《Lily’s Tale – A LitRPG》 Chapter 1: New Beginning When I woke up all I saw was a big light, looking down I couldn''t see my body or feel it. All I saw was a big white room that didn''t seem to end at all. As I tried to process what was happening around me. Suddenly in front of me a large vintage tv appears out of nowhere in front of me, and then with a sizzling sound a glitched image of text began to appear. "We are sorry to have to inform you, but you have died. As your merit exceeds the standards, you have earned the right to reincarnate in one of the random worlds under our control." ''Dead? Merit? Reincarnate? Random world?'' I didn''t understand anything, but the screen didn''t stop. "Your merit score is: 101. Therefore you have won the right to 1 random roulette wheel, with no chance to try again." Before I could understand what was happening, the Tv was replaced by a slot machine, and then the very retro-looking machine started playing with a happy vintage and iconic music of cassino. The first symbol was a colorful ball similar to planet Earth. The second was a symbol of a star, and the last was a symbol of a lotus flower. Then the slot machine disappeared in a white smoke with a "puff" sound and in its place the Tv appeared again and started emitting a text. "Congratulations host! You have gained the opportunity to Reincarnate in the world of: Asthena. With the randon gift: Star store. With the species: Nymphaea! Your transfer will begin immediately!" Then everything started to melt, the walls, the TV, and even myself, everything melted like wax and mixed into a whirlpool soon I felt myself like sinking into the mud, unable to scream or even understand what was happening, and then everything went dark.
When I woke up again I couldn''t see anything, my surroundings seemed to be full of something, and I felt trapped in something. ''What is happening?'' My head hurts, my body feels completely numb, and I can''t remember much, all I can remember is being in the white room, watching a TV and a slot machine, and then everything disappeared. ''I... I died? Where am I....Asthena? Where is this?... Who am I?'' My head was fuzzy and sore, and I couldn''t tell what was happening, but my instincts were telling me that I should do something now. Trying to move I couldn''t do anything, it was like having your body completely anesthetized and still being conscious, no matter how much you try to move, nothing moves and everything seems scary. ''What I need to do?'' I tried to search my memories, but soon I started thinking of a word. ''Status?''
Information
Name: ----- Level: 1
Gender: ---- Age: 0 Years
Hp: 5.1 Sp: 2.4
Mp: 0.2 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 1.7 Def: 2.1
Dex: 0.5 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.1
Hp Regen: 0.2 MpRegen: 0.01 Luck: 0.2
Skills
[Root Growth] - Lv 1 Use your Sp to make your roots grow
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv 1 Absorb nutrients from decomposed materials
[Photosynsis] - Lv 1 Use water and nutrients to create Sp
[Blooming] - Lv 1 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Lunar Conversion] - Lv 1 Use your leaves to convert moonlight into MP
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv 1 Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Filtering] - Lv 1 Use root formations and SP to absorb nutrients present in the water and filter it
Titles
-={Reincarnated}=- Get a permanent bonus of 100% XP gains
''Oh- Uh... So I''m a Nymphaea? Is that a plant?...'' My brain seemed to be working again, I still didn''t remember many things, but I was beginning to understand my current situation. I tried to focus on my [Root Growth] skill, and soon my mind was filled with a lot of information, the information to use the skill. ''So... I just need...'' Following my instincts, I try to stretch myself out, until I start to feel something, and it feels like I''ve broken something, then I can feel a cold, wet sensation, which makes me feel cold and wet. it gave the idea that I was in the water, and I could soon feel that I had successfully created a small root. ''Good enough.'' The process made me very tired, and I felt sleepy and heavy, so I soon fell asleep.
Lotus Year 1 A few days had passed I think? And in the meantime I remembered some things, I think I was a human being in my "other life", I don''t remember my name, or what I looked like. But I think I was a human being. I don''t really know what to do with these memories, they are so broken and fragmented that I can''t do anything with them, so I just used them to guide me in my new life. I used my abilities to grow my roots, and now I knew that I was at the bottom of some type of lake or water source, my body was a small seed with several roots that curled around the ground, connected to what appeared to be a black seed. , and a plant stem that grew upwards, I could see everything around me, with a 360¡ã degree view, it was quite confusing at first, but I soon got used to it. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. I tried using more skills, like [Photosynsis], [Blooming], [Lunar Conversion], [Summon Nymphs] and [Filtering]. But my instincts told me that I needed to grow first to be able to use these skills correctly. I was able to use the [Nutrient Absorption] skill, absorbing the nutrients from my seed, and remains from the bottom of the lake, I could see some little creatures that paid me a visit from time to time, which seemed to be fish, insects and animals that live in the lake. water, I think I''m in a lake because I saw what looked like tadpoles, which is an indication of fresh water. But maybe they were just geriatrics that can live in salt water. Time passed, and I continued my journey towards the surface, one day I would get there. One day.
Lotus Year 2 It seems like a few days have passed, maybe weeks, my sense of time seems horrible. I wake up, eat, grow, sleep and then repeat the cycle, going on and on without stopping, my roots had spread across a good part of the lake, and every now and then something would fall on top of them, which helped me grow. My nutrient supply in my seed was running out, so this made me very worried, so I started using the [Filtering] skill. Even though it contradicts my instincts. The skill created some "fruits" on my roots, which then grew until they looked like sponges, these sponges then absorbed the dirt and nutrients contained in the water, and gave me a good supply of food. I don''t know what''s in that water, but it looks dirty, everything is very green and slimy, and it seems to be full of insects and things like that, maybe I''m in a swamp, or something like that.
Lotus Year 3 I finally reached the surface! My stem could finally see the outside world, and what I saw was a lot of plants, trees, and algae growing around the surface of the lake, I was very excited about this, and I grew my first leaves. The leaves looked like normal lotus plant leaves, but they had some cool bluish spots that glowed in the dark. These leaves grew attached to my main stem, and my stem just served as a connector for everything. The leaves took a lot of energy, and I was getting worried that I wouldn''t survive, but when the first leaf opened, and I was finally able to "feed" myself for the first time, it was incredible. It was like a wave of energy that slowly recharged my body and made me feel incredible, made me feel how precious life was and how little things should be appreciated. When night fell, things got more serious. As soon as the moon appeared in the sky, the blue spots on my leaves began to glow even brighter, and I could feel my body being energized with a different type of energy. ''Is that the MP?'' Magical energy, something I had never touched before, and now I was generating this new magical energy. ''What if I...'' Activating my skill [Summon Nymphs]; I could see the water around my leaves start to tremble, and soon a small bubble of green water rose up and began to float around. ''That''s it?'' The nymphs didn''t look like much, but as soon as the water bubble spotted an insect that was resting peacefully on my leaves, it began to vibrate and then shot a small blast of water that knocked the insect into the lake. ''Oh!! Thank you lady nympha!'' I could feel the nympha was sucking my Mp, but nothing I couldn''t handle nowadays. ''Status''
Information
Name: ----- Level: 1
Gender: ---- Age: 3 Years
Hp: 21.2 Sp: 12.8
Mp: 2.3 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 21.5 Def: 8.1
Dex: 0.8 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.1
Hp Regen: 0.8 MpRegen: 0.01 Luck: 0.2
Skills
[Root Growth] - Lv 6 Use your Sp to make your roots grow
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv 4 Absorb nutrients from decomposed materials
[Photosynsis] - Lv 1 Use water and nutrients to create Sp
[Blooming] - Lv 1 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Lunar Conversion] - Lv 1 Use your leaves to convert moonlight into MP
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv 1 Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Filtering] - Lv 3 Use root formations and SP to absorb nutrients present in the water and filter it
''Wow!! 3 years?! When did all this time pass?!'' I hadn''t opened my status in the meantime, because it didn''t seem like a long time, but 3 years had passed by me like it was nothing. ''At least I gained a lot of skill levels'' ''Wait a minute... What about my "gift"?'' I had received a "gift" in the white room, but until today I didn''t pay attention to it. ''Damn... If I''m not mistaken, what was it? Mania store? Mana Store? Star Store?'' As soon as those words came to mind, a new tab appeared for me.
Notice
You have accessed the "Star Store" feature for the first time! Therefore, you will receive an explanation of its uses and purposes!
Star Store
When using Star Store services, you can convert points into skills, titles or XP. To earn points you must generate them by collecting stellar mana, or by converting common mana into stellar mana.
Star Store
Star Points: 0
Random skill: 40 Star points - Or more Random Title: 500 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
''Damn!!! That''s quite nice! But it''s too expensive!! I can''t afford it... I don''t even have 10 Mp, so I would need around... 4000 thousand mana points to gain just a random skill?!'' This thing would take days, months, years to fill. ''It''s not like I have anything else to do I guess...''
Lotus Year 4
Star Store
Do you want to use 40 Star points for a random skill?
The last year has been busy, in the morning I create leaves on the surface and more sponges underwater, at night I focus everything I have on generating Mp, and then I convert everything into star points. After a long time, and a repetitive process, I finally got the first 40 points, at that point I already got a lot of leaves, and my roots spread across the bottom of the lake, my leaves were very good at competing for space, growing on top of algae and other vegetation, killing them and taking their place, so it was an easy task to dominate the surface of this lake. The sponges made my surroundings brighter and healthier, causing the dark green water in the lake to be slowly converted into purer water. Currently the water was still very green, but if I spread my roots further across the bottom of the lake, and create more sponges, it will only be a matter of time before this lake becomes a source of drinking water. ''Yes'' was my answer to the star store purchase, and soon I received my random product.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Mud Critters]
Notice
[Mud Critters] - Lv 1 Use your MP to create and mantain mud minions, who can fight for you.
''Oh... This is basically the same thing as water nymphs, the difference is that these are made of mud.... I spent 1 year of my life for this? Chapter 2: Plans Lotus Year 5 In recent times I have been nourishing my roots, and creating more and more sponges to purify the water, there were dozens of leaves on the surface of the lake, and around them several small bubbles of magical water floated peacefully, attacking anything that tried to touch the leaves. . Currently I have 5 water nymphs, and 1 mud crittle, the mud crittle looked a lot like the water nymphs, the difference was that they stayed underwater, inspecting my roots and scaring away creatures that got too close. Now I was in a little conflict of goals, should I focus my efforts on water purification? Create more leaves, or start creating flowers? I don''t know what I would use the flowers for, reproduction perhaps? But I''m not sure if my flowers would turn into fruit, so I''m not willing to sacrifice important resources for something that might not produce results.
Star Store
Star Points: 34.2
Random skill: 60 Star points - Or more Random Title: 500 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
I have some star points, but not enough for a new skill, to my sadness I discovered that every time I buy a new skill the price of the skills goes up, and I don''t think I want to risk getting another "repeat" skillfor this price The description of the star store said 60 or more", so I believe that if I use more star points to buy a skill, I have a chance of getting better skills. It''s just a matter of time, with time I will purify the water of this lake and get rid of this dirt, with time my roots will spread across the entire surface of the lake and I will be the plant that dominates this place, with time my roots will spread all over the bottom of the lake and nothing had escaped my reach. I just need time.
Lotus Year 6
Star Store
Do you want to use 90 Star points for a random skill?
Another year passed, the lake started to look cleaner, and I could feel how this cleaner environment was beneficial for life. The fish in the lake became more lively, the insects reproduced more, and some wild creatures appeared at the edge of the lake to cool off. My leaves grew more and more, reaching circumferences of up to 2 meters, my first leaves were small and fragile, less than 50 centimeters and very thin. But as soon as these leaves reached their expiration date, they closed and sank into the lake, opening a new space for a new, young and healthy leaf. My nymphs stopped attacking insects, as long as these insects weren''t gnawing on my leaves, the water nymphs stopped caring about them, perhaps because it was a waste of mana, since the nymphs couldn''t kill the insects. I also had visits from some larger creatures, such as toads and frogs, who stayed calmly on my leaves, while they crouched and rested. After a lot of work, I finally got 90 star points, it wasn''t a huge amount, but it should still give me a better skill than [Mud Crittles]. ''Yes'' After giving mental confirmation to the notification, I could see the star points I had accumulated over the past few years disappearing like tears in the fire, and soon after I received my gift.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Lotus Blessing]
Skill
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that increased luck and fortune.
''A skill that increases someone''s luck? Who am I going to use this...'' Lucky days and unlucky days, and today was my unlucky day, I spent all my precious star points for something I can''t use. ''Whatever...'' Taking advantage of my recent disappointment, I decide to take a quick look at my status again.
Information
Name: ----- Level: 1
Gender: ---- Age: 6 Years
Hp: 35.2 Sp: 22.4
Mp: 8.4 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 28.3 Def: 11.2
Dex: 1.3 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.3
Hp Regen: 1.5 MpRegen: 0.01 Luck: 0.5
Skills
[Root Growth] - Lv Max Use your Sp to make your roots grow
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv 9 Absorb nutrients from decomposed materials
[Photosynsis] - Lv 5 Use water and nutrients to create Sp
[Blooming] - Lv 1 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Lunar Conversion] - Lv 3 Use your leaves to convert moonlight into MP
[Filtering] - Lv 2 This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Use root formations and SP to absorb nutrients present in the water and filter it
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv 2 Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Mud Critters] - Lv 1 Use your MP to create and mantain mud minions, who can fight for you.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
I''ve grown a lot in the last few years, my skill [Root Growth] has even reached its maximum level, that''s probably why creating better roots and leaves has become so easy lately, I''d like to have better skills, but I think I need to work with what I have .
Lotus Year 6
Notice
Your mud crittle killed a [Water Flea] x 4 you gained 0.08 XP
''Oh?'' I was relaxing as usual, and out of nowhere I got a notification saying that my mud crittle had killed a small group of auga fleas, it was the first time I gained Xp, and I felt a little happy ''Good job little friend'' I said to the little ball of mud that was slowly moving between my roots, the ball of mud didn''t care about my words, and just continued its journey between my roots. ''I''m going to create more of these little guys...'' The water nymphs were nice, but they had never killed anything, just kicked them off my leaves, but it looks like these little mud balls can do more than just scare some fish. After creating 9 more little mud crittles, I set them aside again, and focus on something else that caught my eye. Nowadays the water was much clearer, so it was even possible to see through it with a little difficulty. When I got here, the place was like a mud puddle full of dirt and algae. I can eliminate the dirt in the water, but the algae is something completely different. These algae and slime grow all over the place, stealing my valuable resources and spreading among my roots, it has made me angry, I am not willing to share my space with these invaders. But for everything in life there is a solution, and for that I found a guy who could do a good job for me, I just needed to convince him to work for me. There was a small fish in the lake, which I saw eating the algae all the time, these fish had different colors, but most were predominantly orange, with yellow, black, white, gray and red spots. These guys were small, I would say around 15 centimeters, but I wanted so much for them to come to me and start eating this algae. These fish weren''t afraid of the mud balls they thought were threatening, so most of the time I could see them between my roots, hiding or eating larger algae, but I needed to find a way to make them want to come back, if I could I wanted to. that there were only these fish in the lake, because then there would be no algae in this place.
Lotus Year 6
Notice
The skill [Nutrient Absorption] has reached the maximum level.
Notice
Do you want to merge the [Nutrient Absorption] skill and the [Root Growth] skill?
A few days had passed, and I managed to evolve my 2 skills to the maximum, and along with that I gained a new option to fuse skills. ''Wow... Merging [Root Growth] and [Nutrient Absorption] sounds really cool... But is it really worth it? My roots already absorb nutrients, wouldn''t that just make the roots'' drainage capacity stronger?...I don''t need it.'' The option to fuse skills was tempting, but it wasn''t something I needed, so there''s no reason to rush. I can evolve other skills to their maximum level, and try to make better fusions. ''If I upgrade [filtering] and merge it with [Root Growth], could I create roots capable of purifying water without the need to create sponges? This would be more useful than roots that can suck up more nutrients...'' Roots that suck up a lot of nutrients are not useful to me, the way I am now, it''s like drinking a glass of water through a straw, I can pull out everything I need to survive, and maintain a pace good enough for my needs. I don''t have a competitor to fight for nutrients, so I don''t need to rush. My only competitors are algae, and they are far behind me. Now, if I can purify water without spending Sp, and without having to create sponges, then I would have something more substantial and useful. since that way I could just focus on spreading my roots throughout the lake, and stop spending Sp on creating more sponges.
Lotus Year 7
Notice
You leveled up to level 2
Last year was very peaceful, I managed to level up for the first time, and the water was getting cleaner every day. Algae-eating fish were hanging around my roots from time to time, and I even had the displeasure of witnessing one fish being attacked by another and killed in front of me. It was pretty brutal to be honest, one of the orange fish was just enjoying life and eating some algae, when a brown fish came up from behind and tore it apart completely with a row of sharp teeth that didn''t fit on a fish. Visers and blood everywhere, and all that was left in the end was the carcass of the fish that was thrown onto my roots, several scavengers appeared to have the chance to get a little piece of the meal, and now it was my turn. I used my powers to absorb the nutrients from the fish carcass, and it was quite a meal to be honest, the fish contained a lot of nutrients and I couldn''t eat it all at once. Because I''m a plant, I don''t have a stomach, so I have nowhere to store these extra nutrients, so all I can do is absorb the nutrients as I need them, it would be good to have a skill capable of preserving nutrients for a time of crisis, like when I had my seed that I could use to salvage some extra nutrients when things got tight. I didn''t like seeing these deaths, especially in front of me, but I understand, it''s nature. A predator needs meat, even if I could I wouldn''t save the orange fish, because that would interfere with the balance of things. The orange fish had died, but its body sustained life in the lake, feeding several other species, such as snails, worms, small fish and me. Maybe one day I too will become someone''s food, but I''m a plant, I can always grow back as long as I have the nutrients to do so. ''Star store''
Star Store
Star Points: 242.5
Random skill: 80 Star points - Or more Random Title: 500 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
I''ve gotten a lot of points lately, the more leaves, the more mana I can generate, and the more mana the faster it is to get more star points. Now, should I risk 3 half-assed skill and save some points, or try 1 good skill? Now that I know that I can fuse skills, there doesn''t seem to be such a thing as a "half-baked skill", I can always combine 2 bad skills to create something better, so I should focus on quantity, and variety, not quality and superiority. But who doesn''t want a powerful skill right away? ''No... I must think about my future... Variety over quality. If I have more options, I can solve all the problems that arise.''
Star Store
Do you want to use 240 Star points for 3x random skills?
''Yes''
Notice
You used 80 Star Points to gain the skill [Hard shell]
Skill
[Hard shell] - Lv 1 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
Notice
You used 80 Star Points to gain the skill [Create Water]
Skill
[Create Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create pure water.
Notice
You used 82.5 Star Points to gain the skill [Waste Wipe]
Skill
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 1 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
''Oh!! I liked these skills, I think I made a good deal this time.'' Chapter 3: Fusions Lotus Year 7 The new skills looked very promising, they weren''t a big deal when you looked at them directly, but things like [Hard shell] and [Create Water] had their uses. [Hard Shell] would be very useful if I need to defend myself, as I can''t move from this place, I need to look for ways to stay alive. [Create Water] was another very promising skill, I drink a lot of water, so it''s good to know that I can create my own water source in times of drought. [Wast Wipe] was the most abstract on this list, but it also seemed to be very useful, the skill seems to be made to purify my body or the environment around me. in case it''s poisoned, which is very good. As I looked at my new skills excitedly, I could see my water nymphs becoming more agitated, and looking in the direction the nymphs were floating, I could see what appeared to be a bird, perhaps some kind of heron. The nymphs didn''t even want to know, and began to spray small angry jets of water at the heron, but the animal didn''t seem bothered at all, and continued doing whatever it was doing. Soon the heron opened its wings and closed itself into a kind of umbrella, so I could see it defecating in the water and patiently waiting for something. Before long, the heron advanced with its beak towards the water, and caught a large orange fish, then swallowed it whole and returned to umbrella mode. ''Oh... A fishing bird! It seems that wildlife is starting to use this place more frequently...'' Before this lake was a real mud pit, but since my arrival I have been working on it and turned it into something more acceptable, there was still a lot of work to be done, such as purifying 100% of the water, removing the algae, and perhaps exterminating all the fish that are not "Beneficial" for me. That would require a lot of work, but time is on my side.
Lotus Year 9
Skills
[Root Growth] - Lv Max
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv Max
[Photosynsis] - Lv Max
[Blooming] - Lv 1
[Lunar Conversion] - Lv Max
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv 4
[Filtering] - Lv Max
[Mud Critters] - Lv 5
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1
[Hard shell] - Lv 2
[Create Water] - Lv 1
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 1
In the last few years I have been leveling up my skills and gaining more star points, in the meantime I filtered the water more, and then created more water nymphs and mud crittles, now I had several little helpers out there, several little mud creatures inhabiting the my roots, hunting anything slow enough to suffocate in their muddy bodies. And small water nymphs that launched jets of water at creatures that came close. With this I managed to reach level 4 in the last few years, which wasn''t a big deal, but still very rewarding. I had 631 star points to use, and some skills that I could fuse into new skills. ''Very well... Let''s start with [Filtering] and [Root Growth].''
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Filtering] and [Root Growth]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Filtering] and [Root Growth] had fused in the skill [Filtering Roots]
Skill
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 1 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
''Bingo!'' It was a success, the skills really became something very obvious and predictable, but still very useful, now I would no longer need to spend my Sp to create roots and sponges at the same time, and I could focus solely on expanding my roots. ''Next option... [Lunar Conversion] and [Photosynsis]? Or [Photosynsis] and [Nutrient Absorption]? I can also try to merge [Lunar Conversion] and [Nutrient Absorption]... I think I''ll go with [Lunar Conversion] and [Photosynsis], it seems much more useful and promising.''
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Lunar Conversion] and [Photosynsis]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Lunar Conversion] and [Photosynsis] had fused in the skill [Celestial Absorption]
Skill
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 1 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
''Oh!! This is very good! Now i can generate Mp and Sp no matter the time of the day!'' Using my new [Celestial absorption] skill I could feel that my leaves were managing to generate more energy and were generating MP and SP, even though it was daytime. ''Very good, it was totally worth it. Now for the next thing...''
Star Store
Star Points: 631.2
Random skill: 120 Star points - Or more Random Title: 500 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
''What to do? Risk everything on a new super skill? Buy a title, or spend it all on several small skills?'' The options were very varied, I could get 5 "weak" skills, or try to get fewer skills with larger amounts of points. I could try 3 skills for 200 points each, or 6 skills for 100 points, or you could take a title and a skill for 130 points. ''I think I''ll try to get a title, these titles seem good since thet are so expensive...'' My only title was [Reincarnated] which already gave me a 100% XP bonus which was very good, so the titles seemed something that would help me permanently and immutably. ''So it''s decided... 1 title and 1 skill of 130 points... I hope I win something good.''
Star Store
Do you want to use 500 Star points for a random title?
''Yes!''
Notice
You have gained the title [Guardian of The Pond]
Titles
-={Guardian of The Pond}=- +50% life regeneration if you are in a water body. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
''Oh... How specific... But I think it works for me... 50% more health regeneration is a significant bonus, but it ties me to a body of water... Well, it''s not like I I could get out of here anyway... Wait... What is that?''
Star Store
Star Points: 131.2
Random skill: 100 Star points - Or more Random Title: 1000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
Star points in the new title to get a new title have doubled, this has never been mentioned, and it is a horrible condition, it means that I cannot take titles according to my need, but it also means that the next title will always be better than the last one. ''But 1000 points .... would I need ... 1? 2 years to generate all this ... '' Without thinking much more about the subject I continue to my next purchase and spend the remaining points on a new skill.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Lily Pad Shield]
Skills
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
''Oh!! This skill looks really good! Especially if I think about the future! If I can fuse this with [Hard shell] I could create even more powerful plant shields, or if I fuse this with [Celestial Absorption] I could create shields that can also generate energy!'' ''Lets see what i got there...''
Information
Name: ----- Level: 4
Gender: ---- Age: 9 Years
Hp: 42.1 Sp: 28.2
Mp: 12.3 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 32.5 Def: 14.4
Dex: 1.8 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.4
Hp Regen: 1.8 + 0.9 MpRegen: 0.03 Luck: 0.5
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 1 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv MAx Absorb nutrients from decomposed materials
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 1 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv 1 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv 4 Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Mud Critters] - Lv 5 Use your MP to create and mantain mud minions, who can fight for you.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv 2 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Create Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create pure water.
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 1 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.

Lotus Year 12 Over the last few years I have been purifying my lake, the water is much clearer now, and I can even see some fish on the surface of the lake, the algae is still a big problem, but I plan to get rid of it all. My roots are growing all over the bottom of the lake, and are reaching the edges, I can feel that the lake I am in is connected to a small stream, my roots are also treating the water, and creating a very healthy environment for everyone. My water roots have taken on a different shape, before they were just normal roots with a darker color, but nowadays my roots are porous, full of holes that filter the water. This was really cool, but I also had to deal with the problem of algae growing in my roots, and sealing off the water intake, which slowed down the water filtration. My old sponges were still around, I didn''t lose the ability to create them, but now they didn''t take Sp to maintain, so I could use them to create bigger and more powerful filters. My leaves dominated the surface of the lake, and I could generate energy day and night. But with certain limitations. My power to generate energy increased a lot, but it also came with several limitations, I generated little energy at the beginning of the day, and it increased until the highest point of the sun, then as the afternoon arrived, energy production also fell. And at night everything depended on the stages of the moon, on full moon days my mana generation count would explode, but on other days this energy would drop more and more, so even though I can generate energy every day, the amounts dropped a lot. . But at specific times and days my energy generation was so great that I could generate up to 1 star point in a single day. Speaking of star points, I currently have 1342.2 star points, which were great points, but when I think about how difficult it is to earn them and how easy it is to lose them, I get upset. In recent years my helpers have also grown a lot, as I leveled up, and they too, these little helpers have become very useful. The water nymphs were now very large floating water blobs, the size of a large frog, and my mud nymphs were the size of snails. The nymphs began to kill everything that came close, as they evolved the nymphs learned that jets of water were not the best weapon, so they used their bodies to trap invaders and drown them inside themselves. This worked on insects, slugs, small snails, and young frogs. But it was useless against birds and other larger species of animals. Now the mud monsters devised a new strategy, they blended into the ground, and then waited patiently until something passed by them, then the mud monsters grabbed them, and pulled them under the ground. Killing them by suffocating. This pushed me to level 10, and made the ability to create nymphs and mud crittles reach maximum level. Which made me realize that my new skills had a big problem. They took a long time to level, in these 3 years I have been using [Filtering Roots] non-stop, and even so the skill did not go beyond level 3. Now I had the option to fuse some more skills, and I needed to try to find something that works well.
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 3 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Nutrient Absorption] - Lv MAx Absorb nutrients from decomposed materials
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 3 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv 1 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv MAX Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Mud Critters] - Lv MAX Use your MP to create and mantain mud minions, who can fight for you.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv 3 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Create Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create pure water.
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 2 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
''Few options... Maybe the best thing would be to merge the water nymphs and the mud crittles into a single thing, that way I can end up with very powerful minions... But I like how things are now, the water nymphs defend the outside area, and mud crittles the inner area... And it took my helpers years to create their own hunting strategies, if I just smelt them, will they have to learn everything from scratch? Maybe I don''t even need to get rid of them... After all, I fused my roots with the purification skill, and I can still create sponges, so by fusing the 2 helpers I should be able to create separate versions of them.'' ¡°But if I fused my mud servants, with [Absorb Nutrients], wouldn''t I be able to create servants that can generate food? Maybe they can look to external nutrient sources if one day the lake runs out of nutrients...'' I decide not to risk losing my 2 servants, I choose to fuse the skills [Mud Crittles] and [Absorb Nutrients]
Notice
You have gained the skill [Clay Guardians]
Skills
[Clay Guardians] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
''Oh!!! This is promising, these new guards can basically ensure that the land around me is never deprived of nutrients!! This is much better than I expected! '' Testing the skill, I see a small ball of mud emerging from the bottom of the lake, and then taking the shape of a mud slug, the little thing was just over 20 cm long and without any effort it began to crawl through my roots while patrolling the area. ''Cool I guess... It''s quite interesting to know that these guardians took the form of a slug.'' For my next task, I open the star store, and analyze my options.
Star Store
Star Points: 1342.2
Random skill: 100 Star points - Or more Random Title: 1000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
''Very well... 1 title and a 300 point skill? 1 Skill of 1300 points, or several small skills? I could also convert everything into 13k XP, which seems like a lot of Xp... But I have no apparent reason to want to level my own level, so I think I should focus on new skills. I can buy 33 new and weak Skills, which I can use to fuse into more powerful skills later, or I can try fewer, more powerful skills...'' I must admit that it is a great temptation to find out what a 1300 point skill would be, but when thinking about the usefulness of having several small skills I am torn. ''I''m going to try a single big skill... At least once I need to test if this is worth it.'' Deciding to spend it all on a 1340 point skill that was 33X the value of a common skill, I soon received my new super skill.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Solar Beam]
Skills
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
''Wow! My first offensive skill! It seems very powerful... But very limited too.'' The new skill looked very promising, but it had 3 glaring limitations that I noticed right away. 1st it needed to be activated on a flower, and I don''t have flowers, 2nd it needed sunlight, which was a big limiter and 3rd the skill has a charging time. So I would need my enemy to stay still long enough to be able to launch the attack. ''I guess it''s better than nothing.'' Deciding to at least try, I decide to use the skill that I never used [Bloming] and start creating some flowers, they would take some time to be ready, but soon I would have flowers to use. Chapter 4: Thorns Lotus Year 13 Another year has passed, and now I have 3 small flowers floating between my leaves, these flowers looked exactly like normal lotus flowers, with a white color and feathery petals, the only difference was that these flowers had a different tone of navy blue at the tip of each petal, and its interior was silver, not yellow like the vast majority of flowers. With the help of the clay guardians, and several years of hard work, I have finally managed to transform this lake into something presentable, my roots have already grown all the way to the bottom of the lake, and I completely dominate the surface of the lake. The waters still have a slight greenish tone, but when looking from above you could see the fish swimming and even see the bottom of the lake in the shallower parts. This was a big victory for me, there was still the problem of algae growing between the gaps in my leaves, and the fact that my entire surroundings were covered in weeds and dirt, but at least the lake is presentable. Last year I also managed to reach level 15, and that gave a good boost to my stats in general, but the real treasure was the skills and star points that I could accumulate.
Information
Name: ----- Level: 15
Gender: ---- Age: 13 Years
Hp: 62.4 Sp: 28.2
Mp: 21.5 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 42.2 Def: 20.2
Dex: 2.4 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.7
Hp Regen:2.4 + 1.2 MpRegen: 0.06 Luck: 0.6
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 4 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 3 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv 2 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv MAX Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Clay Guardians] - Lv 2 Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv 3 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Create Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create pure water.
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 2 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
This last year I got a total of 621 star points, it wasn''t much, but I was thinking about buying 3 new medium skills. But now I was about to test the new skill [Solar Beam], and that was solely why I used my precious energy to create these flowers. Activating the skill, I could see one of the flowers opening much wider than normal, and a small point of light formed above its core, after a few minutes the point of light began to grow and grow and my MP began to drop extremely fast as the bigger the ball of light got. ''Damn it! I won''t be able to keep this up any longer. I need to fire it now!'' After "releasing" the skill, the point of light that was the size of a marble was quickly shot towards the sky, and after a few seconds it exploded like fireworks. The explosion generated a huge noise that made birds take flight and animals hide, and even then it was just a shot at "minimum power". ''This is really good!! I spent all my MP for this, but it''s really good!! The only drawback is that I can''t control the direction of the sun''s ray... I would need a way to move the flowers if I wanted to hit my target.'' The flowers were on the surface of the lake, so unless it was to put on a fireworks show, the sun''s rays wouldn''t be of any use in the way they are. ''How can I solve this? Perhaps creating a root around the surface of the lake and then planting flowers all around the root? That''s not very effective... I would need something like a root that can move freely, that way I could grow flowers on the tip of that root and use it as a weapon.'' A little sad about the new skill, I go to the star store, and decide to use my points to buy 5 average skills, to see if I can gain something that can help me in this situation.
Notice
You used Star Points to gain the skill [Poison Point]
Skill
[Poison Point] - Lv 1 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes
Notice
You used Star Points to gain the skill [Lotus Scent]
Skill
[Lotus Scent] - Lv 1 Use Sp and MP to emit a scent capable of attracting prey and calming them
Notice
You used Star Points to gain the skill [Thorn Trap]
Skill
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 1 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
Notice
You used Star Points to gain the skill [Water Absorption]
Skill
[Water Absorption] - Lv 1 Absorb and store large amounts of water in your body.
Notice
You used Star Points to gain the skill [Vine Whip]
Skill
[Vine Whip] - Lv 1 Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Create thin vines to lash out at enemies and inflict minor damage.
''Damn! I actually got something that can help me! [Vine Whip] seems like something that might work.'' ''The other skills are also very promising, I especially liked [Lotus Scent] and [Thorn Trap], these skills seem like they could work very well together!''
Lotus Year 13 Lately I''ve been increasing my control over the lake, and I even discovered that I could give orders to my clay guardians. Which was unusual, since water nymphs like mud crittles didn''t follow orders, they just lived their lives normally. The first thing I had the clay slugs do was pull all the algae out of my roots, and they did a great job! They crawled over areas infested with algae, and then removed everything with their muddy bodies, leaving behind clean, moss-free roots. And my last skill, [Vine Whip] was the coolest of all in my opinion, because the skill basically gave me access to arms! These vines grew directly from my "core", which was nothing more than a tangle of roots and plant stems, and grew through the ground and water like roots, but I could manipulate these vines and move them according to my will. The Sp cost to do this was astronomical, so I couldn''t mess around, but I could use these vines to wrap around trees that grew in the lake, and pieces of floating wood. I have a big problem with this lake, which is the fact that it is very tight, I would say it is around 1km in diameter, but that''s it, my leaves have already occupied the entire surface, and it has become impossible to feed my mana needs due to this. The solution I found was to grow upwards, using the vines I could wrap myself around trees, rocks, and loose trunks, then taking advantage of these new areas, I could create some suspended leaves that helped me generate more MP. But this is not a real solution, because space is also running out, my roots already dominate the bottom of the entire lake, and I know that there is no more space in this place for me to grow more and more. My plan now was to use the clay guardians to dig out the lake, and slowly increase its width. The clay guardians would remove the earth from the edges of the lake, and use that earth to create a small island of land in the middle of the lake. This was still an ongoing project, but time is my friend, and everything is just a matter of timing.
Lotus Year 13
Warning
You have evolved to level 16, now you can choose a specialization.
Specialization
-={Purity Pool}=- The user can create a small pool of purified water, the water has healing properties and detoxification capacity.
-={Water Sanctuary}=- The user becomes capable of manipulating water, becoming stronger in the presence of large amounts of water, becoming weaker in dry areas.
-={Bestiary Garden}=- The user becomes able to control beasts and elementals, using them as servants and protectors.
Few days had passed, and in the meantime I managed to level up to level 16. And to my surprise I was given a choice I was not prepared for. ''Specialization? I didn''t know this existed... So can I choose one thing to specialize in?'' The options were very clear, gain healing abilities, gain the ability to manipulate water, or gain the ability to tame creatures. ''This is all very tempting.... I can only choose 1?'' If it is an expertise, it means it is a path of choices, when choosing one of the 3 paths I will begin to enter a path related to that specialization, so this first choice is very important. Hearing the croaking of frogs, and the chirping of the crickets I felt frozen, it was a very important choice, and I wasn''t prepared for it. ''I think I''ll go with {Water Sanctuary}, I believe I have a better chance with this specialization.'' I can create water, I can store water, I live in water, and I can purify water. So I believe the best choice is to stick to the familiar subject, I have no healing abilities, and my ''domestication'' powers were only directed at water nymphs, and clay guardians. Choosing the {Water Sanctuary} option I feel a huge wave of sleep hit me, and without being able to react much I ended up falling asleep without wanting to.
Lotus Year 14 ''Umghn.... What?... Wait did I end up falling asleep?'' When I woke up again, everything seemed the same as at first sight, but I soon realized that dozens of leaves had died and had not been replaced, the flowers had withered, and there was a small pile of dirt right below my body at the bottom of the lake. ''What happened? For the leaves to have died I must have been out for weeks, months perhaps.'' As I quickly grew some new leaves, I could see that the stem that was growing from my tangle of roots was a little different than before, the dark green had turned into a very pleasant lettuce green, and I felt much more excited and comfortable being in the lake now.
Information
Name: ----- Level: 16
Gender: ---- Age: 14 Years
Hp: 55.2 Sp: 38.4
Mp: 15.4 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0.3 Vit: 32.1 Def: 19.2
Dex: 2.1 Spe: 0 Magic: 0.8
Hp Regen: 3.2 + 1.6 MpRegen: 0.1 Luck: 0.8
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 4 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 4 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv 3 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv MAX Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Clay Guardians] - Lv 4 Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv 3 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Create Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create pure water.
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 2 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 1 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes
[Lotus Scent] - Lv 3 Use Sp and MP to emit a scent capable of attracting prey and calming them
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 1 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Water Absorption] - Lv 4 Absorb and store large amounts of water in your body.
[Vine Whip] - Lv 2 Create thin vines to lash out at enemies and inflict minor damage.
''My statuses change a little, but nothing really substantial...'' Analyzing my star store I can see the familiar 390 points, which means that in the time I was sleeping there were no star points generated. "More than great..'' When I became irritated by the situation, some small waves of water began to form across the lake, and as soon as I noticed this I knew something was wrong. ''Was that me?'' This ability wasn''t listed as a skill, but it seemed to be something I could do naturally on my own, which is pretty cool, but worrying at the same time. Without the help of the guide that the skills provide, I cannot manipulate these powers efficiently. ''Let''s try again'' Focusing a little on a specific point in the water, I start trying to make it move, and after a lot of mental effort I manage to generate a small wave. ''Ugh... What a shame.''
Lotus Year 16 These last 2 years have been crazy, the lake has finally reached my dream of consumption, and now it is a body of water composed solely of pure crystalline water, where it is possible to see the bottom as if you were looking through glass, the algae that grew there were mostly removed by my little clay soldiers, and I began to learn more about my water manipulation powers. At first I could only create small waves of water, but now I could raise small bubbles of water in the sky and make them take on basic shapes, not a big deal, but still a huge improvement for me. I started using my skill [Vine Wisp] every day since 2 years ago, and nowadays I had a lot of vines growing all over the place, rocks, branches, trees, everything was full of vines. Then I used the [blooming] skill to create flower patterns on these vines, and with that I was able to create "weapons" for my protection. As the flowers were scattered everywhere at all angles, I could choose one of them to launch a surprise [Solar Bean] at an enemy, until today it wasn''t necessary, but I''m prepared. My skill [Water Absorb] reached the maximum level, and I also discovered that I could drink half of the water from the lake and store it in my body. But to keep the water levels high, I made sure the lake was always full with the help of [Create Water] which was currently at level 8. Some skills were not being used much, such as [Thorn Trap], [Lily Pad Shield], [Poison Point] and [Waste Wipe]. But whenever I can I try to use and level up all my skills, using them recreationally, like [Vine Wisp] which I used to scare surface animals, or defensively like [Hard Shell] which was used to fortify my roots. I currently have 1752 star points, and I''m willing to use them on a new title, and a new skill. The "weak" skills were more moldable, but they were too generic or fell into areas where I couldn''t use them, so the best option for me was to try to focus on powerful skills that I could definitely use. After using my star points, I just look forward to receiving my prize and discovering the fruits of my hard work.
Notice
You have gained the Title [Elemental Resistance]
Titles
-={Elemental Resistance}=- 40% reduction against all elemental attacks.
''Oh! A title that grants me defensive power! This one looks cool, I just don''t know if it''s worth 1000 star points, but the next one costs 2000 so I think I''m demanding too much from a "Cheap" title." Resistance against elemental attacks seems cool, what am I weak against? Earth? Sand? Fire? Lightning? Even though I manipulate water, I''m still technically a plant, so I guess my weakness might be fire. It''s not like there''s fire around here.
Lotus Year 16 A huge storm was happening, torrential rain was falling from the sky, and it was possible to hear the sound of lightning tearing the sky. I remained unchanged, I even liked this climate. But my flowers were completely destroyed by this rain, and I would need to rebuild them later. After what seemed like hours of rain, I saw a flash of lightning hitting a tree, and then in the distance I could see a very characteristic red glow. ''Damn, is that fire? The rain must stop him before he gets too close.'' That''s what I thought at the time, but the torrential rain had already stopped a few hours ago, and now it was just a bunch of dry lightning and a light rain. Within hours I could see the brightness of the flames increasing, more and more, and getting closer. Soon the fire appeared in my field of vision, and due to the tall vegetation present on the lake''s edge I knew that the fire would reach me. ''Hells! What do I do?!'' The fire continued to get closer, enough for me to feel the heat with my leaves, my water nymphs in a heroic act floated towards the fire and tried with all their might to put out the crackling flames, but as soon as they got close to the fire they began to shake and burst into a puddle of water. ''No!! My nymphs!'' Soon the fire reached my leaves that were on the edge of the lake, and everything started to burn, the leaves that covered the entire surface of the lake, and the destroyed flowers ended up forming a path for the fire, and soon it reached the trees that grew in the middle of the lake. ''IT HURTS!! HOW DO I MAKE THIS STOP!?'' The feeling of the burning leaves was agonizing, but no matter how much it burned or how much pain I felt, I remained aware of everything and unable to move. In the midst of the pain and chaos I could only see a large amount of ash and dirt falling into the lake that I dedicated years to purifying, my leaves that took weeks to grow were being erased in seconds, and the pain didn''t stop coming. In a desperate thought, I began to summon a blade of water, and cut all my stems that connected me to the surface, the pain was throbbing and excruciating, but it soon began to stop. ''I need to escape to the bottom of the lake!'' Trying to use my water manipulation, I push my "Core" to the deepest part of the lake and wait, while just staring in terror at the surface glowing in shades of white and red. Ash fell everywhere, creating a large black smoke in the lake, charred branches and branches fell and went straight to the bottom, and the surface of the lake began to boil, killing all the things that could have survived. ''I''m scared.'' Chapter 5: Visitors Lotus Year 16 After a few days I finally managed to get back to the surface of the lake, and what I found was a desolate land left behind. There was ash and burnt wood everywhere, black earth and tree remains emitting smoke, my leaves, vines and roots that touched the surface were completely burned, and all that was left were charred pieces scattered randomly across the lake. ''I can get back on my feet, the important thing is that I''m alive.'' The damage was horrible, but I wasn''t dead. Did I have big losses from this? Of course. But nothing I can''t recover over time. The lake is dirty? I can clean it in no time. Did my cuties nymphs die? I can make moreof them. Did the lake water evaporate? I can refil it forever. As I began to create some small plant branches that in a few days would give rise to new leaves, I used my control over the water to push myself a little above the water level of the lake, leaving my core exposed to the surface. Taking the chance, I take a look around me and realize that the thick weeds and invasive vegetation had completely disappeared. And in its place a pile of burnt trees and scorched ground was placed. ''That is good? Or bad?'' Now I no longer have the problem with wild vegetation dominating the lake''s surroundings, but a fire never seems to be a good thing. Taking advantage of the rest of Mp I had, I started to summon some nymphs, and without delay small bubbles stained with ash emerged from the water and began to patrol my surroundings. ''I need to save MP in case I need to use my water manipulation powers, so just 3 nymphs for now.''
Lotus Year 17
Warning
The hero [Lucios] killed the Demon Lord of Chaos
I was resting in my pond, just cleaning up the remains of the fire and practicing my water manipulation. But out of nowhere I received a notification that had nothing to do with me. ''Demon Lord? Hero Lucios? Who are these guys?'' It seemed important for me to have received a notification, but it didn''t change my life at all. I was more concerned about leveling up my skills and getting more star points. I survived this crisis, and because of that the lake also survived. Some animals in the lake died during the fire, but they were just frogs, insects, and some tadpoles. The fish had fled to the bottom of the lake as soon as they felt the temperature increase, so everyone was fine. This made my lake a point of life amidst the ashes, there were many birds that came here every day to eat fish, frogs and toads. And some wild animals that came to drink and bathe in my waters. These animals looked like boars, wolves, rats, monkeys, jaguars, and even a bear. All these creatures came here almost daily and enjoyed the waters of the lake. This made me a little angry sometimes, because these creatures entered my pure, crystal clear waters with their dirty, stinky bodies and contaminated everything. But I could purify the water quite easily and they helped me level up because of that. If the water remained pure for the rest of my life, the purification skill would stop evolving, so having these animals and dirt that falls into the water daily helped me a lot in raising my skill levels. And to be honest, I think there is a great symbiotic relationship happening here between us. These animals constantly fought with each other for sovereignty over the lake, as the first appearances of grass and plants to appear were around me and nowadays the lake is the only place within a 4km radius with live trees, grass, and undergrowth. The other places also had all of this, but the amount around the lake was much higher, the nutrients and humidity here were very present thanks to my clay guardians who fertilized the soil and my water nymphs who replicated the rain phenomenuon almost daily to keep the place always humid. The nymphs began to adopt this strategy, and it seemed like it was due to the fire. I don''t know how these new nymphs know something they''ve never seen before, but they made a point of keeping the land around the lake very moist, and even created a cloud of steam every day, generating a dense fog every morning. This made the surroundings of the lake an environment prone to life, frogs were the luckiest, as my leaves and vines gave them good cover, and my waters were the ideal place for their offspring to grow, there was no chance of the water source drying up, and it was full of algae, plants pieces, and animal remains for the tadpoles to eat. This large number of frogs attracted a large number of fish and birds. The fish hunted and ate the tadpoles, and the birds ate the fish and frogs and due to the large number of birds, several predators were always on the lookout, whether wolves, Jaguars or small felines. The wild boars came here to cool off, rub themselves in the mud and eat the undergrowth at the edge of the lake, along with several other herbivores that did the same, which attracted even more predators. So it''s quite common for me to wake up and see a pool of blood at the edge of the lake, or a half-eaten corpse floating in my waters while being devoured by fish. It''s just the cycle of life, there''s nothing to do about it, just accept it and keep dancing to the music. And the music never stops to play.
Lotus Year 18
Information
Name: ----- Level: 20
Gender: ---- Age: 16 Years
Hp: 84.4 Sp: 38.8
Mp: 32.5 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 0 Vit: 63.2 Def: 25.2
Dex: 2.9 Spe: 0.1 Magic: 1.2
Hp Regen: 3 + 1.5 MpRegen: 0.14 Luck: 0.8
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv 7 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv 7 Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv 6 Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Summon Nymphs] - Lv MAX Use your MP to summon and maintain water nymphs that can protect you.
[Clay Guardians] - Lv 8 Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that increased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv 6 Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Create Water] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create pure water.
[Waste Wipe] - Lv 7 Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 1 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 2 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes
[Lotus Scent] - Lv MAX Use Sp and MP to emit a scent capable of attracting prey and calming them
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 2 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Water Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb and store large amounts of water in your body.
[Vine Whip] - Lv 8 Create thin vines to lash out at enemies and inflict minor damage.
A few more years had passed, my lake became a calm and peaceful place, at least for me it was. Even in the face of daily conflicts over the sovereignty of predators over this hunting ground. Now I had around 2312 star points accumulated, I was at level 20, and I had some skills that could be fused into a single Skill. So to start the day I started thinking about the possibilities of mergers. ''[Summon Nymphs] and [Create Water] seem like they were made for each other, if I do this I can create much more powerful water nymphs. But [Lotus Scent] and [Summon Nymphs] also look tempting... Could I create some kind of mermaid with that? Water nymphs that attract prey to the bottom of the lake? But I might end up creating scented nymphs... which doesn''t look very good to me. [Summon Nymphs] and [Water Absorb] can also work, I would create nymphs that can store and carry more water in their bodies. But what if I fused [Create Water] and [Water Absorb]?'' After thinking a bit, I decide that I will fuse [Summon Nymphs] and [Create Water] and save my other 2 max level skills for later, when I have more options.
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Summon Nymphs] and [Create Water] ?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Summon Nymphs] and [Create Water]had fused in the skill [Undine''s Embrace] The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Skill
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 1 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
''Wow!! This is so much better than I thought!! It''s a skill to summon elementals!! I don''t even know what elementals are, but they seem to be stronger than my water nymphs!'' The sacrifice part worries me, but if it''s an energy sacrifice then it''s understandable, since it seems like it takes a lot of energy to summon an elemental. After analyzing the skill a little, information about what I should do soon appears in my mind, it''s nothing very specific, but just the general process to summon an elemental. ''So I just need...'' Following my instincts and the skill manual, I start to activate the skill and pump my mana into it, then I can see the waters of my lake start to vibrate until a small whirlpool forms. After pouring almost all my mana into the skill I can see the mill disappearing and in its place a large water bubble similar to my nymphs appears, then in front of me this water bubble begins to take the shape of a water fish and begins to swim through the sky as if we are underwater. ''Amazing!! I summoned an elemental! What can he do?'' Without letting me wait long, the water fish swam calmly towards a small rodent that tried to hide in the grass, but then the water elemental began to create a ball of water around its mouth and fired the ball at the rodent, transforming it in a bloodstain on the floor.
Notice
Your summoned elemental killed a [Moxi Rat] you gained 1.6 XP
''Incredible!! They are very expensive, but much more powerful than a nymph!'' I would need a few more days to be able to summon another one of these water fish, but for me they are very worth it, the summoning cost is high, but I''m not spending anything to keep it here! For my next goal, I look at my large amount of star points and think about what to do with it all.
Star Store
Star Points: 2312.2
Random skill: 140 Star points - Or more Random Title: 2000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
Now that I know the advantages of leveling up, I can exchange all of this for a lot of XP, but I don''t know if this is dangerous, a fast growth can sometimes be really dangerous. I could also buy a truckload of new smaller skills, go all in on a single big skill, or try a new title. ''I will spend 500 points on a single skill and 1812 points on 6 smaller skills.'' Big skills were risky, but I got my only offensive skill by spending a lot of points, and I can''t use it masterfully, so I''ll try to get a powerful fighting skill, or just a super powerful skill.
Star Store
Do you want to use 500 Star points for a skill?
''Yes''!
Notice
You have gained the skill [Aquatic Allies]
Skill
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 1 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
''Another summoning skill? I can''t even test it now because I''m out of mana...'' The skill seems cool, but it was more of a summoning skill, it''s always good to have more guardians, but I wanted skills that worked on me.
Star Store
Do you want to use Star points for x6 skill?
''Yes!''
Notice
You have gained the skill [Mist Veil]
Skill
[Mist Veil] - Lv 1 Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders
Notice
You have gained the skill [Lotus Light]
Skill
[Lotus Light] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers
Notice
You have gained the skill [Water Echo]
Skill
[Water Echo] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Floral Flourish]
Skill
[Floral Flourish] - Lv 1 Makes plants around you grow faster
Notice
You have gained the skill [Pond''s Reflection]
Skill
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 1 Use Mp to reflect any image in a large body of water, as long you have viewed it before.
Notice
You have gained the skill [Kelp Keep]
Skill
[Kelp Keep] - Lv 1 Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae

Lotus Year 19 I was in my lake, last year several flowers and plants grew around the lake thanks to my new abilities, there was a large amount of a blue-green algae that grew inside the lake, this algae was my algae, and they were slowly dominating the algae that was in the lake previously. The fish, snails and worms love this algae so it wasn''t difficult for me to create an area around my roots where the fish lived, I took the opportunity to have my clay soldiers build small caves with the mud and rocks from the lake, and I reinforced them with my roots, creating a large number of tunnels and small holes that the fish used as hiding places among the algae. Life continued very well for me, I slowly expanded the lake, increased the level of my skills, and generated star points. The lake also now had small creatures that looked like axolotls, these little creatures were summoned by me, and had the ability to grow indefinitely. In other words, now they may be the size of a sardine, but in a few years these little guys could become the size of a crocodile. I also had 5 more water elementals living in the lake, they patrolled all day, and when they wanted to rest they just dissolved in the lake water and then resurfaced later if necessary. Life was very peaceful here, there was still the problem with animal conflict in the region, but nothing that was really scary. Then, one morning, I started to hear what sounded like the clanking of metal, and after a while the noise got closer, until a large group of armed people appeared at the edge of the lake. ''What are they? They appear to be human...'' The guys were all dirty and wearing heavy metal armor, I could see them leaving what looked like backpacks on the ground and then they started to set up a camp. They cut down some trees, uprooted some plants, and erected several cloth tents. Then I could see them taking off their armor and revealing what looked like human people, but they had strange colored hair and some had unusually colored eyes. These humans then began to make themselves at home, setting up wooden benches and lighting a fire, then I saw what appeared to be a long-haired human approaching the lake with a water sack in his hands. As soon as the human got close, they began to move my leaves aside to access the lake water, and stopped momentarily when they saw the crystal-clear water like glass inside the lake. The water was so pure that you could see the grains of sand at the bottom of the lake, and every stone in the lake was so clean that it didn''t look like a lake you would find deep in a forest, but rather something in the garden of a castle. After seeing the water at the bottom of the lake, the girl slowly walked away, looking nervously in the direction of the lake and her surrondings, and began talking to a large man in armor. The guy then walked towards me and looked at the lake, he moved some of my leaves away with a stick and then picked up a stone and threw it into the deepest part of the lake. ''What is your problem!'' I wanted to start shooting lots of solar rays at these guys, but the trees that grew in the middle of the lake had ended up at the bottom of the lake after the fire, so I no longer had a support to grow flowers, and even if I had the right angle to hit them, I don''t have enough mana to launch a long attack so unless I wanted to show them a show of tricks, I was stuck. The man just waited after throwing the stones, and after a while he assessed that I was not a threat. I don''t know what had happened, or why my pure water had scared these guys away, but it seemed like it had already passed. When I finally started to calm down, the man shouted to other people in the camp, and soon a thin young boy with chains on his arms and legs was brought in. The big man then took the water sack from the long-haired human and made the water go down the chained boy''s throat. When he saw that the prisoner was refusing to swallow the water, he grabbed his jaw with one hand, and ordered another soldier to cover the boy''s nose with a cloth. Then the strong man put the water sack in the prisoner''s mouth, and almost made him drown with the water making he drink it by force. Then everyone moved away from the prisoner and waited about 3 minutes, when they saw that nothing had happened to him, the human woman seemed very happy, but the strong man grabbed the prisoner by the neck and threw him into the lake as if he were a sack of potatoes. When the prisoner fell into the lake, I could feel how my water elementals were planning an attack, but I suppressed them because I didn''t want to attract these people''s attention. The prisoner tried to swim and hold on to something, but his bound hands and legs didn''t help much, i could feel his movements slowing down over time, and when it looked like he was going to drown, the human woman lassoed him with a whip and pulled him to the edge of the lake. The strong man then began to inspect the prisoner''s body, looking for anything, and after a while he signaled to the human woman and she dragged the prisoner back to a tree where she tied him. ''Were they testing the water in the lake? What should I do if they started attacking me?'' I didn''t like this new company, I didn''t like their presence, their attitudes or how they treated the prisoner. I don''t know why, but seeing them treating such a small human being made me angry. Soon the strong man walked away and another human came carrying a bunch of water canteens, so it seemed like they chose me as "safe lake". As night fell I could see more and more of these humans without their metal helmets, some had normal hair with brown, white, yellow, and reddish colors. But others had very unusual hair, like green, purple, pink, and blue. I don''t know if it''s dyed or if their hair is really like that, but it felt like these guys weren''t the same humans I know. I could see them playing around the campfire, some people had animals on their shoulders, others carried staffs, swords and hammers. And some did tricks for their colleagues, like levitating leaves and playing with flames. I even saw a woman with short green hair make a man trip over a root that she made appear out of nowhere. These humans have powers, and different types of powers, it''s very interesting, but I didn''t dare reveal my existence. It was very difficult, especially when these humans started to enter my lake naked, they cleaned the dirt from their bodies, took water to clean clothes, armor, and things like that, took water to make food and drink and I could even see a man with a blue mantle bottling my water in a glass flask. They are very inconvenient! They drink the same water where they bathe and wash clothes!! They don''t care about my leaves, crushing and tearing them, and I have to hide the pain to not attract attention, they scare the animals that came here before and they even stay up late making a lot of noise!! They are the Worst Neighbors of all Chapter 6: Green Lotus Year 19 The humans remained in this region for a few days, but today they were packing up their things and leaving, these guys left me with a flea behind my ears, because I felt that they were very dangerous, but at the same time I was wondering if I should try to get rid of them more openly. I can''t move my main body, just move vines and manipulate water, the rest is done by my helpers, I''ve never killed anything directly, only through my helpers or taken advantage of dead creatures body''s. But I personally have never hurt anyone, mainly because I have no reason to do so. If they tried to kill me I would use everything I have to finish them off, but they just pulled up some leaves and used some water, so it''s nothing that would be considered a "Risk to my life". But I was honestly really tempted to end up with this guy in the blue hood. The guy spent days taking water from my lake and putting it in glass bottles, then he mixed the water with some other liquids that he took from a bag, and a mixture of herbs that he made. I don''t know what the result was, but this guy kept coming back for more water, taking almost an entire jug a day. This is not considered a threat, but it is still very annoying. I was the one who took the trouble to purify this lake for years, and now this random guy comes here and steals my water. I wanted to throw a sunbeam in his face and send him away. But the muscular guy in iron armor scared me, so I preferred to keep my mouth shut. After gathering all their things, the humans began to leave the same way they arrived, leaving behind the remains of a camp. I don''t know what they came to do here, but during the days they stayed, they entered the forest in groups in the early morning, and only returned during the night fall. I don''t know what they wanted, but thank heavens they were leaving, I didn''t enjoy their company, they were all very loud, dirty and disrespectful. They were not welcome here. They not welcome by me. At nightfall I finally felt free to release my elementals again, and continue my life. I was so scared of these humans discovering me that I couldn''t produce star points for weeks! As the night''s full moon appeared in the sky, my flowers opened and began to emit a pale blue light, my lettuce green leaves glowed a shade of navy blue in the moonlight, and my little water elementals flew through the sky, patrolling the place. My little clay slugs that were hidden in the middle of the earth finally emerged and began to expand the lake further to the sides. My little Axolotls that were hiding in the holes at the bottom of the lake came out and started happily hunting small creatures like tadpoles and small fish. I was at peace again, just enjoying my time as always, and I didn''t even realize I was being watched. When I heard the breaking of branches coming from the edge of the lake, I directed my vision towards that region and found a boy standing there with dirty green hair, tattered clothes, bruises on his body, and chains suspended from his arms and legs. ''Is this the prisoner?! The humans are back?!'' As I tried to deactivate all my "magic", I could see the boy just staring at the lake with his mouth open, and then I heard the familiar sound of metal armor coming close by. ''Damn it!'' The boy also seemed to hear it, because his next action was to run desperately to a tree and climb it quickly and desperately. When the group of humans came back holding torches and shouting at each other, I knew who they were looking for. So it was just a matter of waiting until they found what they wanted and left. Using my vision I could see the boy on top of the tree, covering his mouth with his bruised hands and eyes full of tears, and for some reason this made me very uncomfortable. ''Why?'' Why did I care about him? Why are they after the boy? Why was he arrested? Why are they here? There are so many questions and so few answers. As time passed, I could see the men heading towards the tree, and the boy began to shake even more. This situation made me so uncomfortable that I had to do something. Giving a command to my water elemental, I make it pluck one of the flowers from the lake that contains a pale blue light, and send it towards the forest. As soon as the elemental got close to the trees, it began to purposely break branches and make noises in the woods. Right after the men turned to the side of the forest, and see a small figure with a faint light running into the forest inside, then they started screaming and ran towards the forest quickly. As soon they left I could hear more people approaching, which wasn''t a good sign, since if they make an extensive search of this area it would only be a matter of time before they found the boy. ''Damn it. How do I hide this boy?'' After thinking for a while and looking around the lake, I couldn''t find any place where he would fit, the clay tunnels were too small for the boy, the waters of the lake were too transparent for him to hide under water, and after seeing him almost drown a few days ago I doubt he can breathe underwater. As the noise got closer, all I could think of was sending my elementals towards the boy, as they got close to him the elementals merged into a large bubble of water that swallowed the boy whole. The water bubble then rushed into the lake and slowly sank into the lake waters without making any noise. A few seconds after the boy was "hidden" I could see the same humans as earlier today, but now they were fully equipped and looked very angry, they were shouting at each other and pointing fingers angrily at each other. Taking advantage of the chaos that was happening, I could see the boy almost drowning, so I made the elementals generate a small air bubble around his head and began to devise my plan. The boy has not yet been discovered due to my water lilies that cover the entire surface of the lake, but it was just a matter of someone putting their head into the waters of the lake to see a boy with dirty green hair floating in the lake. In a desperate movement, I dragged the boy to my "core", which was a bunch of roots wrapped around what was once my seed, and began to slowly uncoil these roots and wrap them around the boy''s body. The boy didn''t help and began to struggle and try to scream, but his already weak strength was almost useless underwater, and his screams were contained within an air bubble. As I finished wrapping myself around the boy, i tried to make a small empty space formed within the tangled of roots, which soon became large enough for the boy to be able to move around a little. After I finished everything, I could see the guy in armor coming to the lake, and forcefully tearing off my leaves to clear his path to the bottom of the lake. The pain was terrible, but I couldn''t show any reaction, any wrong movement could mean death for me. When the guy saw that there was nothing at the bottom of the lake, he started to go out and yell at more people, until the 2 goofballs that went after my elemental that had already dissipated a long time ago finally arrived, and started to talk to the big guy. As they finished talking, the big guy grabbed one of them by the neck and started yelling at him, the other goofy stood on the side shaking with fear, and I could only see an armored guy almost breaking another guy''s neck. After a few minutes the big guy simply grabbed the other man''s neck until a loud cracking sound was heard and the man who was crying and trying to free himself from the big man''s restraints stopped moving and the look of fear on his face stopped, and in the place was blank expression and a mouth foaming with saliva and vomit. The big guy just threw the soldier''s corpse aside, and grabbed the other man who was shaking on his side, then started yelling at him and pointing at the dead man on the ground. When the man who was practically begging couldn''t answer what seemed to be questions, the big man grabbed him by the neck like the first one and then dragged him to the edge of the lake. He dunked the man''s head in the waters of the lake and continued to scream with the drowing man, every time the crying man tried to say something his head was again forcibly dipped into the lake, and after about 7 minutes of doing this, I could see the crying man give his last spasms before drowning in the lake water. With 2 cadavers in his name, the big man just calmly walked out of the lake and started shouting at the people who were present, then everyone started to slowly come back and I was left behind with a boy and 2 cadavers. These waters are once again stained with blood.
The next day, I was sure the bad guys were finally gone, so I started unraveling my roots to reveal a scared little boy. The boy had short, dark green hair, which may have been due to dirt. His hair had been roughly cut with some kind of blade, and his ears too. The boy still had his ears, but they were cut halfway to the top for some reason, his body was thin and weak, so much so that you could see the ribs and bones marked in the skin, but that still didn''t stop him from having a body completely covered in old and recent bruises. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. His eyes were purple, looking like a plum, but they were opaque and devoid of life, his eyes should have been beautiful, but now they were nothing more than a portrait of his intense abuse. I could see missing teeth and nails in his mouth, hands and feet, as well as what looked like burn marks on his skin. The boy''s skin was a dirty brown, so I couldn''t tell if that was his true color, or just the result of extreme dirt. The boy''s situation made me sad, and as soon as he submerged to the surface, I had to slowly drag him to the edge because the boy was visibly very depressed. ''What could it be? Hunger? Pain? Illness? Thirst? Internal wounds? There are so many possibilities that I don''t know what could be happening!'' This kid was left in this state by those guys, I don''t know what the backstory is, but all I can see now is a kid who was abused by a bunch of adults. ''This irritates me, why does it irritate me so much? Why do I feel so angry?'' Something in me bubbled up, I can''t remember, but something similar must have happened to me in my last life, because I feel so angry at this boy''s abusers that I can''t think logically. The boy may be a horrible criminal, and he may well have deserved such a cruel fate. But after seeing that guy murder two of his comrades in cold blood, I doubt he needs reasons. The boy could also be a war criminal, who is being purposely kept weak to avoid rebellion, but that would not justify the extensive abuse and anger of the soldiers, if he were a simple slave or prisoner they would not be so angry. ''Who are you?'' That was all I could think, the more I looked at this situation the more questions I had, and the less sense it all made, but I don''t have time to theorize the boy''s life story, when he could be dying of starvation right in front of me. Capturing some fish with the water elementals, I slice their heads off with a water blade, and start cutting off small pieces of flesh, trying my best to avoid the bones. When I have a rough mixture of fish meat, I pluck some seaweed from the bottom of the lake and roll it into little balls of food, and using the help of my elementals, I put it all in the boy''s mouth. The problem was that he couldn''t swallow, so I had to use my water manipulation to force everything down his throat, the boy choked a little, but was still alive. As long as his breathing continues, I know he''s alive.
Lotus Year 19 A few days passed and Green didn''t leave, I decided to call him Green because of his green hair, and he stayed here. He continued to pass out on one of my water lily shields, barely breathing and waking up every now and then only to pass out again. I had to bring him to the center of the lake because of the wildlife, if I left him at the edge of the lake, he would have already been plundered and stripped of meat by the forest animals, like the corpses of men that were now a pile of visors and larvae. I cleaned the boy up, and took care of him, forcing food into his mouth, hydrating him, cleaning his waste, and even protecting him from the sun and bugs. The boy made me discover that my Axolotls had healing saliva, and that they could serve as supports. When I was nervously thinking of a way to heal the boy''s open wounds before they got infected, my axolotls excitedly emerged from the bottom of the lake and began licking the boy''s wounds happily, and after a few hours I could see that the open wounds had healed and partially closed. The axolotls'' healing power was not perfect, or even commendable, but it was very valuable, even if its healing only speeds up someone''s natural regeneration, it is still better than nothing. Because of them, I was able to provide the boy with better treatment, and now I could see a little more color in his face, and quickening breathing. he was recovering, or having a fever, it was one or the other, but I didn''t have the ability to tell just by looking. Now that he was cleaner, I could see his appearance better, his hair was indeed dark green, but not as dark as before, just a faded moss green, his skin was tan, and I would say it was somewhere between the color of clay and wood, if the boy had more meat between his bones and a healthier appearance he would be very handsome, but in his current state he looks more like a mummy awaiting burial.
Lotus Year 21
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv MAX Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv MAX Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 2 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Clay Guardians] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv MAX Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Waste Wipe] - Lv MAX Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 2 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 2 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes
[Lotus Scent] - Lv MAX Use Sp and MP to emit a scent capable of attracting prey and calming them
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 2 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Water Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb and store large amounts of water in your body.
[Vine Whip] - Lv MAX Create thin vines to lash out at enemies and inflict minor damage.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 2 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Mist Veil] - Lv 1 Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders
[Lotus Light] - Lv 3 Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers
[Water Echo] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv 3 Makes plants around you grow faster
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 4 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv 7 Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae
A few years had passed, I have many max level skills now. But I was more distracted by the pre-teen by the lake who was building a small wooden tent. The boy was wearing a wolf skin as a coat and a bag made of straw. His hair was long, reaching down to his shoulders on his dark, tanned body. His former lack of flesh and muscles had disappeared and now in its place was a slender, healthy body covered in small scars. On his head was a small purple axolotl that layed peacefully while nestling in the boy''s hair. The boy was Green, and I discovered he was a boy over time. Green never left, and he stayed with me, eating fish, the flesh of forest creatures, seaweed, and wild plants. After taking care of Green for a while he finally woke up, and the first thing he did was scream and fall into the lake. The boy was scared and I can''t blame him, and he ran into the forest without leaving a trace, but after a while he slowly came back and approached the lake timidly. He tried to say some strange words, but I couldn''t understand anything, so I just did what I could and started using my ability [Pond''s Reflection], to show him what had happened. The boy was simply stunned when a large image was reproduced in the waters of the lake, and he looked carefully at everything that happened in the images of the lake, he saw himself climbing a tree, being swallowed by a bubble of water, and then "Kidnapped" Into a tangle of roots, he fearfully saw the 2 men being killed in cold blood and looked shakily at the pile of rotting flesh near the lake. Then he saw himself on a lotus leaf being treated and fed for days and was very confused by it all. He talked and talked, but I didn''t understand anything. If he wanted to leave he could go, my conscience was already satisfied. But what he did was stay, even though he didn''t receive any response from me, he stayed, first he took everything he could from the 2 corpses on the floor, getting 2 knives, a bag and scraps of clothes, and then he looked with shining eyes and a mouth salivating for the lake''s fishes. All I did in response was create a bubble of water with a fish inside, and throw it out of the lake, the boy was very surprised by the fish that suddenly "jumped" out of the lake, and clumsily finished him off with a stone to the head. After that it was just history, the boy took shelter in the remains of the human camp, and began to survive in this region, he made a fire, a small "House" in the tree, which was just a place where he slept disguised in the leaves, and created a lot of clay things. Green has abilities to manipulate the earth, which is pretty cool, he can create small holes, make mud balls, and even create a small wall. That''s how he made a "wall" around his camp, a mud stove, and a bunch of clay pots, Green never left, he just equipped himself more, I helped him with food, giving him fruits from the lake , and drinking water, and Green kept me company, he is a wonderful neighbor, different from humans, Green never hurt my body, not tearing a single leaf from the lake, he bathed in the stream that connected with the lake, and just used lake water for personal consumption. He made friends with a small purple Axolotl who likes to accompany him, and is very responsible and skilled! Green stopped having that weak and fragile appearance, and now had a toned but not muscular body, hair tied into a bun, eyes full of life and motivation, and clothes made from several different animal skins. Green didn''t just live on fish, and actively hunted various animals that came to try the good life at the lake''s edge, he had enormous respect for these creatures, and always made a gesture with his hands before eating the meat of these animals. And he didn''t waste anything, the meat was consumed, and if there was a lot of meat it was smoked by Green, placed in a jar and buried in the ground. The visera were cooked into a broth that Green used as a base for soups, then he fed the remains to the axolotls in the lake, or just buried it all in his little orte. The bones were broken, turned into powder and later mixed with clay, dry grass and ash to form a very strong brick, which Green gathered into a large pile. The blood was cooked with spices, meat scraps and fat, and made into sausages by Green, and the animal fat was melted and placed in a large, tightly covered jar. Green seemed very pro at this high sustainability thing, because he lived comfortably here, without a lack of resources or problems with invaders. Elementals scared away most things, and Green knew very well how to hide from very large animals. He would climb a tree or throw himself in the lake, and something would work. Green is some kind of inspiration, he went from a weak boy on the verge of death, to a professional survivalist in just 2 years, the boy does everything with perfection and mastery. For once, I don''t dislike my neighbors. Chapter 7: Farewell Lotus Year 21
Skills
[Filtering Roots] - Lv MAX Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP
[Blooming] - Lv MAX Create flowers that can bear fruit
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 2 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Clay Guardians] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create and maintain clay guardians capable of generating essential nutrients for the soil using MP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Hard shell] - Lv MAX Use your Sp to make the surface of your shell harder
[Waste Wipe] - Lv MAX Use MP to purify dirt and harmful substances
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 2 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 2 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes
[Lotus Scent] - Lv MAX Use Sp and MP to emit a scent capable of attracting prey and calming them
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 2 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Water Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb and store large amounts of water in your body.
[Vine Whip] - Lv MAX Create thin vines to lash out at enemies and inflict minor damage.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 2 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Mist Veil] - Lv 1 Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders
[Lotus Light] - Lv 3 Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers
[Water Echo] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv 3 Makes plants around you grow faster
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 4 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv 7 Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae
Leaving Green aside, I start to analyze my skills and think about some possibilities, this skills thing was very important, and I also realized that the more "complex" a skill was, the more difficult it was to evolve it, a similar thing happens with XP and levels, even though my ''killing'' rate hasn''t dropped, it''s been years since I''ve been able to raise a single level. ''[Vine Whip] and [Filtering Roots] seem to be very good if they were fused into a single skill, that would give me the "mobility" of the vines, and the absorption and filtration power of the roots, but I don''t know if I want to risk a skill As important as [Filtering Roots] is in something risky, I would prefer something more stable.'' ''Is fusing [Blooming] with [Lotus Scent] a good idea? This would probably only give me flowers that can emit the smell of lotus without spending SP and MP, which is already a great thing, but what if I fused [Blooming] with [Vine Whip]? Wouldn''t that basically allow me to create flowers that can attack someone?'' Determined not to spend my whole life thinking about a future that I have no way of knowing, I decide to start the day''s mergers.
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Clay Guardians] and [Hard shell]?
I decided to start with something controversial, a skill that summons allies, and a skill that reinforces my body, they are incompatible with each other, but they have effects that can complement each other. If I can add the strength of my roots and stems to my clay slugs, then I can begin to use them more extensively as water elementals. ''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Clay Guardians] and [Hard shell] had fused in the skill [Earthward Caller]
Skill
[Earthward Caller] - Lv 1 Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
The skill seemed incredible, but what is an Earthward? Are they like elementals? But why do they need a catalyst? What is a catalyst? Is it some item, or potion? Analyzing the skill I received the information that this "Catalyst" was nothing more, nothing less than the heart of Earthward, I would need to provide something that could serve as its core for it to work. After trying to use the skill without a catalyst, I could see little creatures in the form of slugs and snails being formed by the clay at the bottom of the pond, but it was the same thing as my old clay guardians, only now they had shells and husks made of lake stones. ''That''s great, now I need to find a catalyst. At least now I have something to do in my free time'' The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. For my next fusion, I choose something very generic and common, but it will still save me a lot of MP and SP if I''m not mistaken.
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Blooming] and [Lotus Scent]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Blooming] and [Lotus Scent] had fused in the skill [Serenity Blossom]
Skill
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv 1 Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
''Pretty obvious I think. Not bad, but pretty obvious.''
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Waste Wipe] and [Water Absorption]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Waste Wipe] and [Water Absorption] had fused in the skill [Purified Wellspring]
Skill
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv 1 Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
This skill is... unexpected. It looks pretty cool, but why would I want to turn the lake water into magical water? Is there any advantage or is it just a cosmetic effect? By analyzing the skill, I was able to know that these magical properties were basically the ability to provide a small amount of MP to whoever consumes the water. I may seem stupid, but I''m not crazy enough to spend my precious MP on a skill that will only benefit other individuals. If that guy in the blue cloak was ever interested in lake water that doesn''t have magical properties, what would he do if he found out that I can produce magical water? A little upset with the skill, and I went to my last couple, which was the riskiest of the day.
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Filtering Roots] and [Vine Whip]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Filtering Roots] and [Vine Whip] had fused in the skill [Roots Whiplash]
Skill
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv 1 Use Sp to create vines and roots capable of purifying the environment around you and absorbing nutrients from the soil. Use MP to move your roots as you wish.
''That looks very promising!'' When analyzing the skill, I see that it looks the same for both but now at 1, and when trying to move one of the vines that grew in the lake, I discover that it is much easier to move the roots and vines according to my desire, being able to make them come out of the lake, and until they are suspended in the air. The problem was that the Mp cost for all of this was very high, and I was already feeling worn out after a brief move. ''Best, skill, of all.''
Lotus Year 22 Another year had passed, and Green was now almost a teenager I guess? His body started to grow some muscles, and he had hair growing all over the place, so it looks to me like Green has reached puberty. Green built a small fortress for him to call home, it was a settlement with walls of mud, earth and stones, followed by a trench filled with wooden stakes and a small passage that had a log being used as a bridge. To be honest, it was shit. These aren''t real defenses, the ditches are so short that an adult could easily jump over them, the walls barely reach an adult''s waist, and the entire place is a big sign of "Hey! I''m here!" but when you stopped and looked at who built it, you would understand why there are so many "Legal" and at the same time useless protections. Green is a child, he can even hunt and survive on his own, but he is still a child, his funny constructions and eccentric survival tactics were nothing more than a reflection of his immaturity. Green is trying to do his best, but he has no one to rely on, so all his work looks good until it breaks and proves useless. Green is a good boy, and I wish only the best for him, honestly Green seems to have a better chance of survival than me, since even though he is very childish in some aspects, he is extremely competent in other areas. He knows how to cook, cultivate, hunt, set traps, hide, run and be silent. All characteristics that a survivalist would want to have in a time of difficulty. And Green still has the bonus of having me and earth''s magical powers. I can provide water and protection from small to medium creatures, as well as help with elementals and Axolotls, and Green can use these earth manipulation skills to do a lot of cool things. For the last year, Green has been watching and learning, he would watch the water elementals throwing super powerful water balls and be in awe, he would look at my Axolotls who one moment were sweet and friendly, and the next they were extremely hungry little toothy creatures that in group could crunch a large fish, and mainly looked for clay crustaceans. I decided to call them that because they all took the form of some kind of crustacean or slug, clay and stone crabs, stone snails, mud lobsters and things like that, all forming randomly whenever I tried to summon an Earthward. And now the lake was full of these creatures, who dug at the edge of the lake and created earthen tunnels in the lake, and whenever anyone looked at them, these little creatures disappeared in a cloud of mud and buried themselves in the ground. Green was fascinated by the abilities of mud crustaceans, their ability to break rocks with "hands" made of mud, their ability to stamp their feet on the ground and create small earthen tunnels, and their power to instantly burrow into the ground. Green tried to imitate them all day long when he had free time, he hunted, ate, cleaned and imitated. He saw the mud snails blending into the dirt perfectly and tried to do the same. When a land crab stamped its feet on the ground and created a hole instantly, he tried to reproduce the phenomenon, and it went on like this for a long time, with Green becoming more and more a capable young man every day. Sometimes I saw him talking to himself, and building stone statues that looked like him, I think because Green feels alone, but the important thing is that he is okay.
Star Store
Star Points: 3231.2
Random skill: 320 Star points - Or more Random Title: 2000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
I must admit, in the last few years I''ve gotten a lot of star points, but they still seem so few... The prices get more and more expensive every time I buy a new skill or title, which means my mana generation isn''t up to par. growing, but my consumption is, so it''s only a matter of time before I no longer have enough points to buy everything I want. These points would now be used to buy a title, or for some skills, or I could try to take risks and sacrifice all these points in a single skill or title. ''is this worth it?'' I had already purchased a new batch of skills to "keep stock" so I could afford a cool title or a super powerful skill. ''I will choose the skill.''
Star Store
Do you want to use All Star points for a skill?
''Yes!''
Notice
You have gained the skill [Gem Growth]
Skill
[Gem Growth] - Lv 1 Use materials, high amounts of MP and time to create magical jewelry.
''Wow! This feels like something new and amazing!'' Analyzing the skill, I discover that I can create small shells made from a bone-like material, and within these shells it is possible to produce magical jewelry if I have the necessary materials and time. Without wasting much time, I started to create a small shell at the bottom of the lake, and with the help of a little MP I managed to create the shell quickly! So all I had to do was throw some dirt from the lake in and watch it slowly close. Soon I could feel my mana being drained into the shell through my root system, it wasn''t a large amount, but it wasn''t insignificant either, it was a substantial amount for something that may or may not work. ''Excellent! Now what is a jewel for?''
Lotus Year 24 Green is leaving, he packed a bunch of items into a backpack made of leather and now he was leaving. Green was a great friend and good company, I didn''t want to see him go, but life is full of surprises and twists, and unlike me, Green is not rooted to the ground and confined to a lake. Now I was watching him gather the last things before he started to leave, his body was much more healthy and strong than it had ever been in the past, Green could also use earth powers with great mastery and he had an axolotl companion who wouldn''t leave his side no matter what. That''s why he''s leaving. Green knows there is nothing here for him, he can survive with me, but for what? Would he spend every day of his life talking to a lake that would never respond? Would he stay until he died of old age or was killed by someone? No, Green is going after a new life. When he came to say goodbye I was really upset, he knelt down around the lake and started talking to me in a strange language, I could see his eyes tearing up and hands shaking, was Green scared, or emotional about saying goodbye? I can''t say. All I could do was reproduce the images of a little Green playing in the lake while hunting frogs, which made Green smile, and then he got up to leave accompanied by his purple axolotl that was the size of a small dog. ''...Good luck in life Green.'' As a parting gift, I activated something I had never used before, [Lotus Blessing] as soon as the skill was activated I could see Green looking at me in disbelief as a small lotus flower mark appeared on the back of his hand, he looked happily at the symbol that looked more like a birthmark and said goodbye happily as he walked away from the lake. ''Goodbye, little one.'' And again, I was alone. Chapter 8: Passing Time Lotus Year 30
Information
Name: ----- Level: 23
Gender: ---- Age: 30 Years
Hp: 212.1 Sp: 92.4
Mp: 82.5 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 1.2 Vit: 60.2 Def: 23.8
Dex: 2.6 Spe: 0.2 Magic: 1
Hp Regen: 2.4 + 1.2 MpRegen: 0.9 Luck: 1.2
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv 1 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 5 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv 1 Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv 1 Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 2 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 2 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv 1 Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 2 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 4 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Mist Veil] - Lv 3 Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders.
[Lotus Light] - Lv 6 Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers.
[Water Echo] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv 8 Makes plants around you grow faster.
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 5 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae.
[Gem Growth] - Lv 1 Use materials, high amounts of MP and time to create magical jewelry.
A few years passed, Green never returned, and all that was left of him was a small abandoned camp and stone statues lined up in the middle of the rest of the camp. Green is missed, I don''t know where he is, or if he is safe and well, and my heart aches at the thought of him returning to the miserable state he was in when I met him. The only thing that gave me comfort was telling myself that Green was a smart and capable boy, and that he would never end up in the same situation again. In recent years I have been increasing my lake, and trying to raise my levels, but to my dissatisfaction the levels are taking much longer than expected. In the beginning it was easy to evolve, but after level 20 things became much slower, too slow. The skills were like that too, the more "advanced" a skill was, the more time I needed to level them, and even if time is the only thing I have, that''s still a big inconvenience. I have been spending my years perfecting my water manipulation and trying my best to evolve my skills, I created a large fog that surrounded the lake, and that hindered the arrival of enemies. The fog was very "thin" so it only worked at times of low solar lux intensity, if the day was hot there would be no fog on the lake, but on cold or cloudy days I could create a thick layer of fog that obscured anyone''s vision. one. I also started spending more time on the fish in the lake, giving them food and protection from predators, and I even made a large root system that the koi-like fish could use to lay eggs. My Axolotls started to become less aquatic and became more amphibious now, being able to leave the water and hunt on land. These guys are very dangerous and can even be deadly, despite the cute and delicate appearance that an axolotl had, they had mouths full of retractable serrated teeth, which contained an anti-clotting toxin, so one bite from an axolotl and you would bleed to death. . These guys also liked to hunt in groups and were not afraid of death, as long as they didn''t lose their heads they were willing to sacrifice arms, legs, tails, parts of their bodies, eyes and even organs! The axolotls became completely integrated into the lake''s food chain, they ate creatures that were too stupid not to realize that a lone axolotl resting on a rock was a trap, and they were eaten by larger creatures like eagles and wolves. My elementals were also at full strength, I reached a limit of 20 small water elementals, but they could fuse with each other to create more powerful elementals. A single small water elemental posed no threat, but if 20 elementals fused into a single large water elemental, it would cause problems. Once a bear tried to enter the lake to eat the fish, and until then there were no problems, but he started tearing up my leaves and roots to gain access to the lake, and this angered my elementals. The bear paid them no attention at first, but when 20 small elementals merged into one elemental with the appearance of a catfish wrapped in a furious water tornado, the bear began to run without delay. My other very interesting power was the ability to create magical jewels, I didn''t understand what this was for, but I could create small shells at the bottom of the lake and with a lot of time and resources these shells would generate a small jewel depending on the material that was placed inside of the shell. The first jewel to appear was an irregular cyan blue ball, which was the size of an egg and had a small mysterious glow inside it, I didn''t know what to do with these little things, so I just threw them at the bottom of the lake until I discovered some use for them. That''s when I thought about Earthward, who needed a catalyst, and jewels usually work as catalysts, especially if they are magical jewels. Activating my [Earthward Caller] skill, I began pouring large amounts of MP into a small blue jewel at the bottom of the lake, and within a few moments I could see a large whirlpool of water forming around the jewel. Soon mud and rocks began to rise from the bottom of the lake and wrap themselves around the blue jewel, completely hiding it in a pile of mud and dirt debris. And within moments a small creature the size of a young boar appeared. Earthward was shaped like a lizard, except it was covered in slabs of stone and had moss and algae growing around its body, on its head was a small stalachite horn and eyes that glowed the same shade of blue as the precious stone that served as his heart. Earthward didn''t wait for my command and just walked out of the lake while walking calmly, he then sank into the earth as if he was diving into water and camouflaged himself as a simple stone filled with moss. ''Wow, I spent a lot of Mp for this, but he looks powerful, or at least resistant.'' Upon giving little Earthward a command to expand the lake, I saw him emerge from the bottom of the earth and go to the edge of the lake, where he began to look at the earth which then magically moved aside at his will. ''Cool! This guy would be a great teacher for Green.''
Lotus Year 36
Warning
The hero [Lucios] died.
A storm was brewing in the sky, and as I retracted my leaves to the bottom of the lake to avoid trouble I received another notification about someone I didn''t know. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ''Lucios? Isn''t he the same guy he was 20 years ago? So he died? Who cares? Why do I receive this kind of information?'' The storm was starting, and my water elementals went out to cool off a little in the rainy weather, I like rain, but if it continued for many years we would have a serious problem, since I could no longer produce star points without the presence of the sun and the moon. Speaking of star points, I''ve gotten a lot of them over the years.
Star Store
Star Points: 12946.2
Random skill: 320 Star points - Or more Random Title: 2000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
There are a lot of points, I spent years without spending star points to put all of this together, and I was really tempted to spend it all on one skill or title. I already have a lot of skills, and having more of them doesn''t help me at the moment, but having a powerful skill is always welcome, but I''m also super tempted to find out what a 12000 point title can generate. But a skill is also temping, so i guess i will just use half in a skill and half in a title.
Notice
Do you want to use 6470 points to buy a random title?
''Yes!''
Notice
You have gained the Title [Tidal Thaumaturge]
Titles
-={Tidal Thaumaturge}=- Gain immunity against all kind of water based attacks.
Notice
You used all Star Points to gain the skill [Stormcaller]
Skill
[Stormcaller] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
''A title that makes me immune to water attacks, and a skill that gives me the ability to create rain? I think I made a good deal, the ability to call rain is very good, I could avoid other fires with that.''
Lotus Year 50 A small group of forest creatures came to me, this group was made up of what looked like lizards only the size of a pig, these lizards really liked the humid environment of the lake and tried to settle here almost immediately, but the axolotls They had no intention of sharing resources and territory and with that a small war over territory began. The lizards had a mysterious power that could make them temporarily invisible, their speed and stealth were commendable, and even though the axolotls were in greater numbers they were not capable trackers. The lizards still had the disadvantage, as a single bite from the axolotls could mean death for the lizards, as once they were bitten, the lizards would not stop bleeding, revealing their location and leaving them weak and fragile. This fight for territory continued for a long time, until the 2 groups entered a kind of stalemate when the lizards simply began not to be seen. The axolotls displayed themselves on the rocks of the lake and played on the edge of the lake, but the lizards hid in holes and trees close to the lake, and only ventured out to get food and drinking water. The lake was now almost 1km in circumference, with several small islands in the middle of the lake and underground caves that the fish used as shelter. In recent years I have been able to create 5 Earthward, which has accelerated the lake''s growth and increased my mana expenditure. Earthward, unlike elementals, were not autonomous, and needed me to provide substantial amounts of MP for them to stay active. The water elementals could capture energy from nature itself to maintain themselves, and would only use my MP to launch powerful attacks, but the Earthward are like a kind of golem, and need me to supply them with energy for everything. The main difference between elementals and Earthward''s is that elementals are much more fragile. If an elemental suffers great damage it soon dissipates into water, or if it is prevented from using its MP or runs out of MP the same thing happens. But the Earthward are very resilient, they can take several blows from a tiger without even trembling, and when they become weak they bury themselves deep in the ground leaving their enemy to talk to the wind. The Earthward were also very good at elemental magic, being able to create mud minions that helped them in missions, and even summon a small stone wall straight out of the ground, they could also literally swim across the ground as if it were water and still had the ability of nourishing the soil where they walk, probably a function of the [Clay Guardians] skill.
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv 2 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 3 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv 1 Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv 1 Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 2 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv 4 Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv 2 Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Thorn Trap] - Lv 4 Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 5 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Mist Veil] - Lv 7 Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders.
[Lotus Light] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers.
[Water Echo] - Lv 2 Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv 5 Makes plants around you grow faster.
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 5 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae.
[Stormcaller] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
My skills remained cold as always, with no levels and no interesting fusion options, some skills are very specific or random, so I don''t waste my Mp to use them, but if I don''t use them I won''t be able to level them , but what should I do? Keep using [Lake wispers] to create whispers coming from the lake day and night? This is not useful.
Star Store
Star Points: 5372.5
Random skill: 1260 Star points - Or more Random Title: 6000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 1 Star Point - 10 XP
To help, the star store was also very expensive, star points are worth less every day, and remain difficult to obtain. ''At least I can buy some new skills...''
Notice
Do you want to use all star points to buy a random skill x4?
''Yes...''
Notice
You have gained the Skill [Enchanting]
Skill
[Enchanting] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of MP to add a random effect to an item.
Notice
You have gained the Skill [Illusory Reflection]
Skill
[Illusory Reflection] - Lv 1 Use MP to create and maintain a mirror image of your target. The mirror image cannot cause physical damage.
Notice
You have gained the Skill [Mana Manipulation]
Skill
[Mana Manipulation] - Lv 1 Makes your mana control more refined
Notice
You have gained the Skill [Blossom Rest]
Skill
[Blossom Rest] - Lv 1 Enter a state of hibernation after suffering large amounts of damage. While in this state, the host is immune to all status effects and gradually heals from injuries.
''Wow, that thing about the more points I spend the better the skills are is true, I gained some really interesting skills.'' A skill to enchant items, a skill to trick someone, a skill that helps me manipulate mana, and a skill that can save my life in bad times. After analyzing my new skills a little, I focus on a fish in the lake and soon another fish magically appears in front of the first fish, the fish is scared by the sudden appearance of the illusory fish and runs away, but the illusory fish follows it. at all times, perfectly imitating your movements in a coordinated way. ''Cool I think, this would be a good skill to fuse with [Lake Reflexes]'' My next test was to try and use a little water manipulation, and within a few seconds a small ball of water floats out of the lake and takes on the basic shape of a fish, then it flies through the sky and turns into a small turtle before collapsing. become a large wave of water that runs across the sky. ''It''s always fun to play with water, but I didn''t feel much of a difference in mana control.'' When manipulating water, I basically needed to send my mana into the water and give it a command, this could be turning into a ball of water, rising to the sky and taking the form of an animal or turning into a blade of water and cutting the water. someone''s throat, but the formula was always the same. Mana + Control = Magic Phenomenon. The mana manipulation skill didn''t give me much, but that might be because it''s still low level, so that''s okay. My next test was with the enchantment skill, so I went to a small stone from the lake and poured a lot of mana into it, without leaving me waiting the stone turned a delicate blue hue, before cracking in half and turning back into a normal stone. ''Um... so I can''t enchant anything... Whatever, it''s not like I need enchanted weapons.'' Chapter 9: Whispers Lotus Year 58 A few more years have passed I guess, time becomes something hard to notice when it''s all you have. Just like a rich person doesn''t care about money, or a loved one doesn''t value their loved ones, time is all I have, and I can barely notice it. My lake was now almost 2 km in diameter, and a depth of over 500 meters, my roots were growing all over the place making the deep waters of the lake look like a large maze of roots. My leaves dominated the surface of the lake, and large amounts of algae and marine life dominated the interior of the lake fish, slugs, insects, frogs, and amphibians lived in the lake, competing for resources and just living their lives. In particular I had my eye on a large fish that looked like a carp, this fish could be called a coward, but she is the oldest fish in my lake, if I counted correctly, she must be on average about 30 years old, She kept hiding among my roots and only came out to eat, then hid again. This made her a barely visible figure in the lake, but this keeped her alive. Those who are not seen are not remembered, and this fish did not want to be remembered. So she spent all her life hiding and being someone who runs away from problems and doesn''t deal with dangerous situations. Because of this, now she was the largest fish in the lake, reaching an impressive 1 meter in length and 70 cm in width. She also had skills that I didn''t even know fish could have, one of his skills was being able to change the color of her scales, like a chameleon, so when she stood still she blended into the environment and escaped predators. Another of her abilities was her ability to perceive danger, this fish has the power to sense when something bad is going to happen to her, and it allows her to escape long before it actually happens, as if she have a crystal ball to the the future or something. The biggest example of this was when I had the idea of cutting off her head with a water blade, and long before I even created the water blade she had already run away and hid at the bottom of the lake. I just had the intention of killing her and she already feel something, some people say that cowards have a special place in hell, but this fish shows that sometimes cowardice is the best possible survival tactic. I decided to adopt her as my friend, we both thought a lot about ways to stay alive, no matter the methods, so I gave her the name Uchiki and a blessing. Accordingly she became a large fish that had a small lotus flower mark on her forehead. She also gained the ability to manipulate water, and could use this to her advantage, using the water manipulation ability to give a small boost to her speed, and create a large amount of bubbles that she used to escape. Some would say it''s sad that your only friend is a fish that has no conscience, but at least I''m not alone.
Lotus Year 60 In the middle of the forest there was a large lake, right after the rain several puddles of water of various sizes formed around the lake, a thick fog that seemed to come from nowhere surrounded the entire place, making vision difficult for anyone who tried to venture into the region. In the middle of the fog, several small whispers that didn''t make sense came out of random places without seeming to have any purpose, and the closer you get to the lake, the louder these whispers became. My pond continues to grow, and in the last few years I''ve been training all my less used skills, [Pond Whisper] was something I barely used in my life, but it still had its ultlity. The ability caused small, meaningless whispers to emanate from small water sources close to me, the further away the more MP was needed, but if used near the lake I could create several ethereal whispers that seemed to come from nowhere. I also tried using [Purified Wellspring] but to my disappointment the skill was very expensive. By using large amounts of water and a lot of MP I could create a kind of glowing water that could recover my MP. It seems very useful, but I needed to spend a lot of MP to create small amounts of this special water, in the long run I think it would be worth it for me to convert all the water in the lake into this magical water, that way I would have an emergency supply of MP, but the The main problem is that I don''t like the idea of attracting too much attention. I am a flower growing in the middle of a lake, at night my leaves and flowers begin to glow with a magical light that is anything but "ordinary". But during the day I still had an appearance that could be overlooked by anyone who saw me. My elementals can disappear in seconds if they mix with the waters of the lake, and my mud crustaceans can mix with the earth. The rest of the lake''s life is nothing magical and special, maybe Uchiki is quite magical, but the rest has nothing that catches your attention. I''m afraid of being discovered by bad people like those humans, unlike Green who can run and hide, I''m deeply rooted in this lake, so if someone tries to kill me I have no choice but to fight back or hide at the bottom of the lake . That''s why I don''t want to attract attention, I prefer to be remembered as a beautiful lake rather than a magical and special lake.
Lotus Year 64 Sometimes I think about Green, how long has it been? 40 years? He must be old by now, where is he going? Has he been successful in life? Is he safe and secure? Maybe he became a great hunter, maybe he found someone special, got married and had children. But I have no way of knowing, and sometimes that worries me. Was the world kind to him? Green had so many difficulties when he was little that I can''t tell if fate just wanted to see him suffer. There is luck in this world, it is something tangible and I know it, the lucky status is a great proof. So Green''s luck was so bad that he ended up in that miserable situation? Or was it simply fate''s way of making him pay for a better future? I don''t know, sometimes I wish I could know. In the last few years I have been using my skills and I have discovered several things about them. Firstly, my mana manipulation skill is more useful than expected, when trying to use my water manipulation, I discovered that as time passed I needed less and less mana to produce a magical phenomenon, and each day my control over the aqua was more refined. The skill wasn''t very good at the first levels, but as it rose, its usefulness began to blossom like a rose. My skill of creating mirrored illusions also had its uses, and the main one was to confuse enemies. Mirror illusions could be activated anywhere near me, so I could place a mirror illusion behind my enemy, in front of them, or far away from them if necessary. The illusions would then perfectly copy all of the target''s actions and gestures, but are not capable of interacting with the physical world or emitting sounds. This was useful to scare away large animals such as bears and tigers, by creating a mirror image of them that followed them all the time, these animals ended up thinking that the illusion was another animal, so they tried to get close, but the illusions moved away in the same way. The most interesting thing about these illusions was that these illusions had 2 modes, one in which they would exactly copy the target''s actions, and another in which I could manipulate the illusion''s actions. So to scare someone, I just needed to create an illusion of the target and make the illusion run towards the target, this sent most of the more dangerous animals away. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. My storm calling skill was also pretty cool, if I used high amounts of MP, a heavy rain would happen in the next few days. The skill was not instantaneous, so when using it I needed to wait for the rain to reach me, and the less MP the weaker the rain was and the longer it took to arrive. Another skill I used a lot in the meantime was my skill to create spike traps, I spread them across the bottom of the lake and some on my shield leaves and every now and then an unlucky fish or animal would get caught in the traps. These traps are quite vicious, they are basically bear traps made of roots, with a small, beautiful and fragrant flower that dangles in the middle, and as soon as a victim of considerable size bites into the flower, the trap activates, instantly killing any small creature, and seriously injuring larger creatures like wild boars and birds. The only downside to the traps was that I didn''t gain XP for the kill, and they took a long time to grow, but other than that they were very powerful and deadly, if something managed to escape their hold it would have to deal with a horrible wound that could possibly it would infect soon. I also used other skills to make the plants near the lake grow, create jewelry that was currently a bit useless for me, the skill to create several poisonous thorns around my main body, and I created some shields on top of the lake in the region that my main body was located. Because of this I achieved some skill levels, and I think I have some interesting fusions here.
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv 4 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 3 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv 2 Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv 1 Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 5 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 1 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Poison Point] - Lv MAX Use your Sp to create poisonous spikes.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv 8 Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Thorn Trap] - Lv MAX Use Sp and MP to create root traps that activate on contact.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 6 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Mist Veil] - Lv MAX Conjures a veil of mist to obscure the vision of invaders.
[Lotus Light] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers.
[Water Echo] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create small sounds at any nearby water sources.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv MAX Makes plants around you grow faster.
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 7 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae.
[Stormcaller] - Lv 2 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
[Enchanting] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of MP to add a random effect to an item.
[Illusory Reflection] - Lv 5 Use MP to create and maintain a mirror image of your target. The mirror image cannot cause physical damage.
[Mana Manipulation] - Lv 6 Makes your mana control more refined
[Blossom Rest] - Lv 1 Enter a state of hibernation after suffering large amounts of damage. While in this state, the host is immune to all status effects and gradually heals from injuries.
''I think [Thorn Trap] and [Poison Point] are the most adept skills for each other in this situation, creating poisonous traps is an additional guarantee that the target will be killed.''
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Thorn Trap] and [Poison Point]?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Thorn Trap] and [Poison Point] had fused in the skill [Toxic Bramble]
Skill
[Toxic Bramble] - Lv 1 Create a small thorn trap that, if activated, will trap its victim with vines of poisonous thorns.
''Acceptable. For the next one I will fuse [Mist Veil] and [Water Echo].''
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Mist Veil] and [Water Echo].?
''Yes!''
Notice
The skills [Mist Veil] and [Water Echo] had fused in the skill [Whispering Mist]
Skill
[Whispering Mist] - Lv 1 Conjures a misty veil that not only obscures vision of the target, but also imitates sounds that have already been heard by you.
The new abilities seem to be interesting, so to test everything I conjure a dense fog that soon obscures everything around the lake, then I start thinking about the noises Green made when he was here, and I can hear his words coming out of the fog. Words without meaning or any connection, in addition to containing a strange and somewhat guttural echo effect, as if it were a hoarse whisper, but they are still the same noises that Green made. ''What if I...'' Testing my new skill, I start to think of words that I can speak, and soon a very melodious but at the same time strager voice begins to echo through the fog. "Hello? Hello? Hello?... Hello?" An echo began to resonate through the fog, that was my voice, or at least a version of it, i can''t remerber how my voice sound''s like. I spent a lot of MP to create this fog and even more MP to keep it active, but it''s still pretty cool to be able to talk again. Chapter 10: Dancing With The Dead Lotus Year 65 Something bad is happening in the forest, I can no longer hear the birds rustling, or the forest noises. It all silent and still, like a cemetery. The animals left, the fish had hid in the bottom of the lake, and the birds flew away from here. I don''t know why, but I''am feeling a deep sense of imminent danger that just won''t go away, and i can''t shake this out of me. Soon some figures emerge from the forest and begin to walk in several different directions, all heading to the north. As they get closer I can see that these figures are a bunch of forest creatures, humans or at least something that looks like humans, and some strange monsters. But besides the fact that this group was made up of various types of creatures that i had never seen togheter, the most frightening thing about that was its cadaverous appearance. Rotten, gray skin, with bulging, pronounced black veins, empty eyes with a small green flame, and bizarre protuberances growing in random places on their bodies. The creatures heads towards the north at a slow pace, and soon reach the coners of the lake, but instead of avoiding it, they begin to fall into the lake as if they hadn''t noticed it here. Soon as the creatures fell into the water, a brave elemental advanced towards them and began cutting them with a bunch of small water blades. The zombies didn''t look brothered with deep cuts or the black goo that keeps coming out of their bodies, but as soon the black, viscous liquid reached my roots, I began to feel a type of pain I had never felt before.
Warning
You have suffered damage
''Aaaarghhhhhhhhhh!?!?! I-IT B-BURNS!'' The black fluid was some kind of poison, and the roots that were touched by the poison slowly withered until they died permanently in a grotestic way. Looking up I could see a few more zombies falling into the water, but most of them started to turn away and head towards the north. In this emergency I already knew what to do, and without delay I cut all the roots that were coming into contact with the black goo, then I used my water manipulation to create a large bubble of pure water around my main body, preventing the black substance from entering and contaminating my main body. To my complete astonishment, I looked down just to see that even after cutting my roots, the tips of them continued to wither and die, which was bad news.
Warning
You were poisoned
I was poisoned. There was no time to think about that now, the first thing I did was make my elementals stop damaging the zombies, and focus on removing them from the water. Soon my elementals began to make large quantities of black water emerge from the lake, and created a small wave that swept the rotting corpses that were inside the lake to the shore, this ended up using a lot of MP, but it temporarily solved the black water problem. Looking at the horizon, I could see that the problems were just beginning, a large horde of zombies was on the way, and I needed to do something. ''Damn it!'' Looking at my options, I realized that there wasn''t much I could do, my roots continued to succumb to the mysterious poison, and I was confined to the lake, unable to leave here, perhaps if I used water manipulation to move my body out of the lake I could "Run away", but soon I would run out of MP and end up dying from the black poison. As my brain worked, I could see more and more zombies starting to arrive, they started to push themselves and more zombies started to fall into the waters of the lake, so I need to do something, now! With all I had left of my MP and Sp I started creating large sheets of shield lilies, then I erected them vertically around the pond creating a great wall made of lilies shilds, and started filling the holes with more and more small lily pads. The entire task was very exhausting, decreasing my resistance and taking away my concentration, which made the black poison to spread to even more roots, and even reach my leaves and core. I am dying. The wall rose quickly, but it still hadn''t stopped several zombies from falling into the lake, now I was spending a lot of energy to maintain a clean stream of water around my body, and I had just spent huge amounts of SP and MP on shields. Not to mention the energy I had to spend to combat the poison in my body, my reserves began to dry up like a cup of water in the hot desert. ''I-I need more energy!'' By forcing my roots into the ground, I begin to pull various nutrients and some energy from the ground, but it''s just a drop in the bucket, and it won''t be enough. When I realized that I would soon run out of energy, I felt scared, for the first time I really felt terrified. If I were to faint from exhaustion and poisoning, there is no guarantee that the lily pad walls will be able to hold, and if I lose consciousness the water current protecting my main body will collapse, giving direct access to the black poison in my main body. Looking at my elementals that were moving zombies out of the lake, I have an idea, unlike Earthward''s, water elementals are very autonomous, so they shouldn''t need me to be conscious to supply them with energy, just me alive to give them energy. ''YOU! Keep my main body safe! Create a sphere of water around me and protect all members of the lake until I wake up!'' This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Without taking long, my elementals stop messing with the zombies and run to fulfill my wish. Soon all the elementals meet, and form a large elemental that sinks into the water, and takes on the task of keeping the water current clean around my body. As soon as they take on the task, I feel my consciousness wavering, but I see that there are still a lot of zombies in the water, and I need someone to remove them from there. My options were limited, so I could only send a command to the nearby Earthwards. ''Clean the lake! It doesn''t matter how long they take! Remove the corpses!'' As soon as I gave the last command, I could feel my body hurting, looking at my body I could see small black cracks appearing on my body, and my conscience leaving me.
Warning
Your HP dropped below 10%, the [Blossom Rest] skill was activated automatically.

Lotus Year 67 When I woke up again I felt funny, like waking up from a very refreshing and long sleep. And the first thing I saw was a large dome of water in the middle of a sea of black ink. Looking to the side, I could see Uchiki who was peacefully eating some algae at the bottom of the dome along with some other fishs.At the bottom of the lake I can see what appear to be a bunch of black stones, and a bunch of lime growing everywhere Analyzing the situation, I soon remembered what was happening, and began to analyze myself.
Information
Name: ----- Level: 24
Gender: ---- Age: 67 Years
Hp: 263.2 Sp: 153.7
Mp: 35.1/110.2 Race: Lunar Nymphaea
Attributes
Str: 1.6 Vit: 65.6 Def: 24
Dex: 3 Spe: 0.2 Magic: 1.3
Hp Regen: 2.6 + 1.3 MpRegen: 1 Luck: 1.2
''67 years?! I was in hibernation for 2 years?! What happened in the meantime?'' Using the little bit of mana that I had left, I start to lift the water bubble we were in up to the surface, and soon I emerge on the surface of the lake to see a completely different world. The trees were dry and devoid of life, walking corpses walked around scatteredly, the lake was full of pieces of rotting corpses, but I could see dozens and dozens of them piled up in a wall of dry and almost completely destroyed lily pads. The surface of the lake was completely black, and the only source of normal water was the bubble im in now. ''Shit, what happened to the world?'' I slept for 2 years and the world ended? Looking up I could see black clouds and sounds of storms, but my intuition told me that I wouldn''t like that kind of rain, the earth was red with blood, and various piles of rotting flesh and maggots could be found all over the place, there''s some strage creatures standing in place as they stare into the empty space in front of them, and I can hear what sounds like murmurs, screams, and bites in the distance. ''What do I do now?'' The lake was destroyed, I couldn''t leave, and I couldn''t stay in these waters, so what choice do I have here? ''Am I going to have to purify this whole thing? How am I going to be able to resist-'' Looking at my skill list for something that could help me in this situation, I come across something that wasn''t there before.
Skill
[Purifying Tuber] - Lv 3 Use Sp to create tubercles that can safely store poisons and harmful substances.
Skill
[Poison Resistance] - Lv 7 Gain resistance against poisons.
Apparently, can I gain skill''s if I go through near-death situations? I think I at least gained something from all of this. I extend a vine to the bottom of the lake, I pierce my bubble of pure water and touch the black water of the lake, to my displeasure, the black water still burns, but after rescuing my root, I could see that the damage soon began to heal and it didn''t spread like last time. ''Fortunately.'' Extending another vine to the bottom of the lake, I then fish out a black stone and pull it to the safety of my bubble. Upon examining the tubercle, I can see that the thing looks like a potato, but it is black and hard like coal. ''Poisonous potatoes... I think they have no usefulness in themselves, their usefulness is the fact that I can divert toxic substances into them, and leave my body intact and free of anything harmful to me''. Setting the potato aside, I watch it slowly fall back to the bottom of the lake, and I begin to work, as my water elementals were working on my water bubble, which currently looked more like a fishbowl. I had to do the work of dealing with all this poisonous water myself. Dragging my roots towards the black lake, I begin to try to purify the rotten substance, but to my dismay, the water cannot be purified, as if the poisoned water was no longer water, but something entirely different. ''Damn it...'' Soon I stop trying to purify the water and go for another approach, I start to suck the poison from the water into my body, and I feel my roots burning again, but this time I direct everything to a single root that soon begins to expand and take over. the shape of a potato. As the potato grows, it goes from a wooden brown, to a dark brown, until it reaches a charcoal black hue, then the potato separates itself from the root and falls to the bottom of the lake. ''Is this what I''ve been doing unconsciously for the last 2 years? Maybe less, I may have gained this skill 2 years or 2 weeks ago...'' This wouldn''t be a quick process, so I started to create a few leaves in the small space I had to generate some energy, but soon I was faced with the sky covered by threatening black clouds. ''Damn! Me and my luck, what do I do?! If it''s going to rain, it rains soon! But I need access to heaven!'' The black clouds only thundered dry lightning, and made thundering sounds, but what was raining their job? No, the clouds just stood there making fun of me. ''Bastards! I don''t even have enough MP to call down a decent rain!'' Annoyedly I look at my skills, until I come across [Purified Wellspring] and have a slightly crazy idea. Activating the skill, I could see it drawing large amounts of MP and SP, but soon some of the black water around my roots began to be purified and transformed into magic water. ''Excellent!! At least one skill works to purify this lake, so my options for purifying the lake are, create potatoes, and spend an absurd amount of MP and SP to generate a little water?'' This will take years, decades! Chapter 11: Fairy Tales Lotus Year 70 The years had passed, and my lake was still far from being habitable like used to be, the water had become more turbid by now, losing the appearance of black paint that i saw wheni rermerged from the bottom of the lake, there still a long way to go before the things go back to the way they used to be, and one day things will be good again My Earthward''s are buried in the earth all throughout my roots, they weren''t so self-funcitionals as the elementals, so when they ran out of energy they stood still all around the place like a bunch of earth statues all over the ground. Because of this, I ended up losing 3 of my 5 Earthward''s for the mother nature and zombie apocaliypse, and the ones that were left were heavily damaged, the damage on the body of the Earthward''s wasn''t a big deal for me at all, but the problem was that right now I''m in a period of low mana concentration to spend in "trivial things", so all the points of Mp who can be spared are welcome. My elementals were out of the game too, because they needed to keep the water current around my body clean and constant, and that took a lot of energy from me and all the time from them, so using elementals as defenses was out of the game for now. My only choice was to keep waiting and waiting, since my MP slowly regenerates naturally, it''s only a matter of time until the water in the lake is completely purified again. The biggest problem of all was those annoying clouds that wouldn''t go away, they continued to threaten me with lightning and thunders, but not a single drop of rain fell from the sky. The clouds prevented me from having access to the sky, which prevented me from generating energy efficiently, and consequently I couldn''t even generate star points, nor even purify the water quickly! One of the main problems besides the clouds is the lack of nutrients in the soil and sunlight in this place, I need a fair amount of nutrients, large amounts of water, and a bit of sun to generate SP and MP, but the earth is sour and acidic, depleted from nutrients and life, so I can''t get the nutrients I need from it. Water is a separate problem, as long as I have Mp I can generate my own water for personal consumption, but the quantities were astronomical. The bigger my body is, the more water I need, but now that my body size has been drastically reduced, I can survive on just a few liters a day. Sunlight was a big problem too, there some light here, but it is very rare. I would say the sun only comes out every 5 days if I''m lucky. Because of this, my energy reserves and SP were always in the red mark, and I really need to keep purifiying the water, and that makes me rest all day to avoid fainting, my leaves also proved to be useless since they couldn''t generate MP under these conditions, and my roots are weak and fragile due to long exposure to poison and lack of nutrients. ''I feel like I''m going to die.'' Like a fish struggling in a puddle of mud, there is no hope left for me, my only destiny now is death, and there is nothing more i can do but fight and fight with fate like a hopeless man. ''I''m thirsty, I''m hungry, I''m tired, weak, and sore... I just want this all to end soon.'' Looking at my options, I didn''t have much to do, I only have 1842.1 star points, just enough to gain 1 skills, and I don''t see any active skills that can help me, all I can do with the rest of these points is buy a considerable amount of Xp. ''If I can get enough Xp to unlock another specialization, then that could save me, right?'' My options are limited, and I''m not going to risk everything I have on a half-assed skill that could very well be something completely useless, random skills are well... random, so there''s no point counting on a miracle skill that will save me, I I need something that really helps me.
Star Store
Do you want to use all your points to buy XP?
''Yes... Please help me.''
Notice
You have earned 10.000 XP points!
Notice
You have reached level 25! You gained the unique ability: Deity''s Shrine
Ability
[Deity''s Shrine] - Unique Create a permanent sanctuary region, you become permanently linked to that region, gaining large bonuses in strength, vitality and mana regeneration depending on the energy concentration of the chosen place. If your sanctuary is heavily damaged or destroyed you will die.
Notice
You have reached level 26!
''Shit! What kind of weird ability is this? Is this what I get for choosing the {Water Sanctuary} specialization? It''s okay that a sanctuary doesn''t have legs and doesn''t walk around... But becoming permanently linked to some place?... To that place?'' My problem wasn''t settling permanently on the ground, I''ve already been trapped here since the very beginning , it''s not like I was going to wrap myself in a bubble of water and go exploring the world, but this place is not the same green and healthy forest in which I was born, Now it''s just a wasteland of death and blood, there''s nothing for me here to fight for. ''I spent over 1800 points for just 10k XP? This is nonsense! And it''s even more absurd that with 10k XP I only leveled up twice!''
Star Store
Star Points: 0
Random skill: 1800 Star points - Or more Random Title: 6000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 160 Star Point - 10 XP
''Damn... Now buying Xp has also become expensive... I have no points, no skills that can save me, and I have no access to heaven, all I have is this strange ability that will make me permanently linked to this forgotten place by death itself...'' There aren''t many choices, I need to survive at all costs, if that means I''ll become eternally tied to a bunch of water and land, so let be it. Analyzing the skill, soon I discovered what i have to do, so I focus on the idea of binding myself to that region and soon a prompt appears in front of me.
Notice
Do you want to link your sanctuary to this region? Warning, this choice cannot be undone.
''Yes..?''
Notice
You set your sanctuary.
Right after thar, I could feel the difference almost immediately, I gained an improved sense, a greater perception of my surrondings and my MP started to rise quickly, I could feel my body getting stronger and healthier and my roots at the bottom of the lake penetrating deeper into the bottom of the lake more easily. I could feel, feel things i have never felt before, i can feel everything that is in the water that my body touches, from the smallest speck of dirt in the bottom of the lake, to pieces of zombie bodies all over the surfice, the water currents running all the place coming from the river, larvae that live in the water, rocks and pieces of wood, algae and lime that grew in the pool, the smalest fish, just everything, I know exactly where everything is located. ''This is amazing!! My MP is rising quickly even without me having leaves to generate MP! I feel stronger, and I can even see everything around me!'' Having a sanctuary is cool and very powerful, but at what price?
Lotus Year 73 Time passed, and the water in my lake began to become purer again, so much that the fish began to swim everywhere, Uchiki had became their leader whitout any conflict at all, since she was older and more experienced, the younger fish were always happy to be around her, if Uchiki stopped by to eat they would stop and eat with her, if she ran away they would run away without even asking why, Uchiki had became some kinde of ancient fish guardiam. My new control over the lake and its surrondings was very peculiar, this caused the entire region of the lake to begin to be peacefully purified, in addition to making the entire region very humid and full of plants, the edge of the lake began to lose its sandy and lifeless texture and a bunch of things like grass and moss started appearing all over the place. My sanctuary is like an extension of my very own skills, so the entire region is being affected by my powers, turning the place in a ideal place for small plants and life, the sanctuary have powers focused in my own skills, in particular my mastery over water and purification abilities, what turn the land around here very healthy and humid, slowly removing all the poison and rot that infiltrates the earth. Manipulating water is also much easier to use near my main body, and I can even summon some more water elementals. The sanctuary saved me, but now I am permanently linked to this place, the environment around me is not to my liking right now? Yes, but I''m going to have to roll up my sleeves and work on this to ajust this place to match my preferences, because I''m not going anywhere now. The sanctuary works like a kind of lamppost, the closer it is to my main body, the stronger the sanctuary''s powers are, using magic at the edge of the lake is much more difficult than simply using magic in the center of the lake. I can create water waves, give complex shapes to water bubbles, create whirlpools, sheets of water, a water bubble that crushes everything that enters it, and even a small artificial rain cloud. But only in the center of the lake, at the edge of the lake, all my magic started to become very unstable, and it became impossible to maintain more complex spells. I also gave up on expanding the lake for now, and started my secret emergency plan A of Apocalypse. If I''m eternally tied to this place, then I need to find ways to security myselft no matter what. I''m tied to this region, but not this specific point where I''m located right now, so if an emergency happens, I can flee to the deepest point of the lake without affecting my sanctuary at all. So I started an underwater cave project, I made my little Earthward''s start creating a big secret space under the lake, and I''m using magic to stop the water from draining through the hole, and creating an entire cave that can serve as a bunker for me and my helpers in the future. My plan is to create a cave capable of housing a small lake where the fish and I would reside in times of imminent apocalypse, and a land area full of plants and dirt where I intend to keep some animals alive to colonize the land surface again when the conditions outside the cave improve. Because right now? Now I just have a bunch of zombies for neighbors, my friends deer, lions, tigers, monkeys, boars and rats have all been turned into zombies or fled to the hills, it could take decades for animal life to return to this region, but for that I need to get rid of these zombies first. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. A small lotus flower that grew horizontally on a vine bent in an unconventional position, opens its leaves and begins to charge a small ball of white light, soon a small orb of crackling light appears within the lotus flower that shoots a small beam of light passing through the head of a distracted zombie.
Notice
You gained 26 XP points
''One down, way more to go, these pests keep appearing, and to help me, my only ability to cause damage from a distance is weakened by the absence of sunlight, I''m having to spend an extra MP to keep the skill active.'' Zombies are extremely poisonous, and extremely fragile. A shot in the middle of the forehead already knocks them out, their flesh is very soft and easy to penetrate, and their skull looks like a watermelon rind since it''s so fragile. So I can shoot them down with just 1 solar ray with minimal force right in the middle of the eyes. ''These shits are useless, I can''t even use their bodies as nutrients because they are so poisonous, ugh. At least they''re worth some Xp.''
Lotus Year 77
Warning
The demon lord of plague was born.
''Who in the hell is demon lord of the plague? Could it be... Is this guy responsible for this zombie apocalypse? A new demon lord emerged, the last one was the demon lord of chaos, now he is a demon lord of plague, and coincidentally zombies appear a few years before his birth?'' Coincidentally my wooden ass, this guy is definitely the one to blame for all this shit that is happening, the black plague, the zombies, the lifeless land, the terrifying sky. ''I don''t know why a new demon lord was born, the last one didn''t do the job? What do these guys want to do? I guess I just need to wait for a new hero to come and kill this new demon lord.'' The days continued to pass, I just smashed zombies heads, and purified my lake more while my little workers dug the underwater cave. The fish began to dominate the lake, now that they were without predators, they began to infest the lake, competing for food, and even fighting each other for supremacy over the lake. Little do they know that they are fighting for something that is already mine. I started throwing the black potatoes out of the lake, and kept some in holes at the bottom of the lake, having a powerful and deadly poison is always welcome when someone tries to kill you. I''ve also discovered that these potatoes are quite enjoyable when they''re not crowded and drenched in deadly zombie poison. They took on a pleasant shade of begge, and had a holey interior, potatoes were a well-loved food source for the lake''s axolotls, and could store more than just toxic substances, they could also put things like water and a type of sap inside them. . The waters of the lake finally began to return to their former splendor, and now they also had a magical property. By using [Purified Wellspring] for a long time, the water gained a passive magical property, the ability to slowly heal those inside the water. The magical water has a really cool ethereal glow, which attracts a lot of attention, but with my control over the waters, I was able to suppress this glow and even make it disappear, the water had a small concentration of mana that could be used at any time by me, and the more time I spend using [Purified Wellspring], the higher the concentration of mana in the water becomes. The fish benefited from this, because they could use some water magic, so by using the magic of the environment around them they didn''t need to use up their own MP reserves, which helped them survive and perfect their magical talents. I could use the MP in the water as a kind of battery, if one day I needed to launch a super powerful attack that burned all my MP, I could pull all the MP from the lake to add more firepower to that attack, in addition to being able to use this MP in times of need, like when I needed energy to build more shields around the lake. The magical waters also benefited the elementals, since with the greater concentration of mana in the location, it was easier for them to cast powerful spells without spending too much energy. Was all this magical energy coming from me? Of course, but it''s still good to live in a region with a high concentration of mana. I wouldn''t say we''re "swimming in mana", but I have enough MP to consider myself stable and safe, I don''t lack MP, but I don''t have much MP to spare, but I still have enough to not be in a mana crisis. As I looked at my status distracted, I could soon feel a sense of danger approaching, and looking towards the east I could soon see why. ''Damn... another one of those guys...'' What was coming was some kind of monster made of rotten flesh, the thing looked like a bunch of corpses of different species and sizes melted and united into a single creature, the thing was bringing with it a small army of zombies, and as it passed it left a trail of black goo behind. I call them amalgams because they look like a poorly made amalgamation of living creatures. They are not fast, but they are very dangerous. Unlike ordinary zombies, these pieces of flesh glued together have a hard-to-penetrate skin, can release a cloud of rot that makes my leaves wither quickly, and they even use magic! Not all of them, but depending on the type of creature they''re made of, these shits can cast several strange little spells at once, or have varying innate powers. Once I had to deal with an amalgamation that could throw acid balls, I ended up hurting myself in the process, but after a hail of solar beam Mr. pile of meat turned into Swiss cheese. The most annoying thing about these creatures was that they seemed to hate life or any sign of healthy land. Because they started appearing only after the lake started to recover, and they always tried to poison and kill me. ''Come on pile of meat! Show me what you''re capable of!'' Without letting me wait long, the amalgam soon stopped about 300 meters from the lake and started to tremble while preparing something for me, which was already a negative sign. ''Shit! Is this the magic caster type?!'' Soon the creature opened in the middle, and revealed a kind of flesh chamber full of mucus that housed dozens of faces of several different humanoid people, all of them were dead and half rotten, but in an instant they turned their eyes to me in synchrony and began to mutter something in a strange language. ''Damn it! This guy is dangerous!'' Wasting no time, I begin to summon a variety of wall lily pads between the two of us, and send my small group of water elementals into the fight while I secretly begin charging my solar rays to full power. Soon a red magic circle appears in front of the amalgamation, and dozens of small blood-colored projectiles start flying towards me, most of them hit the lily pad shields and are stopped after breaking just 3 layers of shield, but some projectiles shamelessly change their trajectory, dodging the shields and running towards my core. ''Shit!'' Pushing my core into the deepest part of the lake, soon the strange projectiles enter the water and tried to hit me, but since they entered my domain they had no chance, and were soon swept away by a current of water that I created around me. The amalgam did not seem happy, and soon began having to deal with several small angry elementals throwing bullets, blades, and water projectiles at it. In response, the amalgam begins to emit a stunning and shrill cry that makes all the elementals begin to tremble and quickly dissolve into water. As soon as the creature began to prepare to launch another attack, the lily pads shields dissipated to reveal 4 lotus flowers with huge and threatening-looking orbs of light. Upon realizing the danger of the thing, the amalgam tried to run, but its speed didn''t allow it to go furter; Firing the 4 light projectiles at the same time, they soon meet in the air and merge into a single super concentrated projectile, the amalgamation seeing the project arrive quickly gives up on his escape and begins to recite a strange spell while all the faces inside him begin to move and roll their eyes in impossible directions, soon the spell end up creating a field of black energy around himself that looks like some kinde of energy shild. But soon the energy field proved to be useless, because soon as it was hit by the light projectiles, it was torn apart like paper, fragmenting into dozens of shards of black energy through the air while the abominations emitted a horrible, guttural cry. The last thing the amalgam saw was a large flash of light before it lost more than 60% of its body and dropped dead in the ground.
Notice
You gained 286 XP points
Before I could be happy about the kill, I was hit with the price to pay for using 4 solar rays using only MP. My body started to feel completely exhausted, and I felt drowsy. ''Damn... I need some sleep now... Damn zombies...''
Lotus Year 79 I slept for a few days when I defeated the amalgamation, I was lucky that no other amalgamations appeared in the meantime, and in the time that passed I just continued with my mission of purifying the lake. But now, a large strange group of people are coming towards me, they are carrying backpacks, riding strange animals and covered in cloaks, they seem to be heading towards the north but they don''t look very good. I would say that your group has at least 100 people, the entire group is in a circle formation, while the slowest and apparently youngest are in the middle, the strongest and most armed are on the edges preventing the zombies from advancing. There is some people with strange staffs on top of red-eyed buffaloes launching magic projectiles at zombies and people shooting with strangely shaped bows and arrows, what catches the most attention in the group is that I can see that some members have horns sticking out of they heads, while others apparently lack horns. The people on the edges of the circles are equipped with hammers, axes, swords, spears, whips and various other strange things. Soon I see a large horde of zombies led by larger and more threatening zombies approaching the group of strange people, and the group getting more and more tense, then a mysterious person comes out from the middle of the group carrying a thick book and starts reading the book. The book then begins to emit a faint amber light, and its pages begin to run quickly with the words of the figure reading it, as if they were being blown by the wind, but there is no wind here today. Soon the ground begins to shake around the group, and 2 earth giants sprout from the ground, their bodies made entirely of stone, hammer-shaped hands, expressionless flat heads, and some sort of exposed shiny crystal that glows on their chests. The figure that summoned the giants soon vomits a large amount of blood onto the ground, but before falling he gives an order to his giants who begin to crush the zombie hordes as if they were insects. Then another group rushes to the figure who had fallen to the ground after apparently exhausting himself, and they take off their hoods. The figure lying on the ground was a strange man with bronze skin, and bright red eyes, short white hair and 2 spirally curled horns like a sheep''s. His clothes were full of blood and he looked weak and malnourished, but that didn''t stop him from holding the book in his hands tightly. The figures that ran up to him were apparently 3 women of varying ages, a woman with purple skin like an amethyst, pure black eyes and horns like an antelope, teal blue hair that barely reaches her neck, and a thin, skimpy body, something I recognize as the result of hunger and misery thanks to Green. The other women were a girl who resembled the man lying on the ground, with brown skin like earth, dirty green hair that fell to her waist and pure yellow eyes, and the last woman seemed to be a child, with gray skin like stone, yellow eyes and white gray hair wrapped in a ponytail. The women seemed very sad at the sight of the man lying on the ground, but soon everyone made way for a strange man with light green skin and black hair to pass. The man wasted no time and began reciting some strange words, which made the man lying on the floor possibly faint. Soon the 2 adult women who came to the older man''s aid took him by the arms and began to carry him with the rest of the group, soon I saw them approaching the lake while the earth giants who had already destroyed all the zombies nearby they began to fall apart on land again. When the group arrived at the lake, they were mortified when they saw the surface of the lake, the water was pure and clear, filled with a few lotus leaves scattered occasionally around the lake, flowers that emitted a faint ethereal light illuminating the surrounding shields and showing a large amount of marine life that lives in the lake. Some people tried to run to the lake, but they were soon stopped by some mysterious force that pulled them back and threw them to the ground, then among the group of mysterious beings a lady with grayish blue hair and gray skin, ocean blue eyes and point horns like those of a goat, carrying a strange staff that looked like a wooden truncheon that was wider at the tip and thinner at the base began to come out and scold the people who tried to approach the lake. The lady then ordered everyone to move away and then began to invoke a magic circle in the air with a movement of her magic stick, then a small amount of water began to come out of the lake and fly towards the tin lady with goat horns who soon began to analyze the water. She touched the water bubble that floated in front of her with caution and fear, but soon made an expression of surprise when the water began to glow slightly under her touch. ''Damn... The water got out of my control as soon as it left the lake, was I exposed?'' The strange lady didn''t seem to suspect me, but rather was excited by the sparkling water and then walked vigorously towards the lake, without wasting any time she closed her eyes and began to concentrate on something. Then I began to feel the energy of the lake being slightly drained, and my own sanctuary reacting to the phenomenon and amplifying it. Then the strange lady opened her eyes which were now glowing blue and made the entire lake start to shake with her energy. ''I didn''t give you permission to do that!'' Soon I myself began to add my own control to the waterx which was far superior to that of the strange woman because soon I could feel my sanctuary stop amplifying the strange woman''s powers and begin to suppress her, the woman was surprised when she realized that her control over the water was being "stolen" and the water in the lake began to calm down again and no longer followed her orders, no matter what she tried. As she stared dumbly at the lake trying to understand what had happened, she turned to see her peers looking at her expectantly, she opened her mouth to say something, but before anything else a large pillar of water rose from the middle of the lake, surprising everyone present. The pillar of water defies gravity, falling upwards rather than downwards, glowing ethereally with light blue lights in the middle of the darkness as several lotus flowers begin to emit a brighter glow and create small balls of light at their top, soon the pillar opens like stage curtains to reveal cute little fish that float delicately toward the crowd in a harmonious and elegant way. The people present were overjoyed and tried to advance towards the lake, but the lady with the goat horns was mortified, and was breaking out into a cold sweat as she actively stopped her peers from approaching the creatures. Soon a dense fog starts to appear out of nowhere behind the people near the lake, and when they look back all that comes is a dense fog that clearly wasn''t there until a few seconds ago, sounds of laughter and whispers start to come from every place, frightening everyone present and making them fall to their knees on the floor. The only one standing was the lady with the goat''s horns, and a few people who were soon pulled to the ground by their families. From the middle of the lake, the pillar of water begins to open again to reveal a strange, even humanoid figure. The creature assumed the basic form of a human being, having 2 arms and a head. But the rest of her body was just a bunch of water that connected her to the lake like a kind of dress made entirely of water. Its expression was blank and without details, just a ball of water that clumsily tries to imitate human features, and soon the creature begins to slide along the surface of the lake until it reaches the edge, halfway through, her shape began to "stabilize", gaining more details, such as well-defined arms that moved all the time like water currents, and a dress entirely made of waves of water that flowed at all times so the amysterious creature that soon after reaching the edge gestures with her hand towards the lady with goat horns, who just stands mortified in place with tears in her eyes. Annoyed, the creature makes a delicate gesture with its hand, which makes the small group of water fish take on the form of threatening fishes with fangs. The water fishes then run towards the goat woman and begin to cling to her arms and legs. The woman momentarily thought she would be devoured by the fishes, but soon she could see that there was no damage to her flesh, and the water fishes began to shake and deform into handcuffs and chains made of water, which soon start flying to the lake and connect''s to the lake,after a few moments the chains begin to be pulled to the bottom of the lake and the woman begins to despair as she is pulled against her will. The woman tried to resist and scream, but nothing helped, soon she was pulled into the lake, but surprisingly she did not sink into the water, but began to be dragged across the surface of the lake as if it were a floor made of marble. Soon she was in the presence of the lady of the lake, the lady just took her chin indelicately with a single hand, and looked straight into her eyes. Evaluating or judging her in some starge way. The lady of the lake then gently took the woman''s head with both hands and gently placed her forehead against the woman''s forehead. A small glow could be seen coming from the scene, as a small teal mark appeared on the woman''s forehead. Without understanding anything, the woman tried to speak to the lady of the lake, demanding answers. But all she did in response was slowly sink into the lake, disappearing along with the water currents, fishes and the fog. At the end of it all, the woman began to gently sink into the lake, until the water reached her knees, she then just stared in awe at the lake while her peers ran to her to try to help. But everyone was afraid to enter the lake, and once again awaken the lady of the lake. Chapter 12: People Lotus Year 80
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv 8 Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv 7 Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv 6 Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 1 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv 7 Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 8 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 6 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv 8 Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Toxic Bramble] - Lv 1 Create a small thorn trap that, if activated, will trap its victim with vines of poisonous thorns.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv 8 Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Whispering Mist] - Lv 1 Conjures a misty veil that not only obscures vision of the target, but also imitates sounds that have already been heard by you.
[Lotus Light] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv MAX Makes plants around you grow faster.
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv 7 Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae.
[Stormcaller] - Lv 3 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
[Enchanting] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of MP to add a random effect to an item.
[Illusory Reflection] - Lv 5 Use MP to create and maintain a mirror image of your target. The mirror image cannot cause physical damage.
[Mana Manipulation] - Lv MAX Makes your mana control more refined
[Blossom Rest] - Lv 2 Enter a state of hibernation after suffering large amounts of damage. While in this state, the host is immune to all status effects and gradually heals from injuries.
[Poison Resistance] - Lv 7 Gain resistance against poisons
[Purifying Tuber] - Lv 3 Use Sp to create tubercles that can safely store poisons and harmful substances.
The... "humans", I''ll call them that for now, didn''t give me a good first impression, I felt truly threatened by them when the goat woman tried to steal the energy in my lake''s water. She couldn''t know I''m here and that i''m dangerous? Of course she could! If a mysterious and magical lake appeared in the middle of a zombie apocalypse you would think "Thanks god! A Miracle!" or "Oh shit! A Trap?!", it could be that she was too excited, or hopeful with this big "miracle", but I still wanted to kick out all the "humans" present there on that time. At first I planned to send my elementals and a violent blast of solar rays to make everyone run out with the tail between the legs, but when they threw themselves to the ground and became so... Vulnerable. Thath''s made me feel bad for them, I don''t feel remorse about killing and crushing anyone who tries to hurt me, but attacking people who clearly aren''t causing any harm is... Weird? I fight to survive, that''s all, and nothing more, I''m not going to waste resources and precious energy on "jokes". If someone wants to fight, then we will fight, but otherwise, I''m more than happy to share a mutual existence, as long as they don''t try to steal my resources. Because of this I decided that I would only have a... "Small talk" with the goat woman, this would make her an "example" for other colorful humans with strange horns to understand the message. But when I caught her in my hands she just looked so... Fragile. All I saw in her eyes was fear, despair, and a big pile of resentments. A mixture that made my head shake and makes my roots feel chills as if i were looking at a somehow a weird deja vu. I am oblivious to any kind of suffering not directly connected to me, i don''t care when animals are brutally murdered and devoured right in front of me, or when I see death face to face. But there are rare cases that manage to move me in a way I didn''t know was possible. Because of that my desire to fight soon disappeared, and instead i decided to give a blessing to the goat woman. The blessing manifested itself as a small 3-leaf lotus flower on her forehead, so I decided to disperse my "water avatar." These people are dangerous, I know they are. They may seem fragile and vulnerable, but no one so fragile and vuneralvel lives in the middle of a zombie desert. The old guy with brone-colored skin is proof of this, I don''t think I can defeat those dirh giants he created, but I don''t think he''s in a position to invoke other dirt giants. Even so, there still some people in the group who give me the feeling of danger, the goat woman, the old man with bronze color, a tall woman with red skin and white hair and a strange guy who seems to be the group''s leader. This last one was one of the uniques who didn''t fall to the floor as soon as I appeared, and really had to be pulled by several people to the floor, all the time he looked at ''me'' with sharp eyes and kept his hand on his sheath in his waist. The man has purple hair like a plum, an ambar-colored eyes and a beige skin with lighter cracks. He carries a florete on his belt and all the time wore a long cover. I could feel a sense of danger emanating from him, something that told me clearly, "you are not a threat to him." And yet he never made any movement against me, perhaps because he didn''t know my real strength, or perhaps because he realized that my water puppet was not "The real Me." I am very good at controlling water, I had decades to improve myself more and more, I can basically do anything with water, from furniture to weapons. I can create small shapes of water that fly on the sky, water animals, water currents that run around and I can even create water mannequim! But I fail in the details. Creating very detailed images with water is a job that requires perfection and concertation, and I need to keep this control all the time activated to keep the "perfect" form. So when I tried to create a water mannequin, I tried to copy the goat woman, but in the middle of the way I realized that creating so many details was very difficult, so what ended up was a basic form of a manequin, without facial expressions, no fingers, and hairless form, just a water mannequin that happened to have something like an water dress that was just a gross attempt of me to try to mimic the cover of the goat woman. Now when it comes to water weapons, I''m very good. I can grind stones to sand with a high pressure water bubble, I can create small water thorns that fall quickly over someone, and even play a little with water mirrors. The water of my lake is so crystal clear that I can create thin water layers in the air and use my skills to create illusions on these sources of water. Creating something like several illusory mirrors that reflect things that are not really there. And with my skills I can also make theose illusory images emit random sounds or repeat sounds that I have heard before. Basically creating a entery zone full of wispering mirrors that try to confuse and scare you. The disadvantage of this is that it is not very useful in an open space, it is quite easy for someone to realize that it is all an illusion, and since my mirrors are just a layer of water floating in the air, people can simply go through my illusions and destroy them at the price of getting a little bit wet. I also have a big problem with magic itself, colorful humans, amalgams, and several other beings can create these magical circles full of a bunch of strage symbols and create a strange and cool spell. But all I can do is manipulate the water and give it a purpose and shape, it is very powerful in its own way, but I wanted the same guided missiles of that amalgam that attacked me in the past.
Lotus Year 81 A year has passed, and horned men never left, I had been analyzing them over time and managed to understand some things about them and how they work. They whole group seems to be made of people of several different social classes, warriors, nobles, commoners, farmers, healers, aristocrats and merchants. Possibly all these people ended up together after rushing in the middle of the disaster of the demon lord of the plague and ended up with a random group of people to survive. Some people seem to be more important, while others simply "are there". People like the woman of goat horns and the man with the florete are "important" because they can fight, overthrow zombies and make decisions, while other people without use in battle take care of simpler things, such as carrying the group''s luggage or like now, take care of the camp while the warriors take care of safety. These people seem to have a certain respect for me, maybe it''s because of the goat woman, who i decided to call Silver, she seems to be making a positive advertisement of me, even if the man with purple hair does not aprove her actions, but people seek idols to adolate and things to believe in times of suffering and disasters. Be it a patriarc or maternal figure, a friend, a leader, a god or a strange lake in the middle of nowhere. The people are always looking for something to believe in, something to bring them comfort in the midst of suffering and despair, and by chance I ended up playing this role for them, the people here even ended creating a small place where they do a brief prayer once in a while time to time, they also began to hunt the fish of the lake and even plant some strange plants around here. The land around the lake is the only "not comprimissed" land in kilometers, so it is very valuable to everyone, literally and symbolically. It was 100% occupied with strange seeds and plants that the horned people brought with them and in the sorrounding of this small farm place the horned men began to create they small village. A wall of dirt was erected in the meantime and a ditch was built to ward off the zombies. The dirt wall is barely 3 meters, but it''s still a project in course and the people here are really trying they best to survive in the middle of nowhere. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. What is the most valuable resource in the desert? Water of course. Now what is the most valuable resource in the middle of a desert of zombies and poison? A big lake full of miraculous water. My lake water can be drunk to regenerate a little bit of mana, can be used to slowly purify the contamination, and can be consumed as common water, this is very valuable when all water sources are contaminated or dirty with poison and corpses. I had a small stream that supplies me with water some time ago, but this stream only bringed me polluted and dirty water, so a long time ago I used my powers and the help of my earthwards to cut the connection to the stream once and for all. It is not like I needed his water supply, since I can create my own water, and having a polluted water source filling my lake every moment of the day with black poison is disconcerting. I also never showed "myself" again to these people, I created some magic flowers on the lake that emit pale blue lights at night, but no elementals flying around, or me playing with water to pass time, I''m just a normal nothing suspicious lake in the middle of nowhere. Analyzing the people in the village, I soon found out that they are very strange, some have elemental powers like me, ora most of the people I had met in my life, but some others have powers that are a bit more ... Abistratct I would say. The red-skinned woman whit white hair looks like some kind of war demon or something, that woman can grow up to 3x her original size and get super muscular in the process. Crushing zombies as if they were a lot of boiled eggs, her skin turn to be so hard that the zombies teeth can just break when trying to bite her and her only weakeness seem to be getting a little to much crazy when she enters the "red giant" mode. There is also a woman in the village, who is clearly was part of some rich family or nobility in the past, because she has a more beautiful and well-groomed robe, jewelry in her horns and ears and a beautiful precious stone necklace. She have pink hair like flowers, red eyes like roses and a white and delicate skin like porcelain full of freckles. She has a strange power to make people around her cry when she is crying for some reason, and even I can be affected by her power! But instead of tears I am hit by a huge wave of sadness with no apparent reason, the pink lady is like some kind of antenna that emits collective depression to everyone around her when she is sad. The mysterious thing about her is that she seems to be alone here, no friend, no family, no allies, her appearance does not match anyone in the village, and her only card on the sleeve is to be noble and have a strange power, because she is one of the people classified as "Worthless" because she does not fight, and don''t know how to make domestic jobs, so her unique utility is to irritate everyone when she is crying over something stupid for no reason, and by the way she can''t control this strange skill or natural abillity, and whenever she gets sad, the people around her also get sad even without wanting to. Even with this apparent "uselessness", I would still say that she is at least in the top 10 most dangerous people in the village, because my senses have never lied to me, and I can still feel danger coming from her. Another mysterious figure is a thin and clearly as day weird man, he has curly black hair that covers his violete deep eyes. Dark skin with clear spots as if it had vitiligo, and strong ugly dark circles under his eyes. He seems to be some kind of rascal, or thief or just a regular weird guy you can find out there. But he has a mysterious power to mix into the shadows, basically sinking into someone''s shadows and disappear without leaving traces, but that''s all he can do, he doesn''t seem to be strong or brave enough to use his strage powers for good or evil, and only uses it to hide and possibly that''s how he survived until this day. Also there is the caliente woman, a woman I would think to be a noble or at least rich, because she has beautiful clothes and a few jewelry, and what draws most attention to her are her trick breasts and her mysterious power to burn everything that she touches with her naked hands. She wears strange gloves almost all the time, but once in a while she would takes off her gloves to reveal a strange power, the ability to set things on fire. Whenever she touches something with her hands this thing begins to heat up quickly until it started to burn or melt, and just like the pink cry-baby she seem not to be able to disable this blessing? Curse? But different from crying lady she gots a job at the blacksmith of the village and works there with a really cool guy who''s i call Smith, because he has black skin like coal and red hair like a burning flame. The caliente woman has a bulky, dark red long hair that falls to her waist, which she braids into a small hairstyle convenient for moving, yellow eyes with red details and tanned skin, despite the giant breasts she has nothing more that draws attention to her beyond the power to burn everything that touchs only her hands. And lastly, we have the mysterious nothing suspicious lady, a tall, slender woman, emanating a clear as day royal aura, who is the straightforward and one-sided target of the man with purple hair. She has a emplumated golden hair that falls to her ankles, deep blue eyes, 2 sharp adorned horns with jewelry and laces, and clothes that emit grace and elegance despite the difficulties over time. She is a super famous healer around here, and seems to be the most "socially" important member of the village, she can cure several people per day of their wounds and exaustion, and is commonly seen telling stories and past events for children, perhaps in an attempt to teach them about their ancient glory, or a way to teach the younger ones. At our meeting she was also one of the first to fall to the ground on her knees and start to encourage the people around her by doing the same, she has a warm and friendly personality type and seems to prioritize the well-being of most people above her own well-being. The woman seems to be alone too, away from family, friends and allies, and now she is being strongly pressed romantically by the man with purple hair, different than it seems he doesn''t seem to have bad intentions directed at her, he is just a passionate idiot. But there are boundaries for how many times someone can receive a "no" as a response to a declaration of love, and keep trying, but he does not seem to know that there is a limit. The guy brings flowers of the farm, the biggest fish he can find and best hunts he can get, bouquets of lotus flowers from the lake, and even tries to give her wood statues of her that he creates meticulously in his free time, all to try to please the girl, but she seems to refuse everything and is not in the mood for a relationship. Maybe she''s too exnoble to accept him, or perhaps he is too insistent to the point of being creepy, perhaps the guy thought the apocalypse was his golden opportunity to lie down with the royalty and is determined not to let this opportunity slide though him , maybe she has someone in her heart or even may be already compromised with someone, so thath''s why she refuse his advances, but I have no way of knowing, because I cannot extract anything from they tense discussions since i do not understand their language. Everyone in the village tries to only survive every day, they kill the zombies that fall into their ditches, defend the wall, take care of their children, try to fish and take care of their animals and farms, but people have carnal and material desires, something that I can''t understand about them at all, why would I want to become a very rich plant? Just to leave the gold and jewelry forgotten at the bottom of the lake? Why would I cling to someone if this person is fated to die or leave me at some point of my life? No expectations, no disappointments, I never wait for the best, and not wait for the worst, I just wait. And I react to the events as conveniently as possible, in some cases my emotions may influence me but I am sure that if I needed I would escape to my little secret cave under construction and leave everyone and everything behind to die without thinking twice. Everything can be rebuilt, everything can be restored and redone, plants, water, connections, people and feelings, everything can be fixed over time. But I don''t, if I die is over, maybe I would get back to the white room and get another spin in the roulette of life, but if it was so easy to win those merit points that i need I would have the memories of several past lives, so I''m not willing to waste away this life, since I have no idea what i had done in my past life to earn this so called merit points to gain a "Next life Spin".
Inside my little cave I''ve started to create various roots along the walls and various flowers that brighten up the place. The whole cave is full of crustaceans made of mud that work non-stop to expand the cave and pierce the hard stones of the walls. My trusty Earthwards work around the clock to expand the place and create a decent space for me, and now the cave is at a size worthy of attention. The cave contains a small lake that contains my main body and a waterfall that falls upwards, connecting with the lake on the surface. The entrance to the cave is covered with slime and algae that block the view of the entrance and two large mud crustaceans that use large stones as shells. Inside the lake there is nothing but a huge tangle of roots growing everywhere, growing up the walls, through the bottom of the artificial lake, and growing between the waterfall that connects to the lake on the surface. The whole place glowed mythically with lotus flowers scattered all over the place and the bright light emitted by the great magical waterfall. Inside the great tangle of roots, a kind of marine green jewel could be seen inside of dozen of shells all submerged in the water shining brightly while dozens of small roots moved slowly on its surface. Leaving the cave and heading for the lake outside, it was possible to see several plants and roots growing at the bottom of the lake among the stones and algae. Several fish swam happily in shoals while a few axolotls rested quietly on rocks and holes in the lake, occasionally eating fish or frogs from the lake. When you come out of the water, you would come across a small island of land surronded by decorative stones in the middle of a large lake, a wooden bridge connecting the small island to the edge of the lake had been built by someone and a large statue of a mysterious woman with long hair and a flowing dress had been placed in the center of the small island, the statue had an expression of serenity and tranquillity, while she was helding a small jug tilted down with both of her''s hands. The statue was surrounded by various flowers and small altars where people left their prayers and offerings, while it was covered by dozens of small roots connected wit the lake. A considerable amount of water mysteriously was running out of the jub that the statue was holding, even though there was no apparent source of water in the statue, the water flow never stopped. On the other side of the bridge, a large wooden pier had been built, housing a small area where the people of the region performed their ceremonies under the light of the lake''s flowers. Several small stones have been placed around the lake for decorative purposes, and several small water channels that supply the small village near the lake have been dug over time.
Lotus Year 82 My cave plan is giving me fruits, since the cave is already usable, I decided that the best thing to do would be to move my main body there once and for all. That way if anything bad happens, I can just disconnect me from the surface and hide insid the cave fot time long enough for all the bad things to pass. The problem with this is that I still needed direct access to the surface of the lake to keep myself connected to the world, I could do this with just my roots, preventing the lake water from flowing through the cave entrance and simply using my roots to drill into the ground and have access to the lake. But by doing that I would be closing off my only entrance and exit, so I decided to use a little magic to help me in this situation. With my water manipulation powers, I created a waterfall that falls upwards, similar to my water pillar from before, but this waterfall had the sole function of connecting me with the lake, and serving as a bridge between the 2 places. The inverted waterfall is a direct way for me to stay connected with the lake''s water source, Ushiki and his friends can also use it as a bridge and from time to time come here to take a bath in water with high concentrations of mana. Since the lake that my main body is connected to now is small, I can use [Purified Wellspring] much more efficiently, and now I can create water filled with high concentrations of mana, I would say that the concentration of mana in the water outside the cave is 3X smaller than inside the cave, and over time the difference will become even greater. I have also been creating a lot of jewelry in my free time, but over time I discovered a truth that has always been very obvious. These jewels are worthless. Maybe for someone they have value, after all they are created with high amounts of mana and time, so they must be worth something, but for me? They are only useful for creating complete Earthwards, treasures are useless to me, but unfortunately I only realized this when I had already created dozens of jewel shells. Undoing them now in the middle of the jewelry creation process would be a waste of mana, so I continued to let them work, I even used some jewelry to encrust the cave walls, creating a very attractive kind of mosaic. But I was running out of ideas what to do with the jewels, they don''t have much use for me, and they are expensive to make. The horned men seem to like the jewelry, I had a few pieces of jewelry scattered around the bottom of the larger lake and some swimmers ended up finding them. And what they did with the jewelry was create a strange type of cup made of metal that they use in wedding, burial and birth ceremonies. These people started to develop a culture around the lake, created a statue of me that was clearly not really me, and even started saying prayers to that statue after I started making water come out of its jug. Okay, a statue that produces water is already something quite "miraculous", but I was just trying to be nice, at that time they had placed the statue on the edge of the lake, and it was sitting there useless, so I started to grow roots around it, and I ended up making pure water begin to flow from the jug on its hands. Because of this, the people of the village were impressed, as if it were a "divine sign", and moved the statue to the middle of the lake, where they earth wizards created a small island, and the builders created a small fence of ornamental stones, and a bridge connected to a pier. People went to the statue to pray, talk, touch, or just look, but everyone has already gone there. And it was from there that their madness began, they created the metal cup encrusted with jewels, which on certain occasions was filled with water from the statue, and used in rituals. A young couple who were getting married would share a cup of water with each other, if one person died, the cup would be filled with just a little water which was placed in the mouth of the deceased, and if a new life was born, the parents would pour some water from the cup in the head of the newborn with they fingers. It seems like rituals are important to them, but to me it seems like a big stupidity. Why drink water at a wedding? Why wet the lips of the dead with water? And why spray water on a newborn? What does that mean? What do they hope to gain from this? I don''t know how to say it, their cultures don''t make sense to me, nor do their way of living their lives. The people of the village have a strange way of life, the girls who want to get married cannot cut their hair for their entire lives, and those who cut their hair are all single warriors forever. But men don''t have that rule, boys can fight, get married, and cut their hair without consequences. Now, girls see their horns as a type of weapon, or decoration, so breaking or damaging them is not "the end of the world", since they grow back like fingernails. But not the boys, unlike girls who have pointy horns that grow upwards like those of goats, boys have spiral horns like those of sheep, and this spiral is a symbol of beauty in the village. If a male breaks his horns, they grow crooked and asymmetrical to the other horn, making the male become "Ugly", so it is quite common to see men giving a lot of value to their horns while girls value their hair. The oldest people in each family or group are the ones who decide who each person will marry, this is not a rule written in stone, as I have seen some couples who clearly did not receive the "elders approval" form, but Normally, 2 patriarchs or matriarchs of their respective groups would get together with each other and decide who would marry who. Marriage promises are made with lotus flowers picked from the lake, if a young boy offers a lotus flower to a girl, and she accepts, then they are simply engaged. People like the red giant, or the weird guy in the shadows are left aside, the red giant for not finding a date, and the weird guy for being very unattractive, but other people like the crying pink-haired woman rushed to get married with a man with a sour personality, just to gain a little bit of power in the village. The people here also have some kind of exaggerated meritocracy, where people like the red-skinned woman can do whatever they want to almost whoever they want without being punished, while people like farmers and cleaners don''t have any kind of power or voice in the village. The red woman can hit, scream or be rude to anyone she wants, because she is the best warrior in the village, in her "red giant" mode, not even the earth giants of the bronze skinned man can stop her, the only thing that she is absolutely prevented from doing by everyone is having a romantic relationship with someone, but I doubt she has a line of admirers waiting for her. The woman who looked like a princess also ended up getting married, but unlike what I imagined, she didn''t marry Mr. Eggplant Head. But rather with a friendly guy who was also a farmer in the region, he has light green hair, tanned and rough skin from hard work, and yellow eyes like wheat. He has no apparent magical powers, and all he can do is take care of the field, but something about him awakened the golden princess''s passion, because she chose him in the end, and is even pregnant with him! Needless to say, Mr. Eggplant Head didn''t like this, but instead of acting crazy and trying to kill everyone, he just isolated himself in a shack, and could be seen with his head down almost every day, simply "Existing". He may have been a little over the top in his ''conqueror ways'', but he''s not a bad guy, just misunderstood, he tried really hard to burn off his frustration by slashing some zombies, but I caught him crying by the lake a few days ago while everyone slept. I feel a little bad for having judged him without thinking much beforehand, he seemed like an asshole, but that''s just when I looked at it from the golden princess''s perspective, looking at it from his point of view, it must be horrible to dedicate so much to someone for just be exchanged for someone else. Life is always like this, loving, suffering, hurting, repeating. Everything is always in an endless and miserable cycle, maybe he''ll be lucky next time. Chapter 13: Past Jewelry鈥檚 of a Shiny future In front of the stone statue of the lady of the lake, an elderly woman dressed in a completely white robe made of an unknown material delicately places a kind of cord made with metal and jewels from the region, then slowly moves away to join hands with several other members similar to her. All the people present wore the same clothes as the goat lady, some members had belts, brooches or necklaces with shiny blue jewels while the goat woman herself carried with her a brass-colored bracelet encrusted with several small blue jewels that emitted a faint blue light. Everyone soon began to recite some type of magical spell that caused a current of air to mysteriously begin to flow through the place. Soon a bright blue magic circle appeared on the metal cord on the altar, the water in the lake around the spell casters soon began to vibrate and ripple with magical power in the rhythm of they spell. Then a large amount of magical energy began to rush from the roots all over the place directly towards the statue of the lady of the lake, causing it to glow with light blue cracks which caused a single drop of a strange liquid to flow from inside the jar she was holding onto the magical cord. Then in a great festival of lights, the item bathed in the magical liquid began to mysteriously fly into the air, the magical circle that was beneath it now began to fragment into several rings that orbited the item in various directions as thsey speed up without stopping. Whispers and a heavy fog soon began to appear from various places, some people began to falter in the cast of the spell, and soon fell to the ground with their hands shaking. Without hesitation, one by one it began to fall as the item''s magic rings began to spin faster and faster. Until in the end only the elderly woman who had started it all was standing, without showing fatigue, she soon raised her strangely shaped staff which caused her eyes and a mysterious mark on her forehead to begin to glow with the same shade of light blue from the cracks of the statue. Soon the item''s magical rings broke, and drawings of letters and magical symbols began flying all over the place while a large amount of magical energy and witchy light emanated from the item. Without hesitation, the goat woman then waves her magic staff, causing letters to fly and mysteriously disappear inside the item that was floating in the epicenter of a sphere of energy. As time passed, more and more energy was burned, and more and more the goat woman showed clear signs of exhaustion, but even after a lot of hard work, the goat woman was barely able to inject all the letters and energy into the sphere into the item. Soon she falters, and the entire magical formation starts to shake violently, so the goat woman decides to finish, waving her hand and causing all the energy to start running everywhere without direction, soon just a strange bluish item is on a small altar at the feet of the statue of the lady of the fountain. Coming close the goat woman wipes the sweat from her forehead and picks up the item in question, previously it was a necklace made of black iron and lake jewels, but now it had taken on a blue copper color, a smooth texture and elegant shape, and its jewel that before was just glued in place, had now definitively fused to the necklace, the jewel seemed to contain some type of water tornado inside it, as when looking at it it was possible to see it moving slowly in a small whirlpool that it emitted a vibrant, pulsating blue light at all times. Satisfied with her work, the woman soon puts the necklace inside a small wooden box, and turns to start helping her allies who had fainted as a result of the ritual. Soon several other people began to arrive and carry the fallen people. to a tent in the distance. Looking at the people in the group, it is possible to see that everyone has a single similarity, everyone carries at least one item or clothing that contains a blue jewel identical to the jewel on the newly created cord, the difference is that some have larger, smaller, or in greater quantities, but all carry the exact same type of pretty ornaments or strange pendants. Whether it''s a hairpin, a felt clasp, a brooch or necklace, everyone is wearing something made from the lake''s enchanted jewels.
Lotus Year 82 I guess I''m some kind of deity now? Or at least a guardian or sponsor? The horned men started to get a little bold, and one day Silver tried to pull the lake''s energy toward her again. I obviously suppressed this action, which is quite easy to tell the truth, it''s as if the lake''s energy "wanted" to help Silver, but I''m the "Master" of this energy, so it doesn''t go anywhere without my approval. Silver was frustrated for a long time, and in the meantime the people in the village discovered a new technology, the lotus silk, when cutting my stems, the horned men discovered a fine fiber contained within my stems, and soon a dedicated group of grandmothers and grandfathers with nothing to do began the arduous work of trying to weave this silk. At first it was a big failure, but soon they began to be able to extract silk from my stems, the silk produced is very fragile and delicate, but if used to produce clothes the result is a highly durable luxury item, which will not be damaged if is wet. And that''s what they did, they created some kind of strange loom and started sewing whole sheets of fabric together, then they used bones and iron scissors to create more "complex" clothes and now they had access to the weaving industry. Since I can create stalks non-stop day and night at a negligible cost, so i just ignore the pain and create several stalks for the horned men every day, which helped them gain dozens of clothes, tents, cloths, and traps. Another great thing was that I''ve been observing all of them for a long time, and trying to understand their language by observation. There are some newborn babies in the village, and some babies at the ideal age to learn to talk, so I just watch whenever someone is trying to teach something to a child near the lake. With that I think I understood a few words, like "please", "Baby", "Now", "Eat", "Sleep", and things like that. It''s not perfect, but it''s still something, I still need to fill in the gaps and find the right way to learn their language. If they had books with explanatory pictures, or a translator, that would be a piece of cake, but I''m just trying to learn things by association, when someone bumps into someone the first word out of their mouth sounds like an apology, so I I think it''s "Sorry", but I could be wrong, or they could have a special word for this specific type of situation. I have no way of knowing, and only time will tell, but what concerns me now is Silver''s insistence on tapping into the energy of my lake. She had returned, and was now carrying one of the lake''s jewels, she held the jewel in one hand and soon began to speak. "?§Ô?§â... Help.... §Õ? §ã§Ö§Ù §Þ§à§ß§í...Me... §å§Ü§í§Û§ã§í§Ù...Night.... §Ú§Ü?§ß, §ã§Ö§Ù...Magic.... §Ñ§ç§Þ§Ñ§Ü, §Ü§à§ä§Ý§í§Û§Ò§í§Ù...Us?" I had no idea what she meant, but at this point it seemed obvious to me. "Why don''t you help us?" I think that''s basically what she said, her intentions don''t seem ill-intentioned, but she''s still too suspicious for me to accept her actions, soon while i was thinking, Silver closes the stone between her fists in a prayer pose, and i start to feel the small tug of energy coming from this act. This time I decide to let it go, just to see what happens, and soon I can feel my sanctuary strengthening whatever she was doing, then her expression turns from fear to surprise, but it only lasts a second before she comes back into focus and start focusing on the jewelry. Soon a small amount of energy was drawn from the lake, and Silver''s blessing mark began to glow faintly with a shade of mythical blue, then Silver opened his eyes to reveal pupils glowing the same shade of blue, and with the opening of his hand the magic stone begins to float lightly over her palm. Silver then starts reciting some kind of incantation in a strange kind of language, which causes a small magic circle to appear underneath the magic stone. Soon the circle fragments and becomes 2 small rings of magical symbols that slowly orbit the floating magical stone. Then I can feel another tug, like some kind of calling from the magic stone, like whispers of energy that seem to come from nowhere. Amidst the mana melody, I ended up getting distracted and soon I could feel something being pulled from me, like a memory or an intention, at least something along those lines. ''What was this?'' Without giving me time to wonder, the strange spell seemed to have achieved what it wanted, because soon the rings began to orbit the stone quickly, until they turned into strange symbols that floated lightly in the air before slowly entering inside the magical jewel.
Notice
The item [Tear of Serenity] was created by [Selene Tsunoko] when using you as a channel.
Warning
The individual [Selene Tsunoko] is channeling you.
''Am I being channeled? What does that mean... is it like borrowing my powers?'' Looking at the situation, I could soon feel a great familiarity with the jewel in Sil-Selene''s hand, something like a whisper of magic or magical sixth sense that told me that the jewel belonged to me. ''Interesting... This item is burning my own energy to stay active, but I can turn it off at any time, and I can even feel the exact location of the item...'' A magical item created by Selene that uses me as a channel to supply energy, I don''t know if it''s a fair exchange, as I don''t gain anything from it, I just lose energy and resources. ''I think we''re done here... I won''t allow Selene to create any more of these things... At least I found out Silver''s real name out of all this.'' As I watched Selene super excited with the strange jewel in her hand, soon she starts to pour energy into the jewel, and I can feel the item "turning on", soon a small blue witchy light starts to emanate from the magical jewel, and a strange kind of of aura begins to emanate from the jewel. Soon things go wrong, and the jewel that was pure blue begins to be dyed blood red, an action that caused Selene to drop the stone into the lake, once inside the waters of the lake I can see the now red jewel emitting a distorted aura of energy that emits the sound of a baby crying. Stretching my roots towards the thing, I feel a strange sensation of extreme discomfort as I get close to the jewel, looking at its facets I can see what appear to be distorted and broken images of a human screaming frantically at the "camera" while the baby''s crying continued in the background, then the human who was screaming runs towards the "camera" and starts punching and hitting, until things start to spin and the vision falls to a dirty floor filled with old toys while a pool of blood forms as the vision becomes more and more cloudy, so at the end of it the jewel abruptly cracks and loses all magic while all the broken pieces fall on the bottom of the lake. ''What was that?... A bad memorie... A bad memorie from...me?'' When Selene created the jewel, I felt the spell pull something from me, and apparently the spell grabbed a bad memory or feeling, creating a "cursed" jewel that contains a bad memory or story. ''Damn... What was that? Who were those people... Who''s was the baby crying? Who''s the human punching the.... Who am I?... Who was I?''
Lotus Year 82 A few months passed, and in the meantime Selene ended up creating more items similar to the previous failure. Did I say I wouldn''t help you? Well yes, but things have changed now. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. I wasn''t willing to help them because there was nothing to gain from it, plus it had a significant cost that I couldn''t afford to spend, unlike the bouquets of leaves that I create endlessly, magical energy is difficult to be produced, especially when my access to the sky is blocked by demonic clouds. But everything changed when Selene came with a group of wizards, they gathered in a half circle around the statue in the lake, and began to recite some kind of magical incantation that caused little by little a substantial amount of magical energy to be released and pumped into the lake waters. This new energy is chaotic and disordered, like ink mixed with water, but using my skills and powers of purification and absorption, I managed to slowly turn this energy into a totally pure form free of "variants", and all I had to do was remove everything that I considered harmful within this foreign energy and put it into potatoes! With this I got a new source of energy that is very renewable and reliable, this new source of energy is not constant like generating my own MP, but the amount is high compared to the drops of MP that I get through celestial absorption. Celestial absorption provides me with a constant and direct generation, drop by drop, but never stopping to fall. But generation by... "Fees", is like a great wave of energy that arrives between large periods of time. Thanks to that I decided to let Selene use the lake''s energy to create her colorful items, but this time I don''t let the spells catch me off guard and rip out memories that I don''t want to remember. The result of this was the spell being "incomplete", giving extra work to Selene, who now had to add the intention to the item manually, it seems like just another task on the list, but this part is quite complicated, and if Selene doesn''t do everything Of course, it will end up creating "failures", which are useless items that consume a lot of energy but have no purpose. All of the "failures" ended up in the lake, or at least those who didn''t escape Selene''s rage due to their failure. Whenever she failed to create a magical item she became so frustrated with the loss of energy, resources and time that she ended up throwing it all into the lake or crushing it with her staff. The result of this was that now I have a lot of magical junk between my roots, this magical junk has no real use, but it is nice to look at, so I ended up dragging everything I could into my little secret cave and putting it at the bottom of my house lake. In the meantime I''ve also been observing the horned men more and more, and I''m always trying to learn their language, but other than simple words that I "guessed", I haven''t been able to learn anything else for a long time. Words are just a way of expressing something, I may not understand what they say, but over time I was able to distinguish their reactions, actions and responses to each other. The horned men don''t respect the village''s children, not even the children''s parents show "Affection" for them, but that doesn''t mean they don''t take care of them, the children have priority when it comes to eating, they go through rigorous training every days without fail, and everyone need''s to effectively help in village society after the age of 7. Whether carrying buckets or sharpening knives, no one can remain calm, the only ones who seem to have a little peace are the babies and the elderly, 2 groups that lived side by side, the babies keeping company for the very old members, and the old taking care of all the needs of babies, even those who are not part of their respective families. This is not a rule written in stone, but most children are raised together, the exceptions being the "nobles", the homes of more "important" people were looked after by their wives, so while a man was away the women took care of the home, kids and chores. While it was a man''s obligation to educate children when they were older, protect his wife and children, and provide food and resources for his home. A very common thing I think, but the most impressive thing for me is the fact that roles can be reversed in this society. If a woman is a warrior, and only knows how to fight, she probably won''t be able to get married due to the village''s customs, but in the rare cases where this actually happens, the person who takes care of the house and the babies is the weakest of the two on the couple, which usually ends up being the one who''s not used to fight. I learned this by seeing the poor violet eyes creepy, he was unlucky one day to meet the red demon, initially she didn''t pay attention to him, but then after getting bored she started harassing him, and soon she brushed his curls hair aside to reveal a soft and delicate expression. Even with the thinness and the dark circles under his eyes, the beauty underneath "all that" was still evident, and this sparked the interest of the demon woman, who impressively had a 180¡ã change in her actions, going from a harassing slut to a kind of drama heartthrob. She started bringing food, giving gifts to the man and even threatening anyone who came close to him, soon the poor guy was isolated from the rest of the village and his only option was the red demon. After trying a lot, and failing miserably, the man gave up trying to escape, and just tried to adapt to this new scenario, starting to accept gifts and treats from the red woman, until his disheveled and frightening appearance ended up becoming a delicate ikumen who''s really was a exotic beauty. After that the giant woman basically dragged him to the altar, and married him, quickly getting pregnant and after giving birth she just walked out and left her husband with a girl with milky white skin and blood red eyes behind. The man looked miserable, sad, confused, angry, scared all together and mixed at once, but he ended up doing his best and now lives peacefully in one of the best houses in the village, since no one here want to mess with the "Little Princess" of the red demon. Another action I noticed about the horned men was the worship of idols, in this case me. They seem to have a very strong faith directed towards something they consider sacred, the whole village had people wearing clothes with water waves, or lotus flowers lace on their clothes, as well as having small wooden or stone statues of "me" in some public places, they also show a lot of respect for the lake, refusing to throw trash into it, or take water directly from the lake. The only exception is Selene, who openly takes water and throws her failed trinkets into the lake, but the rest of the village openly demonstrates her displeasure with this, even though I don''t really care. The people of the village also quickly realized that no matter how much water they take from the lake, it is always filled to the brim, but never overflows, which made them create several water channels that feed the entire village, from latrines and kitchens to infirmaries and farms, everything passed through canals made with small stone bricks that were covered by wooden grates. The dirty water flowed into the black river far from the village, and these water channels were one of the main reasons I was able to learn so much about the horned men. My roots are very good at purifying and producing water, but they are not good at digging through hard ground, so I can only grow roots on the surface of soft earth, or in bodies of water. The first option is not viable because the soft earth in the village is almost always being disturbed to build stone pits, so I can''t use that method, but the water channels allowed me to create roots everywhere the canals passed, and I can create small roots that can grow between the cracks in the stone floor, so it was only a matter of time before I spread my roots throughout the village. The people in the village seem oblivious to my existence, as if they don''t realize that there are roots growing all over the place, maybe they think it''s normal, maybe they don''t care about it, or maybe they think it''s a "blessing from the lake", whatever it is, they don''t seem to care about the mysterious plant in the lake that grows non-stop day and night.
Lotus Year 84
Notice
The heroine [Emily Ashllen] has been chosen.
Notice
The hero [Jonny Aister] has been chosen.
Notice
The hero [Kevin Loopen] has been chosen.
Notice
The saint [Grace Maifen] has been chosen.
A year had passed, and one day I was bombarded with information that I didn''t need to know, the birth of 3 heroes and a.... Saint? I thought there was only one hero, but apparently there could be more. ''They even brought a saint as extra help? What does a saint do?'' Looking at the horned men, I could see that everyone had stopped what they were doing and whispered to each other, meaning that everyone had received the same notification as me. ''So it''s not something that only I know about... Everyone receives this information, so is it important? It''s not like knowing the hero''s name would help me, what am I going to do? Offer them a glass of water and ask for an autograph?'' The information at least helped me know that at least help was on the way, if the heroes were born then it means that this apocalypse would soon end. ''What if the demon lord wins? The last one died to a single hero, so I think it''s difficult for this new demon lord to win in a 4 x 1 fight.'' Soon life continued for me and the horned men, now there was a pregnant woman teaching something to a group of children in the grass fild near the lake, and I was trying to learn a bit more too. I''m not very good with their language, but I can manage with time, I may not understand exactly what they are saying, but at least I can understand the "feeling" behind what they are saying. I can know if they are fighting, cursing, praising, arguing, arguing or being sarcastic with each other, which is very important to understand them better. Looking at the girl I soon lose attention and start looking at the children around the girl, there are several of them, but there is a small specific group that catches my attention the most. The first one I like to call Coal, he is a boy of about 2 years old with the appearance of a 4 year old child, since it seems that horned men are "born ready", unlike humans, horned men have a longer gestation period, But as soon as babies come out, they can crawl, open their eyes and even babble. And their growth is also rapid, until the age of 5 they would grow until they had the appearance of 9-11 year old children, then they would freeze there for a few years until they started growing again around the age of 10-11. true for their most adolescent form, then at 15-17 years old they would begin to assume adult forms which would remain frozen for several years without changing much. The boy in question has coal-black skin full of red cracks, eyes with black irises and red pupils and 2 white horns curled into the beginning of a spiral. The boy is the son of the town''s blacksmith, who I call Smith, and the busty woman with the power to incinerate things. The couple''s result was a boy who appears to contain the same "curse" as his mother, but in a different and more unstable form. Unlike his mother, who only has flaming hands, the boy can heat any part of his body, but unlike his mother, he can control this "curse", his body only heats up when he is angry or furious, andsince he is a tantrum child, he has already caused many fires around the village "not on purpose". The boy''s only weakness is, unfortunately, water. If you throw water on him he goes out like a hot coal, but doing this is very dangerous for him, because the water can literally kill him, if he "goes out" he dies, which made him kind of frowned upon in a village that pray to the "saint of the lake". Another child is a girl with menacing red eyes, milk-white skin, and short, roughly cut, basalt-black hair. She is the daughter of the red demon and the violet princess, the girl was basically forced by her mother to become a warrior, and even at such a young age that even her horns are still soft at the tip, her mom had cut her hair sealing her fate as a "warrior" and dragged her to the battlefield to learn in a young age. The girl goes through brutal training and constant beatings from her mother while all the rest of the children play and learn from their elders, and now she was in one of the rare moments where her mother had "more important things to do" and she was left under the supervision of her father, who was very docile with her, and basically used every opportunity he had to let her have "a normal childhood". The girl doesn''t seem to have any special powers that come to mind, but she can use some of the shadow magic she inherited from her father, creating small orbs of shadows that she can throw at zombies. She is also very good at hiding, possibly thanks to her father''s help, and when she is not enjoying time helping her father with household chores, she is spending her entire day trying to escape from her mother. But unfortunately for her, the red demon is a great sniffer, especially if she is looking for her own daughter, the red demon seems to be able to use blood magic, so I think she is using her own blood to find her daughter, because no matter how well hidden she is, her mother always finds her and drags her to the battlefield. The next child is a girl who only needs to have "noble" written on her forehead, as she has hair curled in pigtails with jeweled silk bows, a beautiful dress with lotus flower embroidery and ruffles, and a little face like someone who has never raised something heavier than a book in her entire life. The girl has freckles all over her body, pink skin and violet hair, her eyes are a shade of red and pink, and her horns are jet black. The girl is the eldest daughter of the couple with the crying woman and the man with a sour personality, the two quickly got married and had children quickly, her firstborn is the pink girl and her other son is a newborn with green hair with white streaks and beige skin full of freckles everywhere. The girl doesn''t seem to have inherited her mother''s strange powers, but it seems too early to say for sure yet, her only special ability is being a bookworm, annoying everyone to provide all the books she can find, on any subject. She also has a sweet and cheerful personality, which differs greatly from her reclusive and strict parents, in addition to being very innocent and friendly with everyone, always wanting to make friends with other children and teach them about the world of books. And lastly, we have the son of the golden princess and the humble farmer. A cute little boy with beige-yellow hair, tanned skin like tan and milk-white eyes. The problem with him is that the boy is blind, it seems like some kind of illness or curse, because even though his mother is the best healer in the village she can''t cure him no matter what she tried, maybe it''s not possible to cure birth illnesses, or maybe she''s just not good enough. But something I know, the boy, he is special. No matter how I look at him, I feel like he has something special, his vision may be broken, but I can still see him "staring" at the lake whenever he passes by, and unlike most he doesn''t look at the lake statue of the lady of the lake, but rather to the bottom of the lake, to a very special place where 2 mud crustaceans are disguised as rocks that camouflage the entrance to my secret cave, looking directly at my main body. The boy has some kind of vision, it''s just not conventional vision, but it''s something that allows him to see "The true shape of things", so he could be walking calmly and run into a wall, but if I spilled some of energy in the air his attention would be instantly triggered like insects looking at a light bulb. ''I must keep an eye on this boy... he might end up getting me in trouble...'' Chapter 14: Together Alone Lotus Year 84
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv MAX Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Undine''s Embrace] - Lv MAX Use Mp to summon water-type elementals, the result of the summoning will depend on the sacrifice offered and the level of the host.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv MAX Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 3 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Purified Wellspring] - Lv MAX Use MP and Sp to add magical properties to large amounts of water near you.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv 9 Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 7 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv MAX Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Toxic Bramble] - Lv 1 Create a small thorn trap that, if activated, will trap its victim with vines of poisonous thorns.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv MAX Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Whispering Mist] - Lv 4 Conjures a misty veil that not only obscures vision of the target, but also imitates sounds that have already been heard by you.
[Lotus Light] - Lv MAX Use Mp to create a small light source in lotus flowers.
[Floral Flourish] - Lv MAX Makes plants around you grow faster.
[Pond''s Reflection] - Lv MAX Use Mp to reflect any image, as long you have viewed it before.
[Kelp Keep] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create small amounts of highly nutritious algae.
[Stormcaller] - Lv 4 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
[Enchanting] - Lv 1 Use large amounts of MP to add a random effect to an item.
[Illusory Reflection] - Lv MAX Use MP to create and maintain a mirror image of your target. The mirror image cannot cause physical damage.
[Mana Manipulation] - Lv MAX Makes your mana control more refined
[Blossom Rest] - Lv 2 Enter a state of hibernation after suffering large amounts of damage. While in this state, the host is immune to all status effects and gradually heals from injuries.
[Poison Resistance] - Lv 9 Gain resistance against poisons
[Purifying Tuber] - Lv 6 Use Sp to create tubercles that can safely store poisons and harmful substances.
Leaving the boy aside, I start to think about my possibilities for fusion skills. I have several skills at the maximum level I''ve achieved over the years, now that I have my secret cave, I can train all day long without the risk of being discovered, which has given me the confidence to try many new things. My illusions are very "real", and can almost perfectly copy do anything I want. The only flaw in illusions is that they aren''t 100% solid, so if someone looks closely they could see that they are a little transparent. My illusions can also speak and even copy weapons and spells that people cast, but everything is just an illusion, so even if I can copy anything someone does, these illusions are not capable of even crumpling a sheet of paper. The coolest thing about illusions is the fact that I can learn from them, because they are a type of "projection" that i can use to keep records of what someone said, their actions, and even reactions. Everything stored inside me to be reproduced at any time, which helps me study their language. If I don''t understand something, I can keep rewinding the same images day after day, night after night until I finally find meaning in those words. But that''s not important now, what matters is thinking about mergers, and I already have some mergers in mind.
Notice
The skills [Undine''s Embrace] and [Purified Wellspring] had fused in the skill [Azure Torrent]
Skill
[Azure Torrent] - Lv 1 Use MP to enchant large amounts of water, creating a zone of water magic capable of creating water elementals of diferent levels.
''Wow! This is very promising! I can create an entire area full of water elementals that will defend me! And all I need is time and energy.'' Analyzing the skill, I soon realize that the gains seem huge, but so are the costs, the skill seems to need so much mana that it makes my current mana offer to "pay" for the skill seem like a bad joke. ''Damn... I need a lot of MP for this, an MP that I don''t have right now... I think it will be a while before I have a lake full of elementals...'' For my next choice I decide to merge [Lotus Light] and [Mana Manipulation], a strange and risky combination I know, but the 2 skills don''t have much use for me, the lotus lights are just a cosmetic effect, and my mana manipulation became much more powerful after gaining a domain.
Notice
The skills [Lotus Light] and [Mana Manipulation] had fused in the skill [Astral Radiance]
Skill
[Astral Radiance] - Lv 1 Emit lights capable of absorbing ambient mana or release energy into the environment
''An energy generating skill!? Perfect! I can also create energy-rich zones! This will be very useful in the future!'' The natural magic of the world was everywhere, available for everyone to use as they wish, some areas have more and others less, and some areas have specific types of mana, like the lake that has a considerable amount of water mana in the air. If I need to, I can use this mana to make my spells more stable and more economical, but I can''t absorb this energy for myself, until now. Creating some lights in my lotus flowers, I can see some people looking in awe at the bright lights that now have a slight shade of blue, and I can feel each of the flowers generating a small amount of energy every second giving me a small amount of energy.
Notice
You gained 0.01 MP points
Notice
You gained 0.01 MP points This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
''It''s not the best energy generator I have... But it''s something I can use! Now I finally have another way to generate energy!'' For the last few years I''ve just been saving energy to power up my mud crustaceans and let them work in the underwater cave. The red clouds still prevent me from generating energy with the power of the sun, moon and stars, but now I can use my new power to generate some extra MP. ''He He he I liked this skill, the only disadvantage is that I need to keep the lights on to generate MP.'' It''s not a big problem, and people like bright lights, so I don''t think I''ll get in trouble for keeping the headlights on 24 hours a day. And for my last fusion of the day, I decide to fuse [Floral Flourish] and [Kelp Keep].
Notice
The skills [Floral Flourish] and [Kelp Keep]had fused in the skill [Reef Garden]
Skill
[Reef Garden] - Lv 1 Use SP to create a wide variety of corals that can generate MP
''Oh!!! Cool, I liked this skill, being able to create corals that generate Mp is very useful for me.'' Now for the next fusion, I have something that goes very well with each other.
Notice
The skills [Pond''s Reflection] and [Illusory Reflection] had fused in the skill [Mirror of Water]
Skill
[Mirror of Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create water copies of your enemies, water copies can use magic and are capable of copying 1 random skill from their target.
''Damn! Now that''s a good skill! The ability to create water copies of my enemy? And I can even copy a skill for free!'' Deciding to test the skill, I direct my vision towards the village of the horned men, then look for someone until I see a middle-aged woman working with a large iron pot and some jars. Activating the skill, soon a bubble of water rises between my roots up to the sky, then it begins to slowly deform until it completely assumes the exact shape of the copied woman. The disadvantage is that now the "reflections" are made purely of water, and are no longer illusions, having a physical body and real presence. Because of this, they lost the ability to copy colors, being just identical copies made purely with water that mimics the people they are copying. Looking closer I can see that the reflection also looked "rustic", failing in its mission to copy minimun details such as textures and strands of hair. ''Great... Now, what can you do?'' Looking at the costs, I was immediately surprised to see how much mana I was spending to keep this reflex active, so I started to speed things up. I created the reflection inside my cave, just using my privileged vision to copy a woman who didn''t even know what was happening, but it doesn''t matter, since the purpose of this is to know the usefulness of the reflections. ''Very well...'' To test the reflection, I summon a water elemental, which then rises from the waters of the lake and swims through the air towards the reflection. Soon the 2 water invocations were facing each other, on one side a woman made of water, and on the other a fish made of water. ''Okay! Now.... Kill each other!'' What is the best way to decide which of the 2 weapons are better? Putting them to tests, but instead of a test of resistance, skills or coordination, I just want to know which of the 2 is better. As soon as my words fell, the water elemental enveloped itself in a tornado of water and shot towards the water reflection, in response the reflection just waited patiently until the elemental got close, and soon as it was going to hit the water reflection, the reflection''s body deformed in impossible ways, opening a large hole in its own chest and dodging the elemental''s blow. As soon the elemental passed behind the reflection, the water reflection created a kitchen cleaver made of water, and rushed towards the elemental with all its might. Once close, the reflection begins to vocalize, emitting sounds and noises similar to those of the woman he is copying, and soon begins to cut the elemental. Seeing the situation, the elemental just wrapped itself in a perfect ball of water, and created a super furious water current insed that ball. So when the water cleaver of the water reflection hit the water ball, it ricocheted and went flying turning into a small puddle of water. In response the reflection quickly retreated and made a large water axe apear in her hand, so she grabbed the ax as if preparing to chop wood, and raised it over her head with both hands. Just as the ax was about to fall, the reflection activated some kind of skill that made the water ax fall like a very heavy weight, making the the water elemental sink into the ground with the pressure and splitting its water ball in 2 like a coconut. The water elemental ended up turning into a puddle of water while the reflection barely had a scratch, so the victory was sealed with the victory going to the water reflection. ''Incredible!! But it has its flaws...'' The reflection it self is unable to extract so much power from under the hat, he needed to copy someone like the woman to be "complete", burning MP to copy the target, more MP to keep himself active, and even more MP for each movement the reflection made. Basically these reflections are MP incinerators, they consume so much MP that I wouldn''t be able to keep them active for more than 15 minutes a day with my current energy suply. Dispelling the water reflection, I soon realize that I just copied a "peasant", so if I copied a warrior, like the red demon or the eggplant head, I would get infinitely more powerful water reflections. ''The problem with that would be the astronomical mana cost to keep the reflexes active... I need more mana...'' I have a natural limit to how much mana I can store within my own body, but I usually get around this by burning mana at the same rate as I generate, or by storing the mana within the magical water of the lake. So whenever I use a skill that consumes a lot of mana, I just need to stick to a "budget", if the cost is greater than my generation I am losing mana, which means that the skill cannot be used lightly. And this new skill is basically a drain that takes all my mana away in minutes, my natural mana reserve is used up so quickly that I need to actively suck the energy from the lake to keep the skill active.
Lotus Year 85
Star Store
Star Points: 8945.3
Random skill: 1800 Star points - Or more Random Title: 6000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 160 Star Point - 10 XP
I''ve gotten several points over the years, and I would have gotten more if my mana generation wasn''t damaged due to the demonic clouds, I''m thinking about getting the new title and a skill, but I''m also trying to spend it all on a super skill .¡ä ''Let''s take it easy.... Skills are useful for sure, but titles give me incredible effects, it''s okay that all the titles I have are "defensive", but it''s still very useful to have titles like that. Deciding to try, I spend part of the points on a new title.
Notice
You have gained the Title [Lady of the Fountain]
''You''ve got to be kidding me....''
Title
-={Lady of the Fountain}=- Grants the special ability to grant greater blessings, spiritual protections, and oracles. Blessed allies grant part of their XP to you.
''Damn it!! The title is ridiculous, but the powers are really cool!'' The star store told me that the titles and skills are "random", but apparently they are not so random, I cannot get something that is "out of my reach", only things that have a direct relationship with my powers. ''But seriously... Fountain lady? It must be the fault of the horned men, their action of worshiping me as a deity must be influencing the system...'' Analyzing the title, I soon come across a problem, as I can''t really "read" it like normal skills. ''How the hell do I use the functions in the title?...'' Directing my attention towards the farms, I soon come across a bunch of strange animals that look like cows mixed with pigs, the creatures are happily eating the vegetation in the enclosure, while in the background some buffaloes are pulling a plow. Trying to give a blessing to one of the pig-cows, soon a lotus mark appears on the thigh of one of the animals that doesn''t seem to mind the blessing, nothing new had happened so I turned my attention to my main body. ''And now?...'' While I was thinking about the possibilities, I soon saw an axolotl the size of a large dog start to swim through the inverted waterfall to come and bathe a little in the mana-filled waters of my home lake. Then an idea comes to mind, as the words ''subjects'' come back to me. ''Does...'' As soon as I tried to offer a blessing to my axolotl, I ended up bumping into a new status screen that I wasn''t expecting.
Blessing''s
Choose the type of blessing you want to give your ally.
-={Lotus Blessing - Minor}=- Grants a low level of luck and water control to a ally 10 Mana Points
-={Lotus Blessing - Regular}=- Allies with this blessing gain a random skill based on their class, in addition to the ability to control water and increased luck 50 Mana Points
-={Lotus Blessing ¨C Greater}=- Allies with this blessing gain 3 random skills based on their class, in addition to the greater ability to control water and increased luck. 300 Star Points
-={Lotus Blessing ¨C Unique}=- Allies with this blessing gain 3 greater random skills based on their class, the superior ability of water control and increased luck and the ability to borrow your powers. 2000 Star Points
''''A screen to give blessings?... It looks promising... but... These blessings seem.... Expensive... Very expensive....'' A smaller blessing is within the price range I''m used to, but as the blessing increases the price goes up more and you even start using Star Points! ''Star points are not easy to get.... So don''t give greater or unique blessings to someone... Although... Shared XP is very tempting...'' Earning a share of XP from blessed people seems very tempting, but blessings are expensive. At least the greatest blessings. ''Does the level of the blessing make any difference to the amount of XP I will gain?'' If the smaller blessing and the bigger blessing give me the same Xp rate, then why spend it on bigger blessings? Tempted to find out, I call a few more axolotls, on the first one I apply a smaller blessing, on the second one a regular, and on the last one a bigger one, then I order each one to go out to hunt a fish. Soon I receive my results, and discover that the system is not as dumb as I think. A minor blessing only gives me a drop of Xp for each kill of my axolotl, the regular blessing is a little better but not much better, just a teaspoon of Xp. The biggest blessing gave me a little more Xp, something like a cup of tea, there''s not much difference, but it''s still a substantial difference. There are also physical differences, the lesser blessing manifests as a three-leaf lotus flower mark in a random place on the body, the regular blessing takes the form of a lotus flower with some roots growing around it and the greater blessing takes the form of a shaped like a mark of a lotus flower wrapped in a ring of roots. The difference can also be noticed in the eyes and other parts of the body, members with lesser blessings do not gain anything other than the lotus mark, but individuals with regular blessings gain things like tattoos of roots and leaves spread across the body, and individuals with greater blessings they gain white star shaped pupils that overlap the old regular black pupils, and a small blue ring around the iris, in addition to gaining some tattoos of roots and leaves, and in the case of azolotes, a lot of navy blue scales. ''Interesting...''
My new skills seem to be very promising, my ability to create corals is really cool, giving me access to a wide variety of marine plants, such as corals and some live plants/animals. I don''t know what to call these things, they look like anemones or sponges, but I can feel that they are really alive, very much like me in fact. The strangest thing about them is the fact that they grow in freshwater, not in the sea as they should be. These strange creatures live off the lake''s debris and dirt, consuming the water''s nutrients and producing energy for themselves. To date, they haven''t generated MP for me, but I believe I know why, during the night these little guys open up to the world and show biolumenecent parts of their bodies, all directed towards the sky, but never producing MP. I believe they have a skill similar to [Lunar Conversion] or exactly that skill. But due to the demonic clouds, they cannot generate MP. It''s not exactly a problem for me, but it''s a bit annoying to spend resources on something that won''t pay off anytime soon. Another thing I''ve been doing in my free time is basically studying and observing, what have I been observing, you ask? Everything, absolutely everything. Time passes slowly, and when leveling up my skills becomes too much work, I look for another way to pass the time. And what I got was basically a cataloging job. I have been observing everything in the lake, I know about the health and size of every fish in the lake, every field of seaweed, and where each of my earthwards are, I have also organized my jeweled shells into orderly rows and separated the jewelry and junk by size and "value", more "interesting" things are placed in a treasure pile at the bottom of my lake house, while the rest is just scattered around the underwater cave. I also created small water lenses, by using magic very precisely, I am able to create some water lenses that can serve as microscope lenses, allowing me to closely observe various organisms in the lake, as well as observe the horizon of the lake. village. Water has many uses, magic seems to be able to take any form as long as I am able to give it a purpose and suitable formats. Sometimes I feel alone and I create a water dummy, I pretend it''s really me and I start dancing and running around the underground cave, I try to scream and talk, but it''s no use if there''s no one to talk to. I tried to create a tea party, made with several water dummies on a water table, with utensils made of water, but it''s all make-believe, the loneliness seems to be affecting me in some way, and I don''t know exactly why, I was always alone, from time to time I received visitors, and in some cases the visit would stay for some time. But in the end they would always leave, and I would be alone again, and that''s okay with me. At least I hadn''t, when the horned men arrived, I unexpectedly felt more alone than ever. They can talk to each other, play, run and even use their real bodies. But I don''t speak their language, I don''t understand their culture, I can''t move, and I''m not important to them. They don''t even know who I am, they all think I''m the damn lady of the lake, and I must admit that it''s great to have such a convenient disguise, but I feel ignored, I feel wronged. I feel lonely. Chapter 15: Arcane Secrets Lotus Year 86 The horned humans are organizing some kind of festival, the festival seems to be for the purpose of thanking "Earth" for the generous gifts, people are making a lot of food, creating what appear to be small decorations with flowers and thread, and some people are arranging some kind of field for a fight or dance. As time passes, I can see the festival starting as night begins to fall, some people are happily eating the village''s typical cuisine, which consists of fish, vegetables and a strange bread made with grains from their farm. The groups here seem to be well divided, with "noble" people on one side and the commoners on the other, the nobles stand out for their prettier clothes, tidier appearance and more sophisticated manners, while the commoners are more lively and relaxed. The party seems to be going well, some flowers from the lake are being used to light the place along with some torches, and some people are going in groups to the pier just to say a brief prayer to the statue of the lady of the lake. Soon Selene heads to the center of the arena with her staff, and begins to speak something for everyone out there. "My brothers! We are §¡§Þ§Ò§Ö§â§Ó§Ú§Ý§Ý here today §Ò§Ö§â§Ö§ß§é§Ö after the fall of §¡§Þ§Ò§Ö§â§Ó§Ú§Ý§Ý, we §Ü?§Ù through many§Ò§Ö§Ù §Ü?§Ù §Ñ§Ý§Õ§í§ß§Ñ §Õ§Ñ §Ü§Ú§ä§Ö§â? §Ñ§Ý§Þ§Ñ§ã§Ý§í§Ü §Ü?§á §Ü§í§Ö§ß§Ý§í§Ü§Ý§Ñ§â §Ü§Ú§é§Ö§â§Õ§Ö§Ü, but all §Õ§Ñ §Ó?§Ô§ì§Õ? only §ã?§Ý§Ñ§Þ?§ä ??§Þ §Ô?§â§Ý?§á §ä§à§â§Ô§Ñ§ß ?§Ú§â land, protected by§Ü?§Ý§ß§Ö? §Ò?§Ö§Ü §â§å§ç§í lake §ñ§Ù§Ô§í §¢§Ö§Û§ß§í? §Ò§Ö§â§Ö§ß§é§Ö us with a healthy §Ý?§Ü§Ú§ß §Ò§à§Ý§Ñ§â §Ò§Ñ§â§í§ã§í land in the §Ó?§Ô§ì§Õ? §Ú§ä§Ö§Ý§Ô?§ß ?§Ú§â§Ô? §Ñ§Ý§í§á §Ò§Ñ§â§Õ§í! And §é§Ú§ê§Þ?§ß§Ö? §ê?§æ§Ü§Ñ§ä§î§Ý we gather here at §³§á§â§Ú§ß§Ô §¢§ï§Û §Ü§í§Ö§ß§Ý§í§Ü§Ý§Ñ§â §Ü§Ú§é§Ö§â §Õ§Ö§Ü thanks to the blessing §ç§Ñ§ß§í§Þ to us §Ò§Ú§â§Ô?§ß merciful lady of the fountain!" She said a lot of things with no sense at at, I still couldn''t fully understand exactly what she had sayed, but it seemed to be a brief passage about their past and their gratitude to the "Lady of the Fountain". As soon as she finished her speach, 2 people started walking towards the arena, the first was the town''s most popular blacksmith, the guy with black skin like coal that i like to call Smith, and one of the "nobles" who''s have a olive hair who seemed to be something like a spearman or any thing like that. Smith was equipped only with his apron and a semi-open metal helmet made of a bunch of scraped pieces made of metal, leaving his arms and chest exposed fully open, showing his six-pack tanned by the flames of the forge uncovered for anyone who''s wanted to see it, on his arm he have some kind type of shoulder pad made of a strange material and a familiar blue jewel that pulses with energy. The man with the spear wears a small piece of light armor, a simple cape that doesn''t block his movements, he have a olive short hair with a braid, a threatening-looking spear with a black tip and some kind of type of cord wrapped around his spear neck that had the same blue jewel pulsing with energy that Smith uses. It soon became clear to me that they weren''t going to dance, because in no time they got into a fighting stance and looked tensely at each other while waiting for the start of the fight. So Selene slowly walked to the certer border of the areana, and give a signa by tapping her staff in the ground, soon as Selene gave the warrior the signal, the two started a fight in the name of the festival. Smith began the charge towards the spearman whit no exitation, his muscular and large blacksmith body made him look like a bull running towards a small gasela, and soon he got close enough to activated some kind of skill that made his horns take on a metallic appearance, throughout the whole process Smith didn''t slow down a single bit, and just started running with his head turned towards the spearman with no intention of stopping. The spearman boy seemed surprised by the audacity, or by the unexpected movement using the precious horns, since for men the horns are precious parts of their body, so using them as weapons is unconventional since there''s always "better weapons" out there. In response, the spearman seemed to activate some ability that buffed his senses, because as soon as Smith''s charge was about to hit him, his body glowed with a yellowish color that made him quickly slide to the side and dodge Smith''s attack whit no problems. Without losing speed, Smith continued his run, raising a big wave of dust wherever he passed, but this time he took out a large, worn-out hammer from his belt and began swinging it like some weapon. Soon as he gained enough speed Smith threw the hammer towards the spearman who in response used the same skill as before to dodge the attack while having a smirk on his face. But this prevented the spearman from seeing that soon as Smith''s hammer had hit the ground, it created a big hole, creating a huge cloud of dust that quickily rose up, causing him to become disoriented. Taking advantage of the gap, Smith continued his advance, activating some type of skill that made his body heavier, even causing him to create small craters in the ground only because of his weight. Soon the cloud of dust settled, and what the spearman saw was that Smith was close by, far to close, this truly surprised the spear mas, that in a quickily movement slided backwards, leaving small circles of magic that soon begins to create small energy balls of treatening aparence right next to the face of Smith, he was cleary surprised by the unexpected movement, and in response he put his arms in front of his face in a defensive position. In an instant, the strange bubbles swelled in a huge manner, and exploded violently, creating black smoke around Smith, while he was a little stunned by the sudden explosion, a sharp tip that cut through the cloud of smoke ran directly to Smith''s chest, but to the spearman''s astonishment the spear''s tip had crushed soon as it hit Smith''s skin. Without letting the spearman think straight, Smith, who was now in front of him, joined his two hands together in a fist, raised his arms above his head, and descended with all his might towards the man with the spear. Seeing the situation, the man with the spear held tightly to the cord that was around his spear and activated some type of magic that caused a water shield to materialize out of nowhere around him, but this doen''t matter, since soon as Smith''s fists fell on the water shield made of water it burst like a bubble sending splashes of water all over the place while its bearer had sinked into the ground. Soon Selene came and declared Smith''s victory, while the golden princess rushed to start healing the loser with the help of some other healers from the village. The nobles did not seem happy with Smith''s victory, but his wife and son seemed extremely proud of their father, as did the villager''s who were celebrating the victory of Smith. Soon the next pair climbs into the arena, being led by the crying woman with pink hair, and one of the warriors fighting in the company of Mr. Eggplant Head. The crying woman wears a long, fluid dress that falls to the floor, decorated with blue jewels and ruffles, in addition to having a rare pink color that is difficult to obtain in the village, there''s stiall a beautiful necklace around her neck, all kind of small jewels all of her fingers, ears and horns, her hair is elegantly tied in an extravagant updo, and looks like her special item is not the dress''s jewels or the necklace, but rather a hair ornament with a pulsating blue jewel emanating a aura of pure elegance. The man is a common soldier, full armor, sword and a brooch that contains the same pulsating blue jewel as the woman, the difference would be the height of the man compared to the woman, as he is almost 3 meters tall while the woman barely reaches 1.70. As soon as the fight begins, the crying woman closes her fists in a kind of recitation position, and invokes several magical circles around her that begin to fire several rays of pure energy towards the soldier in no time. Upon seeing this, the soldier is not intimidated and activates his magical brooch, which seems to create some type of energy interference field, causing the woman''s projectiles to become chaotic and disorganized, making them dissipate into the air quickly when they get close to the man. Upon seeing this, the crying woman smirks evilly and seems to activate her own hair ornament, which don''t looks to make anything at all, but soon she start to create more magical circles of a slightly different appearance of the previous one''s. These new magical circles have a slightly blue color, and symbols that appear to be a huge variaty of star''s in their composition, and soon the woman reveals that those magical circles aren''t just pretty, creating a bunch of crackling energy projectiles of prismatic colors that begin to run towards the soldier at some crazy speed. As soon as the prismatic projectiles enter the soldier''s mana interference field, they begin to shake again but this time as soon as they lose their stability they dissipate creating a small explosion of light that destabilizes the soldier. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the crying woman reveals a kind of magical staff that was hidden inside her clothes, and makes a circular movement with the staff, drawing a large magical circle in the air that soon lights up and creates a ball of magical fire that flies quickly towards the soldier. Seeing the attack on its way, the soldier tries to dodge it, but because he is a little blinded by the previous explosion of light, he ends up tripping and falling to the ground while dodging the fireball. Without giving the soldier a window of space, the woman created another magical circle that created a type of magical lightning that crossed the arena and hit the soldier, the lightning hit his armor and shocked him, causing smoke to come out from the inside of his armor. Even so, he didn''t seem willing to give up, giving a loud war scream and running towards the woman with his sword raised up head. Upon the new threat, the woman raised her eyebrows in disbelief and began to invoke dozens of small magical circles that gave rise to several arrows made of pure energy that were quickly thrown towards the soldier. In response, the man just cut the energy arrows with his sword while receiving with open arms those that he could not dodge. Once pressed by the soldier, the woman feels obligated to use her trump card hidden up on her sleeve, putting her staff aside, she make some starge quickly movements using her hand thath''s end up creating some type of energy field that leave''s her body until reach the man. As soon as the man was hit by the energy field, he stopped abruptly and fell to his knees on the ground as he tried to hold back his tears. But without success, he was hit by a wave of sadness that left him unable to stop his eyes from tearing. The woman, who was now huffing and puffing tiredly, slowly walked up to the soldier, raised her staff and hit him on the head, making him faint in floor. Soon she is declared the winner of the round, returning to her group with her children and husband who has an approving look on his face, as soon as she gets close he offers her a handkerchief which she happily uses to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The next fight soon began, this time the opponents were Selene herself against the man with green hair who married the crying woman with pink hair. The man has tired yellow eyes and green hair combed back, he wears a kind of simple suit with a small cape and a kind of medal with a sparkling blue jewel that pulses with energy. Selene is the same as always, with her long gray hair down to her ankles, dark blue eyes, and gray skin. She wears a white robe with embroidered flowers and mosaics and has a large bracelet made of a brass-like material encrusted with a sparkling blue jewel. As soon as the 2 entered the field the man seemed a little suspicious and his nervousness proved correct, as the moment the battle began Selene pointed her huge staff at him and made dozens of small magical circles appear. Soon a rain of super-fast water projectiles began to rush towards the man, but surprisingly he jumped up to an impossible height and began to fall to the ground very slowly, dodging Selene attack. Selene, in turn, just let out a mocking laugh and with a movement of her staff, the water projectiles that had missed their target began to run towards the man again. When he saw this he became very angry, and took out some kind of paperback book from his coat, tearing the pages out of the small book and causing a large wind to begin running all throughout the place. The air current soon began to lift up dust and become a small hurricane, completely destroying Selene''s projectiles while the man somehow remained safe inside the hurricane. Then, angrily, Selene raises her staff with one hand and begins to recite some sort of long incantation, causing the mark on her head to glow for a moment before she slams the tip of her staff on the ground. As soon as her staff touched the ground, a large circle of blue magic began to spread throughout the ground. Upon seeing this, the air hurricane became more violent and quickly advanced towards Selene. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Before the small hurricane could reach Selene, its spell had completed, giving rise to a large wave of water that spread out with Selene''s magic circle as its epicenter. As soon as the water was about to hit the audience, the waves hit what seemed to be an invisible wall and began to fill the entire battlefield area as if filling a glass with water. Soon the entire arena was flooded with water, while Selene walked calmly on the surface of the water, the man needed to stay in the sky while he thought of a way to react. Without giving time, Selene points her staff at him, creating a large amount of water spears that emerge from the flooded arena below her. With a snap of her fingers, all the spears began to run quickly towards the man who all he could do was create an yeloow energy wall made with some skill. In his counterattack, the man pulled out his small pocket book again and began pouring his magical energy into the book, causing a semi-transparent image of what appeared to be a fairy to appear over his shoulder as the time passed. As soon as the new wave of water spears arrived, the wind fairy who''s now seems complete, gentl blew lightly in the direction of Selene''s attack, causing the water spears to return from where they came at full speed. In response, Selene just looked angry with a serious face as the water spears hit her body and dissipated into just water, as if the sharp water spears hiting her body were just water balloons. Soon the man seemed extremely tired, perhaps summoning a fairy is not the easiest thing in the world, because in the next moment he placed his hand on his blue medal draining its energy to himself, and gave an order to his fairy. As soon as it received a command, the wind fairy quickly flew a safe distance away from Selene and in a tornado of flowing wind the fairy transformed into what appeared to be a half-naked human with large ears, light green skin, completely white eyes and white hair flowing like the wind. Upon seeing this, Selene seemed serious treatened for the first time in battle, holding her staff defensively as she waited for the wind fairy''s actions. Without leaving her waiting too long, the fairy gave a slight smile and began to create a large hurricane of air that made the hurricane from before seem obsolete, the hurricane sucked all the water from the arena and was now trying to swallow Selene who stuck herself in on the ground with his wooden staff. Even in the middle of a village, the hurricane didn''t seem to cause harm to anyone other than Selene, only creating a large wind in the surroundings that knocked over some dishes and extinguished the torches. Soon Selene could no longer hold back and was swallowed by the hurricane, once inside the hurricane the man thought Selene had lost, but to his and the fairy''s surprise the hurricane began to emit a faint blue light that grew and grew until it exploded in a huge bubble of water that completely dissipated the hurricane, leaving behind a very angry and serious Selene. Upon seeing this, the wind fairy seemed indignant and offended, creating several blades of air that were quickly thrown in different sequences and rhythms towards Selene nonstop. In response Selene just lifted her staff off the ground as she pointed it at the man and fairy duo and created a magic circle that created a shell of water around her. As soon the attack was contained Selene began reciting some type of spell that made a dense fog appear on the battlefield blocking the vision of the duo. In response, the now exhausted man had to use another page of his pocket book to create a current of air that soon revealed Selene. But what they saw was Selene with a huge magic circle carrying a mysterious and threatening-looking spell. Soon as the fairy saw this new upcoming attack, she quickly ran towards Selene in a hurry, but it didn''t do anything because Selene just fired her magic, which passed through the fairy, causing her to dematerialize in the air, and then hit the man who had no way to escape or defend from the magical projectile. The projectile precisely hit''s the man in the chest, tearing his clothes and leaving him with a large open wound in his chest, everyone looked on in horror and amazement as the man slowly fell to the ground while vomiting blood. The first to arrive was the crying woman, who seemed furious with Selene, summoning an energy arrow spell that openly aimed for Selene''s head. In response, Selene just hit the arrow with her staff, making it disappear and creating a small wave of water that knocked the woman into a puddle of mud, which caused the woman to start screaming at Selene. Soon the golden princess arrived, and began to focus on the man and his wounds, the festival seemed to be over, possibly because of Selene, but she didn''t seem sorry at all. "Are you §Ñ§Ü§í§Ý§ã§í§Ù§Þ§í?!!? It was §Õ§å§ã§Ý§Ñ§â§é§Ñ to be §ä§Ú§Ö§ê §Ú§Õ§Ö fight!! Why did §Ñ§ß§í §ê§å§Ý§Ñ§Û §â?§ß?§Ö§ä§ä§Ö? that?!" Shouted the pink haired woman to Selene. "Hmff. Are you §Ñ§Ý§ä§í§ß §á§â§Ú§ß§è§Ö§ã§ã§Ñ §Ü§Ú§Ý§Ö§á? Your husband ??§Þ §Ñ§ß§í? §ñ§â§Ñ§Ý§Ñ§â§í§ß§Ñ §Ú§Ô§ì§ä§Ú§Ò§Ñ§â §Ú§ä? §Ò§Ñ§ê§Ý§Ñ§Õ§í "§Ü§í§Ù§Ô§Ñ§ß§Þ§Ñ§Õ§í." §Ñ§ß§í and put everyone in the village §Ý?§Ü§Ú§ß §å§Ý §Ò?§ä§Ö§ß§Ý?§Û §Ü§í§Ù§Ô§Ñ§ß§Þ§Ñ§Õ§í.! You''re lucky I??§Þ §Ñ§ß§í? §ñ§â§Ñ§Ý§Ñ§â§í§ß§Ñ §Ú§Ô§ì§ä§Ú§Ò§Ñ§â §Ú§ä? §Ò§Ñ§ê§Ý§Ñ§Õ§í!" Yelled Selene back as she was held by Mr. Eggplant Head and Smith. Apparently the man did something he shouldn''t have done, possibly something dangerous, I can''t tell what that wind fairy really is, for me she fells just like a elemental, but she seems far more dangerous and powerfull that a elemental, all i can tell for sure is that the fairy was dangerous, really dangerous. The man is also dangerous, if he can summon such a powerful creature, it means he has some truly impressive abilities. I was personally most impressed with the mystery of books. These little things are found in various parts of the village, some books are family treasures, while others serve as memories of a lost past. Books may contain magic or just words, but it doesn''t change the fact that they are valuable. The few books that exist in the village are kept within the center of the village, locked in an ancient chest that the horned men brought with them, and almost no one can access them, only a few noble families and the strongest people in the village. ''Impressive, I would love to put my roots into these books....'' Taking advantage of everyone being busy, I make a small water elemental rise from one of the village''s water channels, then direct it directly to the main house where the chest with the books is hidden. As soon as the elemental arrives in front of the chest, it dissolves into a stream of water that enters the lock and takes the form of a key. After unlocking the chest, the elemental begins to take each of the books and quickly flip through them inside a water bubble. As the books are flipped through, an illusion of them appears in front of my main body, copying each page down to the smallest detail until I have an illusory copy of each book in the trunk, then the elemental gently places the books back into the trunk, and locks it. again before leaving the house and dissipating into a bubble of water. ''Perfect! Easy as a piece of cake!''
Lotus Year 87 For the last year I have been studying the books that I "Stole", some books seem to be about magic, containing magic circles, formulas and mathematical calculations, while others seem to be about history, science, witchcraft and herbology. I can''t say for sure the content of the books, since heard and written words can have the same pronunciations but different meanings, but I can still "read over" it all and understand some things. Magic books are clearly the most useful, as they contain formulas and functional magical inscriptions that I don''t really need to know how to read to use! There seems to be a kind of magical system in the world where there are dozens of spells and magic that everyone can use. While some are unique spells created by people and passed down through generations of families with talents for specific elements. I learned that if I drew a circle on the ground, and filled it with perfectly crafted rune designs and inscriptions, I could use a spell that created a small ball of light. And I also discovered that to "cast" spells into the air I basically needed to draw these symbols with mana. I spent a lot of time doing this, a process that seemed impossible because it was so complicated, until one day I discovered why it was so difficult to cast magic in a "raw" way.
Skill
[Mana Control] - Lv 7 Helps you control mana in a more stable and refined way
I needed a skill, a skill just to be able to cast spells correctly. It seems like a pain, but after gaining this skill it became much easier to draw magic circles in the air. I ended up discovering several spells that I can use without problems, things like creating a small flame burning magical energy, a small arrow of pure energy, a mana projectile and a small translucent energy shield. All of this is determined by the symbols and runes that exist in the magical formation, so I soon started writing my own spells. By changing the magical symbols I could achieve different results, changing just one magical symbol or another does not "change the spell" it just makes it more inefficient and expensive, but by drastically changing the formation and arrangement of the magical symbols it is possible to create a totally new phenomenon by changing the symbols contained in a magic circle, I can create new types of spells, such as a strange spell that makes the earth soften and become like clay, a spell that "pushes" air forward, and a spell to create a flame. stinky. It''s not exactly the most incredible thing in the world, but I''m still not very knowledgeable about this subject, but I still have eternity to learn. Now that I have books and magic to study, I can keep busy and forget about the loneliness of the cave.
I was researching some new spells, I discovered a series of combinations of symbols and inscriptions that can manipulate water, to do this I just needed to review Selene''s fight with the grass head again and copy the symbols into her magic circle. For me, as long as I could imitate Selene''s similes, I would be able to reproduce the same spell, but to my displeasure, it''s not as easy as it seems. Spells need to be perfect, with geometrically perfect and calculated formulas, in addition to drawing symbols and inscriptions perfectly and quickly. When inscribing a spell, I need to "write" it in the air as I pump mana into the spell, creating various small images and symbols made of mana in the air. But if I don''t do it quickly, the mana starts to dissipate and "blur" creating imperfect patterns that don''t give rise to a proper spell. Because of this, I can''t create the same incredible phenomena as Selene, actually, i''m sure that i can do everything she did, and even better, but instead of using "magic" would use my control over water, Selene can do basicaly the same things as me with spells, but when the things is "who''s better managing water" it was clearyo me. For me this don''t seems to be like, a real a problem, but even Selene isn''t dependent on water like me, she can still create her super usefull energy shields, mana projectiles and even those magic arrows that everyone seems to be able to create, while I can only create water-based things, anything, like a water shield, water arrows, and water projectiles. But projectiles made with pure energy seem to be much more lethal than projectiles made from my elemental magic. This is something that I had realized some time ago, there''s more forms of manipulating energy just than using it to control the elements, so i classified the magic in elemental magic, and non-elemental magic, elemental magic is magic that uses the powers of nature itself, such as water, fire, earth and air. While non-elemental magic seems to come from more "Pure" things, like magic books and the strage powers of some villagers. The red demon seems to be able to use some thing like blood magic, at least I would say it is blood magic, since her powers basically consist of strengthening herself and ignoring all types of damage to her body, in addition to the fact that she has a Pretty scary natural healing factor and the ability to "track" her own blood. The magic in the books seems to be something that prefers to stays in the gray area, it''s clearly not elemental magic, but still try to copy it or at least use it as the base. For me "real" elemental magic is when someone use his power to control the powers of a certain element present in nature that they have more familiarity with, as an example I am strong because my specialty is water, and I live in a lake full of water, the same thing happens with Selene, who can benefit tremendously from living in the lake region. Now, other people like Mrs. Smith have their powers weakened because of the lack of "proper" energy, they get tired very quickly, and they seem to be unable to regenerate their MP reserves at the same rate as Selene or other member of the village. But the magic in the books is not affected by the region it is on, it doesn''t get stronger or weaker for being near the lake, it''s as if the spell was pre-cast to be used later, but I have no idea how to do that, because Whenever I try to inscribe a magic circle on one of my leaves, or on a block of dirt, this symbol ends up activating and dissipating quickly, or not activating at all. I also discovered that I can make my water reflexes cast magic, this was already written in the skill description, but it''s still pretty cool, the reflexes are very autonomous in this matter, being able to cast any spell that I have knowledge of, on their own, the only downside for me is that they take a lot of time to cast any spell i want they so use, also they can''t move while casting, and still use more MP if I only had just cast the spell myself, but it''s still useful as I could use them to keep intruders away. What I most want to do is create one of the strange items that Selene keeps making, I''ve tried this a few times, but the result was always a poorly made piece of junk, or a pile of metal and jewelry mixed together. Because of this, I made several preparations, I created a magic circle carved on the floor of the cave that is an identical copy of the magic circle that Selene uses to create her items, and I have been testing the creation methods for some time, so if I do everything Alright, I''m finally going to put my roots into one of these mysterious items. ''Alright, let''s get to the point'' Dragging some scraps and jewelry that I kept around the cave to the center of a small magical circle carved into the floor, I begin to wrap my roots around these pieces of metal and jewelry and force them to stay together, soon a water reflection that imitates Selene begins to appear from inside the lake house and slowly walk to the edge of the magic circle. Then Selene''s reflection begins to mutter several strange and meaningless little words, but soon the magic circle begins to glow as more and more energy is sucked from the roots surrounding it. Before long the tangle of items in the center of the magic circle begin to float in the air as they orbit themselves, and in a sort of light show a large amount of purely blue energy begins to leak from the magic circle and trickle into it. from the tangle of floating items. Soon the strange items begin to melt, creating a perfect ball made of a greenish metal with several small shiny blue jewels. Then a root begins to approach the metal ball and pour what appears to be glowing water onto the item, an action that causes the item to begin shaking violently before beginning to take the form of some sort of medallion or ornament. Then several white letters made of energy began to appear inside the magic circle, and circle the strange item while more and more blue energy flowed nonstop into the item. In response, a great fog began to form throughout the cave, circling the magical circle with dozens of mystical whispers coming from the depths of the fog. Upon hearing the whispers, mysterious letters began to run into the greenish medallion, and in a small light show the medallion began to spin rapidly before the magic circle lost its glow and the medallion began to slowly fall back to the ground. In the end, the result was a large medallion with several small engravings on its sides, followed by a large sparkling blue jewel roughly carved and engraved inside, the jewel glowed with a kind of tornado of water and white clouds that ran in a spiral inside. of the jewel without stopping in a slow but steady rhythm. Chapter 16: Hopes Cast on Marble Lotus Year 87 After the end of the enchantment I looked hopefully at my latest creation, unlike my previous failed attempts that resulted in a lot of magical scrap, this new creation seems to have become a "success". Dragging my roots towards the mysterious item, I soon come across a kind of medallion made from scraps of various metals fused into a kind of amalgam, in the center of the mysterious medallion there is an irregularly shaped stone that glows intensely with a strong blue while emitting a faint aura of power and energy that was very familiar. At first I was afraid to touch the thing, since from my previous experiences I knew that these things could be dangerous, and the image of a certain very unpleasant red jewel came into my mind when thinking about the results of using this thing. But my curiosity and hunger for knowledge are insatiable, the solidity of this cave would have driven me crazy if it weren''t for my constant search for answers and knowledge. Life becomes way to peaceful and boring when you are a plant who only goals in life are to survive, time is my greatest ally, but at the same time it can be my worst and most feared enemy, the idea of ??spending millennia alone, only limited to talk whitfish and my water reflections make me tense. I guess that''s why I''ve never chased away the horned men, I don''t like them messing with my pond, or absorbing the energy I''ve worked hard for years to earn. But I have to admit that since your arrival life seems more lively, there is more emotion, more feeling and more purpose? Seeing their mundane efforts day after day is where I find my greatest entertainment, they work hard and live their lives seeking their past glories, all for the end of the day to end up worn out by the hard work of keeping the village safe and functioning. They effort is intriguing to me, I value my home a lot of course, since after my level up I ended up "rooting" myself in this place for the rest of my life, so I do everything in my power to make this place the safest and most prosperous place possible. But the men with horns are different, they always want more, they want bigger things, better houses, better clothes, more weapons, more people, more status, more power, everything they can get their hands on. Everyone pretends they don''t see, but I see. I know that this socially peaceful state of the village will not last for long, the "nobles", who are nothing more than nobles in their names and appearances, are moving in silence to try to influence the village to return to its "normal" state, that is, a monarchy where the most "fit" sit on the throne. The problem with this is clearly the princess, but she married that commoner, so there are people in the village who think it''s normal to accept the golden princess as their "absolute leader", accompanied by her trophy husband, while the nobles like the married man with the pink-haired woman, who I call Sullen, and the man with bronze skin, who I call Zer, they think that the most suitable person would be the strongest person, who conveniently is the most manipulable guy in this village at the moment. The man with purple hair and yellow eyes, I call him Zan, he is a strong guy for sure, in his apse I have already seen him cutting one of the meat amalgamations into 2 pieces as if it were a block of butter, but after being rejected so openly by the princess he ended up entering a kind of circle of depression. And the wrong people are putting wrong ideas into his confused head. I''ve been watching him for too long to know that he''s not the type who would take out his frustration and hurt on others, he''s a true "gentleman", even if he''s very bad at social interactions. He is kind to the people around him, and has a firm hand when talking to someone who is trying to cause problems. His only problem is that our enemies never wait to attack at the moment when you are most prepared, they wait for you to become fragile, confused and angry before trying to spread a bunch of shit on your head. The nobles are sowing bad seeds in his mind, dark and evil ideas, they said good things like "You are the most qualified among us in this dark moment to guide us towards a better future", just to say a lot of crooked things like "If only you could have the princess for yourself, people would feel it''s natural as day to follow you as the new king, if only that farmer would disappear...". Some arrived with bad proposals, things like murder offers, intrigues or well-told slander, all to separate the princess from the farmer, and at the same time gain the "favor" of the future king. Zan is a good man, and always sees the malice behind this kind of offer, but lately I''ve caught him looking at the princess''s house from afar, and looking at her husband with disgust, showing me that perhaps the words of the nobles with bad intentions are finally reaching Zan''s heart. Sometimes I think about interfering, about saying something for myself, and exposing this senseless madness. After all, no matter who will be the king or queen, in the end he will be forgotten in a few years, and the new king will be the next big thing. But then I wonder, what for? Why should I bother interfering in their lives, why I have to tell them what''s wrong and what''s right? They clearly know the difference between good and evil, so if they choose to do evil things how can it be my fault when I already provide them with my protection? I feel a little responsible for them, after all I have followed them for years, I saw the birth of every child in this village, I was present at every wedding, every time they prayed for my statue I was there to listen, but if I give one step and start dictating rules and interfering in their lives as I wish, this would end up becoming a nuisance very quickly, so even though I am partly responsible for them, I don''t feel motivated enough to really interfere with something so trivial. And sincerely? What''s the worst thing that could happen here? Can the princess''s husband die? Yes, but who cares, several of them have died over the years, whether from petty fights, protecting the village, in tragic accidents, or from illnesses and injuries. People die, and no death is special, the only thing that changes is the way and reason why they died, this adds meaning, adds "value" to a death, but it does not change the fact that death is always forgotten at the eyes of time. If the princess''s husband dies, she will probably suffer a lot, maybe after a while she will marry again, maybe to Zal this time, maybe not, the death of her beloved and the need of power to protect her child could give her the courage and motivation to become the queen that her people want her to be, or it can sink her into a pit of meaningless sadness and mourning. The only certainty I have is that I don''t care, because it doesn''t change my life at all, whoever wins this petty and pathetic fight, I''m still alive, well and powerful. Dragging my roots towards the strange medallion, upon touching the item I soon feel some kind of strange mana vibration, like a tingling near my roots, so instinctively I push some of my mana towards the object, and then I feel something strange, like a kind of mana attunement between me and the item.
Warning
Congratulations! The user had perfectly ttuned to a talisman!
Item
-={Talisman: Scrap Heilor}=- Ability: {Timed Adaptation} : As long it remains linked to the user, the talisman will grant once per week a temporary randon skill based on the [Water] element. The temporary skill will last 7 days after the activation, until the beginning of the next day where the process will restart again. Passive: Grants higher level affinity with the [Water] element.
''What?!'' Looking at the thing up close, I felt the need to rub my non-existent eyes just to see if I was seeing right, my first attempt was not just a success, it was a huge success! Lifting the item with my roots, I try to activate it by pumping mana inside, in response the item begins to excitedly suck my energy in big waves, until reaching a point where it had consumed a lot of energy above what was initially planned. ''Is this serious?!'' In the end, I ended up needing to empty 1/3 of my mana reserves, which is absurd considering that the item doesn''t even seem to be all that, but soon I feel the item "activating" and for a moment I feel information starting to come to me and appearing in my head as if it were a memory that appeared suddenly. Stolen novel; please report.
Skill
[Scald] Create a stream of boiling water that can be controlled
''Interesting....'' I wasn''t at all impressed with the skill itself, because boiling water is useless to me, maybe I can use it as a weapon, but I believe that decapitating someone with a blade of water is much more efficient than burning them with boiling water. But what interested me most was the fact that the item only used a small part of all the mana that I injected into it to activate its effect, which made me very relieved, since if it took so much energy for such a weak skill I would be disappointed. ''With the amount of energy I supplied to the item, I believe it can generate new temporary skills for at least a year...'' One new skill per week doesn''t seem like a bad deal to me, the problem is that the skills seem to be random and weak. Maybe it''s because of the low quality of the relic, or because of my low [Luck] status, I can''t say exactly, but I still liked the result. ''Can I create a bunch of these things?'' The idea of ??creating a bunch of items like that crossed my mind, but soon I remembered something that is a fact in the village. Everyone has just one "amulet", some carry other jewelry with their amulets, but everyone only has one of them, why? Is it a question of culture, resources, or is there a greater reason not to stuff yourself with powerful, stolen artifacts like this? ''I need to find out!''
A few more days passed, I was on my way to create a new ritual to try to create a new talisman, the preparations are time consuming due to their complexity, the magical circles that I carved on the cave floor needed to be redone or repaired after every attempt due to wear and tear of the magical inscription. At the same time I needed to select the best materials I had to guarantee the ritual''s chance of success, in addition to things like the time and mana concentration in the region that needed to be in ideal conditions. At first I thought that Selene performed these rituals at night for cultural reasons or something, but after years of observing the creation of the ritual I discovered that Selene was actually performing the rituals at night to increase her chances of success. I had never noticed this before, but the concentration of mana in the lake is slightly more concentrated at night, I don''t know exactly why, maybe it has something to do with my species as a lunar nymph, or something to do with my skills and abilities any of its properties spacifica. As a plant I really enjoy bathing in the sunlight, it is comforting and refreshing, it makes me feel refreshed and healthy, but I must admit that bathing in the moonlight on a full moon day brought me a feeling of joy and tranquility that It made me feel at peace with the world. But that was years ago, now all I have are dirty, menacing demonic clouds, they make the sky ugly with their gloomy appearance, contaminate the air with their stench of flesh and blood, and contaminate these lands with their rare demonic rains. Returning to the ritual, soon I have everything prepared, just lacking large amounts of mana to activate the ritual, something that made me excited at the same moment. ''I burned a lot of mana creating and activating the last talisman... I don''t think it''s a wise idea to spend more mana for now...'' My reserves are still relatively high, but if I spent more mana on creating a new talisman and activating it, then my reserves would end up at a critical level. Thinking about the advantages and disadvantages, I therefore give up on the ritual for now, creating a new cool item is not more important than maintaining my safety. Looking at the meticulously prepared preparations, I can do nothing but take a mental sigh, and start putting everything back together for when my mana reserves are at their highest. ''What a waste of time...'' After tidying everything up, I despondently dragged my roots back to my little magical lake inside the cave, looking up while being distracted by the lake''s marine life. In recent years things have become livelier around here again, I discovered that with my skill [Aquatic Allies] I could summon a wide variety of sea animals, and not just a bunch of colorful axolotls. Depending on the amount of mana offered by the skill, and my desires, I could influence the summoning of some different creatures. I can summon shrimps, planaria, some cute little fish, slugs, frogs, jellyfish, enchia, some strange larvae, bloodsuckers and some insects that live only in water. It''s not a big deal, but I can guarantee the stability of a closed ecosystem with just the use of a skill, sometimes I wonder if this skill is creating these animals out of nowhere with mana, or if they are summoning them from somewhere. Sea creatures are very useful, but unlike my elementals they are not loyal to me, nor can they grant me Xp, if I kill them myself they do not grant me any Xp, and if they kill themselves I also do not gain Xp that''s why. But all animals have some kind of "Favourability" towards me, so they feel more comfortable being close to my main body and if they are in a good mood they are happy to comply with my requests. The shrimp and larvae are not very powerful, but they serve as the base of the lake''s food chain, and some shrimp are quite tough, having shells so hard that they take on the appearance and texture of stones. Planarians by themselves are useless, they just swim around all day and eat dirt from the lake, but these things make the vitality of axolotls seem like a bad joke. Even if they are sliced ??or crushed into little pieces, these little things rebuild themselves and continue their lives as if nothing had happened, in addition to being super adaptable to all regions of the lake. Some parts of the lake contain more mana than others, the bottom of the lake is where the greatest concentration of mana is located, and even though some animals want to stay in regions rich in mana they simply cannot, since having high amounts of mana in their bodies end up poisoning them over time. But planarians simply don''t care sbout it, they can live in areas full of mana or without any amount of mana without suffering any consequences. But I still think my favorite creatures at the moment are the frogs that I summoned, unlike the normal frogs that lived in the lake some time ago, these new frogs have smoother bodies, yellow eyes, greenish and slimy skin with yellowish colored limbs. The coolest thing about these frogs is that in their young phase they are super cute and friendly, living by hunting insects and small lake animals, but as they grow they become uglier and more wrinkled, even taking on a dark and threatening color. At this stage in their lives they would come out of the lake to cause trouble for the horned men, or they would burrow into the lake floor for the rest of their lives, where they would ambush any unsuspecting prey that was unlucky enough to get near them. The little things are hated by the villagers, because they cannot be eaten due to their poisonous flesh, in addition to the fact that these creatures spoil crops and are seen trying to attack unsuspecting people. The frogs seem to need more and more food as they grow, until it reaches a point where the fruits in the lake are not enough and the frogs go after something more substantial, like men with big, juicy horns. But unfortunately for the frogs, the men with horns manage to crush the frogs without any problems, they then use their thick leather to make clothes and leather items while their meat and vices are used as fishing bait. I like the frogs because they are the only really dangerous and lethal creatures in the lake, their saliva is hallucinogenic and their skin is covered with a poison that burns on contact with the skin. Are axolotls dangerous? Sure, if you''re unlucky enough to run into a pack of hungry axolotls you''re as good as dead, but these little guys prefer white meat, creatures with red meat don''t "spark" their appetite the same way fish does. There are also the enquias, treacherous little creatures that are capable of creating a small electrical discharge with their bodies, but they do not use this to hunt, only to defend themselves. Speaking of axolotls, I think it''s worth mentioning the fact that some people have adopted some axolotls as their pets. In the beginning when the horned men arrived here, everything was food, and axolotls were not left out of that list, but nowadays people have started to adopt some axolotls as their pets. They are good trackers, as they have the ability to smell blood from kilometers away, their bites are almost always fatal and their impressive vitality makes them very good hunting animals. Their only disadvantage is that they are not good runners, so they cannot maintain themselves during a chase, or escape quickly if necessary, which is understandable since they are mostly aquatic creatures. As I admired my lake I soon felt something happening at the top of the lake, as my roots grow all over the place, I can tell where everyone is at every moment, so for me it was very easy to feel when Zan approached the lady''s statue. from the source. Zan had only come here once before, and that time he just looked at the statue silently with suspicion. But today he seemed more haggard, more fragile. And to my surprise, in the middle of the night surrounded only by the sparkles of the lake''s flowers, Zan kneels in front of the statue and takes a deep breath, before finally starting to speak. "Lady of the Fountain, guardian spirit of our village, I seek your guidance." [Pauses, taking a deep breath] "I stand at a crossroads, torn between two paths. One, is a dark deed that promises a brighter future for our people. The other, a path of honor and righteousness, but with uncertain outcomes for not only me, but for everyone under me guidance and protection." Zan looks up with his amber eyes to look at the stone-carved face of a woman who had never answered him. [his voice trembles] "I don''t know what to do. If I really do this, there''s no coming back, I could secure the better out come for me and bring the village together as a whole for the difficulties we will encounter along our way, I would be the only one who would suffer from this for the rest of my life, but my people would prosper or years to come. But by doing this, i would be betraying my own morals and vow, staining my soul with the blood of an innocent." Looking down Zan finds the lake, where the reflection of his tired face can be clearly seen. "My heart tells me to do what is right, to uphold the values that my family told me. To protect the innocent and defend the weak, no matter the cost. But is it enough? Can honor and righteousness truly safeguard our future righ now?" Zan looks hopefully at the statue, waiting for long minutes hoping for some sign, some indication of what he should do. The gentle flow of the fountain''s water offers a soothing, almost melodic sound, calming his turbulent thoughts. "What should i do? Do I follow my heart and trust in the path of righteousness, even if it means uncertainty and hardship? Or do I sacrifice my honor for the greater good, tainting myself for the sake of others?" Zan waits again for answers, but nothing happens, defeated Zan just hangs his head in disappointment while trying to suppress his tears of uncertainty. After a brief moment, Zan stands up and looks at the statue one last time with tired and haggard eyes, before turning around and disappearing into the darkness of the night in the same way he had appeared before. I thought about answering it, but for what? Does Zan really think there is any importance? His choices are too mundane for me to have to bother getting involved with them. He thinks himself noble, burdened by a great decision. But in truth, it is all so insignificant. His choice, whatever it may be, is but a drop in the vast ocean of existence. He speaks of morals and what is right as if they are commodities to be traded. How quaint. Does he truly believe his small actions will alter the grand tapestry of fate? Pathetic Chapter 17: Among The Stars Lotus Year 88 Another year has passed, and in the meantime things haven''t changed much at all. The village of the horned ones is going through political turmoil, but nothing that really affects me. Zan, or rather Hiraki, which is apparently his real name, proclaimed himself the new lord of these lands. He did not proclaim himself king, just a lord, since there is not much to govern here. He elevated some allied nobles to advisory posts in the militia and civilian administration, and with their help formed a government as a simplified monarchy, where all the village''s problems were resolved by him directly. Most people didn''t care about this, but having someone to turn to when things go wrong brings them some comfort, but their lack of education prevents them from seeing the bigger game happening here. I have taken to calling the nobles who back Hiraki as monarchists. These individuals are influential and have many resources, but are scarce enough they barely can form a faction of their own. Their power mainly comes from their ability to address interpersonal conflicts and larger problems, serving as intermediaries or judges in various interactions throughout the village. Some other groups of people in the village have openly displayed discontentment with the new self-proclaimed government. Specifically, two main opposition groups recently created, and together the three powers coexist uneasily, claiming to work together but in reality each is plotting the downfall of the others. I have dubbed the first of these opposition factions the ¡°Templars¡±. They were created by Selene and her small cabal of weird wizards. They seem to spend their days learning magic on the banks of the lake and doing things interesting to me like magical research and the development of new spells that I haven¡¯t seen before. Currently, as far as I can tell, their group is the most powerful, containing many elite mages with backgrounds ranging from nobles to peasants. They retain their power through their versatility and utility, both fighting on battlefields against daily waves of zombies and helping in the village with everyday tasks such as paving, building, and making magical items. The last and most populous faction is the simple villagers. They are very autonomous since the group consists of all the working classes of the village who can only rely on themselves. Their main power comes from the fact that they are the true "heart" of the village. If they don¡¯t produce food, everyone will starve, if they don''t build houses, no one will have a home, and if they don''t work on domestic tasks, things will fall apart at the seams. Because of this, they have become the critical group to control. The nobles want to rule over them, but the villagers are not so stupid as to follow orders just because "a nobleman told them to" when they know they have the high ground in negotiations. To address this, the nobles are pushing for the reintroduction of the currency system into the village; they hope to be able to induce people to work for them by dangling gold in front of them to make them dance with the music. The problem is that the village is not developed enough to really need coins. There is no need for money when each person can produce their own food and exchange other essential items that they may need with their neighbors. Because of this, the monarchist nobles are at an impasse with the commoners. The peasants still work normally and do their duties, but when the nobles try to convince them to work exclusively for them, they are routinely rejected due to lacking the ¡°prestige¡± nobles in other places have. Here, working for a noble isn''t much different than working for anyone else, so instead of being obligated to work themselves to death on a noble¡¯s flight of fancy, the peasants prefer to focus only on working with each other in exchange for exclusive resources. Instead of working hard to please a noble, peasants are more concerned with securing more things for themselves. They exchange cool and useful things obtained by soldiers or hunters in exchange for products they make themselves, such as clothes, weapons, food, or even animals. Thus far, this system of bartering has been working where, for example, the town blacksmith could repair the weapon of a hunter in exchange for scrap metal found outside the walls and lotus silk producers can exchange with seamstresses for quality clothes. Surprisingly, the group that benefits most from this is the templars, as they are always open to exchanging resources like lake gems found by fishermen or items found on the bodies of zombies for magical favors only they are capable of providing such as body strengthening spells or magical enchantments. Hunters also always like to be on good terms with mages, as they are also responsible for healing the wounded and providing them with temporary enchantments on their weapons and armor. In summary, I think the monarchists don¡¯t have good prospects for their new regime unless they obtain undeniable might or greatly increased public popularity. Their first attempt to solidify their authority came in the form of a nobleman coming to the statue of the fountain lady trying to "summon" me to ask for my assistance in protecting the "prosperity and integrity¡± of his people; to which I responded with silence, as I do for everyone. When they saw the "fountain lady" didn''t care about their plight, they next attempted to bring the princess to their side. Hiraki gave up on the idea of ??wooing her away from her husband, but kept constantly pestering her to join forces with him. The princess responded by telling them to go to "that place" and otherwise ignored them. The princess - who seemed to me to be the most influential person in the village - turned out to be the person least interested in fights for power, and was more concerned with finding a way to cure her child''s defective eyes. She spent hours, days on end trying to cure her son with various types of spells and different combinations of medicines. She ended up creating a large collection of potted plants that she used to test her strange healing spells, all in an attempt to cure her son''s eyes. I don''t understand why she tries so hard. Maybe she feels guilty in some way? Or maybe it''s just her pride as the best healer in the village? The boy is blinder than an old mole when it comes to what we can see with our physical eyes. Over the years, however, I have discovered that he has something like an extremely sharp sense for mana. So much so that somehow he can do something that even I can¡¯t: visualizing the slightest vibration that occurs on the "mana grid" near him. The mana grid is... the mana of the world? It''s everywhere, even if I can''t properly see it like the boy can. I can still feel it faintly through my roots and leaves, like a thin veil that covers the entire world. I can feel vibrations in this veil when large differences in energy concentration occur suddenly, like a bad feeling or a chill that comes from nowhere. But the boy is so sensitive to mana that I can''t even move my leaves using my skills without him noticing the shift. The worst part is that he can feel the pure energy constantly leaking from my core, making me feel exposed like a lighthouse in the middle of a dark night. I don''t know why, but he never says anything about this to his relatives. Maybe he feels like it''s normal, that everyone sees the world the way he does? Or maybe he thinks this different view is one of the ¡°problems¡± that his mother talks about him having. His mother became obsessed with curing his eyes to the detriment of everything else in her life. Distance grew between her and her husband as he thought she was wasting her time trying to cure the incurable while they should instead spend their time and energy teaching their child to live with his disability. She, however, believed that he couldn¡¯t live a normal life unless she could ¡°fix¡± him, so she hid him away from the rest of the world to prevent any harm coming to him. This, and the nobles spreading unpleasant rumors about them, soured their previously very pleasant and happy marriage, leading to the princess''s husband becoming more distant from her and their son every day. The princess didn''t help either, trying her best to hide her son from the ugly reality that is the world, and keeping him inside a small "bubble" where everything is good, beautiful and perfect. But this bubble can¡¯t last forever. The princess doesn''t have royal status here, not really; her title of princess lost its real value a long time ago. People still admire and respect her, but more because of the fact that she is a healer with powerful skills, and less because she is a princess with great leadership ability. Her obsession left her isolated in the village¡¯s growing power struggle, with no allies and someone she desperately needs to protect from the coming storm. The night here is very beautiful. Even with the presence of demonic clouds, the beauty of the lake cannot be overshadowed for a moment. Magical flowers illuminate the surface of the lake, creating a luminous and graceful environment, and the croaking of frogs and the chirping of crickets add musical ambience. All this makes the sight of the statue of a woman attached in the middle of a small circle of decorated stones much more striking. The statue has roots growing on it as well as small imperfections caused by weathering, but this doesn¡¯t undermine its beauty nor the mystery of the water streaming unendingly from the jug held in its arms. Amid this beauty, a figure approaches silently - a familiar woman who has recently been the center of attention in the village: the princess, or rather Shizu, the "golden princess" of the horned men. It seems life has perhaps not been kind to her as she appears haggard, sad and a bit melancholic. Her status as princess has not saved her from the ravages of time and her abandonment of the power struggle has left her discarded by the public, merely a curiosity for her ¡°royal blood¡±. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
-----={Suzuki''s Point Of View}=----- Sitting on a stone bench by the lake, Suzuki finds herself lost, in the midst of a conflict for power she never wanted to participate in with difficult decisions she needs to make that would not only affect her own future, but also the life of everyone close to her. "I don''t know exactly how to do this. I was never a religious person or one who valued rituals. I never waited for anyone to come to save me, or believed in higher powers watching over me. Maybe that''s why I am where I am today..." Suzuki speaks awkwardly, forcing herself to try something she doesn¡¯t believe in. She feels uncomfortable and stupid talking to an inanimate statue in the middle of an island in a lake. "I... I think I lost and gained a lot in this life. I was never my father''s favorite daughter as, according to him, if I hadn''t been born my mother would still be here. But when I demonstrated the same healing talents as my mother, he started pretending he liked me, you know? I felt like he didn''t care about me, but he forced himself to do it to keep my talents around." "My brothers didn''t help either. They were nothing more than tormentors who made me feel miserable every day, with their "jokes" and nasty comments, about how if I wasn''t a healer like our mother our father would have sold me before even my coming-of-age party, and how grateful I should be to them for letting me live in the jade castle with them." Suzuki begins venting to the statue, something she knows many others have done in the past as well. "Sometimes I feel bad thinking this, but I''m glad they''re dead. When the red plague started all they thought about was fleeing to the catacombs and leaving the people they swore to protect to die. If I hadn''t left them to join Lady Felirym in the infirmary, I would be dead like them now." "It was a long journey, wasn''t it? Many died at my hands, and their deaths made me face the value of life itself. I clearly remember the contorted faces and screams of despair that I saw and heard throughout the kingdom as we fled from rotting flesh monsters through the streets of Cindervil, crept through filthy sewers, crawled through the rough earth, and did things we swore never to speak of again, all to survive and make it here, a miraculous oasis in the midst of dead lands by the plague." "When I arrived here I felt so lost. People trusted me, they expected me to be the leader or to tell them what to do, but I was never a leader, I didn''t even know how I ended up in this position! One moment I was just doing my normal healing of the wounded and the next there were so many eyes looking to me for answers! It feels so random, like people saw my royal blood and healing abilities in a high-pressure scenario and just assumed I should be their leader.¡± "I was so scared, I just wanted to have an ordinary life. Before all this, I planned to give up the competition for the crown and join the temple of mother earth. But then the world flipped upside down, and there were suddenly so many people who talked incessantly about anything and everything, and I just wanted to stop being the princess for a moment and be a normal person. And then..." Suzuki rambled on, becoming increasingly emotional, about how the world put her in situations she didn''t want to be in, and things she didn''t want to do, until finally reaching the crux of her story. "And then I met James. He treated me like a normal person. Not the princess of a fallen kingdom, or a grand leader, or even the village healer, just a normal person. He liked me, you know? Like, the real me beneath the titles and responsibilities. He was so funny, bringing me flowers and telling me those stupid, unfunny jokes that made me laugh when I needed it. He listened to me when I spoke. Really listened to me, not like my maids who pretended to care. He was there for me whenever I needed." And now the chapter where people come to reveal their love problems. If I had a coin for every person in this village who has ever come here to tell me about their love life, the bottom of the lake would be covered in gold. "Then my perfect little angel was born. I had never felt motherly before. I didn''t have a mother to take care of me when I was little, and all the women in my life gave me lessons and responsibilities instead of love. But when I looked at that little being, so small and fragile, curled into a little ball and wrapped in my arms, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that I would do anything in my power to keep him safe." Now it''s the typical first-time-mother story. I must admit that these sometimes take me by surprise. Most of the mothers in the village really adore their babies, and even those who don''t show it openly come to the lake from time to time to pray to me to protect their children from the evils of the world. "I tried so hard to cure him of his illness. I always heard stories about how the royal family had demonic influence in our bloodline, and how our blood carried curses that couldn''t be removed, but I kept telling myself I could cure him, that I needed to heal him, no matter what. No matter the price." At the end of her words, Suzuki serenely looked out over the waters for a moment, before standing up and looking directly at the statue. "Some say you were a divine gift, a light in the midst of chaos, or recompense for all our suffering. But you... you don''t care like we do, do you?" Suzuki said, looking sharply at the motionless statue located in the middle of the lake. "I know you exist, we all saw you with our own eyes. But you never answered our prayers. You ignored our pleas in times of fear and despair, you ignored everyone who came to beg for your help over the years, and you never sent even the smallest sign." "Why? Why are we made to believe in something that just left us behind? I''ve learned about guardian spirits, I know you don''t work for free, but you ignored everything! Our pleas, our requests, our sacrifices! Does our suffering mean nothing to you at all!?¡± Susuki cried out through tears. Soon, however, she calmed down and wiped away her tears before looking back at the statue with sharp eyes. "A while ago I wouldn''t have cared about this, but now I have someone I desperately need to protect. I was too naive in thinking I had time, that I could solve everything on my own, but I was wrong. I need help. Help I won''t find among my people, but you might be able to give me." "Grant me one wish! A single wish is all that I need! I''ll give you anything you want to take from me, I just need your promise! Promise to heal my little angel, and take care of him when I cannot fight for him anymore!" Suzuki began glaring at the lake as small ripples lapped placidly at its shores. After a few moments, when nothing was forthcoming, she began to get frustrated. "ANSWER ME!" shouted Suzuki, picking up a stone and throwing it directly at the statue. The impact of the throw broke a small part of the statue''s hair, but still there was no response. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?! TELL ME YOUR PRICE!" Suzuki demanded as she picked up more stones to throw at the statue. In her anger, some stones missed the statue and fell into the lake, but that didn¡¯t stop Suzuki from continuing to hurl rocks at the statue while once more tears formed in her eyes. "WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT CAN I GIVE YOU TO FULFILL MY WISH? I OFFER YOU EVERYTHING! TAKE EVERYTHING FROM ME, BUT GRANT ME MY WISH!" At the end of the attack, the statue had suffered only cosmetic damage. Suzuki, not being very athletic, had as much effect as "stones thrown in the wind". Amid tired sighs, Suzuki wearily picked up another stone to throw at the statue but cut herself on a sharp edge and instinctively dropped the blood-stained stone to the ground. She looked miserably at the unresponsive statue while her hand kept bleeding for a few moments until she seemed to just break down. She fell to her knees and started sobbing, repeating the same phrase like it could bring her salvation. "Please, listen to my wish." As Suzuki''s blood flowed between the cracks in the ground, soon it reached the lake water, after the first drop of her blood fell into the waters of the lake, the magical flowers that illuminated the surface of the lake began to slowly die off one by one. Amidst her crying, Suzuki soon noticed the absence of the lake''s magical flowers glow. Suzuki then began to look at the lake in disbelief while muttering, thinking that her actions had angered the lake''s guardian. Then to her surprise, in the next moment a large bubble of blue light began to approach the surface of the lake, coming directly from the depths of the magical lake. As soon as the lights got close to the surface, a large tornado of water began to form before it began to rise into the sky. The whirlpool then began to spin and spin faster and faster, until the water in the center of the whirlpool began to glow with an ethereal and mysterious glow, within moments the whirlpool of water burst to reveal a sort of mannequin made entirely of water. The water mannequin began to move clumsily until several roots began to rapidly grow inside it, creating a pseudo-skeleton. Soon it began to take on a more defined humanoid shape until a large dress made of water currents connected to the lake formed on the mannequin''s body. On its head, streams of water fell gently forming straight hair, and at the top from her head a root grew rapidly until a lily pad with a lotus flower on the tip took the shape of a hat. The mysterious figure then "looked" around with its featureless face. It slowly slid atop the water to the edge of the lake, where it looked directly at Suzuki before several of the lake''s flowers began to emit an intense bright blue glow like candles. "Y-You-" Before Suzuki could speak, the mysterious woman placed her index finger in front of her face, indicating that she wanted silence. In an instant, Suzuki found herself surrounded by a dense white fog, so thick she could barely see 2 meters ahead. While she was struggling to understand what was happening, various incoherent sounds like whispers and children''s laughter started to incessantly come out from the depths of the fog. "You..." Said a melodious voice that echoed through the fog. Suzuki looked for who spoke but was unable to find anyone aside from herself and the mannequin. As it dawned on her who was speaking, she looked in surprise at the figure in front of her who was in turn simply silently observing her. "Are you really willing to pay any price?" asked the lady at the fountain. Suzuki couldn¡¯t process this at first - the surprise of the encounter leaving frozen - but soon the words reached her head, and without hesitation Suzuki gave her answer: "YES! I''ll give you anything if you can grant my wish!" Chapter 18: You and Me Lotus Year 88 ''Is this woman crazy or what?'' "I" was looking at Suzuki through the mannequin made of roots and water I created in a hurry, thinking about how we got to this point. When she started to scream and throw stones at the statue it initially made it more interesting, finally something entertaining was happening around here. But when she ended up hurting herself in the process and falling to the ground in such a pathetic and miserable way, I started feeling bad for enjoying her suffering. I already refused to listen to the requests of many people, people who came to me looking for blessings like Selene''s, those who thought I could cure them of their illnesses, and even some women who came to pray for me to protect their husbands and children who had left the "safety" of the village walls. All ignored by me without any remorse. I didn''t promise them anything in the first place, so why the hell would I need to bother protecting them? I am only interested in Selene''s group of essence magicians - they are a source of valuable mana, so I always make a point of helping and even amplifying any magical phenomenon that they try to conduct over my domain. But this Suzuki woman... she really is much more desperate than anyone else who came here before. Throwing stones at the statue and damaging it would be considered enormous disrespect by everyone in the village, and if Selene found out about it she wouldn¡¯t just let her off with a slap on the wrist. ''She offered me anything, but what can I take from her that really has value? Her mana? No, removing all the mana from her body will kill her. Besides, it¡¯s annoying to refine that much mana into a version usable by me. I think if I kept her alive inside the cave for a few years while I slowly extracted her mana I could get something out of this arrangement, but it''s a lot of work... There are too many variables and things that can go wrong.'' ''So what about her body then? It''s been a few years since I''ve eaten anything as nutritious as a complete and uncorrupted corpse. No, It''s not worth it, I can already suck the nutrients I need from their deceased when they die normally, even if they are elderly bodies'' ''What value does she have to me? I don''t think I can actively use anything she has to offer me...'' "I see. Unfortunately, you have nothing of value to offer me." I said in a slow and cold voice through the fog. The words seemed to deeply bother Suzuki who seemed fretful. "I-I can give you my knowledge? As a princess I had access to a lot of privileged information not accessible to others!" Suzuki said in an attempt to negotiate. As soon as her words fell, the whispers around the fog turned into cries and grunts, sounds of branches breaking and movement of beasts came out of the fog, while half-formed shadows pressed in on Suzuki. Looking ahead in shock, Suzuki saw the lady of the fountain was surrounded by a crackling blue aura while the waters of the lake began to flow, creating crashing waves signaling my displeasure. "Is this the best you have to offer? You come here, disrespect my land, ask me for something absurd, and then expect me to be stupid enough to accept this pathetic payment?" Terrified, Suzuki lowers her head miserably, before kneeling with her head on the ground looking at the fountain lady. "I beg you! I would do anything! I''ll give you whatever you want! Please just grant my wish!" Suzuki said pitifully. "So I ask you again, what do you have to offer me?" Suzuki continued with her head lowered for a moment, as if she was desperately thinking of a form of payment that would please the fountain lady, until she looked up sharply towards my mannequin. "My soul! Would that be enough? I can offer you my soul in exchange for the promise that you will protect my boy for the rest of his life!" Suzuki said desperately but with a hint of resolve. ''A soul? What value does a soul have?'' "And why would I want that?" Suzuki looks visibly dejected by the question, looking at the fountain lady with a pleading expression. "I-I don''t know exactly, I just know that-that normally souls are a very valuable bargaining chip. I''ve been told that demons try to steal the souls of their victims to absorb their powers and assimilate them in their own soul source." Selene said, trying to make her offer more appealing. ''Can souls really do that? I''ve never seen a soul, but I can''t outright deny its existence. When I was in that white room I was a soul, I think? But this could just be a trick to get a deal with me¡­ You know what? I don''t think I''m the one with anything to lose in this negotiation. If Suzuki''s soul really has value I will honor our agreement, otherwise I can just go back to ignoring her.'' "I believe we can work this out. I''m willing to offer my protection to the boy in exchange for your soul." As soon as the words fell, Suzuki seemed satisfied and relieved. She got up from the ground and once more addressed my mannequin glowing blue in the nighttime fog. "I want you to give him your blessing, and cure him of his illness! Would that be possible?" Suzuki said. "I cannot heal him, and a blessing is not part of this deal." "Why not!?" "Well, my specialty isn''t healing - my powers focus on other areas - and I''m not willing to give him one of my blessings." As soon as I said that Suzuki looked uncomfortable, clenching her hands as she looked at me with determination. "A blessing from you would mark him as "one of yours". If he acquires the same blessing Selene carries, she would offer to protect him, perhaps she would even accept him as a disciple and place him under her wing." Suzuki said with great conviction. ''It''s not a bad idea, but I don''t like that feeling.'' Suzuki looks miserable, but what if this was all just a really good act to get what she wanted? Her sad little story could just be a way of trying to captivate me, her pathetic and pitiful actions could just be a well-planned way to get my attention, even her offer could be false since I don''t really have any information if it''s possible to trade souls. It could all be a trick, and I could be walking right into the trap like a total idiot. "I need a guarantee, some insurance that I will get paid. After that we can talk about how I will protect the boy." Suzuki looked uncomfortable, but didn''t retort. Instead, she clasped her hands together in a prayerlike manner, closed her eyes, and started reciting strange and unintelligible murmurs.
Notice
The individual [Suzuki Masayoshi] is offering you a {Royal Promise}.
-={Royal Promise}=-
The individual [Suzuki Masayoshi] offers her own soul in exchange for the user''s eternal protection to the individual [Kiiro Masayoshi]. If the contract is broken, the breaker of the agreement will be punished with divine retribution.
Notice
Do you accept the contract? Yes/No
''Wow. I wanted guarantees, but this is certainly something much more substantial than a verbal promise. An agreement brokered by the system must be infinitely more secure than some words spoken in the heat of the moment.'' ''I''ll need to protect the boy, but it''s no big deal. How long do they live, 100 years? I won''t need to spend eternity with him, and in the worst case scenario I can lock him in the cave and keep him chained to the walls. After all, that would still fulfill my part of the agreement.'' "We have a deal then." As soon as I said those words, Suzuki became overjoyed. To complete the deal I clicked "yes", causing the system''s illusory screen to dissolve into a bunch of light that quickly turned into a small ball, and then split in 2, one piece running into Selene while the other sank into the lake, running straight to my main body and entering me the same way it entered Suzuki. To try to see any change, I attempted to analyze myself, but there is nothing different in my body I can find and I can''t feel any difference in my soul, though I never could feel it in the first place, so no change on that front. After checking myself over, I waited for a while, hoping to receive my "payment" but to my dismay nothing happened. ''Damn. Was I really tricked?'' Looking at Suzuki, I feel cheated and stupid. The deal was definitely made, but why didn''t I get my payment? "The deal is done, where''s my payment?" As soon as she heard my words, Suzuki seemed mortified, as if I had said something horrible. "Y-You can''t take my soul now! It will only go into your hands when I die.¡± Suzuki said, now suspicious of my motives. ''I knew it couldn''t be that simple.'' "So, I need to work for free until you die? What stops me from killing you here and now? I could take my pay then fulfill my end of the bargain easily." "P-Please! I-I have to be by Kiiro''s side for as long as possible!" Suzuki said desperately. Thinking about the situation, I''m a little angry with Suzuki, but even more angry with myself. I knew the situation wasn''t ideal and I still took a risk without having all the information, now I''m stuck in a contract with no expectations of when I will receive my payment. That said, the contract is very manipulable. Nothing seems to stop me from killing Suzuki to get her soul early, or from simply shunting the boy into a cave and keeping him alive within my root system until he dies of natural causes. But thinking about it now, "eternal protection" is too broad. Does it mean I can''t let anything bad happen to the boy, even if it means getting myself hurt in the process? Because if so, I''m really tempted to put him in a jar and raise him like a pet - always safe and alive, away from life''s problems. ''Whatever, there''s no point in blaming myself now.'' "Hmfff. Fine, I will collect your soul upon your death, and protect the boy as promised, but I will use my methods - which to be clear, means I will let everyone else die if it means keeping the boy alive." Suzuke choked for a moment with my flat statement, but seemed willing to continue with the agreement, perhaps because she couldn''t go back on it now even if she wanted to. "I see. I think I can live with that. Should I bring him to you?" Suzuki asked, seemingly nervous now that the prospect of bringing her child came up. "Now that the deal is sealed, I will need you to bring the boy here. Do it in the morning, when people are saying their morning prayers or checking the fishing nets." Suzuki seemed uncomfortable with my suggestion, but after she thought a little she seemed to agree with me. She thanked me with a bow and slowly walked back. She noticed the fog around her blocked out sights and sounds coming in or out, which seemed to relieve her a little knowing nobody else would know about the agreement.
---={Suzuki''s Point of View}=--- The night was long, big promises were made, and now I''m on a path that there''s no turning back on. I had other options, of course - there is always another option - but what were they? Sell myself to Hiraki or one of the nobles in exchange for protection? Kneel to Selene and beg her for help? Or try to take them down with my own faction? I''m not that brave, not that capable. Negotiating with the guardian spirit was the best option. They live for centuries and are almost immortal. Having the sworn protection of one of them is a free pass to do whatever you want, whenever you want. No one will contradict the protection of a guardian spirit - not here in her domains. My boy will be safe, and if I play my cards right I can extract more promises from the guardian spirit and make him protect Kiiro''s entire lineage. She pretended well, but her naivety is clear as day. Her power also seems limited to the lake and its surroundings, and her presence seemed... diminished somehow - like it wasn''t really there - which can only mean one thing: A young guardian spirit. I have never heard of how a guardian spirit is born, there is nothing in the Tieflings'' knowledge of this rare phenomenon. Some say that guardian spirits are born from "desires", or the prayers and laments of a large number of people, but nothing with absolute certainty. But I''ve heard about new guardian spirits or "reclusive" ones, spirits that inhabit an item, region, or person in an anonymous or minimally invasive way, until they are discovered or disturbed by some external factor. These spirits are normally the most naive, and easy to control and deceive, but they are also the most dangerous. Their lack of humanity or any type of guilt makes them capable of committing atrocities or dishonorable acts without any hesitation. Offering my soul was a good deal, no, it was the only deal possible. She wasn''t willing to compromise with some worthless goods, she seemed more interested in raw power than any material thing she could forcefully wrest from someone. ''I need to prepare Kiiro. If everything goes according to the plan, tomorrow he will be blessed in front of a large crowd, which will make our social value skyrocket. And from that I can create the base for my own faction and steal Hiraki''s place.'' The plan is very simple: put Kiiro at the top, make him king - or at least a duke -, and strike an agreement with the guardian spirit that will protect Kiiro''s lineage. ''I thought that after everything that happened in Cindervil I would never need to worry about things like political conflicts again, but if it''s a fight they want, it''s a fight they will have. I didn''t live 20 years inside the jade castle being treated like trash, survive the red plague, and go through the pains of childbirth, only to perish ridiculously like a failed storybook princess.'' I will succeed, no matter the sacrifices. ..... ..... "Mom, why do we have to wake up so early?" "We need to go to an important place. Mommy will tell you everything later, okay? Now I need you to pay attention to me. Something special is going to happen today, someone very important is going to pay you a visit, you can''t show fear, or retreat, understand?" "But why?" "Mommy can''t explain right now, I need to get you ready and run to the meeting point, but I need you to promise me that you''ll behave, okay? I promise I''m only doing what''s best for you, my dear." Kiiro seemed confused for a while, staring into space as he always did while trying to "covertly" play with his fingers to dispel his nervousness. I understand that it''s all very fast and scary, but I know what''s best for my son. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "What about Dad? He''s not going with us?" James¡­ things aren''t going well between us, but I can''t let our problems affect Kiiro. I can fix things between us later, for now, I need to protect my child. "No, let''s not wake up daddy, that will make him more worried. Go wash while I get your clothes." "Okay." As soon as Kiiro left to wash, I ran to a box where we left our clothes, grabbed the best clothes I could find for Kiiro and then started getting ready. Looking up from the box, I came across a broken piece of mirror, something rare to find around here. In the past I had a huge dressing table with several mirrors decorated with gold, expensive clothes, and employees who did everything for me without me having to move a muscle. But now, what do I have? A broken mirror that reflects an unpleasant image: disheveled and dirty hair, deep and protruding dark circles under the eyes, and a thin body with blemished skin. An image that does not resemble my previous self at all. I had jewelry, beautiful and well-cared for skin, smooth and clean hair that fell to the ground like a veil, and a slender and healthy body, all taken from me by the plague and the stress. ''I can''t let Kiiro live like this'' I can withstand the heavens and the earth falling on me, I will endure the misery and suffering in silence if necessary, but Kiiro¡­ he cannot live like this. He needs something better - the best possible - all the opportunities and prestige that he can accumulate. If my title cannot guarantee him this future, then may my soul and body allow him to reach the stars. "Mommy?" Looking down there was Kiiro, wrapped in a cloth with wet hair as he tugged at the hem of my skirt. A beautiful little boy, no blemishes on his skin, a thin - but not malnourished - body, blond hair like wheat, and an innocent and sweet smile. If it weren''t for his eyes, he would be perfect, completely whole and perfect. But it''s not his fault, royal blood carries the weight of our sins, and our demons always come back to cruelly and mercilessly punish us. The demonic contracts made by our ancestors still stain our blood, a mark that cannot be wiped away - no matter how many generations go by - that haunts us forever and ever. "Come here darling." As soon as Kiiro got close, I knelt down to give him a tight hug. Maybe I''m wrong, maybe I''m crazy, but if I don''t protect Kiiro, no one will. His father can''t give him the care he needs, and If I died, Kiiro would be alone in the world. "Mommy loves you very, very much. I''m sorry for what is going to happen, but that was my choice, I''m sorry if it''s not what you wanted." "Mommy?" "Sorry honey, come on, let''s get ready." .... .... As I approached my destination accompanied by Kiiro, I could see a crowd forming around the statue of the fountain lady. Getting closer, I soon discovered what was happening: my actions yesterday angered a lot of people. ''I''m glad no one knows I was the one who did all that with the statue¡­'' In front of me was Selene, looking indignantly at the statue as she inspected it closely. She screamed and mumbled as she found missing pieces that littered the floor, cracks and broken splinters. Hiraki also appeared, but he didn''t seem that interested - he only came here for appearance¡¯s sake. The most worrying thing was Selene and her group of fanatical apprentices. I didn''t care to pay attention to the nonsense Selene or Hirake said, I was more nervous about the appearance of the guardian spirit - if she didn''t appear all of this would be meaningless. ''She wouldn''t keep me waiting, right?'' Just when I started thinking I had been stood up by the ''fountain lady'', a vibration of energy came from the lake abruptly. I turned in the direction of the vibration, and saw out of the corner of my eye Selene and Hiraki looking there as well, Selene with hope in her eyes, Hiraki with suspicion. In a short time the vibration transformed into a wave of energy, which soon manifested itself on the surface of the lake as bubbles. Without understanding much, I looked at the place where the air bubbles formed on the water, until a lily pad with a vibrant blue lotus flower suddenly bursted from the lake out of nowhere. The lily pad began to slide across the surface of the lake, until it reached the edge where it magically began to lift up to reveal a familiar mannequin of water currents with roots taking the place of bones. I didn''t have time to look in detail last night, but the creature is an enigma to me. Its presence is almost non-existent, emanating only pure energy in the air, as if the thing were made of pure magic, not a complete individual. Her body had a thin and slender appearance with no defined gender, but clearly takes a more feminine form. Her hair made purely of water falls like a waterfall constantly until it reaches the surface of the lake. Her dress is made of waves and foam that flows endlessly connected with the lake below. Inside her body there are dark brown roots curled and intertwined with each other to form the basic shape of a mannequin and on top of a head devoid of any facial features, there is a large hat reminiscent of those witches wear, made of lily pads and a large radiant blue lotus flower pulsing with an ethereal and comforting light. "The Lady of the Fountain!" Selene shouted, before quickly kneeling on the ground respectfully, a gesture quickly imitated by her disciples. Hiraki seemed surprised and confused. He clearly hadn''t expected the presence of the very entity that "protects" the village to show up, though he tried his best to remain composed. As I looked nervously at the creature, it felt as if it was looking at me even with the lack of facial features. Then she raised her delicate hand and pointed through the crowd directly at Kiiro. Soon all eyes were on Kiiro, and Selene began marching towards us. "Where were you last night, kid? You better have a good answer!" Selene demanded. "Do you think my son damaged the statue?" "I think the Lady of the Fountain seems to have some unfinished business with him." Selene said to me disdainfully. "And that gives you the right to come here and accuse my son? You know, the lady may have other matters more important than a ridiculous statue." "You-!" Before Selene could continue pressing us, the mannequin unexpectedly left the lake, "walking" across the land, her dress while leaving behind a trail made of water wherever she went. Within moments the creature was in front of me with her arms crossed, looking calmly and silently down at Kiiro. Before Selene could speak, the creature bent down to Kiiro''s height until their faces were separated by inches. The creature held Kiiro''s head with both hands, and the boy became visibly uncomfortable with the situation. A delicate laugh seemed to echo from nowhere, followed by words similarly spoken by a melodious voice. "Child, we''ve known each other for a long time, but this is the first time we''ve been formally introduced to each other." Said the creature. She then touched her forehead to Kiiro''s and a magical glow was briefly visible before Kiiro jumped away in fear holding his forehead with both hands. "Kiiro!" "We''ll have plenty of time later to get to know each other, child. For now this is goodbye, but I''ll be back soon." Said the lady as she turned around and slowly returned to the lake where she disappeared without a trace. "Wait!" Before I could demand answers from the creature, she was already gone, leaving me behind with a frightened Kiiro. Looking at my son, I could see him rubbing his eyes with his hands, looking extremely uncomfortable. "What''s wrong sweetie!? What is it?" Removing Kiiro''s hands from his face to inspect him, I was shocked as I saw his formerly milky-white eyes turned deep blue with a 4-sided pointed white shape in place of his iris. "Kiiro? Are you alright?" Before I could assess the situation better, more started to happen. Kiiro''s eyes started glowing prismatic colors before he stared into space as if hypnotized. Without any obvious action, the ends of his hair started to turn the same shade of blue his eyes were, and a strange, pure black tattoo of a circle with a symbol of a ring of black roots full of thorns curled in on themselves while surrounding what appeared to be a 5-leaf lotus flower inscribed in his shoulder began to rapidly grow and spread through his chest. He then seemed to come out of his trance, his eyes stopped shining and he fell back suddenly, leaving me worried and without answers. "Kiiro!? Someone help me take him to the infirmary! Quickly!"
Star Store
Star Points: 2023.3
Random skill: 1800 Star points - Or more Random Title: 12000 Star points - Or more Conversion: 10 MP - 0.1 Star Point / 160 Star Point - 10 XP
Why do I have so few star points? Well, that''s mostly Kiiro''s fault. I wanted to give him something that screamed "I''m important", something that would earn him an important position in the village. If Selene and her mediocre minor blessing made her look good in the eyes of the people, a visibly stronger blessing than that would definitely improve his standing. I was between a bigger blessing and a unique blessing, but I ended up opting for just a bigger blessing - the unique blessings seemed too intimate to throw around. The blessing given to Kiiro caught everyone''s interest. They had already seen someone blessed by the lake before, but never someone with a blessing superior to the point of changing their broader physical appearance beyond the tattoo. Kiiro gained a great affinity with water, prompting Selene to take him as a direct apprentice, and his talent turned out to be simply absurd. Even blind, Kiiro can "see" with some special skill or ability he has, because even though he has difficulty walking without hitting something, he is still very good at sensing and manipulating mana. The little boy also became the direct focus of the nobles, who bombarded Suzuki with marriage proposals between their families. Before, Kiiro had royal blood in his veins, but his father''s "humble" origin and the decadence of the princess made his value as a suitor plummet. Now, as the sole bearer of a superior blessing, Kiiro seems much more attractive to these families. Selene''s obsession with him only adds value to the boy - if a noble manages to win him to their side, they will indirectly be placing the apprentice of the leader of the Templars on their side. Suzuki seems happy with her return to power politics, her husband, on the other hand, is clearly bothered by all this, but Suzuki doesn''t seem willing to lose this new opportunity to gain power and influence. Some wanted to know if Kiiro did something special to get my attention, and if this could be repeated but nobody got any answers. Many nobles used Kiiro as propaganda for their political game, saying things like "the princess''s son is the only one worthy of the Lady of the Lake¡¯s divine protection¡±, emphasizing the importance of royalty. Some claim that if Suzuki''s husband leaves the game they could win the princess'' hand, and as a bonus take on the role of Kiiro''s stepfather, gaining public approval as well as positioning themself to become royalty. Some pretend they didn''t notice, but Kiiro now exudes an aura of clear power even at such a young age. His energy seems perfectly in tune with the natural environment, and unlike some people who have damaged bodies marred by things like hard work, malnutrition and disease, Kiiro retains a perfect physique that exudes power, making him seem like a literal "chosen one." This all has given me a headache from so many people coming to pray at the fountain in search of a blessing. They were all immediately ignored, of course, blessings are not something to be given to just anyone. Ever since I gave Green my first blessing years ago, I''ve felt that they must be special, they must have some meaning or reason, like Selene who gained her blessing after I felt a little sorry for her situation, and Kiiro''s superior blessing that was given in order to fulfill my part of the agreement with Suzuki. If I went around giving blessings to every idiot who claimed to be worthy or in need of one, they wouldn''t be special or even meaningful, they would just be worthless things that anyone can get just by saying a stupid prayer to a stone statue. Annoyed with people looking for blessings just because they thought they deserved my protection, I started looking at my skills and thinking about the possibility of merging them.
Skills
[Roots Whiplash] - Lv MAX Create roots capable of purifying water and absorbing nutrients.
[Celestial Absorption] - Lv MAX Absorb the magical power of celestial bodies through the process of photosynthesis, generating MP and SP.
[Earthward Caller] - Lv MAX Use a catalyst and an Mp sacrifice to summon an Earthward that will follow your orders at the cost of SP.
[Lotus Blessing] - Lv 4 Bestow a blessing upon an allie that ncreased luck and fortune.
[Azure Torrent] - Lv 1 Use MP to enchant large amounts of water, creating a zone of water magic capable of creating water elementals of diferent levels.
[Lily Pad Shield] - Lv MAX Create Lily Pads that can serve as resistant shields, Lily Pads cannot generate energy.
[Solar Beam] - Lv 7 Use a flower to generate a concentrated beam of energy capable of causing massive damage, the solar beam must be charged and its strength is limited by the intensity of sunlight.
[Serenity Blossom] - Lv MAX Use MP and SP to create flowers capable of emitting a hormone that calms and tranquilizes anyone who feels it.
[Toxic Bramble] - Lv 1 Create a small thorn trap that, if activated, will trap its victim with vines of poisonous thorns.
[Aquatic Allies] - Lv MAX Use Mp to summon a variety of aquatic creatures that can serve as your allies.
[Whispering Mist] - Lv 7 Conjures a misty veil that not only obscures vision of the target, but also imitates sounds that have already been heard by you.
[Astral Radiance] - Lv 8 Emit lights capable of absorbing ambient mana or release energy into the environment
[Reef Garden] - Lv 5 Use SP to create a wide variety of sea plants that can generate MP.
[Mirror of Water] - Lv 1 Use Mp to create water copies of your enemies, water copies can use magic and are capable of copying 1 random skill from their target.
[Stormcaller] - Lv 4 Use large amounts of Mp to generate rain of intensity equivalent to the value offered.
[Enchanting] - Lv 8 Use large amounts of MP to add a random effect to an item.
[Blossom Rest] - Lv 2 Enter a state of hibernation after suffering large amounts of damage. While in this state, the host is immune to all status effects and gradually heals from injuries.
[Poison Resistance] - Lv MAX Gain resistance against poisons.
[Purifying Tuber] - Lv MAX Use Sp to create tubercles that can safely store poisons and harmful substances.
[Mana Control] - Lv 7 Helps you control mana in a more stable and refined way.
''I believe the best option is to fuse [Roots Whiplash] with [Purifying Tuber]. Adding the ability to absorb and store poisons throughout my root systems will be very useful.''
Notice
The skills [Roots Whiplash] and [Purifying Tuber] had fused in the final skill [Sanctified Roots]
''What? Final skill?! I had a limit for how many times I could fuse skills together all this time without even knowing?''
Skill
[Sanctified Roots] - Lv 1 Harness the power of nature to create a network of roots that purify and assimilate the environment with your energy. These roots absorb nutrients and toxins, converting harmful substances into beneficial resources stored in specialized tubercles.
''Holy capybara! What kind of skill is this?! The ability to ''assimilate'' the terrain around me? What does that mean? Wouldn''t it basically be a way for me to merge with the earth? Is that really safe?'' The skill seems powerful, and the ability to convert toxins into usable resources? This is just perfect! I spent years having to discard zombies because they were too poisonous to eat, but now I should be able to convert them into something useful for me! Looking over my next options, I''m discouraged by the lack of good possible fusions, until I come across [Poison Resistance] and [Serenity Blossom]. If I combined the 2 skills, wouldn''t I be able to create a panacea - flowers that produce valuable medicine? The skill could also surprise me and give me poisonous flowers that would knock down my enemies before they even understand what hits them. After all, the best-smelling flowers are usually the most poisonous ones.
Notice
The skills [Serenity Blossom] and [Poison Resistance] had fused in the skill [Serenity Guard]
Skill
[Serenity Guard]- Lv 1 Produce flowers that emit a tranquilizing hormone and neutralize poisons, providing a dual benefit of calmness and detoxification.
''Well, it''s a good skill I suppose, though not all I dreamed it might be. It''s useful if I need to save the animal life in my lake, and it would also be a good way to make someone trust me.'' Finished fusing skills for now, I divert my attention to a large hole in the cave where my mud crustaceans were furiously digging in their attempt to expand the cave. Near the wall I create a small magic circle using my roots, and the stones around it begin to take on a softer dirt-like appearance. Without thinking too much, I stick my roots into this soft surface and dig my way deep into the ground. After reaching about 10 cm, the mud began to offer resistance again, continuing to get harder until I finally could no longer dig through the rocks any further. Reaching the end of the newly formed burrow, I began to summon a small bubble of water within the mud, which rapidly expands then explodes in a small explosion of mud. Then, I invoke another magic circle that makes the stones soft again and dig deeper, repeating the process again and again. By the end of the day I had a hole almost 2 meters deep, which could now be expanded upon for weeks by my mud crustaceans. I do this to guide the crustaceans towards a path directly to deepest parts of the earth, to a place where I feel safe and protected, where no matter what happens, I will be sure to survive the disasters of the world. The project is slow, but magic and my mud crustaceans help me along, and time isn¡¯t the pressing factor it is for mortals. Nowadays, I have hundreds of Eathwards who work on this process, so in a few weeks the project should be ready for the next round. As I dig deeper, I feel less corruption caused by the demon lord present in the earth and more of the world¡¯s natural energy. This is a nice confirmation that I¡¯m not crazy for wanting to live down in this bunker. It may seem lonely and sad, but It is the safest place to keep my main body. Once the cave project is completed, I will flood the deepest part of the cave to hide my body, and turn everything else into a verdant forest underground. This way, the heavens may fall and the world collapse, but my elementals, animals, and I will be safe. I might need to add a house for Kiiro, but it would be nice to live that way - without demon lords, petty power struggles, people complaining in my ears, and disturbances outside the natural balance of the world. Everything would be peaceful, peaceful and perfect. Chapter 19: Make Me Believe Lotus Year 90 Inside my cave, my plans for expansion and revitalization of the land began to bear fruit. The ceiling is completely covered with thick roots that serve as structural supports for the cave, while smaller roots fall from these like chandeliers. At their tips are large formations filled with water emanating gentle blue light, illuminating the entire cave. The floor is primarily large plains of soft earth topped with grass I cultivated over the years, with a large crater full of crystal clear water serving as a shelter for various small organisms I brought, such as planaria, snails, frogs and axolotls. The artificial plain is a special project I am very proud of. There is still not much biodiversity, but I plan to introduce different types of animals and plants to this place over time until I create a completely functional artificial ecosystem. Why go through all this effort? Because it''s the safest thing to do. By introducing wildlife to this place, I can get food for myself and my servants, as well as precious XP to power myself up, all easily monitored and controlled from the comfort of my pond. Nothing here will ever break free from the grip of my roots. My new final skill, [Sanctified Roots], adds even more benefit to this plan, letting me assimilate whatever land my roots touch. And assimilation, as it turns out, means that little by little, I am creating an entire region that matches my affinity for [Water]. The air is always humid, the soil always damp, the plants take on a cyan tint, and everything is filled with energy similar to mine. This makes my cave feel like a real home to me, and makes the plants inside it feel familiar in body and affinity. Normally, I don''t like the company of other plants since they try to steal my resources and space, but these new plants make me feel more comfortable, and even make me want to take care of them and help them grow. For now, these plants are just algae and lily-like flowers in crater lake, and moss growing on surrounding rocks, but I will have more as I develop the cave. We exchange nutrients and warning signs, such as lack of light, the presence of predators, or hunger. Of course, they don''t have a consciousness as developed as mine, but I can still send basic signals and translate what signals they send me. This way I was able to adapt the cave to improve their living conditions, and I also gained some ¡°friends¡± who are closer to my species. It''s not a big deal, but I still feel more comfortable with them than with the Tieflings. Plants don''t lie, they don''t cause unnecessary problems, and they don''t complain about life all the time. They just live their lives, with the simple desire to survive and grow - nothing more and nothing less. My roots also continue to dig deeper and deeper, finding a smattering of assorted objects along the way. After a lot of digging, I came to a large formation of rocks with blue, gold, and white veins that I can''t turn into clay with magic to dig through for some reason. The whole thing seems to be some type of ore, but I can''t break it with my roots or spells; I had to call my Earthwards, who easily managed to break off chunks of the thing, giving me access to pretty, but ultimately useless, rocks. Since the lode was in my way, I got them to break it down into several small pieces which I temporarily moved to the part of the cave where I kept the other trash I found while digging like rusty pieces of metal, bones and strange rocks. I have also been improving my magic, training every day to discover magic circles for new spells. Whenever I discover a new one that works, I carve it into a stone with the name of the spell I came up with, always leaving the circle around the inscriptions incomplete so as to not run the risk of activating it. After doing this for years now, I have a good collection of these stone tablets. I have discovered a wide range of circles, from creating light to small flames to water tornadoes. While they are highly unstable if created imprecisely, they are fun to use and fascinate me with their endless possibilities. The last few years have also been quite profitable. Since my appearance to the Tieflings, the flow of mana sent to the lake has started to grow exponentially, enough for me to collect several star points. The Tieflings also began construction of a temple by the lake, built around the statue. The project is still just beginning, but in a few years it is possible that I will have people praying to me from inside. It''s not really pleasant to have people coming to my door to beg for blessings, treasures, or power, but after I blessed that Kiiro boy, people¡¯s faith in me soared. Selene gained a lot of political power as a result, and now she is playing priestess at my temple. More people have been fervently praying to me since Selene claimed the reason I ignored all the other prayers was because they weren¡¯t ¡°meaningful enough¡±. She was the one who came up with the temple proposal, pitched as a place to help people¡¯s prayers. She didn''t mention the part where she planned to use the place as headquarters for her group of religious fanatic wizards I must admit that I have been tempted from time to time to throw some small blessings at them, but I don¡¯t think it would really satisfy them. I could do the bigger blessings, but those are very expensive and feel ¡°intimate¡±. I could gain some resources by providing some blessings to the public, like more believers and shared XP, but blessing a few people would make more entreat me for further gifts, and soon I would need to deal with a vast majority even more dissatisfied than if I had done nothing at all. The alternative of blessing everyone would cause me to waste a lot of time, energy, and resources, and even if I did bless everyone, some might be dissatisfied with the small blessing¡¯s minor effect. People will always be greedy for more, so unless I set a cutoff I will wind up blessing any dumbass who appears crying at the edge of the lake. Kiiro and Selene are good standards for my blessings; one is a child from a noble lineage with a sad backstory, and the other a fanatical and very powerful woman. Both are potentially very valuable as servants. Kiiro is not mature enough for me to ascertain his real usefulness. In recent years the boy has been irritating me with stupid questions and stupider jokes, but his special ability to see energy, the 2 extra skills he gained with the blessings - a spiritual healing skill and another still unknown - and the bonus of the payment made by his mom, make the boy a great bet for my future. Selene is almost perfect for my needs. She''s smart and highly competent with magic, but not wise enough to perceive my true intentions, and not powerful enough to stay in control without my support. Behind the kind smile and mature attitude, there is a cold viper without empathy, good at manipulating people into believing what she wants them to while appearing angelic in the eyes of the public. She is Kiiro''s teacher, and if she does a good job, he will be just as good at manipulation and magic as she is. I would say that the only problem with Selene is her narcissism, which makes her very irritable when things don''t go exactly as she planned. Other than that, she is great at everything she does, so I''m more than happy to help her with whatever little requests she has, be it a spell, ritual, or energy supply. I''m honestly tempted to give Selene a [Unique] blessing, which would catapult her to the top of the village''s social ladder, but that narcissism worries me. If I put too much power in her hands it would be easy for her to blind herself and move away from the path I want her to follow. That''s why I believe I need more blessed people, but it can''t be just anyone. It has to be someone who is fanatical about me, or who is otherwise willing to submit themselves body and soul to me. Kiiro doesn''t fall into either of these categories, but if my plan succeeds, soon he will be as blind with fanaticism as he is blind in his eyes. I have plans, but for them to come to fruition I need to make some immediate moves. My secret cave project can protect me against a disaster in the future, but I need something for the present. The Tieflings worry me a little. Every day I see them growing, improving, and prospering. It never bothered me, but seeing them growing, strengthening, and becoming so self-sufficient¡­ something about it makes me angry. I don''t like the idea that they can surpass me. This is my home, I just let them live here out of pity. I have no intention of playing second fiddle. So my options are: ally with them, dominate them, or eliminate them. I don''t trust them or any promises they make enough to ally with them unless they all sign a system-supervised contract like Suzuki - something that I doubt will happen. Dominating them is a delicate matter. I can do it in two ways: crushing them and making them submit to me out of fear - which is unrealistic - or by playing along with their ideas, creating roots in their hearts and minds. Little by little, I can make them believe their own fantasies, and in only a decade or two I could be sitting in the center of the village, adored and held sacred like a deity. Eliminating them is difficult. Unless I create a wave of lake creatures or kill them all while they sleep, I think it would be difficult to win in a fight against them, especially the mages and the nobles. I don''t like to admit it, but they are dangerous. It''s not just gold and prestige that runs through their veins, some of them have real power and pose a genuine threat to me. Whenever I look at Hiraki, I get the sense he could cut through my shields like butter with a hot knife if he uses his rapier. I feel that the strange golems produced by that gentleman using his magic book could pluck me from the ground like picking a carrot. And I feel like I wouldn''t be able to resist a shower of magical spells produced by several nobles at once. I have a good defense and vitality, but surprisingly I don''t have a good resistance against magical attacks. Physical blows are almost insignificant since I can rebuild myself indefinitely at the cost of energy, but magical damage - like mana poisoning or the projectiles launched by the flesh amalgams - are very difficult to deal with. Maybe it''s a racial issue or lack of ability? Maybe there''s something I don''t know about the art of defending against spells? I know that energy shields are very effective when it comes to intercepting a magical attack, but there should be a way to make your body resistant against magical attacks, shouldn¡¯t there?
------={The Lady and the High Priestess}=------ Night came, and as everyone retreated to their homes, a group of wizards dressed in white robes approached the lake. Their robes covered their whole bodies with hoods concealing their faces. They gathered in a circle, whispering strange words, before their apparent leader slowly walked towards the middle. The leader took off her hood, revealing a face wrinkled with age, sharp black horns pointing straight up, silvery-white hair in a large braid falling to her ankles, ash-gray skin, and deep teal eyes. As was routine for her now, Selene had come to say her daily prayers. As she reached the center of the circle, she gently knelt down and began to pray silently to the lake. As she and her followers prayed, flowers in the lake bloomed and began to emit soft blue light, and frogs began to resound a subtle melody accompanied by lights from nearby fireflies. After about 10 minutes of prayers, Selene looked up contentedly, but just as she was about to rise, she heard the echo of a dainty laugh coming from the middle of the lake. "What is this?" Selene asked her disciples. With no response, Selene calmly got up, and as soon as she did, a small part of the lake right in front of her began to glow a bright, sparkling blue. The shiny mark looked like a drop of ink on the surface of the lake until it suddenly burst into a furious whirlpool of water that quickly rose into the sky. "That''s¡­!" Selene said excitedly. Soon the whirlpool dissipated into several small waves, revealing a water mannequin standing awkwardly on the lake. The mannequin began to tremble, and in a quick movement, assumed a demure and elegant position. Dark shapes that look like seeds began appearing inside the mannequin, followed by several roots wrapping around each other to form a pseudo-skeleton. Streams of water coalesced around the mannequin''s body, creating a large dress and long, straight hair streaming to the ground like a waterfall. On its head, a large lily pad grew quickly topped by a large bright blue lotus flower, creating something resembling a witch¡¯s hat. Once formed, the mannequin slowly slid towards Selene, coming face to face with her. "THE FOUNTAIN LADY!" Selene cried, before quickly kneeling on the ground, a gesture soon followed by her disciples. The mysterious being glided silently towards her, placing both hands gently on her chin and lifting it, seemingly staring through her eyes into her soul. "M-My lady?" Selene wondered. In response, mischievous laughter came from all around. Before anyone could wonder what the fountain lady''s intentions were, the being made a gesture with its hands causing a ball of water to emerge from the lake and rise to the sky. Inside the bubble was an odd medallion, glowing an ethereal blue, made of a metal not known to the priestess or her followers. Without saying a word, the being gently moved the bubble in front of Selene, before dispelling it to reveal the item contained within. Selene looked at the item in amazement, as if it were a priceless treasure. As she looked to the incarnation of the fountain lady for answers, it just gave her a light kiss on the palm of her hand and sent the medallion to Selene, which caused the lotus mark on her forehead to begin to glow. Selene instinctively placed her hands on her forehead when she felt a slight tingling sensation, but quickly removed her hands and hurried towards the still waters of the lake to see her reflection. The old three-leaf lotus flower mark had morphed into one with five leaves and was now surrounded by thorny vines and unrecognizable symbols. The whites of Selene''s eyes had turned an oceanic blue and her pupils were replaced by small, pure white, 4-pointed stars. Amazed by the blessing she had received, Selene looked at the lady of the fountain to thank and seek more guidance from her, but the being was already sinking into the lake and disappearing in the same way it appeared. "Wait! Please! Don''t go!" Selene shouted hopefully at the figure that disappeared into the lake, but all she got was laughter that trailed off until it too disappeared, as if nothing abnormal had ever been there. The only proof of the event were the disciples and Selene, who now carried a much greater blessing. As the night wound down, Selene went back to her house. While Selene avoided drawing attention to the mark that night to let her collect herself, she knew that it would be obvious to everyone she had won the favor of the lady of the fountain through her faith and work. Prior to yesterday, Selene always said that if someone prayed and believed with body and soul, they could receive the blessings of the lake like Kiiro. Many had doubted this claim as the years wore on, and Selene even began to second guess herself. Day after day, night after night, she waited for something that never came. After years of fervently believing in something seemingly entirely unresponsive to her prayers, she finally received a sign. First, it was the statue that began to magically produce water, then the flowers bloomed with magical lights, and finally the ritual enhancer which helped in the creation of various talisman designs. But never a blessing, never an appearance, and never a purpose. Selene was guided by her own ideals and convictions, but she didn''t know if she served the fountain lady¡¯s will or not. Then came the fateful day when the boy, Kiiro, a child who came from a family that didn''t even believe in the rites of the fountain lady, had been blessed directly by the Lady. Selene itched with envy. She wished she was the chosen one and not him. She was the first, but obviously not the favorite; Kiiro''s blessing was miles ahead of hers, and that sent a clear message to her: You''re not good enough. It was all Selene could conclude. Her fervent faith seemed to have been futile, for as soon as Kiiro gained the lady''s favor, he became the center of the village. People no longer paid attention to her. They didn''t try to gain her favor, or act friendly - they wanted him and she was forgotten and cast aside. In response, Selene smashed objects in a fit of rage, cursed the people who once cared for and respected her, and made desperate attempts to gain gifts like he had. Even so, she didn''t give up. She stuck to Kiiro and made him become her direct disciple, because if she can''t be the best, then she will control the best. This continued for years. Her envy had cooled some, but not her disgust. She couldn''t accept how someone so unworthy could be found better than her by the object of her faith. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. So she prayed, day after day, night after night, just as she had in the very beginning. And finally, it worked. Selene entered her room, hanging her coat up and carefully resting her huge staff against the wall. After a relaxing bath, she lay down on her bed and tried to doze off. "I finally did it. All these years, I wasn''t wrong." She said as she yawned. After falling into a deep sleep, Selene opened her eyes and found herself in a totally unfamiliar place. Her surroundings seemed to be made of nothing at all, just an endless black void extending in all directions. Looking at herself, she saw she was completely naked as she floated in the eternal emptiness of the void. She tried to struggle only to realize she couldn''t move, instead she was forced to remain motionless in this incomprehensible nothingness. After an indeterminate amount of time, the void around her began to crack like glass, giving way to a vision of a vast cave. Selene could see hundreds of stone tablets containing strange magical formulas fixed to the walls with roots, as well as magical stones sprouting from the walls. Distracted by the beauty and mystery of the cave, Selene at first didn¡¯t notice the huge waterfall falling upwards in front of her, glowing bright enough to illuminate the whole cave. Directing her vision downwards, she came across a lake encrusted with jewels and magical shells surrounding a huge sphere of stones and tangled roots. The sphere¡¯s roots snaked out towards the walls, floor, and even went up the waterfall. The image of the magical cave shook and blurred, then in its place a starry sky appeared. Soon a blue ghost began to appear in front of Selene. The creature looked a lot like the lady from the fountain, but its face was not featureless and it had legs; it seemed to be a completely normal humanoid body, though not a Tiefling like her. Her body was covered with a white blanket, while her long blue hair floated through the starry void. The lady then floated gently towards Selene, who remained unable to move herself. The entity then opened its mouth and emitted strange and completely meaningless hisses and pops. "I-I don''t understand." Selene stammered in the middle of the void. After hearing Selene''s response, the entity appears to be disappointed but not angry. It gently grabbed her head and closed her eyes. Selene''s head was bombarded with images. A large bell ringing, a room full of wooden benches in front of a pedestal, the moon, newborn babies crying, people praying, shiny jewelry, the moon, running water, plants growing at absurd speed, people killing each other with strange weapons, children playing, the moon once more, and finally, Selene sitting in front of a stone statue. "I-I...I-I" stammered Selene between tears. In response, the entity just smiled, letting go of Selene as she floated away. As soon as the entity moved away a little, all reality broke like glass and Selene woke up. "Ah!" shouted Selene as she leapt up from her sweaty bed. "What was that?! A vision? Why?" Selene wondered. Selene left the house, dressed only in her night clothes and ran to the lake. She looked at the waters of the lake and soon fell to her knees. "O gracious Lady of the Fountain, keeper of the sacred waters..." Selene began to pray. After a few moments, Selene finished her ritual prayer and looked hopefully at the lake, but nothing had happened, all remained still. "What do you want me to do?" Selene wondered. Selene waited, kneeling amongst the stones and moss while the croaking of frogs and chirping of crickets resounded in the middle of the night. She continued to pray for answers, but nothing came in response to her pleas. Upset at once more being ignored, Selene stood up and started walking back home, but after a few steps, she heard noises and laughter accompanied by a dense fog coming from the lake. She calmly waited for the fog to reach her and once inside, she began to recite her prayers again. "O gracious Lady of the Fountain, keeper of the sacred waters..." Soon the laughter and whispers from the fog suddenly fell silent, surprising Selene who awkwardly looked around, then coming from nowhere Selene began to hear melodious whispers repeated words over and over again. "Grow, Conquer, Expand, Grow Conquer Expand GrowConquerExpandGrowConquerExpand" spoke the voice that resounded through the fog. Soon, more and more voices began to repeat the same words, louder and faster, until Selene had to cover her ears from the overlapping cacophony. "Please stop! I-I understand!" yelled Selene. But the voices didn''t stop, repeating the same words faster and louder - Grow, Conquer, Expand. Selene began to feel dizzy, and soon fell to the ground unconscious. The voices began to quiet then, and the fog began to fade away, leaving behind Selene lying in her night clothes on the edge of the lake.
Lotus Year 91 On a sunny day, a boy around 13 years old rested calmly on a dock built on a lake. On the horizon, a group of people led by a woman in a white cloak with embroidered flowers constructed a stone edifice. The boy sat peacefully on the edge of the lake, with his feet submerged in its waters, humming brightly while playing with the fish poking at his feet. "Lily, why is the sky red?" Asked the boy, who had yellow hair with bluish fringes and a white stripe in front of his eyes. "Demonic interference. Their energy contaminates the world and alters the environment around it." A voice coming from nowhere responded. "How do they do it? Why do they do it?" The boy asked curiously. "I don''t know exactly how or why they do it. I would say to grow and expand their influence?" The voice responded in a soft echo. "But why do they want to grow and expand? And why do they send the monsters here?" The boy asked innocuously while playing with the fish in the lake. "I don''t know. It''s the primary desire of all forms of life, I suppose. To grow, expand, evolve and in the end repeat it all over again. I don''t know their real goals, but this seems a good guess." the voice answered clearly. "I still don¡¯t get it. Mom says that monsters are evil, and that all the evil in the world will be purified by the gods." said the boy with a sullen face. "Well, I don''t know about the gods, but I can say that it''s not the first time that those ''monsters'' appear. The heroes and their group will soon eliminate them and things are going to get better." said the voice. "Really?! Mom never said anything about that! What is a hero?" the boy asked excitedly. "I suppose a hero is a person who kills monsters? I don''t know them well enough to say for sure." the voice replied. "So uncle Yuta is a hero?" asked the boy, excited by the prospect that someone he knows might be able to solve their problems. "No, he is just a hunter. A hero is more special. How can I explain... They need to be chosen, and have the mission to kill the monsters." the voice said somewhat doubtfully. "But what makes heroes so special? Can you choose a hero for our village?" asked the boy. "It''s not that simple. I don''t know what makes heroes special, or how they are chosen, and no, and I can''t create heroes. Not ''original'' ones at least." said the voice, a little irritated. "Humf. Can I become a hero? What do I need to be chosen?" asked the boy. "Well, I believe it requires courage, dedication and a lot of power, in addition to a lot of responsibility, judgment and self-awareness. Their work seems to be too important to be done by just any idiot out there''" said the voice. "That sounds like I could do it! That way I could defeat the monsters and protect everyone in the village!" The boy said pompously as he threw his arms up happily. "The way you are now? I doubt it. You have a weak body, horrible reflexes, and you''re as dumb as a doorknob." The voice said dryly. "HEY! It''s not true! Selene said I''m really talented!" Said the boy, emotions turning on a dime as he began almost tearing up. "That''s true. Maybe you won''t serve as a warrior or hunter, but I believe you can become a skilled mage one day." said the voice. "Do you really think so?!" The boy said happily as he wiped his nose. "Yes. You are very in tune with the natural energy of the world, and you have good skills. With your special skill [Naiad''s Embrace], you will be able to serve well as a healer and mage." pronounced the voice from the lake. The boy seemed happy with the suggestion for a time, but soon the smile on his face once again disappeared as he looked down at the fish circling his feet. "Mom says I should focus on training my body and do more ''boy'' things like swords and hand-to-hand fighting. She says no one will respect me if I keep looking so ''weak''." admitted the boy glumly. "Nonsense. Each individual has a unique and latent talent. If you ignore this natural call to instead follow something imposed on you by your culture''s beliefs, you will miss the chance to learn something unique." said the voice from the lake, as a circle of light faded into existence in the middle of the lake. "But... It''s my mother who said that. She never lies to me. If she said it, it must be true. She said that it''s okay to train magic, but that I should focus first on training my body and learn swordsmanship and more important things like etiquette and history." said the boy. As soon as the boy finished speaking, the circle of light in the lake began to rise into the air as the figure of the ¡°fountain lady¡± appeared within. Her face, which was once nondescript and free of any features, now had eyes, a mouth, and a nose. These were accompanied by 2 small and delicate horns protruding from her forehead, a necklace of precious stones, and a large bright blue stone directly above her breasts. The woman slowly slid over to the boy who appeared nonplussed by her sudden appearance, and placed one of her hands gently on the boy''s head. "Are you so worried about pleasing others, that you can''t see what''s best for yourself? If you just stop for a second, and pay attention to the voices around you, you could hear the whispers of the world''s natural mana. It''s not your mother, or Selene, or anyone else in this village who will know what''s best for you. Trust me, I can show you the right way. Don''t you want to be powerful? Don''t you want to protect your family and friends? Kiiro, no one in this village can give you that because they are pathetic idiots - they can''t see what''s best even for themselves. But I can, and I can see what¡¯s best for you too. If you believe in me, you can change your own destiny. You can become these people''s hero. Isn''t that what you want?" the water woman questioned while soft echoes whispered in the boy¡¯s ears. "But... " "There are no buts. You don''t need to doubt yourself any more. You already have the answers." the woman stated before walking away, sinking into the lake, leaving the conflicted boy behind. "You know that only I can give you what you need, right?" echoing whispers intimated from the lake. "Do you think your mother, Selene, or anyone else would be here today if it weren''t for me? I''ve kept them alive all this time, and together, we can do so much more." the voices encouraged. The boy looked uncomfortable, glancing around nervously at his feet sunk in the water, before ice-cold hands made of water grabbed his shoulders from behind. Turning his head nervously, the boy finds the smiling face of the fountain lady who looks at him affectionately as she hugs him. "Just. Trust. In. Me." the thing demanded slowly.
--={Mc Point of view}=-- It''s so easy to manipulate Kiiro. His simple desires and innocent spirit make him such an easy target that I almost feel bad for making a fool of him. I just need to touch on the right topics and make some empty observations and criticisms to make him tremble like a leaf. His childish and selfless mentality also makes everything easier, since I just need to inflate his ego a little to make him excited and happy about the future that is best for him. Or rather, best for me. Kiiro is not fit to be a fighter. If I''m going to use him, I need him to be his best, which clearly involves magic of some kind. With him under Selene''s watchful eye, I''m sure that in a few years his mentality will be completely up to my standards. Kiiro has a special skill called [Naiad''s Embrace], something he gained after receiving my blessing. It¡¯s very similar to my old skill [Undie Embrace], but his allows him to summon a water spirit with healing powers. How do I know it''s a spirit and not an elemental? Kiiro''s summon has a consciousness of its own, something my elementals don''t have. It is a small fish made of greenish water that can heal others. The little thing can''t fight and is nowhere near as threatening as a low-level elemental, but I believe that its healing powers are far superior to the healing saliva of my axolotls. Kiiro also has a 2nd skill he gained but has not yet been "activated", as if he had not met the requirements to use the skill, though I believe it is only a matter of time before he can use it. Speaking of Selene, after giving her my superior blessing, I decided to test something I had never used before: the ability to grant prophecies to people who carry my blessings. It''s very difficult to use since it''s not a listed skill, which made me make a few mistakes on the first attempt, but nothing catastrophic. The ability is currently very limited; I can only send images and memories to the person receiving the prophecy, at a steep MP cost needed to maintain a stable connection. Trying to speak during a prophecy seemed pointless, as it seems that the words become completely distorted and meaningless. In addition, the scene itself changes according to my feelings and desires. Ultimately, the ability to grant visions doesn''t seem very useful to me when I can just say everything face to face, but it might be helpful in adding a touch of "divinity" to my dealings. When Selene came to the lake almost half naked, I was already tired from the unnecessary energy expenditure of the ¡°prophecy¡±, so I just gave her a clear and simple objective and sent her away. Grow, Conquer, Expand. A simple command, open to interpretation in changing circumstances. I want Selene to expand her influence, conquer the entire village in my name, and expand her influence throughout any land that touches my roots. This is the only way to ensure that things work the way I want them to. It will not be Hiraki or Suzuki who decides how the game should be played, it will solely and forever be me. Selene also continued the temple project, which I would say is about 80% complete. It is clearly the most magnificent structure in this backwater they call a village. The building, despite being simple, carries elegance, with an open structure with several corridors that connect to small rooms until reaching the main room in the center. In that room there is a large circle of stones within which the floor opens onto a well of water with a mirror-like surface connected to the lake through a channel embedded in the floor. The newly restored statue of the lady of the fountain rests in the center of the stone circle and several small fountains on the walls and ceiling. The whole place still felt lifeless, but when the work was finished, I will fill the fountains on the ceiling with bright lotus roots and flowers, similar to what I did with the original statue¡¯s jug. Once Selene''s temple accumulates a bunch of religious freaks, I would select the most fanatical and greedy for power to put under my control, then expand my influence until this whole place is under my roots. From there, I just need a school to indoctrinate the young and naive, kill absolutely everyone who gets in my way, for Selene to continue thirsting for control and attention, and for Kiiro to become a loyal follower. And maybe, if Suzuki''s soul is as valuable as she claims it is, I''ll start exchanging blessings and favors for souls. After all, there are always idiots desperate enough to give something like their souls in exchange for simple material things. Suzuki is the greatest example. She was so desperate that she traded her own soul for something as mundane as protection for her offspring. Even still, I don''t know who got the better end of that deal. One person¡¯s soul could very well be useless to someone else, or maybe I will need a skill to use the soul correctly? Whatever the answer, Suzuke''s soul better be worth the price. Because if not, someone will have to pay what I am owed.
Notice
The hero [Kevin Loopen] has died.
''Oh, he died? Does that mean he was weak? Or maybe this plague demon lord is a tough nut to crack.'' I was in my underground lake, carving some nonsense on the wall as a way to pass the time, when the notification reached me. The death of a hero. I didn''t think they could die so easily. ''How long was it, 10 years or so since they appeared? It''s been such a short time and one of them has already died? Damn, I hope they manage to kill the demon lord. If I have to put up with who knows how many more decades of demonic corruption, I''m going to go crazy with rage.'' This new generation of heroes seems weak. The last hero managed to kill the demon lord alone, then died of mysterious causes afterwards. But now that there are 4, one of the idiots already managed to die somehow. Leaving that aside, I returned to my sculpting hobby. Looking at my work, I have a large wall carved with various flowers, branches, leaves, animals, and human faces. Some images are poorly made and defined, while others are so realistic they seem to almost jump off the walls. Sculpting is something I have been practicing for many years. I use roots to join pieces of stone and clay, water to wear down specific regions and create unique textures, and spells and physical strength to add details and polish. From all this practice, I have gotten quite good. Each work takes weeks or months to create, but it is a rewarding pastime. Looking to the side, I can see small bluish lights flying around the place emitting quiet whispers. The little things are elementals created by the magical water contained within the lake on the artificial plain. Using the skill [Azure Torrent], I created a different magical water that looked like some kind of elixir. It has a vibrant neon blue tone, much greater magical density than ordinary water, and the impressive ability to occasionally create small water elementals. The elementals formed this way are simple balls of water-aspected energy only able to form fog and dew - far inferior to my own elementals. The little things can fuse like mine, but their fusion is much more permanent; whenever a group of lesser elementals meet, they form a larger ¡°common¡± elemental, which are small bubbles of water floating clumsily through the air or swimming within the lake, similar to a [Water Nymph]. Some of these lesser elementals live in bubbles buried in the ground, while others choose to remain in their form made entirely of energy, wandering around without physical bodies while susurating and manipulating the water around them. I also recently gave Selene my [Scrap Heirloom] talisman. Some weak random skills based on the [Water] element are useless for me - all I could really do with them is study them to replicate with magic circles. This way, though, I can induce loyalty in Selene and get the added benefit of observing how a "professional" uses the item efficiently. Maybe I''ll create something for Kiiro too, but only if it''s worth the investment. Currently Kiiro''s only real value is in the deal for his mother''s soul, whereas Selene is the core of my plan to become a full-time deity. Put that way, perhaps I need to invest more in Selene? Some axolotls in the lake are over 30 years old and could serve as good guard dogs for her, or I could give some of my excess elementals. Giving too many gifts might be dangerous, however. If she senses her importance to me, she may soon try to extort me, and I would have no other option than to kill her and wait until a new, more suitable candidate appears. ''Huff. Why is it so hard to be me...'' Chapter 20: Dance Of Sins Lotus Year 93 The temple built by Selene and her disciples finally completed, and it looked like a dome made of stones held together with magic and roots. The jet-black stones were cut into bricks then stacked and fitted together with magic and the help of my roots. The temple has several incomplete door and window frames and in the middle of the main entrance hall is a large circle of stones surrounding a hole that gives direct access to the lake below. In the center of the stone ring sat the restored statue of the lady of the fountain with its iconic jar, clear water smoothly flowing onto the water mirror below. Throughout the entire room, small statues and fountains consistently streamed water through rivulets in the floor and walls. Entering deeper into the temple, one could see 3 rooms outside the entrance hall: A large room with stone benches lined up and pointed towards a pedestal in an elevated position at the front of the room, a room with several stone pillars and a large magic circle carved into the floor for some type of ritual, and the last room served as a small communal room for the templars with some chests, shelves, and jars. The first congregation was recently held at the temple, just a small ritual carried out by Selene in the presence of those who wanted to show up. She prayed, thanked people, and gave out pleasantries. The superior blessing given to Selene helped her spread her influence. Her disciples became even more fanatical, as there was now concrete proof that Selene''s preachings were true, while the nobles became tense upon seeing Selene''s increased power. Selene''s appearance also changed a lot since receiving a greater blessing. Her silver hair gained spots of blue like the ocean. Her eyes turned a blue so dark that it bordered on black, with pure white pupils in the shape of four-pointed stars. Selene¡¯s formerly gray skin turned to shades of teal while her horns and nails became pitch black. Her forehead bore the 5-petal lotus flower surrounded by an intricate tattoo of roots and smaller flowers. She also became much more fanatical, bordering on madness. Since I gave her the prophecy, she has been proclaiming she "received a vision from the lady at the fountain", but as no one had ever witnessed anything similar, many people harbored doubts. Some nobles tried to use Selene fainting half-naked at the lakeside as a warning, claiming Selene was becoming senile and her words were unreliable. They have been dedicated to advancing their political position, finding ways to influence perception of events to their favor, and if someone does not align with them, they ridicule and depose them. Selene isn¡¯t interested in this, nor am I since, after all, it doesn¡¯t matter who sits atop the pile of trash, I hold the real power. Unfortunately for the nobles and their plans, Selene could back up her statements through hers and Kiiro¡¯s superior blessings, as well as the testimony of the templars who also witnessed my appearance in the middle of the night. Selene also seems to really like the gift I gave her, carrying it in a necklace all the time. Apparently, there are no limits to how many amulets someone can carry, as long as you can pay the price to wear them. Amulets must be both charged and activated with mana, a process which can be expensive to maintain. People who don''t have access to lots of mana often choose to only carry 1 amulet they can perfect their use of, rather than several which they might not be able to activate. The [Scrap Heirloom] amulet that I gave to Selene has already been fully charged by me, so she doesn''t need to supply energy to it, unlike her strange bracelet which needs to be activated by her whenever she wants to use it. Selene made good use of the skills offered by the amulet; most of them are weak, but some are very interesting. For instance, a skill called [Water Bullet] creates a small drop of water that could be fired at high speed, the skill [New Drop] creates a drop of water with healing capabilities and - most interesting to me - [Water Ring] creates versatile water rings, which can be used to immobilize someone or spun rapidly to cause cutting damage. The best part is I can easily reproduce the skills [Water Bullet] and [Water Ring] with my abilities and make them even stronger than the original, making a rain of water bullets, or several cutting streams of water to trap and cut enemies. That said, I can''t imitate something like [New Drop] because I don''t have healing capabilities. This left me pondering the blurry line between skills, spells, and abilities. Skills seem powerful and very useful since they operate autonomously and easily, but some of them - especially at lower levels - look more like pre-made spells, or cheap tricks someone can easily train to imitate mundanely. They seem primarily to be a matter of luck, affinity, and situation. People can have the same skill but use them in vastly different ways. A farmer with a skill to make a ditch in the ground can use it to help them in their day-to-day life planting crops, but a soldier with the same skill can use it to make their enemy stumble, opening them up to attack. On the other hand, spells are more clear in their form and function: They are phenomena created by a caster powering a magic circle with mana. I don''t know their exact limitations, nor their full potential, but I know that spells don''t seem as malleable as someone''s natural abilities. Spellcasting magic is like a math formula that anyone can learn and perform in a standard way. Affinity does not seem to limit what spells are possible cast since I can cast earth, water, fire, energy, and wind spells without issue. Of course, my water-based spells are better in practically every way - more stable, easier, cheaper, and faster. Magical abilities, in contrast, are totally situational and strictly personal; they come from the way an individual sees and manipulates the world around them. I was able to observe this first hand during the growth of the new generation of Tieflings. Two individuals with the same affinities, the same resources, and the same difficulties would still develop two different styles of fighting, manufacturing or caring in different ways because of their personal approach. A hunter with an earth affinity who preferred to hunt stealthily would use his abilities to make their presence disappear, or to blend into the environment around him. While a hunter with an affinity for the earth who preferred to hunt their prey quickly and cleanly would develop their abilities to locate their prey through vibrations in ground, or to create holes underneath their prey to rapidly trap it. With my abilities to control water, dirt, plants and mana, I can create basically anything by molding my abilities to my will. That''s how I created my water mannequin, the carpet of roots in the city, the underground caves in the lake, and so much more. This power seems less limited than spells and less specific than skills, but why? Skills give me access to power that would normally be beyond my reach, while spells are a rudimentary way of manipulating and shaping the energy of the world to generate a specific pre-written magical phenomenon. But magical abilities seem to be more personal, more complex. They don''t depend solely on luck, or studiousness and complex work, instead they depend on how an individual uses and manipulates the world around them - Their choices, desires and worldview - all directly linked to the level system. If I had chosen another path back when first choosing my specialization, I might have been able to use healing skills and imitate skills like [New Drop] or Kiiro''s [Naiad''s Embrace]. Or if I had chosen another path, I could have delved even deeper into the art of invocation, calling more spirits, beasts and elementals to fight for me. Instead I chose [Water Temple], and thus I am limited only to powers related to water. I¡¯m not really complaining because, without the ability to manipulate and purify water, I would have died way back at the beginning of the plague. Sure, I can also shape things like earth and plants, but it''s nothing compared to what I can do with water. I can manipulate mud or make some plants grow quickly - Circus tricks compared to the infinite number of things I can do with water. In a way, I believe I have a similar fundamental nature to water. We are malleable, adapting to whatever environment we encounter, and we are beneficial to the world and people around us, characteristics that mask our barely visible lethality. I don''t know which came first, my mindset or my affinity with water, but perhaps that is just an excuse for my current mental state. Selene also has the same affinity as me, but underneath all that poison she has in her, there is still a fragile person with "humanity" - Something I clearly don''t have. I can''t lie to myself and say I truly care about those people, that I couldn''t live knowing that I did something "morally horrible" to them, or that I wouldn''t abandon them to ¡°flee¡± alone at the first sign of real danger. Even so, I don''t think my way of thinking is wrong. My instincts tell me I''m right to think selfishly like this, but when I consider my human memories my thoughts and actions seem petty and indulgent. Deceive, lie, and manipulate. Things humans clearly say are bad, but sound as natural and clear as water to me. I believe the reason for this is simply my species. Being a sentient plant, I find that my feelings for other life forms are numbed. I feel nothing towards them, hate, disdain, love, pity - I feel nothing. That still doesn''t stop me from sometimes empathizing with them. I was happy when Selene built the temple, because it was in accordance with my wishes and would help me in realizing my future plans. I feel angry when these annoying people come to my lake, day after day, asking for my blessing when I''m clearly not going to give them anything. I feel... sorry? when I see someone in a miserable situation? I don''t know exactly why, but looking at them with their weak bodies, bruises, and illnesses, and eyes devoid of any will or desire... It makes my roots shiver and I feel a kind of nausea - even without a stomach - which makes me feel sick and very uncomfortable. I think it has something to do with my past life, but I can''t remember, no, I don''t want to remember. There''s no reason to remember something already lost. It''s like looking at pieces of a broken mirror on the floor. Each fragment shows me something, some clearer than others, but they need to be put together like a puzzle, and I don¡¯t think I want to touch them. This broken mirror should stay broken, because I will only hurt myself trying to fix it.
People gathered around an open grave, some are crying, hugging each other, and lamenting, while others whisper amongst themselves. Around this grave are several others, with tombstones made of unremarkable stone with names and dates written on its surface. The place is well cared for, despite not being very large or often visited. It is the cemetery, a little far from the village, but still close enough for my roots to grow throughout it. The cemetery was built outside the village walls and because of this it is not considered a safe place. For that reason, the few people who were here needed to finish what they were doing quickly and return to safety. I noticed a few of Selene''s templars carrying a stretcher holding a cloth-wrapped body towards the open grave. An elderly woman with tanned skin falls to tears on the ground when she sees the body, but the templars can''t stop. Not today, not for this. The body reached the grave and Selene''s templars placed it respectfully inside. They then slowly moved away, giving space to the elderly woman, a younger woman carrying a small child, and a man wearing a look of such deep sorrow that all who saw him felt intense sympathy. Inside the pit was an old man. They can''t see his face now, as he has been completely wrapped in cloth, but I know he was basically an ordinary guy. An ordinary Tiefling, living with his wife, son and daughter-in-law in a small house he used as a workshop for treating animal hides. He was not important, his life was long but devoid of notable successes. He left behind a family now deep in trouble. His work had given them enough to support themselves - they weren''t rich, but they wouldn''t starve. The man''s son will have to take responsibility now, but I don''t think he can do that - he''s just not good enough. Maybe his family will starve for his failing, maybe he will need to beg for help on the city streets, or maybe he''ll find something he''s good at which can support them. Today, however, his family mourns for both the present loss and the uncertain future awaiting them. As the elderly woman grieved, Selene''s templars came close to the open grave while touching the woman¡¯s shoulders. She didn''t want to go, but time waits for no one. Soon, the templars began to cover the pit, using magic to make the walls of the grave collapse until it was covered completely. The woman sobbed once more as the last of the body was hidden from sight. When the templars pointed up to the red sky, the man took the queue and soothed his mother and they all began filing their way back to the village, leaving me alone with my next meal. This cemetery has been a great addition for me. They used to burn the sick and dead, but now, after some mourning and rituals, I get a valuable source of nutrients and ingredients. Since my roots are all over the place, it is easy to enter the graves which are, after all, nothing more than holes in the ground. I can tear the fabric wrapping the bodies with ease and gain access to a feast that can easily feed me for months. All I need to do is wrap my roots around the body and consume it slowly, keeping insects and other predators away. When a skeleton becomes "clean" I can use their bones, horns, and teeth as ingredients in amulets or just as decoration for my cave. Remorse? Pity? Why would I feel this? They are dead, they don''t care what will happen to their bodies. Whether they are eaten, turned into ashes, or turned into amulets, they don¡¯t have an opinion, so why should I leave all the precious resources behind? To "respect" their sacrifice or the grief of their kin? What''s the utility of protecting the feelings of others? And really, the bodies buried here are technically my property. They were buried under my roots, after living under my protection, so it''s only fair that I get something in return when they die. After wrapping my roots around the new body, I redirected my attention to the inside of my cave. I focused on a very special place, devoid of earth and moss, full of stone tablets with magical inscriptions and stone altars I built over years. This was my ritual chamber where I performed magic I copied from Selene. I created an altar made of several stone blocks carved directly from the ground in a cylindrical shape. At the base of the altar were several runes and inscriptions as well as some roots serving as energy suppliers. Around the altar are some small pillars used to add items to the ritual. The floor is covered with magical circles that need to be redone and repaired each session. Looking up it is possible to see some constructions with roots similar to magical chandeliers. Outside the ritual circle was a pedestal with a book made of stone and piles of different materials - bones, teeth, Tiefling horns, rusty metals, precious stones, wood, fabric, and even some complete skeletons which originated from the zombies outside. I used my roots to pick up a few items, gently placing each one on the pedestals before placing a Tiefling¡¯s skull on the altar¡¯s center. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. When I finished placing the ingredients, I closed the last line in the magic circle, causing the floor to start emitting blue light. Soon, I could feel a gentle tug on my energy reserves, and in response I began pumping energy into the altar. Energy began flowing through my roots into the altar, causing blue cracks to appear throughout the stone pillars and making my roots coil even tighter; as it did, the items atop the pedestals rose into the air and began to vibrate with infused energy. Without delay, I forced energy into the formation which pulsed a wave of that energy back outward. In response my mannequin emerged from a puddle of water on the floor and in its hands a large book of stone plaques appeared. Several assorted magical circles filled with strange symbols began to orbit the items placed on the pedestals. The glyphs began to rotate increasingly quickly before abruptly stopping and shattering into several ¡°letters¡± which flew across the room. My water mannequin floated the large stone book in the air with a thin layer of water, and with its arms it began to guide the magic letters back as if it were a conductor guiding their musicians. With each gesture and whisper, more letters dissolved and entered the items on the altar, until the mannequin was satisfied and made one more gesture, causing the entire ritual to enter the final phase. Bones, metals, precious stones, and wood spiraled inwards towards the skull, moving faster and faster until each item lost internal cohesion and flowed into the skull The form of a skull with an embedded bright blue jewel on the forehead supported by bones and metal emerged for the shifting mass. Roots and small stones adorned the sides of the macabre amulet while a blue flame ignited in the skull¡¯s orbital holes. Then the broken horns of the skull reformed with melted metal and wood, its teeth became plated with gold, silver and brass of various metals, while the jewel on its forehead shined blindingly bright. I felt the energy limit I chose for the spell approach, so I cut the mana supply causing the final actions to rapidly accelerate and the ritual to end.
Notice
Congratulations! User created the {Lesser} Artifact: Skull of Eternal Sorrow
Artifact
-=[Skull of Eternal Sorrow]=- Created using remnants of those who are gone, the Skull of Eternal Sorrow carries the suffering and guilt of those it was made from. Upon activating this artifact, all living beings within their reach are inflicted with the [Tired] effect.
  • Affects only targets with 1/3 or less, of the bearer level
  • The holder of this item receives a smaller affinity with [Water] and [Darkness]
''Damn it! Where did it go wrong?'' The item was kind of a "success", in the end i really managed to create an artifact -Even if I don''t know exactly what a artifact is - But the final result was underwhelming. ''This whole ¡®Carries the suffering and guilt of its member'' thing¡­ does this have something to do with me using the remains of Tieflings body''s? Oh come on! They are already dead! Who cares what I do with their bodies? Why does using a bunch of old bones interfered in the final result of my ritual?'' The item isn¡¯t bad totally bad, it¡¯s just that the effect seems to be too vague or weak to be useful. Also its appearance and lore don¡¯t give me any good vibes, but im still surprise how it ended up giving [darkness] affinity, maybe anything to do with bad karma? ''I don''t really want to mess around with the darkness element, even though a fish is better in the bucket than loose in the lake, so perhaps it would be better to understand all the elements and grab all its possibilities'' Studying the strange item created by me, I decide it''s not worth the risk at all. Shadows, darkeness and death, aren''t exactly my area of interest, and [Darkness] seems associated with necromancy or the dead it self, which is currently one of my biggest issues in the form of the zombie plague. After sighing in disappointment, i start to pack up the macabre item in my roots, so I took it to my trash dump in one of the cave room''s, and then tossed it with the remains, bones, stones, scrap metals and of precious stones. After the totaly failure that was this ritual, I felt the need to get involved with something simpler - Something that consistently gives pleasant and satisfactory results. So i directed my attention to the temple recentely created by Selene, and started to grew a small lotus blossom inside a small ring of stones on the temple floor. As the flower opened out of sight of passers-by, I saw people walking through the place as they hung tapestries on the walls, placed carved stone plates, sculpted statues, and more. In the background, I spotted the duo of Selene and Kiro in an open place that gave a direct view of the lake. Fish swam close to the surface among the lily pads and the two were close enough to the lake to touch one of the lake''s flowers. The two were very different from the rest of the crowd, with hair dyed with shades of blue, root tattoos on their bodies, and an air of superiority clear as day. Nothing like the "simpletons" walking around carrying jars, parchment, and pieces of wood. Selene had wrapped a string around her medallion which she attached to her strangely shaped wooden staff and wore her brass bracelet which had accompanied her for several years. Kiiro followed behind, devoid of any magical item or staff, with only his iconic blindfold around his eyes. They seem to get along well. Selene is strict, bossy, and harsh with Kiiro, but it doesn''t reach the level of mistreatment; there is no physical, mental or verbal aggression, just an angry lady trying to pass on her knowledge to a clumsy and slightly distracted boy. "To cast a spell accurately, you must first channel your inner mana and then guide it to your hands, use [Manipulate Energy] to shape a spell, then... HEY!? Are you even paying attention boy?" Scolded Selene as she tugged Kiiro''s ear after he got distracted by the fish eating in the lake. "Ouch! Yes ma''am! I''m paying attention!" Kiiro blatantly lied. Selene just looked at him irritably. The boy sat seiza-style in front of Selene, dressed in new and beautiful clothes which were decorated with flowers, roots and colored with rare dyes extracted from animals and flowers found in the village. Selene seemed irritated by the boy''s slovenly attitude, but not to the point of seriously fighting with him. "Boy! I already told you this is no joke! As one of the lady''s chosen, you must behave and act in a manner consistent with the privileges granted to you!" Selene chastised. "I understand the magic part, it''s really cool to learn that! But why do I have to learn nonsense about etiquette and manners? I thought the lady chose me because she liked me? So why do I need to try so hard!" Kiiro said with a big smile. "Brat, listen here! You were blessed by the lady for 2 reasons: Your raw talent and your unlimited potential, but if you continue with this rude attitude do you think you will get anywhere? Your lack of respect and dedication is hurting you, can''t you see that? You didn''t get an amulet from the lady like I did, nor did you receive a prophetic dream. Don''t be arrogant just because you got a greater blessing!" Selene said, nearly shouting. In response Kiiro just pouted, looking away from her stern gaze as if he could have actually made eye contact. "At least the lady talks to me sometimes and comes when I call. Does she do that for you?" Kiiro questioned mockingly. "This brat! Don''t you understand? This is a golden chance you are throwing out the window! Do you have any idea how many people in this village would beg to speak to the lady once? And you waste this opportunity with...with jokes!" Selene said, irritated. Kiiro didn''t seem hurt or intimidated, as he just toyed around with his hair. Upon seeing this, Selene huffed in frustration before clapping her hands to get his attention again. "Let''s get back to it. Since you were paying attention, Kiiro, tell me, what is the correct way to cast a spell?" Selene said with her arms crossed. "Um, if I''m not mistaken... you need to pull energy from within you, use [Manipulate Energy] to write a spell, and then cast it?" Kiiro said slowly. Selene facepalmed and shot Kiiro a disappointed look. "Very basically, that''s it. But you forgot important steps and variants. To cast a spell correctly, the caster must know how to build and move a magic circle quickly and stably, use part of their personal mana to shape a basic magical formula, and then use specific runes to add purpose to the desired spell. A talisman, grimoire, or magic staff can be used to assist in the spell construction process." Selene said concisely. Kiiro paused for a moment with a neutral expression as he processed the information. "So that''s what staves are for? To help with casting spells?" Kiiro said, turning towards Selene. "Kid! Did you hear a word I said?! Ugh... But to answer your question, yes. Staffs, grimoires, scrolls, or artifacts are "assistants" in casting spells. Some are for more specific uses, such as staves which are solely used to facilitate the casting of spells, while others, such as grimoires or talismans can be used as a pre-written spell caster, a anchor to summon beasts or as containers of spirits." Selene answered. "Wow! But why?" Kiiro asked innocently. "But why what?" Retorted Selene. "Why do staves, grimoires, scrolls or artifacts help cast spells? Can they talk to magic and tell it to do what they want?" asked Kiiro with a lively voice. "Don''t be silly boy, these items are auxiliaries, tools used to increase our control over the world''s natural energy and our own mana reserves." Selene said. "I don¡¯t get it at all ma''am..." Kiiro replied. "Hmpf. Think of your natural mana... like this lake." Selene said, looking through the doorway directly at the lake. "Why the lake?" Kiiro asked. "Just listen, brat. Think of this lake as your natural mana reserve, now lets say that you want to cast a spell. Now, the power of the spell will depend on how much mana you can extract from your ''lake''. How much do you think you can catch with... Your bare hands?" Said Selene as she created a small ball of water in the palm of her hand. "With my hands?" Kirro asked as he ''stared'' at his hands. "I can¡¯t hold a bunch water with them, so it would just be a little bit, I think..." Kiiro replied. "Exactly. Now, imagine the aids are like buckets. With one of them, you can extract much more ''water'' from this ''lake'', right?" Selene said, making the water bubble on her hand grow and shine a sparkling blue. "But, it''s still nothing compared to the entire lake? Isn''t it?" Kiiro replied. Selene seemed surprised by the boy''s response as she placed a hand over her mouth before starting to laugh loudly. "HAHAHA! Boy, you are truly priceless. Of course it''s nothing compared to the whole lake, but don''t you know that those who mess with fire too much end up getting burned, and those who mess with water too much end up drowning? Trying to catch more than you can carry is a mistake. You should not do that under any circumstances since overloading your body with a large output of mana is a quick and easy way to cripple you for the rest of your life. Assistants are just that: Assistants. They''re not the perfect solution, but they still make it a breeze compared to casting spells with just your hands." Selene said between laughs. "Oh! I see. I asked because the lady doesn''t seem to need any assistants.... She keeps doing a lot of things at the same time and playing with magic as if it were a toy, so I thought..." "Brat, don''t compare yourself to the lady, you''ll end up disappointed. The lady is a nature spirit, a type of entity that can control the world around her easily and quickly. We are nothing compared to her!" Selene cut him off as he came close to what she considers heresy. As Selene continued her adoration, Kiiro turned abruptly away. Focusing there, I saw it was Suzuki on her way to the temple to pick up her son. "Lady Selene, my mother is coming. I think I''ll wait for her in front of the temple if that¡¯s ok?" Kiiro asked. "Oh? It¡¯s that late already? Very well. I need to say my prayers too, so we will continue our class tomorrow. You better take it more seriously then, boy!" said Selene as she stood up. Kiiro threw himself on his back on the ground, then rolled to the side, and quickly got up running to the front of the temple, leaving behind a very irritated Selene grumbling about his lack of decorum. Directing my vision to Suzuki, I saw she is much better than before. She exuded a more noble air than in the past, and seemed to have more purpose in her life. Things between her and her husband remained rocky with many verbal conflicts, but Suzuki seems determined to continue her plan. In recent years, Suzuki basically created his own faction, distinct from the nobles who supported Hiraki but with exactly the same purpose: to make someone the king. She managed to attract some nobles to her side, and her popularity with the public helped her gain fame and credibility. Hiraki''s party was ahead in terms of raw power but failed in terms of influence and credibility, while Selene party lacks strong, imposing people and credibility on their cause, but has several socially influential people - exemplary artisans, experienced farmers, lesser nobles, and most importantly, Selene herself. The two remain connected through Kiiro. Suzuki is his mother and, unbeknownst to him, traded her soul to me for protection. Selene dedicates much of her time and resources to him, so much so that the village rumor mill suspects he will be the next leader of the templars. I don''t like to admit it, but that woman is good with her words. She can guide the public opinion of this village like I can manipulate the water in the lake, and if she manages to reach the top, no one will be able to topple her. Seeing the "real" golden Princess made me unexpectedly angry. The irritating feeling I had been deceived by her into making me sign a disadvantageous contract began to grow more and more. Suzuki already got what she wanted, while I need to sit and wait patiently for a payment I don''t even know will be advantageous for me. But seriously, a soul? No matter how I look at it, a soul must be valuable - After all, souls seem to be the "glue" that holds everything together in our bodies. But what if a soul is nothing more than a blob of energy and memories? After all, my soul gave me access to some memories that helped me get through bad times, so perhaps if I had possession of Suzuki''s soul I would have access to all of her memories. Or would it just be an ''object'' I can eat? I admit I was a little anxious back then. I think I should have known better before making this contract, but the payment seemed satisfactory and the price insignificant, so I ran without thinking it through and now I''m stuck between treacherous thorns. Eternal protection. What does this mean exactly? I need to protect Kiiro from all harm, or just try to "protect" him. If so, doesn''t my greatest blessing count as a form of "eternal protection"? After all, he''s forever marked by me, so he''s under my "Eternal protection" in a way or another. But eternal protection doens''t mean I have to keep him alive forever, right? Just that I must make an real effort to try to keep him alive. If the clause in the contract was "keep him alive forever" or "keep him out of harm''s way indefinitely", that would be more problematic, but I don''t know if I can blindly trust the wording precisely. The contract clearly stated "In exchange for Suzuki''s soul" but for some reason I didn''t receive my payment instantly. Instead I needed to wait until Suzuki''s death, something not listed in the contract at all. So either the contract had dishonest hidden clauses, or there are "common senses" in this world contract''s system of which I am unaware. This left me thinking about one possibility: Could Suzuki really deliberately omit parts of the contract? I don''t think it should be possible, but if she really managed to, I was deceived in broad daylight. I don''t have much I can do about it; I can kill Suzuki and take my payment by force, but it wouldn''t change my end of the bargain. The best option seems to be to redo or break the current agreement. After all, I don''t want to have to find out what "Divine Punishment" is for breaking the agreement. ''Can I try to fight fire with fire? If she offered me a pot of honey to trick me, can I try to offer her something she thinks is useful in exchange for updating the contract? Would something like Hiraki''s head, or treasures from the lake be enough? Or perhaps a more direct approach? If I kidnap Suzuki''s husband and use him to blackmail her, wouldn''t I get what I want easily?'' Choices, choices and more choices. Paths that diverge and change, like rivers in the flow of time. I have no way of knowing the safest and most secure path to follow. Lying or using threats can be efficient, but I have a nascent religion going on here; if the people under my control start viewing me in a negative light, things could get complicated for me. ''I think I underestimated Suzuki a little too much. Unfortunately for me, she''s not a lost and miserable lamb, she''s a hungry and greedy wolf.'' I will find a loophole in this contract, and when I do it, I will ensure I will never be fooled again. Chapter 21: Falling Apart Lotus Year 94 Once inside my cave, I begin to assess the fruits of my hard work over the past few years. The underground cave now has real grass! The grassy area stretches beyond my "experiment zone" to the deepest part of the cave¡ªWhere there¡¯s no artificial light. The lake I created in these "plains" is filled with magical water from the skill [Azure Torrent], and various plants, including moss, grass, flowers, vines, vegetables, roots, and other foliage, flourish here. While I wouldn¡¯t claim to have a full plain at my disposal, it¡¯s not far from it. The magical lake has brought life to this place, soaking the ground and air with [Water] affinity, gently influencing everything around it. All the plants have a bluish-green or turquoise hue. The earth is moist but not muddy, and the air is thick with humidity that condenses on the cave walls, forming small drips from the ceiling¡ªA kind of periodic rainfall. The magical lake has also become the favored shelter of my older, and more powerful axolotls. Most of the older axolotls eventually died¡ªEither being eaten by the Tieflings or in territorial fights. Not long ago, Uchiki killed several 10-to-15-year-old axolotls in a dispute for control of the deepest regions of the lake. Unfortunately for the axolotls, Uchiki excels at water manipulation, and being a veteran in the lake gave her a clear advantage. Uchiki is a cowardly fish, often hiding at the bottom of the lake among the sponges, rocks, and algae. But when it comes to fighting for her life, she doesn¡¯t hesitate to give it her all. She took care of the problem swiftly, and now the deepest part of the lake is dominated by carp-like fish. Over the years, Uchiki has had many children and various partners. She¡¯s like a guardian fish, protecting her descendants and similar. The poor axolotls had little choice¡ªEither move into the underground cave, which is saturated with volatile mana, or remain in areas of the lake with lower energy concentration. This was especially hard on the younger axolotls. Those that stayed in the cave couldn¡¯t handle the high levels of ambient mana, and those that stayed in low-energy zones became stunted, weaker, and smaller than their siblings raised in "richer" regions. And beacause of that, most of the weaker''s axolotls ended up as lunch or pets for the Tieflings. Still, the high energy concentration wasn¡¯t all bad. The older generations of axolotls adapted relatively well to these regions and experienced significant growth, particularly four large axolotls that now dominate the magical lake inside the cave. These four have grown to the size of crocodiles, in a way that they no longer resemble conventional axolotls. Their once colorful skin has been replaced by thick leather in varied, faded tones, with some scales strategically placed. Their cute "antennae" from youth have disappeared, replaced by small warts below their simple ears. Their once-adorable black eyes have turned into large, menacing reptilian eyes. They still have retractable teeth, but the older axolotls'' mouths are now filled with serrated teeth that secrete a paralyzing substance. Their legs have grown larger and more muscular, developing threatening claws, while their tails, once adorned with a vertical fin, have transformed into normal reptilian tails with spines. It¡¯s hard to imagine that these strange creatures were once the adorable, gentle little axolotls from the lake. These four "axolotls" may not be cute anymore, but I believe they¡¯re incredibly strong. Even Uchiki avoids clashing with all four at once. They don¡¯t seem interested in fighting her for territory, as they appear content living in the cave, occasionally venturing out to hunt for fish. I¡¯ve given each of them a blessing. Why? Because unlike the whiny Tieflings who feel entitled to my blessings, these four are loyal servants. They don¡¯t care about "greater reasons" to receive a blessing¡ªThey know I provide them with food, shelter, power, and protection, so they obey and naturally respect me. It¡¯s far simpler than dealing with Tieflings, who complicate everything unnecessarily. I¡¯ve even named each of them based on their personalities and behavior. The large axolotl that spends most of her time sleeping on the rocks near the lake is Hirune. She¡¯s a female with a grayish-blue body, white markings, and relaxed, carefree blue reptilian eyes. Then there¡¯s Ikari, a quarrelsome male who fiercely defends his "personal space." He¡¯s larger than most, with an earthy-brown body and blood-red eyes. Next is Suro, a male with a stone-gray body, black spots, and yellow eyes. He once fought Uchiki and lost, but he doesn¡¯t seeked for revenge until now. Instead, he¡¯s like a protector, caring for the smaller axolotls by bringing them food and watching over them during hunts. Last but not least is Chi, a female with moss-green colors, yellow spots, and dark green eyes. Cautious by nature, she would likely be the last to survive in a territorial fight. She relies on patience over brute strength and is even capable of using a bit of magic! Axolotls are clearly more suited for hand-to-hand combat. Their crazy regeneration and innate biological weapons make them efficient fighters, unlike fish like Uchiki, who rely more on magic for daily survival. Uchiki uses magic to create water currents for faster swimming or bubbles to escape tricky situations, but she''s not built for direct combat like the axolotls. However, Chi isn¡¯t the type to "Get her hands dirty." Instead, she surprised me by learning magic¡ªSpecifically, a unusual, poison magic. I¡¯m not sure how she managed to get it, but I imagine it¡¯s similar to how I acquired my water magic. She must have followed the ¡°call¡± of the elements, aligning with something that better suited her needs and natural affinities. Chi¡¯s spells aren¡¯t flashy, or anything between "Magical", but they are certainly lethal. She can create poisonous clouds in the water, infect enemies with toxic scratches, and even cure her siblings from certain types of poison. These four axolotls are essentially the leaders of the magical lake, and I like having them around. While I¡¯m not opposed to sharing or giving up parts of my territory to other forms of life, it''s absolutely essential that I remain the master of this relationship. If I can¡¯t control the creatures that live near me, they aren¡¯t allies¡ªThey¡¯re threats that need to be eliminated or neutralized. The four of them control the cave. Uchiki controls the surface lake, my elementals guard the lake where my main body resides, and my Earthwards manage all the ground where my roots extend. It¡¯s a perfect system. Letting others handle these areas for me is far more efficient than doing it myself. If someone tried to enter the cave through the surface lake, they¡¯d first have to get past a large school of Uchiki''s descendants. While they¡¯re not individually strong, they¡¯re formidable in numbers, and unlike their progenitor, they¡¯re more than willing to fight for their territory. If an intruder managed to enter the cave, they¡¯d face a rain of water elementals and Earthwards, backed up by the axolotls, not to mention dealing with me personally¡ªWhich I don¡¯t plan on letting happen anytime soon. As the cave expands, I¡¯ve started to feel that my main body isn¡¯t as protected as it could be. That¡¯s why I keep digging deeper and deeper. Once I reach a satisfactory depth, I plan to move my main body to the deepest and safest part of the cave. I¡¯ll create more and more areas between the entrance and my chamber, turning it into a labyrinth of caves filled with magical beasts, spirits, and elementals¡ªAll serving to protect me from invaders. "For that, I need to keep digging¡­ But I¡¯m not exactly skilled at drilling through rock''s. It¡¯d be great to get a digging ability or a specialized spell. Sure, I already have a spell to turn rock into mud, but that¡¯s not enough¡ªI need something stronger." My Earthwards are good at digging, but I have about 60 or 70 of them scattered around, and I¡¯d have more if it weren¡¯t for the mana limitations. Unlike water elementals, which are self-sustaining once summoned, Earthwards need to be "recharged." If I create too many of them, I¡¯ll end up draining too much energy trying to keep them "on." "It would be nice if I could create an upgraded version of the Earthwards..."
Lotus Year 95
Notice
The hero''s party defeated the Demon Lord of Plague
Notice
The hero [Emily Ashllen] has died.
Notice
The hero [Jonny Aister] has died.
"FINALLY!" They did it. The heroes finally did it. Unfortunately they died in the process, but they really managed to kill that damn bastard! As if by magic, the blood-red sky began to disappear. The ominous clouds lost their black and red hues, turning into ordinary, harmless white clouds, while the sky once again became blue and peaceful. I watched as several zombies collapsed to the ground while black smoke comes out of they orifices, a sign of the strength in them fading with the death of the demon lord, while others seemed severely weakened by it. The village residents celebrated joyfully, and for the first time in years, I was able to create functional leaves on the surface of the lake again. My leaves spreaded quickly across the water surface, and I finally felt a long-forgotten sensation¡ªThe sweet and soothing touch of sunlight. "Oh!! Good heaven''s, how I missed this feeling..." After so many years without sunlight, the simple act of basking in its warmth brought me a deep sense of comfort, easing the pain of the lost time. Making me remember that i had forgotten just how relaxing and satisfying it is to feel the natural light of the world. "The heroes died... I feel... greate... but... Also... bad for them. I think I had disrespected their efforts all my life. I was so angry at the constant threat of demons, the poison, and the lack of sunlight that I became... bitter. But now... I realize the weight of their sacrifice. You guys may never know how grateful I am for what you had done, but I owe all of you my deepest thanks. At least one of you survived... At least i think she is? The saint. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯ll fare against the next demon lord, but at least she¡¯s alive i guess." Regret washed over me for the way I had once mocked the death of hero Kevin Loopen a few years ago. I was in a bad mood, irritated by my situation, and I made light of his sacrifice. But now, I understand the significance of his actions, and I feel ashamed for what I said about him. "Forgive me... I will at least honor your death and your sacrifice." As a sign of respect, I carefully dragged my roots to a large stone wall in the cave and began carving the names of the heroes one by one. Even if the world forgets their names, I feel it is my duty to remember all of them. To remember their work and their sacrifice. I may not known them, and I may not have admired them before, but now, I¡¯m eternally grateful. If I had been forced to live in darkness for the rest of my life because of that demon lord, I would¡¯ve gone mad. Plants weren¡¯t made to live in darkness. "I wish I knew what they looked like... so I could create statues in their honor. I guess writing their names on a cold stone will have to do. Sorry, but that¡¯s all I have to offer in your''s memory." As the world returned to its natural colors, I continued to sculpt, the feeling of tiredness, anger and sadness seemed to be disappearing for the first time in a long time. I felt lighter, as the Tieflings did. It seems a new era is beginning.
Lotus Year 96 Rain falls from the sky above¡ªA semi natural phenomenon that hasn¡¯t occurred in years. Gray clouds fill the heavens, and a delicate, pure rain showers the earth below. The rain washes over the small village, where simple wooden houses line stone-paved streets. Smoke rises from chimneys, and the warm glow of torches and hearths fills the homes. A few villagers, wrapped in heavy fabric and leather cloaks, walk quietly through the rain-slicked streets. The village is surrounded by a large stone wall¡ªOnce a vital defense in harder times, now standing as a reminder of the past. The walls that were once heavily guarded day and night were now only guarded by a few men who occasionally patrolled the area, while most of the guards rested atop the battlements. Beyond the walls, new homes and streets are under construction. Green fields stretch into the distance, filled with crops and fenced-in animals resembling buffalos. In the distance, young trees are planted in orderly rows acros the road. Inside the walls, a large lake lies nestled against the edge of the village, with a grand black-stone temple at its shore. Stone pathways weave around the temple, where statues of a mysterious figure stand guard. The lake glows with mystical light, dotted with magical flowers and surrounded by dense vegetation resting peacefully on its surface. The people around the temple are always busy, rushing back and forth, scrolls and books clutched under their arms. Curiously, all of them wear pure white robes embroidered with floral, water waves, and roots patterns¡ªA sharp contrast to the dark temple they work on. Despite the rain, none of them seem to be geting wet by it. Upon closer inspection, the raindrops slide off their clothing without soaking them for some reason. Some carry objects embedded with glowing blue jewels, while younger members simply wear their cloaks. Outside the village walls, a small dirt road leads south toward a melancholic field. There, rows upon rows of stones mark the village cemetery. Flowers, vases, and handmade wooden statues adorn the graves. Life thrives here, with roots, leaves, and green grass covering the ground. Among the headstones, some people kneel in prayer, while others leave offerings for their departed loved ones. This is Mysticfall, or so that''s how the villagers call this place ¡ªA place brimming with magic, protected by a great spirit of nature. It stands as the promised land for its people, a fresh beginning born from the ashes of the fallen Cidervill.
I love the rain i always loved. I like sunlight, of course, and I enjoy bathing in moonlight even more, especially on rare full-moon nights. But rain is comforting, calming me like nothing else. So i used [Call Storm] to summon this rain. It took a few weeks, but eventually, it came. The rain stirs the water element, making water magic flow more easily while suppressing other elements like earth, air, and fire. My temple is thriving, and even little Kiiro is growing into a stubborn, mischievous teenager. I must admit, the boy has talent with magic. He can walk on water and create simple things like water blades, bubbles to drown enemies, and water projectiles. It¡¯s not impressive by my standards, but compared to the other youths in the village, Kiiro is quite powerful. Selene and I have both been teaching him¡ªShe focused on more academic lessons, while I showed him how to trust his instincts and use magic practically. I¡¯m not sure why, but people here don¡¯t seem to know how to use magic in an "improvised" way. For example, I can sense someone approaching and easily trap them in a water bubble or create water chain''s to immobilize them without any effort. While, most people at best, can only use magic in the way they''ve been trained to. A mage who learns offensive magic can only use it offensively, while a defensive mage sticks to defensive spells. Even experienced mages have their specialties. Take Selene, for example¡ªShe excels in incantations and spellcasting but struggles with pure water manipulation. This is ridiculous for me. I¡¯m incredibly versatile¡ªI can manipulate water offensively, defensively, or even in a utilitarian way, all with equal mastery. It¡¯s like they don¡¯t understand the limitless potential of each individual element. Water is excellent for attack and individual use, but it falls short when it comes to defense. Earth, on the other hand, is perfect for defense and has great practical value, but it¡¯s not really suited for offense. Your best options are either trowing a rock at your enemy -Something that is not discreet at all. Fire is exceptional for attack¡ªMost living beings are vulnerable to it¡ªBut it¡¯s lacking in everyday utility and isn¡¯t great for pure defense. However, its destructive power more than makes up for those weaknesses. Air is probably the most flexible element. It¡¯s great for offense, evasion, and utility. Air users can use that to manipulate other elements in the world or deflect upcoming attacks, making them surprisingly strong defenders. Still, it amazes me how people can''t seem to master the full scope of their elements. They either go all-in on one aspect or another, ignoring the rest. Take Kiiro, for example. He¡¯s been training under my guidance, and I have to say, he¡¯s not bad. He¡¯s good at using water for attack and mobility, but he struggles with shaping it for more creative or practical uses. He can¡¯t, for instance, create a water mannequin like I can, or form water into furniture, fish, or objects. But Kiiro excels in something I didn¡¯t expect¡ªSpiritualism. He¡¯s quite skilled at controlling water elementals and using his little water spirit with impressive finesse. The contract with Suzuke still haunts me, though. I fear that if Kiiro can¡¯t protect himself, I¡¯ll be the one who gets hurt in the end. That¡¯s why I need to find a way to shield him, something that fits his unique strengths and needs. And I already know the answer¡ªA water spirit. If I could create a strong enough water spirit to guard Kiiro, I¡¯d feel much more at ease. But there¡¯s one major problem: I can¡¯t summon spirits. I don¡¯t know how to call one or how to bind it to Kiiro. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. So that brings me to plan B¡ªWater Elementals. They¡¯re easier to control, and if I can create a powerful one to protect Kiiro, I can keep an eye on him and safeguard him, even from a distance. The challenge? How do I hide a water elemental? I can¡¯t just have an elemental hovering around Kiiro 24/7. That would be way too obvious, not to mention inconvenient. The elemental needs to provide discreet, behind-the-scenes protection, not broadcast its presence like a beacon. Which brings me to now¡ªStanding in front of my creation altar, surrounded by a pile of failed attempts, frustration boiling over. "The goal is simple: create an artifact that can house an elemental. So why is this so difficult?" I¡¯ve made several items that can grant a minor affinity with water, provide temporary abilities, or store small amounts of pure energy, but nothing that works for this specific situation. "What am I missing? What do I need to change to get this right? I¡¯ve experimented with different ingredients, adjusted the energy inputs, even modified the ''data'' in each item, but nothing seems to work. Maybe the ritual itself isn¡¯t suited for creating what I need?" Feeling disheartened, I shift my focus to the magical lake. The axolotls rest peacefully among the rocks, while lush, green vegetation thrives around them. Insects crawl on the ground and fly through the air, accompanied by tiny, glowing blue orbs that hum softly, their sounds meaningless and unconnected. The small lights are the result of my [Azure Torrent] spell¡ªweak water elementals born peacefully from the lake''s enchanted waters. They¡¯re fragile creatures, too underdeveloped to maintain physical forms or follow even simple commands. They live here, feeding off the cave¡¯s natural energy, slowly growing into full-fledged elementals over time. ¡°Wait a minute... what if I...?¡± Using my roots, I pull metal, jewelry, and some colorful stones from deep within my ¡°trash bin,¡± carefully placing each item on the pedestals that surround the cave''s ritual altar. After meticulously carving and correcting the errors in the magic circle, I harness my energy manipulation to draw the small elementals toward the altar. Without hesitation, I activate the ritual. The magic circle etched on the floor begins to glow with a vibrant blue light as I channel my energy. The ritual unfolds seamlessly, and soon I reach the critical moment¡ªthe point when the items start melting and merging. As the jewels, stones, and metal magically coalesce, I compress the elementals into a single sphere of energy. Soon, muffled screams and whispers fill the air as the elementals begin to unite. I focus, condensing the small, feeble ball of blue energy until it¡¯s ready. Then, I gently drop it onto the amalgamation of magical items above the ongoing ritual. As soon as the energy sphere makes contact, the forming item begins to distort strangely, pulsating like a heartbeat and emitting a peculiar energy. Suddenly, the sounds of screaming and crying erupt from the creation. ¡°Damn it! I messed up!¡± In an instant, the pulsating amalgamation explodes, scattering shards and debris everywhere. Smoke and dust rise amid the chaos, and I can feel a disturbance in the cave''s natural energy, as if a small bomb had detonated underwater, sending ripples across the surface. When the dust settles, I¡¯m shocked to see the altar completely obliterated and fragmented, with large sections of the magic circle carved into the floor damaged. Debris and fragments litter the ground, smoke still curling from the remnants of the altar, mingling with the acrid smell of burnt metal and earth. ¡°A failure... but not entirely?¡± Winding my roots like snakes, I soon come across a peculiar, half-destroyed object¡ªA bizarre blend of blue stones interlaced with golden veins, metal, and grayish-blue fragments.
Description
[Nature''s Junk] The flawed result of trying to fuse a nature spirit with natural elements.
''The flawed result? Does this mean that it is really possible to unite an elemental with these items?'' As they say, failure is the mother of success.
Notice
Do you want to fuse the skills [Earthward Caller] and [Aquatic Allies]?
I¡¯ve thought extensively about how to create an item or amulet that can house a spirit, elemental, Earthwarden, or mana creature. Earthwardens are relatively simple; their cores are made from magical gems sourced from the lake, and they can enter a ¡°discreet¡± mode by transforming into balls of earth. However, this isn¡¯t very practical, as carrying around stone balls would be inconvenient. Elementals can do something similar, especially water elementals. A water elemental can use mud to take on a solid physical form, and they can disguise themselves with cloth, sponges, jars, containers, or even living creatures. As long as they have an appropriate environment, they can remain hidden in their pure water form, but this requires energy and emits a distinct aura that practically shouts, ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± Higher-level elementals are even less discreet; the more powerful the elemental, the harder it is for it to conceal its presence. So, this option isn¡¯t the safest. Then there are spirits. I know very little about them, their nature, powers, or magical abilities. What I do know is that they resemble elementals, but unlike elementals, spirits seem to possess consciousness and a will of their own. The wind fairy that the green-haired man summoned in the past appeared to be a spirit, though it could also be a high-level elemental. Given its reactions and autonomy, I would bet on it being a spirit. Now, the question that keeps nagging at me is: How does one summon a spirit? I tried to sneak a look at Lettuce Head¡¯s little pocketbook, but he always keeps it close. I¡¯m not keen on starting a conflict with the nobles just out of curiosity. Maybe I could trade some trash for the book, but if the magical formulas inside turn out to be useless to me, I¡¯d just look foolish and give the wrong idea to this people. So, the next best option is to evolve my skills until I unlock one that allows me to summon spirits, or to test my luck at the star shop in hopes of acquiring such a skill. Both options are bold and unreliable; expecting to find something specific at the star shop is like hoping for rain in the desert. ¡°Yes!¡±
Notice
The skills [Earthward Caller] and [Aquatic Allies] had fused in the skill [Mudskipper Caller]
Skill
[Mudskipper Caller] - Lv 1 Use an anchor to summon a Mudskipper, the summoned creature can grow over time as it absorbs magical energy into its core.
¡°Well... Agood failure? Not exactly what I wanted, but it could be useful. First of all.... What the hell is a Mudskipper? Are they elementals, spirits, or just living creatures?¡± As I analyzed the skill, I soon grasped its basic functions. The ¡°anchor¡± mentioned in the skill is akin to the ¡°heart¡± of the Earthwardens¡ªA magical object that serves as the primary core of a magical creature. ¡°Could the jewels from the lake serve that purpose?¡± While jewels work well as hearts for Earthwardens, using them as anchors for Mudskippers? I¡¯m not so sure it¡¯ll work... Instead of dwelling on the uncertainty, I drag my roots through the cave until I reach the magical shells nestled within the lake where my main body resides. I approach a large brown shell covered in algae and slime and give it a gentle touch. At my touch, the shell delicately opens, releasing a small wave of bubbles to reveal a large, uniform blue jewel growing within its soft light blue body. Carefully, I extract the jewel and carry it to the shores of the small magical lake. I begin to activate my new skill, and in a flash, a torrent of magical energy flows from my main body into the jewel, which now glows intensely with a pale blue light. In moments, mud, slime, and algae rise from the ground, delicately wrapping around the magical jewel that pulses with magical energy. Before long, the mud and slime accumulate, forming a sizable ball that slowly begins to take shape. The ball morphs into a lizard-like creature, complete with a thick tail coiling around itself in a spiral, four small limbs reminiscent of pig''s legs, a slender body adorned with stone-like scales, and a delicate face topped with a tuft resembling fins. The creature possesses two large black eyes but lacks a nose or a proper mouth. Once fully formed, it gently falls to the ground. A tongue made of mud emerges from a hole that suddenly opens in the spot where its mouth should be, shamelessly licking its own eye. The little creature quickly retracts its tongue, causing its ¡°mouth¡± to vanish once more. It begins to explore the cave, moving its head in astonishing directions before shaking itself like a wet dog and wandering carefreely through the space. The creature wandered around, completely indifferent to the presence of the elderly axolotls, other creatures, or even my main body. It moved along the walls with the same ease as it did across the floor, magically sinking into the damp earth of the cave and vanishing, leaving behind only a small mound of wet soil. Soon, it reached my makeshift trash can and did something that left me speechless. Upon discovering the blue stones I had "saved," the little creature eagerly swallowed small pieces, as a satisfied expression crossing its face, before violently shaking its body. Moments after consuming the strange rocks, its body made of mud and algae began to transform. Blue and gold scales, mirroring the color and texture of the stones, sprouted across its material form. It grew larger until the mud and slime were fully replaced by blue stones veined with gold and white. Once the transformation was complete, the creature resumed its odd habit of licking its own eye with a tongue still made of mud. Then, it burrowed into the floor of my garbage dump, leaving only its head exposed while the rest of its body sank into the cave floor. It looked like a crocodile floating in a lake, but instead of swimming through water, it moved through the land. Its unique coloration allowed it to blend seamlessly with the surrounding rocks, making it exceptionally camouflaged. ¡°Wow... What an interesting little creature! I think I¡¯ll call him Hyeo! He seems oddly cute to me for some reason. I still need to test his defensive and offensive capabilities, but that can wait. The skill clearly states they grow stronger over time, so I¡¯ll give him time to ''mature.''"
Today is a special day for me. Why? Well, it could be because it''s another beautiful day without the disgusting presence of filth demons! Or maybe because a large bird visited the lake today¡ªSomething that hasn¡¯t happened in decades! Or perhaps it''s simply because I feel alive, healthy, and satisfied. There¡¯s no longer the stench of death in the air, and the land is far easier to purify than it used to be. Every day, there are fewer and fewer zombies in the world! Amalgams of flesh? Gone. Rotten, poisonous zombies? Practically extinct! Soil and air contaminated with demonic rot? Never again! I never imagined I could be in such a good mood! But that''s not the only reason today is special. Today is important because Selene and her group of templars are organizing a small "festival"¡ªSomething done under my guidance. Some time ago, I asked Selene to find unique talents¡ªNot just for battle, but people skilled in magic, administration, learning, research, teaching. Anyone I could use! She spent weeks preparing for this event, which is essentially a massive talent show! Near the lake, close to the temple, flower-adorned banners are spread throughout the area. A large grandstand has been set up for the public, and in front of it, there¡¯s a rough stadium made of wood and stone¡ªNot meant to be permanent. The whole place is packed with people chatting while a small group waits behind the stadium. The people gathered behind the stadium carried a variety of items¡ªSome held weapons, tools, books, crude instruments, while others had nothing at all. These were the candidates for the talent show, and the winner would earn the "honor" of becoming a full member of the temple. The first Templars were "fortunate." They were taken under Selene''s wing and are now part of the most "influential" institution here. Nowadays, to become a Templar, one must possess magical talent and be chosen by an existing Templar as their "master." Since only the powerful Templars have the authority to recruit, the number of new members remains low¡ªMainly because the Templars are highly... selective. They only accept individuals with magical abilities, and even then, their preferences are often shaped by class. Templars from humble origins tend to take on disciples of similar backgrounds, while those from noble origins only choose disciples from noble families. Given that nobility often has more magical talent, the Templars are largely composed of people from higher social standings. Selene works hard to prevent a "coup d''¨¦tat" from the nobility, but it''s difficult to turn away talented recruits. As a result, most new members are "lesser" nobles¡ªPeople who once had some wealth or property in their former cities. However, there are no Templars of true "high nobility" like the Crying Woman, the Head of the Alfasse, or the Old Man of Bronze. This makes it difficult for commoners and the untalented to enter the organization. The talent show is an attempt to recruit individuals for smaller, more specialized roles, such as teachers, artisans, or alchemists¡ª Positions essential to the temple but outside the realm of magic, which most Templars prefer to avoid. Today is a perfect day for the festival. The sun is shining bright, and I can hear laughter and lively conversations from the streets of Mysticfall''s. People gather as they climb into the stands. Nobles discreetly arrive to observe, while the common folk and working class eagerly fill the seats without a care. The crowd is diverse¡ªChildren, pre-teens, and young adults are common, as families now often have three to five children. Elderly folks wander peacefully through the grounds, while some of the candidates backstage nervously prepare themselves. Among the group, a few stand out. There''s a young girl with clothes stained by who knows what, carrying clay jars and pots strapped to her belt. She wears thick, cracked glasses inherited from her late grandmother. Then there''s a tall, robust man, hauling stones in an old sack. And finally, a teenage girl, thin to the point of looking malnourished, with rustic, faded horns, pink skin, and purple hair. Her yellow eyes are striking, and she carries a flute made of rusty metal¡ªLikely to be one of the few ''relics'' that survived the fall of her last city. Though the flute shows signs of wear and patches, it''s clearly well cared for. The girl wears a worn, faded cloak and has an aura of sadness surronding her, as if she¡¯s on the verge of giving up on everything. Yet, she grips her flute tightly with her thin, fragile hands. Soon, the show begins, led by one of Selene''s Templars. The early performances are simple¡ªBasic magic tricks, a crude mix of innate abilities and learned skills, but nothing impressive. They failed to catch my attention. Then, a woman in her 50s, carrying a thick book with a worn cover, takes the stage. She calmly walks to a small bench, sits down, and begins to read. As she recites the words, small magical images materialize in the air¡ªWords, shapes, numbers. It''s similar to my magical illusions, though more of a magical "projection" than an illusion. Her talent as a mentor and educator shines through the crowd, as she captivates the audience atention with ease. I remember her, when she arrived here she was nobody, even to this day she is nobody. Just another survivor trying to escape the clutches of death, she worked for years as a cook, and occasionally gave classes to groups of children, teaching them basic things like reading and writing. And it was from there that she developed this talent over the years, she always seemed like someone who "Doesn''t fit into a group of warriors", that is, someone who survived by siding with the right people, which shows me that even though she is physically weak, she has a good head on her shoulders, she probably did some administrative or non-combat work before the "event". Everyone is fixated on her, and it doesn¡¯t take long for me to decide to grant her a standard blessing. When the mark of a lotus flower magically appeared on the woman''s chest, the audience began to applaud as a Templar announced her acceptance into the temple. A short showcase followed, featuring a mix of mediocre and talented performers. Some were disappointed and upset when they weren''t "chosen." Out of over 30 participants, I selected just four: the elderly woman, a girl who made potions, a nurse who worked with Suzuke, and a muscular man who lifted heavy stones with ease. By the end, it was late, and only one performance remained¡ªThe young girl with her faded flute. There¡¯s not much to say about her. She¡¯s a commoner who once lived with her family, but one by one, they all died¡ª Disease, hunger, dangerous work, you choose¡ª Until only she was left behind. Now, she lives in a stable, working as a coachwoman for a farmer¡¯s family. She works for food and shelter. It¡¯s not a happy life, but she do what it takes to survive. I don¡¯t remember her name; I never bothered to rememeber a name of worthless people. I only recall her because I¡¯ve occasionally heard her flute in the village. To be honest, her playing is... Mediocre at the best. She¡¯s out of tune, lacks skill, and shows no passion. Despite years of playing, she hasn¡¯t improved, and frankly, I have little faith in her. The girl slowly climbed onto the stage, walking hesitantly on the wooden floor that creaked with every step. She sat down heavily on the bench placed in the middle of the stage, gripping her flute tightly and staring at the ground. After a long pause, the head Templar gave an impatient cough, jolting her from her thoughts. She raised the flute to her lips, takes a deep breath, closed her eyes, and began to play. What followed was unlike anything I had expected. This was no ordinary melody. Her music carried harmony, rhythm, and passion¡ªIt was telling me a story. The air was soon filled with a delicate, clear rhythm¡ªFast, but not rushed. As the music continued, I felt something unusual¡ªA weight in my chest, like a gentle pressure across my body, followed by a shiver acros my roots. Then, a memory surfaced. ... ... People. So many people, dressed in beautiful, formal clothes, their faces blurred by erratic, dark scribbles. The scene was faded, like an old photograph drained of color. I could hear voices, but their words were unintelligible. The setting seemed to be a busy street or square, filled with a chaotic mix of sounds. For some reason, I felt pain across my body. My vision was blurry, my head ached, and though I wore a coat, it wasn¡¯t cold. I felt exhausted¡ªsad, even¡ªbut I kept moving, stumbling through the crowd. Then, amid the noise, a soft, delicate melody reached me. I followed it, slowly weaving through the crowd going after the melody, and soon came upon a water fountain¡ªAn angel-shaped figure pouring water into the air. The fountain, made of white stone, was cracked and weathered, covered in graffiti, coins inside, and trash on the water. But what caught my attention was the man standing before it. His face, like the other''s, was tangled in black scribbles, and he played an old, worn flute. Despite his shabby appearance, his music was beautiful, filled with passion. At his feet lay a hat, along with a sign asking for help, surrounded by crumpled bills and coins. I stood there, listening, lost in the music amid the bustling crowd. For the first time in a long while, I felt... Happy. People passed by, few stopping to listen, but I stayed, rooted in ground, absorbing every note i heared. Time seemed to freeze somehow. The noise of the crowd continued, but the flute¡¯s melody cut through it with easy, offering me a small, fleeting moment of peace. And for a while, the music made me forget I was alone. ... ... When I came back to my senses, the girl''s performance was still going. The music hadn¡¯t stopped any moment, and the audience watched intently¡ªSome in awe, others bored, a few impressed. Her music wasn¡¯t special; It wasn¡¯t magical or useful for the village, and it clearly wasn¡¯t the kind of performance anyone would pay for. But still¡­ A memory? A... happy memory? I... No... The performance continued, each delicate, flowing note carrying the weight of the girl''s miserable beauty. Her sadness, misery, regret, loneliness, and anger bled into every part of her melody. You only had to stop for a single moment, to really look, really hear... And you¡¯d feel it too¡ªEverything hidden behind this miserable image. ¡®U-Ugh¨C¡¯ If I could grab my head with my hands right now I would. The memories keep repeating themselves, fragmented into waves that never stop beating against my head. I tried to stop listening, tried to stop remembering, tried to stop feeling like this. But no matter what I do, I have too many eyes and too many ears all over the place and I can''t stop listening to this damn music. My head hurts as I try to cover my nonexistent ears, and close my eyes so I can forget about this life that was left behind, but I can''t. The music doesn''t stop playing. I look at these broken pieces of memories, disjointed and fragmented. The scene of the man playing in front of a beautiful water fountain starts to freeze. I can see blurs and strange lights, like the image of a VHS tape that freezes. I soon hear a voice calling me in the background; I can''t understand the voice of whoever is calling me, but I feel scared, stuck and incredibly stressed. My hands are ringing, my heart is beating fast, the owner of the mysterious voice is approaching from the crowd. I can''t see his form, or hear him properly - his voice is all distorted and glitchy, and his form is all stained black. His only distinguishable feature is his large, cold, red eyes. I-I don¡¯t want to remember! Stop!! STOP NOW!! SOMEONE MAKE IT STOP! Behind the bleachers, unnoticed by the captivated crowd, a massive sphere of water rose from the lake. It quietly shifted and stretched, forming a large arm with an open hand made entirely of water. Moments later, the audience began to notice something dripping from above, followed by the sudden appearance of a shadow that hadn¡¯t been there before. When they looked up, they were met with the sight of a giant, open palm, completely made of water. Moss, algae, fish, and tadpoles swam within the liquid limb. In an instant out of nowhere, the massive hand came crashing down on the crowd, and the haunting melody was drowned out by screams and panicked gurgling from those caught beneath the deluge. And finally, the music stopped. Chapter 22: Unpleasant Talk Lotus Year 96 Amidst the wreckage and mud, I can see and hear the screams of fear and people running. As I lift the arm of water, I see those left behind in the mud, their faces stained with dirt and blood. I see fear. But all I feel is indifference towards their misfortune. All I want is to forget. I don¡¯t want to remember these things. I can¡¯t face these broken pieces that make me feel like trash. Why is it so hard to forget? Why don¡¯t these memories just die with the body? Why do I have to live with this, with the fear and dread of recalling something unpleasant? These memories just don¡¯t disappear. I don¡¯t want to play anymore. This game has lost its fun, and it¡¯s time for it to end. Following my will, the great arm of water rises to the sky once more, now stained with mud, blood, and grass. It rushes toward the stadium, where a young woman watches the situation in terror. The massive limb of water, hurtling toward her, begins to shake violently before exploding into waves of water and foam. From the remnants, currents of water slither like snakes toward the girl, wrapping around her limbs and immobilizing her. The icy currents connected to the lake slowly start pulling her toward the water. She screams and cries, but the currents keep dragging her through the mud and rocks. Just when it seems she¡¯ll be pulled to the lake¡¯s bottom, a slash comes out of nowhere, breaking the currents and causing them to dissolve into puddles around her. "Don¡¯t get in my way!" I turn to see Hirake, his amber eyes fixed sharply on the lake. He holds his rapier, as if challenging me. The lake bubbles in response, and hands made of pure water surge toward Hirake without hesitation. He skillfully cuts them down, dodging and counterattacking with ease. Hirake activates a magic amulet on his belt, sending a shockwave toward the water hands, destabilizing them. But I use my control over the area to suppress the amulet. Since it was created using my magical energy, it obeys my will and cracks abruptly, halting the shockwave. "GO AWAY!" I launch my attack again. Hands, blades, bubbles, and projectiles of water and magic shoot toward Hirake, but he continues to fend them off with mastery. When he tries to cut a large water projectile, his rapier passes through it as if hitting nothing. Amazed, Hirake looks back to see the large projectile tremble strangely before dissolving into a mound of light, leaving his rapier slicing only air. With no time to react, Hirake looks forward and realizes that among the truly dangerous projectiles are completely harmless illusions, impossible to distinguish. His face darkens as he grasps the situation. In response, Hirake unleashes a strange power, causing his rapier to create a shockwave that sweeps away all the water hands, whether real or illusion. By now, the people have fled, leaving only Hirake, seemingly fighting against the lake. Amidst the algae and roots, a shape begins to rise¡ªa lady made entirely of water reveals herself to those who remain. Unlike her usual featureless face, this time, she has a complex expression: large watery eyes with heavy dark circles, thin lips closed in sadness, and a small, delicate nose. Her face is both fragile and devoid of emotion, overshadowed only by her large witch''s hat. Hirake stares at the lady in perplexity, not expecting her appearance. He watches as she begins to cry. Tears stream down her water-formed face, making her look hurt, even miserable. But contradicting her harmless appearance, the creature¡¯s face distorts bizarrely. Her delicate, gloomy expression morphs into a monstrous mouth, impossibly wide, emitting a shrill, distorted cry. Those who hear the crying wish they hadn¡¯t. The sound doesn¡¯t cause harm, but it leaves a mark on everyone¡¯s memory. The creature continues her bizarre wailing for a few moments before her face reverts to its previous, delicate form. More tears run down her face, disappearing into her body like a mirage. Black clouds and the sound of cracking wood are visible not far away. The entity¡¯s crying mixes with the screams and the threatening rain clouds. Without time to react, an arrow made of water speeds toward Hirake, coming from some hidden place among the lake¡¯s leaves and branches. The arrow flies straight for his heart. Hirake freezes momentarily, then quickly assumes a defensive stance, bracing for the attack. But to his surprise, the threatening magical projectile made of water and crackling energy simply ignores his unprotected armor and flies past him. Hirake turns back to find the arrow¡¯s true target¡ªnot a living being, but an old, inanimate object: a rusty, patched metal flute. The impact of the arrow opens a hole in the ground, shattering the flute into several pieces beyond repair. Confused, Hirake turns once more to the lady, as if asking her true purpose. But instead of an answer, he sees the flowers and leaves of the lake wither. Their previous splendor dries up like tears in fire, and soon the lake, once full of life, becomes a large pit of dead plants and twisted roots. Hirake looks at the scene in astonishment, then back at the lady in frustration, searching for answers. But all he sees is her trembling and vibrating before bursting like a bubble and disappearing into the lake. When it¡¯s all over, nothing is the same. A day that seemed to promise festivities and joy has instead brought only sadness and melancholy.
Lotus Year 96 I feel horrible, like I''ve ruined everything¡ªyears of hard work, patience, and meticulous planning, all dissolving like water. The faith Mistyfall once had in me seems to be wilting like an old flower. Selene is doing her best to minimize the damage, but the nature of the event, the way it happened, and my reaction... none of it helps her much. Many people have come to the temple to complain. Selene prays and tries to talk to me, trying to understand my senseless actions. Suzuke is now facing problems with Hirake, and this incident has painted me as an unstable and dangerous entity¡ªsomething to be contained, not worshipped. The bitter words and murmurs from the nobles only fuel the fire. These people¡¯s hearts change as easily as the waters of a lake; one moment, they''re happy and grateful that I¡¯m here, and the next, I¡¯m a savage monster. I have no excuse for my actions. I don''t usually act on emotions, but when I do, I tend to overdo it. I was angry, scared, remorseful, guilty, maybe... It was all so complex and chaotic that I didn''t care about the consequences. I just wanted that damn music to stop. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone; I just wanted to destroy that stupid flute and forget these strange memories. But now, it all seems so petty and selfish. I played god with these people, pretending to control them and the world when I can¡¯t even control myself. Do I still remember that I was human? Or something like them? I recall general information and important things, but I don¡¯t remember my face, my name, or my story. I never wanted to remember them. The human me died, rotted, and from that body, a new me blossomed. So why should I keep looking back at this dead person, searching for answers, when I have a whole new life to worry about? Sometimes, I feel like these human memories don¡¯t do me any good. I feel like if they weren¡¯t here, I¡¯d make better decisions, act more precisely and clearly. It¡¯s as if my body, soul, and mind are three different parts with no harmony, tied and glued together in a haphazard way, forced to coexist. My mind doesn¡¯t agree with my body, my body can¡¯t work with my soul, and my soul doesn¡¯t want to be here. I feel like a collage of mismatched pieces, trying to live this life concisely and peacefully, but my body craves more¡ªmore resources, more space, more food, more energy. My mind refuses to push past certain limits that should be easy for me to break. In the end, I¡¯m left juggling between body and mind, trying to please both equally. Logically, I know the simplest solution is a public apology, giving away some treasures, and staying low for a few years until everything is forgotten. But I still feel like killing them all, making them disappear from this earth, going back to the days when all I had to worry about was collecting star points. But I also know enough to see the value in Tieflings as long-term servants. If I can ingratiate myself into their culture and customs, becoming the center of their lives, I could gain an entire nation that would protect me with their lives and worship me enough to bring resources from faraway places. But apologizing feels so wrong to me. I don¡¯t want to bow my head to them and admit I was wrong, even though I was completely wrong. I don¡¯t want them to see a fragile, sensitive side of me. I need to be perfect¡ªa strong, glorious, and fearsome being, not a pathetic entity that apologizes to mortals. I¡¯ve been here since the very beginning; this is my home. I can¡¯t leave, even if I wanted to. If I start bowing to anyone who shows up here, I¡¯ll be suppressed, maybe even contained. This is my fault, all my fault. I was stupid to think this could work. All of this¡ªthis pathetic make-believe. Why did I think I could live with them? Why did I think it was okay to play god? I can¡¯t even take care of myself, let alone them. Can I start over? Leave them all to fate and bury myself in my cave until a new promising group appears? I¡¯d still have to take care of Kiiro, but it¡¯s an option... No, that¡¯s not realistic. It¡¯s just pushing the problem under the rug. I can¡¯t make the same mistake again. I need to act, not wait for the world to move around me... Wait... What if I... An idea comes to me. The current problem is that people fear me and respect Hirake. I don¡¯t need to make people love me again to win; I just need them not to hate me. And there¡¯s an easy and direct way to do that. A deal with Hirake. He has already sought my protection and ¡°wisdom.¡± I can work with that. Suzuke probably won¡¯t like it, but I can make Hirake king on the condition that he protects me. I can offer him my protection and magical abilities. Hirake is sensible and reasonable. If I offer him a stable base to build the monarchy he desires, I¡¯ll get what I want. I can offer him jewels, magical amulets, aquatic beasts, and even secrets about his enemies. After all, nothing happens here without my knowledge. We can claim that Hirake ¡°calmed the lady¡¯s fury¡± or ¡°sealed¡± her, allowing us to work together for many years until this story is forgotten. Kiiro may not become king as his mother wishes, but it¡¯s possible to marry him into the royal family if Hirake has daughters. Thanks to Suzuke¡¯s efforts, Hirake is currently at a stalemate in the fight for the throne. If Kiiro were to ascend as Suzuke wishes, I have no doubt that Hirake would be exiled or even executed to avoid any conflict. But if I serve as the bridge between them, I can ensure they don¡¯t kill each other and work together. Suzuke will follow my lead if I push the right buttons, and Hirake has the character to make hard decisions for political reasons. The most dangerous part of this plan is the nobles. They are an unpredictable factor, and I have no reasonable way to contain them or tie them to me. Of course, I can try to buy some nobles with empty promises and treasures, but they¡¯re a volatile element I don¡¯t feel ready to handle. It¡¯s a bold plan, relying entirely on Hirake¡¯s goodwill. I have a few noble secrets I¡¯ve overheard, but nothing substantial enough to bind him to me. I don¡¯t like the sound of it, but it¡¯s better than letting the nobles run wild and instigate chaos. Time is on my side¡ªthe healer of all wounds. It makes everything forgotten, swept away into oblivion. I just need to buy time. When my popularity is high again, I can continue with my plan.
-={The Lost One and the Fool}=- Inside a stone and wood room, a man with purple hair sits at a table, examining an object broken into pieces and wrapped in an old cloth. This object is an old flute, which for some reason provoked the "lady" so intensely that she revealed herself publicly and attacked a crowd. There shouldn¡¯t be any reason for the "lady" to be so upset by the flute. If the music were the issue, the attack would have happened long ago, as many people sing to their children or play instruments that survived the red plague. Yet today was different; for some unknown reason, the calm and seemingly harmless music sparked the "lady"''s fury, and Hirake wanted to understand why. Hirake is no fool. He knows the "lady" is not a deity or a miraculous being but rather closer to a nature spirit¡ªa guardian spirit. These beings are generally beneficial to nature and the world, but they may be dangerous to those who interact with them. Nature spirits like dryads, ents, nymphs, and gnomes can coexist with humanoids, sometimes even interacting amicably, but they always act in their own interests. Dryads, for instance, feed on lost travelers, keeping them alive in their real bodies for months while slowly draining their life force. If you find a dryad in the midst of a "meal," she may not attack you, but if you encounter her decoy during hunting season, she will drag you deep into the forest and immerse you in dreams while feeding on your body. Ents are peaceful until someone intrudes on their territory. As guardians of ancient forests, they attack anything that doesn¡¯t "belong there." They can be pacified with the right methods, but they are usually hostile toward strangers. Nymphs, closely related to spirits, are tied to specific aspects of nature¡ªmountains, lakes, forests, or valleys¡ªrather than specific elements. They often give rise to entities like dryads, naiads, and faeries. Generally, nymphs don¡¯t harm anyone unless their home is being damaged. Gnomes are creatures that blend into their surroundings, mimicking plants, rocks, or other natural elements. They hide in the forest and feed on decaying matter, resembling goblins in some ways but preferring to remain unseen and avoiding contact with humanoids. A guardian spirit is a spirit that protects a region, object, or person. They are usually very strong in their domain and cannot be separated from what they protect. Many famous kingdoms had guardian spirits that protected legendary weapons, deities that shielded noble families, or spirits that blessed the land around the kingdom. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. These spirits are consistent in their nature and can be identified easily. Spirits protecting items like swords and accessories tend to be sociable and friendly, though some are violent and cruel. Those protecting people or families are typically reclusive and mysterious, avoiding interaction with anyone outside their protected lineage. Spirits guarding places are more territorial, focused on the well-being and integrity of their domain, indifferent to external events like kingdom construction or wars. Finding these spirits can be challenging. It¡¯s difficult to distinguish whether a mana-rich area is merely an "oasis" or the home of a spirit or entity. As societies develop around a guardian spirit¡¯s domain, conflicts often arise due to environmental damage or the depletion of magical energy. The "lady" resembles a guardian spirit, protecting and blessing these lands. The land is healthy and fertile, with plenty of clean water and a reasonable amount of magical energy. The magical stones produced by the "lady," along with abundant fish and vegetation, make this land exceptionally promising. After the red disaster, finding such a pure and clean piece of land is like discovering a diamond among dirty stones. It holds the potential to become the foundation of a strong and enduring empire. However, these gifts come with the challenge of dealing with a mysterious and unreliable entity. Hirake understood that if he could gain the "lady"''s favor, he could resolve the power struggle. He had no desire to rule over people or claim the throne. He considered himself unworthy of such a position. Lacking noble origins or royal status, Hirake rose to prominence through military conquests and prestige. His rise came from fighting in wars, commanding armies, and executing royal orders. Known for his speed and lethality with a rapier, he became a great commander through decades of service. It was early in his military career that he met the 4th princess and fell in love with her, hoping that one day, with enough prestige and a fitting position, he might marry her. The 4th princess was not in line for the crown, and Hirake believed he could gain the king''s approval with enough prestige. But everything changed with the arrival of the red plague. It started subtly¡ªpeople fell mysteriously ill with fever, purple spots, red eyes, and wounds that wouldn¡¯t heal, eventually leading to rotting. When the first victims died, they rose again as rotting undead, filled with black slime. The plague soon overwhelmed Cinderville. The dead, impervious to conventional attacks, continued their bloodthirsty mission. The only way to defeat them was to destroy their heads completely. But by the time this was discovered, the plague had spread beyond control. Most of the more naive nobles fled through the catacombs, trying to escape to the north in search of human lands. Unfortunately, they were completely obliterated by swarms of rats and dark creatures infected by the plague that lurked in the catacombs'' shadows. Those who fled at the first sign of trouble were luckier. Rumors suggest that some reached human lands and are thriving, but such tales are hard to believe. The last to leave were both the unluckiest and the luckiest. Those who stayed behind to preserve what little survived the plague soon realized they had no choice but to flee. Even if they could protect themselves from the plague creatures¡ªthough that wouldn¡¯t last long¡ªthey faced hunger, disease, and dwindling manpower. Resources depleted rapidly, and with increasing deaths and illness, paranoia set in. Many were executed at the first sign of infection, and those who survived fought among themselves for the remaining resources. Hirake, with the help of what remained of the Cinderville elite, managed to escape the city, leading all who wished to follow him. The journey was grueling and many died along the way, but those who survived reached this "Promised Land." Despite his reluctance to become king, Hirake had the qualifications and morals to lead. The people trusted him. They saw in him the leader they needed: kind yet brave, firm but understanding, tough yet fair. He was everything they needed to navigate this dark era. So Hirake resolved to live up to their expectations. If being king was what it took to protect them, then he would be the king. "Perhaps Ermand knows how to contain or imprison spirits? If that creature is a spirit... It has a strange presence, one I''ve never felt before, as if its presence were an illusion... And I think I might know why." Hirake pondered. "Is its physical form just a proxy? Like the dryads? I believe its main body is at the bottom of the lake... I can faintly sense a core of mana buried there. If that¡¯s true, it would be easy to eliminate if I could access it... But even if it is true, how do I reach the bottom of the lake safely? I¡¯m sure the creature wouldn¡¯t let me get close to its main body if that¡¯s its greatest weakness." Hirake thought. "Fighting it should be straightforward. I didn¡¯t expect the illusions, but its attacks are purely elemental. It should be easy to reach the core, but should I really do that?" Hirake mused. He could indeed kill the "Lady." Her attacks didn¡¯t inflict significant damage. If equipped with his armor and activated his skills, he could easily cut her in half¡ªif he could even get to her. But the question wasn¡¯t whether he could, but whether he should. The "Lady," though unpredictable and mysterious, was vital to the integrity and prosperity of the city. Her actions¡ªsuch as eliminating all the flowers and plants on the lake¡¯s surface¡ªhad caused significant material and moral damage. The fish that once swam peacefully had vanished, impacting the fishermen¡¯s work. The dead plants halted the production of Lotus Silk, leaving fabric production paused indefinitely. The once-pure water flowing through the canals was now muddy and filled with decaying plants, creating extra work for those relying on the clean water source. The sudden shift from a lake of magical flowers to one of rotting plants and twisted branches had dealt a severe blow to the people¡¯s morale. The temple tried to mediate the damage, but this required all the Templars to return to assist with damage control, leaving their other duties and services unattended. If one were to weigh the pros and cons of keeping the "Lady" in these lands, the pros would far outweigh the cons. This land, created and sustained by the "Lady," could not thrive without her. The next best option would be to seal her off¡ªsomething nearly impossible without expensive magical materials and specialized personnel. "Damn... I can¡¯t take action against her... Sealing her is practically impossible under these circumstances. But I can¡¯t ignore the attacks on my people. The most puzzling thing isn¡¯t the attack itself; I always thought she would attack eventually, but it never happened. But everything changed because of that flute... What does this mean? What triggered all this?" Hirake thought. Amid his thoughts, a knock at the door startled him. Frozen for a moment, Hirake quickly stood, hand on his rapier. "WHO''S THERE?! IDENTIFY YOURSELF!" Hirake shouted. ''How could someone approach me without me noticing? Sharp senses are a basic soldier skill. How did someone get to my door?'' he wondered. Without an answer, Hirake approached the window next to the door and peered out discreetly, finding only a faint blue glow. Below his door lay a lotus flower, glowing softly, accompanied by a small fish made of water that floated through the air as if it were in an aquarium. "What the hell¡ª" Hirake said, approaching the door. He opened it slowly, keeping his dominant hand on his rapier. As soon as the door opened, the small water fish hovered in front of him, as if waiting. "...How can I help you?" Hirake asked, confused. The water fish made the lotus flower float toward him with a gentle wave. Hirake picked up the delicate flower, still puzzled by the fish. The fish then dissolved into a bubble of water on the floor, leaving Hirake with the glowing lotus flower. Not understanding the situation, Hirake brought the flower inside and placed it on his desk, wondering about its meaning. "Was this Selene''s work? What is she trying to say? That I shouldn¡¯t threaten the ''Lady''? Or is it a cruel joke from an angry Templar?" Hirake wondered. The lotus flower on his desk began to open mysteriously, revealing a small ball of bright blue water that floated just above it and began to vibrate, emitting a voice. "Hello Hirake, it is a pleasure to formally meet you." The voice, though monotonous, was delicate and emanated from the water bubble. "Wha¡ª" Hirake said, turning quickly with his rapier raised toward the voice. "Oh my~ There¡¯s no need for that. I understand our relationship may not be friendly, but I¡¯m trying to change that. Can¡¯t we just... talk?" The voice came from the water bubble, pulsating and shifting with its tone. Hirake looked at the source of the voice, disbelief etched on his face, as if meeting someone he thought he knew well, only to discover they were very different from what he expected. "You... Are you the ''Lady''?" Hirake asked, still holding his rapier. "Well... Lady, monster, creature, deity, spirit, witch, entity, or demon¡ªyou can choose. I¡¯m usually called ''The Lady of the Fountain,'' or ''Lily,'' if you prefer." "You''re... Different from what I expected." "Oh? Different, you say? Forgive me for this unconventional appearance. It¡¯s challenging for me to maintain a physical form away from the lake, so I had to resort to more flexible methods of communication." By now, Hirake had sheathed his rapier and moved closer to the voice, his confusion evident, as though meeting someone he thought he knew well but discovering their personality was very different. "I¡¯m referring to your willingness to talk. You¡¯ve always seemed reclusive and unsociable." "Are you referring to my lack of response to your request?" "...That too, but mainly, I didn¡¯t expect you to communicate so well. I didn¡¯t think you knew how to talk to humanoids." "...Oh... Thank you, I suppose? I don¡¯t usually speak much because I¡¯m... afraid of people. I prefer to observe and listen." ''She''s "afraid of people"? Is she lying, or could she be a shy nature spirit like the gnomes?'' Hirake thought. "Why did you come here?" At this question, a long silence fell from the water bubble, as if the speaker was deeply contemplating their response. "I came because... I made a mistake. I know we have our differences, but please believe me when I say I didn¡¯t mean to hurt anyone... During that event. It was an accident, and I need to make amends." "An accident? That implies something beyond anyone''s control. But you caused it intentionally, or did you ''accidentally'' create a limb of elemental magic and attack an audience at an event you hosted?" "...I won¡¯t deny my actions, and I apologize for the mistake. I¡¯m willing to compensate the victims generously and ensure their safety and well-being, but you need to understand it was an ''accident.'' I just wanted that flute to stop playing." ''And it all comes back to the flute. She seems genuinely sorry, but why did a flute make her act so uncontrollably?'' "Can you tell me why that girl''s flute upset her so much?" Hirake asked, examining the broken pieces of the flute wrapped in cloth on the table. "...It wasn''t the flute itself... It was the music. It reminded me of things from the past¡ªbad things I don''t want to remember. I wanted the music to stop so desperately that I acted out violently." ''Bad memories? So she''s not a young guardian spirit? That would explain her eloquence and her ease in sharing her territory so peacefully... But the energy concentration and her explosive reactions... They seem like clear signs of a young spirit...'' "Can I ask a somewhat personal question?" "Hmm? Sure, as long as it''s not too compromising." "Are you a guardian spirit or a nature spirit, like nymphs and dryads?" "Wha-... That was unexpected. Well... I don''t really know. I''ve never met any beings like myself, so I don''t know the name of my species. But I don''t think I''m a ''true spirit,'' maybe something more natural?" ''She doesn''t even know? This is even more mysterious. Nature spirits are born from manifestations of the spirit realm in elements of nature, so they know their origin and past. As far as I know, ''true'' spirits live only in the spirit realm and don''t leave unless summoned.'' "Then another question. Is the aura of energy I sense at the bottom of the lake its main body?" As soon as Hirake spoke, the water orb stopped abruptly, and a long silence ensued. Just as it seemed like the silence would last forever, the previously warm and gentle voice turned cold and harsh. "STAY. AWAY" the voice spat. ''I knew it... This isn''t a guardian spirit but something akin to dryads. The humanoid form it shows is just a ''proxy'' for appearances.'' "I don''t intend to harm you, but that might change depending on your actions." "YoU-!" The voice hissed as roots and vines began to sprout from the lotus flower, wrapping around the wooden table. Soon, the roots and vines covered the surface of the table, and inky black thorns emerged. ''She''s not good at hiding her emotions... Threatening her life visibly is an easy way to make her angry and defensive.'' "You think you pose a threat to me? If you plan to intimidate me with empty threats, get out of my house!" "Ugh-" The creature hissed as it caused the thorny vines and roots to dry up and disappear, making the lotus flower return to its usual, pleasant form. "I apologize for that. I''m not comfortable with threats, but I''m not here to declare war or create misunderstandings between us." "Huff, I understand you''re here to apologize, but it doesn¡¯t change much. The damage is done." "And that''s why I came here. The damage is done, but it doesn¡¯t have to end badly. We can turn this into something beneficial, you and I." The voice returned to its more monotonous and delicate tone. "What do you mean?" "...You have something I want, and I can give you what you need. We can make this work splendidly. You said yourself once that you don¡¯t know what you''re doing... But I can help you find your way." Hirake, slightly annoyed by the cryptic words, walked over to the table and stared at the small bubble of sparkling water floating on the lotus flower with his amber eyes. "Get to the point. Don¡¯t beat around the bush." "...You want to be king, or rather, you need to be king. But you can''t do that if no one recognizes your power. If I send Selene to support you, you''ll have the temple working on your behalf. All the amulets need to be recharged there, and new amulets are only produced there. People fight for Selene¡¯s favor, but only I can make everyone fear and respect you. I can offer you blessings, treasures, secrets, and magic beyond your capabilities. Suzuke, Kiiro, Selene¡ªthey don''t stand a chance if you''re by my side." Hirake''s eyes trembled at the "Lady''s" bold and sudden offer of power, wealth, and prestige. "What do you want from me? Why are you offering this now?" "Well... Let''s just say I had faith in my group, but now I¡¯m uncomfortable with what I have. I made a big mess, you know. So I need someone capable to clean it up, and I don''t think Selene is up for the job." "So now that you feel threatened, you want my help? Isn¡¯t that a bit hypocritical?" "...Maybe. But I¡¯m willing to pay for it." Irritated, Hirake sat heavily in the chair in front of her, sighed, and looked up thoughtfully. "I have one condition. If you want my help, you need to give me some answers¡ªhonest answers." "...I¡¯ll tell you everything I can..." "I want you to tell me the truth, Lily. What are you? What do you want? Why are you doing all this?" The voice in the water bubble seemed to choke momentarily, as if the question was too absurd to process. Silence returned for a few moments until the water bubble began to pulse again with the voice on the other side. "I told you... I don¡¯t know what I am. I just want to survive... I need to survive, no matter what it takes." "Survive? Is that all? Of course, staying alive is important. But why do you take it so seriously? If you just wanted to live, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to isolate yourself from everyone? Why are you involved? Why are you so concerned with public opinion?" "I... I can¡¯t control myself. I don¡¯t want things to get out of hand. You people are so unpredictable, chaotic, and greedy, always wanting more. I kept you alive¡ªit was me, not anyone else. I protected you for years, decades! But you keep reaching for more and more, growing like weeds. I need to ensure you don¡¯t go overboard!" ''She¡¯s dangerous... This creature sees us more as a pest than as visitors. But is it our fault, or just the result of her overreactions?'' Hirake thought. "Seriously? What exactly did we do to ''cross the line''? I''m sure we can resolve this peacefully instead of resorting to conflict. I respect your influence over these lands, but I can¡¯t tolerate threats to my people without solid reasons." "...You all... You''ve grown too much... You''ve stayed too long... Much longer than expected. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. You should leave, like everyone else. I need to ensure you''re not a threat!" Hearing the irritation in the voice coming from the small water bubble, Hirake put his hand on his chin and began to think. ''This is unexpected. It¡¯s not that we did anything wrong; the problem is that we "stayed too long." She must not be used to permanent groups, which might be why she''s hostile. This is a major problem. How can I resolve this?'' "Tell me, Lily, why are you so afraid of us? I assure you, I have no intention of harming you unless absolutely necessary." "Afraid?! I¡¯m not afraid of you! You¡¯re invaders! Pests! You shouldn¡¯t have stayed here in the first place! I¡¯m just trying to make everything fit together!" "Lily, if you keep acting like this, I don¡¯t think we can have a constructive conversation. I want to resolve our issues so we can work together, but that¡¯s only possible if you¡¯re willing to cooperate." "...I just... I don¡¯t trust you. I don¡¯t trust anyone." Hirake raised an eyebrow at the small bubble of water. The statement felt more profound than the words suggested. He didn¡¯t sense deceit or manipulation; instead, he felt genuine sincerity. "...I see. Trust is hard to come by. It¡¯s like exposing your back to someone with a knife and hoping they won¡¯t strike. I won¡¯t press for details, but could you at least tell me what made you distrust everyone?" The small water bubble crackled and pulsed. The silence on the other side stretched longer than expected until a weak, whisper-like voice emerged. "The past..." Chapter 23: Wet Promises Upon hearing the answer, Hirake just sighed in defeat, leaning back in his chair while looking at the ceiling thoughtfully for a while, a short while, before starting to speak. "Very well Lily, I think we can reach an agreement. I think you are not in a position to interact directly with people... You are very... Unpredictable? To say the least." Hirake said to the small, glowing flower on top of his desk. "Hmm... I never wanted to talk to you... You forced me to do this... I always wanted the same thing, my goal has always been and always will be the same, to survive no matter what happens." Said a delicate voice coming from the drop of water that floated just above the lotus flower. "I see, so let''s start from the beginning. Do you know what Tieflings are? And why were there always so many people after your favor?" Hirake asked with his arms crossed. "No... I only know that you are colorful ''Humans'', with horns and varied abilities, and I would also like to know why there was always someone wanting something from me." Said the voice coming from the flower. "Tieflings are beings that were born from the greed of humans. Legends say that many, many centuries ago a king who was about to lose a war, and be killed by his enemies, made a deal with a demon from the endless abyss. He offered everything, absolutely everything, from his body and soul, to his kingdom and all the people in it, everything as long as the demon could grant him a power great enough to destroy all his enemies, and so it was done." Said Hirake with sour eyes. "What was not said in the agreement was that the demon would not only take the souls and bodies of those who accepted the agreement, but that the children of their children''s children would also be subject to the same cursed agreement. Their bodies changed permanently, assuming hybrid forms between humans and demons similar to their patron, their power was completely chained to their patron demon, forcing them into eternal servitude in exchange for power, and those who tried to escape the chains of this demonic agreement had their powers completely taken away, and since they did not have a patron to protect them, the Tieflings were hunted in the same way as demons and beasts, and with the death of the 12 calamities at the hands of the heroes more than 500 years ago, all Tieflings were practically wiped off the map, needing to hide in regions of high danger, or with few resources." Hirake said bitterly. "Hum... So, the Tieflings are a race born from the enslavement of humans." Said the melodious voice. "Yes, it is a shame in the history of the Tieflings, but it is part of our history, it has granted us many disadvantages for sure, but we have also gained things from it, such as our high elemental affinity, the magic of bloodlines and the ability to adapt to all types of energy." Said Hirake. "Interesting... So the reason those people tried so hard to talk to me was to get a deal... As a patron with me? That is irrational, I cannot see the logic in it. Why would a species that fought so hard to escape the chains of a patron be willing to crawl through the mud to serve an entity like me?" Asked the voice. "Well, as I said, we have advantages in doing this, the main advantage is certainly power, when we bind ourselves to a "patron", we can assimilate its energy almost perfectly, being able to directly receive energy given by that patron, we also gain power as our patron grows, we can use smaller versions of the patron''s skills, in addition to having the "advantage" of becoming immune to spiritual attacks and soul damage. And as for the reason why many want you to become their patron, it''s because of power, it''s always about power, you may not be a goddess or anything like that, but you are strong enough to survive the black plague, and keep this place safe, something we couldn''t do before... So many are willing to bend their knees to you if it means sitting on top of the pile." Hirake said. "The disadvantages are clear too, if our patron dies we cannot bind ourselves to another patron for the rest of our lives, our nature ends up being tainted by the patron''s will and our souls become their property." Hirake said looking at the floating ball of water. "...I see where this is going, I will not be fooled again. Even if I become the patron of someone in this village, you were very vague about all of this, just because my death would mean the end of the patron agreement, it does not mean that you cannot seal or imprison me against my will while using me as a source of raw power, you also say that your souls become the property of the patron, but that means nothing to someone like me who has no interest in souls." The voice said harshly. "Ha, you really are suspicious of everything, aren''t you? Well, about the point that we can seal it and use it as a "Power Source" - as you called it, that''s not a smart approach, since sealing or imprisoning a patronus weakens its powers, which directly affects us. And are you sure you have no use for souls? Or do you just not know what to use them for?" Hirake said with his arms crossed as he looked with one eyebrow raised at the object on the table. "...." "I propose the following, I never wanted to have to take on this role, but if I need to do it to keep those I love safe, then I will gladly take on this burden. I need to become king, not to be the one who rules over everyone, or out of thirst for power, I need to be king so that we can start over as a species, without a defined leader, the power-hungry nobles continued to find ways to abuse their "Altoriness", and the commoners continued to refuse to live under our commands." Hirake said. "So you are just trying to find a way to re-establish the old political state of your nation? The monarchy? Why don''t you try something different, like simply electing your leaders through voting, or eliminating those who cause you problems." Said the voice coming from above the table. "It''s not that simple, Tieflings have followed the monarchy for centuries for a single central reason: Bloodlines. Some Tieflings are lucky enough to at some point in their family tree manage to mix with superior beings or those with high magical talents, such as dragons, elementals, spirits or demons, and from this crossing a Tiefling with a special bloodline is born." Hirake said. "What are... these bloodlines exactly? Is it something like the thing that left Kiiro blind since birth?" Asked the voice. "Hmm. Well, yes, bloodlines are magical characteristics transmitted solely by blood that grant skills, abilities, unique traits, and innate talents. But of course, bloodlines are not all good, normally the more powerful a bloodline is, the more downsides there are to these bloodlines, such as weakness, deformities, an increased rate of fetal deaths, and much more." Hirake said. "Hmmm... Interesting... Is there a way to create a bloodline on purpose?" The delicate voice asked. "I don''t think so, at least I''ve never heard of it, it''s more a matter of luck, blood purity, planned marriages and time." Hirake said with a heavy sigh. "Hmm... So what do you want from me? If you think I can create bloodlines just because I''m a "Nature Spirit" you''re mistaken, I can give blessings, protection and bring prosperity. But I won''t do anything beyond that." The small melodious voice said. "What I want from you is simple, I need no one to have doubts about my monarchy over these lands and my people, I want you to stop Suzuke and Selene''s madness, and support my ascension to the throne, I also want an oath to never hurt anyone under my protection and to stop whatever Selene is doing on that pile of rocks." Hirake said with narrowed eyes at me. "No. I can help you rule these lands, I can offer you jewels, knowledge and every murmur and whisper I hear in every corner of these lands, but I will never swear not to hurt anyone unless you can guarantee that no one can hurt me, and Selene is out of the deal, you will have no power over her or her actions, I can guarantee that she becomes your ally, but she will never kneel to you or any other being besides me." The voice said in a cold way as the blue light began to change to a blood red tone. "Huff, Selene is too big a threat to me, she keeps putting wrong ideas in everyone''s heads and turning me against the people of the village, but you have a point regarding the condition of not hurting anyone, since I cannot guarantee your protection under my care, may I suggest that you never start the attack or hurt someone without first announcing your thoughts?" Hirake said. "Hmm... That is acceptable. I can restrain Selene, she seeks to build a temple in my name, a place where she can lead her templars and sing of my glory. My temple carries with it the hope and faith of the wretched and lost, I can change the opinion of the simpletons who take Selene''s words as the purest absolute truth, with the same ease that I can change the currents of water in a stream, you need them to hear what you have to say, and I can make them listen." Said the voice as the ball of shining water returned to its calm blue tone. The suggestion made Hirake frown, as if he was thinking deeply about the idea offered by the small voice coming from the lotus flower. "The idea of ??a temple is... complicated." Hirake drawled. "In my opinion, it''s perfect, you want power, I have it all, even if people see me as a heartless monster or a destructive entity, all I need to do is dry up the lake, let everyone die of thirst, and soon they''ll all be praying with their throats dry and their knees dragging on the ground, all desperate to be heard by me." The voice said coldly. At hearing this, Hirake''s expression soured completely, before he dragged the chair closer to the table, and placed his hands on top of it. "Ha! Monsters will always be monsters, right? Would you really be willing to cause chaos just to show who has the high ground here?" Hirake said indignantly, slamming his fist on the table. "E-a-s-i-l-y. With my eyes closed and without feeling the slightest bit of remorse, but I won''t do that, not yet. I may not like your presence here, but you''ve already messed with my things too much. I''ve invested a lot of resources and time in you only to throw it all down the drain, so I''m willing to lose a little to recover what was lost, but don''t test my patience. You may be dangerous, you may be powerful, you may even be the "king" of this pile of worthless trash. I - only I - decide who stays and who goes." Said the voice as threatening gray clouds formed inside the house. Soon rain began to fall from the clouds, wetting Hirake who ignored it and continued glaring at the small ball of water, the sound of raindrops hitting the floor, furniture and objects in the room began to resound throughout the place, clothes thrown around the house were soon soaked by the rain, food was spoiled and furniture was ruined, but Hirake didn''t care and continued to glare furiously at the lotus flower, even with his hair and clothes completely soaked. "Don''t you think you''re counting too much on luck, Lady? Even if you cut off the water I could simply dig until I find your main body, I could force you to do what I want and even kill you, so do you really think it''s smart to threaten me and all my people like this?" Hirake said spitefully. "Try it if you have the courage; even if you reach me through sheer luck, do you really think you would escape with your life? And do you really think you could force me to do anything? What are you going to do? Torture me? Deprive me of sleep and food? You''re naive, all I need to do is wait for everyone to die, if I somehow end up dying... well. You''re the ones who lose the most, aren''t you? Where are you going to run to? Back home? Oh! That''s right, it was destroyed. Are you going to look for another place to live? In the middle of this lifeless place? The demon lord may be dead, but the damage is still quite intense, It will take decades or even centuries until the damage heals. The truth is clearer than water..." "I DON''T NEED ANY OF YOU, BUT ALL OF YOU NEED ME DESPERATELY." The voice said gutturally, making Hirake''s frown deepen even more. "If you think I am a being devoid of intelligence, you are mistaken. Do not distort the situation in your favor. I am not here to negotiate, I only offered a simple deal: I will protect you, you protect me. Nothing more, nothing less, do not think that I will allow you to touch what is mine, or that your little joke will affect me. The only individuals that I care about in this place are Kiiro and Selene, the rest are nothing more than a bunch of unpredictable variables." Said the voice. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "And what do you expect?! That I accept the "friendship" of a creature with dubious intentions? If you want to keep your life safe, I need to keep the lives of all my subjects safe." Said Hirake. "And that''s not my problem. What I need is someone that the people of this place respect as an authority. Selene plays an important role in the morality and spirituality of the people, but few blindly trust her words regarding political matters. Do you want to keep your people alive? Then stop complaining. You always complicate simple things - there''s nothing to think about here. You need something I offer, I want something from you. It''s a yes or no question, it''s not complicated at all." Said the voice. "You wouldn''t understand what it''s like to have the lives of all your people hanging over your head, I worked so hard to get to where I am, I went through the trials of heaven and earth, I suffered betrayals, intrigues and conflicts born entirely from greed to sit on this throne stained with my blood and sweat. If you think that deciding the future of my people is as simple as deciding what to eat then our conversation is over." Hirake said, hitting the table and standing up. As Hirake stood up to leave, a sound of air being cut quickly reached Hirake''s ears. Hirake quickly removed his rapier from the sheath at his waist and deflected a It''s a yes or no question projectile which appeared out of nowhere projectile that was rapidly coming towards him. Sliding back and assuming a defensive position, Hirake spotted the lotus flower, now surrounded by violent currents of water flowing freely around it like air currents. Soon the waves began to take the shape of hands that rushed quickly towards Hirake. Hirake effortlessly cut down all the projectiles that came near him, but to his surprise, no matter how many he destroyed, more kept coming. "YOU ARE SO ANNOYING! WHY DON''T YOU JUST DISAPPEAR!" shouted a shrill voice that reverberated throughout the room. "HA! Finally showing your true colors, "Lady"? Wouldn''t it be great if all your followers saw how violent and unstable the target of their adoration is?" Hirake said mockingly as he stepped away from the flower and carefully analyzed his surroundings. "UGH!!! SHUT UP AND DISAPPEAR AT ONCE!" The voice shouted, causing a shower of hundreds of magical projectiles to fall in bursts on Hirake. Hirake did a quick somersault backwards, moved until he reached a wooden shelf, and without delay Hirake quickly gave a heavy kick to the shelf, making it creak, knocking it to the ground with a loud thud. Hirake jumped over the shelf and hid behind it. He activated some kind of Skill that made a thin wall of yellow energy appear just above his head, Hirake, now sheltered, began to mutter some words while a rain of water projectiles of various shapes, speeds and sizes destroyed the entire house, furniture cracked as the water projectiles smacked their surfaces, bags were easily torn and dozens of dents formed on the walls of the house. As Hirake''s first incantation finished, an arrow of yellow energy apparated in his hands and he seamlessly started the next recitation. Behind him the wooden shelf was basically being crushed by the water projectiles, breaking easily like unprotected glass on a day of granite rain. Even Hirake''s mysterious energy shield seemed to be wavering as the flower continued to produce more and more projectiles without seeming to have the slightest intention of stopping. Without giving time for bad luck, Hirake finished his recitation, causing the yellow energy arrow to create a purple ribbon bow in its composition. Hirake then calmly closed his eyes as the energy arrow in his hand began to move and run through the air in impossible paths and directions. Upon seeing the energy arrow, the flower seemed to become furious, creating a large whirlpool of water around itself that quickly began to flood the house, in addition to intensifying the rain of magical projectiles. Unfortunately for the flower, the arrow cut through the air like a hawk after its prey, dodging any projectile that aimed to hit it as it tirelessly followed its path, towards the center of the whirlpool. The arrow then penetrated the whirlpool, immediately causing a shockwave that dissolved all the water projectiles, ending the storm of magical projectiles as quickly as it had started. Hirake then came out of his hiding place, dodging the rubble soaked on the floor until he found himself face to face with the whirlpool of water from before that now hovered over his desk. "You''re strong, I''ll give you that. But not enough to-" Hirake said before the whirlpool of water contracted momentarily before suddenly expanding. "Damn it!" Hirake barely had time, just managing to cover his face with his arms as the water tornado exploded like a depth charge, water ran everywhere, creating a wave that dragged furniture across the floor and ruined anything that could have survived the previous conflict. Looking up, Hirake could see the form of a woman, with her upper body fully formed, but her lower body just a mass of waves and currents of water. A lotus flower rested peacefully on the mysterious figure''s forehead while in its water-made hands the mana arrow released by Hirake rested between the creature''s strong grip. "You may be a good fighter." The figure spat irritably. "But I''m the best at magic you''ll find in this pile of mud." The figure said, snapping Hirake''s arrow in two, causing it to dissolve into a mist of crackling yellow energy. "You picked this thing up with your bare hands?" Hirake asked in disbelief. "I don''t have hands, you idiot. My physical form is just a manifestation of my magical abilities and desires molded using nature as my vessel. You can''t hurt something made of magic with magic." Said the creature. "He he he..." "What?" Asked the confused figure. "HA HA HA!" Hirake burst out laughing as he sat on the ground, completely unconcerned about being in a puddle of water and debris. "Are you an idiot? If you want a fight, we''ll have a fight!" Said the creature, creating a ball of crackling energy around his hands. "Do you really want to waste your mana fighting me? And just to be clear, I didn''t start this, you were the one who attacked me, I was just defending myself, but since I don''t think we''ll get anywhere with this anyway, then... I give up, you win, water lady." Hirake said, fixing his wet hair before taking off his boots. "Ugh-... Fine..." The creature said with a tired sigh as its body dissolved into the puddles of water below, the lotus flower with a single drop of water stained with crackling blue energy in its center emerged from the puddles on the floor. "I..." The thing began as it analyzed its surroundings. "Uhm... Damn. Would you, uh, accept jewelry as compensation for damages? I guess... I got too emotional." The flower said as it floated around the house. "Ugh... Sure, why not. You destroy my house, try to kill me, call me an idiot and then try to make nice?" Hirake said, throwing himself backwards into the puddles of water on the floor. "I can fix it, okay? And technically it was your fault for annoying me so much that I just freaked out." Said the thing. "I''ll have the jewels, the biggest and juiciest ones you have." Hirake said without moving from the spot. "Ew... Do you eat those things? How do you eat something inedible?" Asked the voice. "We don''t eat... We... We absorb them. When we consume them we can absorb their latent magical energy and convert it to our own energy source, increasing our MP reserves." Said Hirake. "Then what the hell do you want them for? You''re a fencer, not a wizard." The voice said mockingly, as if stating the obvious. "Hey! What kind of prejudice is this? Just because I don''t go around spitting spells left and right doesn''t mean I don''t have a trick or two up my sleeve, okay? And just for the record, the more MP you have, the faster your skills to activate, and it also allows you to use better skills." Hirake said. "Hmm... interesting..." The little thing said. "So... What do you want to do now, "Lady"? Are you going to go back to your dollhouse and fix your broken toys? Or are you going to stop playing house and hang out with the adults?" Hirake asked as he looked at the ceiling. "What a stupid way to make an allusion to our current situation! Hmm... But, okay. Here is my final proposal: I will accept being your patron and yours alone. If it creates a lineage then that''s fine, I will extend it to your heirs. I will provide you with all the resources that I consider useless to me, things like pieces of metal, colored stones that I found over time, jewelry or fish meat. I will also promise to keep Selene in line, and all who come after her. They will offer you their magic and their labor for free, for everything you need. And in exchange they gain the best resources you have to offer and the protection of the crown. I demand that the templars of my temple be treated as superior to the commoners, and that the high commission of the temple have authority similar or equal to that of the nobles." Said the little voice coming from the thing. "Hmm... A little tortuous¡­ But is it acceptable .Anything else?" Hirake asked after a brief reflection. "Yes, I am willing to offer the privileges offered by my magic, but for that I want a promise of marriage." Said the voice. "Oh? Promise of marriage? Do you want to marry someone from the village?" Hirake said with a big laugh. In response, a small wave rose up beside Hirake, wetting his face and making him choke on water. "Humf- Of course not, you idiot, it''s for Kiiro. I have a serious commitment to him that I must fulfill, and it would be easier if I could focus on just one thing instead of several small things. I want you to have a daughter, and for her hand to be promised to Kiiro; if I can keep him close to you, his safety will be guaranteed." Said the voice. "Ha! First of all, what makes you believe that I of all people would have a child? And that I would casually sell them like merchandise? And honestly? Again with this whole making that child king thing? I must admit that Suzuki really is a hard-working woman." Hirake hissed. "Kiiro? King? What a stupid idea, kings are always the biggest and juiciest target for the greedy and insatiable. I want something like a lord or viscount position for Kiiro, and keep him safe in a house in the countryside until he dies of natural causes.¡± ¡°Well, if you''re going to be king... You''re going to need heirs, whether you like it or not, because your heirs, whether they''re the fruit of your own blood or not, are the only thing that will prevent everything you''ve built from crumbling with your eventual death, but whatever, as far as I''m concerned, I win either way. If you don''t have children, I think it would be best to tie you to a more powerful family? Like that girl with pigtails perhaps?" The voice said more to itself than to Hirake. "Anyways, what I''m trying to say is that we don''t exactly need to get along, or hold hands and be friends with each other, but the fact is: These lands are my home. You''re just visitors to this place, but I''m not really territorial, I just prefer to maintain a state of peace within an acceptable margin. If you leave I won''t lose anything other than time and renewable resources, and you know I can make your lives much harder if I want. But that''s not what I want, you living in these lands is a nuisance, but it has its advantages. I gain many things from it too, like entertainment, food, new resources, and increasing my own knowledge." Said the small creature. "Hmm, I see... Wait a minute! You mean you can actually eat food?" Hirake asked, intrigued. "Of course, it''s not the same as you guys, but I can absorb nutrients from the soil around me and use atmospheric gases along with sunlight or mana to produce the energy my body needs to stay alive. Although I can also use mana to keep my body healthy, but it isn''t... Satisfying? Eating is something that brings me a lot of satisfaction." Said the thing. "A-timos-ferico? What would that be?" Hirake asked.. "Oh! Well, the air around you?" Said the small voice. "So you eat air?" Hirake said a little confused. "No- Uhm... I only absorb a specific type of gas contained in the air, I can''t say for sure if it''s the same gas I know... But I can absorb it through my-... through my body, mix it with other elements and create a new resource." Said the thing. "Is that a kind of skill? And what do you mean by a gas? Like poisonous gas?" Hirake asked, visibly confused. "No, you idiot! How do I explain this... Yes, it''s a skill that allows me to do this process, but imagine you filling a pot with stones of several different colors. You can "eat" all the stones without any problem, but your body needs a stone with a specific color to work, the others... they simply don''t work. What your body does to solve this is to consume everything you grab, and filter only the good parts, leaving what can''t be used behind. I do the same thing, but unlike you, who needs to "consume" these colored "stones" to separate them, I can separate them before "eating"." Said the small voice. "Hmm... I think I understand..." Said Hirake, a little confused. "Humf! Of course you learned, I''m an excellent teacher." Said the small floating flower, spinning in the air. "Very well then." said Hirake, getting up from the ground. "You don''t trust me, but you''re willing to help me, and I don''t trust you, but you''re the only one who can offer me the help I need. So we''ll make a deal, but I have one request." Hirake said. "Of course, you can ask, as long as you don''t expect the answer to be yes." The voice said. "Hmm. I want you to promise me that you''ll never show yourself to anyone outside your temple again." Hirake said very seriously. "Oh? And why is that?" The little creature asked. "It''s in both our interests. People tend to have more faith in things they can only see very rarely, and it would be good for me if you stopped showing up around here causing trouble." Hirake said. "Hehe.. Of course, I don''t like it very much anyway. I only assume that "humanoid" form to make it easier to talk to you guys, normally I don''t need anything more than a floating ball of water to talk to someone." The creature said. "Ha! Alright, then I guess we have a deal, lady" "Oh! What''s up, we almost killed each other just now~ You can call me Lily, I chose that name after looking at the flowers in the lake for decades, well, Kiiro also kind of helped me with that.." Said the small floating flower. "Very well, Lily, I hope this goes well for both of us." Hirake said, raising his hand to the flower, before realizing that there was no arm to shake his hands. In response, the small flower let out a laugh, and soon after a bubble of water emerged from the ground below, slowly morphing until it took the shape of a perfect female arm. "I won''t forget our promise, Hirake, and I hope you and everyone who comes after won''t either." The voice said as it shook Hirake''s hand with its wet fingers. "I promise." Hirake said. Chapter 24: The Pact Lotus Year 96 Things have started to change around here since my conversation with Hirake. Some things have been agreed upon. It bothers me there is no way for us to make a deal that is mediated by the system. I even thought about having Suzuki seal the deal between us, but I got the bad news that Suzuki cannot mediate deals, only make deals between her and another being. Hirake in turn said I just needed to wait, that as soon as he was recognized as the king, he could make his own deals supervised by the system. I don''t really know how he will do that he will do that, but I think it''s best not to take this deal too seriously until it gains some real weight. One of the things Hirake agreed with was that I would help him by providing the strength of my temple for whatever he needed, and in exchange, the members of my temple would gain many advantages, connections, and resources. At first, Selene didn''t like the idea of ??allying herself with the crown very much; she seems to have rebellious blood running through her veins. But as soon as she learned that her temple would be basically on the same level as the crown, and that she would sit at the top of it all, her eyes began to shine with greed and pride. Selene has a lot of faith, so much so that she thought that my freaking out with the flute girl was entirely the flute girl''s fault, as if she had committed some kind of offense against me or deliberately tried to "attack our faith." This didn''t gain much traction outside the temple, and as I told Selene myself through [Whispering Mist], the girl didn''t do anything wrong. The music was beautiful, to the point of being hypnotizing. The only problem was the memories that the music brought back to me. The... event that happened had some varied results to say the least, a few were injured, which made people fear me and turn away from my faith, but on the other hand my presence brought something else unexpected: worship. Some people were amazed by my power, they admired me for the ease with which I dealt with Hirake, and how I was able to attack others without anyone noticing until the last second. Add to that the fact that I had "killed" all the plants around the lake, and caused the water channels connected to the lake to dry up, and soon i had people praying in groups then performing some kind of strange ritual intended to calm me. They burned incense, rang brass bells, and even went so far as to wrap things like ¡°wooden dolls, flesh and bones in cloth bundles¡± and throw them into the lake. And when my conversation with Hirake ended and I got things back to normal, they believed that their actions were the cause of my "satisfaction". I guess that''s how a culture is born? If they believe that whenever the lake dries up, all they need to do to make it come back is dance, sing and pray, then they are very stupid, but lovable idiots. I also had some problems with this whole situation, and clearly the most unhappy with all of this is Suzuke, who didn''t like the fact that I was dishonoring our agreement. Honestly I couldn''t be less worried about what Kiiro will be; for me the ideal is that he becomes a super powerful magician who will take Selene''s place in the future and protect me with all his body and soul, but if he becomes a butcher, a scribe, or a farmer, that doesn''t affect me at all, all I need to do is make sure that I''m not the reason for his death. Suzuke is so annoying sometimes; she thinks she can boss me around or force me to do things I don''t want to do, I''m really tempted to drown her in the lake or feed her to my pets, I just don''t do it because I would have to go to the trouble of finding someone to take care of Kiiro, or worse, I would have to take care of him myself. Anyway, to fulfill my part of the deal with Hirake, I kind of agreed to be his guardian spirit, but honestly? Whatever, I gain his protection and direct access to the heart of power, and all I need to do in return is help him with my magic and make sure he stays on top. It may not seem like it, but I can be very useful when I want to be, my magic is very strong and malleable when compared to others, of course I can''t summon spirits or create golems by reading words from a book, but I can create magical formations that can remain active for a very, very long time, as long as I keep feeding them with my magical power. Some examples of this are the waterfall in my cave, it "falls" upwards because of my magical interference, the water that I generate infinitely is also thanks to the combination of magic and skills, my "persona" that I use to interact with the world is also nothing more than a cheap magic trick. Also, I can do some extra fun tricks, like creating a sort of magical "Telephone". Simply put, I have skills that can imitate the sounds I''ve heard, so all I need to do is connect 2 people through the lake''s gems, and sort of imitate the phones from my old world. ''The only problem is that it requires a lot of mental and physical effort... Hmmm... Never mind, I can just limit the number of magic phones and the time to use them.'' My magical formations are very good and quite useful, but everything has a price in this world, everything I do needs to be maintained; for example, if I lost consciousness right now, all my active magics would stop working immediately, the lake would stop being fed with new water, the waterfall would collapse and the entire cave would be flooded with the lake''s water, probably killing all the vegetation inside. When you think about it like that, it''s pretty stupid to keep a huge hole in the cave that could end up flooding if I go into suspended hibernation or something, but there''s not much i can do about it anyway, filling the hole would take a lot of time and effort. And it wouldn''t really look good, since my specialty is water, not rocks and earth, and my [Earth Wardens] aren''t exactly the best for heavy work - they can dig holes, but they''re not very good at creating dams. Anyway, I can worry about creating a drain later, and if the things in the cave die from the water¡­ whatever, I can do it all over again anyway, and if one day I really need to go into suspended hibernation, that means something or someone has hurt me so badly that I am forced to use my last resort. In that case, I''m more than happy to flood the cave to drown an unwanted intruder. Magic works in mysterious ways. It''s like a force capable of giving physical form to your imagination, and that''s why it attracts me so much. I could focus on things like rituals and summoning, but that has little appeal to me compared to the vastness of magic. So far I know 4 different types of magic, elemental magic - what I and most Tieflings use, which can manipulate elements of nature, bending them according to your will and ability. "Circle magic", which is the magic everyone can use as long as they have the necessary knowledge. Summoning magic, a magic capable of summoning spirits, elementals, golems and things like that; I have a skill version of this magic, but I know there are ways to summon magical creatures using pure magic instead of skills, do I know how? Not exactly, but I''ll get there one day. And finally, bloodline magic. This last one is newer and I have little knowledge about it, but apparently this is the Tieflings'' specialty, it is a magic passed down through the blood, and has unique and special powers. Bloodline magic seems to be all or nothing - either you get a lot of bonuses brought by your bloodline, or you die due to high stillbirth and childhood mortality rates. There are some questions I have about this type of magic, such as: is it possible to unite 2 different bloodlines and create a new one? Is it possible to eliminate the negative points of each bloodline? And is there any way to increase the chances of success? Bloodline magic is dangerous, but rewarding too, and apparently there are also degrees of bloodline purity, the higher the purity of someone''s bloodline, the higher the powers and gifts, and the smaller the disadvantages. There are also cases where some descendants awaken only part of the bloodline''s power. As for Kiiro''s power, if we were to use logical reasoning, Kiiro''s mother, Suzuke, should be blind as a mole like him, but no, she has 2 perfectly healthy eyes, but she has a high concentration of mana - much higher than the average Tiefling, while Kiiro has the power to see mana, but lost his common vision in the process, he also has a high purity of mana, but still inferior compared to his mother. It''s probably Suzuke''s fault, marrying a commoner with no lineage or significant powers ended up "damaging" her lineage, and the one who paid the price for Suzuke''s recklessness was no one else but Kiiro, who barely has the benefits of his lineage, but carries several debuffs generated by it. Coming to think of it... I think that''s why Suzuke spent her whole life trying to "fix" Kiiro''s blindness? I think she knew it was her fault that Kiiro ended up like this. Of course, she doesn''t have a crystal ball to know if the fruit of her love would be healthy or not, but she has her share of blame for this. After all, she knew she had a bloodline, and yet she decided to marry and have children with someone who would certainly only weaken that bloodline. Looking back, Suzuke was really stupid not to accept Hirake''s advances. He''s a kind of strange guy but good-natured, and his high level would certainly result in better fruits than Kiiro. ''Hmm... seeing their choices come back to bite them is pretty fun, I think I''ll have a lot of entertainment from now on.''
Lotus Year 96 Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Today is a special day, at least for Hirake. He had summoned several nobles and a large audience in front of my temple to receive the blessing of the Lady of the lake. We had talked a little beforehand, and I will give him a [Unique] blessing and accept his request for me to become his sponsor. From the looks of things, this request is not an easy one for a Tiefling to make, since you have to put your own soul on the table as a bargaining chip, but as the saying goes, high risks, high rewards. If I accept the deal, Hirake will "merge" with my own primordial energy and transmute into a new being, gaining part of my power, unlimited access to my energy and knowledge, and all my affinities/talents. All in exchange for his soul and eternal servitude. Once the deal is sealed, we will be forever linked - Hirake will never be able to separate himself from me, and I cannot cancel the sponsorship agreement with Hirake, at least not in the conventional way, I can kill him and put an end to all this, but if I die Hirake will lose practically all his powers, which is great news for me, since it is clear who is the servant and who is the master. Selene was a little apprehensive, jealous if I am to be more specific. As my faithful she had many advantages given by me, but nothing compares to a sponsorship agreement. Of course, unlike Hirake''s plan, Selene kept her soul due to her fanatical devotion, while Hirake would have to sell his soul to gain his gifts given by me. I think the unluckiest one in all of this was Suzuke. She doesn''t have a soul to trade for the sponsorship agreement, and she doesn''t have my protection. If anyone knew about our agreement, they might say that she should have thought about trading her soul for the sponsorship agreement instead of Kiiro''s eternal protection. But cards on the table, if Suzuke had offered me this kind of deal before, I probably would have accepted, but not cared what happens to her son. In that sense, Suzuke basically sold her present to buy Kiiro''s future.. Thanks to the deal I made with Suzuke, I am obligated to take care of Kiiro. And the best way to do that is to make him powerful enough to take care of himself, so of course I will invest my best resources and whatever time is needed in this boy, even if in the end he proves to be otherwise useless. I''m even thinking of ways to tie him to other important families, since if he can live under the protection of these people then I wouldn''t need to worry about him so much. I think it shouldn''t be that hard to find someone interested in tying Kiiro to one of their children in the future, after all, even if they of "Low quality", Kiiro still has a royal bloodline, and Selene''s favor, so anyone interested in a free bloodline and gaining the temple''s influence would be more than happy to play matchmaker with me. The small ceremony was more for political purposes than necessary, since there is no specific procedure for a Tiefling to offer a request for sponsorship to a higher entity, we could do it in a hurry or with rituals to add a feeling of tradition. Since Hirake was trying to become a king, he needed to play by the right rules.If you want to win the hearts of the people, you need to put on a little show, tell them that you respect tradition and their ways, even if at the end of the day it is just a bunch of meaningless nonsense. In the center of the temple square, a large formation of rune scriptures was placed on the ground in a circle - a bit of magic that was more there to add mystical ambiance than to assist with the magical ritual. Some people in cloth masks were playing drums around the square, accompanied by torches and stone statues. Selene was facing a small stone altar inside the circle of runes, placed there specifically for the event. On top of the altar were lit candles made of lard, parchments, shells and magic stones accompanied by a large knife made of an unknown metal and a wooden chalice encrusted with jewels. Around the square, many hooded figures wearing thick cloaks were staring fixedly at Hirake, the only uncovered figure present aside from Selene. "The blessing ritual will begin now!" Selene proclaimed loudly. Soon whispers began to emanate from the crowd, the drums beat louder, and the circle of runes on the floor began to glow with a faint blue light. Undaunted, Hirake walked slowly into the circle of runes until he reached Selene. "The Blood binds..." Selene said calmly, bowing slightly to Hirake as she handed him the knife. Hirake took the knife from Selene''s hands, raising it in the air just above his head so that everyone could see it, generating a susurration from the audience. Selene then calmly took the wooden chalice and cupped it with both hands, while standing in front of Hirake. Hirake, without hesitation, raised his arm not holding the knife, and cut his wrist vertically until it reached the middle of his forearm. The cut was not deep enough to be a serious wound, but large enough to create a constant flow of blood that dripped from Hirake''s arm and filled the chalice held by Selene. Once the chalice was filled, Selene turned to the altar, leaving Hirake alone to tend to his wounds. She gently placed the chalice on the altar before kneeling in front of it and beginning to pray silently. Whispers began echoing through the square, as a dense fog filled the area leaving everyone intrigued. Unexpectedly, the flames of the torches and candles went out all at once, before lighting up again much brighter and now a vibrant shade of blue. Amidst Selene''s prayers, the blood in the chalice began changing. The liquid, which was previously red and opaque, begins to be stained a vibrant blue which shone like the stars. This quickly consumed all of the blood in the chalice, leaving behind only deep cerulean water glowing dimly Selene took the chalice containing the mysterious liquid, walked over to Hirake, and hands him the chalice, softly saying the next words of the ritual. "Souls intertwine..." Selene said. Hirake took the chalice with both hands, brought it to his mouth, and drank the entire contents of the chalice while subtly sending me the sponsorship request.
[Notice]
The individual [Hirake] is attempting to form a binding pact with you, accepting the pact will result in gaining the individual [Hirake]''s soul at the cost of 60% of your current energy reserves.
Accept?
Yes No
''Damn... 60% Of my current energy reserves? That''s... the equivalent of months of energy generation! Hmmm... I''ll definitely charge Hirake for that later.'' I thought as I selected ''Yes''. As soon as I selected the ''yes'' option, I felt my energy reserves being rapidly sucked out of me, leaving me momentarily dizzy. I could see Hirake falling to the ground in agony as my energy began to invade his body like a sponge soaking up water. Hirake began to scream at the top of his lungs, while the people around him just watched his suffering closely. Glowing blue veins began to appear on Hirake''s body as a slow transformation began to take place. Hirake''s skin began to change from its previous beige tone to a deep blue with some golden streaks, making his skin look like a lapis lazuli jewel, while his skin and muscles writhed as if worms were moving under his flesh. Hirake seemed like at any moment he would faint from the pain, but the transformation did not stop happening. His purple hair was dyed a deep blue, his coral-like horns grew larger, spreading outwards as they curved and took on a deep jet-black tone. His teeth sharpened into points, followed by his amber eyes turning gold. "...and your fate is sealed." Selene concludes. Soon Hirake''s transformation is complete, and I can feel something coming off of him and flowing into me. I knew what it was but even so, the whole process of receiving payment was quite impressive and curious.
Notice
You have received the soul of [Hirake], you can consume it to increase your XP gain permanently or use it in other ways.
Notice
The binding pact with the individual [Hirake] has been concluded.
''Wow! I can consume souls to increase my XP gain? Now we''re talking! I can exchange blessings for souls and consume them to gain more XP!'' Hirake''s soul entered me and disappeared. I think it fused with my own soul, or it''s stored somewhere inside me... I don''t know how to deal with souls so I''m not sure. But I certainly won''t miss this tempting meal.
Warning
Consuming [Hirake] soul will result in his death, proceed?
Yes No
''Damn it! I can''t eat his soul without killing him?! What a waste!'' Well, I have to say that this is both good and bad news. The good news is that containing Hirake, who is currently the biggest threat in this place, just got even easier. If he does something stupid, I just need to eat his soul and that''s it. The problem is that it''s not worth consuming his soul now that I have a pact with him. ''Hmm... So I just need to wait to consume his soul until his physical body dies naturally or he loses his usefulness... this pact is definitely worth it.'' Hirake finally came back to reality, staggering o his feet, inspecting his new body with puzzlement, he then turned to his audience before raising his hand to the sky while giving a great shout of victory, an act that is soon repeated by everyone present. "Hail to the king! Hail to the king!" The crowd shouted as Hirake looked over the crowd with satisfaction.