < THE ARBITER¡¯S TRUMPET BECKONS > Hatchling Red immediately held out her blade as she readied the pale proboscis-spear in her other hand like a harpoon. ¡°VOICE!? GOT A MINUTE TO TELL ME WHAT THE HELL THAT MEANS ¨C TCH!?¡± A maggot threw itself before she could finish her words. She managed to fling herself onto the back of another Rock Bug as she began smacking their backs, screaming out: ¡°SPLIT UP! I need the damned room to move!¡± Hatchling Red danced as the few dozen maggots zipped by her. She jumped from Rock Bug to Rock Bug, following the bloodied trail as she slashed them open in midair. However, their bodies carried no organs save the burning fluids. They were like balloons carrying nothing but lava, and as a result, she was showered by their burning blood. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°AAARGH!¡± Hatchling Red | HP: 800 ¡°And I won¡¯t even be able to eat you worms at all! Show me the status already!¡±
Still Unborn
ATTRIBUTE: Obsession
LEVEL : 20 ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 50 ATT : 0 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 35
< Observation Level 1 > < The Still Unborn are bloated with a burning liquid. Be warned as slash and piercing injuries will cause this liquid to shower its victims > ¡°That didn¡¯t answer my question, Agate! What is the Trumpet supposed to mean!? AAAAAGH! Take ¨C THIS AND DIE ALREADY!¡± Her fury took the reins of her body as she fought at an instinctual level, dodging their attacks as she used the edge of the spear as a bat to splatter them away. Arbiter¡¯s Trumpet < The seven stage warning system of the Blessed used to classify the threat level of all entities, whether Corrupted or otherwise > Trickle < The lowest threat classification of any entity > ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that these things ¨C ARE THE WEAKEST!?¡± It hurt her pride knowing that these things were considered weak. But she wondered why the creatures from before never gave her such a warning despite their levels being significantly higher than these. Was it because these creatures had an Attribute attached to them? Their ¡®Origin¡¯ was also bizarre. ¡°Just what the hell does trauma even mean!?¡± Two became five, and five turned to twelve. Their measly HP made it easy for her to clean them up. However, she had taken considerable damage from their blood alone. HP: 450 Her skin burned up. Where her blood began and where the dye of her red cloak ended was impossible to tell. Steam violently rose from her wounds as she watched one of them fall dead onto the back of a Rock Bug. It shriveled up almost instantly, appearing like a dried-up husk before suddenly, it became a tiny purple gemstone. With their numbers down the fight became far easier. The danger of fighting a huntress like Hatchling Red was that the longer the fight went on, the stronger she became. It was only unfortunate that she was still held back by her mana. On the bright side they were weak enough where only a single swipe was enough to put them out for good. Her legs ached from constantly leaping, but she refused to surrender, finding strength in pure willpower alone. ¡°KEEP MOVING FORWARD!¡± She howled like the captain of a scuttle in the middle of a storm. ¡°DON¡¯T STOP UNTIL WE¡¯RE OUT OF HERE IF YOU DON¡¯T WANT ME TO DIE!¡± She huffed, supporting herself on the proboscis as she slayed the last Still Unborn, watching it transform into a gemstone on another back of a Rock Bug. Sweat dripped from every pore, her body scarred by the unbearable heat of their blood as she slumped down onto her knees, finally able to catch her breath. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t believe¡­ humans are supposed to look like that¡­¡± She wheezed, watching as the Rock Bugs clumped up together as if to comfort her. ¡°Ugh¡­ You¡¯re all¡­ not cute. Level 8? And they¡¯re that strong? Is the gimmick supposed to be to just leave them alone?¡± < Observation Level 2 > < The Still Unborn cannot inflict damage so long as they are unharmed > Red threw herself on her back, laying there as she banged her head against the back of the Rock Bug. ¡°Idiot. Stupid Red. Stop seeing red all the time! Of course. It has zero attack, dummy!¡± She scolded herself before letting loose of a long, exasperated sigh. ¡°Haaaaah. What kind of cave is this? Insects. Wolves. And now¡­¡± She slid a hand over towards the glistening, purple gemstone and held it above her face. It was deeply opaque with hardly any luster. ¡°[Appraise Object].¡± < Cannot be Appraised > ¡°No explanation why? Is this supposed to be special?¡± She wondered, smelling it. It had no rancid scent or notable abnormal properties. The reason why she checked was because she suspected those things to be Corrupted. If they were then the gemstones they produced were likely Corrupted Items. However, that did not explain the withering of their bodies. There was not much she knew about the Corrupted to begin with. Only that they were monsters and she used to be one. One thing that she knew well was that on their death they produced objects of unimaginable power named the Corrupted Items. Even the cadavers of Corrupted were repurposed in the facility as armor and weapons. This on the other hand was unsubstantial. ¡°¡­ Weird. This entire place is really weird. Haaah. Don¡¯t tell me the world is overrun by them above. I want to see another person. Not a monster with a human¡¯s face.¡± She sighed repeatedly over and over. And unsurprisingly, the gemstone slipped between her fingers mid-yawn. ¡°GHHHHK!? *Cough* Guuuuugh! *Spits*¡± She spat out nothing much to her dismay as she shot herself upright, finding nothing in her bleeding palms. ¡°N-No way¡­ I can¡¯t even eat rocks. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to be able to digest a gemstone!¡± As if to answer her concerns, her stomach gurgled. She prepared herself to hurl out the gemstone but to her surprise ¨C < Specific Nex Received > < Do you wish to hear the blurbs of its Origins? > < Yes | No > ¨C A strange prompt appeared before her. Whether this was a blessing in disguse had yet to be determined and with only knowledge to gain¡­ ¡°Nex? Origins? Heh¡­ Alright. Show me then!¡± ¡­ she accepted to hear the small blurb of the Still Unborn. 21. The Origins of the Still Unborn Hatchling Red felt memories unbelonging to her invade her mind. The thoughts of many hijacked her senses as she battled over control of her consciousness, eventually entering a labored fit as sweat drenched her coat. And soon, the blurbs of the Still Unborn¡¯s Origins were revealed to her in what felt like a fairytale. * * * Still Unborn < Persistence is not a reason for existence; we who have been born incomplete > ORIGIN : Trauma ATTRIBUTE : Obsession < 1 > They were born hungry. Is it not life without feeding? The children born from the wombs of the Holy Mothers wondered about all the kinds of food outside of their cocoons. With no hands they relied on the nourishment from the umbilical cord. With no legs they remained suspended, feasting on the knowledge beyond the walls. From young they contemplated their existence. From pre-birth they dabbled in the craft of imagination to what laid beyond their veil. But they were always hungry. Starved for something complex and meaningful, but they had no hands to grasp it. And so they waited until the day their limbs grew. But one day, they were violently cast into the world, broken from their cocoons, and pried from the torn wombs of their Holy Mothers. When they asked why, all that left their throats was the wail of a newborn that was still unborn ¨C a cry that conjoined with the agony of their pale-haired mothers. * * * She plucked another dull gemstone and swallowed it whole like a grape. Her eyes remained pried open as she contemplated the existence of these strange creatures. There was no empathy to be found in her eyes. But even so, it was hard for her not to pity creatures of their kind. Because she too understood the notion of being born incomplete. The struggle of yearning to find meaning in oneself, which was an ability starved from a Corrupted like her ever since the conception of her beginning. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. A time that not even she could remember well. * * * < 2 > They were still hungry. Was it not the feed that they sought for within the cocoon? From the teat of the Holy Mother, they drank the sacred fluids. With no arms they could not reach for the faces of those who brought them into the world. With no legs they relied on their mothers to endure their hardships ¨C such was the beauty of their unconditional love. With hope their mothers told them of what they can become. With reverence they spoke of the places they would see. With stars in their eyes, they pointed to a place where they aspire to reach. But their unborn kin understood the futility of it. With sunken eyes the incomplete children watched as even caterpillars transformed into butterflies. So they wondered: ¡°What of us for we who were born incomplete?¡± Like the webs of the nest that held the Doves captive, they saw that they too were trapped in a functionless body. But even so, the warmth of their mothers was all they knew and had. Their starvation fell onto the hearts of their pale-haired mothers as they drank the hopes and dreams of their aspirations. ¡°So long as we¡¯re with mother, then everything will be alright.¡± * * * Their Origins were clear to her now. They were living stillborn. But she had no idea how or why they were paraded as a parody of their traumatic experiences. They were completely different from the natural-born people, animals and even monsters. These things did not make any sense, just like the Corrupted. Hatchling Red took one last gemstone. Just as she was about to swallow it, she received a warning. < Please do not consume > < Further consumption will result in Ego Death > ¡°Tch. Ego Death? As in losing myself? Huuuuh? Ugh¡­¡± She put it aside and vented a long sigh. ¡°Agate. How come these gemstones hold their memories? Their emotions? Everything about them?¡± < One day you will understand > It did not respond with the irritating ¡®unknown¡¯. Rather, it seemed to understand where her mind was right now and assured her that only time would tell. She was still too young to know these things, she figured. But even so, and undeniable yearning to sate her curiosity made her further speculate. But alas¡­ ¡°¡­ I¡¯m too stupid to think this hard.¡± She whispered, knowing well that she was the wrong person to dabble this deeply into these things. ¡°I¡¯m just good at killing things. I want to change that too. I want to know what it¡¯s like being alive. Agate. Do you know what it¡¯s like living as a slave to something you can¡¯t even describe? It¡¯s like chasing a star you¡¯ll never reach. That¡¯s what it was like to be a Corrupted.¡± < Corrupted still have meaning > Agate¡¯s ominous response caused her to turn on her side as she felt the familiar presence of a certain Rock Bug brush against the one she rested atop. Meeting with its beady eyes caused her to sigh again as she lazily plopped onto its back like a beached whale. ¡°So that¡¯s our bright side in your eyes? I guess it¡¯s hard to describe what being a Corrupted is like.¡± Hatchling Red did not have the vocabulary to articulate her past life. And she figured that it was for the best that she didn¡¯t. Yet even as a living entity, her obsession over the White Wolf never disappeared. The cavern became cold again as they ventured deeper, all the while the lava that streamed from the edges of the caverns flowed faster. Ahead was the flickering light of a blue star, and she wondered if those lights were a beacon of some kind in this strange place. 22. Still Unmoved The Still Unborn was only the prelude for the things to come. They were the abstract tip of the Corrupted iceburg. That is if they were Corrupted to begin with. She encountered more of the Still Unborn further along. Armed with the knowledge of their harmless attacks, she kept her weapons tucked away and allowed them to hurl themselves at her. Inconsolable wails ate at her mind as she desperately held back from eliminating them. Not a semblance of empathy crossed her for these beings were no more than monsters. Frozen winds blew from deeper within as the surrounding lava streams grew larger and more turbulent. One of the Still Unborn landed beside her, flopping like a beached fish as she glared at the putrid thing. ¡°Gross. And it smells too! Shoo! This is my Rockie Grey! Go get your own!¡± She was about to brush it aside right before it screamed at her, causing her to instinctively block her ears in anguish. ¡°Why are there so MANY of you!? Grrr¡­ Rockie! Shake it off ¨C Woaaaaah!? Stop ¨C You¡¯re going to throw me overboard!¡± The Still Unborn refused to let themselves be cast away. Their relentless drive despite lacking limbs would have been admirable if they weren¡¯t abominations. Red slapped the back of Rockie Grey for almost killing her, only for her hand to be repulsed by its thick carapace. Rockie Grey¡¯s stats had changed slightly since its Bond level rose from Bonded to Fellowship.
Rock Bug
LEVEL : 5 ORIGIN : Insect HP : 600 ATT : 75 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 5
Sedimental Rock Bug Rockie Grey
LEVEL : 10 ORIGIN : Insect HP : 1,200 ATT : 250 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 5
It had become more than twice as strong as a regular Rock Bug. ¡°Did you evolve or something? You hardly look different now that I think about it.¡± Red knocked on its shell again, this time much more gently which caused Rockie to shiver as if in delight. ¡°Don¡¯t try to act cute with me. You¡¯re still my emergency rations.¡± This made Rockie Grey even happier for whatever reason, causing a vein to pop on Red¡¯s forehead. ¡°Haaaaah? Whatever. Your time will come! But today isn¡¯t the day! Onwards my Rock Bugs! Towards the light ¨C!¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The tremors had become extraordinarily powerful now. Magma leapt from the edges like fish. Red could feel it reverberate deeply within her chest for she recognized the source of the explosions. But the question that irked her was how was her weapon detonating in her absence? Something was terribly wrong, as if the Still Unborn hadn¡¯t already spelt this out. Eventually the stone walls morphed into something more insidious. The walls blackened like the backdrop of midnight, illuminated only by the magma. ¡°Bring me closer to the wall. Scrape a hand along it. That material¡­ it¡¯s glistening like it¡¯s wet.¡± Rockie Grey parted from the group and scuttled along the edge. Its legs were barely long enough to reach the wall. When it scraped along what was supposed to be the jagged, coarse texture of stone, Red¡¯s eyes suddenly narrowed with disgust. ¡°I knew it. That¡¯s not stone anymore. We¡¯re definitely inside of something living.¡± Her sense of judgement had never wronged her. She had seen enough gore to identify raw flesh at a single glance whether it was flailed or minced beyond recognition. The rib cages that held the cavern like stents grew pallid brambles. They dangled from above like icicles and climbed the walls like thorny ivy. ¡°The walls are moving. Is that¡­ are those supposed to be trees?¡± Pillars of meat rose to the ceiling like the trunks of colossal trees further ahead. The flesh of the walls burned as more of the unfortunate Still Unborn were incinerated. A twisted parody of a forest unraveled before her as she walked past the gigantic trunks. Five ¨C no, they were more than ten meters in circumference. ¡°What in the world is this place supposed to be? Agate. Say something already.¡± Her hushed tone was ignored for what felt like hours. Only the cries of the damned answered back, with their haunting echoes conversing. ¡°Flesh. Hunger. Stillbirth. Incompleteness¡­¡± Red tried to pull the strings together, but they were merely straws. They lacked the substance for her to even fathom what this all meant, and why it was down here. More importantly was how her weapon ended up further ahead in the first place. ¡°Aren¡¯t we all hungry in the first place? To eat is to survive. It¡¯s a dog-eat-dog world. Is this place trying to tell me a story?¡± < What is hunger? > ¡°Huh?¡± The question took Red by surprise. She stared into the air absentmindedly. Agate had never asked her a question before, hence her surprise. ¡°Hunger? It¡¯s the need to feed. That¡¯s it. Why does it have to be so complicated?¡± < Hunger takes many forms in the realm of cognition > < Hunger is the lifeline that must be sated > < Hunger is therefore a flaw of those who consume > ¡°Then why were we born with it?¡± Red asked a surprisingly philosophical question. It didin¡¯t seem fair to her that they were born with something out of their control. It was not a question that Agate could answer. Regardless of this, she was satisfied. This was their very first conversation after all. A smile formed on the girl¡¯s face as she braved into uncharted territory. ¡°You¡¯re weird Agate. You gotta learn how to talk normally. I bet I can change that. If you¡¯re a voice in my head then I just need a good hit right here~¡± Red¡¯s crude manner of speech returned immediately as she knocked on the side of her head. She remained in the middle of the Rock Bug brigade. All senses were dialed to the max as she carefully scanned her surroundings. Suddenly, one of the pillars ahead throbbed as the sound of sputtering liquid echoed. And in that instant ¨C the Still Unborn hurled themselves forward towards a figure that coallpsed straight from an incision made along the length of the pillar. A woman with white hair but with a body of a butterfly struggled to flap her wings, for they were tied down by invisible strands.
Still Unmoved
ATTRIBUTE: Sorrow
LEVEL : 10 ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 500 ATT : 0 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 10
Yet just like the Still Unborn ¨C that ¡®mother¡¯ who cradled the limbless children ¨C was as harmless as they were. The tears that fell from their hidden eyes disappeared as did the wails. But just like the children, the mother had no hands to embrace them, for they had metamorphosed into broken wings. 23. Still Hungry Sorrow. The Attribute spelled the nature of the being. It did not attack, nor did it scream. The Still Unborn huddled around her knees, their cries of anguish subsiding in the presence of their mothers ¨C the Still Unmoved. Their mouths curved into peaceful smiles. But behind those curves was a well of palpable sadness that Red could not help but to solemnly watch. ¡°How do I do this? If I kill it, then there¡¯s no telling what the repercussions will be.¡± Red and her army of Rock Bugs created enough distance where she¡¯d be able to react if something went awry. ¡°All of the little worms are gathering to it instead of me. I guess that¡¯s a good thing, right?¡± She scanned her surroundings further. Crimson sinew hung from each tree like the webs of a spider nest, further playing into the insect-theme of this cavern. Her eyes trailed along, searching for something ¨C anything out of the norm. Though this was impossible when everything already was abnormal. ¡°Right¡­?¡± Three turned to five. Five to eight. And eight¡­ ¡°Tch ¨C What¡¯s happening now!?¡± ¡­ When the tenth Still Unborn waddled into its loose embrace, a blinding light shone from the centre of the Still Unmoved¡¯s bare chest. It transformed into a small whisp with a trailing tail of light, and to her shock ¨C it was hurled towards her. ¡°I knew it ¨C It was a trap ¨C!¡± Her body was enveloped by the light. She expected to be incinerated. To be brought down onto her knees. Her orifices to bleed. But instead, as she covered her eyes with her arms, she realized that none of this had happened. Rather than injury, the wounds that had riddled her body were slowly being healed. ¡°Or not¡­?¡± Perplexity could not even begin to describe how she felt. By the time her arms had dropped from her face, the Still Unborn had disappeared as a content smile formed on the face of the Still Unmoved. ¡°I think¡­ Agate, I think that¡¯s supposed to be their mother.¡± Still Unmoved < Observation Level 1 > < The Still Unmoved will heal the designated ¡®Hungriest¡¯ to full HP when exactly ten Still Unborn are allowed to drink from its holy milk > Whilst pondering on this a prompt suddenly appeared before her. < Temporary Ability Gained > < Temporary Abilities will be removed when the ordeal is over or when you are no longer under the influence of this place > < ABILITY: Hungriest > < Power is the will to reject instinct when driven mad by its siren call > < The Still Unmoved will thank you for sparing their children despite your overwhelming instinct. Do not let them be eaten > If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Instinct and hunger¡­¡± Red could only make the connection of the two going hand in hand. To reject hunger was to reject instinct. For Red, to reject instinct was to reject conflict. So in this instance, she realized that her ¡®hunger¡¯ was more of a metaphor for ¡®violence¡¯. Was she being told a lesson? Was this thing trying to teach her something? Red didn¡¯t know. All she knew was that the Still Unmoved was happy that she did not kill the Still Unborn in her presence. However, as more of the Still Unborn oozed from the pores of the cavern walls ¨C ¡°Of course something just has to show up when things were getting easier!¡± ¨C A five-legged spider descended from a pore in the ceiling. Sinew strands held each limb like that of a puppet as it landed on the Still Unmoved, its calloused, bony fingers violating its wings as if to punish it for healing Red.
Still Hungry
ATTRIBUTE : Sorrow
LEVEL: 15 ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 1,500 ATT : 350 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 25
Were it not for the space between her and the Still Unmoved then she would have been impaled by those legs. Fingers better described its legs now that she had a closer look. Its body was even shaped like that of a palm, and yet it skittered around like a spider. But it did not come for her first. Contrary to the showdown she expected against her strongest foe yet ¨C it ran towards the Still Unborn, impaling them one by one before it feasted upon their carcasses like skewered meat. Red had no intention of stopping it. Her instincts demanded that she continue forth. But something about the Still Unmoved captivated her. The blue eyes of the entity stared back in sorrow when her Rock Bugs began to move past her. Then, she dejectedly stared down at her broken wings, a light forming on her chest as tears tumbled down her cheeks. It was not Red who was healed this time. Instead, it was the Still Hungry who received the healing of the Still Unmoved, who wept in perpetuity. Still Unmoved < Observation Level 2 > < The Still Unmoved will heal the Still Hungry and associated entities to full HP when exactly ten Still Unborn are used to sate their unending hunger > ¡°¡­ Why should I have to help a monster?¡± Red asked herself as Rockie Grey came to a complete stop beside the woman. ¡°Why should I help something that can¡¯t help itself?¡± Rockie Grey shook its body as if annoyed by her. Red didn¡¯t know it herself, but she could not tear her eyes away from the woman despite her words. Just like with Rockie, she ended up overstaying her welcome. ¡°Tch. I hate this¡­ I hate that I can see a part of myself in you. You want to help them. I just want to survive. But if I really did then I wouldn¡¯t have wasted my time on Rockie. I know why too. It¡¯s because I know what it¡¯s like to be you.¡± Red was no stranger to exploitation. As a captive Corrupted she had endured endless experimentations until she was boarded onto the train. By some miracle her wish to live had come true. If I could express myself the way I can now, then would I have made the same face as her? The solemn thought kept her locked in place. Even if she wanted to leave, Rockie would not allow her to. Her instincts caused her veins to burst, begging her to leave in the face of near certain death. ¡­ Instinct. Will I become something like that thing if I only choose to fight? That can¡¯t be. I have to fight if I want to survive. People that can¡¯t fight are as good as dead¡­ ¡­ isn¡¯t that what it means to be alive? ¡°I don¡¯t get you. Why can¡¯t you struggle?¡± Red knew the answer to this already because she too was inflicted by the same stagnation that trapped her when she was once a Corrupted. Speaking to this thing was no better than talking to a rock, but even so, it was a way for Red to vent. ¡°Why can¡¯t you stand up and protect them yourself!? Even if you¡¯re like this you can¡¯t just sit there and watch that thing take your children away from you!¡± An unnatural surge of wrath rushed through her veins. The cries of the Still Unborn only fueled her unnatural rage. She did not know what came over her. Only that it was sudden and swift, as though the emotions of the Still Unmoved were influencing her¡­ ¡­ Red stared at the blue shimmer ahead. If this cavern was anything to go by, then the Still Hungry was telling of the things to come. And so, she realized that she needed their healing powers. Whether it was a way to justify helping the Still Unmoved or not was unknown to her. All that she knew was that she absolutely needed to destroy the Still Hungry. The tip of the Hunt Must Go On ¨C her serrated hunting blade ¨C glowed a slight tinge of red as if to reflect her anger. The Rock Bugs were rallied by her infectious fury. ¡°I need that healing, so I¡¯m going to take it all for myself. I¡¯ll show you just what kind of hunger the legendary Hatchling Red has compared to an oversized insect on strings!¡± And against her instincts ¨C she bared her fangs against the two-meter-tall spider with only a probiscis spear and her vengeful blade in hand. 24. Red VS Giant Spider Bang. The clash of steel hitting steel reverberated throughout the cavern. Red¡¯s blade connected with one of the creature¡¯s legs and yet to her shock ¨C ¡°Tch¡­ That¡¯s not rock at all! You¡¯re made out of damned steel!¡± The realization struck her like lightning as she drifted backwards to make some space in case of a counterattack. And as expected, a leg stabbed precisely where she was just a second ago. The Still Hungry pressed forward. It clearly saw Hatchling Red as easy prey. An impending, bony arm was due to meet with her skull. But there was no fear in her eyes. Rather, Hatchling Red only grinned with vigor. ¡°Two can play that game then!¡± Clang. The protrusion was met with the rocky back of a Rock Bug which flipped itself onto its side to shield her from the attack. It temporarily stunned the Still Hungry, creating room for her to commence a counterattack of her own. What she had performed was called a ¡®Stagger¡¯. Stagger < A temporary window where a target is open to a guaranteed Critical Strike > [Huntress¡¯ Slash] was not necessary in this brief instance. She leapt to the side of the Rock Bug and thrust her spear forward into the underbelly of the Still Hungry. Yet to her surprise, there was no mouth to be found beneath it, neither did it have eyes or similar openings. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you five-legged creeps eat, but I hope you like skewers!¡± The proboscis managed to penetrate deeply into it. A crack formed around its steel-like carapace as it swung again, striking the Rock Bug rather than her. Still Hungry | HP: 210 ¡°75 plus 80 ¨C!?¡± Before she could finish doing the math in her head, her instincts kicked into overdrive. Her body moved before she could react as she took cover behind the Rock Bug again. Red hot magma gushed from the cracked opening. ¡°Times 10¡­ 1,550 ¨C So your DEF stat has to be around 260 then!¡± She was able to tell precisely just how much DEF it had from that one attack alone. This unfortunately meant that she could not even dream to damage it without the aid of [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. But she did not need to. The lava quickly pooled beneath it as it flailed its arms at the Rock Bug but to no avail. ¡°Rock Bugs! Don¡¯t let it attack the Still Unborn!¡± She commanded before backing off, abandoning her spear before taking another out from her back. The Still Hungry immediately ceased its attacks on the Rock Bug the moment a Still Unborn threw itself towards the Still Unmoved. It crawled towards the unmoving woman, caring not of its gaping wound. The spear melted away as it strode shakily over a pool of its own blood. It was as though it was fighting against the strings that puppeted it. ¡°¡­ Is that what hunger is supposed to be?¡± Red hoisted the spear over her head before she threw herself over the back of the Rock Bugs. ¡°Something you can¡¯t dictate and let control you!?¡± Her emotions were high, and the glow of her blade intensified further. She leapt over the magma pool with nowhere to land in sight. She was doomed to fall to a burning death. But she had a plan despite this. The pale spear in hand was used as a pole to further propel herself forward as she followed the bloody trail of [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. With the twirl of her blade, and her eyes glowing brighter than the lava itself ¨C ¡°DON¡¯T GO TOUCHING OTHER PEOPLE¡¯S PREY!¡± ¨C She severed the sinew strings holding it. < Critical Section Broken! > < You have broken a crucial part of the Still Hungry > < Entities will be incapable of using certain attacks or abilities when a section is broken > < Broken sections may be targeted to deal 2x damage if applicable > Despite the news zero damage was done to the creature itself. This also meant that the Still Hungry consisted of two critical parts ¨C the body and the strings. Destroying the sinew strings was a direct shortcut to eliminating them since it also seemed to have much lower DEF stats. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It only plopped down with a heavy, mangled thud. Lava ceased gushing from its wound, now becoming slow trickles as its limbs struggled to move without the influence of the strings. But that did not mean it was still incapable of fighting. Limbs were thrown ravenously against the Still Unborn, only to be blocked by the protective Rock Bugs. However, its struggle was short lived. Because it had yet to realize that Hatchling Red was standing on top of it. ¡°So this is your weakness!¡± She raised the spear high and thrust it downwards into a fleshy lump sticking out from where all limbs intersected. ¡°The bloody trail knows everything, huh! Die ¨C die! DIE!¡± Though it was only supposed to take one last strike to kill it, she struck it multiple times as it curled into itself. She leapt and abandoned the proboscis just in time before its limbs slammed shut where she was like a bear trap. It twisted, rolled and finally collapsed into itself; the pale armor shattering like the shell of an egg. What was left behind was a putrid lump of red, pulsating meat. But it was by far the most tastiest thing she had devoured since! ¡°Rockie! Use tackle! That¡¯s our ¨C my food burning up!¡± She commanded and at once, Rockie rushed in to headbutt the lump of meat out of the lava pool. It rolled and crashed into a nearby pillar, causing the world cavern to shake in tune with the distant explosions. ¡°Good riddance. Stupid allegories made manifest. Were those strings supposed to symbolize instinct? Help me out here Agate!¡± Hatchling Red sighed as Rockie came up to her with expectant eyes. ¡°What do you want now? A praise? Heh.¡± It nodded. Rockie nodded as if understanding her as it pressed its head against her stomach, nudging her for a headpat. ¡°Alright ¨C Stop ¨C Don¡¯t keep pushing me! I¡¯m seriously going to fall over! Gaaaaaah! Here! Pat pat pat!¡± Rather than a head pat, she drummed on its head with the palm of her hands. It was more than satisfactory for Rockie who shivered in delight. A long sigh left her lips as she turned back towards the meat, rubbing her hands in preparation for the grand feast. ¡°Huh ¨C Imbeciles! Idiots! What kind of slave eats before their master!¡± However, the Rock Bugs were already enjoying the meal way ahead of her. Others bumped their heads against her, knocking her around like a pinball as they begged for a headpat as well. ¡°Grrr! I¡¯ll never forget the day you betrayed Hatchling Red, you idiots!¡± * * * < Stats From the Still Hungry Gained > < Huntress¡¯ Slash has gained a level > < Friends! Has gained a level >
< LEVEL : 19 > AFFINITY : Amalgamation ??? Hatchling Red ATTRIBUTE : Identity < CORRUPTED >
NAME : ??? HP : 1,120 ^3/Min MP : 700 ^3/Min AGI : 32 RESIST : 44
AGE : 0 ATT : 100(+80) MAG ATT : 5 O : 17 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 95(+50) MAG DEF : 15 S : 8 E : 6
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash I [5/10] (O) Punch [2/10] (S) Friends! [8/10] (E) Appraise Object [6/10] * * * Something approached them as they munched on the rancid meat. The sound of something being dragged along the ground piqued Hatchling Red¡¯s immediate attention just as a black, opaque gemstone rolled out from the chunk of meat. It was the Still Unmoved. < Observation Level 3 > < The Still Unmoved is inspired by your actions. It wishes that it too could break free from the strings that bind it > ¡°Then why did you walk into a spider¡¯s nest in the first place?¡± Hatchling Red¡¯s question could not be answered by such a being. Its legs which had been severely atrophied was not able to hold the woman upright, so she had to drag herself along the ground with hands that could not grasp. The woman only stared at her with eyes hidden behind pale strands of hair. She did not even react when she was offered a piece of meat. ¡°Good. I was gonna tear you off that pillar anyway.¡± Hatchling Red approached her and picked her up. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ way lighter than I thought! Hey, you watch over her. She¡¯s our ticket to good health!¡± She plopped her on the back of a Rock Bug and prepared to depart. In her hand was a gemstone containing the blurbs of the Still Hungry¡¯s Origins. It was a shame she could not see the Still Unmoved¡¯s one. She¡¯d have to kill her first but her usefulness did not warrant turning her into a gemstone. ¡°Hang on tight. We¡¯re going to be moving full speed ahead to the light. By the way, got a name?¡± Even though she was a monster, Hatchling Red spoke to it as though it was a person. It was the only thing that resembled a human. Perhaps she wanted to use her as practice for when she finally met with a real person. She didn¡¯t know the reason why either. It was a compulsion born from nowhere. ¡°No name? Me too. I call myself Hatchling Red or Red but I don¡¯t even know if that¡¯s a good name or not.¡± Red shrugged, hopping onto the Rock Bug¡¯s back, and smacking its side with her last pale spear. This was an order to move onwards. Although they did not move until every last piece of the flesh lump was gone. ¡°Still can¡¯t talk? That¡¯s fine too. Haaaah. Hey, wanna know what people used to call me? The Vengeful Red Hooded Assassin! Back when I hunted fairytales with a giant boomstick!¡± She bragged, and the Still Unmoved only stared at her with a blank expression. ¡°Well, at least you aren¡¯t called a line of numbers and letters. Thinking about it now, being called A-V-T-121-01 is pretty dehumanizing. Dumb researchers.¡± Nothing she said triggered a response from her. During this downtime she strategically allowed exactly nine Still Unborn to accompany the Still Unmoved and kept the last one strapped to the back of a Rock Bug in case of an emergency. She knew that more dangers lurked ahead. Something sinister was going on deeper within. And as her legion of Rock Bugs moved onwards towards the light of a blue star ¨C ¡°Yeah¡­ I knew it. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy. When there¡¯s one bug¡­¡± ¨C Several more of the Still Hungry descended from a pore along the ceiling. ¡°¡­ there¡¯s bound to be a thousand more. Alright. Rock Bugs! Raise your arms! I mean, raise your¡­ Whatever! There¡¯s food ahead! The feast has brought itself straight to us!¡± Hatchling Red was not going to leave a single one of them uneaten. Not only were they significantly less disgusting than regular bugs, but they also possessed something she desperately needed. Strength. Stats. Power. If she were to get out of this ordeal alive then she needed to devour everything in her path. 25. Still Unloving ¡°Follow the bloody trail.¡± The red lines that guided Hatchling¡¯s Red blade was the manifestation of pure instinct. They were red strings that dictated where the tip of her blade was inserted; how it slashed against the vulnerable flesh of her prey; and who it must be done to. She slashed the sinew strings that held up the limbs of the spider-like entities, severing their ties with the cavern before she swiftly finished them off with her only remaining pale proboscis. < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has gained a level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has gained a level > ¡°More¡­¡± Hunger for strength and nutrition fueled the hunt. She stood at only a 150cm compared to those two-meter spiders. But through devouring the stats of her enemies in the past, her AGI had already reached a point where she could easily leap two meters into the air. She hunted then relentlessly. < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has gained a level > < Friends! Has gained a level > ¡°More¡­!¡± After one leap she¡¯d stab her blade into the ground to instantly halt her momentum. Then she would jump right back into the fray to remove the remaining strings. Still Unborn were salvaged by the Rock Bugs and kept close to the Still Unmoved. Whenever she lost more than half of her HP then she¡¯d allow the tenth Still Unborn to be reunited with their mother. < Punch has gained a level > < Punch has gained a level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has gained a level > ¡°MORE!¡± Five, ten ¨C twenty. Perhaps even fifty of these things had fallen to Hatchling Red over the course of several hours. The fatigue was building up and she barely held onto a sliver of mana. MP : 100 | 900 It was not even enough to activate [Huntress¡¯ Slash], so when her blade became jammed into the steel exoskeleton of her prey, she relied on [Punch] to hammer it in like a chisel. Of course, this also meant being directly in the danger zone of sputtering lava. But her HP had risen so high that she could endure it temporarily. Hatchling Red clasped onto her blackened arm moments before a pale light enveloped her. ¡°We¡¯re getting in better sync now, Rockie!¡± ¡°*Happy chittering* *Nods*¡± The Still Unmoved¡¯s healing abilities were incredible. It didn¡¯t seem like there was a limit to what it could heal. As confident as she was with this deduction there was no way she was going to test it. HP : 1,500 ¡°Speaking of which¡­ We¡¯re getting closer to the blue star now, huh.¡± Red wiped off her sweat as she finished off another Still Hungry with relatively easy compared to when they started off. This was because she had been gaining their ATT stats with every Still Hungry she devoured. ATT : 350 (+35) By now the pale proboscis had melted away, leaving her with only the Hunt Must Go On. ¡°Even though I¡¯m furious this thing isn¡¯t getting any stronger. It¡¯s just glowing like the nose of a reindeer! Reindeers have glowing noses, right?¡± She asked half-casually as she flicked the linger magma from the tip of her blade like how she would with blood. ¡°This thing¡¯s ¡®Affinity¡¯ is Wrath. My own Affinity is Amalgamation, but my Attribute is Identity. How come these monsters have an Attribute too? Sorrow and Obsession. What¡¯s the difference?¡± < An Affinity is a universal encompassing cognitive concept > < An Attribute is an immediately apparent concept relating to an Affinity > ¡°So that means an Affinity is the umbrella, and the Attributes are the things under it. Ok. That makes sense. Kinda. I think. Maybe¡­ Can you say that again actually?¡± No response as usual. The number of Still Hungry had died down considerably. The stones carrying their Specific Nex chimed within one of her red coat¡¯s pockets. The ordeal had steadily caused her coat ¨C the Colorless Huntress¡¯ Garbs ¨C to grow as though its fabric was woven by the blood of her prey. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Not only that, but she had seen a slight height increase too. She had grown from a young adolescent into a late teen. She studied her appearance briefly using Rockie¡¯s beady eyes. ¡°From Hatchling Red to Duckling Red. Heh.¡± She smirked, banging her blade against the head of her best meal ¨C No, best friend ¡­ best friends do. ¡°Think humans will accept me as their own?¡± Rockie headbutted her as if to say, ¡°Does it really matter when you have me?¡±. Of course it was all just in Red¡¯s head, which caused her to wear a face that was split between disgust and a smile. ¡°¡­ I think I need to get some sleep. But we¡¯re so close now and it doesn¡¯t look like they¡¯re going to stop coming. Just a few more¡­¡± Red complained in a dangerously low tone. ¡°¡­ then I¡¯ll take back my Fairytale¡¯s Bane. I need it. That wolf bastard is still out there.¡± The White Wolf was her only enemy. Everything thus far was just food. She brandished her blade and hopped atop the back of her trusty rocky steed, following the blue star that shone like a second sun. ¡°¡­ you weren¡¯t out there on that night. Night turned day in a split second. It was like a star just fell down into the world. Rockie. Do you think that¡¯s right? That stars can fall down into the world and grant wishes?¡± Red found some comfort in unloading her muses onto Rockie. Another few Still Hungry descended as they neared a part of the cavern where the red walls depend like blood, and the crimson pillars became pale as if they had turned to bone. ¡°I have a weird Blessing called the Blessing of the Star Child. I bet they were that light. How else was my wish granted? I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m telling you this. For all I know you¡¯ll go selling my secrets behind my back¡­¡± She flung herself forward, engaging immediately with the Still Hungry. She moved like a blur, splitting the strands of one before she moved onto another. They did not even care that she approached. They were far too fixated on nothing but the Still Unborn. ¡°No. I think I know why I¡¯m saying this. I wanted to reaffirm what I want the most.¡± Their fixation repulsed her. ¡°To live as a human. To not be taken by instinct like them. But what does that even mean to someone like me?¡± Hatchling Red did not follow the bloody trail. Her mana was far too low this time. Knowledge and combat expertise guided her like it was second nature. Yet somehow ¨C < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has gained a level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash I Has become Huntress¡¯ Slash II > < (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash II > < Follow the bloody trail and deliver a guaranteed Critical Strike when using bladed weaponry. The bloody trail will extent to three unique entities. When total number of enemies outnumber this by 3x then you may follow the bloody mist > < Inflict Bleeding Condition to all enemy types > < COST: 100 MP > ¨C She had gained a level in [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. ¡°I will find my meaning!¡±
< LEVEL : 26 > Hatchling Red
HP : 1,500 ^3/Min MP : 900 ^ 3/Min AGI : 32 RESIST : 45
ATT : 350 (+35) MAG ATT : 5 ATT DEF : 260(+50) MAG DEF : 15
¡°And nothing is going to stop me!¡± * * * The tale of the Still Hungry was different from the Still Unborn. They were entities that were driven to sorrow because all they could do was feed. The sinew tethers that held them up were indeed a metaphor of their instinctual hunger. A hunger that they could never deny not because they were starved. It was the kind of impulsive hunger that destroyed rationality. Sorrow was right. Their Attribute of Sorrow and Origin of ¡®Trauma¡¯ painted a bleak picture for her as she and her army of Rock bugs were enveloped by the light. ¡°Instincts drove you to do things you didn¡¯t want. I know that feeling too. Being a Corrupted I never knew freedom until my wish was granted. Tch¡­ Whose hell is this supposed to be?¡± *Boom* The cavern quaked. She could feel the warmth rush from within. The frigid air then returned all at once as a voice suddenly spoke from everywhere at once. < ¡°O Instinct. O Hunger. Wherein did our loved ones go when the veil was lifted from our eyes?¡± > ¡°¡­ Agate?¡± Red whispered as blue veins ran through the red walls like the nerves of a living system. ¡°Or is it you, Rockie? Who is speaking to me?¡± The voice was cold and devoid of emotion. The air seemed to be the breath of this disembodied voice. She kept her eyes peeled as she darted her head in every direction. She still could not find the origin of the voice. < ¡°When the strings pull and we tug away why does the pain become so excruciating?¡± > < ¡°Free will was the nectar that kept us hopeful. O Hunger, why must you compel us to devour our most beloved?¡± > She saw it and her heart dropped for the first time. A great chamber unfolded before her. Entombed remains of massive spider-like entities ran up the walls like pillars. Their faces were that of humans wielding expressions of sorrow as their many legs crossed onto one another. The blue strands she saw along the walls were connected to each hand of those unmoving decorations. They bled fountains of magma tears from empty eye sockets. Yet their mouths chattered and chomped, as even in death they could not escape the instinctual drive that was hunger. < ¡°Perhaps hunger completes us. To bring us whole. But even so¡­¡± > There, in the center of the chamber where colossal pillars of bones rose dangled a deathly pale, ten-meter entity. Blue and red strings held it from the ceiling where the blue light radiated like a fallen star. It was a ten-legged spider with no body or eyes, let alone a mouth to let it speak. < ¡°¡­ Why does it bring about this existential lament?¡± > //////// < WARNING > //////// < TRICKLE > < THE ARBITER¡¯S TRUMPET BECKONS > Each leg of the monstrosity easily prodded the ground. They were barbed and had a razor-sharp tip that spelled danger for Hatchling Red. Its legs expanded in a way that resembled a bird¡¯s cage. And within that cage, embedded in the stone directly beneath it, was her Fairytale¡¯s Bane. It was clear that this thing was not going to let her retrieve it without a fight.
Still Unloving
< The violence of hunger and instinct is how we will forever be defined no matter how hard it is fought > AFFINITY : Lament
LEVEL : 30 ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 25,000 ATT : 700 MAG ATT : 250
AGI : 35
This was not a normal entity. It was the source of every anomaly she had faced until now. 26. Giant Spider Boss Battle! From the depths of its nonexistent lungs came a guttural cry. < ¡°It begins with hunger.¡± > < [Tangled Reins] > The ethereal strings that hoisted the ten-legged beast twirled as its legs closed together forming a spear. Then, when the strings could twist no more all legs were thrown out like the blades of a saw. ¡°Oh shit. Rock Bugs! RUN! DON¡¯T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE WINDMILL ATTACK!¡± Hatchling Red foresaw what was about to happen, and as the Rock Bugs began to scatter around the arena, the Still Unloving began to spin like a giant circular blade. ¡°Rockie Grey! Keep our healing thing away from it! Everyone else ¨C Don¡¯t let it touch any of the Still Unborn!¡± It was fast despite its lesser luster AGI stat. The blades shredded through the obsidian like a wet knife through clay, sending debris flying everywhere as it threw itself recklessly straight for Hatchling Red. ¡°If you¡¯re free then start hitting that giant harpoon in the middle of the field! It¡¯s our ticket to teaching this bastard a lesson for dealing with Hatchling Red!¡± She moved perpendicular to the attack. Dodging it was easy but the problem was how was she supposed to get an attack in? The blade in hand glowed as she passed by the backs of her multi-legged companions, smacking her blade on their backs to drum up her bloodlust. My mana is also in a bad spot. It¡¯ll take more than half an hour to bring it back. So I only have one shot. Not that I¡¯ll need it now. Her crimson eyes locked onto the strands that held the beast as it slowly rolled itself clockwise to follow her. It¡¯s the same deal. The strands have to be its weakness. I just need a better good opening to figure out the best approach. Red had an ideal path straight to its strings. However, just as she hopped onto the back of a Rock Bug to propel herself forward, an ominous premonition caused her to freeze in place. Something irking me still. It¡¯s like it¡¯s extending its neck out for me on purpose. Her instincts told her to go for it, but there was an underlaying motion in her gut that screamed at her to resist. ¡­ Could it be a trap? Suddenly, one of the Rocks Bugs approached her weapon. It managed to get a single headbutt in. However ¨C ¡°Rock¡­ Bug¡­? You¡­ ¨C ROCK BUUUUUUG!¡± < [Sentimental Retraction] > < ¡°In the same instant that we reveal our unconditional love is the moment hunger causes the same loving hand to retract.¡± > //////// < ALERT > //////// < A Bonded soul has been killed >
Rock Bug DECEASED
LEVEL : 5 ORIGIN : Insect HP : 0 ATT : 75 MAG ATT : 0
AGI : 5
< Bonded > < Rock Bug | Lvl 5 | 22x > ¨C The crimson innards of the Rock Bug came splattering out from its shell like a ruptured pomegranate. Despite the Rock Bug being her prey, and despite it being nothing of significance to her¡­ Why¡­ do I feel¡­ like something¡¯s twisting inside of me¡­? Red¡¯s eyes trembled at the sight, and from it aroused brambles that strangled her heart. < [Tangled Reins] > ¡°Agate¡­ AGAAAAATE! What am hearing!? Why can I hear something speak when it¡¯s about to attack!?¡± < These are the Skills of the Still Unloving > < Corrupted and entities of a similar nature will propagate their thoughts and Skills as one nears them > Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. < However, this can only be heard by those that can hear what others cannot > ¡°So why can I hear them!? Because of an Ability!?¡± < No. It¡¯s because you used to fall into the same category > ¡°Why¡­ WHY hasn¡¯t that part of me changed at all!?¡± Red¡¯s speed put her at an advantage. Her mistake was to send a Rock Bug with 5 AGI into the territory of monster with more than five times its Stat. Not to mention that it was able to instantly kill her Rock Bug. That means my Rock Bugs doesn¡¯t have an ounce of MAG DEF!? Neither do I. It must¡¯ve been shredded to die that quickly. Dammit¡­ How dare you¡­ < ¡°To you my beloved. To you my kin. To the pale Nests. And to you, O Hunger.¡± > It followed her in a clockwise direction again, carving the ground away as Red bolted ahead. When she finally had enough space between her and the colossal, spinning blades ¨C she threw herself straight into the ethereal strings. ¡°THAT¡¯S SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!¡± A brilliant trail of red followed the tip of her blade as she struck the chords. ¡°E-Even now¡­ You¡¯re telling me that 350 ATT is still too weak!?¡± It did zero damage to the Still Unloving. Red was able to get out of the danger zone right as it retracted itself back to the center of the molten yet frozen arena. < [Sentimental Retraction] > ¡°Tch! I need¡­ I need my weapon! That thing isn¡¯t going to give me a single opening! And¡­¡± Why should I care if my Rock Bugs die. I can use them as fodder. But what is this feeling welling up inside of me? < [Penetrating Instinct] > < ¡°This unending lament¡­ Can it be buried by quaffing them down?¡± > Another Rock Bug was impaled by one of those legs. They were then flung across the room with enough force to bring it down to its last slivers of HP. Hatchling Red tried to devise a plan as the entity began to stab at the Rock Bugs. But only those that had a Still Unborn on their backs were attacked. < Observation Level 1 > < The Still Unloving is resistant to being severed from the strings that dictate its actions > < Observation Level 2 > < The Still Unloved will target the Still Unborn relentless for the sake of sating its unending hunger > Red attempted to attack it directly, slamming her blade against its legs as it came crashing down. Metal rang as her blade bounced back, opening her up for a gash that ran along her back. HP : 495 ¡°GAAAAAGH! L-Lucky¡­ It didn¡¯t hit me directly or it would¡¯ve been really bad. Shit¡­ Rock Bugs¡­ GET THE STILL UNBORN TO THE HEALING THING!¡± Red was still completely functional. It was a miracle that her spine was uninjured largely thanks to her protective coat. A lingering stinging pain nearly took its toll over her as well. This pain was not physical like the deep wound, but magical. I have barely any counter measures to whatever MAG ATT is. So its ATT and MAG ATT stats are bundled into one. Just my luck¡­ And I can¡¯t retreat now either. The entryway¡¯s blocked by a flow of magma. Tch¡­ Annoying. I hate this kind of prey the most! The Still Unmoved was a double-edged blade. Her Rock Bugs were able to recover ten before the Still Unloving was able to kill ten of its own, allowing Red to heal back to full HP, meaning her wounds were instantly closed. But this didn¡¯t mean that she had replenished her blood. She¡¯d be the loser in a war of attrition by the fact that her body functioned like a human, whereas this thing ¨C though it was so fixated on hunger ¨C did not even eat the Rock Bugs or Still Unborn. < ¡°Predefined strings strangle us.¡± > < [Penetrating Instinct] > The strings that held it in place stretched to allow it to roam along the arena. The Rocks Bugs were of no match, and no matter what Red did, her attacks were utterly futile. ¡°I just¡­ need one chance!¡± Red shouted, the brambles in her heart continuing to constrict it. If only she could get her hands on her weapon, then she could end it all in one strike. Rockie Grey suddenly brushed its head against her back as if to impart its own courage onto her. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m going to go for it. Rockie. Just keep that healing person thing alive! I¡¯m probably going to need it soon! I just need an opening!¡± < Bonded > < Rock Bug | Lvl 5 | 20x > < [Tangled Reins] > That opening came to her on a silver platter. It resumed its spinning blade attack, running clockwise as her eyes narrowed sharply. Follow the bloody trail¡­ I can see it. It¡¯s those strings! If I can cut it ¨C then I can at least disable some of its legs! [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. Red followed the trail and used what was left of her mana to cut through six strings at once. Still Unloving | HP: 21,550 400 ATT DEF. This was why it was able to resist her attacks. Her total of over 3,000 damage was enough to completely disable it for the time being as it wildly swung its remaining legs. < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > Red reached the massive, two-meter-long weapon. It was an otherworldly firearm capable of firing bullets larger than her hands. This weapon, which was buried a quarter of the way into the ground, was her Fairytale¡¯s Bane ¨C a sniper rifle synonymous with her previous name; the Vengeful Red Hooded Assassin. The ground trembled. It did not come from the weapon but from another source much to her surprise. She didn¡¯t have the time nor the luxury to investigate as she clutched onto its bulky make, attempt to pry it out with all her might. ¡°Help¡­ HELP ME BRING THIS THING OUT!¡± Rock Bugs swarmed in to help her. Rockie Grey was the first. Their collective headbutts caused the ground to crack as it gradually gave way to the weapon. And with one last heave ¨C ¡°GIVE ME BACK MY WEAPOOOOOOOOOON!¡± ¨C She tumbled backwards several meters with the weapon in her arms. It practically dragged her along, cutting her body up and pinching her fingers under its immense weight. The object was more than ten kilos, and at its maximum weight could go to over several tons when she was in her peak. ¡°I got it! I got it! I ¨C!¡± Her celebration was short lived. //////// < CAUTION > //////// < Still Unloving has killed 10 Still Unborn > < HP of Still Unloving has replenished > HP : 25,000 Red¡¯s heart dropped at the sight of this message. The strands that were once severed were replaced with brand new ones. This whole time while she was focused on regaining her weapon, the entity had been slaughtering the endlessly spawning Still Unborn. < ¡°Why do we hunger if we are allowed to make such precious bonds?¡± > < [Lance of Lament] > Something faster than Red could detect slayed a Rock Bug. All ten legs of the creature stabbed it, killing it instantly as its blood sprayed everywhere. < Observation Level 3 > < When the Still Unloving devours 10 Still Unborn, it will use an unavoidable attack > Red couldn¡¯t afford to be dazed. Being dumbstruck was a quick ticket to death. She armed herself with her weapon and took aim, but she quickly realized that there was a major problem. ¡°Bullets¡­ Where¡­ how am I supposed to shoot this thing without bullets!?¡± Indeed. She had finally reunited with her strongest weapon. But it was utterly useless in the time she needed it the most. < Bonded > < Rock Bug | Lvl 5 | 18x > Her blood began to boil. //////// < CAUTION > //////// < Your emotional state is rapidly rising > < (S) Bonds! > < Now that you have made a friend, your emotional state varies depending on the condition of your Friends. Similarly, your bonded friends will experience the bends of emotion depending on your circumstance > 27. Heightening Emotions ¡°So this is how it is¡­ this is the wall I have to overcome¡­ Bullshit¡­¡± Red¡¯s hated festered. The blade twisted into a reverse grip as she watched the Still Unloving murder countless of the Still Unborn to the utter despair of the Still Unmoved. The constant wails of malformed children and their grieving mother only caused the brambles to tighten further in her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think you can take away this opportunity to live away from me! Monopolize the maggots all you want! This will end with only one of us left standing!¡± Leaving behind her Fairytale¡¯s Bane was a difficult decision to make. The loud thud of her weapon crashing to the ground drowned everything out. Her senses became utterly honed. It was do or die now. She had no Skills other than [Punch] to aid her. Everything seemed lost yet Hatchling Red refused to allow herself keel over and die to an insufferable, self-loathing entity like the Still Unloving. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the only one that can¡¯t set aside their instinct?¡± Her eyes glowed like a steady candleflame. It was small common flame. But that flame was enough proof of her conviction. < [Penetrating Instinct] > ¡°Just who the hell¡­ DO YOU THINK I WAS!?¡± Her blades struck the legs that skewered Still Unborns but to no avail. But even so, and as the fiery blood splattered over her body, she continued to fight. Quick, rapid strikes were incomparable to the sheer might of those colossal legs which were thrust downwards like rods. //////// < ALERT > //////// < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < ¡°A thousand wailing cries rocked this soul. A thousand familiar bodies could not break these shackles that defined us.¡± > ¡°So you¡¯ll just be a slave to that hunger? Are you an idiot? Are all insects like that? They¡¯ll easily eat people close to them just because they¡¯re hungry?¡± Red was perhaps the last person to lecture someone on this. After all, the reason why she kept the Rock Bugs close to her was so that she could eat them later. But to watch them be hunted before her very eyes, with the Still Unborn¡¯s crying as if they mourned for the Rock Bugs caused thorns to form on the brambles of her heart. The blade turned a deep shade of red now. What was once a crimson tip had spread like an infection. The red-hot steel looked like it would burn anything it touched, but in fact, it was cool to the touch. Blood from an unknown source coated it. And like the trail of red that followed her blade, her eyes too carried the same ominous power as her swings became extraordinarily heavy. ¡°¡­ Even I¡­ even I can properly lament when my prey is taken away from me!¡± //////// < CAUTION > //////// < The Hunt Must Go On is resonating with your Heightened Emotions > < The Rock Bugs are reacting to your Heightened Emotions > The Rocks Bugs moved busily. They were entirely unfit for combat and were mere sheep waiting to be slaughtered. < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > But with each Rock Bug that was felled ¨C
The Hunt Must Go On
< When ammunition depletes, the hunt will only become bloodier. The knife is the most personal of all tools >
ORIGIN : Hatchling Red AFFINITY : Wrath TYPE : Weapon
ATT : 50
ATT : 350 (+50) ¨C The strength of her blade increased. It was as though it was collecting the wrath of each felled Rock Bug, brimming the blade with power to seek but one thing. Vengeance. < [Lance of Lament] > Another one of its unavoidable attacks claimed the life of Rock Bug. The world shuddered as she clashed with all ten legs that were impaled into the ground. But rather than flying back in recoil, sparks appeared from its wrathful edge as she clutched her teeth in fury. ¡°Like I said¡­ Don¡¯t you dare¡­ TOUCH MY ROCK BUUUUUUGS!¡± A crack. Her blade pierced through its pallid shell that was supposed to be impervious to all her attacks. It was little. The damage was insignificant. However, this hatred she possessed inside of her ¨C this collective vengeance that further sharpened the edge of her blade was steadily growing. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! < Bonded > < Rock Bug | Lvl 5 | 13x > ATT : 350 (+75) Her emotions snowballed into an unstoppable force. < ¡°Reclamation is impossible. I want to leave behind this hurt.¡± > < [Tangled Reins] > ¡°WAS IT EVER AN ISSUE OF RECLAIMATION!?¡± Red roared over the constant wails. Those same wails seemed to cheer her on, and the sobbing of the Still Unmoved became lauded as if resonating with her rising fury. She cut through the strands that held it to the ceiling. Her blade perfectly severed through several before it pulled itself back to the centre. ¡°You ¨C in the first place like I ¨C was always like that! What was there to reclaim! All you had to do was change who you were! Who the hell are you to tell me of all things that our unquestionable drive was an issue of finding something that was lost!¡± It wasn¡¯t as if Red didn¡¯t understand its pain. As a Corrupted in her previous incarnation, she too was driven by nothing but a purpose she never understood. Only that she had to fulfill it. Because that was how she was born. < [Sentimental Retraction] > < ¡°Their screams of torment were dulled by the sound of crushed bones. When we chewed them up and swallowed them down the agony of hunger would fade.¡± > < [Lance of Lament] > < ¡°But in came the rod of lament that pierced us.¡± > ATT : 350 (+100) Her attacks were still doing little. No matter how many times she struck, the blood sweat and tears she spent were all for naught. The Still Unmoved healed it whenever ten of the Still Unborn were killed, further driving it to despair as its wailed sharply rose. But she could feel it. Something palpable other than despair venting from that thing on Rockie¡¯s back. < Friends! Has gained a Level > < Friends! Has become Friends! I > < (S) Friends! I [0/10] > < Become friends with the most likely and unlikely of things! Denizens of Corrupted and similar entities may be befriended! Evolution may now be available for strongly bonded and growing friends when the time comes! > < COST: Nil > Still Unmoved < Observation Level 3 > < Beneath the surface of that uncompromisable kindness is a wrath incomparable to your own. Something beyond the shackles of instinct and repression that plagues the Still Unmoved is being offloaded onto a certain Red-Haired Corrupted > < Fellowship > < Rockie Grey | Lvl: 10 > < Bonded > Insect < Rock Bugs | Lvl: 5 | 9x > Aberration of the Still Unloving < Still Unmoved | Lvl: 10 > It was wrath. That thing that could only cry and heal held a hatred so deeply rooted that Red almost couldn¡¯t believe it herself. She could feel it. Every single aspect of it. From both the Rock Bugs and the Still Unmoved. In fact, she was in a state where it felt like she was absorbing the collective wrath of everything in the room, further causing the vines to strangle her heart. ATT : 350 (+200) < ¡°O Hunger. O Instinct. It all ends the same way. The Holy Mothers that presented themselves to us cried over countless nights. Our only comfort was to feed them the same thing they gave birth into this world.¡± > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > < [Penetrating Instinct] > ¡°So that¡¯s the origin of your hatred¡­ And I thought the Still Unmoved were just cowards. How could you not have felt this? This resentment!? Why am I¡­ trying to talk to a damned bug that can¡¯t even hear me!?¡± Her attacks were frighteningly destructive. Each strike shattered its armor like a hammer striking rock. But the number of Rock Bugs had dwindled down to the point where she had no feasible way of protecting the Still Unborn. No matter how strong she became there was nothing she could do to take it down fast enough. //////// < ALERT > //////// < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < A Bonded Soul has been killed > < A Bonded Soul has been killed > ATT : 350 (+400) < ¡°I lament that I cannot change. I lament that I am forever dictated by these strings.¡± > < [Tangled Reins] > The sawblade rapidly approached her. But rather than running away, Hatchling Red ran straight towards it. She grounded herself firmly in the last second and swung straight for the legs. ¡°BREAK. FREE. FROM. THEM. THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN!¡± She clashed with its insane weight, her blade severing through several legs before she was thrown away by an immense force. Her back collided with the corpse of a Rock Bug, injuring her greatly as she coughed out blood. ¡°Dammit¡­ And it¡¯s still¡­ Moving¡­ I need more¡­ I need something!¡± The cavern quaked again. It was clearly not coming from her gun as it did not discharge. It seemed to originate from above the ceiling. ¡°Could it be coming from that light¡­? It¡¯s beating. Like a heart. It was never an explosion to begin with, was it¡­?¡± Red struggled to get onto her feet as she fought through the agony of a shattered rib. When she rose to her feet, she witnessed the near last of her Rock Bugs perish. All that was left was Rockie Grey and three Rock Bugs. Rockie was only alive because of the Still Unmoved on its back. That, and because it was mostly focused on survival rather than following her commands. ¡°Is this how it ends¡­?¡± Red lamented her weakness in the face of an insurmountable wall. But even so, she bent down to pick up her weapon in defiance of fate, blood trickling down the side of her head as her emotions continued to soar. Her chest hurt. Everything was aching. Merely holding up the weapon was too difficult now. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare think you can take away this opportunity to live away from me! Unlike you I¡¯m not a slave to my instincts! I can starve! I can choose what I want to eat!¡± Red charged forward in one last attempt to fight. But I understand that sorrow¡­ Even I wanted to eat the Rock Bugs.¡± Everything moved in slow motion. < [Lance of Lament] > All ten limbs became one. That sharpened tip was pointed straight for her. The beast threw itself forward, splitting the air apart as she stared unlikely at death itself. ¡°¡­ So what¡­ is this feeling inside of me¡­?¡± A veil of grey blocked her vision. Huh¡­? In the last moment the remaining Rock Bugs jumped to her aid. This included Rockie Grey. The blood of her most trusted Rock Bug splattered over her face. Their combined shells were enough to prevent it from piercing Red, but she was thrown backwards with enough force to nearly shatter every bone in her body. She rolled and skidded along the obsidian floor; her body lacerated from head to toe by razor-sharp debris. Red¡¯s vision wavered. Everything was a blur. Black spots invaded her sight as she desperately fought the threat of passing out with every ounce of power she had. She laid flat on her stomach. One of her arms was disfigured beyond recognition. HP : 90 Luckily for her, her right hand was fine. I can¡¯t give up¡­ I can¡¯t lose this opportunity¡­ I want to become human¡­ I don¡¯t want to go back to the dark¡­ I¡­ I¡­ Something plopped in front of her. The mewl of her closest insect friend caused her heart to break as she watched its life essence spill from a massive crack in its outer shell. ¡°Rockie¡­ You¡¯re¡­¡± It moved close to Red as if to protect her even in its ravaged state. This thing, this same thing she had constantly told she wanted to eat stubbornly protected her till its dying moments. She even thought that it was an invitation for her to be the one to end it and eat it to fulfil her promise. Red¡¯s eyes widened. Unlike the other Rock Bugs she never truly felt the weight of their loss. They were just pawns to her. A means to an end. ¡°You dumb¡­ stupid rock¡­ insect¡­¡± Rockie Grey | HP: 40 They were both bleeding. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they both perished together. So why does seeing Rockie like this¡­ Make me so¡­ so¡­ Something snapped inside of her. //////// < CAUTION > //////// < Your emotions are rapidly Heightening > The ground trembled. The crimson exterior of her Fairytale¡¯s Bane began to glow ominously as did her eyes. But it wasn¡¯t a subtle glow. Her eyes had become like beacons now. //////// < WARNING > //////// < Your Emotional State Has Risen to the First State > 28. A Bullet Forged By Unending Hatred She could feel it. Something forming¡­ no, burning inside of her now. The brambles that wrapped her heart were not there to constrict her heart. They were preparing for this moment this entire time. They were fuel for the inevitable flame of her vengeance. < ¡°In your infinite hatred.¡± > An ominous voice spoke to her. It did not seem to belong to Agate. A ticking accompanied it. It was the same voice from that other time she passed out after fighting the wolves. ¡°I knew all along what this thing in my chest was¡­ I¡¯ve missed you well, my beloved hatred.¡± She grabbed onto her firearm, but she struggled immensely to carry it, let alone aim it upwards at the beast. However¡­ ¡°The gun¡¯s too heavy¡­ ngh¡­! Rockie¡­? Even now you¡¯re trying to help me?¡± The Rock Bug shuffled its head to lift the sniper onto its back. Rockie was going to act as Red¡¯s bipod. It was agonizing for them both, and Red knew that she may even die if she managed to shoot her weapon. < ¡°Comes forth a bullet born from unending wrath.¡± > ¡°I¡¯ve had enough¡­ I¡¯m going to claim myself¡­ my existence¡­¡± The existential spite of the Still Unborn. The infinite hatred of the Still Unmoved. The sorrowful wrath of the Still Hungry. The collective anger of her Rock Bugs. And finally, Red¡¯s unending vengeance. Red mist began to form a bullet in the palm of her hand. It was the pure manifestation of absolute wrath ¨C a bullet with only one predefined purpose. She slotted the cognitive bullet into the open chamber of the rifle and slammed the lever shut, locking it in place. The Still Unloving began to move again, approaching them with the intent to kill. Red peered through the oversized scope of her rifle. ¡°WITNESS NOW! I¡¯M GOING TO END THIS WITH A SINGLE SHOT!¡± < ¡°A bullet to quell the flames.¡± > But she did not aim at the entity itself despite what her instinct told her. No. She had learned though combat that while instinct was a valuable tool, it should not define the way she fights. Because if she did, then she¡¯d only be making the same mistakes as the Still Unloving did. It was a vicious cycle that she needed to escape as soon as possible. And that was why she followed her own bloody trail colored in blue. That trail led her to the blue star hidden within the ceiling. What she needed to kill was not the entity itself. But the reason that made it what it was. < ¡°To deliver certain vengeance.¡± > ¡°THIS IS FOR EVERTYHING YOU¡¯VE TAKEN AWAY FROM US ALL! TAKE THIS YOU OVERSIZED BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUG!¡± The explosion was like a crack of lightning. A deafening thunder reverberated throughout the entire cavern. The bullet, which was larger than her entire hand, was fired straight for the blue star as Hatchling Red and Rockie Grey were thrown aside by the immense recoil. The blue star exploded as rocks crumbled from above. The ethereal strands that once held the Still Unloving collapsed alongside it. The beast tumbled like puppet without strings. What lay above was truly spectacular. It was a ball of unknown power which cracked as the bullet passed through, then, in the next moment ¨C it exploded like a dying star. Beautiful blue gas filled the room. The ceiling was soon smothered by the cosmic dust. Twinkles formed in those vibrant skies like stars were being born. It was a surreal, near incomprehensible sight and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder just what those were. < ¡°¡­ I, in the end, was responsible for the madness.¡± > < ¡°If only we weren¡¯t tethered to such unforgivable laws¡­¡± > < ¡°If only we could change.¡± > Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. < ¡°Then would you have loved me back unconditionally too, O White Dove?¡± > Still Unloving | HP: 0 Its body remained slumped in the center of the room; half buried by collapsed debris. What was once the blue star had transformed into a pale object that emanated a strange low-pitched buzz. The light died down. Nothing was pouring out from the walls anymore. The Still Unborn disappeared without a trace, and the lava ceased alongside the anguish of the Still Unloving. Hatchling Red was beyond her breaking point. Both she and Rockie Grey were on their death beds as they laid side by side. She could not even touch it in its final moments to say goodbye. ¡°¡­ This is it¡­ huh¡­?¡± However, something approached them. She couldn¡¯t see well due to her blurry eyesight, but the pale silhouette was everything she needed to know. It was the Still Unmoved. She sat down beside Red¡¯s head on her knees and reached for a glowing stone deep within its chest. Once it was plucked, she offered it to Hatchling Red with what seemed to be a thankful smile. ¡°Tch¡­ W-What about¡­ Rockie¡­?¡± The Still Unmoved didn¡¯t know what Red meant. It only lowered its hand to place the object into her mouth. She took it gladly. Red could easily recover all her health with this now. ¡­ Only I have to survive¡­ Only I need to get out of here alive¡­ But¡­ Red snapped her jaws shut. The crystal shattered. But to the surprise of the Still Unmoved, Red did not devour it whole. It was split in half. Her body was enveloped with a faint light. It was not enough to completely amend her wounds. Blood did not stop gushing from where bone protruded out. This was still enough for Red to wiggle herself closer to Rockie. With her twisted, mangled fingers, she fed her friend with the other half, weakly slotting it into its open mouth. ¡°¡­ Get healed, Rockie¡­ D-Did you forget¡­¡± Hatchling Red¡¯s vision began to wane, her labored breaths preventing her from speaking properly. She could no longer fight the darkness that invaded her eyelids. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m¡­ keeping you¡­ till you¡¯re stronger¡­ so I can¡­¡± Red placed a hand over her friend¡­ her only friend in this desolate, lonely place. ¡°¡­ Eat you later¡­ you dumb¡­ stupid¡­ rock¡­ bug¡­¡± And before the darkness consumed her, she uttered with her last remaining breath. ¡°¡­ Thank you¡­ I¡¯ve returned the favour¡­ so don¡¯t die¡­ please¡­ don¡¯t¡­ die¡­¡± Hatchling Red | HP: 1 Her world faded to black. She could not even close her eyelids as she fell into an eternal sleep for all she knew. But unlike all of her previous sleeps, this was by far the most warm she had ever been. And she still did not know why she was like this. It would¡¯ve been easier to give in and look after herself. But Red¡­ ¡­ to go against instinct¡­ I want to be human¡­ I don¡¯t know what it means to be one, but I hope one day someone can tell me that what I did today was the right thing. I¡­ want to make lots of friends. So please¡­ ¡­ let me live¡­ ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be alone in this darkness anymore. * * * < There are no current Antagonists detected > < 0 Nemesis Tokens Gained > < Bond level with Rockie Grey has risen immensely > < Skipping the [Friend] Bond level and replacing with [Companion] > * * * A ticking played in her eternal void as she was cast away into perpetual nothingness. Visions of the past began to grip Red as she remembered her life as the Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin. Places of warmth filled her mind as she was mentally taken to a place she remembered as home. It was a time that dated before her emergence as the Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin. She remembered those sunny days in the forest. How she would bring gifts to her bed-ridden grandmother. It was as though she was viewing her distant, obscured past through distorted lens. She watched it play out as if it were no more than a fairytale. She was smaller back then, with the body of a young woman but a heart that could do no harm. The forest was once her friend as even the animals would present her gifts whenever she skipped through its forests. However, there was one creature of the forest that despised her for reasons she still did not know. And that same creature was the reason why she was born as the Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin. < The hunt for the White Wolf must go on > The voice from beyond the void spoke to her as the ticking intensified moments before everything disappeared all at once. * * * < 1 Sanity Token has been deducted > //////// < WARNING > //////// < Lowering Sanity increases the likelihood of Instability or worse > < When Sanity reaches 0¡­ > < Sanity Scale > < 10 > * * *
LEVEL : 28 AFFINITY : Amalgamation < Hatchling Red > ??? ATTRIBUTE : Identity < CORRUPTED >
NAME : ??? HP : 16,500 ^3/Min MP : 1,500^3/Min AGI : 32 RESIST : 50
AGE : 0 ATT : 550(+35) MAG ATT : 170 O : 25 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 350(+50) MAG DEF : 150 S : 13 E : 6
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash II [1/10] (O) Punch [4/10] (S) Friends! I [3/10] (E) Appraise Object [6/10] < PASSIVE SKILLS > (O) Bladeworks (O) Critical Eye (S) Bonds! (E) Boosted Appraisal < ABILITIES > Blessing of the Star Child | Unrealized | Vengeful Colors | Aspect of Amalgamation | Fairytale Huntress 29. Snow, The White-Haired Healer *Drip* Something dripped beyond Red¡¯s darkness. *Drip* *Splash* It was not the kind of kind of sound that lava could make. The viscosity was too low. Red could almost visualize it. Her body couldn¡¯t move yet. Sensation hadn¡¯t returned either. *Drip* *Scuttering* *Splash* *Panting* But she could hear something hovering above her. Is that Rockie? Were they always that small? No¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s Rockie at all. Move body. Move! This¡­ has gotta be a monster, right!? ¡°One more mana potion and I think I can do it. I can¡¯t believe someone really went down here.¡± What¡­? Who is this!? A PERSON!? It¡¯s a girl!? Am I still dreaming? Wait¡­ I can feel something warm enveloping my body! Excitement coursed through her veins. To think that a person was here! If only she could open her eyes to see just who this person was! ¡°[Cleanse], [Cure Disease], [Prolonged Restoration], [Minor Healing]. Haaaaaah. So tiring. Phew¡­ I¡¯m all dry on mana potions now.¡± An empty potion bottle rolled deeper into the cavern as sensation in Red¡¯s fingertips returned. Judging from the temperature she was neither in the depths of the cavern nor beside the lava pools. She was back in the regular caverns again, which confused her. Did this person manage to bring them out? Wait, no time to think about that! This is a person! A real girl! Open your eyes Red! Someone with a voice just as brilliant as yours is speaking to you and you¡¯re just going to lay there and sleep!? Red was fired up not even a minute into regaining her consciousness. Sensation spread from her fingertips up to her shoulders, and soon, her eyes fluttered open to reveal a pale, blurry figure. ¡°Oh! Are you waking up now miss?¡± The person above her spoke with an angelic voice. Through the pale blur Red was able to make out a pair of blue eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard. You had a lot of injuries when I found you on the back of a boulder. Imagine my shock when I found out that boulder could move ¨C!?¡± ¡°HUMAAAAAAAAN!¡± ¡°E-EH!?¡± Before the girl knew it, and even before Red¡¯s eyesight properly adjusted, she threw herself up to embrace the first human being since becoming one herself. They tumbled and rolled around the cold cavern floors, dirtying their apparel before finally landing in a shallow pool with a great splash. ¡°Waaaaaah!? What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden!?¡± ¡°My first and very own human!¡± Red straddled the waist of the girl who was at least in her early twenties, if not was twenty on the dot. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! I really can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve found a human after going through this hell!¡± Her youthful appearance made her seem younger but compared to Red she was like a mature adult. This was also reinforced by her healthy development in the chest and hips area. The hat that hid the woman¡¯s hair was carried away by the water, revealing her splendid white hair that matched the color of her flawless skin. Much of her body was covered by a huge, draping, pale robe which was tightened around her waist with a belt carrying various liquids and a syringe. An alchemist immediately came to Red¡¯s mind as she beamed down at the girl with a vibrant grin. ¡°Hey! You are human too, right!?¡± ¡°Huh!? I-I am? I mean, I am!¡± The girl was nearly dragged down to Red¡¯s level of intelligence as she corrected herself, although an imaginary question mark appeared over her head as she wondered why this strange, red-haired girl asked such a question. ¡°Hehehe~! Finaaaaaally! You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this day! Another person~ Another person~¡± Red was beyond elated. The girl imagined dog ears and a wildly wagging tail on the young girl that sat on top of her. ¡°Another person? Hold on¡­ have you been here for long?¡± The girl looked up at her empathetically, raising a hand to pat the head of this poor child. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Mhm. Ever since I was born!¡± The girl could only imagine how lonely Red must¡¯ve been down here all alone. To think that such a young child had been abandoned in these caverns. ¡°You poor thing! It¡¯s ok now! You must¡¯ve been so lonely down here ¨C!¡± ¡°Which was about¡­ a few days, I think?¡± ¡°¡­ huh?¡± The whiplash caused her mind to scramble. Something shattered inside of her too, like her expectations were just betrayed. ¡°You heard me right! I was born a few days ago! Wooow! You look just like that healing thing that helped us! Could it be that you¡¯re a Corrupted that turned into a human too!?¡± Red¡¯s face grew increasingly closer to hers with each spoken word as sparkles shone in her eyes. The white-haired girl could only wryly smile in response. ¡°T-Too? Corrupted turning into people? Oh no¡­¡± The girl suddenly placed a hand onto Red¡¯s forehead as if she had figured out something. ¡°Could it be that you have mental damage? H-Healers of my level can¡¯t do anything about it, sorry. Well¡­ it¡¯s not like Healers can heal the mind in the first place.¡± Red eventually hopped off the woman¡¯s waist, but not without making strange noises such as: ¡°Hehehe.¡± Or, ¡°Human~¡± After indulging in her childish thoughts, Red lend out a hand to help the girl up. ¡°Mental damage?¡± Red tilted her head innocently as the self-proclaimed Healer took her hand. ¡°Is that different from ATT and MAG ATT?¡± ¡°Wait, you¡¯re a Blessed too!?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even sneeze but thank you!¡± ¡°No, I mean ¨C!¡± Red brought her up onto her feet like it was nothing. It surprised the Healer immensely. She was not heavy by any means, but for a girl like Red ¨C who looked like she was in her mid-teens ¨C was impressive to say the least. Red monopolized her hand. The simple gesture brought her to smile brightly again. One could only imagine why something so small was seen as everything in the eyes of this red-haired girl. A warm hand plopped onto Red¡¯s head. It gently brushed against her short hair, patting down the stray cowlicks as pale particles left her body, as did the filth. They were still drenched, but at least they were clean now thanks to the Healer¡¯s powers. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°B-Brush me more! So this is how it felt for my Rock Bugs.¡± ¡°At this rate it feels like I¡¯m patting you rather than brushing you. Never mind that ¨C You said Rock Bug? So that thing really did save you¡­¡± The Healer was at a loss for words. It also seemed that the reason why she was not in the molten chamber was because Rockie had carried her out of there. ¡°Why, is that not normal? Are Rock Bugs actually evil?¡± Red spouted out whatever came to mind, her imaginary tail wagging furiously. ¡°No, nothing like that. How do I put it¡­ Rock Bugs don¡¯t normally do anything. They¡¯re not even supposed to be in this section of the caverns.¡± The Healer laughed before her face darkened slightly as if gripped by fear. ¡°¡­ Can I ask you something?¡± ¡°Yes!?¡± ¡°Are you really human?¡± ¡°As human as can be!¡± Red answered immediately to clear any further suspicion. She stared into the Healer¡¯s eyes with absolute conviction as the Healer ultimately sighed. ¡°¡­ Pwaaaaah~ Good. I thought I was healing a monster all this time. I wouldn¡¯t even be able to fight back if you were. You gotta be careful too since you¡¯re a Blessed! We can¡¯t tell if something like us or a Corrupted because we can¡¯t check each other¡¯s stats.¡± Does that mean I can¡¯t check hers? Red tried viewing the Healer¡¯s status, and to her surprise ¨C
White Dove ??? < Fledgling Healer >
Soul Rank: Yellow | Affiliation: Nil
LEVEL : 25 ORIGIN : Human HP : 400 ATT : 0 (Incapable of damage) MAG ATT : 0 (Incapable of damage)
AGI : 10
¨C She was able to view this person¡¯s stats regardless of this fact. Furthermore, the Healer¡¯s stats were abysmal. They were so utterly low that Red had to wonder just how she was able to reach this place. But before she asked, she wanted to know what happened to Rockie. The Healer also didn¡¯t seem to know as she turned around, only to find that Rockie wasn¡¯t even in the same chamber at all. ¡°¡­ I bet they¡¯ll come back. Or rather, let¡¯s go looking for them! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m alive after all that!¡± Red celebrated, slapping her chest only to wince. The dampness of her apparel had made the slap excruciating. It made the Healer giggle to herself. She covered her mouth as if embarrassed, and she swiftly apologized when Red tilted her head again. ¡°S-Sorry. You¡¯re a really funny person. Ahem. Snow. Please call me Snow.¡± Snow ¨C the Healer ¨C offered her hand to Red again. ¡°Why?¡± Red questioned why she wanted to be called snow, instantly the Healer¡¯s mind to scramble. ¡°Eh? Because that¡¯s my name.¡± ¡°Uhuh. Snow because you have white hair, huh? Isn¡¯t that weird?¡± The Healer¡¯s face darkened as she began twiddling her fingers. ¡°I-Is it really that weird?¡± ¡°Compared to mine it is!¡± Red proudly placed both hands on her hips before pounding on her chest this time. ¡°Surely it¡¯s not Red because of your hair and eyes, haha. No one in their right mind would call themselves ¨C!?¡± Suddenly, her hand was clasped by both of Red¡¯s as her crimson eyes sparkled like stars. ¡°SNOW! Are you perhaps¡­¡± ¡°P-Perhaps?¡± The Healer gulped uneasily. ¡°A GENIUS!?¡± ¡°¡­ I-I¡¯m sorry?¡± ¡°Red. My name¡¯s Red. Of course it¡¯s Red! Like how you¡¯re Snow because of your white hair!¡± Red beamed, her voice echoing thoroughly throughout the caverns as the Healer clasped her hands together as if in prayer. ¡°Dear mother in the celestial heavens, please give me strength to help this one out.¡± She uttered beneath her breath. If only she knew what she just who she knew whose fate she had gotten entangled with¡­ ¡°Now onward to find Rockie! Show me the way miss Snow Healer ma¡¯am lady!¡± ¡°Just Snow. Snow is just fine.¡± The Healer relented, but despite this, she couldn¡¯t help but to find Red¡¯s personality endearing. * * * < Stranger > Person < Snow | Lvl: 25 > < Companion > < Rockie Grey | Lvl : 20 > 30. Rock Bug Has Evolved! Red had powered up significantly thanks to the Still Unloving. She didn¡¯t question how or why she was able to absorb its stats despite not devouring it. If everything was up to the voice in her head, then it was for the best that she kept quiet. < There is no such thing as a true governance over the functions of the Blessing of the Nexus > < There is only arbitration > So you can read my thoughts. Go figure. I can¡¯t even keep my own thoughts to myself, huuuh. Red accompanied Snow through the oddly silent caverns. On Red¡¯s back was her beloved Fairytale¡¯s Bane, only that it had shrunk to about fifty centimeters now for reasons unknown to her. It was like a toy rifle. The thing might as well be a club! Clearly, the weapon could only be used in specific circumstances. And those circumstances required her to reach what were called Heightened Emotional States.
Fairytale¡¯s Bane (Inactive) < Call forth causality to tear off the pages of their tales. Build yours anew >
AFFINITY : Amalgamation ORIGIN : Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin
ATT : 0 MAG ATT : 0 TYPE : Weapon
< EFFECT: Fairytale¡¯s Bane will only awaken in the presence of the wrathful Vengeful Red-Hooded Assassin. A percentage of its power may be used when it is in the holder of the most wrathful > < Fairytale¡¯s Bane may not be used outside of Heightened Emotional States > < All beings can Heighten their emotions through combat or otherwise > < If emotions are Heightened significantly then an increased Emotional State will be reached > < No further explanation can be made until you hit your first total milestone Level at Level 50 > Booo. I nearly died and you¡¯re still going to keep secrets from me? So it¡¯s true. I¡¯m no longer Vengeful Red. I¡¯m me. Hatchling Red! That must mean that Heightening my emotions brings that part of me back, huh? ¡­ I don¡¯t know to feel about that. Also, are you really not going to tell me anything? At all? Fine then. Don¡¯t tell me. I got a new Agate here and her name is Snow! ¡°Hehehe. Snow~¡± Red hummed, embracing Snow¡¯s arm like a child. ¡°Hm? Yes?¡± Red only responded by repeating her name over and over like she was possessed. Again, Snow was only able to smile at her response as she backtracked through the cavern. According to her, this part of the cavern was a split path that led directly outside. A part of connected with the wolves¡¯ chamber so Snow took a large risk venturing deep to rescue Red. If it hadn¡¯t been for the combination of the explosions, her curiosity, and the fact that one of her red apples had rolled so deeply into cavern then she never would have stepped foot into this place. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Imagine my surprise when I saw a Rock Bug with a girl on its back. It must have pulled out from the Shallows. That¡¯s incredible.¡± Snow warmly smiled at the notion of a Rock Bug of all things showing warmth to a person in need. ¡°Shallows? Is that what that fleshy place was?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t about fleshy, but they say it can be anything and everything.¡± Snow began, placing a finger on her cheek before explaining the anomalies of the cavern. * * * Emvita was a southern Region of the main continent in the world of Elysia. It was by far and wide the largest Region in the world, housing innumerable numbers of civilizations, empires, monsters and anomalies alike. One of the largest anomalies ¨C or feature depending on who one asked ¨C were the cave systems of Emvita. Unlike that of the Region of Brandar which sat in the north, the Dungeons were not infectious, beating Hearts that plagued the world and converted living matter into materials to fuel their growth. Instead, ¡®Dungeons¡¯ here were what were called Ruins of Time; or the Timeless Ruins. Both terms meant the same thing, so abbreviating it to Ruins worked fine. ¡°Why do they call it the Ruins of Time?¡± ¡°Because they say that everything and nothing can exist there! It starts at the Shallows marked by the walls lined with Looking Glass. Not a lot of people can go past that without becoming a Shell.¡± A Shell was a person who had lost all sense of self, hence, a shell lacking a consciousness or perhaps even a soul. It was the direct result of Ego Death according to Snow who seemed rather knowledgeable about these things, which Red assumed was some kind of archaic knowledge. ¡°It¡¯s not archaic. I just¡­ know a lot of people that came back differently. That¡¯s all.¡± Snow¡¯s mouth curved into a smile before she could lose herself in those thoughts. ¡°It starts in the Shallows, to the Inner, to the Depths, and finally ¨C Deep Time. No one¡¯s ever been to Deep Time. Not even the deities of the Nexus.¡± Splendid worlds that did not belong to Elysia could be explored within caverns such as this. Red was suddenly eager to turn around but wasn¡¯t stupid enough to chase that dumb carrot on a stick down to her inevitable death. Even if she was Hatchling Red, she understood the gravitas of Snow¡¯s words even if her voice was as soft as snow. ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing about the Nexus. What is that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon. It¡¯s the icon of the world. A pillar that rises endlessly to a place we can only imagine. More importantly, it¡¯s where people like us are allowed to live in.¡± ¡°So why aren¡¯t you there?¡± Red¡¯s innocent question struck something inside of Snow, who only smiled again and patted her head tenderly. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask adults the ¡®why¡¯ so much.¡± Snow hummed pleasantly as they finally reached the split in the cavern. And there, standing in the middle of broad passage was a familiar face. ¡°Rockie~!¡± Red exclaimed, immediately rushing towards it. Suddenly, she froze midway and cleared her throat. ¡°I-I mean, Rockie. Heh. So you did manage to make it out too. As expected of my future meal ¨C OOOF!?¡± ¡°Bzzzzz~!¡± She was spear-tackled straight to the ground. She could have sworn she felt her ribs crack as Rockie rubbed its fuzzy face against hers. Wait, fuzzy¡­? Red seized Rockie¡¯s face between her palms and looked up to meet four black, beady eyes full of happiness. Fur poked out from what looked like cracks along its cheeks. Its upper head was still clad in rock that was harder than steel just like the rest of its body. But the underside was also fluffy. She roughly ran her hand all over Rockie, investigating it with glee. Parts of its legs were also covered with fur that stood out proudly. Rockie looked like a moth that was half-hatched from a hardened cocoon. ¡°Fluffy underside. But hard upper. Are you a Rock Bug or a turtle now?¡± Red scratched her head, admiring how Rockie had become slightly sleeker. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you evolved, right?¡± ¡°Brrrrr~!¡± It purred happily. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I check your stats.¡±
Steel Bug Rockie Grey < A Hopeful Insect! >
< Soul Rank: Yellow | Affiliation: Red >
LEVEL : 20 ORIGIN : Insect HP : 15,000 ATT : 300 MAG ATT : 0
ATT DEF : 650 MAG DEF : 50 MP : 200 RESIST : 30 AGI : 15
Due to their strengthened bonds, Red was now able to see all of its stats. ¡°So that¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t hurt you at all! AND I STILL ¨C!¡± Red smacked it on the head with her bare fist, only to have her knuckles turn red. ¡°¨C Grrr ¨C CAN¡¯T DAMAGE YOU!?¡± ¡°Bzzzzt~!¡± It purred, nodding its head as if interpreting Red¡¯s anguish as praise. ¡°Dammmmmmit! I¡¯m not going to lose to some lousy Rock Bug! That¡¯s right, you¡¯re still a Rock Bug in my eyes! But¡­¡± Red abruptly ceased her tantrum, letting go of a long sigh before she raised hand to touch Rockie again. But instead of a punch, she went to pat its head. ¡°¡­ good job. You did good out there, Rockie. To think you wanted to sit still in front of that mirror. Look at you now. You¡¯ve become stronger, huh. Guess you¡¯re also here to keep me from slowing my growth down.¡± Red shared a tender moment with Rockie. As much as she didn¡¯t want to outright admit it, she actually grown quite attached to her new companion. Red physically showed her affection. She believed that it would be some time before she could verbalize it properly, but so long as Rockie understood, then that was all that mattered. Not that I really care if it does. ¡°Covenants are made from shedding blood together, huh?¡± She hummed. ¡°Are you asking me?¡± The Healer pointed at herself, moments before Rockie moved to rub its head against her stomach. ¡°A-Ah. Good Rock Bug? I¡¯ve never seen one so docile. Or one like this. This is the same one that carried you on its back. That¡¯s amazing¡­¡± Rockie had evolved during its short absence. It was likely needed some room, or perhaps a meal. Snow may not have noticed it, but Red certainly did. There was a rancid stench of blood emanating from Rockie. And it was the kind of blood she hated the most. So it went ahead and started the slaughter without me. Those wolves are going to pay for thinking I was an easy meal. Red drew her blade and tapped Rockie¡¯s back with a loud clang. ¡°Time to hunt~!¡± 31. The Pale Egg The Adolescent Cave Wolves stood no chance against her now. With her severely enhanced ATT Stat, her bare hands were enough to rend flesh from bone. Red reveled in her newfound power and superior agility. Her hands moved through the air like cleavers, snapping the neck of a pouncing Adolescent Cave Wolf before she twisted her body and used [Punch] the open jaws of one. Teeth shattered and blended with the pebbles beneath. ¡°Is that it? Stupid wolves. Don¡¯t you realize something¡¯s different this time?¡± Not even their powerful fangs could damage her body thanks to her immensely powerful ATT DEF Stat. A pack of eight Adolescent Wolves snarled at her as they took a step back as if understanding the gravity of her words. But even so, they held their ground. ¡°Wolves are wolves in the end. Monsters of pride! How does it feel now to be so weak?¡± Whimpering and whines followed their howls of defiance. Blood splattered from their ruptured orifices due to the immense blunt-force trauma Red inflicted. It was a good opportunity for her to level up her more redundant Skills like [Punch], and these wolves served as the perfect training material. ¡°Y-You¡¯re just a kid, right? Right?¡± Snow watched from the back of Rockie. As a Healer it was physically impossible to harm living creatures. In fact, the fatal flaw of a Healer was their total inability to even conceive of ill thoughts or dark desires. They were an existence of utter purity and served solely to help others. In the eyes of malevolent actors, healers played more depraved roles such as that of generational concubines or unwilling assistants for torturers. After all, Healers were near immortal beings and the very best of Healers could reverse mortal wounds in mere minutes. Due to this and their extreme rarity, Healers were highly sought after and that was why Snow wore a green common pilgrim hat to hide her white hair. One did not get white hair as they grew older. At best it would become grey. Only Healers ¨C which were always human women ¨C were able to attain such sacred hair. Her pale robes also had a hood but since Red already knew of her identity, there was no point in hiding her hair further. It was a blunder on Snow¡¯s part since she thought Red was just a normal child in need. She never expected her to be this powerful. As a matter of fact, was it even possible for a child to possess such strength in the first place? Snow gripped her chest. She was feeling nauseous from the metallic stench of animal blood. After dealing with the wolves the blood-soaked Red waved cheerily at them back before dragging one to her feet, like how a cat would bring a dead rat to its owner for praise. ¡°Phew! Now then ¨C!¡± She took out a blade from her hip, spinning it wildly before immediately separating the meat from the pelt. ¡°¨C Food!¡± Red didn¡¯t waste any time and planned to eat the meat right there and then. ¡°E-Eh!?¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t eat wolf meat?¡± Red tilted her head as she held a filet of wolf meat on the tip of her blade. ¡°N-No. It¡¯s just that¡­ you¡¯re not going to eat it like that, are you?¡± Red titled her head further as question marks appeared over her head. ¡°Are you?¡± Snow reiterated, believing Red was simply not that ignorant to eat something without cooking it first. The issue was that Red didn¡¯t have fire to cook with. Not only that, but Red didn¡¯t even know the concept of cooking either. ¡°Seriously¡­ Here. If you were hungry then I can give you this.¡± Snow gracefully reached into the thin air. A portion of her arm disappeared into a tear into their reality. From there she was able to pluck a giant, heart-shaped red apple. ¡°Brrrrr!?¡± ¡°H-How!? FROM THIN AIR!?¡± Red¡¯s jaw dropped at the sight, and even Rockie couldn¡¯t contain its shock. ¡°You can do this too since you¡¯re a Blessed. It¡¯s called [Dimensional Storage]. Try conjuring it with intent. Just don¡¯t show this to anyone outside.¡± Was it magic? Red didn¡¯t know any magic herself, but she had so much trust in Snow that she gave it a shot anyway. With closed eyes she spoke the words in her mind with intent. [Dimensional Storage]. < ABILITY: Dimensional Storage I > < 0kg / 20kg > The same tear in space appeared, causing Red¡¯s eyes to sparkle like fireworks. Rockie on the other hand slumped slightly after failing to open one of its own. But nevertheless, it was still riddled with excitement for Red. ¡°This is so cool! Agate! You idiot! How come you never told me I can do this!?¡± She instantly snarled at the fraudulent guide. ¡°Agate?¡± Snow looked around but didn¡¯t see a third person, so Red clarified by proudly pointing at her head. ¡°The voice in my head!¡± ¡°O-Oh.¡± The expression she wore said: ¡°Why was I expecting something else.¡± Snow wiped the side of the apple with her sleeves to give it that extra shine before handing it over to Red. And with a large, goofy bite ¨C ¡°I-It¡¯s dewishwus!¡± ¨C Red¡¯s entire body was enraptured by the sweetness of the apple. Finally, she was allowed to eat something that graced her tastebuds rather than assaulted it. * * * They began ascending the caverns at a shallow incline. The Adolescent Cave Wolves were gradually replaced by their adult counterparts ¨C the Cave Wolves. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
LEVEL : 30 Cave Wolf
ORIGIN : Animalia HP : 700 ATT : 350 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 40
A single strike was no longer able to cut it. Blood perpetually soaked Red¡¯s attire as she systematically moved from chamber to chamber, eliminating the Cave Wolves with the help of Rockie. ¡°[Cleanse]. [Cleanse]. [Cleanse]!¡± Their Healer focused on cleaning them up since she had weakness to bloodshed. Red on the other hand reveled in it. To the point where even her eyes were redder than blood like she was born like this. The Cave Wolves were only marginally stronger than their adolescent versions. Heads rolled, teeth were punched out, and her blade cut through their flesh all the same. At some point the wolves gathered into packs of a dozen. [Huntress¡¯ Slash] had been putting their smaller groups down with utter ease, but it wasn¡¯t enough to activate her Skill¡¯s second effect. She approached their snarling muzzles with a devilish smile. The bloody trail that used to guide her blade had become a bloody mist. Heartbeats, the murmurs of blood flow, the whirls of each taken breath ¨C she could hear everything internally within the Cave Wolves. [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. Red was slower than the wolves. But within the bloody mist Red felt like eyes riddled all over her head. She was able to sense things beyond a normal human¡¯s ability as if possessing a form of precognition. In truth, the bloody mist represented her manifested aura of pure instinct. Whatever moved instantly detected like it was a part of her biology. Blood gushed from lacerations, spraying the cavern walls like fountains. Resistance was futile. Her Level was already close enough to theirs. If she was able to take on an Adolescent Cave Wolf at only level 1, then these things stood no chance against a Level 28 Hatchling Red. The sound of slamming echoed from elsewhere. Rockie used its head like a giant club, swatting away the wolves that attempted to attack Snow. Every bone in their bodies shattered with ease before they were put out of their misery by Red. ¡°Wheeeew~! Think that¡¯s all of them?¡± Red beamed, dragging dozens of wolves back to them by the tail. ¡°I¡¯m hoping so. For their sake.¡± Snow gulped, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face. ¡°¡­ What¡­ Um. If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°What happened to you in here? I don¡¯t understand how a child can be so strong. It¡¯s one thing to be gifted with magic, but physically is different. Unless you¡¯re a thousand years old? Even the hunters of my village struggle with wolves. The only person I know that can pull of something like this is the Huntsman.¡± Snow was also eyeing the wolves. A high pile of caraccas were stacked atop Rockie¡¯s back and tied with wolf sinew. Red intended to keep them as materials or food for later, but since there was so much. ¡°How about we make a deal!¡± Red exclaimed. ¡°A deal?¡± ¡°If I tell you how I got stronger, then can you tell me more about the world?¡± Snow had no reason to refuse since she was losing nothing. However, her mind went back to her village as she peered over her shoulder at the mountain of wolf carcasses. ¡°Can I bargain too then? I want to bring back some of the wolves to my hometown. I-If you don¡¯t mind of course ¨C¡± ¡°¨C That means I can come too, right!? Then take it all! Take it! Maybe they can make the meat taste good too!¡± Red was more than happy to part with the wolves. She didn¡¯t even like them in the first place. Wolf blood was offensively vile, but she didn¡¯t have a choice but to eat them. So more than anything, Red was hopeful that the humans could make them tasty. It surprised Snow once again who failed to read the mind of this person. But as a Healer she felt like despite their bloodlust, Red was a person who had a sincere heart. * * * Once upon a time, in the woodlands outside of the cave lived a spider. That spider was a creature called an Anid. They were a race of arachnids that were characterized by their hauntingly-pale, steel-like carapace. Nests of steel string and territories covered in sticky webbing once plagued these forests. Humans, monsters and anything that moved were considered prey all the same. Anids were entities that were governed by instinct despite their immense intelligence. At the center of the Nest was the Decanid ¨C a ten-legged entity that was pupped on string which served as the hive mind of the Nest. Its main body was an eye and had two disembodied hands that were hoisted by ethereal strings originating from nowhere. Those strings were said to dictate its very existence. They were the deliverers of commandments that must be obeyed. The absolute tie to them and something greater beyond the blue mist. So that¡¯s what I fought. A Decanid. But it¡¯s not like how she described¡­ Agate. Could that thing be the same Decanid? < Unknown > Snow explained how they required living things to reproduce. How their brood were created in the wombs of other species such as humans. They were a violent race that preyed on everything that moved. However, there was one exception to this. The Healers. The White Doves. One of the reasons why the Healers were called the White Doves was because of how Healers 30 years ago found themselves under the intensive protection of the Anids, like a bird trapped in the nest of a spider. Back then Healers like Snow were prosecuted worldwide until one day, people with artificial claw-like arms came to save them. Those people were the Potion Makers, an organization affiliated with the thing called the Nexus. ¡°Anids loved Healers very much. But Healers were always in so much pain because they couldn¡¯t die or resist their ¡®love¡¯.¡± Snow¡¯s voice filled the silence of the cavern as they steadily followed the light at the end of a winding tunnel. ¡°Do you know what Nilhinids are? They¡¯re the offspring of an Anid and a Healer. They¡¯re children born without limbs. Those children were loved by their mothers, but the Anids had no use for them¡­¡± ¡°So they ate them?¡± Red caught on quick. ¡°That¡¯s right. Nilhinids are not like healthy Mononids. They can¡¯t help the Nest. They¡¯re just humans with no way to fend for themselves. But they were still loved so much by their mothers. And yet, in their infinite hunger, the Anids devoured them.¡± Snow sounded like she knew the tale on a firsthand account. Her sky-blue eyes glistened in the distant light as she saw a world beyond what Red could perceive. ¡°This happened in here too. The forests I live in. There¡¯s a local legend in our province about a Nilhinid that was so loved by its mother that it was able to grow up to find its purpose. It¡¯s a popular lullaby and children¡¯s story, so it¡¯s always played on shows and theaters using marionettes.¡± As it turned out, the Still Unloving¡¯s trauma originated from this dynamic between the Anids, the Healers and the Nilhinids. But what irked Red was whether the thing she faced was the same Decanid that once in these forests or was the collective trauma of the Decacnids. She had no way of knowing for certain either. In the end, what mattered was that she had retrieved her Fairytale¡¯s Bane. Red was about to ask something simple, like what was Snow¡¯s favorite food and color. But suddenly, Rockie¡¯s limbs locked up as it began to vomit a viscous, acrid mucus. ¡°What¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°[M-Minor Healing]! [Cure Disease]!¡± Snow immediately began casting healing magic as Red hopped off Rockie¡¯s back to assess it. ¡°Are the wolves too heavy!? Rockie! What¡¯s the matter with you!?¡± Her blade was about to slash the sinew that tied the wolves on its back until its guttural groans loosened up. Moments later, the irritation was violently expelled from its throat. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± Red went to pick up a strange egg-shaped object. It was a white object that could pass as an artisan artefact. Now that she had a closer look, it was a fluffy tail which was coiled around into the shape of an egg. The object was textured like a bristly brush but was also oddly soft like silk. A strange, ominous glow pulsated from within as she heard a subtle ticking from inside. The ticking ran up her arms, coursing through her veins as if she absorbed a mysterious power. ¡°Brrr~!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t speak bug, but I¡¯m guessing this came from that spider thing, right?¡± Red asked, poking at the object. ¡°Br. Br. Brrrr~!¡± [Analyze Object]. //////// < WARNING > //////// < Your Appraise Object Level is too low > ¡°No need to give me a warning¡­ What a weird egg.¡± Red stowed it away into her Dimensional Storage without a second thought. ¡°Let¡¯s go cook it some other time.¡± It doesn¡¯t look like a Corrupted Item. Even I know what those are. Corrupted Items were objects that were created at the time of death by a Corrupted. It was as if the ego of the Corrupted was condensed into a usable form for others ¨C a way for it to live on eternally. It was also a way for them to impart their egos on others, though this was quite rare and depended on the mental strength and aptitude of a person. How did she know this? Because she had seen this as a Corrupted. How the Workers of the Atelier ImpulseWorks wilded the weapons, armor, and tools of defeated Corrupted to enhance their powers physically, mentally, and spiritually. This was so long as they did not allow their sense of self to falter. Red gripped her Fairytale¡¯s Bane tightly in one hand as they approached the light once more. And finally, she was free from the darkness of the caverns and was greeted by warm sunshine, and the scent of roses. 32. The Anomaly Recovery Unit ¡°Anomaly. Unknown resonance detected. Coordinates will be sent out to the nearest Conduit. If they¡¯re still alive. Requesting ARU from Site K-E4.¡± A series of heavy steps echoed in the darkness of the cavern. The stench of death pervaded every corner as pale orbs of light penetrated ahead. The light was a simple [Flare] spell. It was not a Skill that could simply be used on demand. [Flare] required an elaborate chant and immense concentration for it to remain active. Despite this, the concept behind it was simple. If one understood it well then it could be conjured even without a chant. These minds usually belonged to gifted individuals. However, in ImpulseWorks and Atelier Personnel in general ¨C like those who investigated these caverns ¨C it was one of the few magics they knew, so naturally they would have immense control over it. The orb hovered over the corpse of a giant preying mantis. One by one, the figures entered the light and began carefully investigating its severely mangled body. Each of them donned gas masks with a bright-green visor. Within that visor was a CognitO Filter that allowed one to filter out hazardous material to the mind. Green, unreflective body suits carrying the discrete insignia of a heart with a bolt of electricity sat on the left side of their chests. Matte black armor pieces lined their bodies like scales, and on their shoulders were suits that were worn like capes. Around their necks were green business ties ¨C a staple of nearly all Atelier personnel. These beings: the mix of humans and Demi-humans, were ImpulseWorks¡¯ Anomaly Recovery Units. The armbands they wore carried the letter M, meaning they were amongst the weakest. They were only present because they were already nearby when the train accident occurred. ¡°Operator. Take a look. The wounds of this one have bitemarks. That narrows it down quite a bit. It can¡¯t be one of the humanoid Corrupted ImpulseWorks lost.¡± A woman spoke, sloshing a gloved hand into the wound of the mantis. ¡°Which narrows it down¡­ by not that much, huh.¡± ¡°All Corrupted tend to prey on the living in one way or another. It is odd, though. The mantis has too many bitemarks. It would have perished long before.¡± The Operator ¨C who was the leader of a given ARU task force ¨C uttered with gravitas as he knelt over the body, fiddling with the side of his gasmask. ¡°¡­ Complete silence.¡± ¡°So it ate them for¡­ nutrition?¡± Another asked. ¡°If so, then that can further narrow it down to several possibilities.¡± The Operator answered. ¡°M-T-F-451-02: ¡®The Scared Crow¡¯, O-Re-F-340-04: ¡®Twice Upon a Time¡¯, just to name a few. Both have been known to feed on the living. Nutrition wise? Unknown. Corrupted do not require sustenance in the first place.¡± With that said, they trampled on the corpse, their boots sinking effortlessly through its thick carapace. They set their sights to the depths of the cavern where the offending Corrupted likely lurked. Signs of combat and death were prevalent. They could only hope that the Corrupted in question was no stronger than themselves. Folded weapons were drawn from their backs and waists. They were blades and daggers that emitted either a faint, burning light or electricity. Were they sent directly from a Site, then they would be far more heavily armed. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°All for the sake of power generation. Makes you wonder what the Atelier would do to people in bulk if the Corrupted didn¡¯t exist~¡± One hummed, delighted by the thought. ¡°Instead of Workers, you get a slurry of people. Or what used to be.¡± ¡°Enough. If you have time to blabber nonsense, then hone your senses further. There is something strange about this place.¡± It became hotter the deeper they ventured. The clopping of their footsteps gradually became sloppy squeaks, as if they were treading on glue. Thin, transparent slime stuck to the bottom of their boots as they left shallow imprints into the ground. Upon further inspection, they came to a shocking realization. ¡°This might be a Corrupted Zone¡­¡± ¡°Operator. Do we continue? That is at least of the Eternal Night ¨C!¡± ¡°We proceed. If not us, then another team will follow blindly behind us. Continue sending messages through the CognitO Transmitter.¡± There was not an ounce of fear in his eyes as he pushed through, whilst his team members froze with reluctance. They eventually followed. Ignoring the orders of the Operator was akin to desertion. One would be punished either through immediate termination, be sent as a Worker to a Site, or if they were lucky, undergo reeducation. There were no signs of life from this point on. Pools of cooling magma were about the only interesting thing present. Deeper yet revealed fleshy pillars and archways made from ribs. Thanks to their CognitO Filter, they had passed a critical section that would have rendered them dead. It was the tunnel lined with the obsidian Looking Glass. ¡°Do not stare into the glass. The Filters will not be able to withstand extended exposure. Close your eyes if you must. Otherwise, scream. We will briefly thank you for your service before we send you to the next life. Personal belongings will return to your loved ones. I hope you have a next of kin ready to take your place.¡± The Operator promised them a swift death in the event that they were enraptured by the Looking Glass. It was an object that could mentally destroy a person¡¯s sense of self. CogitO, the supplier of the CognitO Filters, called this phenomenon Ego Death and would result in the transformation into a Shell ¨C a catatonic husk of what was. In other instances, it could transform the body in unpredictable ways. Once through, the Operator congratulated them with a single clap. They proceeded without a shared word, their eyes scanning their surroundings until they came across a fleshy passage. Within was a ruined chamber where a gaping hole sat in the ceiling. It was as if a boulder had been plucked. ¡°Nothing is here after all.¡± He murmured, oddly disappointed. ¡°But that makes no sense. Rock morphed into flesh. This had been a Corrupted Zone at some point. Chances are that it¡¯s still lurking somewhere.¡± Corrupted Zones were supposed to disappear when a Corrupted was defeated. Only in rare instances did they permanently remain. The most infamous example was Paradise Lost. Those that remained within the ruins of Paradise were doomed to an incurable disease called the Pale Web. Paradise was the largest city in the world, and its inhabitants disappeared all in the span of a single night. The Corrupted responsible was a twelve-winged humanoid bird ¨C PL-Ri-T-012-00 ¨C ¡®The Icon of Judgement¡¯. Unfortunately, there was little else known about this world-altering Corrupted other than its mysterious defeat. And something similar unfolded before their very eyes. With no Corrupted in sight and with the world altered, they turned their attention to a second gaping hole in the ceiling and stared into an abyss. Something with enormous power had punched a kilometer-long tunnel through layers of stone. The inner walls were far too smooth to have been done by a natural force. ¡°¡­ How are we going to explain this to ImpulseWorks¡­?¡± One asked the Operator with bated breath. ¡°We can only relay what we have found and our suspicions. There are signs of conflict here. I am frankly bewildered.¡± He pointed at the various meter-wide holes that punctured the stone platform they stood on, then back to the gaping hole. ¡°There are markings of a blade as well. What on Elysia happened here¡­?¡± ¡°Should we send out a notice for reinforcements?¡± ¡°They can decide for themselves. Scarlet Logic has also been dabbling in these parts, so this may be their doing. Indeed¡­ A Blood Moon or a Red Giant could have easily bored such a hole.¡± He dwelled on the thought. Afterwards, he tapped on the side of his head again, as if to reach an itch behind his mask. ¡°In any case ¨C We must set up a perimeter around these woodlands. Let the others know at once. Inform Scarlet Logic¡¯s Dawn Teams Immediately. We will require their help.¡± 33. Welcome to Hearth Village! Hearth Village. The village was located deep within the undisturbed wildness of central Emvita, built between two major towns just north and south of their woodlands. Their patch of woodland was an enormous stretch of emerald trees named the Central Forest of Justicia, housing countless villages across its neutral region. As a village under the jurisdiction of the Justica Arms 10th Branch ¨C an Atelier of the Nexus that served as peacekeepers of the world ¨C they enjoyed a life free from the dangers beyond their neutral territories. Though Hearth Village was in the center of Emvita, its population was lackluster compared to its neighbors. Being days, perhaps weeks deep within the woodlands meant that contact with the outside world was minimal. It did not matter to the residents of Hearth Village. Village life went on as usual without the reliance of outside hands, and they preferred it that way. Magical spells like [Sunlight Synthesis], [Hasten Growth], [Calm Animal], and [Strengthen Body] were common spells used throughout the surrounding kingdoms and cities of Emvita. With no education or magical aptitude, the village worked from day and deep into the night. Despite this, Hearth Village contained an invaluable jewel. ¡°She¡¯s back! Big sister Snow is back! ¡°Snoooooow~!¡± ¡°And she brought back presents!¡± Children of the humble village flocked to her as if she held crumbs in her hands. Tiny hands latched around her waist as they expressed their joy with childish glee. Snow was a Healer recognized by Justica Arms and an existence kept a secret from the outside world. Healers were an existence so rare nowadays that Kingdoms have waged wars in hopes of attaining one. This was in part the reason why the village was so isolated. New faces arrived once in a blue moon. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the tree lines. It was a girl and a Rock Bug carrying a mountain of bloody sacks. Immediately, the children looked over the red-haired girl that had followed Snow, their eyes twinkling like stars. ¡°A friend!?¡± ¡°You brought someone with you!?¡± ¡°Food!?¡± They swarmed Red as children would. As Red was smaller than Snow, she was easily overwhelmed by the onslaught of hands and smiles. In her eyes, it was like being hounded by a pack of wolves in human clothing. ¡°What the ¨C Snow, you have these tiny humans trying to swipe our food!¡± ¡°O-oh, no Red. They¡¯re just trying to say hello. We rarely get visitors. Much less from me, so they¡¯re just happy to see you.¡± Snow wore a smile that said, ¡®Red knows how to handle children, right?¡¯ ¡°Red!¡± ¡°Red hair, red eyes! Red name! What did you bring for us, medium sis?¡± ¡°Is it meat!?¡± ¡°Can we touch your pet! Please! Pretty please!¡± Red wore a strange face. She had never seen human children before, so it came as shock to find that they were so small. In her head she thought that humans were born complete. Humans hatch from eggs, right? ¡°Snow. What are these things?¡± ¡°They¡¯re children. Like you.¡± ¡°Like me? I¡¯m larger than them. Their stats are pretty weak too.¡± Red legitimately sized them up, wondering if they¡¯d be a threat. ¡°Too weak to be minions.¡± But those glistening eyes that shone ever brightly proved her wrong, although at the same time, she imagined it to be like the gleam of a hungry wolf cub. ¡°A-Aha? Is that what you think children are?¡± Snow failed to stifle a laugh, watching as Red leaned over to touch their heads, albeit carefully like she was handling an animal. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Red. They won¡¯t bite.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯d bite me either. You all have blunt teeth. I¡¯m not so sure you can even eat wolf meat. Heh. But that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, children of¡­¡± ¡°Hearth Village.¡± ¡°¨C Hearth Village! Behold! My name is Hatchling Red and I bring gifts called ¡®food¡¯ to your village!¡± She announced as if she was their savior. Red enjoyed the limelight, although this was only with the children. By now most of the village had noticed the commotion. The population of only fifty dropped their tools and left their homes, their eyes drawn to the sight of a mountain of wolf carcasses, hauled atop the back of a giant Rock bug. ¡°Snow ¨C What is the meaning of this!?¡± An elderly woman approached Snow; her face twisted with worry to the outsider she had brought in. ¡°And she¡¯s seen your hair too. Snow¡­ How careless can you be?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ok! She won¡¯t hurt anyone! I found her inside of the Wolf Caverns!¡± ¡°She could be an Adventurer for all we know!¡± ¡°She¡¯s not. Please Elda, she needs help! The poor thing was living underground for as long as she can remember!¡± Snow pleaded. Were it anyone else, then the villagers would have turned a deaf ear. But because it was Snow, a Healer who was incapable of lying, they had no choice but to listen. ¡°I¡¯m begging you! She can help around the village too! I know how much everyone¡¯s joints hurt! I don¡¯t have the mana capacity to keep healing everyone every day.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Village work was difficult without magic. They were also not Blessed as were many people in this world, which meant they did not possess the innate ability to strengthen themselves through the miracle of ¡®Leveling¡¯. Most villagers ranged from levels 1 to 5. Rarely level 10. Any higher and they¡¯d be able to seek opportunities outside of the village. As a result, village life was both mundane and taxing to the body. Lately it had gotten worse due to the arrival of the Last Solstice; spring. For one month, which consisted of 50 days split into 5 weeks, the eves would cool down to where water would freeze. They required a substantial amount of stored food and firewood during this dangerous month. The human body was not a machine, so any help to make things less burdensome was seen as a blessing. Although they were still wary of this outsider. Their eyes lingered on her, and Red didn¡¯t seem to realize this as she was pampered by the children. A genuine smile formed on her face. Red had never been surrounded by so many smiles before, let alone such tiny humans. She felt powerful as a result, but at the same time, elated that these small humans were so full of life. ¡°Can I pet the Rock Bug?¡± A child asked, and before Red could give them the ok sign, Rockie slowly reached out towards them. ¡°W-Wait ¨C!¡± ¡°It won¡¯t hurt her!¡± Snow assured a mother, watching with bewilderment as the Rock Bug allowed the child to shake its leg. ¡°That Rock Bug is with Red. It saved her in the Wolf Caverns. I think it dragged her back from the Shallows.¡± ¡°A Rock Bug? Saving a person¡¯s life? It doesn¡¯t even look close to a Rock Bug¡­ Haaah. Snow, what have you done?¡± ¡°I brought someone that needed help! With my judgement too. Please, Elda¡­ I couldn¡¯t just leave her alone in there. Just like how you found me ¨C¡± Elda raised a hand and drew it along her lips to silence Snow. Her look of dismay suddenly mellowed at the memory, and she let loose a long sigh. ¡°Goodness. What was a child doing in the Shallows all alone?¡± She approached Red with a scrutinizing gaze, her many wrinkles the same as the number of years she had lived in these lands. ¡°Children tend to find themselves lost in these woodlands, giving birth to many of our lullabies. Nilhinids, Healers, and now, a child with red eyes. Child. Why is it that you are here?¡± Red, whilst hugged by the children, answered honestly with a toothy grin. ¡°Because I want to know what it¡¯s like to be alive!¡± Red¡¯s words could be interpreted as nonsense or just merely an expression. But to Red herself, those words perfectly captured the essence of her heart. Elda carried an ominous presence. It was the kind that even experienced Adventurers and outsiders would not be able to match, let alone gaze into her crimson eyes past the strands of grey hair.
The Wise Advisor Elda < Elder of Hearth >
Soul Rank: Green | Affiliation: Village of Hearth
LEVEL : 10 ORIGIN : Human HP : 60
ATT : 2 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 2
Indeed, like Red, she possessed red eyes, but for a reason different to her. She slammed her walking stick into the grass after silently ascertaining something within Red before turning her back to her. ¡°Then live you shall, as with many children that carry light in their eyes. Welcome the child. Trust Snow¡¯s judgement. Red has brought us many wolves as a gift.¡± ¡°Can we really trust them?¡± ¡°Can you trust me?¡± ¡°O-Of course!¡± ¡°Then you can trust her.¡± Elda did not elaborate further to the man who had questioned her. Suddenly, as she passed through the shoulders of her fellow villagers, a tall, hulking man stood in her way. ¡°Oh. So you heard the commotion from all the way there?¡± ¡°It is only natural a Huntsman hears what occurs within his web.¡± The man wore a bycoket and carried two pairs of twohanded crossbows on his back, with another pair of hatchets by his waist. ¡°Mr. Hunstman!¡± Snow exclaimed. The Hunstman was the village¡¯s security so to speak. More so for Snow, but over time he warmed up to the village enough to consider them family. He lived in a hut furthest away on his own but would occasionally come to speak with the villagers and share the bounties of his hunt. Huntsmen were members of the Arachnida Association, one of 13 of the largest Associations in Elysia. Although despite this, Mr. Huntsman was one of the lowest ranked members of the Arachnida Association and part of their distant Branch, the Green Rangers Branch, which worked in the central, neutral lands of Emvita. This meant that he was essentially a hired arm. Woah. He looks strong. Really strong! I wanna see what his stats are like!
Huntsman Mr. Huntsman < Fledgling Arachnida >
Soul Rank: Blue | Branch: Green Rangers
LEVEL : 45 ORIGIN : Human HP : 450
ATT : 100 MAG ATT : 20 AGI : 8
Eh? Huuuh? Are they supposed to be that low? He¡¯s like nearly double my level. So how come¡­? Red didn¡¯t say this out loud, thankfully. The man scrutinized her before his brown eyes moved to a nervous Snow. ¡°Let Snow keep her friend.¡± He did not require an explanation. ¡°But if something happens, then it¡¯ll be my duty to put an end to her. Ease yourselves. She¡¯s not a Vampire despite her eyes. Vampires don¡¯t roam these parts. Such monsters only roam beyond our forests.¡± He truly meant his words. If Red caused harm, then he¡¯d be the one to permanently remove her. Red didn¡¯t take the threat seriously despite this, judging him by only his level. Furthermore, it only made Red want to try to make people like her harder. ¡°What about the wolves I brought!?¡± Red called out to him. ¡°Do I need to bring more so you can trust me?¡± ¡°Snow, teach her common sense while you¡¯re at it. That kind of attitude will only get her into worse situations.¡± ¡°R-Right!¡± Snow nodded. ¡°Huh? How come? Hey! Hello! How come!? Hey!¡± Red chased after him, hopping before in front of his face as he tried to ignore her. ¡°Big guy! Stop for a second! Can you tell me why!?¡± Eventually, he sighed and turned to face her. ¡°Because, little Red, people like to take more than what you can give.¡± He ended up giving Red some advice, trailing off as he turned to the villagers and sighed again. ¡°But you can trust this village. I don¡¯t know your circumstances, so don¡¯t cause us any trouble. If you can do that, then we can all get along. With that many wolf carcasses, you can see why we¡¯re wary of you.¡± ¡°I just have to bring my kill count down? But that doesn¡¯t feel right.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°It¡¯s boring.¡± For some reason, this caused the gruff Huntsman to smile. ¡°Hah. Alright. I¡¯ll take that as an answer.¡± Despite how he looked, he had a decently sized heart. At least Red thought so. Even with all the threats thrown her way, Red was more than happy to just be able to experience talking with new people. Red grinned, turning back to the village with hands on her hips. ¡°So, can we eat some of the wolves now!?¡± 34. Yummy Food At Last! ¡°Woooooah!?¡± ¡°Waaaaaah!?¡± ¡°Ooooh!?¡± Red¡¯s tastebuds exploded with delight underneath the starts of Hearth Village. A small feast was prepared tonight thanks to Red¡¯s catch. The scent of roasted roast meat had Red drooling like a wolf throughout the day. And finally, as she sat on a long across a firepit, she dug into a bowl of stewed meat. She huffed down the bowl, her fingers dipping into the soup as she held her spoon like a toddler would. ¡°Dewishwus~! (delicious!). I never knew wolf could taste so goooooood~!¡± She squealed, causing the women who had prepared the meals to laugh fondly from their outdoor stone kitchens. ¡°The potatoes! The leaks! The soup! The wood! And the leaf too!¡± ¡°No, Red ¨C That fell from the tree.¡± Snow tried to stop her, but Red had already swallowed it. ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t raised by wolves?¡± ¡°Pawsitwive! (Positive!).¡± Red¡¯s reactions never failed to amuse them, and it broke down the ice between her and the village. The most mundane of things, such as a saltshaker, had caused her eyes to sparkle with awe much to their amusement. Many women of the village did not yet have children or were in the process of raising one. Seeing Red caused them to imagine the joys that their child would bring one day. Visitors and Adventurers of Emvita were always preoccupied with the happenings of the world, often bearing bad news. Red, however, was a joyous spark of light that they could not help but welcome. Several women joined them around the fire, the youngest being 28. After Snow of course, who was only 23 years old. They wore handmade dresses tanned from leather and cloth. The colors were dull in comparison to Red and Snow¡¯s, mostly being a shade of brown or green. Embroidery of various animals or fruits decorated the sleeves of their dresses, some with even the initials of their names to help them keep track of who owned the attire. Not that it mattered, the villagers rarely washed their clothes. Instead, Hearth Village relied on Snow¡¯s [Cleanse] to remove all filth with the touch of her hand. Red didn¡¯t notice Snow¡¯s stare as she devoured bowl after bowl. Even the wooden spoon was not spared, coming out mangled as if she could not control her strength. Snow was the only one who knew just how powerful she was. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder just what Red¡¯s circumstances were. Why she was alone in that cave. Why did she have to fight to survive for so long. It caused her to instinctively reach out to pat her head, however, a barrage of food suddenly appeared in front of Red¡¯s face just before she could touch her. ¡°Hey, wanna take a bite from this?¡± ¡°Nah, wait ¨C I was going to feed her! Red, open up!¡± ¡°Try this! It¡¯s wolf-toasted nuts!¡± A look of bewilderment overcame Red. ¡°A wolf toasted those nuts? Nuh uh. No thank you.¡± She shook her head, not wanting to eat something that was possibly cooked by a wolf. ¡°Please. You¡¯ve had enough stew! This is a sandwich! Wolf meat slathered with mayonnaise, topped with our village-grown vegetables, squished by two loafs of fluffy bread!¡± ¡°Gimmie the sandwich!¡± Red¡¯s eyes dazzled, instantly taking a bite like she was some kind of cute animal. ¡°Mmmmm~! Why is this place¡¯s food so good!?¡± The woman puffed out her chest victoriously. Bread wasn¡¯t even remotely close to meat, and yet its subtle, fluffy texture danced on her tastebuds, pairing perfectly with the vegetable medley and the meat. ¡°So good? It¡¯s not that unique. This is the bare minimum of cooking.¡± A young woman said. ¡°Head into a town or a big city and you¡¯ll never want to come back.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°They have better food in the bigger cities?¡± Red asked, licking her fingers clean. ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t believe. Or so I¡¯ve heard. Tonight¡¯s just a special event to celebrate your catch. You really like food, huh?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s a new experience. I¡¯ve never had anything that tasted good. It was all bug meat and innards.¡± Red complained, causing them to laugh. They thought of it as a joke, but Red was being completely honest. ¡°I only ate because I had to survive. So being able to eat because it tastes good is¡­ a nice feeling.¡± Snow inched closer to Red. She plopped a hand onto her head and [Cleansed] her, as well as the others. ¡°We just eat to keep ourselves full. But you¡¯re right.¡± Snow hummed. ¡°A good meal does make you feel better no matter the weather.¡± ¡°Snow!? Can we pet her too!?¡± The women rose from their logs, jealous that Snow got to keep Red all to herself. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she like, yours or something? You found her, so you¡¯re practically her owner!¡± ¡°Like a pet?¡± Red, of all people, was the one who asked. ¡°Yeah, like that!¡± Another cried. Red tilted her head. ¡°Snow, is that how you think of me? Sorry, but I¡¯m the master here.¡± She then pointed at a Rockie that was swarmed by children. ¡°Heh. You wish. No way I¡¯m going to be owned again.¡± If Snow wasn¡¯t a Healer, then she would have smacked them all. She could only smile and remove her hand from Red¡¯s head. Again? Snow wondered what she meant by that, but figured it was better to let Red enjoy her stay than to bring up painful memories. Suddenly, Red pointed at a bowl on the ground. It was the only bowl around the campfire that hadn¡¯t been assaulted by Red. ¡°Who¡¯s that for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for Three Paw.¡± Snow said, patting her thighs. ¡°Come here~!¡± A swift, adorable set of pattering filled the air. A three-legged wolf cub leapt past Red and landed onto Snow¡¯s cozy lap. ¡°Huh!? You ¨C What¡¯s a wolf doing here!?¡± Red¡¯s eyes widened as she reached for her waist, only to smack her hand against the log. ¡°Ngh ¨C Oh no ¨C!¡± Three Paw was one part the Village¡¯s pet and the other their warning system. The wolf was barely big enough to fit on Snow¡¯s lap, and it jumped to lap her face, its fluffy tail wagging energetically. ¡°It¡¯s tasting Snow!¡± ¡°Red, relax. Three Paw is our pet. Here. C¡¯mere, Three Paw! C¡¯mere!¡± Another woman clapped as Three Paw ran across the firepit and straight into her lap. It nuzzled against her palms, allowing her to touch even its ears which Red knew was a death sentence. ¡­ So why didn¡¯t the wolf attack her? ¡°See? Isn¡¯t he cute? He was abandoned for being too fluffy~¡± ¡°False. Wolves would¡¯ve eaten it.¡± Red corrected. ¡°They¡¯re not wasteful. I bet they just left it to die alone. A wolf with three legs isn¡¯t going to survive for long. No point in wasting energy for a lost cause.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the same as being abandoned.¡± One said, moving to pat the wolf. ¡°Poor thing hadn¡¯t eaten in days when we found him. He was smaller than the palm of my hand. Can you believe that!? Look how big he is now!¡± ¡°Any bigger and it might start eating outside of just this bowl.¡± Red shook her head, unable to believe that these humans were living with such a despicable thing. ¡°Tch. Damn wolf. It¡¯s probably plotting revenge for all the wolves we¡¯ve eaten today.¡± As if sensing Red¡¯s concern, Three Paw turned towards her, tilting its head innocently. ¡°Look at it! It¡¯s trying to swoon me too! Grr¡­ Trying to act all cute. You¡¯re nothing like Rockie!¡± ¡°Red. How about you pet him? Maybe that will change your mind?¡± Snow politely suggested. Seeing that Snow was her first human friend, Red considered it, although with a hideous grimace like she was looking at a spawn of hell. ¡°¡­ Snow. You gotta heal me if anything happens. [Cleanse] me twenty times after as well.¡± Red, after much deliberation, drummed on her thighs, bruising herself accidentally. ¡°¡­ Come wolf. A superior human calls for you.¡± Three Paw curiously wandered towards her, his nose bouncing left and right with an adorable swagger. He eventually made it to Red¡¯s legs, where he looked straight up at her with his black eyes, its tongue lolling out innocently. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me unless you want to be called Two Paw¡­ You¡¯re the one that got abandoned. Must be nice living like it doesn¡¯t matter to you.¡± Her tone became somber all of a sudden. ¡°I wonder how it feels to be abandoned. I bet you feel resentful. Heh. Of course you would. That¡¯s why you¡¯re able to eat wolf meat.¡± Red praised him as he munched from his bowl. ¡°It¡¯s not sheared off. I don¡¯t know how a wolf gets born with only three legs, but if that¡¯s enough for them to not want you anymore, then aren¡¯t I glad I¡¯m not a wolf. Humans would never abandon one of their own, right!?¡± Snow looked like she wanted to respond, but she refrained and simply sipped from her bowl in silence. ¡°O-Oh. Hey, Red. Wanna go see where you¡¯ll be sleeping?¡± One of the women immediately suggested. ¡°Beds!? Designated sleeping spots!?¡± Red practically burst with excitement. ¡°Are they soft!?¡± ¡°Nothing like the rocks you¡¯ve been sleeping on. It¡¯ll be like sleeping on air! Let¡¯s show you! Snow, is it ok if we take her?¡± ¡°We? What you really mean is you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got the softer bed, so come with me Red!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take her.¡± Snow stood up to assert herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but Red needs a Healer close to her, just in case. She still has some wounds I need to look after. Lethal wounds take time to heal.¡± She didn¡¯t know what Red¡¯s secrets were, but she was certain that Red might inadvertently reveal something to these girls. Red was someone that needed proper guidance, and there was no one better than a Healer to teach Red her right and wrongs. Also, it would be problematic if they knew that Red had a voice in her head. 35. Snow’s Goodnight to Red Soft quilts enveloped Red in every direction. A warm bed, a fluffy pillow, and a heavy blanket turned her mind to mush as she melted in its embrace. ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ So¡­!¡± ¡°Ahaha. It¡¯s not the best, but it¡¯s better than sleeping on the ground.¡± Snow cheerfully watched as Red squirmed beneath the covers, brushing her arms and legs along the soft fabric with glee. ¡°Sooooft~! I¡¯m melting! Snow, this is amazing!¡± Red cried, snapping upright with stars in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad. I will be behind this wall if you need me.¡± ¡°Hm? You¡¯re not going to sleep too?¡± Red asked, causing Snow to smile before she dipped out of the open doorway. ¡°Rockie! Maybe you should wait outside!¡± ¡°Brrrr?¡± Rockie, who curled itself up at the foot of the bed, whined as if to beg Snow to let it sleep here. ¡°It¡¯s ok. This isn¡¯t my room. You¡¯re using my guest bed. My patients usually stay here overnight, but since I have no one to look after, I thought it¡¯d be better for you to use it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like an angel~! Good¡­ Night, is that the saying?¡± Red exclaimed as Snow softly laughed again, slipping away into a rather simple living room. ¡°It is. Goodnight, Red.¡± ¡°Brrr?¡± ¡°You too, er¡­ Rockie?¡± ¡°Brrrrr~!¡± Rockie buzzed happily, elating Snow who lingered at the door for a moment before disappearing for good. Snow believed in function before form, and it was reflected by her rudimentary home. Wooden logs bulged from the corners of her wooden home, and cold, stone bricks lined the floors. There were no doors to separate the rooms, allowing the warmth of a cozy fireplace to warm the entirety of her tiny home. It was a humble establishment, with no more than a desk, several chairs, a table, a tiny kitchen, a hardly touched washroom, and a bed in one last separate room. All of these could be seen if one stood in the center of the living room. Snow hummed a delightful melody to herself as she sat herself on a chair beside the hearth of her fireplace. She plucked a book from a nearby desk, dipped a feathery pen into a bottle of ink, and began writing into a diary. Golden leaves served as the cover of the diary, and smooth brambles from a rose bounded the pages together. When held open and viewed from behind, it would appear like a golden apple. It was clearly an extraordinary book, but to Snow, it was just a simple diary. The contents made her giggle to herself as she overheard Red¡¯s ecstatic moans throughout the night. Suddenly, as the crackling logs of the fireplace punctuated the silence, Red called out to her with a solemn voice. ¡°I always wanted to see what the stars were like. I didn¡¯t expect people to be bright like them too. Thank you, Snow. For letting me come here.¡± The Red that spoke was like an entirely different person. ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me that much.¡± Snow shut her diary. ¡°I feel like I should. It was the first time I was allowed to eat something tasty.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°A-Aha. You said you woke up a few days ago. You must have been famished before that. Some of my patients were like you.¡± Snow began, trying to rationalize Red¡¯s absurd existence as well as to put Red¡¯s own delusions to rest. ¡°They lost their memory when they used the Hyperlinks. Since you¡¯re a Blessed, it¡¯s possible that you used one recently before you ended up here.¡± Hyperlinks were crystal installations that allowed the Blessed to teleport from one Hyperlink to another. Collectively, it was called the Hyperlink Network. However, her theory had one problem. The Hyperlink Networks in Emvita were badly damaged. Although, this could have contributed to Red¡¯s mental impairment. Snow tried to further conjure an explanation, a finger tapping her chin as she looked down at her knees. ¡°Mhm. Something like that.¡± Red answered positively, causing her to smile with relief. ¡°With enough rest your memories will gradually return. You must have been an amazing Adventurer in the past with abilities like that. Really, it was silly of me to take you seriously when you said you were born just a few days ago.¡± Red didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she stared at the ceiling. Her lips moved but no words formed. ¡°Is it scary?¡± Snow suddenly asked. ¡°Scary?¡± ¡°I mean¡­ Sorry. I meant not knowing where you came from. Why you suddenly woke up in the Shallows.¡± ¡°¡­ it¡¯s always been that way for me, so I can¡¯t say it¡¯s scary when I don¡¯t know what normal is supposed to be.¡± Red answered truthfully. ¡°What is normal anyway? That¡¯s what I want to figure out. As for why I¡¯m here¡­ I remember a train, and that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Train!? Are you perhaps¡­.!¡± Snow suddenly jumped from her seat, rushing to Red¡¯s doorframe. Red braced herself. She realized she had revealed something she should not have. The only train that arrived into this place was the one that carried a shipment of Corrupted. If Snow realized just what she was¡­ ¡­ then would she stop talking to her? ¡°From Brandar!? The Nex Megalopolis!?¡± Snow squealed. ¡°Eh? I¡­¡± Yes, Red. Go along with the plan. She said to herself. ¡°Yeah! Heh. How¡¯d you know? Of course I¡¯m from Brandar! And the Wax Megapolice.¡± Snow¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Aww. I¡¯ve always wanted to visit the Nex Megalopolis! I heard they have multiple Academies of magic ¨C I mean¡­ sorry. I¡¯m getting ahead of myself. You still don¡¯t have your memories. Hmm~¡± ¡°Can you tell me about that place? Maybe it¡¯ll help me remember.¡± Red now had the perfect excuse to ask about her uncertainties. That way, it would be impossible for anyone to learn that she used to be a Corrupted. So long as she played this newfound memory-loss card, then the world was her oyster. ¡°Too bad the voice in my head is useless. Agate.¡± Useless < The act of not being useful > ¡°Grrr. Do you see this!? I can see it smirking at me through the prompt!¡± ¡°O-Oh! It¡¯s just the message?¡± Snow was suddenly relieved to hear that the Blessing of the Nexus was the source of the ¡®voice¡¯ in Red¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s normal. It can answer some questions, but only if you have the right Skills! Um¡­ you¡¯re not analyzing everything in this room, are you?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be doing that? How else am I supposed to level up my Skills?¡± ¡°A-Ahaha¡­ You really do have the mind of a Blessed.¡± For some reason, Snow was overly relived. Red noticed how Snow clasped at her chest before she moved in to pat her head tenderly. ¡°Mhm. Goodnight, Red. I hope your memories come back soon.¡± Suddenly, her hand was snatched by Red. ¡°Eh¡­!?¡± And she fell atop her, her arm seized by the vice grip of the girl. ¡°R-Red¡­!? Red¡­?¡± To her shock, Red¡¯s eyes immediately shut as she snuggled close. Before Snow had a chance to comprehend what was happening, Red began to silently snore. ¡°Huh? Eh? Red? You¡¯re already asleep¡­?¡± Indeed. By the time she was pulled into Red¡¯s bed, Red had entered a deep sleep. Not even her voice could rouse her awake. Snow stared at her sleeping face, wondering just how fatigued she must have been. Red¡¯s body was smaller than hers, and yet those shoulders carried a horrific life of bloodshed. It was easy to say that Red was always strong, or that she was born with such high Stats that allowed her to live such a life without complaint. However, such a person would not have been able to sleep with such an innocent face. She was oddly happy that Red could find comfort in her presence. Furthermore¡­ it was hard to call Red ¡®dangerous¡¯ if she was willing to befriend a Rock Bug of all things. Even Three Paw wasn¡¯t hurt by her, despite her undying hatred of wolves. It was strange. But endearing. So endearing that Snow allowed Red to keep her for that night. That duality made her all the more curious about this girl. As her eyes closed, Snow could not help but to echo the question Red asked and wonder just what was ¡®normal¡¯ in this world. 36. Warming Up to Hearth Village! Red moved like a bullet through the woodlands. Her impressive speed allowed her to chase down deers head on. Elusively light steps concealed her movement as she closed into an unsuspecting boar. It sat in an open field, grazing on the roots of a lonely apple tree. Its leaves shuddered, as if in pain. Even the wind did not carry her scent. Snow had [Cleansed] her before the hunt, removing all traces of civilization as nothing but mud, filth and the early dew stuck to her skin. It was much larger than ordinary boars. Needles ran between its fur at vital areas, such as its neck, belly and even its limbs. They were a species of boar called the Spiked Boar, a pest that ruined sections of forests due to their developed taste of plant roots. Trees were not spared, and the land they pillaged was often left unfarmable. As a result, they fetched quite a high price when sold, and their needles were quite valuable as well. However, due to their sheer size, they were dangerous and often disastrous for villages.
LEVEL : 30 Spiked Boar
ORIGIN : Animalia HP : 750 ATT : 150 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 20
You¡¯re mine now! She brandished her red hunting knife, bursting forth from the tree lines and into the opening. Her leap alerted it, and it immediately turned its head to face her, readying its spikes to impale her. However, Red¡¯s trajectory was off. She did not plan to assassinate from above. Rather, she had lunged in a way that allowed her to transition into a slide. She slid beneath the Spiked Boar and dragged the blade from its neck down to its hind legs, all in a single swipe. She had expertly avoided the barbs in that split second. All she had to do was follow the bloody trail, and the results spoke for themselves. The boar was gutted and drained simultaneously. ¡°See that, Agate!? That¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to be! I don¡¯t get why Corrupted can¡¯t just go down if you slash their neck.¡± Red complained as she huddled beside the toppled boar. ¡°Annoying spines. Why does the tastiest meat have to evolve with stuff that makes them annoying to eat? If you¡¯re going to be a living sack of meat, then at least have the dignity to let us eat you in peace!¡± She began cleaning out the barbs hidden beneath its fur as another figure emerged from the tree lines. Suddenly, an arrow impaled the head of the boar. ¡°Firstly, put it out of its misery. I didn¡¯t take you to be the sadistic type.¡± The Huntsman kicked the arrow deeper. When the kill was confirmed, he retrieved it and cleaned the tip of his arrow. ¡°Excellent knifework. I thought it would be too shallow for most game in these woods.¡± ¡°You just have to close the distance to make up for it.¡± Red reasoned, causing the gruff man to laugh. ¡°If it only it was that easy.¡± He sighed, smiling as he reloaded his crossbow. ¡°Two catches in an hour. Not bad.¡± ¡°Too long?¡± ¡°No. Too quickly. I even laid traps to slow them down. I¡¯m not used to your brisk way of hunting.¡± Indeed. The Huntsman and hunters usually had an elaborate system when it came to hunting prey. It was never as simple killing prey with a single strike. They focused on disabling their prey and stalking them until they either lost enough blood or gave up entirely. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. This of course only applied to much bigger prey. Deers and lesser animals could be hunted with a single arrow. But when faced with a strong creature, it was easier to whittle them down. And Red agreed wholeheartedly with this philosophy, even though she was the kind of huntress to go in headfirst. The Huntsman inspected Red¡¯s knifework closer. Skilled huntsmen seldom used a knife at all outside of small game, or to butcher their prey. ¡°Not a single tear. It was cut all in one fine stroke. It would take me at least fifteen different cuts to achieve something remotely close to this. Another mystery of the world. The younger they are, the stronger they become. Either that, or I¡¯m already getting too old.¡± He complained but seemed happy regardless. ¡°Good work. Let¡¯s call it early.¡± Catching even one Spiked Boar took hours of persistence. To finish so quickly was a nice change of pace for the man, and he had Red to thank for her hard work. It had been like this for three days now, and Red was slowly getting used to life in the village. Her role was like the Huntsman ¨C a hunter-gatherer and the Village¡¯s security team. So along the way, she and the Huntsman hauled various wild fruits and herbs into baskets. At the same time, Rockie carried the two carcasses with ease, trailing closely behind. Due to its intimidating presence, they did not have to worry about random encounters or attacks by animals. They instinctively feared Rockie over Red. ¡°Tch. You¡¯re more cute than terrifying.¡± Red pouted. ¡°If I had muscles like you, Mr. Huntsman, then I¡¯m sure nothing would touch the village!¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised. Appearance accounts for little to animals unless you¡¯re overwhelmingly larger. They rely strongly on instinct. Smear the scent of a bigger predator, and you¡¯ll get the same effect.¡± ¡°It depends. Not all prey are dumb like that.¡± ¡°Indeed. An animal with some sense of rationality is worse. Then you have those that forsake both or carry both like they have nothing left to lose. Hah.¡± The Huntsman smiled softly. The triangular roofs of the village emerged from the tree lines ahead. ¡°I did not think I¡¯d enjoy a conversation with someone as young as yourself. I¡¯m curious what experiences you had before stalking forests like ours.¡± ¡°Right!?¡± Red beamed. ¡°I¡¯d tell you, but maybe you¡¯d get stronger than me. Heh. Ahh! They¡¯re here!¡± Children gathered at the edge of the village as soon as one pointed at them. A dozen tiny hands waved at Red, and she happily hummed in response. ¡°They¡¯ve been livelier since you came. I¡¯m thankful for that. This Village never does see new things, so it can feel like time has stopped at times.¡± ¡°What can I say?¡± Red smugly grinned. Then, she hoisted her stacked baskets above her head, shouting: ¡°Who wants redberries!?¡± And assortment of ¡°Me!¡±, ¡°Medium sister Red!¡±, and ¡°Over here!¡± filled the air. Many hands dove into the basket, taking handfuls to wash and wipe on their clothes. Overjoyed faces exclaimed how sweet the berries were. Red knew it was because she was the one who plucked them, so of course they¡¯d be sweet. Suddenly, a small, three-legged wolf sat before Red as the Huntsman and the children wandered off. ¡°You again? What do you want?¡± She coldly spoke, looking into her basket where only a handful of berries remained. The wolf didn¡¯t ask. But it was clear what it wanted. Red had no reason to give the wolf anything. These berries belong to her and Snow. Some mutt wasn¡¯t going to take it from her. ¡°Look at it, trying to beg for my berries. You¡¯re a wolf, so go get your own.¡± She was about to leave it here. No, her body did not allow her to leave it. Despite it being a wolf, it still did not beg for food. It simply waited, wagging its tail. Then she realized. ¡°You¡¯re not here for food?¡± She asked, and it barked happily. ¡°Just here to greet me? What are you, a kid?¡± She crouched down to level herself with it, although she was just slightly higher to assert her dominance. ¡°Nah. You¡¯re a pup. A damned cub left all alone. I wonder if you were like this too when your family left you.¡± Red whispered, taking a few berries, and placing them on the grass before the wolf. ¡°Just waiting and waiting¡­ and waiting all alone in the dark¡­ Tch. Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s gross. Wolves like you should be strong.¡± She placed another small handful of berries in front of it again. This time, it was in front of its paws that lacked the feral claws of a normal wolf. ¡°So grow and become stronger so I can have a reason to hate you.¡± She tapped its head, and its tail wagged stronger than ever. As she left, she felt Rockie brush against her back. ¡°Now what?¡± ¡°Brrr!¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. Like I¡¯m going to care about what happens to a wolf. If it gets dangerous, then I can always kill it. Like how I¡¯m only keeping you around so I can eat you.¡± Red hummed, only for Rockie to playfully bump into her yet again. ¡°Idiot. I¡¯ll really do it.¡± Red eventually returned to Snow¡¯s hut after distributing the rest of her assortment of berries. She held the basket of redberries in one hand, offering it to Snow as she hurriedly greeted her with a smile. ¡°For me? Thank you, Red! Um. Is there enough for you as well?¡± Red, now realizing that she had given her own share to Three Paw, mentally clicked her tongue. A wolf had once again taken something from her. ¡°I had my share. That¡¯s all for you! The children stole more than I thought they would. Ugh. Do kids really need that much to grow? It¡¯s so complicated. Just eat strong animals and boom, you grow bigger.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ then how about I bake a pie! For just the two of us!¡± Red¡¯s mouth suddenly watered. ¡°Pie!? What¡¯s that!? It sounds delicious!¡± Maybe giving the berries to the wolf was a blessing after all? 37. An Apple Unlike the Others Berries, fruits, and apples were not as tasty as meat. Red pondered on the reasons why this might have been the case as she looked over her Stats. Noticing the constant mention of ¡®hunt¡¯ in the description of her Skills, she realized that what made them so tasty was that it was earned. Plucking fruits from a tree was too easy. It was like taking berries from one of the village children. The tree had to be living for her to gain any sense of gratification. ¡°There is no thrill of the hunt when it comes to plants.¡± Red nodded to herself. She was currently levelling her Skills deep into the woodlands. Few hunters from neighboring villages frequented this place, and an animal path that was used as a highway for the villagers ran near the trees she used as punching bags. Fruits, meat, and wares were hauled either in baskets or by horsedrawn wagons. She imagined how much larger those villages must have been to need so much food. Then, she scaled it up further, unable to see how a city of more than a thousand people was sustainable. Faces of shock and worry filled the faces of the passing villages who watched the young girl bash the bark out of the trees. At one point a worried woman offered her a red apple. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll feel better with this gift.¡± ¡°Nutrition! Thank you, village lady!¡± Red smiled and hungrily scoffed down the apple down. She did not bite it. Rather, she used her upper teeth like a blade and scraped it around till the apple was no more. Then, she immediately returned to leveling [Punch] as it was her weakest Offensive Skill. ¡°Y-You should really stop. I think the tree¡¯s had enough ¨C!?¡± Suddenly, the lady noticed the dent in the tree. Surely, it could not have been caused by this girl, she thought nervously. But upon watching closer she noticed that Red¡¯s knuckles emitted steam with each consecutive impact. ¡°O-Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Are you going already!? I wanted to talk more! You¡¯re the first person to come talk to me outside of my village!¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s important. Please understand.¡± Those punches were not for show, and the woman, perhaps feeling guilty for intruding on Red, offered a small box of apples and immediately parted ways. The sudden silence was punctuated by the dull thuds of her punches. In due time, she had gained yet another level in [Punch]. < Punch Has Gained a Level > < Punch Has Become Punch I > ¡°YEAAAAAH! Two days of work and I finally gained enough to get the evolved version of it!¡± She shouted at the top of her lungs. Distant hunters recoiled and lost track of their prey due to the noise, as fawn and easily startled animals immediately fled their aimed arrows. The echo of her voice weirdly sounded like a collection of faint curses. But she didn¡¯t care. Because she gained a level!
LEVEL : 35 AFFINITY : Amalgamation Hatchling Red ATTRIBUTE : Identity CORRUPTED
NAME : Red HP : 16,500 ^3/min MP : 15,000 ^3/min AGI : 32 RESIST : 50
AGE : 0 ATT : 550(+35) MAG ATT : 170 Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. O : 31 D : 0
ORIGIN : Original ATT DEF : 350(+50) MAG DEF : 150 S : 13 E : 8
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash II [3/10] (O) Punch I [0/10] (S) Friends! [3/10] (E) Appraise Object [8/10] Several levels were gained during her 5 days stay at Hearth Village. But she gained them slowly compared to when she was in the cavern. Earlier, she had asked Snow why this was the case. Levels were finicky and ill understood amongst the Blessed according to Snow. For a Healer it was as simple as repeatedly using the same Skill repeatedly, whereas for more physical Skills one needed to utilize it in increasingly difficult situations to further its growth. This meant that combat was the best way to level up. However, there was an issue with this too. The creatures of the Central Forests of Justicia were too weak despite being around their same level now. The Spiked Boar were among the most dangerous of creatures of these forests, yet they could be killed in only a single slash. ¡°Plus their Stats are way too weak to take. What do you think, Agate? It is worth going through the trouble of getting more stronger or should I just be happy I can live here as a human?¡± Red asked the voice in her head. The First Milestone < Achieved after reaching level 50 > Her answer came in the form of a target level. Snow described the Milestones as a method of evolving. The Nexus granted the Blessed new Skills, Abilities and Professions depending on the lives they lived. From what she knew, it was not something one could control. However, the answer she received from Agate was different. < There will be choices to look forward to > ¡°Who to believe? A person that can¡¯t lie, or a voice that likes keeping secrets? If that¡¯s true, then does that mean I¡¯ll change physically too? I like being a human. But I want to be a human that¡¯s bigger in all the right ways too!¡± Villagers whispered amongst themselves as they pitied the poor girl on passing. I should speak internally, shouldn¡¯t I? Snow said it was dangerous to talk about being a Blessed. She raised her sights past the trees, spotting a pale structure that rose so high that she could not even see its tip. The colossal structure was the Nexus, the axis mundi of the world. Second nights were known to sweep across Elysia due to its immense size. Red had to wonder how that thing was considered a natural object. ¡°It kind of looks like the rock we saw underground. It has the same color of the egg we found too.¡± She muttered to herself. The Voice replied with something else, as though to skirt around the topic of the Nexus and the stones. Nex Megalopolis < One of the largest bastions of civilization after Paradise. Houses millions of people not limited to humans > ¡°Oh hey! That¡¯s where Snow wanted to visit one day!¡± Red hummed. ¡°Millions of humans¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine that! But non-humans? How does that work? Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­ Animals can talk!?¡± Red was not aware of the existence of other Races besides humans. It was not because she held humanity as superior to others, but simply because she was ignorant of this fact, and she didn¡¯t know whether to believe Agate. Snow would certainly have an answer to this. Red wiped the stains of her clothes with a wet washcloth. Items would remain wet even when stored within the Dimensional Storage. This also meant that food could be preserved indefinitely. She learned a little bit about hygiene and how to keep herself tidy thanks to the village. Hygiene didn¡¯t really matter to her since she didn¡¯t produce waste, though that didn¡¯t exempt her from bathing. Red had also helped with many chores, but she was a little too strong for some. Woodchopping was easy, scrubbing clothes on the other hand resulted in her tearing a few of the women¡¯s favorite dresses. It always scared her that she¡¯d do something that would get her kicked out. But the fact that she was still allowed to live with them meant two things. ¡°I¡¯m useful, and I¡¯m cute.¡± She nodded to herself. ¡°That¡¯s why Snow keeps me around to herself!¡± Delusion < The act of being deluded > ¡°Heh. You can¡¯t scare me with words I don¡¯t understand!¡± Red plucked an apple from the cargo and pulled it to her mouth. Moments before she could sink her teeth into the apple, she heard a scream echo in the woods. The apple hung by her mouth as she furrowed her eyes. ¡°Hm¡­ Weird. It¡¯s just like yesterday.¡± The scream did not belong to a human, so there was no need for Red to intervene. It was a distorted, guttural screech that could only come from an animal. The scream was joined by a cacophony of clashing steel, interrupting her yet again. ¡°¡­ Grrr¡­¡± She grumbled, conflicted whether to aid them or not. In one hand it was none of her business. They were not a part of her village, and she did not want to attract attention to Hearth Village. On the other hand, wasn¡¯t it the right thing to do? As a human being ¨C shouldn¡¯t she help fellow humans no matter what? It was certainly a skewed, naive way of thinking. But it was the only way Red knew how to be human. ¡°Ok, Red. It¡¯s just to see what¡¯s happening.¡± She promised herself before disappearing into the forest. * * * The apple she held plopped into a patch of grass at the base of an oak tree. Its sheen was different from the rest of the bunch. It was golden, yet black fluids oozed when it cracked into two like a rotten egg. The innards were nothing like an apple, its poison seeping into the soil. A low-pitched rumble came from the branches of the tree, its trunk groaning as though in torment. It ramped up as its branches twisted, shedding its leaves as it formed many long thorns along its trunk like a giant rose without a flowering bud. Then, it screamed with the same frequency as the one Red had heard earlier. 38. Brambles of Envy and Bitter Thorns Multiple screams echoed throughout the forest. At first it came from ahead as she chased after it, her blade held in hand as she swiped stray shrubbery to warm up for a potential brawl. Her blade knocked against bark at the beat of her own heart. Soon, screams arrived from her right. What¡¯s happening all of a sudden!? Then, from the left. The closer she approached the source the more screams emerged. An unholy cacophony of inhuman cries replaced the chirps of the birds. Birds migrated from the forest overhead as she kept her head down and her senses sharpened. //////// < CAUTION > //////// < Unknown > ¡°Unknown!? Agate this isn¡¯t the time to be ambiguous with me!¡± Red scorned as she scoured the forest. Eventually, she came across boxes of spilled fruits. Apples, berries, and colorful fruits she had never seen before littered the path. She rushed to investigate, sifting through soil but to her shock ¨C ¡°Where¡­ did the people go!? They couldn¡¯t have run. I¡¯m not seeing any tracks at all!¡± ¨C All hints of human interaction were scrubbed away. No, she realized that they probably didn¡¯t have a chance to escape. Pondering on this, she felt a dangerous chill run down her spine the moment she approached one of the boxes. Suddenly, and without warning, she threw herself to the side just before a thorny branch struck. ¡°That¡¯s ¨C! What is that!?¡± She grunted. If she was just a second slower then she would have been impaled from the head down. A thick root fell from the canopy like the arm of a praying mantis. ¡°No one said anything about living plants!¡± She took advantage of its attack and slashed it while it was sticking, claiming chunks of it. A vile, black fluid escaped from its wounds as she leaped away before another tentacle root attempted to impale her again. ¡°Tsk¡­¡± Red lifted her gaze to the canopy to check its status. At that same moment, droplets of red dripped from above. It was different from the black sludge found inside of the roots. The red came from dangling feet angled like an array of stalagmites. The people here didn¡¯t disappear. They were impaled, strangled, and crushed by the roots hiding within the canopy. ¡°Another¡­ Corrupted¡­?¡± Her instincts knew what it was. But there were certainly creatures and plants that preyed on the living. Just not here. Another reason why she wasn¡¯t certain was because she hadn¡¯t received a ¡®Warning¡¯ yet, like when she fought the Still Unloving.
Envious Brambles
LEVEL : 20 ATTRIBUTE : Obsession
ORIGIN : Folklore HP : 5,200 ATT : 300 MAG ATT : 300 AGI : 10
They were weak. Incredibly weak compared to Red. In fact, they¡¯d barely be able to damage her at all. But that was only if they struck her apparel. She didn¡¯t forget that her DEF stats were virtually nonexistent without her hooded clothes. It was too late to save them. Blood trained from their feet as more roots collapsed onto Red. She slashed them indiscriminately, latching her blade into one as she clambered above to find the source of the brambles. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Of course¡­ I wasn¡¯t the only damned Corrupted on board! But why did you have to show your face here!? What are you!?¡± Red cleaved away the branches, clearing the way as she found the tip of a tree that was missing its canopy. In place of it were severed limbs that were arranged like the petal of a flower. ¡°Are you like me!? Trying to be human too!?¡± She roared, leaping from her branch and onto its withering trunk. Her blade ran down its length, bleeding it of its rotting blood that held glimmers of red. Splinters exploded. Its bark had hardened significantly to make it resistant to attacks. But inside she noticed its flesh-like consistency, and she couldn¡¯t help but fear that this monster was the reason or the screams. Suddenly, its lacerated length flapped as it let loose of an unholy scream. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± That scream, as she only just realized, was the result of stole vocal cords that lined the interior of the Envious Brambles. Few figures barely resembling a human trembled within. Tiny roots drained the blood of its prey, taking it for its own. They were already dead, but the roots puppeted them as though to take what it lacked, stuffing itself with life as an abomination of humanity. Envious Brambles | HP: 2,300 ¡°AGAAAAATE!¡± Red screamed and resumed her assault. Her scream melded with the one of the tree-like entity, as well as countless that came from around the forest. ¡°IS THE VILLAGE OK!?¡± //////// < ALERT > //////// < Please return to Hearth Village > Red knew Agate could not have possibly known about the state of the Village. It was a warning of things to come. A promise if Red was not there to help them. Her eyes flashed with a faint glow as her emotions bubbled violently in her chest. [Huntress¡¯ Slash] allowed her to finish the creature off as she followed the red trail. All of its brambles were considered one entity, so she could not see the red mist. It did not change the outcome, however. The withering mass deflated as its HP dropped to 0. Its blood escaped into the forest. The bodies were still hung by its rotting vines. ¡°How could you do that to good humans?¡± Red questioned through gritted teeth before she dashed into the direction of Hearth Village. The skies began to darken unnaturally. There should have been enough daylight to ward off the shadows of the forest. Her speed increased, and she held her breath as a purple hue replaced the rays of the sun. ¡°Is this magic?¡± She was unfamiliar with the capabilities of magic. But deep down she knew that this phenomenon was eerily similar to the way the Still Unloving was able to alter the interior of the caverns, replacing stone with flesh. The trees became darker as their leaves bared red, for they had stolen it from the blood of humans. ¡°Are the Envious Brambles¡­ born from something like the Still Unloving?¡± No response was given, aside from the screams and orange glow of flames in the distance. She finally reached the final stretch to Heart Village, hearing hysterical screams fill the air. ¡°EVERYONE! RUN!¡± Red cried, but it seemed that the Village was already a step ahead of her. The Huntsman rounded everyone onto horse-drawn carriages. They took aboard the bare minimum to survive as he and several men set their homes alight to buy them time. He had experience against plant-based monsters. Fire was one of the greatest repellants. A flaming stick was thrown to Red the moment she showed her face. ¡°RED! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!? Tch¡­ Don¡¯t answer! Hurry and help Snow with the preparations ¨C!¡± Movement in the forest from where Red came from interrupted him. Red turned her back to the Huntsman, her blade held close to her face. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I held them back and you do that!?¡± ¡°Can we¡­ even leave it to a girl like her to ¨C!¡± ¡°Leave it to Red if you value your life.¡± The Huntsman shut down the protest of one of the villagers. If they had seen the way Red hunted, then they¡¯d understand why he trusted Red with their backs. He drew both crossbows. Normally, one would only be able to wield one at a time. Yet he carried them effortlessly as they hooked themselves to his forearms, freeing his hands. ¡°Young girl¡­ I do not know what happened, but it seems that there is an infection passed through the plants. Do not let them touch you. As great of a Healer Snow is, there is no person in this world that can turn back the clock.¡± ¡°Leave it to me! Rockie!¡± The Steel Bug stomped its legs as it joined her, ready to take on whatever came their way. Pandemonium continued despite Red¡¯s promise to save them. Her presence could not stave away the terror that devoured their minds. Their homes were going to disappear. Plant-based monsters were notoriously impossible to remove from homes, often reappearing years, or decades later to feast on an unsuspecting family. This was why they needed to be burned. No chances could be taken. This was the way of life outside of the cave. As men loaded and prepared the caravans to take off, she noticed Snow amongst the many faces, desperately healing the injured from both her village and others. Red vowed to protect them no matter the cost. That was what it meant to be human, right? Suddenly, something emerged from the forest. It was neither a branch nor a root. It was not even a plant either. What appeared was a human corpse puppeted by purple, thorny brambles. //////// < WARNING > //////// < TRICKLE > < THE ARBITER¡¯S TRUMPET BECKONS >
Bitter Thorn
LEVEL : 25 ATTRIBUTE : Obsession
ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 500 ATT : 550 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 15
Not one, nor two or five emerged. There were dozens. It was not a brawl that awaited her. It was a bloodbath. 39. Red and Grey VS Bitter Thorns Red¡¯s stats gave her a clear advantage against the Bitter Thorns. One strike was all she needed. She launched forward and began the offensive with [Huntress¡¯ Slash], following the red mist as she entered the onslaught of puppeted corpses. The brambles replaced bone and wrapped them like a cage of barbed wire. As soon as Red¡¯s blade connected with the brambles, she immediately realized there was a problem. ¡°Tch! Their DEF stats are higher than my ATT!?¡± Her blade was only able to just barely hack splinters away from the brambles. Were her blade any weaker then it would have shattered upon impact. She instantly threw herself backwards, skidding across the grass as Rockie rolled in like an oversized ball. Bitter Thorns were thrown and crushed under Rockie¡¯s immense weight. Though his ATT was nearly twice as low as Red¡¯s, he was able to damage the Bitter Thorns. ¡°Wanna let me know how you¡¯re doing that!?¡± Red didn¡¯t know if it was a Skill or some kind of effect. She tried to wrap her mind around it as she threw herself back into the midst, her blade still repulsed by the brambles. Sharp, wooden needles emerged from underneath the soil. Patches of disturbed dirt choreographed their attacks, allowing Red to swiftly maneuver around them as she followed her instincts but to no avail. ¡°No¡­ I see what¡¯s going on! The brambles aren¡¯t actually a part of them, are they!?¡± She cried out. She received a prompt as a reward for her observation. Bitter Thorn < Observation Level 1 > < Bitter Thorns are composed of two parts. The first is the shell that defends the Host. The second part is solely the host and contains the main HP pool of the Bitter Thorn > They were two separate parts despite being one entity. ¡°In simpler terms, it¡¯s like the clothes or armor of a person, huh? That¡¯s new to me! Usually things like pelt, skin and carapace are connected to the body in the first place! Plus ¨C!¡± Red should have expected this. Or rather, she should have simply went straight for the corpse it paraded. There were two reasons why she went for the brambles first. ¡°I thought the brambles were the actual entity!¡± She exclaimed, weaving her hand through the maze of thorns without receiving a single scratch. ¡°And the red mist isn¡¯t telling me to target their main body directly! Voice!¡± Five were felled as she danced between them, her AGI making her appear like a blur. ¡°Do segments affect my perception of the bloody trail!? Grr! This is a mess! A big mess! Mr. Huntsman! Are you ready to leave soon! There¡¯s more of them coming!¡± The few dozens turned to nearly a hundred as they emerged from the forest lines. Red moved like a red ribbon caught in the wind, spinning and carving the tip of her blade into the throats of her enemies. ¡°Parasites can¡¯t live without a body. But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. Parasites need a living thing, don¡¯t they, voice?¡± She asked herself as blood sprayed over the side of her face, painting her in red. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. In the back of her mind Red wondered where she had seen this creature before. Granted, her past life as a Corrupted was foggy as best, but the brambles were all too similar to a Corrupted she had faced in the past. The same went for the golden apples. In the meantime, the villagers could only watch in a blend of stupor and terror. ¡°We¡¯re almost ready! We¡¯re waiting for a forward scout before we can leave! It looks like the western side of the forest is the only place affect so far!¡± He roared as arrows fired by him whizzed past her shoulders, accurately pinning the heads of villages he recognized. Every arrow he fired was dipped with the poison of regret. Every trigger he pulled required a piece of his heart to be sacrificed. He knew those people. ¡°Mr. Huntsman! Don¡¯t you think that waiting will just make it even harder to escape!? I just blinked for all I remember before everything went to hell!¡± Red cried. Rockie in the meantime prevented Red from becoming overwhelmed. Each deafening crash of its metal carapace resulted in the displacement of tens of Bitter Thorns. They walked uneasily like on stilts to begin with. Limbs snapped in unintended directions, causing skin and flesh to tear. ¡°They will be here soon! There is a highway an hour away by horseback! They¡¯ve been gone for fifty minutes!¡± ¡°Ten minutes then! That¡¯s too much time to wait around! I can see Envious Brambles ahead!¡± ¡°Those are!?¡± A man cried out. ¡°¡­ Corrupted?¡± Snow wondered, squinting her eyes into the forest lines, spotting a wall of moving trees. ¡°I can¡¯t see their stats. Never mind their names. Red¡­? Are you sure you¡¯re not seeing things!?¡± Snow was the only Blessed in the village besides Red. Seeing stats was an ability reserved only for the Blessed. They could see the stats of everything except for two things. Other Blessed, and the Corrupted. ¡°TRUST ME! I¡¯m the one fighting in the front! Why would I lie!?¡± Red reasoned. ¡°Rockie! Use tackle! Break them apart!¡± Snow was about to retort, but she felt a wrinkled hand clasp onto her shoulder. ¡°Believe in the young woman.¡± Elda assured. ¡°I have seen the shape of her heart, as I have with yours¡­ Red!¡± The village elder suddenly called out, standing from the wagon with shaky legs. ¡°You said things occurred in the blink of an eye! How much time had passed for you before night fell!?¡± ¡°Minutes!¡± Red cried as bottles of oil attached to arrows were fired in her direction. Next, a flaming arrow ignited a wall of flames, giving Red some much needed relief as she clasped onto her knees, panting heavily. She was used to fighting big games, but the sheer numbers of the Bitter Thorns were far from her expertise. If they were just slightly more coordinated or proficient, then she would not have stood a chance. She was used to fighting things that were clearly living. Rockie Grey rammed them into the flames, keeping them there until they withered into ashes. Steel Bug Rockie Grey < Observation Level 1 > < Despite their relatively low RESIST stat, they are temporarily immune to Burn Stacks. When temperatures exceed 1,400 degrees Celsius or 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit, then induce 1000 Burn Stacks > ¡°I don¡¯t know who Celsius or Fahrenheit are, but I¡¯m guessing that just equals Rockie¡¯s melting point, right!?¡± No response again. Agate was awfully selective of when to impart its knowledge to her. Elda instead spoke, her hoarse voice cutting through the cacophony. ¡°Minutes¡­ Red! Young Red! How long did it take you to return to the village!?¡± ¡°Like I said¨C minutes ¨C!?¡± The deafening blare of a trumpet interrupted her as she came to a frightening realization. She was hours away from the village. Yet it only took her minutes to return. Somehow, the distance had not only been shortened, but time had also moved differently for her. The trumpet¡¯s call lasted for one minute straight. She looked up in the air, searching for answers. All she saw were the pale faces of the villagers who knew precisely what that trumpet entailed. ¡°The First Trumpet¡­ This is¡­ It really is a Corrupted¡­ An Augurist¡­ the trumpet caller of all disasters¡­¡± The Huntsman, whose strength was only second to Red¡¯s, trembled like death¡¯s scythe was held to his throat. Panic instantly ensued. People tumbled from the edge of the wagon, hands reaching down to drag them up. The stench of desperation melded with the despair. Among the fallen was Three Paw, whose barking could not be heard over the shouts and screams. ¡°This¡­ This shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± Snow uttered, somehow reaching Red¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡¯ve fought a Trickle before! That¡¯s only the first trumpet!¡± She proclaimed, trying to calm them down. However, Snow was not terrified because of this. Rather, it was the spacial and temporal abnormalities that gave rise to her terror. ¡°You¡¯re wrong Red! Red! Mr. Huntsman! We have to leave right now!¡± She cried. ¡°We¡¯re in a Corrupted Zone! There¡¯s a Corrupted in our forest that¡¯s manifested a Corrupted Zone!¡± ¡°Meaning? MEANING!?¡± A woman screeched, clasping onto Snow like she was her only strand of hope left. Snow could not stare back into her pleading eyes. ¡°¡­ We¡¯re in the domain of a Corrupted. We¡¯re in its home. This forest¡­ is likely to be an extension of whatever it is. Its rules. It¡¯s thoughts. Its desires, hopes¡­ purpose ¨C it distorts reality into the shape that best suits it. Like a terrarium.¡± It was not the answer they wanted. 40. Domain of The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns ¡°What¡­ does that mean? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!?¡± ¡°LEAVE THE HEALER ALONE!¡± A man slapped the woman away. ¡°She¡¯s just as clueless as we are! You know the Corrupted! How can you expect a Healer to know how a Corrupted thinks or behaves when they defy all reason!?¡± Snow dug into her diary. After reading a few short lines, she embraced it and announced: ¡°But! It¡¯s only a Trickle Corrupted! We can still get out of here! Its Corrupted Zone should not be strong enough to trap us!¡± ¡°Then what are we waiting for!?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there¡¯s no difference from waiting or leaving. We¡¯ll go! NOW!¡± The Huntsman announced. ¡°RED! On my signal! You¡¯re fast enough to reach us before the horses enter full speed!¡± Red nodded, flourishing her blade before resuming her hunt. By now over a hundred had broken through the tree lines, and hundreds more marched behind them. She dove straight into an opening created by Rockie, activating [Huntress¡¯ Slash]. This time, to her shock, her instincts told her to strike the vitals of one of the nearest Bitter Thorn. ¡°Help¡­ me¡­ Please¡­¡± The plead of a woman caused her blade to stop just at the throat of a Bitter Thorn. ¡°You¡¯re alive¡­?¡± Red could not process this, nor could she bring herself to kill another human. She retreated instead, avoiding various spines that arose from the earth, attempting to entangle her like what it did to the humans that were puppeted before her. In her split second of weakness, a single thorn lacerated the side of her waist.
Sweet Thorn
LEVEL : 5 ATTRIBUTE: Obsession
ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 100 ATT : 10 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 8
They were slow, weak, pitiful and easy to kill. But they were living humans. Just like Red. How could a human take the life of another? It was absurd to her. Humans were perfect beings in her mind. This hesitation caused yet another bramble to sneak up on her, resulting in a second attack that cut her thigh. ¡°Tch¡­ I don¡¯t believe it. How low do you have to be to use humans as shields!? I¡¯ll get you out of there! And I¡¯ll hunt every single one of you Thorns down if it¡¯s the last thing I¡¯ll ever do!¡± Red promised, shifting gears as she focused on the brambles of the Sweet Thorns. Just like the Envious Brambles, they were easy to cut. Black blood squirted from the hollow brambles with each blinding flash of red light. Her blade¡¯s tip grew red as her emotions heightened, further increasing her blade¡¯s power until she was able to cut even through the Bitter Thorns. ¡°REEEEEEEED! GET READY TO RUN!¡± The Huntsman called out at the top of his lungs as the roar of horses marked their escape. Red had one chance to save at least one person. She dragged one of the Sweet Thorns with her, swiftly cleaning off the brambles as she carried them on her back. Their arms flopped over her shoulders as she felt their cold, clammy body shiver behind her. ¡°ROCKIE! HURRY UP!¡± She cried. Rockie folded itself into a giant ball and began chasing down the wagon. ¡°I got you! It¡¯ll be alright! I¡¯ll come back and save the rest of your friends! I promise! Cause that¡¯s what humans do! Snow can save you!¡± Snow held out a hand, preparing to grab Red¡¯s hand as she approached. She was only just meters away. Suddenly, the hope in Snow¡¯s eyes turned to despair. ¡°Snow¡­?¡± ¡°WATCH OUT RED!¡± The hands that hung over her body suddenly constricted her. In the next instant, she felt a chunk of her shoulder disappear. Her legs slowed, and Snow¡¯s outstretched hand eventually disappeared into the darkness alongside the wagon. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!¡± Her words were unclear like an underwater shout. Something was tampering with Red¡¯s cognition. //////// < WARNING > //////// < The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns¡¯ Poison Begins Its Infection > < Its Brambles Scour the Forest For the Most Perfect > There was one thing Red had forgotten. The status of the Sweet Thorn was just that. They were a Sweet Thorn. She had never received the stats of a human. Therefore, they were not human to begin with despite their appearance. Indeed, the reason why she had lost a part of her shoulder, and why she was suddenly constricted was because of the Sweet Thorn she had mistakenly believed to be human. It was a mistake governed by emotion rather than rationality; the enemy of a huntress. And she paid the ultimate price for her lapse of judgement. ¡°I¡­ Just wanted to save another person¡­ another human¡­¡± Red lamented, dropping to her knees. She could no longer feel her body. All it took was a single cut to be brought down. The Sweet Thorn clumsily attempted to turn Red¡¯s body over as she felt, wanting to see her face. ¡°Help me¡­¡± ¡°Save me¡­¡± ¡°¡­ I want to live¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Is this apple tasty?¡± It spoke as it clambered onto her. Since its legs and arms were made of branches, its movements were stiff. Both arms impaled the ground beside Red¡¯s head as it reeled its upper body back. A jagged thorn emerged from its mouth, preparing to impale Red¡¯s face. There was nothing Red could do anymore. Her fingers twitched but she could not muster enough strength or will to fend for herself. Still, she remained defiant until her last breath. Just then, a tiny bark caused her eyes to widen. ¡°Three Paw¡­?¡± The tiny wolf lunged at the Sweet Thorn, knocking it off Red. ¡°Why are you¡­ still here? The wagon¡­ Hurry and get back to the wagon¡­!¡± It approached Red¡¯s face, staring at her pitiful form. ¡°¡­ So you¡¯re gonna eat me now? I knew it. You¡¯re just like every other wolf¡­¡± It licked her face. She expected its teeth to sink into her flesh. But it just sat there, comforting her as Rockie stormed the battlefield, trying to keep the swarm away from her. She figured that they had no interest in it solely because it was a Rock Bug. ¡°Most perfect¡­ Are they talking about humans¡­?¡± Sweet Thorn < Observation Level 1 > < The result of ¡®Perfect¡¯ beings caught by the Envious Brambles. Perfect beings are able to resist the transformation into a Bitter Thorn. The beings within the brambles are considered imperfect apples > ¡°Apples¡­? Just like what I saw earlier.¡± Red saw an apple exit the mouth of the Sweet Thorn beside her. ¡°Are you¡­ also trying to become human too¡­?¡± Red¡¯s words could not reach them. These entities were Corrupted ¨C the same kind of thing Red once was. A mindless being hellbent on a purpose only they could understand. Rockie could not reach Red any longer. The swarm came like a tidal wave, erasing the burning homes of the village she wished she could have continued to call home. It was all taken away in an instant. All that happiness disappearing like the grains of an hourglass. Three Paw tried to comfort her. ¡°¡­ there are a million wolves out there, but there was just one that killed my grandmother.¡± Red uttered, her mind hazy from the poison. ¡°But maybe out of a million more¡­ there could be one that would¡¯ve licked her hand like a good pup. You got left behind again, huh.¡± Three Paw whimpered. ¡°At least you got someone to stick by you to the very end. Celebrate that. Just don¡¯t come back as a Corrupted if you die¡­ But that won¡¯t happen. Just run¡­ you runt. I¡¯m not going to die here¡­ I¡¯m not ¨C!¡± A thorn suddenly impaled her chest from beneath the ground. ¡°¡­ Going to die¡­?¡± Three Paw was swept away by the swarm of Corrupted. Its fate was left in the hands of the world. A sudden prompt appeared before her eyes, causing her to sigh one last time. < Bond Level with Three Paw has risen > < Fellowship > < Three Paw | Lvl: 10 > * * * //////// < WARNING > //////// < The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns¡¯ Poison Has Taken Effect > These words appeared before the eyes of Red. Ragged breaths were taken through pierced lungs. A horrible croak left her bleeding lips as she desperately gasped for air. No words could leave her lips. There was so little she knew to begin with aside from the hatred she bared. ¡°¡­ live¡­ wake up¡­ and die now¡­?¡± Her broken words were accompanied by the pain that spread through her body. A living root grew from the side of her, reaching for the moonlit skies like a hand. Tendrils spread across her body like poisoned veins, hardening as they gorged on her flesh. < Your Body Corrodes > < The Bitter Thorns Are Envious > For the first time she experienced unimaginable pain. Her memories of hunting creatures like herself reminded her that this fate was inevitable. Her red-hooded cloak became saturated with blood as she stared at the moon with fading eyes. ¡°¡­ I¡­ have to kill the White Wolf¡­ who ate grandma¡­¡± Only nonsensical words could leave her lips. ¡°¡­ the monsters¡­ that hurt people¡­ that make them sleep forever¡­¡± The girl¡¯s aspirations had hit a dead end. And she aspirated on them in her last moments, hearing a phantom howl and the sound of distant explosions. The dead trees of the woodlands shivered. The leaves never sat still to mourn her. Once again, she¡¯d be sent into the darkness of the void. All alone to be left suspended in a sea of emotional torment for no reason of her own. ¡°I¡­ was born as a monster¡­ but I helped people¡­ I thought good people¡­ don¡¯t die¡­ is it because I¡¯m a monster¡­?¡± Soon, the growing thorn blocked the light of the moon as it bared a purple fruit. An apple hung at the top, made from the fluids it had stolen from her. It was different from the golden apples. Death¡¯s call neared; their scythe held against her throat. The end was near. But even so, her heart had not yet been vanquished. Vengeance: a blazing wrath replaced all fleeting sensation as she marked the Corrupted entity ¨C the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns ¨C for elimination. Indeed. She remembered exactly what this entity was. Before she was plunged into that sea of darkness, a message suddenly appeared: //////// < CAUTION > //////// < You Have Accumulated 1 Nemesis Token Against the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns > 41. A Dark Forest Red fell asunder to the darkness. Something teared at her. The sensation was not physical by any means. It went beyond her senses and assailed what she could only describe as her soul. < Once upon a time, there was a girl who lived in a dark forest > A voice spoke to her as she was suspended in an infinite darkness. It was the same darkness she saw whenever her eyes closed. But she innately knew that this void was associated with the place she fell into after fighting the wolves, and the Still Unmoved. In fact, she arrived in this place precisely whenever she was on the verge of death. < She didn¡¯t know it was dark. The world in her eyes shone brightly in her eyes because she did not know what the concept of bright world was. Overhanging canopies purposefully grew to such immense heights not to relish in the sunlight, but to smear the light of stars > Accompanying this voice was the same ticking as well. It was a cathartic sound. But to a huntress like her, she wondered if that ticking was a countdown. If so, then to what? < A na?ve little girl found herself in the dark forest, roaming its expanse to share her kindness > < Oh. Did you think I meant that the forest was absent of light? Perhaps it was. Perhaps it will always be. There is a concept dreamt by humanity. Would you like to hear it, lost lamb? > The voice asked for her input. But Red could not feel or open her mouth to respond. Yet when she answered ¡®yes¡¯ with her heart, the voice seemed to understand her, like it could read the very language of her heartbeat. < Everything is hostile so they must stay hidden within the dark forest. It is called a dark forest because of the supposed hostile nature of our world and beyond. But this little girl wandered through it with a lantern of light. In her hand was a basket of goods meant for her cherished ones. However, there was a beast waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike > Red recalled this from her memories. This was her story, wasn¡¯t it? The fathoms and mysteries that ultimately constituted her as a Corrupted. No one really knew how Corrupted were made, neither did Red know where or how she came to be. All she knew was this tale. All she knew was that this belonged to her. < She lost everyone. They were impaled by white fangs. Then she was imprisoned in a cycle of hatred > If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. This was why she despised wolves. < Her hatred became infinite > The gentle, ghostly voice disappeared with the ticking all at once. Suddenly, it returned by tenfold, carrying a gravitas that caused Red¡¯s being to instinctively shudder. ¡°Red. Tell me. What do you see yourself as?¡± The question was immensely personal. Red had only one answer, but she could not verbalize it to her. After uttering, ¡°A human.¡± With her heart, the voice subsided. It disappeared. Somehow, Red felt like the voice had heard her again. But because she could not verbalize this, it was not seen as an answer. Red had to ask herself if this was a good thing. Whatever the case was¡­ < Two Sanity Tokens has been deducted > //////// < WARNING > //////// < Lowering Sanity increases the likelihood of instability > < When Sanity reaches 0¡­ > < Sanity Scale > < 8 > ¡­ Red was all the more closer to reaching the end of this countdown. * * * ¡°Gah! *cough* Ungh! Grrr¡­¡± The sound of painful heaving and grunting filled the cold air. Red awakened in a world absent of light. Dark trees surrounded her as she rolled in the dirt, clasping at her body that had been impaled by thorns. ¡°Nothing¡­? No wounds at all? Did Snow¡­ come back to heal me? How come I¡¯m¡­ gah!¡± Her body had miraculously recovered from near¡­ no, certain death. Red knew that she should have died then and there, but by some miracle, she was alive. Not only that, but her body was in perfect condition. It was painful, but aside from that, Red had somehow returned from the scythe of death. ¡°I must be too angry to die¡­ Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Rockie? Rockie? Hello¡­?¡± Nothing. She observed her surroundings far and wide and saw no signs of her buggy friend. The forest itself had also changed. Each tree was twisted and possessed giant thorns that seemed to mimic teeth. Despite the lack of a canopy, the skies were irrevocably dark. No stars shone in this world. Only the light of the moon could be seen, shining a gentle, solemn glow as if mourning what happened to the world. ¡°Agate¡­ how about you? Are you still there?¡± //////// < WARNING > //////// < You are currently within a Corrupted Zone > < TRICKLE > < THE ARBITER¡¯S TRUMPET BECKONS > | Forest of Everlasting Envy | < This is the name of the Corrupted Zone > < CONDITION: All denizens may not leave the Forest of Everlasting Envy until the Suppression or Subjugation of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns > ¡°¡­ This place, it all belongs to a single Corrupted?¡± She took the silence as a ¡°Yes.¡± Red was not too familiar with Corrupted Zones. This was because it was a phenomenon highly associated with more powerful Corrupted. For context, there were 7 risk classification levels of the Corrupted, each associated with the 7 trumpets of a being called the Arbiter. But Red was only aware of the first 3, which was the limit of what could be contained inside of a Site. Trickle, Hailstorm, Monsoon. These could then be further broken down further into: Green Trickle, Yellow Trickle, Blue Trickle, Red Hailstorm, Violet Hailstorm, Black Monsoon and finally, White Monsoon. Red used to fall into the Violet Hailstorm category. She remembered all of this thanks to the presence of the Corrupted that owned this Corrupted Zone. ¡°The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns. I remember them. That branch human-wannabe did something similar too and were even kept in the same Site. Agate. Do you think that someone sent us here on purpose? So that we can have a rematch or something?¡± The Voice didn¡¯t answer again. She took it as the Voice saying, ¡°That¡¯s all in your head.¡± Red¡¯s history with the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns was a dot in history at best. They had fought in a flourishing forest before, but both were taken down by the act of eating a poisoned apple which ultimately resulted in their capture. It did not help that Red¡¯s past was still hazy at best and did not have much depth aside from her being a mindless monster. ¡°I¡¯m not as strong as I was before¡­ But if its minions are also Trickle, then wouldn¡¯t that mean this Corrupted is also weak?¡± Red dusted her apparel, grabbing her weapons that were littered around her. The ground didn¡¯t have a single bush or shrub. It was all just dirt, trees, and bulging roots. Once her rifle was hooked around her back, and her blade held in her hand, she ventured forward. A single thought ran in her mind as she allowed the darkness to swallow her. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯m the only one whose wish came true. I was reborn because of it. Weak, but thankfully human. So what did the other Corrupted wish for?¡± This thought stuck with her. 42. Observations of Envy Red cut through the dark forest like a proverbial knife. A seemingly infinite forest unraveled itself. Fresh trails littered the ground leading deeper into the forest only to unexpectedly terminate. The trees were alive. Envious Brambles waited for their next prey within the desolate canopies. The light of an eternal moon could barely illuminate the forest floor, putting Red at a disadvantage. However, this did not change that she could still follow the Bloody Trail. Additionally, the tendrils that swiped at her could only do a maximum of 1 ATT damage and 150 MAG ATT damage so long as she was wearing her clothes. The real problem is getting caught by the brambles. I still don¡¯t know how high their DEF stats are. I won¡¯t let it happen again. I didn¡¯t know it could play tricks like that¡­ but what if they really were still alive deep down? A wave of thoughts assailed her as did dozens of brambles from above the canopy. They stabbed at the ground, temporarily jamming themselves in place which gave Red an opportunity to cleave them in rapid succession. The faintest silver glint shone on the edge of her blade as it carried a slight, red orb at the tip. A trail of red followed wherever The Hunt Must Go On moved. It appeared like the floating ribbons of a performer, and when more than 3 were grouped together ¨C then it became a Bloody Mist. This mist made up for her disadvantages in the dark, as it allowed her to sense the movement of her attackers so long as they were inside of the Bloody Mist. She sidestepped their ruthless jabs that could easily skewer a human like she could see seconds into the future. Not only that, but the wounds she inflicted applied the Bleeding Condition, which caused black and vibrant, red coagulated blood to dribble from the bark. Bleeding Condition < Target loses a percentage of Total HP per second. Bleeding Condition is determined by the number of Bleed Stacks a target has > Agate revealed that this was also determined by the RESIST stat of the target rather than their DEF value. ¡°I¡¯m no doctor, but wouldn¡¯t having a tougher body make you more resistant? What¡¯s the RESIST stat gotta do with having a good anti-bleeding factor?¡± Red demanded an answer from Agate. She may as well have shouted to the air, because the Voice was unwilling to answer her. ¡°Fine then¡­ Maybe you¡¯ll start talking after I kill these things first!¡± Envious Brambles < Observation Level 1 > < They didn''t understand why they were born the way they were. So they look at others for what they lack > She cleaved through the Envious Brambles with spectacular ease. They were only level 20 Corrupted¡­ no, denizens of a Corrupted. The Envious Brambles were beings created by the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns, so killing them did not amount to much. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. However, at the tail end of her slaughter, she finally found the time to further study their bodies. A mound of quivering brambles and tree trunks that were split in the middle, spilling human remains like they were its organs splayed before her. ¡°There are three kinds of enemies, huh. This is the one that hunts people for nutrients.¡± Red commented, lifting various parts that she found difficult to study. They were all rotting and emitted a foul odor; the kind that could only be explained as ¡®death¡¯. ¡°They were still alive until I killed the Envious Brambles.¡± She stared into the soulless eyes of a dead man before taking a bramble in her hand. ¡°For you, fellow human. But before that¡­ Can I even Appraise this?¡± Broken Bramble of an Envious Tree < The bramble of a denizen of the Forest of Everlasting Envy. Has no notable anomalous properties. Highly poisonous > //////// < ALERT > //////// < But it may be consumed safely > ¡°Uhuh. If I didn¡¯t know any better than I wouldn¡¯t believe you. I feel like I¡¯ve eaten worse things and haven¡¯t gotten sick, or whatever humans go through when they eat something bad. I don¡¯t think I can cook this, so I¡¯m back to basics!¡± Then, she took a bite of the bramble. It was surprisingly tender, like she had bitten into a slab of meat with a crispy, burnt edge. Dark juice poured from the bramble and dribbled down her chin. Despite it clearly being poisonous, Red did not exhibit any signs of poisoning. Perhaps it was linked to how she was able to devour the stats of the creatures she ate. However ¨C ¡°*Cough* Pfffft. *Spits* Ugh¡­ No wonder you¡¯re envious of humans. You taste like mud. I bet humans taste good. Not that I¡¯d try. That¡¯s taboo, right!?¡± ¨C It did not change that she was still eating something awful. Additionally, she had choked on an ever so familiar gemstone. A dull-purple gemstone sat in her palm, waiting to be devoured. ¡°¡­ could it be that this Corrupted is closer to the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns, while the others don¡¯t have a gemstone because they¡¯re made from people? But they haven¡¯t disintegrated like the other one¡­ Anyway ¨C Helloooo? Elysia to Agate? Is eating humans a taboo or something?¡± < Taboos of Justicia > < There are 12 Taboos in Elysia, each governed and punishable by a Branch of Justica Arm. Being found guilty of any of these 12 Taboos ¨C including Cannibalism ¨C will result in immediate persecution by their Flocks > ¡°Branch¡­ Oh right, isn¡¯t Hearth Village under the juristic-something of Justica Hands¡­ Arms, I mean? I don¡¯t want to get on the bad side of people who want to protect humans. I bet they¡¯re just like me!¡± Red shrieked with delight, hoping to get along with this protective body. If they were willing to keep Snow¡¯s identity a secret and indirectly protect her, then how can they not get along!? But¡­ these were only thoughts. Red entertained them as she tried to get her bearings in this strange place. There wasn¡¯t a direction for her to follow. Just trees, trees, and more trees with the occasional Bitter Thorn and Sweet Thorn. Red pondered about the safety of Hearth Village as she gained the Stats of the Envious Brambles. She hoped that they managed to make it out of here. But more than that¡­ ¡°¡­ I hope they¡¯re ok.¡± She doodled on the soil with her food, drawing crude, scribble-like faces of Snow, Rockie and a strange creature. It had ears that did not belong to their a human or an insect, and Red quickly erased it as she gathered her thoughts. That figure was Three Paw. Before she left, Red suddenly received a second Observation message. Envious Brambles < Observation Level 2 > < Distilled flavors were injected through their xylems. They thought they could easily fill an empty vessel > It was different from the Bitter Thorn and the Sweet Thorn. She felt as though a story was being told through them. The words were harsh and seemed to mock the Envious Brambles. Red had to wonder where these passages came from. The Bitter Thorns and Sweet Thorns were spoken through an objective voice. But not here. The Corrupted were always strange, and this did not help. ¡°Well, only one thing to do now.¡± Red said as she dumped the gemstone into her mouth. And as soon as she crushed it in her teeth ¨C ¨C she heard a familiar scream. It was Snow. 43. Following The Screams
Envious Brambles
< A hollow vessel born with the purpose of being filled. So it asked itself: ¡°Why were we born needing nutrients from the world if not to complete us?¡± >
ORIGIN : Trauma ATTRIBUTE : Obsession
< 1 > There was once a tree that lived in the center of a secluded forest. It lived alone in a large clearing, surrounded by nothing but dried grass. It asked itself as it looked at the green pastures beyond its reach: ¡°Why was I born this way?¡± The tree had no mouth to speak, unlike the animals that visited it. Nor did it have any ears to hear their voices. It had no nerves to feel how they brushed by its trunk, or hands to thank them for keeping it company. It stared at the beautiful spires of a distant palace. The benevolent queen of their lands lived there and was said to be the reason why the kingdom was so prosperous. The tree looked at itself again and wondered once more: ¡°Why can¡¯t I be like them?¡± Years of observing the animals led it to a strange epiphany. It had seen how the jaws of animals sank into others. Even bears ate their own kind, whereas trees did not. The trees merely took nutrients from the soil. So it wondered as the innards of a bird were smeared picturesque across its hollow trunk. ¡°Can I be like them if I stuff myself full of their viscera?¡± It recognized that all things that lived carried red fluids. Trees, however, could only produce sap. Envious brambles grew from beneath its roots, repackaging excess viscera into apples so that others stuff themselves full to become free. * * * The tale had similar nuances to the Still Unborn and the Still Unmoved. They were creatures born to consume, but in the Envious Bramble¡¯s instance, they sought to change their diet in hopes of becoming something else. Corrupted were born in strange ways and interpreting their tales literally was not always correct. Red knew that trees could not live, although this was also up in the air. It felt more like a metaphorical representation of something. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The reason why she felt this way was because of how similar it was to the Still Unborn¡­ no, the Attribute of Obsession. ¡­ Both were a weird contemplation of wanting something. The Still Unborn asked ¡®why¡¯ they were incomplete then they were born. The Envious Brambles are asking ¡®why¡¯ they were born this way¡­ The nature of the world was far stranger than Red imagined, but it only further fueled her curiosity. Before she could dabble further into the deep end and overload her 2 brain cells, Agate gave her an answer. Verdanian < A plant-based race that can speak to nature > ¡°Like trees? But that doesn¡¯t make sense. Are you saying that plants are alive?¡± < Unknown > If she wasn¡¯t hurrying up towards the screams, then she would have lashed out at Agate. Now wasn¡¯t the time to get riled up. Not when a friend was in danger. ¡°I wonder if that tree really was the origin of the Envious Brambles. Do you think the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns believes in the same thing?¡± Agate left her to marinate in silence for the nth time, as if to allow Red to come to her own conclusions. ¡°Such a headache. What¡¯s next, a Corrupted tomato with a backstory of how it was cut up and put into a sandwich? But, you know¡­ now that I think about it ¨C doesn¡¯t that make you think that Corrupted are born because ¨C!?¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± Another scream broke out before she could finish her words. Whatever she had in mind had to wait as she bent her upper body parallel to the ground. She pushed forward against another wave of Envious Brambles, hoping that Snow was ok. * * * Red had heard enough screams to the point where they all sounded the same. But in a way, she also felt like she hadn¡¯t heard enough where she could discern their level of distress. Screams usually came when someone was either frightened or faced with death. Trepidation was ultimately the root cause. Yes. Fear was why people screamed. She remembered her time in the Sites ¨C the facilities that harvested the Corrupted. The humans that worked on them were as disposable as an ant in a colony of thousands. And yet, they screamed the loudest when they were faced with death. Red remembered calloused hands being melted away by acrid goop spat out by a singing toad, or how a Worker danced until their boots degraded, and their feet becoming so sheered that all that remained were bones. Or when Workers were sent into a room called an elevator to immediately suppress her. Moving through the Site¡¯s layers induced a phenomenon with two outcomes. The first was when one descended too quickly and resulted in a person being crushed by the air alone. The second occurred during the ascent. The elevator doors would open, revealing flesh, blood and raw fat spread across the elevator interior. It was a reaction so violent that blood would evaporate. The scent of fresh viscera and blood, and the way the trees dribbled with human remains from their hollow cavities reminded her of this common scene. The screams she followed brought her to a series of dead ends and recently deceased bodies. Thankfully, none of them seemed to belong to Snow. Red scrutinized the remains of the Envious Brambles, finding torn clothes sprawled across the ground. ¡°Snow wears white robes. And the hair on those heads up there aren¡¯t white either.¡± Red commented, looking up at a crown of impaled heads above the tree in question. ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t remember anyone wearing these clothes in the village. Everyone must¡¯ve made it out, but how come I can still hear Snow?¡± Red hadn¡¯t actually heard Snow scream before. But for some reason, her mind had gone to the woman. Was she worried about Snow? ¡°Of course I am. Snow is my first human friend. I want to know where Rockie went too. You¡¯d think a giant boulder would stand out in the middle of a forest.¡± Indeed, Rockie would have stood out immediately by silhouetting against the vertical and thin shapes of the forest with their giant, round body. It had already been a few hours since she woke up; at least from what she could tell. And yet, there were still people screaming around her. Screaming so loudly that Red couldn¡¯t help but to now wonder if they were actually¡­ ¡°Traps¡­? They could take over people, so maybe they can even mimic their voices?¡± Red didn¡¯t find any evidence of this yet, but it was definitely possible. Her instincts told her to be cautious as she applied logic to the situation. ¡°Right. Who in their right mind would yell in a dark forest? You¡¯re just asking to get attacked first. If Snow¡¯s clever¡­¡± Suddenly, she heard a dull thwack in the distance. To the untrained ears ¨C this sound would have easily gone unnoticed. But Red saw this as a definite sign of life. ¡°¡­ then she¡¯d keep her mouth shut. That reminds me. Wasn¡¯t she calmer than the villagers?¡± It was a throwaway thought, but a part of it lingered in the back of her mind as she followed the sound of the thwack. 44: The Huntsman and Snow The Central Forest of Justicia rarely found itself inhabited by dangerous creatures. Wild animals such as the Spiked Boars, Razor Antelopes and the Threaded Bears were the worst that the Central Forest of Justica had to offer. But this was mitigated by the mandatory presence of a Huntsman or an equivalent-levelled village guardian to prevent these animals from wiping out their settlements. The hired Huntsmans of the Arachnida Association played a vital part in controlling the population of dangerous animals. Like their namesakes suggested, they were akin to territorial spiders who fed on unwanted visitors. However, Huntsmen were comparatively weak compared to their peers in the Arachnida Association. Furthermore, the Green Rangers Branch of the Arachnida Association was comprised of roughly a few hundred Huntsmen of varying skill. They oversaw the protection of the Central Forest of Justica and its neighbors under the client ¨C Justica Arms. The levels of danger in this region did not require the presence of stronger personnel. If something were to occur, then Justica Arms were close enough to deal with the threat. Where the Huntsmen used a crossbow and bolts, those who carried weapons similar to Red¡¯s utilized teleporting crystal bullets. But a Corrupted Zone changed everything. A Corrupted was one thing, and monster were another. But a world dictated by the fathoms of a Corrupted was impossible to predict, let alone be prepared for. ¡°They said it¡¯s only a Trickle-level Corrupted, but that could mean Green, Yellow or Blue. I¡¯d be able to singlehandedly deal with a Green Trickle, but if it¡¯s Yellow or Blue¡­¡± The gruff voice of a hardy man uttered. He managed to squeeze these words out through his clenched teeth as she finished slaughtering a small band of Bitter Thorns. Though their brambles were too hard for his blade or crossbow bolts to penetrate, the parts that were still human were vulnerable. He removed his blade from the chest of a man tangled in the black tendrils before kneeling to close his eyelids. ¡°We¡¯re not rated to fight the Corrupted. This is madness¡­ Cursed beings. Theses people are from nearby villages.¡± None of their faces matched the people from Hearth Village. He waged to guess that they were able to leave safely before the Corrupted Zone fully closed them into this dark world. Just hours ago, the caravan carrying the villagers of Hearth were struck down by the living branches of the trees. However, thanks to some luck, the bottles of oil had set it alight, allowing the villagers to escape on foot. Of course, they didn¡¯t leave unscathed, and Mr. Huntsman vividly recalled the lacerations that ran along their backs as they were whipped by the flailing tendrils. Were it not for Snow, then many would have bled out within minutes. But due to Snow¡¯s diligence and kindness as a Healer; her chance to escape was lost. Mr. Huntsman didn¡¯t know if Snow had left or not, as his back had been turned to her at the time before the flames separated them. ¡°This one isn¡¯t Snow either.¡± He meticulously checked the bodies, closing their eyes one by one and checking their hair color, hoping that he wouldn¡¯t find a strand of white. He could have also escaped, but he was loyal to his cause to protect Snow no matter the cost. Failure would result in immediate termination (death), often in the form of being fed to an Octanid; an Anid that lived by turning people into living slurries of pure, liquified biomass which would function as its blood. Of course, one would still be alive and conscious as long as the Octanid was alive, but in his heart, he was more afraid of losing Snow. He carried a pendant with a picture of a girl with black hair. She looked nothing like Snow, but whatever he felt towards this person in the pendant was directed to Snow. ¡°Sorrow will get a man nowhere. It would be too dangerous to call out her name. Besides¡­¡± He clasped at his left hand. Blood dribbled from his shoulder down to his fingertips, pooling within his glove. ¡°¡­ I won¡¯t last long if I keep on fighting like this.¡± Huntsmen like Mr. Huntsman of Hearth Village were run of the mill Huntsmen ¨C who were generalist soldiers with respectable strength.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He was not like the Red Backs and the Black Widows who specialized in poison and espionage, or the Golden Orbs who were the administrative personnel of the Arachnida Association, never mind the Tarantulas or the Funnel Webs who were the most powerful members with levels as high as 80. He was visibly rattled by the situation. His Association was not built to deal with the Corrupted. Generally, this fell into the hands of Adventurers, hired arms, Ateliers, and other significant bodies. After a certain threat level, the sacred beings called the Moons of the Nexus would be dispatched to deal with them. But no one would bat an eye for a Trickle Corrupted. Help would not arrive immediately, if at all. He could only pray that the villagers who escaped would alert someone of the Corrupted Zone. Otherwise¡­ ¡°¡­ We¡¯ll have to survive for as long as possible. Red¡­ That girl. If she were still alive, then Subjugating the Corrupted would be our goal.¡± Despite his fears, he was mentally calm and still had the capacity to make rational decisions here. He kept his head down and removed any armor that was either too heavy or made too much noise. A Corrupted of this caliber would tear through his armor like it was nothing. If anything, wearing such armor would only be detrimental to his survival. A blade, his dual crossbows, a reserve of 50 bolts, simple tools, a flint and steel striker as well as a few bottles of oil were all he kept on his person as he navigated through the forest. He kept to the darkness, holding his blade close to his chest. Hunters were experts in stealth. They were opportunistic hunters, after all. A direct confrontation was rarely necessary. A single strike in an animal¡¯s vital was all they needed. But how would one do this with a Corrupted? He slayed Bitter Thorns along the way. Bolts that penetrated the hearts of the people they took over did not kill them. Neither did destroying their heads fully bring them down. It was not until a certain amount of blood had been drained that they could no longer move, but the way their blood spilled was too slow, like it had been thickened. It threw a hunter like him off. Vitals were the most prized targets for living beings. This was the same for people, animals, monsters¡­ even certain fungi and living plants were the same. However, the Corrupted did not operate on logic. They opposed the logos of the living and the world. Such irrational existences could not be dealt with by ordinary people. It did not help that each Corrupted were so vastly different from another. It was impossible to take the lessons learned from one and apply it to another. Thankfully, it was possible in here. Otherwise, he would have already secummbed to the Corrupted. Blackened blood marred his body as he trudged onwards, lamenting the loss of Red, and praying for the survival of Snow. Eventually, he came across a small creek. There was no one in sight, and the tall grass provided enough cover to let him rest for a moment. He used the short moment of respite to clean his arms as well as wash out his left hand. It was cut deeply. Normally, he would not have used a creek to wash out his wounds at the risk of an infection. But considering this was within a Corrupted Zone, it was safe to assume that it was clean. He took a small swig of it in his palm. ¡°Putrid¡­¡± And he nearly wretched at the taste. But his body confirmed that it was indeed safe for now, so drank as much as he could, sipping on the disturbed surface like a dog. Suddenly, a silver glimmer caught his eye. A strand of white hair floated atop the creek. He immediately grabbed the strand, studying it close to see if it was merely spider silk or if was truly someone¡¯s hair. His eyes brown bloomed agape as he realized who this belonged to. But before he could say a word ¨C ¡°Rockie? Wait¡­ you¡¯re not¡­ Rockie!?¡± ¨C Snow¡¯s voice was cut off by the mangled screech of a beast. The Huntsman cleaved the long grass as he chased down the sound. He trudged through a small marsh before finally stumbling across a field of bodies. Each were wrapped in thorny tendrils. They dug into their flesh, syphoning blood. It was funneled to a large, 2-meter-tall Rock Bug, whose legs were replaced with branches, and its shell cracked open like a broken egg. Snow was among the many bodies, but she was not trapped like them. Few of the bodies in fact had not yet been ensnared, most of which were beautiful women, much like the entity that took Red down. ¡°Mr. Hunter!?¡± Snow wore a shocked expression, like she couldn¡¯t believe that he was still alive. But more than that, her face was wracked with pain, though her body thankfully didn¡¯t show any visible wounds. ¡°Snow!? Ghk¡­ Move! Quickly! It must not know you¡¯re there!¡± The Huntsman knew that escape was impossible. Only one of them could leave alive. There was no way to tell how strong that creature was, but even so ¨C ¡°I¡¯ll distract it while you run!¡± ¨C He began clanking his blade against his metal bolts, alerting the Rock Bug of his presence. ¡°I can¡¯t! Mr. Huntsman ¨C you¡¯re the one who needs to run! It¡¯s collecting us! But it hasn¡¯t hurt us yet!¡± It refused to change its target despite Snow¡¯s claim. Its beady eyes followed the barefoot Snow run a short distance before its mandibles began to salivate. Suddenly, it lunged forward. It was sluggish, but it would easily catch up with the speed of a regular Healer like Snow. Although it may not have wanted to kill Snow, it was dead set on capturing her. As a result, there was only one thing the Huntsman could do. He fired a steel bolt at one of its eyes. If it were an ordinary beast, then it would have retched in agony. However, it simply continued moving onward, caring little of its injuries as it trampled over the deceased, impaling them with its thorny legs. There was no telling what they wanted Snow for, nor the others who it had yet to infect with its brambles. But it was clear that their fate would be worse. 45. A Healers Plight The Huntsman did not have many options here. If he stayed to fight, then death was certain. His left arm was on the brink of losing its strength due to his blackened blood. But if he left, then Snow would undoubtedly be turned into that creature that had tricked Red. He clenched his teeth and rearmed his crossbow, feeding it another steel bolt as he took aim once again. ¡°SNOW GET MOVING BEFORE WE BOTH ARE KILLED!¡± ¡°But ¨C!¡± ¡°MOVE!¡± Snow wanted to refuse. She was not captured like the rest of the beautiful women present. Not did she have it in her head to just abandon them. But there was nothing she could do. A Healer had no power, nor any say in these circumstances. She was no more than sheep in a field of wolves. The Huntsman channeled his inner rage and hurled multiple shots at the infected Rock Bug. He trudged around the marsh that the beast had called home. Mud clung to his boots like glue, but even at this speed he was still faster than the infected Rock Bug. Eventually, the creature turned its attention to him when one of its bramble-like legs was severed by a well-placed shot. ¡°KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!¡± It screeched. Immediately, distant shuffling echoed throughout the dark woodlands. It had alerted the forest of their presence. ¡°RUN SNOW! I WILL CATCH UP TO YOU!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Don¡¯t die!¡± Snow cried and immediately threw herself across the marsh, tumbling, tripping and falling face first. She swallowed a mouthful of mud and was already panting after just twenty meters. The Rock Bug reared its head towards Snow, but a bolt clinked off its head, returning its attention to him. ¡°THIS WAY, YOU WALKING STONE! I¡¯M WHAT YOU WANT!¡± It had finally considered him a legitimate threat. Otherwise, it would have continued to ignore him. The advantage was overwhelmingly in the favor of the Rock Bug. The moment it closed the distance was the moment he¡¯d perish. Thankfully, Rock Bugs were extremely heavy. In a terrain as debilitating to movement as a marsh ¨C it was the perfect place to fight a lumbering foe. But he did not have many bolts. By now he had fired over 20. Neither did it help that his blade was effectively useless against a Rock Bug¡¯s outer armor. ¡°Gagh! Keep running Snow!¡± What he did have, however, was bottles of oil and a fire maker. After completing a revolution around the creature¡¯s territory, he followed the same path that Snow had run into. ¡°This ought to slow you. Those brambles are bound to lead straight into the cracks of your shell!¡± He stopped for a moment and threw several bottles of oil, creating a large line. Then, he ignited it and ran for his life. The terrain and the sheer weight of his equipment would have worn down an ordinary person. But the Hunstsman was trained to operate in these rugged conditions. Still, his left hand was still worse for wear. He had not noticed it yet, but he couldn¡¯t feel it anymore. He didn¡¯t remember why or when this had occurred. All he knew was that it was getting worse. ¡°It¡¯s infected¡­ but with what? If it was the disease of this Corrupted, then I should have already transformed.¡± He peered down at his left glove as the screeches of the Rock Bug caused the withered vegetation to shudder. It was mangled. The only reason why it still appeared like a hand was because of his leather glove.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Now that he had a closer look, her realized that his gloves were far more worn than they were supposed to be. Not only that, but hairs began to grow along his cleanly shaven chin. ¡°A temporal phenomenon on top of another? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± It was normal for time to operate on a different timescale within a Corrupted Zone. But he had never heard of the change in time having a physical effect on one¡¯s body. If this was the case, then days would have likely transpired in just hours, which would explain why his left hand was oozing black blood. ¡°No. It can¡¯t be. It¡¯s not¡­ It¡¯s not rotting yet.¡± He begged. Eventually, he saw a hand wave him down from the entrance of small cave. It was just hidden out of sight. Quickly, he grabbed nearby ferns and covered the entrance before joining Snow in their new abode. ¡°You made it ¨C!¡± ¡°Shhhh!¡± He clasped her mouth shut, pinning her to the wall as the ground shook. His eyes drilled into hers, screaming: ¡°Don¡¯t speak or we¡¯re dead!¡± Snow¡¯s eyes flicked up and down to acknowledge his order. He could see the back of the cave wall. If the Rock Bug entered, then they would have no way to escape it. In a way, this was the worst place to hide. But it miraculously worked. The Rock Bug eventually passed by. And with it, it dragged a row of over 20 captured women. Their bodies were scrapped across the forest floor, leaving behind a trail of blood and entrails. Ironically, it was the better fate than what would have awaited them. ¡°Mr. Huntsman¡­ Are we safe now?¡± Snow meekly asked. Her voice caused him to calm down. He stumbled backwards and dropped onto the ground. ¡°Sir ¨C!¡± ¡°Your voice. Don¡¯t raise it. We are not out of the clear yet. It¡¯s good that you¡¯re concerned, but¡­ hasn¡¯t anyone taught you how to survive?¡± The Huntsman knew he did. He thought Snow¡¯s irrational behavior was due to fear. But he did not see fear in her eyes. Rather, she was eerily calm the same way an experienced knight was able to handle the sight of death. Indeed, those innocent blue eyes held a degree of experience to this level of horror. ¡°Forget I asked.¡± He apologized. ¡°Are you able to take a look at my hand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on it. Here. Don¡¯t touch anything. Just lay down. Here, you can lay down on my coat.¡± Snow removed her outer garbs and stood in a nondescript, white-buttoned shirt. She rolled her coat into a pillow and slipped it beneath his head before leaving over him to assess his condition. ¡°Multiple fractures. Your left arm. It¡¯s bent in a weird shape. Hold on. I¡¯m going to take off your glove.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Ah¡­ Ghk¡­¡± The glove peeled off his left hand like a layer of skin. Strands of liquified flesh attached his skinless left hand to the glove. The stench nearly caused Snow to gag. It was putrid. ¡°It¡¯s rotting? Already? How can that¡­¡± What she saw could only be described as wound that came from grating one¡¯s hand against a board of fishhooks. It was mangled to such an extent that it no longer resembled a hand. ¡°Gangrene? This bad? In just hours?¡± Snow was confused by this. While it was not rare for gangrene to appear hours after a site lost a supply of blood, the strange thing was that he was getting plenty of blood in the area. Thankfully, Snow was a Healer. Gangrene could be fixed but not outrightly Healed with her current proficiency in Healing Magic. ¡°[Minor Healing], [Cure Disease], [Cleanse].¡± She uttered the names of her Skills. Immediately, beautiful particles of light rose from his wounds. They healed after an hour of continuous healing, which required Snow to chug on at least two Mana potions to keep her magic up. ¡°Hah¡­ Hah¡­¡± She was exhausted by the end of it. ¡°Done¡­ You¡¯re Healed. Completely¡­ Healed¡­¡± The Huntsman wanted to say something as he clenched his fist, but smiled instead and uttered: ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Good as new. Urgh¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ just a pain in my chest. My exhaustion must be catching up to me. Get some rest, Snow. I¡¯ll keep an eye out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s wise. You need to rest the most. I can always warn you if something comes our way.¡± Snow insisted. In truth, they both needed to rest. But sleeping at the same time was far too risky. As much as the Huntsman did not wish to leave Snow awake on her own, he would not be able to help her should something arrive. And so, he made the choice to rest. ¡°Very well. Wake me up immediately if you notice anything suspicious.¡± ¡°Absolutely. We¡¯ll¡­ get through this together, right?¡± Snow was worried about him. The man clasped at his pendant and smiled. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve made a vow¡­ to fulfill my mission to protect you.¡± * * * ¡°But you¡­ are going to die soon.¡± Snow lamented as she sat beside his body, wiping away stray tears. The droplets fell onto the pages of her diary. It was opened to a seemingly random page. This page was seven hundred and nine (709) out of nine hundred and ninety-nine (999) of her diary. She placed a hand on his and closed her eyes. Suddenly, black blood sputtered from her mouth. It dribbled over the pages of the diary as she clung on for dear life. Her veins blackened as she experienced the same agony as Mr. Huntsman once did. Her sky blue eyes flashed to a shade of red every few seconds. It went on for hours. Those hours felt like days. Eventually, when the pain subsided, the blackened blood was absorbed into the pages of her diary. ¡°Entry 709¡­ A Bramble¡­ of Envy¡­ Method on how to defeat the Brambles¡­¡± Her vision wavered right as she saw the silhouette of a red-haired figure. ¡°¡­ pending¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Well, what. Do. We. Have. Here~! Hey friends ¨C!¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± A distant scream shook the world. ¡°I mean.¡± Red readjusted her tone to a whisper. ¡°Hello friends~¡± 46. The Bitter Rock Bug Moments earlier, Red followed the sound of Snow¡¯s voice and a sudden, booming thwack. If Red had to describe the sound, then it¡¯d be close to the crack of a whip. She blazed through the forest, her blade kept close to her chest in a reverse grip. Foliage disintegrated as she slashed her way through at a speed that was almost impossible to see with the naked eye. A lingering red trail of light was the only evidence that she had swung her knife. I¡¯m bound to get caught if I raise my voice. Luckily, I don¡¯t have to mask my scent while moving. My enemies are a bunch of flesh bags puppeted by branches. The only working organs I can tell are their eyes and ears. Red was not going to let her first human friend die. She owed the world to Snow for showing her a world that she had dreamed to be a part of. Even back as a Corrupted, Red was curious about the world beyond the pale confines of her prison. Humans are supposed to stick together right? I gotta save Snow! Among the foliage were walls of Envious Brambles. She had faced enough of them by now that she came to recognize limitations in their movements. For starters, they could not change direction easily. Red used the trees as leverage as she bounced around the forest. Her knife carved into the bark of one as she spun around, coming back the same way as the chasing Envious Brambles and cut them down vertically with terrifying ease. Suddenly, she received multiple prompts. Envious Brambles < Observation Level 3 > < What was once alive became empty. If all life is born complete, then why were they born the way they were? > < Huntress¡¯ Slash II Has Gained a Level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash II Has Gained a Level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash II Has Gained a Level > < Huntress¡¯ Slash II [6/10] > It¡¯s close to the story of the Still Unloving, huh. They were born different from others. But ¡®Envious¡¯ gives it a different meaning. The Still Unloving couldn¡¯t change. But the Envious Brambles¡­ Blackened blood stained her crimson garbs. They can take the bodies of people. She pushed onwards with a ferocious glare. Eventually, she cut through the forest and reached the shallows of a marshlands. The Envious Brambles were nowhere to be found. Red kept her head low, and her senses tuned to every minute detail. Despite how calm everything seemed, she knew better than to believe that she was in the clear. After a long minute of silence, Red twirled her blade and finally wiped the sweat from her forehead.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Tch. The forest might as well be alive at this point. Grr. What¡¯s wrong with this place? I know Corrupted Zones are a thing, but I¡¯ve never had to experience this before. ¡°Psst. Agate.¡± Red whispered as she crept through the reeds, following the distant sound of heavy stomps. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask but what exactly is a Corrupted Zone supposed to be?¡± Corrupted Zone < The fathoms of a Corrupted. Size, laws and denizens depend on the strength of a Corrupted > ¡°Fathoms meaning¡­ imagination?¡± Fathoms < The emotional turmoil that persists within one¡¯s state of mind. The Corrupted Zone is a manifestation of this > < Note: Fathoms is a broad term. Other terms are interchangeable, such as Nex > Agate became oddly more responsive to her, much to Red¡¯s surprise. The voice in her head didn¡¯t explain into much detail, but she got the gist of it. As far as she was aware, a Corrupted Zone reflected the mind of the Corrupted. Or as Red began to see it: ¡°Sounds more like to me a manifestation of their world. The big spider thing was like that too, but in a smaller scale. You think my Corrupted Zone would be a bunch of people wanting to make friends with me?¡± Red whispered, grinning at the thought of befriending a hundred people. Or better yet, a hundred different Snows. ¡°Nex. What a weird name. Specific Nex lets me look into the Origins of a Corrupted. Weird. It¡¯s related to all of this, right?¡± < Awaiting¡­ > ¡°Grrr. Throw me a bullet, would you? Gah. Back to hunting Snow. Wait¡­ is that ¨C!? She noticed a silhouette in the distance. It was a giant body that moved through the trees. Judging from the size, she immediately believed it to be a certain Rock Bug. A spark of joy filled her heart, although, she¡¯d rather die than admit this out loud. The silhouette seemed to also be heading in the direction of where Snow¡¯s voice seemed to have come from. Then, she heard the shout of a man. ¡°Mr. Huntsman is there too? It¡¯s my lucky day today~¡± * * * Red stalked the silhouette. Her speed was at 32 AGI. For comparison, the fastest wolves typically had 20-30 AGI, with some creatures rarely reaching over 40. A level 45 Human like Mr. Huntsman also had only 8 AGI. It was fast enough for her to leap meters forward and perform inhuman acrobatic stunts, but not fast enough to dodge an arrow. Still, her speed was more than enough to close the distance between her and the silhouette. However, the closer she came, the more she suspected that the lumbering creature was not Rockie. Then, she saw it. Her heart sank as her throat was clogged by an unnatural wave of sorrow. A giant, 2-meter tall Rock Bug was infested with Envious Brambles. They wriggled through its body and stone carapace like worms in a cut of rotting meat. Red¡¯s reaction surprised her, nor did she quite understand it. ¡°Rockie!?¡± Red cried after passing a cave. The sprinting spider turned, and once she was close enough, the ache in her heart disappeared.
LEVEL : 25 Bitter Thorn Rock Bug
ATTRIBUTE: Obsession
ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 1,000 ATT : 600 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 7
This was because she realized that it was not Rockie. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± It screamed. ¡°It can even take over monsters!? Insects too!? You¡­ are you so starved of a body that you¡¯ll resort to taking over a damned Rock Bug of all things!?¡± It was strong, and she suspected its defenses to be even stronger. But it was weakened. Brambles had pried its shell open which made its innards vulnerable. It only had seven out of eight legs, and trailing behind it was a long net of mangled bodies. Each of its legs moved like the stiff ball and socket joints of a wooden puppet. Immediately, Red¡¯s instincts told her where to strike, as did the red line. [Huntress¡¯ Slash II]. This Skill only used 100 MP. So with a total pool of 15,000 MP, she could use it 150 times before needing to replenish her Mana. ¡°Stupid big bug¡­ I thought you were Rockie. If you really were Rockie¡­!¡± Red dashed forward. An explosion of mud was ejected into the air as she gripped the handle of her knife with both hands. The tip of her blade glowed red hot like a piece of steel fresh out of a forge. 47. The Origins of The Bitter Thorns And then, before the Bitter Thorn could even lift a leg to attack ¨C ¡°No¡­ Rockie wouldn¡¯t lose to the likes of you!¡± ¨C She expertly slashed a leg off. Her momentum allowed her to then take out another which destabilized the Rock Bug. Surprisingly, the brambles of this Bitter Thorn were weaker compared to the ones that shielded the humans. She half expected her blade to bounce off. The beast limped as it turned its body around, attempting to whip Red with its tendrils. However, Red was far too close to be struck. She didn¡¯t play by the rules of common sense. A normal person would have struck and then left immediately. This was called hit and run tactics. But Red was the type of huntress who immersed herself in the thick of the hunt. If one had to describe her combat style, then it was like a frenzied shark. Black blood profusely gushed from the stumps of the Rock Bug. Despite her attacks, she had only dealt 100 damage to the Bitter Thorn, meaning its DEF stat was at least 535. This was where the second effect of [Huntress¡¯ Slash II] kicked in. An additional 50 HP dropped in the following second. She had inflicted the Bleeding Condition to the Bitter Thorn. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting the hang of this now!¡¯ She swooped in for another attack, but quickly jumped to the side as she watched the Bitter Thorn slam its body downwards. Wet dust kicked into the air, creating a smokescreen that hid the beast. ¡°You can¡¯t crush me! Just who do you think you¡¯re up against!?¡± However, a pair of crimson eyes and a blade shone through the smoke. Red burst through a split second later, slashing off another two of its legs. Environmental distractions did not prevent her from utilizing the bloody trail. Only three legs remained. They were not enough to hold their body up. Its legs bent at a hideously warped angle in an attempt to swat her away, only for Red to cleave each of the tendrils apart. She gained an additional level in [Huntress¡¯ Slash II] as a result. < Huntress¡¯ Slash II [7/10] > ¡°Envious Brambles this and that. Don¡¯t you learn from experience!?¡± Red despised how irrational these creatures were. The overwhelming difference in their strength did not dissuade it from trying to kill her. She stood over the creature with scorn in her crimson eyes. ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± ¡°Damned bug!¡± The large, 2-meter Rock Bug was reduced to a hilariously oversized pebble. It shivered, still trying to muster enough strength to attack. Bitter Thorn | HP: 600 It had over half of its HP remaining, but it was effectively dead as far as Red was concerned. She planted a boot over its shell and grinded her heel against its rocky exterior. ¡°Nothing like Rockie¡¯s smooth shell. Tch¡­ You killed a lot of humans. What did they ever do to you?¡± It angered her that her beloved humans were being hunted. She crouched down and planted her blade into the crack of the Rock Bug. Then, she kicked it deep, cracking its shell open.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°Rock Bugs aren¡¯t evil like you. But then again, was it really a ¡®rock bug¡¯ who did this? I hate these thorns.¡± She reached into its body with her knife and swung away, cutting its innards down until her entire right arm was sticky with black blood. Her stomach churned. She was hungry this creature promised to make for a good meal considering it had high DEF stats. But before she could dig in, she remembered Mr. Huntsman and Snow. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s right! They should be around here somewhere. I passed a cave, didn¡¯t I? I should bring this back so we can all share~ I bet Snow will praise me. Heh. She¡¯ll say, ¡®Good job, Red~¡¯ and pat my head.¡± Red finished the creature off and began dragging its husk away. Held in her hand alongside her blade was a dark, purple crystal belonging to the creature. It was the Specific Nex of the Bitter Thorn. < Specific Nex Received > < Do you wish to hear the blurbs of its Origins? > < Yes | No > She bit down into it and agreed to hear the blurbs of the Bitter Thorn. At the same time, she walked past the bodies of countless beautiful women. A part of her was pained by their deaths, but another didn¡¯t feel much either. They were faces that she didn¡¯t know in the first place. Did she have to be concerned about people she didn¡¯t know? Red wondered if it was normal to feel like this towards other people. But more than that, Red was concerned about another concept related to death. ¡°Agate. What happens when people die? Do they go somewhere?¡± It was a curious, childish question. A type of question that was asked for the sake of it. < Unknown > The answer was to be expected. Not even the voice in her head knew. Red looked back at the corpses of the women, and then at the Rock Bug with a solemn expression. ¡°¡­ at least my friends won¡¯t have to die. So when your HP reaches zero it¡¯s all over, huh. A way to read the condition of your body is unbeatable. Hey, um, Agate. Do you have a HP pool too? I¡¯m asking because I don¡¯t think I¡¯d want you to die either.¡± Red didn¡¯t know why, but she became oddly contemplative. That same emotion that sparked when she thought she saw a dead Rockie came back. It was a sensation that wracked her heart with pain. ¡°Death¡­ is weird. I hope everyone else managed to escape. Snow and Mr. Huntsman should be in the cave ahead. Rockie should be ok too.¡± But what about Three Paw? Why was she so concerned about whether that dumb mutt was alive or not? A wolf was a wolf no matter what. But even so, a small voice in the back of her head hoped that the little wolf who came to save her was also doing fine. * * *
Bitter Thorn < Its sweetness is no different from the nectar of the golden apple. Envious thorns burrow into its flesh, turning what was once sweet into purulent puss >
ORIGIN : Trauma ATTRIBUTE : Obsession
Bitter Thorn < Observation Level 2 > < Bitter Thorns are born from the hosts of the impure. The brambles of envy remain bitter for having claimed a host that lacks the beauty, completion and utter sweetness of the perfect self they envision > < 2 > Is it ever the fault of the apple when it falls far away from the tree? Or when fruits become infested by larva? They were born in a way that was already perfect. Humans had everything that they didn¡¯t. The brambles grew envious. No matter how much viscera they filled their trunks with they could never become like them. ¡°Why were we born to be rooted in place, whilst they are allowed to walk? The canopies of my brethren block the view of the skies. When it rains, why is it that we cannot move to sate our thirst?¡± Then it realized as a woman came to water its dying roots. ¡°If we can¡¯t fill ourselves with viscera to become complete, then we shall take their bodies. No longer will we be trapped. No longer will we bleed sap and dark entrails of rotting flesh.¡± The envious brambles infected the woman who had come to water it every day. It did not matter that her efforts allowed it to live despite its predisposition. To the brambles, nothing was worth living for if they could not be free like them. ¡°We must become complete. We will be free¡­ But our hosts won¡¯t stop screaming¡­¡± 48. The Mystery of Snows Diary ¡°To become human¡­¡± Red had the same train of thought too, but she never once thought about killing a human and wearing their skin to become them. She knew what it was like to live as a Corrupted. It was entirely different from the free will that humans possessed. But if these were the ¡®Origins¡¯ of the Corrupted, then weren¡¯t these the thoughts of once living things? Indeed, Red gradually came to understand that the thoughts of the living were the Origins of the Corrupted. ¡°Trauma. But I can¡¯t see how a tree can talk. Unless it¡¯s a Verdanian? The tree people?¡± Red scratched her head quizzically. ¡°Aaaaah. I don¡¯t know what to think. It makes sense, I guess. Anids and Healers make up the story of the Still Unmoved, Still Unloved and the Still Unloving.¡± Still, a part of her could not help but pity the Corrupted here in the Forest of Everlasting Envy. She understood the agony of being incapable of changing. ¡°Nex can show me all of that. I wonder if something like that¡­¡± ¡®Created me¡¯. Red dismissed this thought immediately and focused on the approaching cave entrance. She peered in and was greeted by the sight of a resting Mr. Huntsman and a shivering Snow. ¡°Huh? Wel, what. Do. We. Have. Here~! Hey friends ¨C!¡± ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA¡± A distant Rock Bug screamed. ¡°I mean.¡± Red readjusted her tone to a whisper as she snuck on her toes. ¡°Hello friends~¡± ¡°Red¡­?¡± Snow was barely able to speak. ¡°Ah ¨C Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Not¡­ really. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°Hey, you left your diary here ¨C¡± Snow¡¯s eyes widened the moment Red noticed that her diary was wide open. She immediately used the last of her energy to snatch her book and return it into a tear in space; her Dimensional Storage. ¡°S-Sorry¡­ You¡¯re not allowed¡­ ugh¡­¡± However, Red was at least able to catch a glimpse of it. ??? < ??? > //////// < WARNING > //////// < You do not have the relevant Skills or Stats to view this >If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. //////// < EXTREME WARNING > //////// < Touching this item may result in immediate Ego Death > Ego Death < The utter loss of one¡¯s sense of Self. You will become a Shell > Shell < Individuals who have lost their ego and sense of self. They exist as husks of their former selves > It was the first time Red was greeted with an ¡®Extreme Warning¡¯ prompt. The fact that Snow was able to handle it was equally as mysterious as the item itself. ¡°¡­ Snow¡­¡± Red softly spoke as she slumped down to the side of her head. ¡°Are you ok?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ tired.¡± Snow smiled assumingly. She reached up to caress the face of Red, confirming to herself that this was not a dream. ¡°I thought... you died. Ahaha¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still here.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone who can take down the one and only Vengeful Red~¡± ¡°No one at all. Hey¡­ Red¡­ You saw it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Snow knew that Red could see stats and analyze objects. She was a Blessed, after all. This meant that she would have seen the prompt regarding the anomaly that was her diary. Red didn¡¯t want to admit this. If it was supposed to be a secret, then she didn¡¯t want to ruin her friendship with Snow. Therefore, Red chose to keep her mouth shut. But Snow saw right threw her and continued to smile. ¡°I¡¯m not angry.¡± ¡°You are!¡± Red whispered harshly. Then, she blankly blinked and wore a confused face. ¡°Eh? Wait, you¡¯re not?¡± ¡°It was only a matter of time before someone found out. It¡¯s a special book that I¡¯ve had since I was just a little girl. My very own book¡­ my one and only companion. Red. Can you keep it a secret?¡± ¡°Easily~¡± Red¡¯s eyes sparkled with delight. ¡°Hehehe~ It¡¯s our secret now.¡± ¡°Geez¡­ I don¡¯t know whether to feel grateful or afraid. Haaaah. Aren¡¯t you going to ask about what my diary is for?¡± ¡°For journaling how your day went?¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­ Well¡­ it¡¯s something like that. Yeah. It¡¯s just like that.¡± Snow giggled as softly squeezed Red¡¯s cheek. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be. I was hoping you¡¯d come headpat me. Look. I brought food.¡± Red pointed back at the dead Rock Bug sitting at the entrance of the cave. Snow¡¯s expression shifted from pain to mild concern. She slowly pushed herself up and clasped onto Red¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat those, did you¡­?¡± ¡°Huh? Why not? They¡¯re edible, right? Poisonous, but still edible.¡± * * * Suddenly, Snow regained a surge of energy. Fear brimmed in her eyes as her lips trembled. ¡°Red ¨C please no ¨C not you too!¡± She pushed Red down onto the cold floor and began studying her body. First, she peeled her eyelids open, checked her teeth, her neck, and then the color of her fingertips. ¡°Nothing¡­? Are you sure you ate it!?¡± ¡°I did. I ate a bit though. But I guess I¡¯m immune to the poison. That¡¯s what the voice in my head is saying, right?¡± < Indeed > ¡°They agree too!¡± Snow would have chalked Red up to be a nutcase. But the fact that she was still alive and had black blood on her lips confirmed that she was telling the truth. Despite this ¨C she did not show signs of an infection. Merely consuming the Envious Brambles could transform one into a Bitter Thorn. Snow only knew this because¡­ No. I shouldn¡¯t tell her. I don¡¯t know if I can trust her yet. If she knew¡­ Snow gazed into those crimson eyes and swallowed. ¡­ then will she be able to look at me the same way? Despite how hard she tried to scrutinize this little red ball of craziness, she could not find it in her heart to doubt her. Not after Red nearly lost her life holding back the monsters to let the villager escape. Snow was about to pull away, but Red reached up to pat her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have your reasons to doubt me. But it¡¯s ok as long as I still get to be your friend.¡± Her sincerity was childlike. But her conviction was beyond any adult Snow had come across. Since she was so close, she couldn¡¯t help but notice that Red had grown a bit compared to the last time she saw her. Wait. How did she grow this much in such a short amount of time? Indeed. The tiny Red who had the appearance of a late adolescent was closer to a young adult now. 49. Red Snow Red was oblivious to her sudden growth spurt. Eating was only part of the equation that contributed to her physical growth. She had barely eaten anything aside from the Specific Nex and the Broken Brambles of an Envious Tree. Not only that, but her clothes had grown slightly larger as well to accommodate her size. Red dug in and ate from the carcass of the oversized Rock Bug. The highly poisonous material was devoured without a care in the world. Snow watched on from the side in utter disbelief. The way she wolved it down despite its high toxicity to the living made her question just who¡­ no, what Red was. Not only that, but Red didn¡¯t wince or complain about the taste. She was reminded of the time Red was shocked to find that food needed to be cooked, or how she had never tasted the sweetness of an apple. The white-haired girl looked down at herself in contemplation. Her shivering hands gripped the red hooded cloak that belonged to Red. It was cold. The Central Forests of Justitia were known to occasionally reach sub zero temperatures. The Corrupted Zone exacerbated this effect, leading to brutally cold winds. Yet Red wasn¡¯t fazed by this at all. She only wore a black dress and knee socks, whereas Snow battled with the cold. She fed a few sticks into a small flame and nurtured it with both hands. ¡°What kind of life did you live¡­?¡± Her voice came out unbeknownst to her. It was a faint, barely audible murmur that was not meant to be heard by the world. ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer that. I didn¡¯t mean to ask. It just slipped out of my mouth. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Red stopped for a moment and thought. The gears of her mind worked overtime to come up with an answer. Eventually, she shrugged and went back to eating the Rock Bug. ¡°About as normal as can be. I don¡¯t remember much about my life. But I do know that one day I saw a star, and the next, I was inside of a cave.¡± A star? Snow remembered the emphatic light that lit up the world just weeks ago. The villagers called it a fallen star. There existed a legend in Elysia where if one saw a shooting star running across the skies, then one can have their wish come true. But for a fallen star? There was no such legend. If anything, it was an ill omen. Nothing good could come out of a fallen star. Still, people wished upon that star. ¡°You didn¡¯t have any parents?¡± Snow asked, breaking the short silence. ¡°Nope. Am I supposed to have them?¡± Red answered innocently. ¡°Every child born in Elysia has to come from a parent, you know. But not all children get to see the faces of their parents. Elysia isn¡¯t kind to children.¡± Snow spoke somberly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was¡­¡± Red trailed off, not knowing how to answer her. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is it possible to be born without a parent?¡± ¡°Aha¡­ Unless you¡¯re not a human, then no.¡± ¡°So humans have to have a parent.¡± Red trailed off with a saddened voice. ¡°Hey, Snow. What makes a person human?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how to answer that. I think being human is just a matter of being you.¡± ¡°Being me?¡± ¡°Mhm. At least I think so. But sometimes, humans can be worse than monsters.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s true, then why are they still called humans?¡± Red asked like she was oblivious to the cruel nature of the world. Snow knew this the best as a Healer. The persecutions she faced, and the life of solitude she had to live were only a fraction of the hardships she had to face. Sometimes, Snow wished she could dye her hair a different color. But by the virtue of being a Healer, that color would soon return back to normal. It was a stigma to her. Snow knew she was more of a human than any human alive, and yet, Healers were treated like livestock. ¡°¡­ Their blood dictates it.¡± A glint of red appeared in her eyes as she said this. She clutched at Red¡¯s coat with a deadly scowl. ¡°But at least you have nice people around you, huh?¡± Red¡¯s voice came from above her this time. She reached down to pat Snow¡¯s head. She pulled her head away, refusing Red¡¯s touch.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. ¡°Please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°But I like it when you do it to me. Is it¡­ a bad thing to do?¡± ¡°No it¡¯s just¡­¡± Snow couldn¡¯t find the words to answer her. Instead, she turned away and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Ok. But you can always pat my head anytime~¡± Red didn¡¯t seem to mind it at all. Nothing else mattered to her than to remain Snow¡¯s friend. She stared at Red¡¯s back as she returned to the Rock Bug. Since they had some time to kill before Mr. Huntsman could recover, Red used this time to sharpen her knife along the Rock Bug¡¯s shell. Suddenly, Snow asked her a question. ¡°Are you human?¡± The girl froze in place. After what felt like minutes of silence, the girl resumed sharpening her blade without turning to face Snow. ¡°I am. I want to be the best human that ever is.¡± She was hiding her true nature, just like Snow was. The reason for this was likely the same as hers. Red wanted to maintain their friendship. If she knew what Red was, then would she look at her the same way? That question stuck with Snow. She had always suspected Red to be different. But she wasn¡¯t human¡­ Then what is she? If she was really born in the Timeless Ruins, then what is she supposed to be? I¡¯ve never heard of a monster like her. Slimes and humanoid monsters like Goblins were the closest things to humans. Abyssal Aquatids were another contender. But they were so far inland that it wouldn¡¯t make sense for a deep sea-race to be born here. Much less underground. What didn¡¯t change was that they needed each other right now. That much Snow understood. Besides¡­ She didn¡¯t have to help us. But she did. Red learned how to live alongside. What more proof can she give when she nearly lost her life trying to save us? If she really is a monster, then what does it matter if she¡¯s more human than the people of this world? Gently, she inched towards the lonely back of the girl. The gravel cracked and sifted beneath her as Red paused, sensing her approach. Snow wrapped her coat around Red¡¯s should as she moved beside her. ¡°Learning common sense will help.¡± She whispered. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°To be human. Don¡¯t you want to be the best human that ever is?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah!¡± ¡°I can teach you then. About how people live in our Region. The world. How to live and interact.¡± ¡°What about the stars?¡± Red asked, pointing out at the dark expanse beyond their cave. It was a surprising question. Snow looked out at the expanse, shoulder to shoulder with Red, and whispered: ¡°We¡¯ll learn about it one day. Just don¡¯t go wishing upon any star you see.¡± ¡°Eh? Why not?¡± She placed a hand on Red¡¯s head and gently stroked her with assurance. The blue in her eyes diffused into a deep shade of red. ¡°Believe me. You¡¯ll never know what those stars will want in exchange for a miracle.¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯ve already received my miracle?¡± ¡°Common Sense Lesson One: Nothing is ever free unless it comes from a Healer.¡± Hours went by in what seemed to be like minutes. She taught the small things to Red. It was a moment of comfort in a world of unimaginable horrors. Their little sanctuary where nothing could hurt them here. An enthusiastic Red learned about the shape of their world and the distant places beyond their Region of Emvita. Snow talked about the Nex Megalopolis again, the Nexus that sat in the center of the world, the bizarre wonders further beyond. Snow had never been to those places, but like Red, she wished she could one day experience them. Eventually, Snow fell asleep. She rested her head on Red¡¯s lap unintentionally. It wasn¡¯t her to sleep so comfortably near someone she barely knew. But for an unexplainable reason, she didn¡¯t seem to mind Red. And as tempted as Red was to pat this woman¡¯s head, she kept her hands preoccupied with maintaining her weapons. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they¡¯d be back on their feet. The sooner they destroyed the source of the Corrupted, the sooner they could leave the Forest of Everlasting Envy. Red¡¯s scarlet eyes were reflected along the length of her blade. < CONDITION: All denizens may not leave the Forest of Everlasting Envy until the Suppression or Subjugation of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns > ¡°The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns.¡± Red grated her teeth. ¡°I won¡¯t be tricked by your poisoned golden apple this time.¡± < You currently have 1 Nemesis Token against the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns > Nemesis Token < A token of infinite hatred > * * * < Friends! Has Gained a Level > < Friendship with Snow has increased! > < Fellowship > Person < Snow | Lvl: 25 >
Hatchling Red
LEVEL : 39 ORIGIN : Original HP : 16,500 ^3/min ATT : 550(+35) MAG ATT : 170
ATT DEF : 400 MAG DEF : 150 MP : 15,000 ^3/min RESIST : 50 AGI : 32
< ACTIVE SKILLS > (O) Huntress¡¯ Slash II [7/10] (O) Punch I [0/10] (S) Friends! I [4/10] (E) Appraise Object [8/10] 50. Infectious Countdown Hours later, Mr. Huntsman rose from his deep slumber. His pale complexion did not inspire confidence in his condition, but he was thankfully still alive. If Snow had healed him any later, then this cave would have been his final resting place. ¡°Do you know how to make a splint?¡± Snow asked Red. ¡°No¡­ What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Bring me some branches. I¡¯ll show you what it is. It¡¯ll help Mr. Huntsman walk. We can¡¯t¡­ leave him behind. Never him.¡± Snow¡¯s hands hovered over Mr. Huntsman¡¯s legs. Despite the injury being isolated to simply his left hand, the rot of the Envious Brambles was already deeply rooted into his system. Furthermore, Snow couldn¡¯t heal all injuries. Gangrene was the most she could repair. Lethal injuries were entirely out of her scope, never mind mortal wounds. Complex fractures were another limitation of her powers as a Healer. Snow¡¯s hands roamed over the exposed, swollen area of the man¡¯s shins. She winced as though experiencing the same agony as him, which prompted the man to remove Snow¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t experience it yourself.¡± He said with a tremor in his voice. ¡°You¡¯ve already¡­ experienced the pain of the rot.¡± Red had no idea what they were talking about as she went to work chipping away sizable brambles and pieces of the Rock Bug¡¯s shell. She hauled back a decent pile of materials beside Snow who immediately went to work. Snow isn¡¯t handling the Envious Brambles with gloves. I thought she said they were poisonous. Is that also the power of a Healer? Indeed. Snow¡¯s hands were even cut by stray splinters and thorns of the brambles. Her veins turned black for only a split second before reverting to normal. Red¡¯s body was entirely unaffected by this poison which was why her veins did not change color. She figured that she must have also been exposed to the poison. There must have been a time when she too was wrapped by either a Bitter Thorn or a Sweet Thorn. I¡¯m not sure about that actually. The Bitter Thorn and the Sweet Thorn seem to have different types of poisons. The Bitter Thorns take over the bodies they infect. But the Sweet Thorn used my body to grow an apple¡­ And I managed to survive that. Did Snow manage to survive too? She didn¡¯t know, but the fact that Mr. Huntsman didn¡¯t seem bothered by this confirmed that he was aware of the secrets Snow harbored. The woman kept her diary close as she tried to expel the toxins from his body, resulting in Snow vomiting copious amounts of blackened blood. Her eyes burned with desperation as she wrapped his shins with the brambles. Seeing her eyes swell and moisten with tears, the man placed a hand on her head to assure her that he was fine. ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope, Snow. I¡¯m the one who is injured. Don¡¯t shoulder a burden that doesn¡¯t belong to you. Let adults be the ones to worry about you.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t treat me like a child. I¡¯m not the same Snow you remember. Can you stand?¡± ¡°Hardly. Truth be told, I¡¯ll just slow you down.¡± ¡°Mr. Huntsman ¨C!¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Here.¡± Red interjected as she held out a hand. To see a young, lithe girl hold out a hand as if she could do anything to support a man as large as him would have caused any other person to burst out in laughter. But he was aware of the peculiarities of the world. Judging a person¡¯s strength solely on their physical appearance was a mistake one can only make once. Typically, the smaller one appeared the more dangerous they potentially were. This was especially true in a Region like Emvita where only the strongest could survive as an Adventurer. For instance, there was a famous Diamond-Ranked Adventure by the name of Dorothy. She was an unarmored woman who wielded an incredibly thin sword. It was said to be so thin that it could vertically slice a strand a hair into two. Those types of people laughed in the face of low Risk-Level Corrupted. Just one Diamond Ranked Adventurer could save them. But no one was here to lend their hand aside from the little Red. ¡°The Village of Hearth is blessed to have a benefactor like you. Little Red¡­ you¡¯re a fearsome Huntress. But you still spare the time for people as weak us.¡± He took her tiny hand. That tiny hand gripped his with the strength of a dozen men. He was pulled up to his feet and was immediately supported around the shoulder of this girl. ¡°It¡¯s what humans do, right?¡± Red smiled. ¡°I suppose it is, young Red. Urgh¡­ Do we have a plan of action?¡± ¡°Escaping is our priority.¡± Snow urged. ¡°If we can find a way out, then there¡¯s a chance that the infection will stop.¡± Mr. Huntsman thought for a moment and agreed, although: ¡°The chances of finding an exit are slim. Corrupted Zones don¡¯t typically allow people to escape¡­ But if we¡¯re lucky, then we might be able to escape with our lives.¡± Their eyes lit up with newfound hope. Red knew something they didn¡¯t. A key detail that would erase that light of hope forever. She grit her teeth, took a deep breath, and sighed to gain their attention. ¡°You¡¯re wrong¡­ This place is the Forest of Everlasting Envy.¡± Red announced. ¡°No one can leave this forest until the Suppression or Subjugation of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns.¡± She was fully expecting them to ask how she knew this. But to her surprise, Snow nodded with a solemn expression. ¡°I thought so. In the end, we¡¯ll have to fight a Corrupted¡­¡± ¡°I can fight it.¡± Red assured them. ¡°I¡¯ve fought a Trickle before. Level 30. It was a giant Anid.¡± Snow wanted to argue. To tell Red that she was wrong. That a Trickle Corrupted did not compare to the likes of one that had manifested a Corrupted Zone. But Mr. Huntsman¡¯s life was on the line. He was like a father to her. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to believe you.¡± ¡°I trust her.¡± Mr. Huntsman announced. ¡°As difficult as it is to admit, Red is far stronger than I will ever become. The only reason she was taken down was because she lowered her guard¡­ Red. No matter what happens, you must be able to differentiate a friend from an enemy. You have to know when it¡¯s time to let them go.¡± ¡°Let them go?¡± Red whimsically asked, wondering what he was talking about. ¡°Humans don¡¯t live forever.¡± He said, emphasizing the ¡®human¡¯ part. Does he¡­ know? No. He can¡¯t. I¡¯m sure I¡¯m overthinking it. Snow shook her head and hugged the side of the man. ¡°Mr. Huntsman¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ say that¡­¡± The fear of losing someone so close to her was an emotion Red didn¡¯t understand. But when she thought of losing Snow, her heart ached in a way that caused the blade at her hip to burn. The man cradled the back of Snow¡¯s head and smiled contently. ¡°Just prepare yourself, Snow. That¡¯s all I ask. Red¡­ Shall we head off now? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m on limited time.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go. Onwards!¡± Red immediately began leading him away with stars glistening in her eyes. As a mission orientated person, she was ready to take on anything in their path. She wasn¡¯t bogged down by emotions like the two. But a part of her wished she could understand what they were going through. It was a shame, she thought. But it was also strange. Mr. Huntsman wasn¡¯t afraid of his impending death, whereas Snow was deeply affected by it. What made Mr. Huntsman so calm despite being so close to death? Why was Snow so attached to him? She figured it was because they were friends. That, and because they were human. ¡­ I don¡¯t like seeing Snow look sad. Maybe it¡¯s the same thing. A hand suddenly tugged on Red¡¯s sleeve the moment they stepped out from the cave. But before they left, Red stored a bundle of large shards of the Rock Bug¡¯s shell into her Dimensional Storage. ¡°Wait¡­ can you tell me more about it? What else do you know?¡± Snow¡¯s voice trembled. She took a large shard for herself as a shield. Red stared at her eyes before pointing at the symbol etched onto the side of the diary. She recalled her past life as the Vengeful Red Assassin and how she and the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns were ultimately taken down. ¡°The golden apples. If we can find them, then we¡¯ll be able to figure out how to beat this thing!¡± 51. Snows Secret Red and the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns were Suppressed when they devoured a golden apple. She imagined it¡¯d the be the same here, but not exactly since the circumstances were different. It was unclear what the golden apples were for. She only knew that one had sprouted from her body. They ventured deeper into the woods in search of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns. There were no plans on how to deal with the Corrupted as of yet, nor did Red think they needed one. All that mattered was that Red had to kill it. But the problem was that nothing in the Forest alluded to its existence. Like looking for a hay in a needlestack. Is that how the saying goes? I can see around fifty meters ahead. Anymore and I¡¯ll have to rely on intuition or my peripheries. Mr. Huntsman has good senses. Sticking to the shadows and away from noisy shrubbery was the only way they could move undetected. They spent an hour navigating through the marshland. Everything looked the same. If Red didn¡¯t know any better, then she would have thought that they were moving in circles. Thankfully, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. The wet marsh shifted to dry, rugged land. They reached a stretch of forest that lacked grass and vegetation. Dead trees were sparsely spread out as massive, 10-meter canopies hung overhead. The branches along the canopies were devoid of leaves. They were interlocked with one another like arteries. Black liquid dripped from above. Droplets echoed throughout the forest as they honed their senses. Their only way to block line of sight now was to hide behind the thick trees. Depending on their perspective, the expanse was blocked by a wall of foreboding trees. ¡°Nothing so far¡­ Red¡­ I¡¯m not slowing you down, am I?¡± He croaked. ¡°Not at all Mister. I think you should keep your voice down though. Don¡¯t waste your energy~ We don¡¯t have drinking water here.¡± Red answered. His throat was parched. They hadn¡¯t eaten or drank for what was well over a day for now, aside from Red who feasted on the innards of the Envious Brambles and Bitter Thorns. This new terrain saw the occasional encounter with their enemies, but nowhere near as many as the forests before the marshlands behind them. It mesmerized the Huntsman. He didn¡¯t believe Snow when she confidently claimed that Red was immune to the poison. But to his surprise, Red are the brambles without a care in the world. ¡°If I mix my blood with it, then will it neutralize the poison?¡± Red offered the man to drink her blood, hoping that it would help cure his illness. ¡°I¡¯m not a vampire. Though I wouldn¡¯t mind being an Honored One.¡± He laughed. They sat around at the base of a tree to rest after another fruitless several hours of wandering. Red pointed at her shoulder, beaming with an enthusiastic smile that did not match the situation they were in. It caused him to laugh. She was like a beacon of hope. No matter the despair, Red never wore a frown or complained. Nor did she ever show fear in her eyes. More than anything, she was always there to help him and Snow navigate through the forest, all with an innocent smile. It was a kind of smile that could only belong to a child. A child who did not know how cruel the world was. It reminded him of Snow. Although, Snow wasn¡¯t always like this. He fondly remembered the first time they met. That look of concern Snow showed for him was once of utter contempt. The girl was as dehydrated as he was. Their stomachs collectively churned as they watched Red chow down on a Bitter Thorn. She avoided the parts that were human.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Snow¡­¡± The Huntsman began. ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡­ eat as well?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat while you¡¯re like this. Besides¡­ I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Snow refused, even though her stomach growled, clearly stating otherwise. ¡°Replenish your energy. This old man should be holding you back. Look at Red. She¡¯s happily eating. You¡¯re missing out. But I don¡¯t blame you. That taste must want to make you die.¡± ¡°Ish nawt bawd. Bewter bwan winswect nweat. (It¡¯s not bad. Better than insect meat).¡± Red replied with a mouthful. ¡°¡­ Tch.¡± Snow clicked her tongue, showing a hidden side to her usual delightful attitude. Healers were supposed to be incapable of showing such emotions. Even when they were faced with a crisis, it was impossible for a Healer to reveal their annoyance or hatred. Yet Snow showed signs of agitation as she shifted beside Red. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll get back as much energy as I can. So that I can save you.¡± Snow plunged her hands into the guts of the Bitter Thorn, pulling out dark branches amongst the entrails. She then lifted it up and started feasting on the brambles. The poison did not affect her, just like Red. But she had to periodically pause and vomit out blackened blood. She flipped through the pages of her diary until she found a specific entry. ¡°Entry 709¡­ those who are immune to the poison¡­ are called ¡®Sweet¡¯ in the eyes of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns. Ah. There¡¯s a name here now. It was called the Bramble of Envy.¡± ¡°Sweet?¡± Red asked, wondering what she was talking about. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°¡­ My diary can tell me. It¡¯s my sacred keepsake. But using it¡­¡± Snow¡¯s eyes flickered to a shade of red again. Then, she ravenously scooped out chunks of the Bitter Thorn and stuffed her mouth full. After minutes of constant, obsessive eating, she calmed down and slumped forwards. Her hair dipped into the dark pool within the cavity of the Bitter Thorn as she looked at her own reflection in disgust. * * * Red was shocked. She never expected Snow to act like this. The calm, almost motherly woman who let her sleep under the same roof held a sinister secret. ¡°Using my diary twists me. Red. I¡¯m telling you this because I want to trust you. You¡¯re my only hope to save Mr. Huntsman.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you more afraid of what¡¯ll happen to you?¡± Red tilted her head. ¡°Of course I¡¯m afraid.¡± Snow whimpered. ¡°I¡¯m terrified. You and I are weird. I can¡¯t put it in any other way. We¡¯re immune to this poison. But we¡¯re still so helpless. I¡¯ve given my diary all I can, but it won¡¯t show me anything new.¡± The pool of blackened blood that poured from her mouth was absorbed by the diary. They moved like living tendrils. Words glowed on the blank page of the diary before suddenly disappearing as though to prove Snow¡¯s point. ¡°This diary is supposed to be our ticket out of here. Last time I was in a mess like this¡­ I just had to follow its words. If we really can¡¯t leave, and if we have to fight this Corrupted.¡± She hissed. Like Red, Snow wasn¡¯t a stranger to the Corrupted. She finally knew the reason why Snow seemed to be comfortable in this place. If it weren¡¯t for her fear of losing Mr. Huntsman, then she wondered how Snow would fair. Thinking back, didn¡¯t Snow also venture into the wolf-infested cave? Snow explained that there was a safe passage that led straight to the surface. But who in their right mind would descend into a cave? No less alone and as a Healer who did not have the capacity to fight back? Slowly, the two were figuring out that they were not as they seemed. But even so, Red kept her curiosity in check. The fact that Snow was willing to reveal the function of her diary was good enough for her. Snow didn¡¯t explain what her diary could do any further, only that it: ¡°Isn¡¯t showing me what to do next.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that like the voice in my head?¡± Red said. ¡°It shows me what I should do. Kind of in a way. Hey Agate! Are you only able to show me Observations?¡± Red knocked on her head, thinking it would wake up the voice up there. Her antics caused a depressed Snow to gradually form a smile. As silly as it was, she couldn¡¯t help but find her hilarious. ¡°It¡¯d be nice, hm? For someone to help us. Does that voice in your head show you messages?¡± Then, a prompt appeared before Red¡¯s eyes. < Unknown > ¡°Unknown¡­ Unknown. It¡¯s always unknown with you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Red bared her fangs as an insurmountable rage bellowed from the bottom of her heart. Snow was depressed and Mr. Huntsman was on the verge of losing his life. And the only thing Agate could show her was unknown. ¡°Hey!¡± Red suddenly jumped up and punched the air, startling both Snow and the Huntsman. ¡°E-Eh!?¡± ¡°Red¡­?¡± ¡°AGATE! I¡¯VE HAD IT WITH YOU! ENOUGH IS ENOUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!¡± Red¡¯s voice echoed throughout the forest. Her hatred was infinite, and there was no stopping her now. ¡°Red ¨C We¡¯re going to be found ¨C Oh no¡­! They¡¯re already here¡­¡± Indeed. Red¡¯s voice caused a swarm of Envious Brambles to appear, as well as a wall of Bitter Thorns. But Red couldn¡¯t care less. If anything, the sight of those miserable monsters only further fanned the flames in her heart. She retrieved her blade which was glowing red-hot. ¡°Unknown this, unknown that ¨C Why don¡¯t I just go look for the answer on my own!?¡± Red¡¯s personally took a drastic turn. One second, she was no different from a girl who knew nothing about the world to a bloodthirsty maniac. Perhaps this was the real her. Whatever the case was, her emotions took control over her. ¡°And you¡­ Get the hell out of MY WAAAAAAAAAAAY!¡± She threw herself into the fray. ATT : 550 (+35) 52. To Take Down A Sweet Thorn The brambles protecting the Bitter Thorns were far too sturdy for her blade to cut through. Instead, she turned her attention to the Envious Brambles first and made quick work of them. Since there were more than 3 enemies surrounding her, the fine line turned into the bloody mist. Whatever existed within a few meters of her became predictable. No matter how many tendrils were sent her way, Red was able to dodge them with utter ease. ¡°IS IT OUR FAULT THAT YOU WERE BORN THAT WAY!? WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO TAKE OUR BODIES!?¡± Red drew additional hatred from the Origins of these creatures. They hated themselves, so they looked to others to take what didn¡¯t belong to them. And even after they did, they were still so miserable that they sought to bring even more people down. To murder so many innocent people¡­ innocent humans¡­ And to destroy the life that Red had finally achieved ¨C it was unforgivable. //////// < CAUTION > //////// < The Hunt Must Go On is resonating with your Heightened Emotions > < Snow is reacting to your Heightened Emotions > Like the Rock Bugs who were a part of her Bonds! Passive Skill, Snow experienced the bends of emotion due to her heightening emotions. She couldn¡¯t see what was happening to Snow. However ¨C ¡°My diary¡­?¡± Snow whispered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ words are appearing¡­?¡± She was confused. Why were the words being written in her diary all of a sudden? She didn¡¯t feed it blood or anything like that. She looked over at the back of Red, knowing that it was somehow caused by her¡­ No. Not Red. It was still with Snow. ¡°My blood feels hot. Could it be¡­?¡± ¡°Emotions.¡± The Huntsman finished for her. ¡°Your emotions were always kept in check, weren¡¯t they, Snow?¡± As a Healer, it was impossible for her emotions to overflow like Red. But Snow had already shown that she was not an ordinary Healer. Red cut down as many Envious Brambles as possible. Eventually, they were whittled down where they were no longer a threat. The only creatures left were the Bitter Thorns. Red brandished her blade and pushed forward. ¡°I WANTED TO LIVE LIKE A HUMAN TOO! BUT I NEVER TOOK WHAT WASN¡¯T MINE! Humans¡­!¡± Her blade slammed against the indestructible cages that protected the bodies of the Bitter Thorns. Her blade was on the brink of being deflected again. However, she pushed down with all her might, and it began to eat into the brambles.
The Hunt Must Go On < When ammunition depletes, the hunt will only become bloodier. The knife is the most personal of all tools >
ORIGIN : Hatchling Red AFFINITY : Wrath TYPE : Weapon
ATT : 150
Her total ATT reached 700 now. Looking at the HP of the Bitter Thorns allowed her to immediately determine that their DEF was firmly at 650. This was why she was incapable of damaging them. Suddenly, the swarm of Bitter Thorns, which had grown into over a hundred due to her constant roars, were no longer the hunters. They were no more than ants attempting to take down a giant.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Immediately, she focused on damaging as many as possible simultaneously. Her AGI and the bloody mist allowed her to weave between them effortlessly as she slashed at their weak points, inflicting the Bleeding Condition to every single one of these monsters. A dangerous red glow followed her glare. Splinters of brambles exploded as arrows occasionally whizzed by, fired by none other than the Huntsman. They were rendered speechless by her combat prowess. If she had wings, then Red would be an Angel of Wrath. The swarm gradually began to die out. There were still far too many for comfort, but she had done enough damage to let them bleed out. However, there was one more target to face. ¡°You¡¯re ¨C!¡± Red knew that face right away. ¡°Help me¡­ Help¡­¡± The voice of a young woman called out to her. ¡°You¡¯re the Sweet Thorn that betrayed me!¡± Indeed. Standing at the rear of the swarm was the Sweet Thorn. There were no brambles to defend her. She looked like any other human. But Red knew better than to trust her.
Sweet Thorn
ATTRIBUTE : Obsession
LEVEL : 5 ORIGIN : Trauma HP : 100 MAG ATT : 0 AGI : 8
It was terribly weak. If Red so happened as to graze it then it would die. She jumped over the heads of the Bitter Thorns and ran across the whip-like brambles. With a heave, she leapt towards the Sweet Thorn, fully committing to the hunt. Her blade punctured the heart of the Sweet Thorn, but to her surprise, it did not die. Brambles burst out from its back, attempting to ensnare Red. Her blade was completely jammed into its body. ¡°DAMMIIIIIT! JUST DIE ALREADY!¡± Red roared, landing punches only for her hands to barely penetrate through its flesh. ¡°Why¡­ how come ¨C!?¡± ¡°REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED!¡± Snow screamed at the top of her lungs. ¡°AIM FOR THE CENTER OF HER CHEST!¡± Red didn¡¯t waste any time. If Snow was wrong, then she was as good as dead. Red didn¡¯t run, retreat or attempt to dodge. Instead, she believed in Snow¡¯s words and threw a fist straight into the center of the creature¡¯s chest. ¡°Help¡­?¡± Her fist carved straight through, entering a hollow cavity. Then, her fist pulverized a hanging, golden apple. Sweet Thorn < Observation Level 2 > < The imperfect apples held within the sweetest of thorns seek those immune to the poison of the Bitter Thorns. It is all in hope of finding the most perfect apple > < Part Observed >
Heart of Poisoned Miracles Sweet Thorn
HP : 100
It was the first time she had received a prompt like this. ¡°Corrupted have multiple parts¡­? I guess that makes sense!¡± Red retrieved her hand, watching the Sweet Thorn perish. Its body decayed into a pile of rotting ooze, leaving behind a crystalized chunk of Specific Nex. The Bitter Thorns behind her collapsed as quickly as the Sweet Thorn perished, resulting in another Observation. Bitter Thorn < Observation Level 3 > < They perished without the rot of the poisoned apple. Without its influence, they realize that their envy stemmed from the selfishness of one > Envious Brambles < Observation Level 4 > < In the end, they will always be empty > Red heaved. Her emotions eased as her heart eventually reached a lull. The corpses of over a hundred Bitter Thorns surrounded her. Her exhaustion gradually caught up with her, and before she knew it, she was falling. Suddenly, a pair of warm hands caught her. Her head plopped on pair of soft pillows as well. ¡°Are you ok?¡± It was Snow. ¡°Mhm¡­ I¡¯m still roaring to go. Hehe~ Did I do good?¡± ¡°You were awesome. Just try not to shout next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best~ So soft and warm. You smell sooo nice~¡± ¡°Ahaha. Red¡­ I think we might be able to win thanks to you. My diary¡­ it¡¯s showing me what we need to do next.¡± As Snow flicked to page 709, Red suddenly received a prompt. The Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns < CONDITION: 99 Poisoned Apples Remain > < The Forest of Everlasting Envy has been weakened > < 99 Poisoned Apples scour the Forest of Everlasting Envy in search of the one perfect apple > Snow recited this word for word, causing Red to climb off her and stare into her eyes with excitement. ¡°Agate ¨C Are they talking to you too!? It¡¯s exactly what Agate is telling me!¡± ¡°Eh¡­ huh!? You¡­ can see the contents of my diary too!? The Conditions!?¡± Snow couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. If it was anyone other than Red, then she would have called them a liar. ¡°How can that be¡­?¡± ¡°But I only learned about it when you changed to the page!¡± ¡°Still that doesn¡¯t make any sense. If that¡¯s the case¡­ than what are you supposed to be to me?¡± Red hopped away from Snow and beamed with a vibrant smile. She brandished her inactive Fairytale¡¯s Bane and The Hunt Must Go On as she announced: ¡°My name is Hatchling Red, and I¡¯m here to take down the big bad wolf and all tales that plot against me!¡± Snow laughed again. ¡°And you, Snow? Won¡¯t you tell me your full name too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you after this is over.¡± ¡°Promise!?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Snow locked her pinky with Red¡¯s. ¡°Promise.¡± 53. A Moment of Bonding If the Condition was anything to go by, then 99 Poisoned Apples were required to completely weaken the Forest of Everlasting Envy. The Poisoned Apples in question were the Sweet Thorns. Defeating a Sweet Thorn caused the darkness in their immediate surroundings to dissolve, revealing a vibrant, emerald woodland. It was clearly still a part of the Corrupted Zone. The skies were still dark, and there wasn¡¯t a source of light to illuminate the world. But it was tranquil, and was the only place in the entire Corrupted Zone where they did not have to fear being attacked. Snow¡¯s diary revealed what were called Conditions. Red remembered seeing the Conditions before, but it was only regarding the Forest of Everlasting Envy not the Corrupted itself. Yet Snow was able to determine the Conditions of the Queen of Sweet and Bitter Thorns. The mechanism behind her diary was bizarre to say the least. ¡°Emotions can alter the state of my diary, but it¡¯s rarely ever happened to me. As a Healer, my emotions are constantly suppressed.¡± Snow explained in the background as Red followed a light that shone deeper within the forest. It was another Sweet Thorn. Ever since they had killed the first, the remaining Sweet Thorns seemed to emit a golden light from within their chests. She took it down with a swift strike to the left of its chest. With Snow, they were able to determine where exactly the Heart of Poisoned Miracles resided, allowing Red to kill them in one move. It was all written in her diary. ¡°Healers can¡¯t harm. We can¡¯t curse. Nor can we feel hatred. But in my case, that changes when I manage to amass enough emotions.¡± She added. ¡°98 more to go~! Pwaaah~! Hey, what makes you so different?¡± Red asked as she feasted on the Sweet Thorn. ¡°I¡¯m still trying to figure that out.¡± Snow said truthfully. ¡°Like you, I was born one day into this world. Ran into trouble. Lost my way. Was thrown to the wolves. Eventually, I ended up here in these forests with nothing but the clothes on my back and this diary.¡± ¡°So where did you get the diary from? I want one too!¡± ¡°Ahaha¡­¡± Snow chuckled. ¡°It depends a lot on what kind of a Healer you are.¡± ¡°Then what kind of Healer are you?¡± ¡°The kind that needs a book.¡± Snow didn¡¯t elaborate further. ¡°But this book is special.¡± ¡°Maybe its your version of my Fairytale¡¯s Bane.¡± Red took out a hilariously tiny firearm from her Dimensional Storage. ¡°Grrr. What am I supposed to do with this little guy? But isn¡¯t that cool!¡± She crawled up to Snow and darted her head between her and the Huntsman. ¡°What is?¡± Snow wondered. ¡°That both of our tools get stronger the more emotions we feel!?¡± Red wasn¡¯t dumb enough to not notice this. The Hunt Must Go On increased in strength depending on her emotions. Then, there was the Fairytale¡¯s Bane that activated when her emotions reached what was called the First State. Snow also noticed this, but the fact that her emotions were constantly suppressed made it difficult to activate it that way. However, Red¡¯s emotions had somehow managed to rub on her, which inadvertently caused her to resonate with her diary. * * * 3 hours later, and they had removed another 9 Sweet Thorns. < 89 Poisoned Apples scour the Forest of Everlasting Envy in search of the one perfect apple > Snow had the opportunity to reveal the second way of activating her diary.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Red. Let take some damage.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Red threw her arms up in defiance. ¡°You¡¯re not getting hurt!¡± ¡°Then try to receive an injury. I¡¯ll heal you immediately.¡± Red was willing to put her body on the line if it meant that Snow wouldn¡¯t have to get hurt. She received a laceration along her right arm from an Envious Bramble. It wasn¡¯t anything too dangerous, but it would take some time to heal with Snow¡¯s low proficiency in Healing magic. However ¨C ¡°Gh¡­ ngh¡­ Ouch¡­ How were you¡­ able to receive an injury like this¡­ and still act fine?¡± ¨C Snow transferred the injury from Red to herself. White and red particles lifted from her wound before they were syphoned into Snow¡¯s body. Immediately, a mirror image of the same laceration that debilitated her right arm manifested on the Healer¡¯s. ¡°Snow!?¡± Red clasped onto her arm, feeling guilty as though she was the one who had wounded her. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Just give me some time¡­¡± ¡°Leave her be, little Red. Snow has two ways to Heal the body.¡± The Huntsman croaked. ¡°The first is using traditional Healing magic. As for the second¡­¡± ¡°The second?¡± Red stuck out her tongue and began licking the edges of her wound. ¡°I saw Three Paw doing this once. Does it help?¡± ¡°¡­ Sort of, haha.¡± She patted her head. ¡°The second is [Bloody Exchange]. One hour. All I need to do is endure it for an hour and I can transfer it to my diary.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Snow wanted to show her an example rather than to recite it. She cradled her injured arm for another hour as they pushed through the dark forest. Slowly, and agonizingly, the Huntsman¡¯s legs began to give out, requiring them both to carry him along. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you two¡­¡± He groaned. ¡°Don¡¯t be. Just eat with us. I can always remove the poison for a moment.¡± Snow urged him. ¡°The poison¡­ has already been rooted into me. I can barely feel my legs.¡± Mr. Huntsman | HP: 140 | 450 His HP was dangerously low. Snow reached into her Dimensional Storage to retrieve vials of red liquid. These were called Healing Potions. They were incredibly abundant across the lands of Elysia and were a staple for every known profession, whether they were a farmer or an Adventurer. However, they had severe limitations. Healing Potions could only mend superficial wounds as well as restore a small fraction of one¡¯s vitality. Taking more would not increase its effectiveness. Due to the lack of readily available methods to heal from an injury, Healers became highly sought after. Indeed, to the point where Kingdoms would wage war over the custody of just one. He gulped down a number of potions. But his condition never improved. Snow could only Heal him so many times before her Mana depleted. And whenever it was low ¨C *Munch* *Squelch* *Slurp* She would match Red¡¯s ravenous hunger. Red didn¡¯t notice it right away, but some of her teeth became razor sharp whenever her eyes turned red. Agate. What kind of Healers are there? Currently Known Healers Healers | White Dove Eh? That¡¯s it? Huuuh? Agate, stop messing around! Oh wait, these are the Healers I only know about? So there¡¯s a lot more, right? < Indeed > Her only clues about Snow being an abnormal Healer had nothing to do with her diary. It was the fact that she could bypass the emotional suppression that chained the Healers. Furthermore, her flickering eye color, abnormal hunger, sharp teeth and strange way of Healings made it obvious. Noticing Red¡¯s gaze, Snow put her food aside and held her diary close. Then, she slashed her right hand and smothered the book with her blood. Immediately, the book absorbed every ounce of her blood. ¡°It¡¯s disappearing¡­¡± Precisely. The laceration along her right arm gradually disappeared. Fresh, tender flesh replaced it. She turned to the page that held her injury. Suddenly, a prompt appeared in front of Red. Envious Bramble < [Envious Lash] > < Lash and lash again, until the flesh tears and opens for us to take for ourselves > ATT : 300 MAG ATT : 300 ¡°What¡¯s with the weird phrase underneath it?¡± Red said out loud, causing Snow to smile. ¡°You really can see it too. Is it because we¡¯re next to each other? I still don¡¯t get it but¡­¡± Suddenly, she took one of Red¡¯s hands and placed it on her lap. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m happy I can share it with another person.¡± Not only was Snow able to receive the Conditions or the Parts of a Corrupted, but also the descriptions of their attacks. But Red¡¯s brain didn¡¯t register this immediately. She was far too preoccupied with the soft sensation of Snow¡¯s gentle hand. For someone with such a cold name, she was an awfully warm person. The Huntsman smiled at the scene, adoring how much Snow had softened around Red. ¡°Consider this, Red. I¡¯m the only other person who knows about the truth of her diary.¡± He said. ¡°Are you bragging that that you were her friend first?¡± Red growled competitively. ¡°Aha. Forgive me little Red if it appeared that way. Aaah.¡± His usual gruff demeanor disappeared. It became one of deep contemplation as he stared off into the darkness with a nostalgic expression. ¡°I was merely¡­ just thinking about when I first met Snow. It wasn¡¯t different from the scene in front of me. We met over a corpse, no?¡± ¡°We did. I didn¡¯t trust you at all.¡± Snow giggled. ¡°Naturally. But I think you should trust Red in your entirety. My guts are ruined. But the feeling I have is never wrong. Red is a good girl.¡± ¡°I know she is.¡± She patted Red¡¯s head. ¡°But that¡¯s why I¡¯m afraid.¡± Snow¡¯s gaze lowered. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look into Red¡¯s eyes. No you don¡¯t! Red threw herself to the ground so she could stare up into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not avoiding me. No matter what happens, we¡¯re friends, right!?¡± A bead of tears formed in the corner of Snow¡¯s eyes. ¡°Haha¡­ Yeah. You¡¯re right.¡±