《A Hunger for More》 1 | Origin The Calarin council hall The court mage casts light, illuminating the council of nobles, murmuring amongst themselves. ¡°This is outrageous! The forests belong to us!¡± shouted a noble. ¡°We have to kill those elves,¡± sneered a noble. ¡°They have killed so many of our citizens!¡± ¡°We deserve to occupy the rich forests of Calaran,¡± agreed another. ¡°Our citizens need the rich forests to prosper.¡± Although the Calarin Kingdom owns the forests in name, the elves are the ones who actually occupy the forest, stating that it¡¯s wrong to destroy nature in the pursuit of profits. The king releases a short, powerful burst of red aura. The council falls into silence. He gazes upon his subjects silently, sighing. He sat in deep thought about all the lives lost to the war. ¡°Can I really rule as well as my father, though I have been touted as the strongest king yet?¡± The kingdom is in shambles, suffering from overpopulation and the lack of resources. After the long war against the demonfolk, much of the land is polluted by miasma, uninhabitable by most races aside from monsters. ¡°The elves speak of rubbish about honor and dignity, yet we were the ones taking most of the damage in the alliance!¡± The nobles are practically drooling while gnashing their teeth, thinking of the elves sitting on their high horse (giraffe?) and snickering as they got away with suffering minimal casualties, with their traditional enemies of humans and demons destroying each other. ¡°We demand land and compensation!!¡± Of Course the elves were not going to give up their land. ¡°At least some elven medicine to cure our soldiers?¡± Nope. ¡°As expected of the Conqueror King! All hail!¡± ¡°Hail!¡± they shouted in unison. ¡°Long live the king!¡± Deep in the Calarin Forest, a black mist envelops the aftermath of a battlefield, smothering the remains of dead human and elven soldiers. The bodies twitch, then disappear into dust. The traces of greenish bluish hues of mana condenses into a shadowy humanoid form. A male soldier, around his mid twenties. A youthful female elf. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! [Degraded Basic Swordsmanship obtained!] [Degraded Intermediate Bowmanship obtained!] [Degraded Basic Magic Mastery obtained!] [Degraded Basic Language Interpretation obtained!] [Inherited partial traits of elves and humans!] It seems to look around. Wandering through the forest, it chanced upon a child. Her small frame, bent over, gathering herbs and mushrooms. She seems to be around six or seven, dirt speckled her white dress. An instinct to consume comes over the shadowy form. With one short scream, the girl was dragged into the form, disappearing. Only the dirty, ripped, rags of a dress remain. Moments later, the mist dissipates, revealing the child. It flexed her hands, forming it into a fist and opening it, inspecting the body, putting the clothes back on. [Basic Botany Knowledge obtained!] [You may now transform!] [Degraded basic language interpretation has been upgraded to Basic language interpretation!] A sharp pain echoes in her skull. A flood of information and memories.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. [The penalty is mild] ¡°Remember to not go too deep into the forests Michelle! Have ## playing ### -end!¡± It found out that it was mom. She felt warm. Later on, mom could be seen crying. 2 soldiers were speaking to her. ¡°### was ##od man.¡± She felt sick. She blinks. The village is burning. Run away¡­ Run away¡­ [The penalty has ended. Returning to first person point of view] I received fragments of the child¡¯s memory. In this world there are skills. Each creature, from the weakest slime to the strongest dragon has a skill. Each kingdom possesses unique skills, producing valuable trade commodities. The elves in particular protect the world tree, which can be made into special medicine that can cure fatal wounds and regain youth. After the fall of Demon King Asmodeus, the humanoid nations fell into a massive race war. Humans seek to gain new territory and treasures, as the invasion from the demons left trace amounts of miasma, leaving most of the west uninhabitable. She learned that the dwarves, secluded in the cave systems in the middle of the continent, remain as a neutral trade nation. The elves occupy the forests in the center of the continent. Human civilizations unite around the west consisting of the Kingdom of Calarin. The neutral federation of beastfolk scattered in the east, far away from the other races due to discrimination. Nobody dares approach the north, where the dragonkin resides. Race: Progenitor Shapeshifter Title: N/A LVL: 2 HP: 200 MP: 50 ATK: 5 DEX: 12 Racial trait(s): Shapeshifting lvl 1: Depending on the condition of the corpse, you can shapeshift into your target. No limit. Sublimation lvl MAX: Turns into an intangible cloud of black mist. Physical attacks have no effect, but are susceptible to magical attacks and receive more knockback. Notes: Current copy is imperfect. Stats of copy are reduced, and copies abilities are degraded. I wandered through the remains of the battlefield. Equipment lay strewn all over the place. Not like the dead can use it, she thought. From one soldier, a white cloak. I brush the dirt and leaves off. I pulled it tight. ¡®Cold.¡¯ From another, a slightly chipped dagger. I can¡¯t wield anything bigger. Some wooden sandals. Some woolen socks. A potion with a reddish hue. A silver necklace, inlaid with a blue jewel. [Sapphire Necklace] Enchanted by a mage, it has a slight protection to all elements, with a slight boost to MP. Perfect for a mage. ¡°RM¡± is engraved in the back. Feels warm to the touch. Suddenly, a few black masses rush out from among the trees. ¡°A child?¡± ¡°Just a child.¡± ¡°Where are the bodies?¡± ¡°Forget it, the monsters probably got ¡®em.¡± ¡°Hey, where you from?¡± ¡°Probably just a refugee.¡± ¡°Heyyyy buddy, you lost?¡± ¡°I- I came from the nearby city, I was out gathering herbs for my ... .Sick mother.¡± ¡°Come with us, we¡¯ll help you get back,¡± he said with a wink. ¡°We just came from there, as a request from the guild to retrieve the remains. He glances over. ¡°Come on, I don¡¯t bite!¡± Reluctantly, she trailed behind them. I fidget, a nervous habit carried over by Michelle. After around an hour of walking, her tiny legs ache. I began slowing down. The man from before offers to carry me. It feels nice. ¡°Hey wake up, we are here. The city of Wesclim.¡± The city bustles with adventurers. Blacksmiths and merchants hawking their products. All kinds of races. Beastmen, humans, a dwarf here and there. It seems lively. I watched on quietly, wondering if I could ever fit into this world. ¡°Not much of a speaker huh? Well whatever.¡± ¡®That startled me.¡¯ I stare blankly. Blinks ¡°Th-thank you, let me down please.¡± I smile. ¡°Lets go report back to the guild. Don¡¯t stray too far, ¡®kay?¡± I nod and wave. I start messing around with my skills. Magic? It seems like I have been a mage all my life, tiny flames and droplets of water dancing across my vision. The adventurers were busy cheering on a duel with swords. I can instinctively trace their movements. Feint left. Push him, knock him off balance. Strike his torso with the pommel. Success! I slip away quietly into a back alley. ¡®This child seems to have a strangely detailed idea about these shady areas¡­¡¯ As a shapeshifter born out of magic, I don¡¯t feel hunger. I don¡¯t need sleep. But most of all, I was afraid. Afraid of what others will do if they found out my identity, afraid of all these foreign emotions. ¡®Who am I?¡¯ Days turn into weeks turn into months. The war rages on, as the leaves turn golden brown and fall off the branches. I spent my days training my magic and hunting monsters late into the night. [Lesser Direwolf has appeared!] The dagger glances off its tough hide. I jump back, starting to blast it with magic. It charges towards me. ¡®Perfect.¡¯ With a yelp, it fell into my trap dug from earth magic, formerly covered with leaves and twigs. [Level up!] I gasp for air. My MP is running low again. I got an inexplicable joy from leveling up. [Keen Smell obtained!] [Night Vision obtained!] Months drag on to years. [Level up!] [Level up!] [Level up!] [Shapeshifting has leveled up to level 2! You may consume blood to get a glimpse into the person¡¯s past. Requires 10% of max MP. Memory fragments depend on the purity and age of the blood] 1.5 | Prophecy Every 100 years, an intelligent being is summoned like clockwork. A beast from a desolate planet. A high tier elemental spirit. Sometimes even a ¡°hero.¡± Or a villain. Depends on your definition of a hero. Usually, the coalition between nations work together to subdue this being, due to the potential threat they may pose. Sometimes, they won¡¯t even need to do anything, since for example, a being from a water planet or a planet with lower gravity would not be able to adjust, dying soon after. They are valuable. Strange materials and knowledge, allowing the continent to progress at a rapid pace. In every person, there is a small organ just below the liver that circulates mana. ¡°Otherworlders¡± are also a valuable magic catalyst. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. The tower makes frequent requests on preferably live test subjects to conduct experiments. However, it is inevitable that some slip through the cracks. It has already been 100 years, and the coalition¡¯s meeting has been delayed due to the war between the elves and the humans. Normally, the heads of each nation are supposed to meet in the neutral holy land, the town where the previous hero called home. Nobody knows where he is now, most of his records are erased. Rumors say that he was either eaten by a demon or forcibly taken as a test subject. A few months ago, the oracle received a divine revelation. A veil of darkness descends. Beware of the one who walks among you in the shadows, for they will bring ruin. ¡°Dispatch the inquisitors to Wesclim. The mysterious disappearance of the bodies is very suspicious, not to mention reports of the dead roaming alive at night. I strongly encourage the usage of charms to boost your mental defenses.¡± ¡°Yes, your holiness!¡± He sighed. After the death of the demon king, there had been frequent disputes over territory. ¡®I wish that we would all work together to rebuild instead of fighting each other¡­¡¯ The paladins are overworked tracking down the remainder of the demon army. The human territories are fighting for control with the elven territories. Most worryingly, this ¡°creature¡± would be quite difficult to track down with the lack of manpower, and with the prophecy suggesting some sort of intelligence or trickery. Perhaps a skinwalker? They had encountered a few in the war against the demons, but they were mostly low ranking demons with minimal intelligence, picking off an isolated villager or two at night. A wraith? An illusionist? A trickster? Or even a dream demon, which could be particularly troublesome to deal with, transferring from host to host, killing anyone with weak mental defenses. He pinches the bridge of his nose, then starts on the ever increasing pile of documents. He glances outside. The weather seems particularly dreadful today. A thunderbolt strikes in the distance¡­ 2 | Acclimation Who am I?¡¯ She had an epiphany. Who is this creature, if not a mix of others it consumed? From now on, she will live for herself. She glanced around. ¡®Eris has a nice ring to it¡¯ And so that day, she became known as Eris. Argent colored hair, and strangely piercing golden eyes, with a porcelain doll-like complexion. No good. She stood out too much. The adventurers guild has a restriction on age, banning everyone under the age of 10. Unless, of course, you are proven to be a prodigy. Recently, Eris overheard the rumors of a black market. She searched day in and day out and finally tracked it down. The black market is where you can find the majority of specialized magic items and familiars. Most cities place restrictions on the exchange of magic items and familiars, with a strict vetting process. The black market is also where criminals offload their stolen goods. Anything can be bought and sold with the right price. You have to know the right person. The location changes and opens once a week to avoid the authorities. Eris had gotten some materials from the direwolves she hunted. Some pelts and monster cores, essential for leveling your familiars. ¡°Familiars¡± are tamed intelligent beasts who naturally devour other beasts, eating their monster cores. The higher end familiars are all sold in the black market. ¡°I need a weak slime familiar, a few low grade MP recharge potions, and a decent rapier, unenchanted.¡± Tamed slime monsters are quite rare. In the wild, they act as an easy experience source for novice adventurers, but also work to clean up the environment, consuming and absorbing waste. As such, they are quite rare due to being over hunted, and declared a protected species. ¡°Quite a high quality potion you got there¡­The quality of the pelts suggest sloppy butchering, and monster cores are of lower quality. I suppose I can do a trade.¡± ¡°And throw in a blindfold and some gloves.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Pleasure doing business with you. I will be here next week, you can find me by following these directions. I hope to see you soon!¡± He passes her a note. At nightfall, cross the third alleyway, a left, a right, knock on the third bar. The password is ¡°elderflower fields.¡± With a polite nod, she left. She consumed the slime. [Basic magic sense obtained!] [Unique racial trait : Predator obtained!] [Basic passive regeneration obtained!] Eris slips on her new leather gloves and ties the blindfold on. She could now ¡°see¡± her surroundings with magic sense, so she could hide her conspicuous eyes, which seemingly glow at night. Lately, Eris has been relying too heavily on magic. While the elven magic is useful, it mainly focuses on earth and water, leaving more to be desired with close combat. While the dagger worked fine, it lacks range. The other weapons are a bit too heavy for her to carry. Eris purchased a rapier. It has a nice sheen to it, and it was quite good quality, and the price isn¡¯t too bad. 4 silver coins. Fortunately, she has just enough from doing odd jobs around the city. She took some practice swings. ¡®Good weight.¡¯ ¡°Recently, we bought a large supply of weapons from the Marquis family. Their second child has outgrown them, so they sold it to us at a relatively cheap price. Unfortunately, there are not many people looking to buy weapons made for children. Come back soon!¡± In the wide city of Wesclim, there are many unscrupulous actors. Money is hard to come by, with the weekly black market visit being unreliable. She resided in a shack in the slums, offering basic protection from the elements and a sort of a base of operations where she could practice her magic control and sword skills. Violence occurs daily. Muggings, murders, trafficking, loan sharking, you name it. So she decided to teach them a lesson and relieve them (steal) of their burdens (wallets). ¡°Hey who is this brat?¡± ¡°???¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mphphm!!¡± With a deadpan expression, she leaves them in a heap. ¡°I did all that for a couple of silver coins? This sucks!¡± ¡°Hey you back there, where¡¯s your boss? Or else I¡¯ll encase your head in a block of ice again.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Water magic is extremely versatile. Aside from just having access to water, it is possible to change the forms to suit your needs. However, the creation of matter is very taxing on the body. It is much easier and simpler to manipulate the existing water in the atmosphere. Recently, the rainy season started, perfect for a water user like her. ¡®Icicle spears! Icicle spears! Terraspike!!¡¯ ¡®Oooh more wallets!¡¯ Turns out the boss was just a small fry. [Title obtained : The Enforcer] Increased damage against enemies of the evil alignment. Slight resistance to dark magic and miasma. She discarded her white cloak, which is worn and smeared with blood at this point. Instead, Eris grabbed the more inconspicuous black from one of the body guards. [Assassin¡¯s cloak] Lightweight, yet sturdy. Grants a slight stealth bonus, and defense against slashing attacks. She used predation on the rest of the items, stripping the hideout clean. Although she couldn¡¯t use the long swords and heavier copper plated armor, she could still sell them. Predation is a pretty special skill. It can absorb a certain amount of items into your body, acting as a sort of item storage. She would rather not devour the bodies. She would be spotted instantly if she disguised as a wanted criminal. ¡®Besides, their memories are probably disgusting¡¯ Eris got a couple scrapes and nicks, but they will heal in time. She gulped down a MP recovery potion. Magic requires imagination. When people chant the spell, they can ¡°imagine¡± the spell¡¯s effects, thereby spending mana and casting the spell. However, Eris has a very, very strong mental image, from Michelle. Although Michelle couldn¡¯t use magic, she had very vivid imagination of the war. As an unlikely survivor, she had the potential to become a very powerful mage, possibly a court mage. Her legacy will now be written by Eris. In blood. Lately, Mina has been swamped with work at the guild. Reports of increased monster attacks. Reports of mysteriously empty hunting grounds, with poorly butchered monsters. Wanted criminals mysteriously found dead, grotesquely postured against the wall, slumped over with icicle spears and spikes made of earth skewering the bodies. The blood had almost run dry. Disturbing. The air is suffocating, smelling of metal, with a chill that seemed to linger in your bones. They were only discovered because of the bad smell. The ice acted as a sort of preservative. Notably, the bodies were stripped of all belongings. It could be a territorial dispute between gangs, which happens quite frequently in the slums. Princess Anastasia enacted a decree to station guards in the slums, but it received widespread pushback from the nobles. ¡°Why should we protect these filthy drug-peddling slum rats?¡± And thus the decree was repealed. With a groan, Mina went back to work. ¡®I hate dealing with adventurers. I should just resign and work as an adventurer¡­Clerks get no respect.¡¯ Mina used to be a C-ranked adventurer. Believing that a desk job would be more cushy and safer, she jumped at the opportunity. She is a witch doctor. Possessing the ability of appraisal, healing, and debuffing, Mina is the perfect clerk. She believed that she would have a stable income, but the working conditions are terrible. They are frequently overworked with short breaks. Clerks are also not allowed to participate in quests, unless the guild mandated a subjugation order. In actuality, the income is actually worse. She is fuming but not many adventurer teams are looking for a witch doctor. A black mage would be better at debuffing. A priest would have much better support magic. Combined with their low defenses, it is a fickle class to play. At the coming of age ceremony, all her friends got much better classes. Swordmaster. Divinator. Assassin. Paladin. The list goes on. They formed the A rank adventurer team of ¡°Jetwing,¡± named after that time they subjugated a wyvern, an A rank monster. Mina felt as though she was not of much help. Perhaps they let her join out of pity, but now she is too embarrassed to ask for her spot back. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ah! Sorry, who are you looking for? Where are your parents?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡®Weird, she thought. Could she be an adventurer? That can¡¯t be it¡­She looks too youn-¡® ¡°4 sacks of lesser direwolf claws, as proof of subjugation. I would like to be specially registered as an adventurer.¡± Mina looks down at the bags. [Appraisal] Then at the kid. ¡°My name is Eris.¡± ¡°My name is¡­ Mina.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I will talk to the guildmaster, hold on a minute.¡± Mina briskly walked away. ¡°Guildmaster Enzo,¡± she said with a bow. ¡°I think we found ourselves the culprit of the murders.¡± ¡°At such a young age,¡± he murmurs. ¡°The bigger issue is that I can¡¯t see her race and stats. I could only see her title.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­I think she could be a half elf. I can feel elven mana, and that necklace is quite interesting too. Go ahead and tell her to come back in a week to take an assessment. Until then, issue her a temporary adventurer¡¯s card.¡± ¡°From today, you are a temporary E rank adventurer Mina. Please pour some of your mana into orb as identification.¡± This confirms their suspicions. ¡®Elven and human mana.¡± ¡°Your card has been issued. You can choose to take quests equal or lower to your rank, or you can choose to work together with other adventurers for a higher rank quest.¡± Mina explained the rules to her. No fighting unless in designated areas. Disputes are settled by the guild. ¡°aaand of course no crimes.¡± The adventurers card can be used as communication between adventurers, and as identification. ¡°Here are 8 silver coins and 8 copper coins for the claws.¡± Lesser direwolves are usually not a big issue, but they could be dangerous to fight against alone. Although they are not the most intelligent, they still tend to hunt in groups. ¡°Excuse me, where can I find a blacksmith? I need to repair my gear.¡± Although she hadn¡¯t been using her dagger much, it has sentimental value. ¡°Would you like a map? You seem new around here. We are selling them for 3 copper coins each.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Eris exits. ¡®What could she be fighting for at such a young age?¡¯ ¡°I wish you luck!¡± Mina yelled. She probably couldn¡¯t hear her at this point, but she made a mental note to buy her a good luck charm the next time she visited. ¡®How I wish I could be a newly fledged adventurer.¡¯ She has a nostalgic smile on her face, with her chin on her hand. Snap snap. ¡°Hey hey this is the proof of completion for my quest.¡± ¡®Back to work.¡¯ Mina clucked her tongue in disapproval. Baern¡¯s family has been working at this smithy for generations. From grandfather to father. From father to son. Until it is passed to Baern . You can say he is a bit of a prodigy. He was praised for his works, making very high quality pieces of equipment. However, he has a bad attitude. Some people just don¡¯t appreciate the craft. Lately, he hadn¡¯t been getting any business. But he doesn¡¯t mind. ¡®Peace and quiet, just me and my hammer.¡¯ ¡°Hello? Is anyone here? I need to make a request.¡± The blacksmith appears dilapidated, so Eris wasn¡¯t sure if the map was accurate. Elves normally dislike and chastise dwarves for their craft, claiming that it is ¡°unnatural.¡± This made Thorkinn immediately on edge. ¡°How can I help?¡± he said tensely. ¡°My.. dagger. And some light armor appropriate for my size please.¡± ¡®Huh, she is actually quite different from other elves. Just a child¡­She must¡¯ve lost her parents to the war.¡¯ ¡°I will give you a discount. 2 copper coins for the repair, and 3 silver coins for light armor.¡± She glanced around. ¡°The weapons on display seem to emit mana.¡± Red, blue, green, and brown mana swirl around the workshop. ¡°So you¡¯ve noticed eh? These are some of my works. I¡¯m a runesmith. I can engrave runes on weapons and armor, but it¡¯ll cost ya.¡± ¡°Is weight reduction on the armor and piercing on the rapier possible?¡± ¡°Of course! Seeing as your rapier is not enchanted, it should only take a minute. But the armor request will take longer. You may pick it up later this week. 5 gold coins total.¡± ¡®That¡¯s almost all my gold¡­¡¯ She poured out the bag at the counter. ¡®What¡¯s a brat carrying that much money? Is she perhaps a noble? Not possible, elven nobles are typically snobby and taught to respect nature and despise dwarves from a young age¡­¡¯ ¡°I will be back with your rapier in a moment.¡± [Appraisal] A drop of sweat rolled down his face. ¡®Oh my goddess.¡¯ Click. What appears to be an ordinary rapier seemed to detach from its sheath, revealing a beautiful blade with an uncannily sharp edge. A small, black sword insignia outlined in crimson red could be seemingly manifested on the bottom of the sword guard, starting to glow a dim, sky blue hue. 2.5 | Unsealed 2.5 | Unsealed ¡°The blade is made from an alloy of a manticore stinger and adamantium. This must¡¯ve been crafted in collaboration with a master craftsman and the demon slayer hero!¡± He gulped. ¡°You see, at the knuckle guard there are small indents on the side. Rather than an aesthetic choice, if you press the correct grooves on the sword, the sword will detach and reveal its true power.¡± The rapier seemed to shimmer. He barely touches the sword to his skin. Beads of red began to form. ¡®Magnificent!¡¯ ¡°It is already impossibly lightweight, I suggest purchasing a scabbard, to compliment the weapon. I would love to work with such a beautiful blade, such superb craftsmanship!¡± ¡®Rather than a treasure being stored in a museum, it is much better for me to work with it, such a perfect blade must not be put to waste!¡¯ ¡°Come back in a week, I will have your armor and sheath ready for you.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Eris deadpans. ¡°Cool I guess¡­?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand the true value of the blade. I wish you luck on your adventure!¡± However, Eris was ecstatic inside. She checked the item¡¯s information again. [Demon Slayer Alex¡¯s Rapier (sealed)] An unremarkable, yet high quality blade. A perfect training blade for a child. It seems to slip from your gaze. ¡°My gift to you¡± - Unknown +5% bonus crit chance +10% bonus attack speed +5% enhanced crit damage for striking a weak point Concealment enchant -Stacks Click. [Demon Slayer Alex¡¯s Rapier (unsealed)] Forged with the stinger of the first manticore he killed and adamantium, tempered with dragon fire and quenched with holy water blessed by the pope, this weapon is deadly against evil. Extremely light with an uncannily sharp edge. ¡°Do no harm¡± - The Prosecutor +5% true damage against evil alignment +10% defense bypass +15% bonus attack speed +10% resistance to dark magic +10% enhanced damage to striking a weak point -Stacks [Holy Purification] -5% bonus fire damage against demons -30% bonus holy damage against demons -Unbreakable Penalties for attacking the good alignment Eris did a few test swings with the unsealed rapier. ¡®Amazing! However, it seems to consume a lot of mana, better seal it.¡¯ It seems that she is a bit too weak to properly wield it. Tonight, she plans to circulate and purify her mana repeatedly in order to forcibly increase her maximum mana capacity. Soon, she will look for a sword instructor. Scanning through the past memories, it seems that the soldier is not too accustomed to rapiers, preferring heavy blades or longswords. Perhaps someone at the guild knows a good instructor. She gulps down another mana recovery potion. ¡®It¡¯s going to be a long night.¡¯ 3 | The Art of the Sword Early next morning, Eris left for the guild. The birds are singing. The children are playing. The thieves are crying. ¡®A perfect day,¡¯ she thought with a smile. The streets are already bustling with adventurers looking for a head start on the day¡¯s pick of the quests. Vendors are hawking their products. ¡°Looking for at least a D rank healer to help raid a dungeon!¡± ¡°Selling freshly baked loaves of bread! Cheap and delicious!¡± ¡°Come check out my wares! They sell out fast!¡± Finally, she made it to the guild. ¡°Welcome back Eris!¡± ¡°Good morning Mina! I¡¯m looking for a sword instructor. I need experience with a rapier.¡± ¡°Lucky for you, a retired adventurer is in town. He is experienced with all kinds of swords, I will speak with him. Also, I bought you a little something,¡± she said with a wink. [Lucky Charm] A crude statue of the goddess made from wood. You can tell that the sculptor put a lot of effort into it. +5 luck ¡°I made it just for you, good luck on your test later this week!¡± ¡°Thank you!!¡± she said with a polite bow. ¡°Follow me Eris, the training grounds are right this way.¡± The training grounds is a medium sized open-air courtyard behind the guild. A few adventurers could be seen attacking training dummies, or clashing against each other with wooden swords. Mina points at the man sitting at the edge of the courtyard. He appears to be in his mid 40s, with a scar tracing the side of his cheek. His hair is speckled with flecks of gray. A sword lay on the ground next to him, worn, seeing its fair share of battles. ¡°He used to work as a mercenary during the great war. Now that the war is basically over, he now serves as a sword trainer for newer adventurers. Seasoned in battle, he is perfect for you.¡± Eris nods politely. ¡°I¡¯ll have to get back to work now, have fun training!¡± As she walks away, Eris approaches the man. He frowned, looked her up and down, and furrowed his eyebrows. ¡°What is a child like you doing here? Scram, this isn¡¯t a daycare.¡± ¡°I¨C I wish to learn the art of the sword from you.¡± He sighed. ¡®I suppose I¡¯ve met stranger adventurers in my life.¡¯ ¡°You? Do you even know the proper stances? Proper strikes? How to use aura? Show me.¡± She fumbles with her sword and pulls it from her left hip. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to use aura. However, I do know how to use magic and I am willing to learn.¡± ¡°Your stance is flimsy,¡± he said with an exasperated sigh as he adjusted it. She starts swinging. ¡®Quite a high quality sword. However, she lacks experience.¡¯ ¡°A sword is a finesse weapon. With a rapier, you need precise, fast strikes. Don¡¯t swing it like a club. You are disrespecting all the swordsmen. Again.¡± Again.¡± Again.¡± They trained till noon. ¡°Let''s reconvene after lunch¡­¡± Her hands are on her knees, gasping for breath. He pulls something out of his bag and unwraps it. A rich, roast pork smell wafts in the air. She gulps. He takes a swig of water. ¡°Hungry?¡± he asked, offering half of the sandwich. ¡°Th- thanks. I forgot to ask, but what¡¯s your name? Can I hear your story?¡± She politely accepts the sandwich. ¡°My name is Erik. You do not need to know my backstory. I was just a simple mercenary, after all,¡± he said between bites. ¡°Now I am just a pitiful old man with nothing left behind, except the sword.¡± Eris took a nibble of the sandwich. Her eyes widen, and she takes another bite. ¡®Delicious!¡¯ Although she did not need to eat, there is something special about eating together with other people. Eris would rather save her money on something more ¡°important,¡± like gear. She did not know that she would take such pleasure from a mundane act such as eating, but it had been a while since she had eaten. They ate in silence for a while. ¡°So, what¡¯s your story?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Eris was caught off guard by this question. She cannot reveal that she has technically ¡°stolen¡± this body. ¡°An orphan born from war.¡± Erik strokes his beard thoughtfully. ¡°Is that why you fight? You escaped from the orphanage?¡± Eris scanned her memories. ¡°I¡­ Left the orphanage at a young age and learned how to scavenge. I used to take care of other kids, but they¡¯re gone now¡­?¡± Her stomach sank. ¡®What happened to those kids now?¡¯ ¡°Never mind, let''s move on to aura training.¡± He dusted the crumbs from his pants. ¡°Let¡¯s get started. First things first, let me explain what aura is.¡± Aura is a projection of your will, he explains. However, it is different from magic. ¡°You can inject aura into, say, your feet to run faster. Or, you can inject aura into objects.¡± He swings. His aura dyes the sword in a deep, crimson red. It produces a small shockwave. Erik tosses a small stone into the air. It shatters. ¡°Right now, your aura lays dormant inside your body. It can be trained through meditation, but it is extremely slow, although necessary for swordsmen.¡± He explains that, through life and death battles, your aura will surge. ¡°In terms of aura mastery, I believe I am roughly in the advanced area.¡± He interlocks his bony fingers with hers. ¡°I will inject some of my aura to stimulate your aura.¡± Eris feels something warm stirring within her. She felt a sharp pain. ¡°Uhgh,¡± she groans. ¡°Right now, your aura is weak. You need to circulate your aura to open the channels. Right now, your channels are like a dusty trail. Once you master it, you can use aura at will, with the channels being comparable to a major trading city. Thin strands of silver aura flow from her fingers, then quickly dissipates. [Basic aura obtained!] ¡°Hm. Silver is quite rare, it means your aura is undefined. I suppose you haven''t had much life experience yet. For me, since I had many fights in my life, my aura is red. It is tempered through anger, rage, and passion.¡± Erik balls his fingers into fist, with a faraway look in his eyes. He has a dreamy smile on his face, seemingly recalling a special memory. ¡°Anyhow, you can¡¯t be the only person I train. Come back tomorrow, remember to practice daily! I hope someday you become a master spellsword that I could be proud of! All I wish for is to train new adventurers as my legacy. I do not wish to be forgotten.¡± ¡°Thank you for your guidance,¡± she says with a quick bow. ¡°Then, let us be off.¡± He starts walking away. ¡°And thanks for the sandwich!¡± she shouts. He waves without turning back. She wipes her brow and approaches the training dummy. Getting into stance, the rapier pierces. ¡®Not good enough.¡¯ Recalling Erik¡¯s instructions, she perseveres. ¡®Again.¡¯ ¡®Again.¡¯ ¡®Again.¡¯ [Basic swordsmanship obtained!] Tonight, she will postpone hunting. As the light fades, adventurers slowly trickle out of the training grounds. Eris decided to head back to her shack. Creak. She sat down and began to meditate. Similar to circulating mana, aura is also circulated in the same way. The room fills with a dim, silver glow. Shadows seem to come alive, dancing across the walls. Beads of sweat began to form on her face, furrowed in concentration. Eris will continue to practice until later tonight, when the black market opens. Following the merchant¡¯s directions, she made her way into an old bar. With her magic sense, she can detect several presences inside. Immediately, she felt several pairs of eyes sizing her up. The bartender is wiping down a shot glass. ¡°You lost?¡± he asks carefully. The mercenaries appear rough, sitting in the corner playing cards, throwing glances at each other. Eris approaches the bar counter, climbing one of the barstools. She motions to the bartender to come closer. ¡°Late at night, when demons roam, the spirits come to play, in¡­?¡± ¡°Elderflower fields,¡± she whispers. ¡°Right this way, customer,¡± he grins. Behind the counter, the back bar filled with half emptied bottles of alcohol began to dissipate. The shot glass in his hand vanished without a trace. ¡®Smart, they hired an illusionist.¡¯ Eris was wondering why the description on the bottles didn¡¯t look quite right. The illusion¡­ Wasn¡¯t perfect, but it worked well enough. Candles flicker dimly in the tunnel. After a few minutes of walking, she entered an antechamber. ¡°Weeelcome dear customer, what brings you here todaaaaay?¡± the man says with a long drawl. ¡°We have a wiiiide selection of merchandise, slaaaaves, tooomes, illegal famiiiliars, and mooore!¡± ¡°Is there a fight club?¡± ¡°Of cooourse my dear customer! Right this way!¡± He points to the second tunnel to the left. Eris starts to briskly walk down the tunnel. As she got closer, she could hear chanting. ¡°Fight fight fight!¡± ¡°This is a scam, gimme my money back!¡± ¡°I have my money on that guy with the axe!¡± ¡°Ah, ahhh!¡± One of the fighters is trembling. ¡°Excuse me, where can I sign up for the fights?¡± ¡°The fights are usually only restricted to slaves or people unable to repay their debt, however, if you pay the entry fee of 2 silver coins, we can make an exception.¡± Clink. Clink. Clink. ¡°Follow me this way. Do keep in mind that though we don¡¯t ask any questions, your safety is not guaranteed. It is up to the fighters to decide whether or not to spare their opponents. Since you are not contracted, you get to claim a prize if you do win. Good luck!¡± Eris pulls out the statue, and rubs it. ¡°On one corner, undefeated, the master of monsters, beastmaster Suse!¡± ¡°Annnd on the other corner, a new challenger approaches! Will she take the crown??! Place your bets and cheer for the fighters!!¡± The crowd goes silent. ¡®A literal child? Who¡¯s sick idea is this?¡¯ The woman who led her to the arena snickers from above. ¡°Easy money!¡± a man shouts. ¡°I place my bets on the man in the cowl!¡± Eris draws her rapier. ¡°Sorry, I won¡¯t be going easy on you just because you are a child. I have debts to pay.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°May the goddess have mercy on your soul.¡± He summoned multiple monsters. Mana leeches, a hawk, and ember crows appear from magic circles on the ground. He raises his staff. ¡°Good luck.¡± he whispers. A fireball flew towards her. The crowd quiets with baited breath. Steam fills the arena. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I cast [Gust]!¡± he shouts frantically. The steam dissipates, revealing nothing. ¡°Great job Suse! Not even ashes are left behind!¡± Suddenly, specks of black converse and condense into a ball behind Suse, revealing Eris. Suse senses the change, jumping back, sending mana leeches towards her as she leaps at him. Click. A brilliant flash of light covers the stadium. The spectators cover their eyes. The light fades, revealing Suse on the ground, with Eris pointing her blade towards his neck. He raised his hands above his head, dropping his staff. ¡°I surrender. You got me,¡± he said, bowing his head in defeat. Eris sheathes her sword. A stream of profanities spew from the mouths of angry spectators. ¡°This is a setup! There¡¯s no way beastmaster Suse just lost to this child!¡± ¡°Yeah, give us our money back! We want a refund!¡± There are murmurs of agreement. ¡°Silence.¡± A figure hops down from the top stand. ¡°She won fair and square as a challenger. If you do not accept, fight me.¡± The guards raise their spears in agreement. The cloaked figure looks towards the two. ¡°I am known as the owner of the fight club. I¡¯ll have my eyes on you.¡± He leaps up on the walls, hopping back to the top stand. ¡°Congratulations, unknown fighter. You may claim your reward at the front desk.¡± The crowd is staring daggers at her. She gulped and walked away. ¡°Thank you for sparing me,¡± Suse whispers. ¡°Meet me later, I will send a gift as proof of my sincerity.¡± ¡°...¡± She continued walking. ¡°Here''s 10 gold coins for winning your fight. Now begone. You disgust me,¡± the woman said as she shoos her away. Eris¡¯ eyes shine at the amount of money, even though they can¡¯t tell through the blindfold. She skipped away with a pep in her step. ¡°Hey? It¡¯s me, Suse. How did you do that? That was a crazy fight, you disappeared suddenly in the middle of the fight, are you a vampire.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°As thanks, I offer you this egg.¡± She checked the information. [Monster Egg] Leathery to the touch, a faint heartbeat could be felt. Maybe try pouring mana inside? No further information ¡°No thanks. I want that hawk. What am I going to do with an egg? Make an omelet?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Fine.¡± She smiled and tossed him a gold coin. ¡°[Hawk], I release you from our contract! From now on, you are binded with¡­?¡± ¡°Eris.¡± ¡°Eris!¡± A ball of white surrounds the hawk, disappearing along with the hawk. ¡°You may call upon him whenever you need. Take care of him, and thanks for everything!!¡± Sprinting out of the black market, she concentrates and conjures small dirt platforms, hopping onto the roof of a nearby building as the platforms collapse. The stars are sparkling in the sky. She gasped for air, and sat down on the roof, spreading the hem of her cloak. [Summon Hawk] Eris hungrily devours the hawk. She stole the corpse of a mana leech she bisected earlier, consuming that too. [Keen Sight obtained!] [Mana drain obtained!] [Life drain obtained!] The mana particles seem more refined. You began to see the world more clearly. Down below, a couple of people dressed in white rushes into the bar. A faint scream could be heard, with a couple flashes of light. They appear to be from the church. A woman down below leading the men seems to glance in her direction. She squinted, then glared at her. Eris got up and started to weave and jump across buildings. The woman pressed her fingers to her ear, saying something that couldn¡¯t be made out. 4 | Test Hushed whispers of last night''s incident swirl throughout the guild. ¡°I heard the inquisitors raided the black market last night.¡± ¡°Apparently, the former priestess of the Crystal Tear order was present.¡± ¡°Rough morning, huh?¡± Mina looks frazzled, with bags under her eyes, trying to stifle a yawn. ¡°Good morning Eris¡­¡± she said sleepily. Eris places a gold coin on the counter. ¡°Thanks for always helping me,¡± she whispers. ¡°This is for you.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°This is too much.¡± ¡°Keep it,¡± Eris hissed. ¡°I¡¯m skipping town. ¡°..!¡± ¡°What why? Where are you going?!¡± Eris shakes her head sadly. ¡°I may or may not have gotten into some trouble¡­¡± Mina sighs. ¡°How can I help?¡± ¡°If a priest comes by, can you vouch for me that I¡¯ve been training all night in the guild?¡± Mina scratches her head thoughtfully. ¡°Alright.¡± She paused. ¡°But please do tell.¡± ¡°I visited the black market,¡± she whispered. ¡°I think a priest saw me on the roof of a nearby building.¡± ¡°Oh then you are fine. It is an unwritten rule, but adventurers actually frequent the black market.¡± In the city of Wesclim, some goods are extremely hard to come by. Some professions require rare materials or monsters to utilize effectively. ¡°The mercenary guild also frequently works with the black market,¡± Mina explained. ¡°We, the guild, made an agreement to not intrude on each other¡¯s business.¡± ¡°Oh..¡± ¡°The church frowns upon the illegal activities but for many adventurers, it is a necessary part of their jobs. It is kind of like an open secret.¡± Eris thanked her and left for the training grounds. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± said Erik, as he took a sip of his tea. ¡°Now show me what you¡¯ve learned.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Use your sword as an extension of your body. Embody your will into your blade, willing it cut through anything.¡± He clenched his teeth, sweat dripping in concentration, then sliced a boulder clean in half. ¡°Until you get to at least this level, I can¡¯t consider you as a true swordsman.¡± They repeatedly met up for practice everyday. The day of the adventurer¡¯s test is fast approaching. ¡°Good luck on your test!¡± Mina waved enthusiastically. ¡°I am your test proctor. Today we will be subjugating a small goblin settlement to the west of the city. Although they are weak monsters, they are intelligent, capable of working together, using basic tools, and setting traps. Be careful as I won¡¯t step in unless there is a life and death situation.¡± He nods grimly. ¡°Yes you over there? Yes I am an inquisitor. We will be staying in the city for a few more days as an emergency proctor.¡± Murmurs spread throughout the group. Recently after the last major battle against the demon king, there has been an influx of immigrants who want to become adventurers looking to make a living. ¡°This will also teach teamwork and solidarity with other future adventurers. I wish you all luck.¡± Most of the aspiring adventurers are a ragtag group of middle aged men. Although their equipment is worn and low quality, they have a hopeful look in their eyes, eager to make a living. ¡°Anyone who lacks a weapon, please take a spear from the barrel over here. You will be expected to return them afterwards. The guild lacks the funds to provide weapons for every adventurer. Now up and at it.¡± They scramble for weapons, soon beginning their march to the Calarin Forest. Nobody questioned why Eris, a child, is joining them. There are also many child orphans of war looking for work, although most work odd jobs like delivering letters and gathering herbs. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would be joining us,¡± said Eris. ¡°The guild sent me as a supervisor and emergency healer. Wounds are pretty much expected, and I can support you guys with my skills,¡± explained Mina. ¡°Recently, there are increased reports of monster attacks. I would be lying if I said I was not worried¡­¡± She trailed off. All things considered, the expedition went pretty smoothly. With her hawk eyes ability, Eris easily spotted the makeshift traps, earning her murmurs of approval among the group. The night is approaching, staining the sky a deep, red-orange hue, as if it is warning of what¡¯s to come. ¡°Halt,¡± the inquisitor said as he pointed to the ground. ¡°Scratch marks, and goblin tracks. We are getting close, ready for your weapons.¡± The group noticeably tenses up, readying their swords and spears. Eris grasps her pommel, ready to draw her rapier at a moment''s notice. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Slowly, they approached the settlement. A small clearing, with a couple of huts, surrounded by trees. ¡°Huh, no goblins here.¡± It was deadly silent. ¡°Wait¡­. Above!¡± It was an ambush. Goblins appear to fly out of the trees, wielding small clubs and daggers. This is the first time Eris met a goblin. Pale green, with jaundiced eyes, covered by a small, stained cloth. Long ears and a pointed nose, smudged with dirt, they appear in droves. ¡°Heheheh kikiki.¡± Eris drew her rapier, and held her dagger in a reverse grip, readying herself. Unfortunately, it was the first time most of the group were wielding a weapon. Cowering, a man appears to wet himself, paralyzed with fear. A couple worked up the courage to point their blades and spears at the goblins, but they were swinging them wildly at the goblins. Only the inquisitor, Eris, and Mina are actually putting in work. ¡°May the goddess bless this blade.¡± His sword glows a dim white light, slicing cleanly through a goblin. Meanwhile, Mina is bringing back the others, treating their wounds and applying hexes on the goblins. ¡°Here take this,¡± said Eris, procuring poultices and tossing them to Mina. ¡°Thank you!¡± She dashes towards the goblins, hopping and weaving amongst the trees, piercing the goblins, and stabbing the dagger into their shoulders. Eris recalled the words from her training. ¡°The sword is an extension of your body.¡± Using aura, she stimulates her nervous system, willing it to increase her reaction speed. [Life drain] [You have recovered some stamina!] [You have recovered some stamina!] [You have recovered some stamina!] The burning sensation in her muscles momentarily falters, and she continues to slay goblins. [Your level has increased to 10. New skill(s) have been obtained] Race: Progenitor Shapeshifter Title: The Enforcer LVL: 10 HP: 525 MP: 170 ATK: 35 DEX: 32 [Berserk lvl 1] Gain a 50% boost to stamina and attack power. Sacrifices half of your maximum MP. Exhaustion status effect for 12 hours after usage. Exhaustion inflicts a stamina multiplier of 0.75 Duration: 3 minutes Cooldown: 24 hours The beast feasting on a bloody corpse¡­ It seems to look up, with a piercing, golden gaze. Frightened, I quickly scramble away - Unknown ¡°Activate [Beserk].¡± Power surges through her body. Her MP drops sharply, near zero, just outside of the backlash zone. After a few minutes, all the goblins have been slain. Eris collapsed in a heap. She shut her eyes. ¡°Our hero!¡± ¡°Let the child sleep, she has done enough.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve passed the test.¡± A blustery wind whistles between the trees. She could taste blood on her lips. [The penalty is mild] When she opened her eyes, she looked down. ¡°gur -guk?¡± Pale green limbs. Goblin children are playing in the village. Some are working to build huts. A dandily dressed demon walked into the village. ¡°I¡­ Bless you with my presence.¡± He disappears and appears behind the village chief, placing his hand on his head. The chief collapses. ¡°Listen here, pitiful goblins. This place will be a river of blood. A group of aspiring adventurers will arrive in a few hours. I will help you prepare an ambush, then I will be off.¡± He gazes over the group of goblins, wings flapping in the air. Everyone is silent. And everyone immediately got to work, some evacuating, some creating crude weapons. Suddenly, the scene shifts. She hears the final death throes of the goblins. Then, she locks eyes with herself. Panting, crazed and covered in blood, she dashes towards her. She did not know when it happened, but a sharp pain stabbed her chest¡­ Literally. She touches her abdomen, feeling the sticky, red liquid. ¡®I¡¯m dying,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Is this how dying feels?¡¯ The world fades to black. [Penalty has ended. Returning the first person point of view] [Basic trap setting obtained!] She gasps for air. ¡°Where am I?¡± The door creaks open. She looks down, and her wounds are dressed. Her belongings lie on a bed stand next to her. ¡°You have been out for 2 days, Eris. You got me worried,¡± chastised Mina. ¡°This is the room behind the adventurers guild, it¡¯s common for guild workers to live at the guild.¡± Eris glances around. There is a sleeping bag on the floor. ¡°Thanks for letting me stay in your room and treating me,¡± she said apologetically. ¡°By the way, here is some porridge. You¡¯ve passed the test, here is your license!!¡± She looked at the card. E rank. ¡°Now eat up. By the way, you look an awful lot like someone I knew back when I was living in a church-run orphanage¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Anyhow, congratulations!!¡± She quickly exited the room. Eris unwrapped her bandages. ¡®They healed pretty well,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Just a few light pink scars.¡¯ She quickly consumed the porridge, put on her equipment, and left. Eris greeted Erik, and left for the blacksmith. ¡°Yer late!¡± exclaimed Baern. ¡°I¡¯ve heard how you¡¯ve rescued the newbies. Great job on your first group subjugation, ¡®ere is your armor request.¡± [Baern¡¯s Light Armor] Crafted with aged leather from bovine beasts and lined with lesser direwolf furs, this is perfect armor for a novice adventurer. Crafted with dedication, the breath of the blacksmith is imbued in the armor, boosting the effects. +15 defense +15 dexterity +15% blunt damage resistance +5% stealth in dark environments Weight reduction rune applied Engraved [Baern¡¯s Arm Guards] Crafted with high quality fabrics, it is tough yet comfortable to wear. +5 defense +5 dexterity Less likely to be disarmed Engraved [Baern¡¯s Leather Sheath] Crafted with shadow bat leather, it¡¯s exceptionally flexible. +5 defense +10 dexterity +10% stealth in caves +15% draw speed Quick draw rune applied Engraved Baern wipes his nose. ¡°A little something extra for you,¡± he winked. ¡°I already know you¡¯ll be ya legend.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± She tried on the armor and equipped the sheath. ¡®Pretty light,¡± Eris commented. She takes a few steps, then tries to run in them. ¡°and comfortable!¡± ¡°Now shoo, I need to concentrate on blacksmithing,¡± he said as he pulled down his goggles. ¡°Good luck out there!¡± She decided to go back into the forest. It took almost half the day, but she reached where the goblin settlement was originally. The corpses are near dry, reeking of decay. ¡°May the goddess have mercy on your souls.¡± It¡¯s hard to kill, especially when you know that aside from their appearance, they live just like the rest of us. ¡®Why are they considered monsters? Is it because we don¡¯t speak the same language? Are WE the real monsters¡­??¡¯ Long ago, it was said that the goddess created everything. She loved all her creations, even the goblins. The bodies are cold. Eris closed the eyes of the dead goblins, clasping her hands together in prayer, shutting her eyes tight. It¡¯s peaceful. She felt calm. After a moment, she began to bury the bodies. By the time she is done, she¡¯s exhausted. The smell of fresh dirt permeates her nostrils. [Empathy obtained!] Your perception of people in danger or distress sharpens. You feel a strong attraction to assist. Long ago, our ancestors, driven by a sense of kinship, developed the ability to sense the suffering of others nearby. The bond now stirs within you, Eris wipes her brow, and leaves for the city. Faint rays of sunlight began to peek over the distant mountains, casting a faint, golden glow on the landscape. She breaks into a brisk jog. ¡°Halt, identity?¡± She presents her adventurers card. ¡°Clear.¡± The guild just opened their doors for the day, with the adventurers slowly trickling inside. Some could be seen stretching. ¡®I suppose I can take my first request as an official adventurer.¡¯ She glanced at the board. [Gather herbs | Difficulty : F rank] 5 copper coins (increases depending on what you gather) [Investigation Difficulty | rank : C rank] Investigate the source of the increased monster activity 5 silver coins Hazard pay possible [Party request | Difficulty rank : E rank] Looking for a healer class for our new party ¡°Midnight Maulers¡± Contact the guild receptionist for more information [Porter request | Difficulty rank : ? ] Looking for a porter for our dungeon dive, meet us at the training grounds at 3pm! Eris scans through the quests. Adventurers could only take quests a rank higher than them if they have a higher rank accompanying them. For example, between an A rank and a C rank, they could take a B rank quest but not an A rank quest. You need at least 5 completions of a quest above or equal to your rank to proceed to take the rank up test. You have to be careful, deaths are common and they are almost never investigated. ¡°Looking for a vanguard for our dungeon dive! We pay based on contribution! At least E rank!!¡± ¡°Hello, I am a E rank spellsword known as Eris, may I join?¡± ¡°Really?? You would join us? Come to the training grounds and demonstrate your ability.¡± He turns around and talks to his party members in hushed whispers. ¡°Sorry that I¡¯m doubting you, but spellswords are quite rare, especially one of your age¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡®Icicle blast.¡¯ By encasing an orb of water in ice, then freezing it, the water would expand, increasing in volume and exploding. The training dummy is encased in dozens of icicle shards. Eris quickly unsheathed her sword, cleanly piercing the dummy in one fluid motion. The party stood with their mouths agape. ¡°W- welcome to the team¡­¡± 5 | Dungeon ¡°We forgot to introduce ourselves. My name is John, the leader of the team. I¡¯m a D rank healer, specializing in healing magic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vince, an E rank mage. I am a wind based magician, pleased to meet you!¡± He firmly shakes her hand. ¡°And I¡¯m Nova, E rank archer. Welcome, I guess¡­¡± ¡°As you saw, I mainly use a rapier and specialize in water magic. Please take care of me.¡± They nodded. ¡°We were planning to raid the local E rank spider dungeon. Meet us at the entrance in 3 hours.¡± Dungeons were said to be remnants of bastions of the war between the good and evil. The dungeons crawl with monsters, in the deepest levels containing a ¡°dungeon core,¡± the boss monster, which supplies mana to continuously spawn more monsters. As long as the core is not destroyed, the dungeon would be active for basically forever. That is why it is punishable by death to destroy dungeon cores. They are a valuable source of materials and experience for the kingdom. Whole settlements would be built around them, attracting merchants and adventurers who seek riches. To prepare for the dungeon dive, Eris set out to purchase the essentials. -Health potions -MP recovery potions -Antidotes -Rations Afterwards, she followed the map to the dungeon. Thickly forested, adventurers loiter near the entrance, waiting for the guards to verify their identity to enter the dungeon. She quickly meets up with her team, and soon after, they are permitted to enter the dungeon. ¡°Wind spirit, clear the way.¡± The dungeon is filled with cobwebs, making it difficult to traverse. There is a chilly dampness in the air that seems to seep into your bones. For a while, they silently make their way through the cobwebs, making it to the second floor of the dungeon. ¡°The first few floors usually don¡¯t have anything good,¡± John explained. ¡°The other adventurers probably killed all the monsters. We have to go deeper to find anything worthwhile.¡± As this is Eris¡¯ first dungeon dive, she just nodded politely. A few hours have passed, and they made their way further down into the dungeon. They came across fewer and fewer adventurers, and Vince seems visibly twitchy. Nova mainly kept to herself. Her arrows are mainly ineffective, with their vision mostly obscured by cobwebs. [Low-quality Spider Silk acquired!] [Low-quality Spider Silk acquired!] Secretly, she absorbed a spider monster into her while they were not looking. [Create Thread obtained!] [Arachnid Communication obtained!] jasalkdcivse ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°Probably just a stray spider monster, nothing to worry about.¡± [Compound Vision obtained!] -Increased accuracy on projectiles -10% increase in field of view ¡°Aren¡¯t we getting pretty deep?¡± Eris inquired. ¡°I thought the dungeon only had five floors, and we are currently on floor four?¡± John pulls down his collar, revealing an amulet. This item is a holy object that repels monsters, we are going to hunt the boss.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that highly illegal?¡± ¡°Think about it! The wizards from the magic tower would pay a fortune for the corpse! We would be rich!¡± Nova urged Eris to proceed. Vince looked away, unable to meet her gaze, although she¡¯s blindfolded. With an exasperated sigh, Eris agreed to move ahead. Although frowned upon, the wizards of the magic tower are not under any kingdoms. They are a group of wizards who specialize in magic research, left alone due to the value of their research, however unethical. During the war against the demons, they made major contributions through the development of anti demon spells and support. ¡°Great, then let us make haste.¡± Soon after, they reach the stairwell to the lowest floor. John explained his plan. At the stairwell, he would ignite Nova¡¯s arrow, which Vince would cast a spell to imbed the arrow deep into the extremely flammable cobwebs, smoking out and incinerating all the spider monsters. ¡°You are in charge of conjuring a wall of water to protect us from the smoke,¡± he explained. ¡°We will kill all the stragglers. Then after the cobwebs are cleared, we will then proceed to slay the boss.¡± After a moment, Eris drops the veil of water. Spider corpses lay upside down, charred beyond recognition. A few appeared to twitch. Eris stabbed her rapier into them, putting them out of their misery. She speaks a silent prayer for the spider monsters. ¡®May the goddess be with you.¡¯ Small pieces of metal could be seen lying around. ¡°Unfortunately, some adventurers would die during the dungeon dive. They are brought down to the bottom to feed to the queen, who would birth more spider monsters.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The corridor exposes a huge cavern, covered with cobwebs. There is a sharp drop down. They could see a dark mass stirring, The queen¡¯s many eyes slowly open, seemingly blinking, glimmering in the dark, burning with a blood red glow. The queen unleashes a chilling screech, sending chunks of stalactite falling, bouncing off its exoskeleton. The ground seemed to shake. They could hear the clattering of spider monsters. Suddenly, Eris felt a light push, falling into the nest. [Dispel] The faces of John and Nova began to warp and shift, revealing two older, grizzled men. The twins grin. ¡°You can¡¯t blindly trust everyone, kekeke.¡± ¡°Sorry kid, but you were an easy mark. Obviously you are just a rich kid with no idea what you¡¯re doing. Hand over your items and I might just grant you an easy death.¡± He ran his tongue over the dagger. Vince stood off to the side, looking away. She remembered their faces from the wanted posters on the guild board. They are wanted criminals, who had a suspiciously high mortality rate for new party members, claiming it as an accident. Eventually, the guild sent out wanted posters, and they disappeared in a dungeon one day. Although marked as a cold case, the circumstances of their ¡°deaths¡± were quite suspicious, so the guild decided to keep the wanted posters up. [Wanted Poster] Twin C rank adventurer brothers suspected of murdering novice adventurers in dungeon runs. Here is who we are looking for : IF YOU ANY INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PERSON, PLEASE CONTACT THE NEAREST GUILD BRANCH He shot a barrage of arrows at Eris. She conjured a wall of earth to block arrows. ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°Brother, let¡¯s just leave. After the queen eats her fill, we can come back and collect the equipment.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah lets g-¡± She noticed molecules of wind mana begin to gather, and a loud thud. Eris looks up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Vince mouthed, and he ran away. ¡°We are so gonna kill ya.¡± One unsheathes his longsword. Suddenly, she hears a voice in her head. ¡®Hello? Can you hear me?¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­?¡¯ ¡®Oh my goddess it has been a long time since I¡¯ve met one of my kin!¡¯ ¡®....?¡¯ ¡°Is this brat communicating with the queen??¡± ¡°??¡± ¡®Can you help me please?¡¯ ¡®Of course.¡¯ ¡°!!!¡± The queen slams her legs towards the twins, severing their legs. ¡®Icicle blast.¡¯ The bodies turn into a bloody mess. Eris coughed up blood. She hadn¡¯t had time to replenish her mana for several hours, causing her to suffer from mana backlash for overexerting her mana organ. Normally, the spider queen would be considered a C rank monster. However, because of the amount of time that has passed, the queen grew to a tremendous size, similar to a 3 story building. That¡¯s why her threat level is closer to C+ or B rank. Although it can¡¯t use magic, in exchange, it is extremely agile, combined with high stamina and power, while most people would be hindered by the viscous cobwebs. ¡®I¡¯ve caught the rat escaping.¡¯ A few spider monsters could be seen carrying the tied up and gagged Vince. ¡®Let him go.¡¯ ¡®As a favor to my guest.¡¯ ¡°Gah.¡± He starts panting heavily. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to, they paid me with a tome, I didn¡¯t realize they were murderers¡­¡± [Intermediate Wind Mastery Tome] As your understanding of the tome increases, you will unlock more wind spells. Single use Authored by the great wind mage Zephyr Normally, tomes are an extremely rare magic item. Restricted and highly sought after by nobles, they can easily teach someone magic. Due to the limited nature of these tomes, usually only royalty and greater nobles have access to them. ¡°Now go, before I change my mind.¡± Vince scrambled away, casting [Levitate] to escape the cavern, thanking her. ¡®Now then, where were we? Oh yes I forgot to say, I¡¯m the last apostle of Anansi. Most of my kin were wiped out during the war, and I found refuge in this dungeon.¡¯ She seemed to nod. ¡®My children aren¡¯t the most intelligent, and I am bored out of my mind, having nobody to speak to¡­ Your visit was a nice surprise.¡¯ ¡°...¡± ¡®Anyways, I know adventurers are busy, but be sure to visit me soon!¡¯ [Queen Spider Silk acquired!] [Queen Spider Silk acquired!] Eris walked over to the bodies of her former party members. ¡®Mana drain.¡¯ The bodies seem to shrivel up, then go limp. Eris absorbed the tome, flooding her brain with the contents of the tome. [Intermediate Wind Magic Mastery obtained!] She lifts ¡°John¡¯s¡± head, and swiftly takes off the amulet. [Amulet of Protection] Blessed by a senior member of the church, it causes the fear status effect to monsters of a lower level compared to you. Lower level monsters will unconditionally avoid you High level monsters may resist this effect ¡°May the goddess be with you¡± - Unknown Scrummaging through ¡°Nova¡¯s¡± satchel, she found their adventurer¡¯s cards, and multiple others, of their victims. She guts John¡¯s abdomen, consuming the mana organ. [Basic Illusion Magic obtained!] By consuming the part of the body where their skill is associated with, she can use her inherent racial trait to absorb the skill. She wipes her mouth, and gets rid of the blood through water magic. Using predation, Eris absorbed the satchel, bow and arrow, longsword, and amulet into herself. While the amulet could be useful, her level is far too low to properly utilize its effects. Using wind magic, she got out of the cavern. The spider queen appears to lift and wave one of her front legs. ¡®Come visit soon¡­.¡¯ Later, when questioned by the guards about where her party is, she presents the adventurers cards. Being thanked for solving the case, she is directed to visit the guild to pick up her reward. ¡°Here are 10 gold coins for your reward,¡± said Mina. ¡°We can finally give closure to the families of the missing adventurers.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Oh and another thing! For solving the case and apprehending 2 dangerous criminals 2 ranks above you, you may take the promotion test to D rank soon. I would love to promote you to C rank, but we are not allowed to, due to guild rules unfortunately¡­ Eris collected her reward and left for the blacksmith. ¡°What high quality spider silk! Not everyday that I could work with these materials!¡± Baern looked at Eris up and down. ¡°When are you going to get new footwear? It¡¯s already winter, how about I make ya some boots?¡± ¡°How much would the commission cost?¡± ¡°1 gold coin. You¡¯ve provided the materials, it is still difficult to work with, and it will take 4 days to complete.¡± He caught the gold coin she tossed him. ¡°You mind if I stay and watch?¡± ¡°Whattaya sayin¡¯, ya don¡¯t trust me?¡± ¡°...¡± Snow gently blanketed the ground outside. They both look down at her wooden sandals. ¡°Fine, only because ya my favorite customer.¡± ¡°Only customer.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Fine, you can stay.¡± Eris sat down in the corner of the smithy, and began meditating. Over the next few days, it was relatively quiet. They didn¡¯t talk much, and mostly kept to themselves. [Aura lvl 2 -> lvl 3!] You have cleansed some impurities from your mana organ. You can store slightly more mana. Clank clank. Yer boots are done.¡± [Luxurious Spider Queen Boots] High quality sleek black boots made from the reinforced silk of the Spider Queen. Crafted by Baern, it is durable, yet flexible. +10% dexterity +5% stealth in dark environments +10% dexterity in caves +10 defense Engraved ¡°Thank you so much!¡± She left 2 silver coins on the counter. ¡°For letting me stay, and as a tip.¡± Eris quickly slipped into her new boots, admiring the fine craftsmanship. The weather got a bit better. She leaves for the forest, remembering that she has been slacking on hunting. A gentle breeze blew off her hood, ruffling her hair. As the seasons change, new monsters appear. [Snow hare has appeared!] [Rabbit pelt acquired!] [Snow Glider obtained!] Immunity to movement speed debuffs in the snow. Doesn¡¯t sink nor leave tracks. [Insulation] 10% resistance to cold effects. Eris began to glide over the snowy landscape, using wind spells to boost herself. She felt an inexplicable happiness doing so. During the winter, the war between humans and elves die down, due to it being too cold for any significant troop mobilization. Sometimes, she spots an elf or two on her nightly hunts, but now she could not find any trace of them. The adventurers guild doesn¡¯t take sides as they contain adventurers of all nationalities, so adventurers are forbidden targets. However, any adventurer caught breaking this rule is blacklisted and sentenced to death on sight. If they want to participate in a war, they may temporarily leave the guild and enlist as a mercenary, losing the guild¡¯s protections. Smelling the fresh, winter air, she laid down in the snow. ¡®How serene,¡¯ she thought. She closed her eyes, and started to make a snow angel. Snowflakes slowly drifted down, Eris catching one with her tongue, feeling the chill spread throughout her mouth. Suddenly, her eyes shot open. [Empathy : Active ] Your perception of people in danger or distress sharpens. You feel a strong attraction to assist. Eris pushed herself off the ground, and started sprinting. Not sure of where she is going, but she continued to run without stopping. ¡°[Life Leech].¡± The tree instantly drained of color and grew gray, as she is invigorated by its life essence. Eris felt the attraction grow even stronger. The trail opened up to a clearing. Splotches of red dye the snow. The small beastchild clung to their mom¡¯s still, lifeless form. Her small arms trembling, with tears slowly streaking down her face. ¡°Wake up,¡± she whispered. ¡°Wake up!!¡± She started to bawl, with her tiny voice cracking. Momentarily stopping, she tugged at her mom¡¯s dress, then resumed crying. Eris felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. She wanted to empathize, but doesn¡¯t know how. ¡®Can I even cry? Do I even have someone that I would cry for??¡¯ Eris watched on silently. Snow started to lazily fall. The world seemed to hold its breath, time itself seeming to pause. 6 | Happenstance For all of her stolen memories and skills, she could not relate to this beastchild. This raw, unfiltered sorrow hit her like a crashing wave. She bit her lip, taking a few unassertive steps forward. The beastchild¡¯s ears perked up, flinching from the sound. They stared at each other for what seemed like minutes. Her face, a mess of snot, her lips quivering, letting out a choked sob. Eris stopped a few paces away from her, raising her arms in submission. ¡°Your mother¡­ She¡¯s gone, isn¡¯t she?¡± Eris looked up at the sky. The wind howled even louder. She sighed softly. ¡°While she may be gone, she will remain forever in your heart. You have to carry on. You have to fight, for yourself, for her.¡± She cocked her head to the side, staring at her quizzically. ¡°I had- no, we had lost parents,¡± she placed her hand over her chest. ¡°But, I know that they would want us to keep living. Live on, not just for yourself, but for them. To carry their hopes and dreams with you.¡± ¡°...¡± Sniffle. ¡°While I may not know you, or what happened to you, will you share your burdens with me?¡± Eris reached her gloved hand. The beastchild hesitantly reached out a hand, then pulled back, looking down at her mom laying limp on her lap. She grasped the body tightly. ¡°I can help you with that.¡± Eris used her wind magic to blow a section of snow away, digging out a grave with her earth magic. They laid the body to rest, with Eris producing her old white cloak, now cleaned, to cover her body. Finally, she let go of her mother. Eris used her magic to cover the grave, making a small mound of dirt. Bending down, she produced a few flowers from an earlier collection quest, planting them around the grave. Clasping her hands together, she spoke a silent prayer. ¡®May the goddess be with you.¡¯ The child sniffles. ¡°My name is Yuki,¡± she said. ¡°Yuki Vulpine.¡± Eris took off her cloak, enveloping Yuki, then pulling her into a tight embrace. ¡°I¡¯m Eris. And I, I¡¯m so sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°No last name?¡± ¡°...¡± Eris has all types of thoughts swirling throughout her head, but she cannot put them into words. So they stood, quietly watching the snow gently blanketing the grave. ¡°Goodbye mama.¡± She wiped away a tear with the back of her hand. Eris handed her a handkerchief, which Yuki loudly blew her nose into. Walking away together, Yuki threw one last glance behind her. After a moment, Eris heard a growling sound behind her. She looked back, spotting Yuki hesitantly trailing behind. ¡°Hungry?¡± She nodded. Eris produced her uneaten rations from the dungeon dive. Originally, she had planned to share with her party members since she did not need to eat, but they were past that now. She blew the snow away from under her, sitting down cross legged. Producing an assortment of preserved meats, dried fruits and nuts, and some water, Eris watched Yuki pick at the food, then quickly wolfed down the meal. ¡®Poor child, what a voracious appetite,¡¯ she thought. Yuki has pristine white fur, with fox ears and a small, bushy white tail. Eris thought that her lavender eyes were quite pretty. She took off her blindfold, and looked somewhere far off. ¡°I am an adventurer from the city of Wesclim. I will protect you, but you have to trust me.¡± Yuki quickly nodded her head in agreement. After she finished eating, Eris began to princess carry her, making her way back to the gate. ¡°Hang on tight!¡± ¡°...¡± After a few hours of travelling¡­ ¡°Wake up, we are almost there.¡± With a yawn, she blinked, and got off. Multiple beastmen could be seen talking to the guard. Yuki visibly tensed up.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Eris focused aura into her ears, straining them to eavesdrop on their conversation. ¡°We are looking for a beastchild, about this tall, white fur, with lavender eyes.¡± ¡°Yeah yeah, she ran away from home, you know what it is.¡± The guard shook his head and shared a chuckle. ¡°Alright I''ll look out for one.¡± ¡°Thanks man, have a good day!¡± And so they departed. Eris looked down at her, and Yuki met her, seemingly pleading for help. ¡°[Illusion Magic].¡± Yuki¡¯s figure warped and distorted, now appearing as a non descript middle age. ¡°Halt.¡± Eris presented her adventurer¡¯s card. ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll vouch for him. He came from the neighboring city and lost his card to a pickpocket. Very unfortunate. He is a family friend.¡± The guard sighed. ¡°Alright then, be more careful next time¡­¡± First, they visited the Arcane Emporium. Selling a wide variety of magical items mostly to nobles, Eris mostly avoided that place as it was way out of her budget. ¡°I¡¯ll take this for 5 gold coins.¡± [Magical Contact Lenses] Enchanted and created by an artificer, you can modify your eye color to your liking! How fun! +10% accuracy ¡°Works great! Very stylish! 5 stars!¡± - anonymous noble lady It¡¯s an expensive yet necessary purchase. Yuki¡¯s eyes stand out too much. ¡®I should buy a pair for myself, no?¡¯ And so they both put on their new contact lenses and changed the color to black. Next stop, the tailor. ¡°I don¡¯t get many clothing requests from beastmen,¡± the tailor exclaimed as she measured her proportions. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got just the thing for you.¡± [Perception Distorting Cloak] Imbued with perception altering properties by an advanced illusionist. ¡°However, you have to sign your name here.¡± The tailor handed her a clipboard. ¡°Unsavory people in the past began to use this for heists, so we need to keep track of who we sell these to.¡± Eris groaned. ¡®10 gold coins?? What kind of introverts?!?¡¯ She hesitantly paid. ¡°Here''s your new cloak, give me back mine.¡± Her tail and ears seem to melt under the cloak. ¡°Perfect.¡± ¡°Welcome to the adventurer¡¯s guild! How may I help you today Eris? Oh and who is this?¡± inquired Mina. ¡°She is my¡­. Apprentice. Yuki.¡± ¡°An apprentice?¡± ¡°My apprentice.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Can I purchase a room and board for 1 week?¡± ¡°2 silver coins and 1 copper coin.¡± Clink. Clink clink. ¡°Here''s your key, attached is your room number. Enjoy your stay!¡± Over the next few days, it was relatively peaceful. It turned out that Yuki is a talented mage, specializing in water and recovery magic. Although not able to use aura, she could utilize basic self defense with a dagger. At night, Eris would sit in the corner of the room quietly, focusing on her aura and magic training, listening to Yuki¡¯s quiet moans. ¡°Run.. Away¡­¡± ¡°Mama! Mama please don¡¯t leave me!¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± A tear streamed down her cheek. Eris can¡¯t even begin to imagine what kind of nightmares she''s having. Months pass by in this way. One day, Yuki resolved herself. She will not let the past drag her down. She will back down, for her mom, and for herself. The next day, Eris volunteered to supervise Yuki for her test to gain her adventurer¡¯s license, and she was successfully promoted to E rank. Later on, Eris was tested by guildmaster Enzo. ¡°Your magic control and swordsmanship is fantastic,¡± he commented. ¡°However, your mana pool and experience leaves much room for growth. I believe you will be ready for a promotion to C rank in a few months or so.¡± He firmly shook her hand. ¡°I approve. Congratulations on your promotion to D rank.¡± She nodded and smiled politely. Today, she felt comfortable enough to bring Yuki to hunt monsters. Although Yuki was a bit nervous, she got around it. Working together, they dug out traps, covering the bottom with sharp icicle spears. Eris worked to push arctic bisons towards the traps using the amulet. [Arctic Bison Pelt acquired!] [Thick hide obtained!] Decreased damage against fire and ice attacks. +10% defense against blunt weapons ¡°Great job, let''s eat lunch. A few more and we can head back home.¡± ¡°...¡± They sat down together, with her watching Yuki eating a sandwich. ¡°How come you never eat? Never sleep? How the monsters magically disappear into you?¡± she prodded curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t speak with your mouth full. Also, I don¡¯t question you, you don¡¯t question me.¡± Silence. ¡°Fine I guess¡­¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You know, the first time I met you, I didn¡¯t know what to think,¡± Yuki said. ¡°I just lost my mother. She told me to follow my instincts. And I did. You found me, but maybe I found you. Maybe we found each other.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuki glanced at the serene winter landscape. Birds are chirping off in the distance. ¡°Do you believe in fate?¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Let me rephrase this. Is it fate that brought us together?¡± Eris stared at Yuki. ¡°I would like to believe that it wasn''t that we had control over our destinies. But a small part of me wants to believe that it was fate.¡± ¡°...¡± Yuki dabbed her mouth with a napkin. ¡°Okay i''m finished, before we continue, let me show you my status.¡± They both stood up. Race: Snow Fox Title: [Hidden] Level: 6 HP: 300 MP: 245 ATK: 12 DEX: 28 Favored by the goddess [Bond] You feel a faint attraction to those similar to you. ¡°We share an attraction deeper than blood¡± - unknown ¡°Check out this skill. No wonder we met each other, right?¡± She let out a short laugh, then paused. Yuki grabbed her arm, going on her tippy toes and poking her cheek. ¡°We both lost loved ones,¡± she whispered. ¡°So how do you move on?¡± ¡°...¡± Eris couldn¡¯t tell her that she is a monster wearing somebody else¡¯s skin. So she stopped, standing in silence. ¡°And what is this? Favored by the goddess? In what way? My mom is dead and now I¡¯m stuck with you in a foreign city barely making a livable wage.¡± Eris frowned. ¡°Oh but no offense to you,¡± Yuki corrected herself quickly. ¡°But I wonder¡­¡± She stared far off into the sky. ¡°Anyways, let''s continue hunting.¡± Time passed quickly, with the light fading from the sky. They sat down, propping their arms behind them, stargazing into the night. Stars are twinkling, with a comet blazing through the sky, leaving a trail of light behind. ¡°In my family, we would wish upon a comet,¡± Yuki commented. Fingers outstretched and trembling, she attempts to grab it to no avail. ¡°I wish that I can find a place I can call home¡­¡± There is a somber look in her eyes. ¡°And I want to be a writer,¡± she said softly. I want to write fairy tales. I want to write about adventures. I want to write and write and write and write and¡­.¡± She trailed off. Taking a deep breath, she asked : ¡°What¡¯s your wish?¡± Eris thought to herself for a moment. ¡°I wish¡­ This time we spent¡­ Together¡­. Would never end¡­¡± ¡°...¡± Letting out a soft sigh, Yuki sat up. ¡°C¡¯mon, it''s getting late. Let¡¯s go.¡± She grabbed Eris by the arm, pulling her to her feet. ¡®Her hand is so small.¡¯ Yuki pulls her hood back, staring into Eris'' eyes. Her fox ears reappear. ¡°Why can I only be me, when I¡¯m alone with you?¡± Her gaze was soft and curious, as if she already knew the answer. ¡°From now on, you are my family.¡± Yuki gave Eris a long hug. ¡°I¡¯m Yuki Vulpine!!¡± she shouts. ¡°And she is my family!!¡± The voice echoes through the dark forest, causing nearby critters to scatter. Rustle. ¡°...!!¡± Rustle rustle. Eris drew her rapier, motioning to Yuki to get ready. Yuki jumped back, getting ready to cast a spell into the darkness. ¡°Wait.¡± Several figures emerge from the bushes. ¡°We¡¯ve finally tracked you down.¡± The leader got down on one knee. Eris lowered her sword and Yuki stopped chanting her spell. He pulled out a scroll, and began reading. ¡°Lady Yuki. By imperial decree, you are ordered to return back to the United Federation of the Beastkin. Your father¡­ Greatly missed your presence.¡± Eris looked at Yuki, dumbfounded. ¡°You.. Are you a royal?¡± Yuki tersely nodded. She tensed her jaw. ¡°You may bring your friend. Please do not add random adventurers to the royal family. We will escort you to the teleportation array in the city cathedral.¡± He snatched her arm, pulling her along. ¡°Now let¡¯s go.¡± Yuki, with her head down in submission, obliged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for not telling you,¡± she mouthed, unable to meet her eye. ¡°Please come with me.¡± Reluctantly, Eris followed. ¡°Halt.¡± The leader pulled out a badge. ¡°We are the envoy of his imperial majesty Felix Vulpine.¡± The guard glanced at Eris and Yuki, then paled. ¡°Ri- right this way.¡± ¡°...¡± Passing the town square, it was still densely populated. Merchants and passing adventurers stole quick glances at them, avoiding eye contact. Mina went outside, to see what all the commotion was about. ¡°What have you done,¡± she hissed. ¡°You better tell me what¡¯s going on as soon as you can.¡± ¡°...¡± A group of beastmen was already present near the cathedral. ¡®They must¡¯ve notified the others somehow.¡¯ She had never been inside the cathedral before. While she does believe in the goddess, Eris is unlike the other residents of the city who flock to the church daily for prayer. Stained glass windows, a long hall lined with pews, leading up to the lectern in the center. Candles burn daintily, casting long shadows. ¡°Let us depart.¡± With a wistful look in her eyes, Yuki grabbed onto her hand. They stepped into the array together, tightening their grip on each other. 6.5 | Felix He leaned forward, resting his head on his palm, absently gazing ahead in the empty throne room. The flickering light of a torch casted dancing shadows along the cold, stone walls. Around a decade back , his father died in the war, leaving him as the new king. Though wearing the crown, his people still suffer from discrimination from other races, causing them to mostly keep to themselves in the east. ¡®Heavy is the head that wears a crown.¡¯ Occasionally, they would meet for trade with the elves, who respect them, regarding beastmen as fellow children of the forest. Yet even that at times feels strained, a pale comparison to the relationship that their people used to enjoy. Felix exhaled deeply, letting the cold, night air cleanse his mind. When his children reached the age of 10, they were expected to join the battle for inheritance, a brutal tradition to determine the next ruler. However, one of them has already slipped beyond his reach. Felix knew that as a child of a commoner, Yuki would experience much harassment from the other factions, but even knowing this, he did not expect it to this extent. ¡®Such an innocent child,¡¯ he thought bitterly. Yuki, untainted by the cutthroat politics of the court, with a disdain of killing, has always dreamed of following in her mother¡¯s footsteps as a scholar. Like her mother, Yuki has always loved books, spending hours each day in the library, while the others would rather hunt and train. She had no interest in the crown, but that did not stop the other factions. The world doesn¡¯t care about dreams. It just seems like a fleeting fantasy of a child. ¡°Dada,¡± she asked. ¡°Why do I never see you and mama together anymore?¡± He stayed silent.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Felix couldn¡¯t tell the young Yuki that it was due to the pressure from the other factions. Clenching his jaw, he balled up his fist in rage. However the laws were clear. The king is forbidden from favoring one child over the other. He must remain impartial. He shut his eyes. ¡°Do what you have to do, to do what you want to do.¡± The words echo through his head. Unlike his children, he was born an only child, spared from the infighting and betrayal. Recently, the princess had fled with her mother the moment she turned 10. Deep down, he hoped that they got far away, away from the drama and politics. Felix had hoped that he would be the one to abolish this long lasting tradition, but to no avail. In short, he was afraid. Afraid of what his people might think. Afraid of the spirits of his forefathers staring down from above. He glanced at the portraits lining the wall, feeling their silent judgement weigh heavily on him. Great conquerors, rulers, tacticians, and most recently, his father. ¡®Could I ever hope to one day live up to their expectations?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t even protect his children from each other. The Vulpine family was unusually pious, holding elaborate celebrations year after year in honor of the goddess. Even in the darkest times, she would watch over them. However, soon after inheriting the crown, he stopped hearing her voice. No matter how fervently he prayed, all he received was silence. He had searched for answers, fasting for months, even taking a pilgrimage to the holy land to meet with the pope. Felix tried to convince himself that it¡¯s not his fault, but deep down, he had lingering self doubt. ¡®Is the goddess angry? Was our celebration not enough? Are we not pious enough?¡¯ Had the goddess really abandoned him, silently withholding her guidance? The thought shook him to his core. Felix tapped his fingers impatiently on the cold, metal throne. The sound of footsteps echoed faintly through the hall outside, but he didn¡¯t move. He heard 3 knocks, interrupting him from his train of thought. He sighed. ¡°Come in.¡± In walked his court advisor. ¡°Your daughter has been located in the City of Wesclim. She will arrive shortly, along with the adventurer who has been taking care of her.¡± Felix stopped himself from leaping in excitement. ¡°Good,¡± he said, his voice steady with a hint of anticipation. ¡°Tell them both to meet me in the throne room immediately.¡± The advisor bowed politely and exited, leaving him alone once more. Felix leaned back into his throne, shoulders slumping and his heart racing. He hadn¡¯t seen Yuki in months, and though he longed to pull her into a long embrace, he would be lying he didn¡¯t mention the doubt gnawing at him. Would she even recognize him? When they went missing, Felix appeared to age several years, with months of worry and sleepless nights etched into his face. Would she be proud? Angry? Heartbroken? These questions swirled in his head as he eagerly anticipated her arrival. 7 | Bestowment Ceremony The teleportation caused Eris to feel queasy. Stumbling outside, they appeared in the imperial plaza. Rows of buildings reminiscent of late Edo period architecture. People milling about, throwing a couple curious glances their way. They were led quickly to the palace, Yuki¡¯s face downcast. Soon, they were led to a door, with the 2 opposing guards pushing the doors open. The grand doors swing open, revealing an opulent throne room bathed in golden light. Windows of intricate stained glass cast a kaleidoscope of colors across the walls, with a blood-red carpet leading up to the throne, the room lined with portraits and statues carved of black marble, bearing ceremonial banners of crimson and gold. The king sat upon the throne with a regal glare, staring down on them. The royal guards slam the door shut behind them. Eris looked around, eyes wide with wonder. ¡°Greetings father,¡± she said as she performed a curtsy. ¡°...¡± Eris sloppily attempted to copy her movements. Felix nodded. ¡°Have you been well? And I presume this is the adventurer Eris they spoke of?¡± ¡°Yes your majesty,¡± Yuki replied, a face of stone. ¡°No need to be so formal with me,¡± he said, waving his hand dismissively. ¡°Your room has been prepared. Eris, you may choose to stay as a guest if you so wish. Tomorrow will be the long overdue celebration of her bestowment ceremony.¡± ¡°Bestowment ceremony?¡± Eris asked, tiling her head slightly. ¡°Our society functions a bit¡­ Differently from human society. Here, one receives their class at the age of 10, rather than 15. It is a long lasting tradition filled with celebration,¡± he said, his tone calm but proud. ¡°Ahem, your room has been prepared. Be prepared for the party, everyone will be attending.¡± With a slight bow, they left. Eris trailed behind Yuki, silently waiting for an explanation. They entered her chamber and shut the door quickly behind them. Her room was enormous. Bookshelves lined the wall, a queen sized bed adorned with a canopy stood in the center. The bed is lavender. The walls are lavender. Even the bookshelves were lavender. Everything was lavender. ¡°The maids did a good job. It¡¯s exactly as I left it.¡± she said, her gaze lingering on the framed family painting on the bedside table. Her fingers hovered over it for a moment before gently placing it face down. ¡°The dream is long gone,¡± Yuki murmured, a tinge of sadness in her voice, her eyes glistening with tears. Guiding her to the bathroom, Eris began to tenderly massage her fur, rinsing it clean of blood. ¡®Even the shampoo smell of lavender,¡¯ Eris thought. ¡°Did you know? Lavender was my mother¡¯s favorite color,¡± she paused, wiping away a stray tear. ¡°It reminds me of her. Calms me down.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m the first princess of the United Federation of the Beastkin. When you found me, the faction of the first prince was hunting us down,¡± she said, her voice quivering, a despondent look in her eyes. ¡°My fath-, I don¡¯t know if I can even call him that anymore. He didn¡¯t do anything to help.¡± Her shoulders heaved with sobs as tears stained her face. Eris began to wash her face, quietly listening. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you,¡± she began. ¡°But what is it that you truly wish for?¡± Yuki closed her eyes, lost in thought for a moment. ¡°I will give you an answer tomorrow. At the celebration. Promise.¡± They stared at each other in silence. ¡°Actually, I have a secret of my own that I¡¯m keeping. I know it¡¯s hard to believe,¡± she began, her voice steady but resolute. ¡°I¡¯m not who you think I am either.¡± Eris¡¯ form began to waver and distort, revealing a formless black blob, then reverting back to her humanoid form. ¡°You see, I am a shapeshifter. This is just one of my many forms,¡± Eris admitted, her voice barely a whisper. Eris casted her gaze on the floor, unable to meet her eye, tensely waiting for a reply. Suddenly, Yuki stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace, taking her aback. ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You are a true friend.¡± ¡°Fri- end,¡± Eris repeated, tasting the word in her mouth. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. She at first tentatively hugged her back, then tightening her grip, breathing in the soothing lavender scent of her fur. Yuki giggled softly, breaking the tension in the air. In bed, unable to sleep, Eris lay quietly, gazing silently at Yuki¡¯s serene face. Yuki clung to her arm tightly, as if afraid to let go. She felt the steady rising and falling motion of her companion''s breathing, offering her a sense of comfort. The next day, it was a blur of preparations. They rushed from place to place, getting ready for the big celebration. Felix was nowhere to be seen. Maids rush to prepare the both of them for the celebration. [Beaskin¡¯s Ceremonial Suit] Simple, yet elegant. +5% defense +5% dexterity +10% charisma ¡°Your hair is so messy,¡± the maids chastised. ¡°So silky, you should use a better comp. Stay still.¡± Yuki rambled on about important people and proper manners. Soon, the hour of truth is at hand. With her sword at her hip, Eris leaned against the wall, arms crossed, patiently waiting for the arrival of Yuki, absentmindedly listening to the idle chatter of nobles. The tables are adorned with food and drink, but Eris has no interest, rather, she starts to impatiently tap her foot, wondering what''s taking her so long. A small foot silently stepped into the room. Yuki, wearing a lavender colored ceremonial kimono, decorated with jewels, slowly walked down the hall, appearing to look straight at Eris, giving her a slight smile. Nobles dropped their fork, turning their heads. The room died down to a quiet murmur. ¡®So pretty,¡¯ Eris thought. ¡°Silence! I demand silence! The king is about to make his speech!¡± shouted the royal heralder. The king, looking down from above, watched as Yuki made her way to the podium, housing a magic orb used for class bestowment. ¡°This is the long overdue celebration of my daughter, Yuki Vulpine. May she lead the federation to success.¡± Nobles slowly clap, seemingly more interested in their own conversations. Yuki gently placed her palm on the crystal. Felix hesitated, waiting nervously to see if the voice of the goddess would ring out. Suddenly, they heard a disembodied voice. ¡°By the will of the goddess, I bestow upon you :¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°[Class : Emissary of the Goddess].¡± A collective gasp echoed throughout the room. Hushed whispers between the nobles filled the room. A few start to clap, then a thunderous applause. ¡°May the will of the goddess be with you.¡± Near the front, a snow fox beastman stood up. ¡°I will ask you once again. Will you marry me?¡± Before the celebration, Yuki mentioned her 2 other siblings. Currently, the first prince is in attendance and her other brother is on an excursion to trade with the elves, and will return soon. First prince Rodney. He killed her mother. Even since Yuki was young, she was inundated with many marriage proposals, especially from Rodney. A talented mage is uncommon in the royal bloodline filled with aura masters and swordmasters, and she was praised for her exceptional beauty and magical aptitude. Rodney reached out his hand. Yuki, visibly distressed, wrinkled her nose and took a half step back, eyes darting around the room, searching for someone¡ªanyone¡ªto intervene. ¡°Yuki, would you join the battle for succession?¡± inquired King Felix. The room fell into silence, with everyone seeming to hold their breath. This event is the perfect place to search for allies to build up your faction. While participation is expected, it is not mandatory. Rodney, his hand outstretched, silently awaited her answer. ¡°I renounce my name. I renounce you,¡± she said, with a mixture of anger and defiance. She looked at Rodney, then at her father. ¡°Good. Bye.¡± A couple of nobles stood up. Yuki spotted the earl and duke among them. ¡°This is outrageous,¡± he spat. ¡°You ungrateful wretch.¡± Murmurs of agreement filled the hall. Rodney¡¯s face darkened, his eyes narrowing like a snake. Felix raised an eyebrow. ¡°You will be mine,¡± he hissed, seething in anger. ¡°You will have no say in this. If you had just agreed, your mother would be here watching today. If you had just obeyed me, none of this would¡¯ve happened. We could¡¯ve ruled together.¡± He balled up his fist. ¡°We could¡¯ve been happy, but instead, you choose defiance. Just like her.¡± Yuki froze, his words cutting deep. The room seemed to close in around her, as the memories of the events rushed through her mind. Click. ¡°Activate [Beserk].¡± Eris¡¯ aura flared, dashing towards Rodney, severing his right arm at the elbow, blood spraying across the newly polished marble floor. His piercing screams echoed throughout the hall as she then crashed into Yuki, using the momentum to sweep Yuki into her arms. Yuki started to chant a spell, causing glass to shatter. Eris leaped through the window, tightening her grip on Yuki, engulfed by the brisk evening air. Nobles became visibly panicked, shouting and footsteps echoed throughout the hall. Guards rush in, their armor clanking as they run, scanning the room for threats. ¡°A doctor! A doctor!¡± he screeched, clutching his shoulder. ¡°After them!!¡± The blood began to pool in the floor, creating a grotesque contrast with the sleek marble. ¡°Do what you must,¡± Felix said bluntly, his tone void of emotion, while taking a long sip of his wine. Deep down, he felt relieved. He felt proud of his daughter who stood up against his son, being chosen as an emissary of the goddess. Felix hopes that they got far, far away. As he turned to glance at the direction they fled in, he offered a silent prayer to the goddess, knowing that she had not abandoned him. ¡°My people,¡± he continued, his icy voice cutting through the chaos. ¡°No word of this shall leave this room! Your livelihoods depend on this!¡± Felix snorted in derision. ¡®I¡¯ve always told him to stop pestering Yuki. Now I know you killed my wife, your time of judgement will come.¡¯ ¡°Yes your majesty!¡± the voices of the nobles and guards chorused. Eris checked her status : 54 seconds remain on [Beserk]. Transforming into a hawk, she carried Yuki on her back, her wings cutting through the air. ¡°We¡¯re really flying,¡± Yuki exclaimed excitedly. ¡°We¡¯re flying!¡± She smiled dreamily to herself. ¡°I¡¯m so glad. I finally worked up the courage to stand up to them,¡± she continued. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m so glad I met you¡­¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Do you think my mother is looking down on me? From the stars, alongside all of the other ancestors?¡± ¡°Without a doubt. I bet she''s probably just as proud of you as I am,¡± Eris said, scanning the trees for an appropriate landing spot. [Beserk] has ended. Inflicting exhaustion. ¡°Ughgh,¡± Eris groaned, as her body distorted and warped back into her humanoid form. Catching Yuki, she cautioned her to hang on tight. Falling amongst the canopy of trees, she braced for impact. Blessing of the goddess is active. Tumbling down, disoriented, they got off with surprising light injuries. Before they left, Yuki brought a bag of holding, containing useful items for traversing the outdoors. ¡°Here Eris, a mana recovery potion and antiseptic.¡± She nodded and gratefully accepted the items, tossing back the potion. Mustering some mana to create water, she cleaned her wounds while Yuki applied antiseptic and bandaged her wounds. She remained unharmed. They hastily slip on their gear, changing out of their ceremonial attire into their usual adventurer equipment. [Emissary of the Goddess] As the emissary of the goddess, she will not let harm befall her child. -Manipulates causality in your favor up to 3 times a day Resets every new moon Since the dawn of mankind, the goddess sat watching in silent vigil among the stars [New title obtained! Replace [The Enforcer] with [Scourge of Tyranny]?] ¡°Accept.¡± [Scourge of Tyranny] Awarded for gravely injuring a tyrant. +10% party damage against people of a higher ¡°status¡± +5% party damage resistance +5% damage resistance from people of a higher ¡°status¡± +30% damage against tyrants -10% charisma against nobility As the bane of evil, you are naturally resistant to metal attacks Since time innumerable, people would brandish their pitchforks, uniting to overthrow tyranny - unknown While it may not completely outshine the power of [The Enforcer], it offers considerable boons for the journey ahead. Working with Yuki, she can take better advantage of this title. Straining her eyes, she believes to have spotted a shadow darting amongst the trees. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Yuki readied her staff, tensing her muscles. The figure hops off the tree into the bush below, brushing off the fallen leaves. ¡°Greetings, travelers. What brings you here to our humble forest?¡± Eris and Yuki exchanged a brief glance They¡¯ve landed on the edge of elven territory. ¡°...¡± ¡°Your holiness.¡± Blessing of the goddess You radiate an indubitable aura of divinity Before being the children of the forest, they are first and foremost the children of the goddess. First doctrine : The goddess created all. Her hands shaped the earth, mountains, and people, while her tears filled the oceans. All existence is the work of the goddess. Second doctrine : The goddess blesses all. She guides the lost and unfortunate to the right path, and blessed the land with trees and an abundant harvest. ¡°It¡¯s rare that we have guests. Please follow me.¡± With a flourish, she beckoned them deeper in the forest. 8 | Sea of Trees An arrow whizzed by, striking the spot where their elf guide had been standing just moments before. ¡°Back away,¡± a sharp voice in the trees shouted. Eris drew her sword, her eyes narrowing. The form of the elf slightly shifted, catching their attention. Eris squinted her eyes. On closer inspection, her skin seems unnaturally pale, and the arms seem a bit out of proportion. A deep guttural growl erupted from the elf. The body started to warp and contort, revealing a grotesque quadrupedal monster : ghostly white skin stretched over a bony frame, an elongated neck bending in an unnatural way, covered in small tufts of gray hair. Their empty pupil-less eyes stare ahead. ¡°Screeee!!¡± Rearing up on its hind legs, it claws at Eris, who tried to parry the strike. ¡®Heavy,¡¯ she thought, groaning under the weight. Eris shoves Yuki backwards as she unseals her rapier. The voice rang out again. ¡°That¡¯s no elf! That is a corpsewalker! This monster is a puppeteer, wearing the skin of the dead, burrowing inside the body and controlling it.¡± Eris took a step back, casting a flurry of icicle spears alongside Yuki. Suddenly, dozens of arrows buried themselves into this creature, killing it, pinning it to the forest floor. The monster spasmed violently before collapsing into a heap. ¡°This is why you have to properly dispose of the dead in this forest, purifying and burying them.¡± ¡°Travelers, you are on the edge of elven territory, state your intentions.¡± the voice demanded. Eris glanced up, to see a group of elves perched on the tree branches, bows trained on them. What appeared to be their leader stepped forward. She pulls down her hood, revealing distinctly long ears and clothing made of leaves, and a cloak of animal hides, her piercing gaze fixed on the two travelers. Eris sheathed her sword. ¡°We are adventurers who got lost. We wish for passage through your forests to get to Calarin.¡± The elf who appeared to be the leader sighed heavily. Her expression remained stoic. ¡°Many warnings were posted at the forest¡¯s edge. You¡¯re lucky to be alive. The forest¡¯s powerful distortion magic warps your sense of direction, and powerful monsters roam the grounds. Her gaze flicked to Yuki, causing her to flinch. ¡°And you. Your kind has no place in this sacred forest. Although we tolerate you due to our sacred covenant with our ancestors, how dare you trespass? Do you know not manners? Nor treaties? The elves murmured in disapproval, glaring at Yuki. She visibly shrank back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Yuki blurted, bowing deeply. ¡°The city is currently on lockdown, and the teleportation arrays were closed¡ª¡± The leader raised an eyebrow. Eris hesitated before stepping in. ¡°There is a fugitive on the loose. Nobody is allowed in or out. We adventurers got out just in time.¡± The elves exchanged uneasy glances, whispering amongst themselves. Finally, the leader spoke. ¡°Fine, if you must follow us, you will abide by our rules,¡± she said, pointing at Yuki, her gaze still hard. ¡°Consider it a favor to our half-elf kin,¡± gesturing at Eris. She continued, her voice stern. ¡°First, no lighting fires. The forest is sacred, we do not want to risk damaging this sacred forest. Second, respect the forest. Do not pollute or damage it, learn to respect nature. Third, follow us closely on the trees. Do not wander.¡± Eris and Yuki nodded quickly, eager to avoid further conflict.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. As they followed the elves from tree branch to tree branch, she talked more about her people. They are well suited to the forest, mostly hunter-gatherers, of classes such as archers, rangers, druids, and elementalists. ¡°We have to respect our prey. We use every part of the animal, using the bones as tools, the hide for clothes. Our long lifespans allow us to grow stronger with time, but the forest is our greatest ally.¡± Eventually, the group of elves stopped. ¡°We are at the eastern edge of the sea of trees, next to the Federation of the Beastkin. Be careful, although the war won¡¯t reach here, there are many skirmishes at the western border,¡± she said. ¡°We will direct you in the direction of the Calarin embassy.¡± She handed them a map and an item each. [Elven Wooden Pendant] Carved from high quality wood, it serves as a token for safe passage through the elven territory. Protects against distortion effects of the forest Causality manipulation decreased from ? -> ? Eris and Yuki hastily slipped on the pendant. ¡°We must depart, we cannot accompany you any further. Follow the map, and you should safely reach Calarin. May the forest guide you.¡± Yuki bowed, thanking them in gratitude while Eris waved enthusiastically. ¡°Let us go then, you and I.¡± Over the next few days, they sustained themselves mostly on nuts and berries and the occasional wild game, making their way deeper in the elven territory. Eris¡¯ skill [Botany Knowledge] contributed significantly to their journey. Soon, they arrived at the heart of the forest; Leafantum, the elven capital. Centered around the towering world tree, it is a breathtaking sight. The massive trunk seemed to stretch on endlessly, piercing the sky. Its vibrant green canopy seemed to glow with an ethereal light. Smaller trees surrounded its base, connected with walkways made of wood and twine. The scent of flowers and fresh pine filled the aura, soothing the weary travelers. Soft rustles of leaves and the distant hum of chatter could be heard as elven artisans worked. Elves patrolling these bridges, bows drawn and ready. ¡°Travelers, halt,¡± an elf called out as they approached. A gray-haired elf slowly shuffled forward, her arms resting behind her hunched back, exuding an aura of authority. Her sharp gray eyes study them carefully. ¡°Come with me,¡± her voice soft yet commanding. ¡°Yggdrasil spoke of your arrival.¡± ¡°Yggdrasil?¡± Eris and Yuki asked curiously in unison. The elder nodded. ¡°Yggdrasil, the source of life. It pumps life into the world, it¡¯s precious sap able to heal even the most dire injuries, and maintain your youth.¡± She trailed off, gazing at the tree. Eris followed her gaze and frowned slightly. The world tree appeared to glow, the tree giving off an ethereal, almost otherworldly feeling. ¡°Wow,¡± Yuki said, her eyes wide in wonder, her voice barely above a whisper. Eris pointed at the base of the massive tree. ¡°Why are some leaves falling? And the base of the tree¡ªIt¡¯s graying.¡± The elder sighed heavily. ¡°The tree has been poisoned,¡± she said, her voice laden with sorrow. Eris and Yuki gasped. ¡°Our best druids and botanists cannot solve this problem,¡± she said as she shook her head sadly, her gray hair swaying gently in the breeze. ¡°The world tree grows weaker by the day. However, it also spoke of a pair of travelers who may help us in our plight,¡± the elder continued, pointing at them. ¡°And we believe that you are the ones we are waiting for.¡± With a somber look at the tree, she continued. ¡°The world tree has been growing more and more quiet. If you can save Yggdrasil, we will reward you generously and give you anything you wish for.¡± Eris and Yuki exchanged a glance before nodding. ¡°How can we help?¡± The elder led them to a modest tree house, where an elf gently sat down a meal of mushrooms, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and dried meats. The floors are padded with moss carpets, with a small area carved of wood used and woven reed matts used as a dining area, and a small section covered with straw and leaves as a sleeping area. ¡°Here is your meal.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Yuki said excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ve always liked elven food!¡± Eris stared at the food with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. Reluctantly, she picked up a piece of dried meat, taking a cautious nibble. Her eyes widened. ¡°This is¡­ Delicious?¡± she said, her voice tinged with surprise. ¡°I¡¯ve never had anything like this!¡± The elf smiled. ¡°The legend goes that the first elven king complained of the bland food everyday. So he set out to search for a solution to our dilemma. This is made from the powdered flesh of a mushroom monster. A staple seasoning among our people, it has a rich, umami taste. Eris froze mid-bite, staring at the elf in horror. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Monster flesh powder,¡± the elf replied, matter-of-factly. Eris and the elf stared at each other in silence. Yuki stifled a laugh as she continued eating. ¡°A bit shocking, I know, but you¡¯ll get used to it.¡± ¡°It''s more common than you think. Many people season their food with monsters,¡± the elf further explained. ¡°Some parts are very tasty. The raw liver of the roc birds that lives in this forest is considered a delicacy.¡± Eris thought for a bit. ¡°I respect your food and culture, and I do admit this is very tasty. Thank you for the food!¡± The elf smiled politely and left. ¡°Yuki! Yuki!¡± she hissed. ¡°I almost choked on the food. Why didn¡¯t you warn me??¡± ¡°Well, suit yourself,¡± she said as she nibbled on the dried meat, winking. After lunch and some sightseeing, they met up with the elder for the mission briefing. ¡°I need you to bring back a master botanist in the west,¡± she continued. ¡°We pure blooded elves cannot leave the forest, so we will need your help.¡± Their target is the newest demon general, code named ¡°Hemlock,¡± the 13th demon general. ¡°We elves cannot withstand the miasma generated by the demons, so we need someone with strong divinity to traverse to the west.¡± She held out a flask by the neck. ¡°Every year, we get to harvest a bit of the sap of the world tree. We use this sap to make ancient elven medicine, passed through the generations. Legends say that it is to even be able to bring the dead back to life.¡± Eris and Yuki¡¯s eyes widened and they shared a brief glance. ¡°I promise this as a reward should you succeed.¡± She handed them a map and a bag of supplies. ¡°It contains medicines made by our apothecary, which can help you regain your strength and vitality, and other useful items. Use them wisely.¡± [Elven Good Luck Charm] Smells of fresh dirt after a summer rain. +10% luck Can communicate with plants In the past when the enchantment on pure-blooded elves was temporarily severed, these would be gifted as a good luck charms as they venture in the unknown ¡°Well travelers, I wish you the best of luck. Make haste. The world tree would only last a few more years at this rate, a blip in time for us elves.¡± Despite centuries passing since the initiation of the great war, the demon territory remained mostly uncharted due to the heavy presence of miasma and corrupted monsters. Despite demons being many times stronger compared to other humanoid races, the countries worked together and produced many heroes and anti demon technologies. Possessing superb intelligence, they are born through hatred and lingering resentments when a member of an intelligent race dies, be it humans, elves, or beastkin. Bidding the elves farewell, they set off on their journey. Transforming into a hawk, she steadied herself, as Yuki climbed on her back, wrapping her arms gently around her neck, before she took off with a swift, smooth dive into the sky. 9 | Demon territory During the day, Yuki would sit atop Eris, firing icicle spears at monsters below or at approaching aerial threats. With the spears accelerated with wind magic from Eris¡¯ help, the spears easily pierced the flesh of even the strongest monsters, helping her gain experience points rapidly. At night, Eris would dig out a foxhole with the help of earth magic, using it to compact the earthen walls. Yuki will rest while Eris keeps watch for monsters. The way she killed monsters is a bit special; since the monsters in this forest are irregularly strong, she couldn¡¯t effectively fight them head on. [Greater Direwolf has appeared!] Using [Sublimation] right after casting a wind spell, she used the knockback to fling herself at the monster. Transforming into a mana leech, she attaches herself onto the beast. [Life Drain] [Mana Drain] The direwolf began to flail wildly to no avail, its forearms too large to reach its back. Soon, the direwolf collapsed, suffering from mana burnout and loss of life force. [You have slain a Greater Direwolf] Your senses have been enhanced. [Intimidate obtained!] Slight chance to cause enemies to flinch. Increases based on level. [Level up!] [Level up!] Due to the irregular strength of the monsters, she gained a lot of experience points. Eris checked up on Yuki, who slept soundly in the foxhole. Early in the morning, they foraged for food; nuts, berries, fruits, and vegetables. The elvens provided a shaker of their seasoning, but it was finished quickly. ¡°So bland¡­¡± Yuki complained as she munched on some nuts. "Blergh." They continued this routine, finally reaching Calarin after a month. Using illusion magic, they snuck past the patrol and entered the city of Wesclim. First stop, the adventurers guild. Eris slipped Mina a note. Yuki is a royal, we just escaped. Please keep quiet. She looked at Ers, then at Yuki. ¡°...¡± ¡°Are you serious?? she hissed. ¡°Going on the run with a royal?! You had me worried sick!¡± In the guild lobby, Eris began pulling out monster corpses from Yuki¡¯s bag of holding. ¡°Oh and we are selling these¡­.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°These are! All B rank and above monsters!¡± [Lieaibol Ursus] A humanoid bear monster that possesses a tough hide and intelligence. Thick hide has been enhanced to reinforced hide. [Papio Flange] A C rank baboon monster, the threat level increased to B+ rank as they tend to work together in groups. Eris at first had trouble dealing with them, but she used illusion magic to change her appearance and hide from the other beasts. Party buffs amplified by 10%. She only needs to consume one of a species to gain their skills, however, some are particularly unpleasant to kill, such as plant monsters. [Elven Good Luck Charm] Can communicate with plants It¡¯s quite unpleasant to listen to the screams of plant monsters, so she only killed one treant before she stopped. Eris made a mental note to not kill plant monsters. [Root Snare] Summons a flurry of roots to entrap and pierce your targets. Mina looked up at them. ¡°Did you kill them by yourself?¡± she asked. The monsters have been perfected exsanguinated. ¡°We actually killed more, but couldn¡¯t bring all of them back,¡± Yuki scratched her cheek sheepishly. Mina¡¯s eyes widened, as she started to drag the monster corpses to the back. ¡°One moment for me to check with the guildmaster¡­¡± she trailed off. After a while of deliberation, Guildmaster Enzo decided their reward : a pouch of gold coins, and a tentative promotion straight to C rank. Yuki spread her arms wide, spinning around on one foot, giving Eris a hug. They collected the reward for the monster materials, then purchased a room for one day at an inn. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time I took a hot shower¡­¡± Yuki trailed off. After that, they made preparations for their journey. Eris set out to buy extra rations, while Yuki looked for useful equipment for their journey with their newly found wealth. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. [Blizzard Staff] Crafted from the preserved breath of a frost wyvern and the shaft made from high quality elven wood, it helps amplify ice magic. ¡°Freeze everything.¡± After that, they set off for demon territory. At first glance, it may seem harmless, the demons emit a special substance known as miasma. In small doses, you may experience weakness or dizziness, but prolonged exposure may cause death. Only those blessed with holy powers can purify and withstand these effects. Eris unsheathes and unsealed her sword, feeling the holy power of the sword envelop her. ¡°A demon slayer does not fear death.¡± Yuki, as an emissary of the goddess, is naturally immune to the miasma. After they finished their preparations, they set off for demon territory. The atmosphere noticeably changed, the air growing heavier as it ever so slightly dimmed. As they flew further, the terrain became increasingly more forested, leading up to a clearing. At the center of the clearing revealed a portal¡ª-a disturbing mess of writhing crimson tentacles as if an asteroid has struck the spot. It pulsed slightly, like a heartbeat with no sound, unnerving them both. As they landed, they grabbed a nearby twig and tossed it into the portal. It got sucked up, disappearing without a trace. Eris and Yuki exchanged a knowing glance, and their face an expression of unease. Suddenly, a demon materialized before them. He resembled a human, with a few key exceptions. Sickly purple skin, and a single horn protruding from his forehead. Before the demon could even process his surroundings, Eris lunged forward, fatally stabbing him in the heart. With a final blood curdling screech, he collapsed on the floor lifelessly. [Demon Communication obtained!] [The penalty is mild] Her body felt foreign, heavy and weak. She looked down, realizing she was inhabiting the body of a middle aged man, his ankles and wrists tightly bound to a gurney. ¡°Tell us where they went,¡± the guard barked, spit flying from his mouth, cracking a whip against his hand. The man screamed and convulsed in futility. A searing pain was engraved into his abdomen. [The penalty has ended] Eris gasped, clutching her forehead, with the world suddenly snapping back into focus. ¡°Are you ok?¡± asked Yuki, her voice tingled with worry and anxiety. ¡°What happened? Your eyes just glazed over¡­ And you stopped moving for a moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Fine,¡± Eris said, her voice strained but steady. With a final concern glance, she prodded no further. Eris took a deep, shuddering breath, shaking off the disorientation. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Gripping each other¡¯s hand tightly, they leaped into the portal. The moment they crossed through, she felt gripped with nausea. They appeared somewhere 50 feet above the ground. Summoning a gust of wind, they gently descended on the ground. They landed on a small clearing on a hill, overlooking a river. Behind them, a dense, vibrant green forest. However, the scenery ahead was unexpected. Instead of what they imagined, a fiery landscape devoid of life, they could spot a pristine city, surrounded by high walls with homes overlooked by a towering castle. Suddenly, they heard a soft spoken voice behind them. ¡°You stand here in demon territory, not for the faint of heart. Tell me, did you come here seeking a fight? Be you a friend or foe?¡± The voice came from an elderly man, leaning on a gnarled staff. His white hair and beard gives him a kindly appearance. His eyes are shut, masking his emotions. ¡°Now tell me, I don¡¯t got all day.¡± Eris hesitated, thinking for a moment, before responding. ¡°We are¡­. Friends?¡± Yuki appeared confused to their conversation. He stroked his beard, raising a single skeptical eyebrow. ¡°Oho? You speak our tongue?¡± ¡°Well that is a refreshing change of pace,¡± he said as he shuffled closer. ¡°At Least you are better than those inquisitor fools who attack on sight.¡± He shook his head sadly, recalling those bitter memories. Yuki leaned closer and whispered. ¡°What''s the deal with this guy?¡± The old man smiled. ¡°There is nothing wrong with me,¡± he said, chuckling slightly to himself, changing to a different language. ¡°Now come with me. We¡¯ll talk while we walk.¡± ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± Eris frantically called out, stepping forward. ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t seem like the other demons¡­?¡± her voice trailed off, uncertain. ¡°How amusing,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°The other demons? Ah, but you probably don¡¯t know the ancient tale, lost to time. Now come along, let me tell you the tale.¡± His voice grew somber as he retold the ancient story. ¡°Long ago, the first demon was born. The demon lived alongside other people. He looked a little different, but that''s alright. He was strong, he would plow the fields, carry logs, all sorts of odd jobs,¡± the old man explained. ¡°However, one day, a mysterious illness spread through the village, taking the lives of everyone but himself.¡± His hand tightened around his staff. ¡°The villagers, stricken with fear, blamed him, ¡®You fiend! You killed our brothers! Our sisters! Our mothers and fathers!¡¯ ¡° They shunned and imprisoned him, casting him out. ¡°The first demon did not understand. He isolated himself far in the west, away from civilization. Soon, more demons are born, migrating to where the first demon resides, the first demon lord.¡± Eris and Yuki exchanged an uneasy glance. ¡°We now know the mysterious ¡°sickness¡± is miasma. Demonkin releases trace amounts of miasma in the air, toxic to other races. So we mostly keep to ourselves, living in isolation.¡± Yuki raised her hand. ¡°So why did the demons attack us?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°According to you, demons are peaceful creatures?¡± ¡°Long ago,¡± he began. ¡°There existed a group of explorers. They entered our lands without any preparation, succumbing soon after to the miasma. This was the spark that ignited centuries of war. The pope declared us heretics, starting a holy war.¡± ¡°.... So, we¡¯re the bad guys?¡± Yuki asked, her voice small. ¡°In a way, yes,¡± he said frankly. ¡°But make no mistake, the demons you guys are used to fighting are not the same as demons here. They are the lowest of the society, murderers, traitors, and outcasts. Exile to your world is the harshest punishment we can give.¡± They stood in silence, in front of the towering gate, guarded by armed sentinels. ¡°We welcome the Legion,¡± the guards said in unison, saluting him. ¡®Legion? Why is he called the Legion?¡¯ Eris thought, furrowing her brow. ¡°Now come in, it''s chilly outside,¡± he beckoned. ¡°I will tell you more stories. It¡¯s rare that we receive guests.¡± As they wandered through the city, Eris and Yuki were struck by how similar demons lived compared to humans, especially in appearance. They laughed together, talked together, and worked together. Children played in the streets while merchants peddled their wares. ¡°It''s¡­. So peaceful, almost like a utopia,¡± Yuki exclaimed. ¡°When a demon commits an egregious crime, they get exiled to the ¡°otherside,¡± where you live. For this reason, the crime rate is unusually low, and the streets are safe even after dark.¡± He nodded. ¡°Demons¡± are somewhat similar to ghosts. While ghosts wander the world through lingering resentments, sometimes the resentment is so strong they get reborn as a ¡°demon.¡± ¡°When the world claws at you,¡± he explains. ¡°We claw back.¡± Everyone has fragments of memories from their past life. From the poor farmer who lost his children to the war, to nobles who lost their life in a fight for inheritance. Everyone is equal here. ¡°Humans are irrational creatures; one moment they will laugh together, the next moment they will be stabbing each other in the back. We demons don¡¯t squabble over such trivial issues like pride, fame, and wealth . We are bonded through something deeper than blood¡ªgrief.¡± ¡°A large majority of demons are very religious,¡± he explained. ¡°They prayed everyday for the goddess to help, but she never responded. ¡°When the world claws at us, we claw back.¡± Holy magic works on demons by purifying their grief and resentment, allowing them to move on. Similar to how it works on ghosts and the undead. ¡°And that is why holy magic is so deadly to demons¡­¡± ¡°And about the demon generals?¡± Yuki inquired. ¡°What¡¯s all that about?¡± ¡°Ah, that is also misunderstood. They are akin to¡­. Department heads. We all work together like a cog in a well-oiled machine, with the ¡°demon lord¡± at the top as the CEO and demon generals working as heads of human resources, tax collection, miscellaneous stuff like that.¡± Eris and Yuki stared at each other dumbfounded. He laughed to himself, ¡°Much of what you know about us is false. Propaganda. So tell me, will you still fight for an unjust cause?¡± They stood silent without a word. It shook her a little to find out the truth. The demons seem happier than the people back home, the elves, the humans, the beastmen. It¡¯s almost¡­ Unnerving. ¡°Mankind will always fight over trivial things. Not us. In the eyes of the goddess, we are all specks. We are all equal under the goddess.¡± He raises his arms above his head in a wide flourish. ¡°The only absolute thing in this world is the goddess. People may come and go, live and die, but she forever sits above, watching over us.¡± He sighed. ¡°So tell me travelers, what is it that you made the journey here for?¡± ¡°We want to meet the master botanist called Hemlock. The world tree is dying.¡± Eris said sadly. ¡°The world tree is dying?!¡± he said in shock. I will contact her right away. Follow me.¡± They were led into the castle, up multiple flights of winding stairs, until they arrived at a room. ¡°Come in,¡± a female voice said from beyond. ¡°This is our Human Resources head,¡± he explained. ¡°She calms down people through aromatherapy. I¡¯ve tried it once, it really works.¡± Stepping in, ¡°Hemlock¡± is actually an alraune, a type of plant monster. The room is filled with greenery, almost like a pocket forest. Leaves, vines, and flowers cover their vision. Her upper body appears as a human, her skin a striking green hue. Her lower body resembled the bulb of a flower, with petals curled protectively around it. She moved with the assistance of vines. Small blossoms and leaves dotted her body. ¡°So,¡± she said. ¡°What brings you here, Legion? More aromatherapy?¡± ¡°The world tree is dying,¡± he said, stepping outside. ¡°Are you sure??¡± she asked, slamming her hands on the desks. ¡°The world tree is dying,¡± Eris repeated solemnly. Hemlock¡¯s emerald-green eyes widened, her delicate fingers rubbing against her temple. ¡°Are you certain? If the world tree is dying, it will bring catastrophic consequences. Whether it be demons, elves, humans, or beasts, death will spell immeasurable consequences.¡± Yuki nodded. ¡°We came here in search of your assistance. The elves trust that your expertise in botany is unparalleled.¡± Hemlock placed a hand over a chest, her expression resolute. ¡°I can¡¯t ignore this. I will help in any way I can. The world tree pumps life into the world, without it, all plants, including me, will wither and die. It must be connected to a deeper disturbance.¡± Her eyes flicked to Eris and Yuki. ¡°If you 2 made it this far while withstanding miasma, I trust that you can bring me to the world tree?¡± ¡°Escorting a master botanist? Count us in,¡± they grinned. Eris glanced between them, then nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll ensure your safety.¡± Hemlock began to gather up supplies, sweeping in into a pouch. As they left the room, the elderly demon from earlier approached them. ¡°You¡¯ve taken on a noble task, but be forewarned, the journey will be fraught with danger. Take this, you will be able to communicate with me.¡± [Mini-me Legion] Easy to carry, this is a shrunken down version of the Legion. How convenient! ¡°We are Legion.¡± ¡°We are all connected through a hive mind,¡± he explained. ¡°In fact, another Legion member is watching over the portal right now.¡± Eris nodded, slipping it into her pocket. ¡°Then let us depart.¡±