Being a Monkey Has Its Perks

"What do cores do?"

[Cores are the energy source of all monsters, humans, demi-humans, etc.]

"I see, I see… wait… did you just say demi-humans?"

[Yes.]

"So… are there perhaps any chances of… a catgirl?"

[…yes… why d'you ask?]

"Oh… uhh, no reason."

If there is anything that would be any more beautiful than mature or petite women, it would definitely be catgirls!

I'd start daydreaming but I was interrupted by the system's voice.

[Anyway, in order to get a core, you must take it off from an already decease monster or if given consent from another. Cores will be beneficial in raising your power. Next, titles. Once you've achieved a title, you will get a boost in power. That could be strength, agility, you could even get a new skill. These are achieved once you've done something.]

"And that something being?"

[Depends. Good deeds, slaying, etc.]

"Huh, pretty straightforward."

[I assume you already know what the skill does so onto passive skills. Passive skills, basically effects that could either boost skills or power. These effects are permanent once equipped. Active skills, a skill that is activated once you trigger it.]

"Hmm, those sound pretty important. So how do I get them?"

[Same as titles, you achieve them randomly. Well, you could also gain active skills by learning from others.]

"I see."

This is all making sense, kinda. So in order for me to get a core, I need to get one from an already deceased monster.

[Also one more thing about the cores.]

"Hmm?"

[Currently at your state, you can only absorb one core. So you should be wise about what monster's core you want to absorb. That goes the same for equipping one.]

"Oh, well thanks for the heads up."

So I can only absorb one at my state. I could've absorbed that slime's core since well it's dead. Wait, but I ate it, doesn't that count?

[Eating a monster and absorbing its core is different.]

"What do you mean?"

[Absorbing a creature's core requires a process. First, you must extract the core out of the body. It will be in the shape of a small sphere. After that, you can consume it.]

"Does it taste like candy?"

[Yes.]

"Alright then. That's basically everything right?"

[Pretty much.]

"So… what do I do now?"

[You can complete these tasks.]

Ding!

[Task 1: Eat a banana]

[Task 2: Slay a Water Snake]

[Task 3: Defeat the Horde of Slimes]

[Task 4: Reach Level 5]

"Alright, let's see."

…

Eat a banana? Again?!

[Well, you are hungry.]

…fine.

Next, slay a water snake?

[Look in the pond.]

I looked over at the pond, and there was a figure moving in the water. It was huge, like really huge. Probably the size of a boa.

"Uhh, I think I'll put that on a hold."

Don't think I should mess with something that big.

Task 3, defeat the horde of slimes?

[Yes, behind you.]

"Huh?"

I spun around and there was a horde of slimes coming right at me. Whoa, what the? How are there so many all of a sudden?

[Some slimes have hiveminds so they probably sensed one of their brethren gone.]

"Well that's not good."

One slime is enough but this is more than I can take.

"I think… I think I should also put this task on hold."

[Then that means-]

"I'd rather eat a banana then fight all these slimes!"

***

I am standing in front of a tree. Above me was a batch of bananas.

…

[What's wrong?]

"I really have to climb this huh?"

[Yes or else you're not getting the bananas.]

"Shut up."

I'd start climbing the trees and surprisingly it was pretty easy. I got to the top in just three seconds. I held on to the banana batch and knocked it down onto the floor.

I dropped down and took a banana, peeled it, then bit it.

[Task Completed!]

[Rewards: Level +1, Stat Points +1…]

"Alright, if I counted right, I should be level 4 now. Let's see, how do I open my stats again? Oh yeah, status please."

Ding!

———————

[Info]

[Moniker: Yamato]

[Race: Monkey]

[Class: Vacant]

Soul Rank: Dismal

Core(s): Vacant

Title(s): Vacant

[Stats]

Level: 4

Hp: 173/173

Mp: 28/28

Strength: 13

Agility: 13

Defense: 13

Perception: 13

Intelligence: 13

Stat Points: 11

[Skills: Water Manipulation]

[Passive skill(s): Vacant]

[Active skill(s): Vacant]

———————

It seems I have eleven stat points. I should really use them. Let's see, what should I place them in?

I'm more of a balanced type of guy so I'd balance my stats out. But before I do that, what does intelligence do?

[The higher your intelligence, the stronger your skills are and the lower Mp they exhaust.]

"Is that all it does?"

[They are also required to learn certain skills. Some skills will be locked until you reach the required intelligence stat.]

I see. Well now that I know what it does, it's time I'd balance them out.

So then, I poured 2 points into each attribute. The remaining stat point I had was placed into agility. You know, gotta be fast.

Now that I'm set, I should do my other task and reach level 5.

I walked back to the pond and could not believe what I saw. The whole pond was crowded with slimes. I counted around 21 of them.

Mmm, this isn't good. I don't have my stick so I won't be able to penetrate them.

[Slimes need 10 seconds to adapt to water. If they are killed before they adapt, they will be vulnerable.]

The slimes weren't in the water. They were surrounding the area just hopping around. Let's see, I should probably cut them with some kind of blade. Oh, I could make a water blade with the help of my water manipulation skill. Alright, let's try this new skill out.

I'd focus and think of blades. Maybe like a kind of energy wave with a sharp edge.

Swish!

I opened my eyes and there was a thin water blade hovering in front of me. Whoa, it really worked.

[Mp: 24/28]

Huh? That didn't take as much as the water car.

[The amount of Mp wasted is also based on the size.]

Ahh, that makes sense. Alright then, I should get to cutting.

I'd launch the water blade forward and it sped forward.

Slice!

It got two slimes which melted down onto the ground.

"Alright!"

2 down, 19 more to go.

The slimes quickly noticed me right after I took out 2 of their kin. They quickly rush over to me by going around the pond.

Perfect. My Mp actually just got restored.

"Let's do this… well just me."

I'd make multiple water blades. 1, 2, I'd keep making them until I had 10.

"Take this!"

I'd launch all of them towards the horde. Slicing and dicing every one of them.

Every one of them melted onto the ground and the air started to smell a bit weird.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

"Hoho! 4 levels?! Let's go!"

[Task Completed!]

[Rewards: Stat Points +10…]

[New Skill(s): Water Resistance]

Oh… not what I expected but… it's alright. 10 stat points. And a new skill, water resistance. So I'm guessing that means I'm basically resistant to any water attacks.

[Correct.]

Alright then, to my last task.

To defeat a water snake.

I looked over at the pond and sure enough, there was a figure slithering through the water.

"Hey system, could water blade work in… well the water?"

[No, you need Absolute Water Manipulation to be able to perform that.]

"Absolute Water Manipulation? Isn't that basically Water Manipulation?"

[Absolute Water Manipulation gives you the ability to have full dominance over Water. The use of Absolute Water Manipulation is basically a highly advanced version of Water Manipulation. You can create anything without wasting any Mp. You will be completely invulnerable to Water, and you can also create minions out of water. However, the creation of water-made creatures exhaust Mp.]

Aah, so Absolute Water Manipulation has a drawback. Well, making a creature out of water would take some energy to make.

"So if I defeat that water snake, do I get-?"

[Affirmative.]

Defeating the water snake gives me Water… summoning?

[Yes.]

Oh ok, anyway, defeating the water snake will give me Water Summoning. Well then…

I should prepare first before I actually fight it.

"Let's see, how much Mp would it take to make a sword?"

[It depends on what kind of sword. The more complex it is, the more Mp it will consume.]

"I see, then this won't take much."

I began to concentrate water together and begin forming the weapon I want to wield.

In a matter of seconds, there was a sword floating in front of me. The image I thought of was a simple Katana.

"Alright, this could do."

[Mp: 55/105]

Hmm, that's actually lower than I thought. Oh well, anyway.

I should also use my stat points.

"Status."

Ding!

���——————

[Info]

[Moniker: Yamato]

[Race: Monkey]

[Class: Vacant]

Soul Rank: Dismal

Core(s): Vacant

Title(s): Vacant

[Stats]

Level: 8

Hp: 358/358

Mp: 105/105

Strength: 19

Agility: 20

Defense: 19

Perception: 19

Intelligence: 19

Stat Points: 22

[Skills: Water Manipulation, Water Resistance]

[Passive skill(s): Vacant]

[Active skill(s): Vacant]

———————

I'd place 4 into each attribute and with the remaining 2, I placed them in strength.

"Alright, I think I'm pretty much ready for this."

I'm pretty sure if I can create a vacuum in the pond, then when the water snake enters it, I can take it out with my water-made Katana.

And with that, I approached the water snake.

.

.

.