Human form
After my hunting event, I continued to stay at that spot and hunt down prey. At first I focused on hunting creatures at the same level of strength as me, or a bit stronger. But soon had to change my strategy.
An unexpected side effect arised. It's truly embarassing, as I had missed a detail.
My unique skill, Pilfer, allows me to steal a skill from my kill. I can't control which skill I will steal, it will just take one. Also I can get skills by absorbing attacks. As I hunted more and more creatures, my skill piled up and soon, I started to get uncomfortable.
My magicules started acting strange and my soul felt uncomfortable. This is when I understood that aquiring so many skills has a price.
Once I understood this, I only started to hunt down creatures with skills I needed. I had already aquired appraisal, so it wasn't hard to identify them. I just needed to be lucky, when I killed them, as I have no control over which skill is taken.
Because of this, I started traveling around. It has been a little over a year now, since the time I left the city. I can feel another evolution upon me, as the same pressure is building inside of me. I just need to hunt down a strong creature and it will be enough. I also have a theory that when I evolve, I can handle more skills.
I stalk a big spider. I'm hundreds of meters away from it, so it doesn't notice me. It's walking casually. As I prepare to attack it, lighting dances all around me and I spring forth with speed.
The spider notices something hurling towards it at top speed and turns towards me. It's ready to take me on, but it's magnificently delusional.
I blink on top of it and rip it's head off without mercy. The spider dies without knowing the reason. Then I proceed to slice the thing up and swallow it unceremoniously.
Just like I expected, the magicules I get from this thing propel me over the edge and I evolve. I shine with a bright light. Once the light dies, my new form is visible.
I look bigger, stronger and meaner. I grew from 15 meters to about 50. I can be considered a giant now.
My matte black theme remained, but I also gained some golden patterns on my back and head. I've sprouted limbs now and my head is shaped more like a dragon. It seems I've changed species.
Hmm. I slowly move and inspect myself, pleased with my new form. This is truly satisfactory. If I could, I would smile, but my drake form does not allow it.
I check my status. The screen is a mess with far too many skills. However luck smiles upon me as I discover a new unique skill.
(Skill manager)- Allows you to combine, degrade, delete and gift your skills.
It's like the world is favouring me, by giving just what I need. The explenation is short, but the skill effect is definetly powerful enough to be classified as a unique skill.
For some reason I've also aquired a name. I have no clue where it came from, but thinking too much is a pain.
Before I continue, I return to the place I'm sleeping right now and make sure I'm safe. Then I proceed to combine and delete skills. Cleaning up my status.
[Name]- Artoria Pendragon
[Threat level]- Low A
[Race]- Elemental Drake
[Common skills]- (Spring) (Choke) (Steel Body) (Sonic wave) (Steel claws) (Steel teeth) (Serrated teeth) (Camoflage) (Double jump) (Thought communication) (Body armour) (Corrosion resistance) (Farsight) (Pain resistance) (Physical attack resistance)
[Extra skills]- (Universal thread) (Fire manipulation) (Slither) (Physical amplification) (Lethal venom) (Holy magic resistance) (Steel muscles) (Multilayer barrier) (Electrokinesis) (Magic manipulation) (Abnormal Condition Nullification) (Ultra speed regeneration) (Thought acceleration) (Purple flame) (Purple lighting) (Blue lightning) (Thermal nullification) (Poison nullification) (Electricity nullification) (Elemental resistance) (Analitical Appraisal) (Haki) (Size alteration) (Perfect memory) (Control space) (Elemental manipulation)(Humanoid transformation) (Blink) (Universal sense) (Mythril scales)
[Unique skill]- (Pilfer) (Skill mananger) (Darkness)
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Even though I cleaned up, there is still so many skills. I got the humanoid transformation skill now, so I should try that out.
Another skill that deserves mentioning is another unique skill I gained. Darkness.
(Darkness)- When activated, increases your power and gives you control of the darkness inside you. While activated, you exhude a murderous aura and your emotions are erased.
This ability can be cultivated, by channeling negative emotions into it. The strength of the skill depends on how much it's cultivated.
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Another great skill. Not only is it powerful, but I can make it even more powerful. This unexpected luck, truly the heavens are smiling upon me. Perhaps it saw my efforts in becoming a better person and decided to reward me...
I move around in with my brand new limbs and decide to try my humanoid transformation. I seem to be enveloped in some light when I do and I feel a terrible vertigo. It passes quickly though.
Once it has passed, my vision clears and I'm now in my human form.
"Hooh! Very nice!" I speak, feeling pleased. Yet suprise strikes me the next second. My voice was a bit off.
"Hmm?" I look down at myself and see 2 small breasts. I've become a small girl. I grab my own two breasts and squeeze them, seemingly just to experience the smallness.
"Well, it doesn't matter." Ultimately I drop the subject and instead grab a broken mirror I have been carrying with me. I use it to examine my appearance.
The face that greets me in the mirror is absolutely stunning. It's the kind of ethereal beauty that you are lucky to encounter once in your lifetime.
My facial features are sharp and elegant. I have a straight nose, slightly curved eyebrows and two, pink, pillowy lips. My eyes are reptilian, pale blue in colour, with a cruel look to them, as if you're being stared by an emotionless killer. My teeth are all sharp with my fangs a bit longer. Other than my unnatural eyes and my sharp teeth, I look pretty normal.
My smooth, silk like hair reaches my upper back and is bleached blonde in colour.
Then I look at my body and all I can say is incredible. I am 1.54 meters tall. I have two small breasts, around B cup. This is accompanied by a slender and feminine body, with pale skin. I also have defined muscles, as if I've been hitting the gymn alot, with light abs as well.
The only thing that seperates me from a normal human are my nails. My nails are sharp and a bit longer. Black in colour. I run them on my skin, they feel very comfortable. But when I scratch a tree, I easily chip some bark off it.
Finished with my appearance, I grab some clothes from my spacial storage. I wear some loose pants and a jacket. Just to cover myself. Then I grab two identical swords and place them in their seathes, on my back. Now I'm ready to move.
"Since I'm back in a human form, why don't I go to a town." I say and start walking.
I walk along the forest barefooted. Yet that doesn't bother me. My skin is stronger then even metal.
While walking, I fall into thought. I have never bothered to see if there is any intent or aura within me, as that was irrelevant as a snake. But now I could use a lot of arts from my last life, if I there is such a thing.
I stop and close my eyes, trying to feel something other than magic inside me. "There." I briefly mumble, as I quickly manage to locate what I'm looking for.
I unseathe a sword, then force the aura out of my body, to coat the sword. My sword glows reddish black, as I imbue it with my aura. Then I simply flick my wrist.
Soundlessly all trees in front of me, in cone shaped, kilometer radious are bisected.
"Hooh! Good! Very good!" I smile widely.
I coat my entire body in my reddish black aura and my body slowly lifts up the ground. Then I fly away, in search of targets I can practise with.
I quickly find some stronger monsters and land near them, creating a crater. The unintelligent monster looks at me and roars. I hold out my hand straight in front of me. Then I take care to imbue a bit of aura and bring the hand down, in a chopping motion.
*Pffffft* The monster starts spontaneusly spraying blood and his two halves fall apart.
"Hmm... I'll have to find some tougher targets." I grab my chin in thought. I didn't expect there to be this kind of problem. I need to find someone strong to fight.
I look at the corpse in front of me, but unlike before, I'm not even interested in eating it.
I imbue myself with my aura again and fly away.