1 000 ~ 020
000
Currently in a bright place with an androgynous person in front of me. With me are countless other people. All were covered with various wounds that will make you think how they're still alive.
That genderless person was talking about something, but I was too curious about his surreal place instead. When that person stopped talking, the crown made a riot. Some were screaming, some crying, and some tried catching the person.
That person did not do anything else after that and stood still, as if waiting for the crowd to calm down. The people that tried to hurt that person were all exhausted, as no matter what they do, they cant touch that person. Its like were only seeing a projection of sorts.
After a few hours, the crowd were silent. Though some were still crying, they weren't making much noise compared from before.
Suddenly, shadows kept popping up. Everyone has a shadow popped up in front of them. Looking at the shadow that is now in front of me. I am unable to recognize any of its features. I kept staring at the shadow, until that person spoke.
I wasn't interested in listening to that person and was just observing the place, therefore, not hearing most of what was explained. But I clearly heard what that person asked in the end. It was like, that person was speaking through the shadow.
The question was, "What cheat do you want?"
Hmm. Cheat? Is he talking about a game? I first thought of Prototype, it was a fun game, but laggy. My computer cannot handle the game in long hours, so I always play with that lag.
While I was thinking of my game, across the corner of my eye, I saw people disappearing, being eaten by the shadow in front of them.
Then I thought about it. Since this is a dream, this should be the time where I wake up. After all, I always die in dreams. This dream is a bit different though, as normally I am being chased by something before I die.
I've waited for a few minutes, but the shadow in front of me was not moving. I was running out of patience, then I said "If I could get a T-Virus and Mercer Virus Hybrid that is fully upgraded from the start, that 'd be a fun cheat."
Then I got an idea! Since this is a dream, and I am conscious, cant I play while I'm sleeping now?
When I was planning to play in that dream, I woke up.
001
It hurts! It hurts! Pain! Pain! Pain!
Pain! Pain! Pain! Pain! Pain! Pain!
"Wwwaaahhhhhh!!!"
What! In the! World! Is happening!!!?
I'm in pain, everything is hurting. I feel weak, I cant even open my eyes.
Please stop this! Cant someone give me painkiller like Mefenamic or something?!
After complaining for a bit, I was pulled into the darkness.
002
When I came to, I met with a surreal sight. More than what happened with the dream. I woke up, not in my usual double decked bed, but in a cage with open ceiling. My things are gone, and my phone is gone as well!
Also there are multi-colored balls dancing around my cage. I say balls, but they're actually lights the size of a marble. I see no camera nor anything that can be called projector so I don't know how they're moving.
I've only woke up, but I feel drowsy again. Why did this happen? Why am I caged? What sin did I commit, to be caged while sleeping? Various questions filled me before dropping back to sleep.
003
How can I explain this situation… there is someone by the door. And their peeking in my direction! When I woke up, I was looking for the floating lights. They are pretty lights that I could watch to kill time.
Then I saw two near the door, still and unmoving. But after careful observation, those lights were actually eyes, peering inside the cage, looking at me!
I was scared for a bit. But the person by the door did not care at all as they walked closer to me. They were giants! Two of them! And they both have that purple glowing eyes on them. Like literally glowing eyes.
I was so scared that I just sat still in my cage, waiting to be slaughtered. Then, one of them reached out their hand towards my head.
I thought then, ah, I'm going to die. They're going to crush my head first. Maybe I'm their lunch.
Darkness peering from a hand nearing above, I closed my eyes, accepting death.
004
What happened last night? Everyone was talking about it.
The greatest disaster and the greatest miracle the world had ever seen, happened within one day.
A massive earthquake alert had warned everyone, through email, text, fax and all other ways to message someone(digitally). The people ignored the warning, some chose to believe it, and some tried to investigate a little. But it didn't matter, as disaster stroked 12 hours after the message.
A massive something magnitude were felt all over the world. Storms popped out without warning, followed by tornadoes, tsunami and meteors simultaneously with the earthquake.
Everyone died. End.
Now, If everyone died, how come this story was told? Someone got to have survived right?
Who do you think survived?
005
I felt the hand touch my head. It was so big, I'm sure they could crush me just by their hand alone. But, the pain and suffering that I was expecting did not come. The hand stopped at my head, then slowly caressed it.
They smiled and spoke gibberish like language. But surprisingly, I understand what they're speaking.
"Hello my sweet little Pisces."
With that said, I realized what had happened to me. It is what most people that was already tainted by that particular entertainment product. But I was confused, when did I die? I did not see any truck, nor was I run over by any vehicles. So how?
Since I am getting drowsy again, with this little body. I did not fight the feeling, and slept. Embracing the darkness that pulls me.
006
*Time Skip*
After I had known that I got reincarnated, I was happy, yet scared at the same time. I didn't have experience in being a baby, so I wouldn't know if I was acting like a normal child or not.
What if they find out? I was just born, would they throw me somewhere? I don't want to die so young. I'm not even a year old yet.
Then I thought, 'Constantly worrying will not do me any good. I should just prioritize growing so I could survive when the time comes.'
After that, I lived the lazy life. They fed me food when I'm hungry, and bath me at fixed times. The only problem was when its time to poop, I don't want to think about it.
My monotonous life continued for three years, until someone else came. Other than the two maids that are taking care of my daily needs and my mother that visits every now and then. I found someone else enter the room. It was a girl, different from mother, she has blue glowing eyes and was looking at me happily.
While I was observing her, the kid slowly walked to me as if hiding the fact that she was here at my room, and then whispered. "I finally get to meet you, little Ces! I'm your older sis, Neptune!"
This sic or seven year old self-proclaimed sister of mine was busily playing with my cheeks, not knowing that mother was currently behind glaring at her. Sis suddenly jumped, as if she remembered something important. Them I heard the word, "Ah! There's no more time, I got to go before she notice."
At that moment, mother spoke, "Notice what?" "Eh?" Un. Sis is in trouble. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see the spectacle as darkness once again pulled me down. As I go back to my sleep, I was left wondering about the family I have now.'
007
From then on, older sister Neptune, was often caught sneaking away from study to my room. She's a great source of entertainment for a baby like me. She would, read me books from time to time, even the ones she cant understand.
The books that were being read to me were completely random. There was a day where she read me a book about magic. The title was 'The Wannabe Magician' the contents were:
"Everything that is living in this world is a vessel containing 'mana', the fuel for magic. But even though everyone is contains mana, not everyone can cast magic. Why? The reason is that we needed the help of spirits to cast magic. Every magician out there had contracted a spirit, which gives them control over the magic they use.
Not everyone can make a contract with a spirit. Even though spirits are all around us, only the people that can contain a certain amount of mana can 'see' the spirits. A vessel has fixed capacity from birth, that is why not all can see spirits and make a contract with them.
The mana capacity can be increased through hunting a lot of monsters, but is not advisable. It was known that you'll need at least a hundred vessel shards to feel the presence of a spirit, but it wont help you see one them."
While older sister Neptune was reading me the book, a hurried tone was heard behind sis. "Lady Neptune, I've been looking all over for you. The madam had already found out that you sneaked out!"
Older sister Neptune was then dragged out of the room by the maid.
After they left, I was curious about the spirits. The small lights that I've been seeing since birth, come and go during the night when I'm about to sleep. I can see a black marble of light swaying around the lamp today. I wonder if those were the spirits that the book said.
While I was thinking that. I unconsciously voiced out, "Spirit". Then suddenly, the onyx light flew to and entered my body. I was startled, then I looked at my body. I'm not in pain, there's no hole, and I'm not hurt. Am I dreaming right now?
008
After that night, older sister Neptune had not visited my room. Since I was bored, I kept saying "Spirit" every time I see a dancing light intruding in my room. And they all acted the same way, they all flew and entered my body.
I was confused, even though the spirit balls entered my body, I've never seen any of them come out. But there will always be a visitor every night. And I cant use magic still. Since I was able to see the lights, shouldn't I have enough capacity to cast magic? Why cant I do it?
After a two weeks, older sister Neptune came to see me, with mother. It seems that she finally got the permission to visit me. Through their conversation, I learned that older sister Neptune was preparing for an exam back then, but since she sis not want to study, she often sneaks out and play outside.
When older sister Neptune come across our building, she then came to know that mother was pregnant with me. Curious about the new sibling, she came to take a look and that's the first time we've met. She then started sneaking out to come over and play with me.
But mother is smart, she found out where sis sneaks every time, and made a deal with sis. That if she passed the school exam, she'll have permission to study and play at this building. In the end, sis passed the exam, which is why she came with mother.
But if older sister Neptune passed the exam, didn't that mean that she'll need to go to school? Did she notice that? I'm just a baby, I don't need to point it out to an adult.
Once again, darkness takes hold of me…
009
It is Day X of my experience here in another world. And I'm currently trying to capt- *ehem befriend some spirits. I have already eaten almost all color except that wriggly transparent ball that looked like a floating clear plastic bag.
It came to that point that the lights come to me on their own, even when I'm not paying attention. It startled me when I woke up a couple of days ago, and a light was already on its way to my face.
Other than lights coming to me daily, older sister Neptune had also visited with my mother often. Like every two or one day often.
Time passed, just living the life of a worriless baby with daily light show and family as entertainment. Yet, I am still a child. Too weak to exit my cage. During these years, I re-learned how to crawl, stand and walk.
It was really difficult doing so, as babies don't get exercise often, the bones and muscles are not that strong. But I've accomplished it nonetheless.
Tomorrow ill be five, and in this world, people only celebrate birthdays every five years. Its like they can only live and die only every leap or five years? Don't know much about this world, so its only a theory.
I look forward to tomorrow as I was pulled back by the darkness.
010
Wow. I didn't think ill be able to get this far. I usually scrap the world before ten.
And now, is my first birthday celebration in this world. Nothing much happened, family greeted and made a party without me knowing, then we ate afterwards.
Since the day was tiring enough, I was about to sleep, when.. It wasn't darkness that pulled me. But light.
When I came to, I know I was dreaming. You see, I'm currently looking at my previous world. The difference is that there are no people, and I'm floating. Also not alone.
The me from when I was living from that world is in front of me. Smiling eerily, it was like he was looking at something interesting, and is planning a prank for fun.
I didn't know I could smile like that? Rather, what am I doing here? While I was wondering about, how deep life is; am I to die questions; and was I as creepy from before? The person? in front spoke.
"Greetings, Oh Test Subjects, this is the first milestone reached for everyone that is still alive till now.
As explained before, your wish turned skill that was set on passive will now be unlocked.
Kindly think of 'Ability Values' for your status. Everyone will have started with the same values.
With this milestone, a mission has been sent to each of you. Good luck!"
Hmm. When was it explained?
*A few decades later*
Ah! From that dream!
*Back to present*
Oh well. Let me view that status plate first. It was 'Ability Values' right?
Test Subject #34691
Passive:
Terror Virus [Deadly virus, that produces highly strengthened effects from T and Mercer Virus]
Semi-Passive:
Absolute Conversion(99.99%) [Converts percentage of All energy, Potential, and Experience the user has into the passive skill]
Potential Value: 1(10000)
Energy Value: 1(10000)
Blessing:
N/A
*Spells unusable sue to lack of energy
Test Subject #34691 :: Mission I
Defeat a Rank 1 Creature x1
Time Limit: 5 Years
Failure Consequence: Permanent loss of 10% Potential
Am I in a game? But then, my potential value had been shaved huh. More importantly, every talent that I have were converted to my skill? And I only got to use it starting tomorrow?
This is what happens when you don't pay attention to your surroundings. Especially when in an important situation. Sigh, this was my problem since my previous life, I need to correct it.
In order to maximize my time, I played with the dream till I passed out.
011
When I woke up. I saw older sis Neptune in front of me, looking so happy, with a carefree smile. Mother was behind her, telling me that they're taking me out of the mansion.
I was happy of course, I needed to kill a monster and I have too little time. Its best that I can move out as soon as possible. With my skill, which is a mutated hybrid virus from two games, I was able to control this body completely even as a baby. And found out some things.
I have already surpassed the capabilities of any baby existed. With that I remember a certain monster in my previous life, the one they called Tianak. Skipping that topic, just like the game, my body received, enhanced all my physical capabilities.
With this permanent enhancement from my skill, if there are stats in this world, I would probably be a monster already, at five years old! Yay!
Unfortunately, my hunting sonar isn't picking up anything. Hence, I cannot hunt yet. For now, I needed to be alone outside, so that I could experiment and try out my newfound strength.
While I was zoning out, I realized that we were already on the way to the so called 'market' using a carriage. Seems that I fell asleep, while older sister Neptune and Mother were chatting.
After a few minutes later, the carriage came to an abrupt halt. Then, blood started flowing out from the coachman's back. Un, he was hit by an arrow. Were under attack, possibly bandits, or hired hands to kill.
As a two weak girls and a five year old, we were easily captured. They ransacked the carriage, I think they're looking for valuables. Older sister Neptune was, um trying to calm me down by patting me on the head and hugging me. Even though she herself was clearly shaking. Un, she's using the high level technique, Misdirection, to convert her fear into protecting the 'sacred' little brother, me. Was useless though, as she's still pretty shaken.
Once the bandits had taken all valuables, they were discussing about who to taste first or whatnot. Right in front of us! Not that older sister Neptune understands, but mother was in despair. I can feel it, possibly a feature of the hybrid virus.
Now then, I'm thinking of ending this fiasco, but I don't want to show my prowess now, that will raise some flags. I know! Time to test some hybrid features.
012
POV
The boy sneaked closer into one of the bandits. As a small child, and with the distress his family was experiencing, he was able to get close to the bandit.
This action was noticed by the sister, and tried to stop him, but a bandit, had grabbed her from behind before she could do so.
The bandits, had already known the kid was sneaking about, but felt no danger, as it was only a little kid. They're more focused on their captive 'ladies' and are looking forward to the delicious feast they'll have tonight.
The boy, tried to punch the bandit, but as a child's body is still weak. The bandit took no damage from the child. In fact the wounded bandit only laughed at the child when he was hit.
The child, in desperation, had tried to hit the other bandits, but was faced with failure every time. The child's body was just too weak to even hurt a pet animal. In the end, as the bandits were already bored of the kid that tries to attack them. The kid was kicked back to his family, like a soccer ball.
The mother and daughter saw this happened and temporarily forgot their fear as they try to fight the bandits.
Of course as people that lived in peace, and without any military experiences, they were easily subdued by the bandits. It makes one wonder. Why are they still not Eating!?
*cough*cough*ehem*
Its not like I wanted to see such vulg- *cough* situation. Its just that, its been so long.
And nothings happening, at all. Except for the fact that a bandit just exploded taking four other bandits near him dead. Nothing had happened at all.
013
Un. It worked! Five died, just seven more to go.
This hybrid virus, completely changed the features of both base virus. I can now control which and when one will explode.
I haven't tried the other features, but this remote bio bomb is enough for this situation. With just that explosion, the bandits are in panic. As for mother and older sister Neptune..
They've fainted. Possibly from the explosion? It is pretty loud after all..
Wait! This means, I have the perfect opportunity to test out the weapons feature of the virus!
POV
"What just happe-
The bandit boss, that was missing since the attack had appeared. He tried to ask on of his right hand man, but in the middle of his question. The man exploded, a tentacle jumped out from the man's body, got hold of him, then pulled him before exploding.
The leader of the bandits, unexpectedly survived the explosion, but was severely wounded and had fainted for a few seconds sue to the blast.
While the bandit leader was mentally recovering, screams were heard from the other bandits. The small kid that did no damage to them were now holding two oversized claws half the size of the kids body. And are clawing those that are left.
In fact, it was the kid's hands that turned into claws, but the bandits were in too much panic that they didn't notice.
Not just claws, the weapon that the kid used changed from claws to swords, whip, gauntlet and tentacles. Turning the bandit's bodies into unrecognizable chopped and grounded bodies.
After the massacre, the mother and daughter pair was still fainted, but the bandit leader had recovered. Then the leader saw, the horrors that his men had experienced.
Fear can be clearly seen on the eyes of the leader as he looks at the source of their misfortune. The devil child stood there, looking at the leader like delicious and easy prey.
The bandit leader tried to run, but the kid got hold of him using a whip that was once his hands. Oh the look of the bandit leader's face was hilarious. The bandit leader then tried to reason with the devil.
"P-Please let me go. We were just hired to scare you. Please!"
A mistake was made by the bandit leader, thinking that he could get away by dealing with the devil.
"Oh? Information for your life?"
The devil, spoke with a melodious voice that even his own family had never heard before.
"Yes! Yes! Please let me go, and I'll tell you everything I know."
"No need. You might give me lies as I am still a child. Instead I'll be eating you to get everything!"
While the bandit leader was shocked to hear the devil's reply. The devil struck his hand into the leader's body and started absorbing the body. The body of the bandit leader quickly turned into tentacles that was absorbed by the kid.
On that very spot, stood the devil, in the bandit leader's skin. Gone is the weak looking body of a five year old child, which was now a body of a fully grown man.
The devil then carried his mother and sister back to their mansion's room. And went to one of the empty rooms at the top floor of the mansion.(3rd floor)
"Now then, for the last test."
014
This is a very productive day. I've completed testing the weapon feature of my skill. The next thing I need to check is my actual, updated status information.
I understand that the status information that I've seen on that dream was my initial stats, but what about the current status information?
'Ability Values'
Test Subject #34691
Passive:
Terror Virus
Semi-Passive:
Absolute Conversion(99.99%)
Potential Value: 5(50000)
Energy Value: 10(103400)
Blessing:
Absolute World Element* [Complete rule of all elements]
*Spells unusable sue to lack of energy
Cumulative Hunt:
R0
12
R1
1
Test Subject #34691
Mission I: Completed ~ Rewards: Energy Value is Doubled
Bonus: 12 R0 = 1200
Test Subject #34691
Hmm. Compared to the values from before, looks like the potential value is multiplied to my age. I also received energy from killing those bandits. The bandit leader had a different rank from the others, but how do I know who has which rank? They all look the same to me.
While I was thinking about, things. Mother and older sister Neptune woke up and was making a fuss in the room.
When o got to the room, older sister Neptune was wailing and screaming my name over and over, while mother was ordering the maids to go back in the forest and search. Un, it was chaos in the house.
While I was wondering what excuse I'll be using, older sister Neptune found me, and screamed "Fishy! Where have you gone!? We were looking everywhere for you! Did you see what happened?".
Un, its noisy. And troublesome. Why don't I just sleep this off? While I was thinking, I was hit with a really heavy and big object, that I will be calling mother.
"Ces! There you are, we were worried sick. Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"Mom, sle-ep-y"
Was my reply as I dozed off.
015
What I did the last time, was the worst mistake I've ever done in my entire life! Why did I talk!? Its good that I held back in talking, but they still heard me talk! Now I'm here in the hole that I dug myself from yesterday.
In front of me, are maids, sis Neptune, and mother. They're all trying to make me talk, and it turned into a competition on who will be the first one to make me.
To end their farce, I decided to sleep again. Expecting that the situation will become normal when I wake up. But when I woke up, I sensed five more people inside the mansion, three of them were with mother, while two were with older sister Neptune.
What is going on? I decided to pretend search for mother, but then I felt a presence near me, just outside my room. Since my hunting sonar did not detect the presence, it meant that the person outside is not human.
But I opened the door anyway, I'm just a kid after all. Opening the door, I see no one. I thread through the corridor carelessly when a kid about the same height as mine jumped to me.
During the jump, I was able to recognize, that my assaulter is a female cat beastmen. The kind that you see in a cosplay event. Except this one is real, moving and is also warm to the touch. How'd I know that? When she jumped at me, I fell down with her, started acting in panic, then touched the strange visible areas that are not human.
With the ruckus that I've done, the 'guests' came out the room to see what was happening. They settled the situation with slight scolding for the beastmen while calming the 'panicked' me down.
In the end, we're all made to sit down in a wide room. All kids on one side, while all adults on the other. The other two humans that I detected earlier were actually my cousins along with the cat beastmen from before.
Throughout the day, I accompanied the kids play, while listening on the adults conversation. And I've found out that the uncle and his two wives was trying to take the mansion from mother.
What irony, the kids were all playing merrily without a care on the world, while the adults are on the battlefield fighting each other. This other family is trying to get the mansion, but why? There's no important materials throughout the mansion, I've searched it before.
It seems that they had finished discussion. They will be meeting with father? They're trying to make mother go alone. Hmm, this is going to be fun.
After playtime is over, my uncle's family and kids left the mansion; mother explained to older sister Neptune and I, that she'll only be gone for a day. Afterwards they sent me to my cage to sleep.
016
Since everyone likes to hearing me talk, and older sister Neptune is always the one who wakes me up in the morning. I asked her to play hide and seek with me within the mansion. From which she agreed. I pretended to hide, then got out of the mansion using Bandit Leader attire.
I easily found where mother went using my hunt sonar. There was a small shack in the middle of the forest, in there is mother, uncle, and his two wives. I don't think that mother knows that there are multiple beastmen outside the shack?
Tailing one of the beastmen, I ate the one that is the farthest of the group. The consume function of the virus had also change by the hybrid. As I am able to 'remember' all experiences of the target and not just the key points I need.
With all the memories if the beastmen, I found out that uncle was planning on doing this and that to mother, killing her in the end. Un, I was right, he was an evil uncle. Since their planning bad things anyway, let me kill the others too. Silently, of course.
Using the hunt sonar, I was able to hunt all of the hiding beastmen silently, eaten. After finishing all fifteen people, I went inside from the roof to lurk for a bit, using Bandit Leader's attire. Another feature that was changed by the hybrid virus was my shape shift feature, now I can change into a maximum of five selected attires to use.
After I've eaten the other three that was hiding inside, mother and uncle's discussion had ended.
"Don't think that you'll come out of here alive!"
Since uncle had started threatening mother, I thought that she'd be in panic like the last time but.
"I know that this is a trp. That's why I had it unsealed. You've changed Leo."
"What!? You've used it!? Are you mad!?"
Wonder what they're talking about? Mother then took a silver spear out of thin air. Based on the instincts I received from the Improved Virus, mother's rank should be at R2, a Magus Class strength.
I came here to help mother, but I got a show instead.
"Even if you had unsealed it, you can't unleash its true power!"
Uncle's statement here was correct, as mother was in a disadvantage while fighting 3 people at once. Should I go help or wait till she lose?
"Surrender the item to me now! Or I swear on your corpse, I will kill all your kids."
Oops time to help. I sued the whip to take one of his wives; planted a bomb; then throw it to the other wife. The two had exploded beautifully. Of course, uncle had noticed that.
"What! Who are you stranger, why did you attack us?"
Seems that uncle had already found out that his army is long gone. Well I don't really care. I used the same whip to get him, but he easily avoided it. Mother was making a wary look at me, wonder what's up?
Since I got too little time, I changed my whip into swords then hacked at him.
"Wha-"
Pitiful uncle died of shock, was my blade really that scary? Mother on the other hand, still haven't attacked nor spoke yet. When I looked at her, she asked.
"Were you the one that saved us the other day?"
"Is your eyesight bad? Aren't I the one that attacked you that day?"
Can't help but mock her.
"Even if you have the same face, your aura is different. If I may ask.."
Is she going to ask if how I'm able to change? Or why I am here?
"What happened to you Ces? Why are you like a grown man now?"
Eh? What did she just?
"My dear baby Pisces. Are you going to answer mommy or not?"
What's with the change of character? Un this is not mother.
"I was asked by the boss to kill this man, but I didn't think ill meet a crazy woman here."
I say as I go out the shack. I then flew back to the mansion roof, near older sister Neptune's location. I was gone for so long that she was crying as I was not found.
"Sister Nep! Please be quiet, I'm sleeping!"
"Fishy! So that's where you were. I thought I lost you."
" Yes sis, you've lost to me."
Older sister Neptune, continued to blabber for awhile then escorted me back to my room so I could sleep.
When I got back into the room, there was another peculiar presence I detected. They're not human nor beastmen, as my hunting sonar did not pick anyone up. But, I know there's someone or something in the room.
Oh well, I'm tired, I'll just go to sleep.
Current Values:
Potential Value: 5(50000)
Energy Value: 11(119900)
R0
27
R1
6
R2
1
017
When I came to, the mansion was quiet. Older sister Neptune did not wake me up and mother was not here, even the maids were not here.
Using the hunting sonar, I found out that I am not in the real world. This is probably a dream, or a nightmare created by someone. Since my hunting sonar did not even deploy, its safe to assume that this is a trap set for me by that presence last night.
I don't know what they're expecting, but I'm sure I won't die even if they wanted me dead here. Ill explore the mansion first. Since this must be a test, I should act as a scared child, but as they may see through the act I decided not to.
As there was no one in the mansion, there were no lights lit anywhere, making it very hard to see the road for a normal person. Since I am able to use energy here, let's show them some tricks.
I was supposedly unable to see in the dark corridor, so I conjured a wisp of light to guide my way. This much can be done by someone with ten energy value, but as I wasn't supposedly taught about magic, this can be seen as a card I was hiding.
After exploring the whole mansion without people and not finding anything different, I head outside. There were also nothing different except for a goblin in the middle of the garden.
I sneaked around the goblin using the light wisp as diversion and went to the main gate. What was waiting for me there is a pack of goblins, I can't use the same diversion tactics for that. But, my goal has been accomplished.
I headed to the biggest tree just before the main gate, used energy to open up a hole and went in. looks like the hidden earthen room that I made before was here even if it's a dream.
I went to bed to sleep, but then the goblins attacked my tree. To repel them, I used elemental light again, this time to conjure an image of a wild tiger to scare them away.
Contrary to expectations, the goblins were not the least bit terrified and attacked the tree and illusion continuously. While watching them with curiosity, I used the earth element again to rise up, making a tower of dirt.
"This must be a dream, goblins should be scared of the big cat, but they ignored it instead."
Finding that someone did not let me go, even though I've seen through their trick. I made another conclusive statement.
"Since this is a dream, I only needed to die to wake up."
With that as warning of what I'm about to do, I raised myself more higher than before, until the earth break due to gravity. When I was falling from the height of a nine story building, I saw the world break. It was like glass breaking everywhere.
The goblins that were attacking were all the mansion guards, while mother and a person wearing a witch outfit was looking at me in awe and worry. Un, I was mistaken. This was not a dream, but reality. I was trapped inside an illusion and not a dream.
This also meant that I'm actually falling from the sky, and is supposed to instantly die on impact. Hmm, is my cover blown? Should I flee somewhere far from here? Ill go on impact.
Just as I was making plans to escape, a box was thrown by the witch person on my direction. A huge slime appeared at my dropping point that prevented me from meeting the ground.
I was taken into a deep embrace from mother, while the witch was behind her. Then mother sent the witch a glare.
" Hey, I didn't know he was going to kill himself, okay!"
"Ces, are you okay? Don't be scared, mommy's here."
Both of them continued to argue. I interrupted them, as I was curious on what had happened.
"What is going on?"
"It was just a little test, little fish. And you passed!"
"Do I get a prize?" I asked happily.
"Sure, here you go!"
The witch was talking to me like nothing ever happened, then thrown another cube at me. My perception warped, then I was sent into a narrow room. I could break free, but that'll blow my cover. So I wait.
"What are you doing, Raven!? Release my son right now!"
"I don't want to. I'm keeping this as my payment from your request. Bye!"
I think it doesn't matter whether my cover's blown or not. The witch then flew, like a bird away from the mansion.
"You're interesting. From now on, you're going to be mine little fishy."
This box is so comfortable. Combined with the gentle swaying of the witch bird, I fell asleep as I hear her words.
018
"That was a nice nap."
There was a lot of presences around my location. The hunting sonar detected at least a thousand people.
"So? Why take me here? Far away from mother."
"Are you really a kid? You saw through my spell like it was nothing."
From the corner of the room, a shadow wriggled until the witch came out. It looked like the witch was using the shadow element to hide in plain sight.
"So, what do you want? And where are we?"
The witch then explained, that she brought me to a human castle. That she was currently the king's Magus. And that she was assigned to teach the hero that they summoned.
"I just tried it for fun, and now I need to teach a brat to fight. Aren't I pitiful?"
"I want you to play with him for a bit. Then we can go back."
I agreed. And she immediately carried me to a wide area. She told me to wait as she 'invite' the hero. Of course, I will be using the bandit leader's suit for this 'job'.
When the witch came back, there were three people following behind. A male teen with black eyes and hair, followed by a fox-girl pretending to be human and an elf with blonde hair and green eyes. Quite a party. Rather then that.
"Why are there three people here? Wasn't it only one hero?"
When I asked that to the witch. She just spat back a "Tehee" expression. She explained that there was only one hero, and the others were just part of the party. She afterwards explained that we will have a 1v3 mock fight as a training exercise.
The three heroes were tense, I didn't care, as I picked up a stone and throw it to one of them. While disappearing using the light element.
"Wow! How did you do that? I thought only shadow element can be used for stealth."
Let's forget about the noisy witch for this match.
The heroes, were not hindered by the stone, but was startled that I could just disappear in broad daylight.
"Where is he!? Ely, Beth, be careful. Our enemy is a coward. Hey coward come face us like a man! I Ravi will not lose to a coward like you."
"Nice words for the leader of a three man team. I am a coward, so what?"
"Let's just start!"
019
POV
At center stage, the hero party was warily observing their surroundings. After the coward's declaration was made, they all expected that there will be an ambush waiting for them.
The witch was far away, thinking of all the spells she had seen, fishy had done. She was aware, that fishy had contracted two elements as seen from the mansion illusion she made back then.
She was curious about the spells used by the five year old Magus Fishy. Just as she was thinking, the hero party had made their move.
"Come out coward!"
The fox girl in disguise used fox fire all over the stage, while the elf girl created a barrier made of ice covering them. When the hero was about to unleash his own spell, a large stone sphere appeared directly above them, out of nowhere.
The party was separated , and was continuously attacked by spikes that suddenly emerged from the ground. The spikes looked alive as it followed each of the party without stopping.
The witch was silently watching the whole scene play out, when suddenly the hero messed up and jumped to avoid the spike while throwing his sword to the moving spike as the last resort.
When the sword hit the spike, the spike stopped moving. Seeing the spike stopped, the hero tried to tell his party while in the air about the discovery, but did not know of what's behind.
"Ely! Beth! I kn-"
*Splat*
When the hero was about to land, a spike suddenly appeared and successfully hit the hero from behind. The hero did not die, but fainted from the sudden pain from the blow.
Everything was still and unmoving. Even the spikes that were chasing the other two stopped. As the hero yelled out from the air, he successfully caught everyone's attention. From the air to being hit by a spike from 'behind'.
All three pair of eyes were suddenly filled with terror. The hero's end was too terrifying that the elf and the fox girl started running out of the stage. Even the witch was affected as you can see her face twitching from the distance.
The remaining members of the party were caught as the ground transformed into sand in an instant, and got hold of them through hardening and softening of the sand. The two members were bawling their eyes out as they had sensed spikes growing in number around them.
"Wait! The hero had already fainted, you won. Stop this match now!"
The curious and naught y persona from before, no longer applied to the witch. She was now like a kid trying to be brave while shaking out of fear and shame.
"You have enough fun already?"
The witch jumped startled when she heard Fishy from behind.
"When did you get here!?"
I told her that I was already beside her from when I was gone from the stage and left it to the spirits to play with the hero party.
They just stared at me, like I was crazy. And since the witch had sensed my confusion. She then explained that the spirits do not take commands, instead we guide them to produce the results we wasn't.
Further explained, spirits live, breath and speak energy. The more energy you have the clearer your sound is. But, even if your sound is clear, humans don't speak spirits. That is why, when forming contracts, the most one can do is akin to using sign language for someone that don't even understand what you're doing.
They were surprised as I was able to order spirits around instead of guiding my energy for them. Another issue with the spirits is that humans are also not made of energy. Were mostly like vessels of energy than energy itself. That is why people cannot use spirits to the fullest.
Regarding other races, they too are not made of energy. But, there is something called aptitude that helps most connect with spirits. The world is divided into four races, each with their own aptitude affecting either spirit connection, guidance or output.
The Elven Race are the closest in regards to energy. Although they are not made of energy they came from energy itself. It was not known how their world tree produced High Elves, but the tree itself was known to be made up of energy making elves with the highest base energy amongst the races.
The Half-Beast Race, are those that can understand spirits better than the other races. They live in the forest like the elves, but are more closer to nature making them more understanding towards the spirits that are often with nature.
The Demon Race, is the most dangerous race. They do not have a great amount of energy like the elves nor great understanding of the spirits like the Half-Beasts. But they have the greatest energy output than all the other races, amounting to a maximum of 70% output.
Finally, The Human Race. They are the weakest, than all of the other races prior to energy and spirits. But they are quick to adapt to any problems that comes their way with high survivability than most races.
After the witch ended the lecture on spirits, the female member barraged me with questions on how I was able to do such things, with the witch included.
By the end of the day, I was completely exhausted even with the virus and all. I set up a written spell on the bed which I will be calling runes from now on. I was done before the witch trespassed into the room while hiding in shadow.
I fell asleep, while hearing the witch scream in pain as she had triggered the trap I set up.
020
I woke up with the sound of a witch crying, begging to be freed from the trap she triggered last night. The witch clothes were now loose with vines moving around trying to..
"Did you enjoy my trap?"
I freed the witch after I had eaten and cleaned myself. I had her undressed and laid her on the bed, all while she was glaring hard at me. I then erased my trap and written down another rune for different purpose.
"I changed the spell. This one will still restrain intruders but without hurting them. Have fun~"
The witch' eyes were then filled with fear and unease. I left her like that with a message.
"Payback for all the unreasonable things you've done yesterday."
The room was filled with shouts and noise that is very different from the first trap.
Since I was currently free, I checked out the castle that I was in, sheathed. I found the hero party near the healing room. The hero has yet to recover but is currently awake. I found out that the hero refuses to get healed inside the healing room.
Since I was curious, I paralyzed the hero and controlled his wheelchair, entering the healing room. The two others were surprised to see me especially when I was transferring the hero inside his dreaded healing place.
Upon entry of the Healing Room, I immediately saw multiple body builders in a mini skirt nurse outfits. I was stunned for a second, then like my life depended on it, I tried not puking.
"Hello~ What can I do you for?"
I now understand why the hero refuses to go inside. The two females were forbidden by two normal looking female nurses as this healing room is strictly for the male gender only. It is good that they didn't see this hell.
"Ahem. Could you help my friend? He is deeply hurt from battle, and needs treatment fast."
The hero who was now tied to the wheelchair had already recovered from paralysis and doing his very best to escape. I quickly enhanced the ropes as to not let the hero go.
"Come now, stop struggling. You need to get treated."
I reassured the hero that was currently glaring in deep hatred at me. Letting the biggest bodybuilder, which was the doctor examine him.
The doctor then examined the hero from head to tees, but found no sign of injury. To help the doctor, I told them about the matter from yesterday.
With me explaining what had happened, the nurses and doctors quickly understood the problem, and informed me of the treatment. They would need to check the injured part to start healing, but would be powerless against the hero.
So I volunteered to help them as long as am able to watch the treatment. I started by binding the tied up hero from the wheelchair to the bed face down. The hero looked like a pitiful struggling animal that is currently weeping for its own doom.
The doctor and two nurses that volunteered for the job had started the operation. They started squealing while poking the hero's body like fans seeing their idol for the first time.
While the operation was ongoing, the two members of the hero party was eating cake at the nearby pastry shop.
The operation that was supposedly done after an hour was extended to the whole day, as the hero kept trying to escape when the time was almost over.
"Of course the operation only finished half an hour ago, but we must finish all procedures before ending operation."
Said the doctor with a serious tone. That resulted in what we call playing with the hero for a whopping eleven hours, before letting him go free. The hero was… lets not talk about it.
Exhausted from escorting the hero to his adventure at the Healing Room, I went back to my room only to see the witch still bound by the trap.
"Why are you still here? I even made it so you can easily get out whenever."
I asked but got no response. The witch was weakened to the point that she's barely breathing. Since I was also tired, I just slept with her on the bed.
