The Sacred Lake
In the dark night, the full moon shone down upon the fluorescent flowers and mushrooms, slowly nurturing them. Their glow helped light the path ahead, where two creatures tread. A small, timid goblin led the way, while a huge, monstrous figure followed, its presence looming as they moved deeper into the dark forest.
After what felt like only a few minutes, Red Arrow suddenly stopped and turned toward me, his head bowed low.
"Lord Beast, the Sacred Lake is just ahead at the end of this path. Since I am not allowed to approach it without the presence of the Chief, I will wait here for you."
"Alright, you wait for me here," I said, while thinking to myself.
He isn't even allowed to get close. Is it really okay for me to bathe in it since it's so important?
Looking down at the dried blood clinging to my body and feeling the discomfort it brought, I muttered to myself, "Well, they were kind enough to offer this. The Chief seemed okay with it, so it should be fine. I'm just accepting their thanks, that's all..." Convincing myself, I pushed forward.
Leaving the goblin behind, I walked further until I finally arrived at the so-called Sacred Lake. It was much smaller than I expected but incredibly beautiful. Black flowers lined the lake's edges, and red mushrooms illuminated the surroundings. Colorful insects danced in the air, creating a stunning light show. The scene was truly mesmerizing.
As I approached the water, I gazed into the crystal-clear surface, illuminated by the moon. It looked deep, and the fierce reflection staring back at me was still something I wasn't used to.
"Let's get this over with. I'm really tired," I sighed.
Wading into the lake, I felt the cool water wrap around me. I hope the Goblin Chief prepared a good place for me to rest. I walked deeper until the water reached my neck. I wondered if they even have a big enough place for me... or will I have to sleep outside?
As I began scrubbing the blood from my fur, I noticed something strange. The moment the blood touched the water, it didn't turn red like I expected. Instead, the lake absorbed it. What the...? My eyes widened with suspicion. Is something wrong with this lake? Did the goblin trick me?
But just as that thought took hold, a wondrous sensation surged from the water and into my body. The energy seeped deep into my bones, calming my mind, as though the lake itself was alive and soothing me. The feeling traveled upward, slowly reaching my head, and for a few minutes, I felt myself slipping into a trance.
After a while, the sensation faded, and my senses returned. Without thinking, I bolted for the shore, creating massive waves as I splashed out of the water.
What the heck was that?! Did these goblins plot against me?! Rage flared within me, but it vanished when my gaze landed on something floating before me—a strange red string of words. The symbols looked ancient and unfamiliar, but their meaning was clear, as if whispered into my mind, just like those in the Book of Rituals.
Status Window — Marked by the Crimson of Chaos
Name: Loyd, the Scion of Shadows
Race: Tiger of Chaos
Level: 30
Innate Power: The Dark Soul
Effect: Upon devouring the soul of prey, whose strength lies within five tiers of the Chaos-born, a portion of their essence shall be claimed. By this dark rite, the Chaos Tiger absorbs a fragment of their life force, gaining ten percent of their total might. Thus, the Chaos-born grows with each soul consumed, ascending ever closer to the ancient power whispered in the void.
What the heck is this? A status window?!
Aren't these things found in video games? What's something like this doing here? After thinking for a moment, I realized it wasn't a typical status window like in games. It was some kind of text explaining my identity, but in my mind, it transformed into a form I could understand. The ancient characters morphed into words I could read. This is truly magical!
Tiger of Chaos? So this is what I am now? And level 30... is that high? I wondered what the average level in this world was. It must be high, since I was able to kill those ogres so easily. But more importantly, this "innate power"... The Dark Soul. Does this mean that if I absorb the souls of other creatures, I can gain more levels? And so, become stronger?
There were too many questions and not enough answers. I'll need to hunt to understand how this power works, I thought. But for now, I just want to rest.
Now, the question was, how do I get rid of this thing? The floating red words hovered before me no matter what I did. I tried closing my eyes, but they were still there as if passing right through my eyelids. After a few minutes of trying everything—like screaming in my mind "Turn off!" or "Close!"—nothing worked. Finally, I found out that just by willing it to disappear, it vanished. No need to say anything.
Deciding to explore more tomorrow, since I lacked the mental energy to deal with this right now, I headed down the path from where I came. After reaching the place where the goblin was waiting, I thought,
Poor goblin. He's been waiting for quite some time now. I glanced at Red Arrow, who was half-asleep, swaying from side to side. He was tired too, after all that had happened today.
"Red Arrow, let's go."
The half-asleep goblin jumped up immediately, his face showing embarrassment as he nodded.
"Yes, yes, Lord Beast! I will lead you to the village. The Chief should have prepared a place for you to rest."