"Status."
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : Jamal Hendricks / no name monster
Level : 16 points available : 0
Species : Akkedis/ human soul
Strength : 300
Increases the ease to lift and damage objects and opponents
Intelligence : 200
Makes resisting mind control, solving complex problems, reading people, learning magic and skills easier
Durability : 500
Resistance of disease, sleep deprivation, injury of body and soul, temperature, starvation
Energy : 300
Increases pool of energy and energy rate
Health : 500
Increases pool of health and healing rate
Stamina : 300
Increases pool of stamina and stamina rate
Luck : 120
Odds play out in your favor
Speed : 314
Increases reaction time, sensory perception, rate of travel, time perception
Agility : 200
Allows for complex movement's
Crafting: 300
Allows one to craft objects well
Special ability : adaptation
: forced conscription
Adaptation : ability to adapt to any situation to survive. Dependent on energy levels.
Forced conscription: Anyone you defeat you can force into your party. Can order them unlimited times, but each order takes energy. All previous benefits from 'party leader ' apply.
Slots : 3/6
------------------------------------------------------------------
After almost a month of going all out this is my stats.
I thought they'd be higher by now, but apparently they can only go as high as your body - level - can take.
That and some stats take longer to grow, especially the higher your level, that's why Jurea - who's at level fifty-seven - still is only in the thousands instead of the tens of thousands.
I'm not complaining though, after all I don't have to carve wood for weapons anymore.
After my crafting stat hit three hundred I can just touch base material(s) and craft them into what I want.
Due to my low stat I can only do simple shapes, and only use base materials like wood, stone, or clay.
"Are we just gonna sit around here doing the same shit every day?"
(Jurea)
"We're getting stronger."
"No, you two are. I'm just here to basically be your training dummy. And while I'm out here I'm not making any money."
"Well, our gear isn't ready anyway."
"There are plenty of easy quests we can go on that don't need high-end weapons, even these garbage swords would do."
"Why is it so important to you to go out right now? We just got to wait for a few more days for our gear."
"Because both of you have used that
'Be helpful to my party ' order to eat all of my food, sleep in my house, and pay nothing for rent!"
"I thought you owned that house?"
"I'm an adventurer from a piss poor family, everything I got I worked hard for. And in less than a month both of you have almost ruined me, I need to pay rent!"
"What about the money you was gonna pay my former guards? That should have been enough money."
"I paid up front! They had the money on them when you killed them!"
"That sounds more like a you problem. After all, what kind of idiot pays up front, or doesn't put money to the side for occasions like this."
(Flora)
"All I had went into my gear, supplies, and necessities like rent. And you're one to talk! You're rich, why are you leeching off of me?!"
(Jurea)
"Bitch please, you work for me .... err .... us now. We don't pay for nothing."
"Ignore her, you don't work for her or me. We're a team and I wish you'd have come to me sooner about this."
"Why? So, you could 'help'."
"Yes, and the sarcasm isn't necessary."
I took off towards town, once they catch on they'll follow.
After walking awhile I noticed a woman staring at me from deeper in the woods.
I didn't recognize her, but she was giving me a weird look.
I was wondering why, when it dawned on me - big scary monster right by town.
I was about to tell her I was harmless, when she turned and ran away.
I won't lie that was hurtful, but not unexpected.
"Hey asshole! Why'd you leave me like that?"
"Did you see that woman over there?"
"Who? There was no one there. Stop trying to change the subject."
Don't tell me this is gonna be that tired old trope.
"I'm not, I really saw someone."
"Well, I'd know for sure if you didn't make me walk all the time."
"I already told you I'm not letting you back in there."
"Stop acting so puerile."
"Joke's on you, I don't even know what that means."
"It means stop being a baby, and let me back inside of you."
"What in the hell dimensions are you two into?!"
(Jurea)
Of course, Jurea picked that time to show up.
"It's not what you think, and I told you to find a better way to phrase that."
"Why don't you let me in?"
"Because I can't be sure you won't look at my personal memories again!"
"You don't know me."
"Fine do you promise not to look at my personal memories?"
"...."
"Well...?"
".....yes"
"I don't believe you."
"Then what was the point of asking me?"
"To see if you were even capable of telling the truth. Shocker, you're not."
I started walking again with both of them following.
"Yeah, that's right walk away."
"You're walking too."
"At least I'm not afraid of simple intercourse. Every time I try to engage with you, you reject me."
Jurea gave both of us a weird look.
"It's not like that! You're doing this on purpose aren't you?"
"I don't know what you mean. I wouldn't be able to talk though if you just let me back in you."
"You people are weird."
________________
A couple of hours later we were at the adventurer's guild - or at least one of the local branches - looking at one of the quest boards.
The quest board was a magical board that holographically projected quest cards, once you tapped a card it would expand giving the details of the quest.
"What about this one?"
(Jurea)
Jurea tapped one and it expanded.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Quest : kill a wyrm dragon
Reward: 600 gold
Details: Sixty miles South West of Saykil river is the lair of a fire wyrm.
It has killed forty people : fifteen farmers and twenty-five adventurers.
Burned thirty-eight acres of farm land.
And has eaten at least two hundred livestock.
Suggested rank of subjugation adventurers : Mid or higher
Life insurance sold with the quest.
No seriously get life insurance.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Jurea turned to me and smiled.
"Heeeeeell no. No one in this party is Mid-rank, we would die."
"It is better to die being great, than to live behind your mother's skirt."
"Wait, shit farmers have skirts? I always thought they were no better than animals, you know naked and dirty."
(Flora)
Jurea's eye started to twitch and her hand went to her sword, but she stopped and pulled it back.
"I know what you're trying to do. You want me to try to attack you, so that I embarrass myself in front of my peers."
"Wow! I didn't expect you to catch on. I guess shit farmers do have a brain - albeit a small one."
"Flora shut up, and Jurea we're not picking something that will kill us. How about this one?"
------------------------------------------------------------------
Quest : kill Dronga birds
Reward : 2 gold a piece
Details: Eight miles north of here a flock of Dronga birds convened near Tillmith mine.
Suggested adventurer rank : Low-rank
Even a house maid could kill these things.
------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you serious?"
"Yup."
I hit accept on it, and we went to the counter.
An elf dude was waiting at the counter for us - I was hoping for an elf woman.
"Are you sure this is the quest you want?"
(Elf dude)
He was looking at Jurea because
'She is the party leader.'
She looked back at us with shame in her eyes, then turned back to the elf.
"Yes."
"Haha! I can't believe she chose that quest. I guess we'll have to stop calling her a real adventurer."
(Random adventurer 1)
"Yeah, but could we really call her that to begin with? After all, she chose those two over us, a weak ass mage and a fucking lizard."
(Random adventurer 2)
"I would expect nothing less from a gong farmer anyway."
(Random adventurer 3)
Jurea just took all of this vitriol, with a downcast face.
I can't believe this shit! These people are obviously jealous that she chose us over them, even though she didn't choose us really.
Man, I feel bad.
Shut up Patty.
Before I could do anything Flora spoke up.
"What the fuck did all of you swine fuckers just say?!"
Wow, maybe I was wrong about her.
Maybe the persona I've seen up to now was fake, one she used to keep people from getting to close to her fragile heart.
"Call her whatever the fuck you want! But I am not and never will be weak. Even now I'm better than everyone in this room, the shit farmer included."
Nope, she still a bitch.
Jurea might be a dick, but she's still part of my party.
< That you forced her to be apart of. >
Shut up Patty.
I knelt down and put my fist over my primary heart.
"Mistressss tell me to sssstrike thessse people down for insssulting you."
I made myself sound like a snake to fuck with them.
"It can talk?"
"It called her mistress, I thought only beastmasters could tame monsters!"
"She didn't tame sh.....ouch!"
I swatted Flora's butt with my tail.
I looked up into Jurea's confused eyes and winked.
An understanding light appeared in her eyes.
"No, if I wanted to bother with them I would've joined their pathetic parties. Instead, I single-handedly tamed a monster and took a mage for a servant."
"The hell you d...ouch!"
Flora should really learn to guard her butt.
"We're leaving."
With that we left, with me dragging Flora by the ear.
After we were a decent distance away, Jurea turned and smiled at me for the first time.
"Thank you Jay."
______________
We were walking in the forest swords drawn, hiking to Tillmith mine.
We already killed a couple dozen wild animals that attacked us on our way here.
"Man, I love this capacity bag Emira gave us. We can store as many mana hearts as we want."
I said that while patting the fanny pack strapped to my waist.
"That thing is at least older than twenty years, and it's tiny! Anything bigger than a mana heart we'd have to cut up to fit in there, and it can only hold around a hundred pounds worth of goods."
(Flora)
"Ever heard of 'beggars can't be choosers'?"
"No, what idiot said that? I mean if someone offered a beggar poison I'd think he'd choose to refuse."
< I know I would refuse. >
Shut up Patty.
"It just means be grateful."
"For trash?"
"Can both of you just shut up? You do realize attracting monsters in a forest that will be dark before we get back to town is a bad idea, right?"
(Jurea)
She turned to face us to make sure we understood her point, and as soon as she did a dart about a foot in length shot out of the brush and stabbed her in the arm.
"Fuck me!"
She fell down.
A slug monster came out and was slithering towards her.
Before it reached her I had sped over there and stabbed it, pinning it to the ground, then I ripped out it's mana heart.
"Burn it Flora!"
I ran over to Jurea picking her up, while Flora used magical flames to roast the slug.
"Are you okay?"
She looked up at me, then shook her head and got up.
"I'll be fine. I told you so about attracting monsters."
She pulled the dart out and threw it on the ground.
"We should head back, that could've been poisonous."
What?
Shut up Patty.
"No, I can't afford that. If you're really worried, you can have her cast a healing spell."
Jurea pointed at Flora.
"Okay, Flora cast a healing spell. We will keep going, but if you start to feel ill, we're turning back."
"{Healing palms}."
"Does it feel better?"
She gave me weird look, then nodded and took off.
I looked down at the slug monster's mana heart, then slipped it into the bag beside the heart I kept from Flora.
___________________
We walked in silence until we came upon Tillmith mine.
Tillmith mine was basically a hole in the mountainside that led into a natural cave system.
It stretched for hundreds of miles into the ground and had multiple cave entrances, and it was home to a multitude of monsters.
It was so infested with monsters on a daily basis that if a guy named Tillmith hadn't found out that it held countless veins of precious metals and gems imaginable people would just ignore it.
No one knows why so many monsters gather here, some assume it's because humans gather for the treasure and others assume maybe the monsters cause the treasure to lure out their preferred prey.
All around this entrance are a bunch of black birds around two feet in height, that have an about fourteen foot wingspan, claws protruding from their wings, and strong taloned feet.
"I thought you said these guys are weak Jurea? These guys look like they can do some damage."
"They are weak, first tier maybe. The only reason we get gold for killing them is because of the danger they pose with their 'Perfect Mimic' ability, which allows them to copy any sound."
"That's all? How is that even dangerous?"
"They can trick you off a cliff, or mimic a mating call of some other bigger monster to get it to come and kill you, but the only monsters around here are Low-rank."
"That still sounds dangerous. Okay, so here is the plan ....."
"{Fire ball}!"
A fire-ball leapt from Flora's hand and burned a group of drongas to a crisp.
"Hey, just wait a sec....."
"Ahhh!"
Jurea leapt from the brush with a battle yell charging straight at the rest.
Fuck it.
I jumped into the fray, swinging my sword from one to the next slicing them in half.
Jurea got surrounded, so she threw her sword into one, start ripping others in half with her bare hands, bashing others with the corpses of their fallen brethren, then ripped her sword back out of the pinned corpse and went back to slashing.
Flora meanwhile was lobbing magic from behind us killing any trying to escape.
I don't know why the other adventurers looked down on this quest, I could see myself doing this over and over again.
After all, it's super easy.
< Why would you say that?! I'm a disembodied voice and even I know not to kick up that many flags.>
Say what?
Greaaak!
Greaaak!
Greaaak!
Before I could react to Patty, one of the birds was letting off a weird call.
That sounds nothing like us.
< They don't just copy what they immediately heard, idiot. >
I'm getting a bad feeling.
< You should be. >
GREAAAK!!!
Out of the forest stepped a fucking Tyrannosaurus Rex looking monster.
It was sixteen-feet high at the shoulder, several horns protruded from its head, it had two long arms ending in three sharp claws, a trail of feathers ran down its back and under belly, and it had spikes sticking out of its tail like a stegosaurus.
< A thangomizer. >
What?
< The tail of a stegosaurus is called a thangomizer. >
Not the time! Shut up Patty!
"Fuck my dead mother up the ass! It's a corrosive land dragon! A fucking dragon shouldn't fucking be here!"
(Flora)
< Run, now. >
What?
< You're faster than both of them, if you run now you'll escape while it's feasting on them. >
Shut up Patty!
< You can find someone else to add to your party. If you want to live, run now. >
Maybe you didn't hear me, SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP. PATTY!
At this moment the dragon laid its eyes on Flora.
It started towards her drool dripping from its fang filled mouth, when a sword from Jurea's direction flew at its head.
When the sword got about five-feet from the dragon, it started to melt, and by the time it hit the dragon's head it was only a hilt.
< Corrosive dragons emit a magical corrosive field that melts anything within a few feet. >
"Hey! You big stupid reptile. I'm Jurea! Killer of the Tillmith mine hobgoblins, destroyer of the Yeuth river River-beast, and about to be the slayer of the Tillmith mine dragon. Come to your demise!"
Is she stupid?! There is no way she can stop that thing!
I looked at her and noticed she isn't even in a fighting stance at all.
Oh my God! She isn't planning on fighting, she's ...
< She is buying you time, you should take advantage. >
Greaaak!
It charged straight for Jurea.
I have to do something.
"Obliteration!!!"
Flora did her sure-kill move draining her energy, only to knock the dragon down for a second.
It was up and charging Flora in a flash.
"What are you waiting for?! Run you stupid bitch! {Vitality siphon} {godly lightening strike} {godly lightning strike}."
All of her spells just bounced off it, it opened its jaws wide.
In a second it would snap them shut killing her, but in that second I already arrived to her and shoved her away.
< You're an idiot. >
I know.
My skin hardened and I kicked from the ground uppercutting the dragon.
It brushed it off like it was nothing.
I used my maximum speed to fly towards it again, within seconds my armor and skin was all but gone and the dragon swiped me with its claws.
I flew eighty yards and landed in a pile of dead drongas.
So, this it huh? Why do I have to die bleeding out exactly like the last time? If I have one regret in both of my short lives, it's that I didn't buy that bulletproof vest from Nappy - it was only a buck sixty-five too.
< I wasn't there, but that was obviously a fake vest. >
Can't you let a dying man have his last moments.
The dragon was taking its time walking to me, probably wanted to savor my humiliation.
< There is a way for you to survive this. >
Why didn't you say that before?!
< Because it has a seventy-eight percent chance of death. >
So, you didn't mention it because the high death rate, but you do realize I'm fucked either way right? I either sit here and die or try that and most likely die.
Fuck it! You only live once.
< You seriously didn't just say that. >
Just do it Patty. That dragon is staring at me like I'm a steak.
< Understood. Absorbing mana hearts within acceptable proximity. Done. Absorbed. >
A pain on top of the pain I was already feeling - you know being flayed alive basically - seared through me.
My body instantly repaired itself, just in time for me to dodge the dragon's jaws snapping shut.
Instinctively I raised my hand at the beast, out of my wrist a spike shot out at high velocity.
It melted before it touched the dragon.
Greaaak!
It roared a challenge at me.
I charged straight at it again. As soon as I came into contact with its acid field my skin started to melt again, only to heal in a split second.
All right!
< You're not immortal, if it swallows you whole your healing will do nothing for you. I'd suggest evasive maneuvers now. >
As she said that it swung its tail at me, I jumped up dodging it.
I landed on its back and started ripping out feathers.
It tried to buck me off, so I dug my claws into its flesh and made my way up to its head.
Greaaak!
Once I got onto its head I swung on one of its horns, took aim, and shot a dart right into its eye.
Greaaak!
Greaaak!
Greaaak!
It was swinging its head violently back and forth, at the right moment I let go.
As I sailed past its last good eye I shot yet another dart completely blinding it.
I landed on my feet and moved so that it was between me and the mountain.
Greaaak!
Greaaak!
"Greaaak!"
It was roaring its head off when it heard a rival dragon issue a challenge.
The rival was me using 'Perfect Mimic'.
The dragon knew it was in no shape to fight a bigger rival, so it did the only logical thing - it ran full speed backwards.
Right into the cliff face, breaking horns and cracking its skull.
It fell down unconscious.
< Corrosive field is down. >
I walked over to where I dropped my sword, then walked over to the dragon.
I stabbed my sword into where its skull was cracked open, killing it instantly.
"I can't believe you killed it."
(Jurea )
"What I can't believe is that you had extra abilities all this time and didn't use them before. "
(Flora)
"I didn't, I just got them."
"Stop fucking with me! All creatures are born with abilities, you don't
'just got them'."
"I did, I absorbed mana hearts from the monsters we killed and got their abilities."
Jurea and Flora backed up a little.
"You can't absorb souls though, right?"
Truth is I have no idea, but I don't need them freaked out and worried the whole trip back.
"Nope, can't do it. Only works on
monsters."
They both let out the breath they were holding.
"Wait! I just thought of something. You said you absorbed abilities. The spikes came from that slug that attacked Jurea, and the mimicry from the birds, but where did that healing come from?"
(Flora)
"Well ... you see...umm..."
"The only monster I can think of that you could have came across with that healing ability would be a troll. But a troll's heart is super rare, worth maybe three to four plated shields, you wouldn't hide that wealth from your teammate while she was in rags would you?"
"Well ... Hehe hehe...that is a funny story."
"{Water ball} {Freeze}."
A water ball appeared above me, froze, then dropped on my head.
"Ouch! The only reason I did it was because I thought you'd steal it."
"Of course I would have stolen it!"
"Then, why'd you hit me?!"
"For the principle of the matter."
Why this litt...no I will not get pulled into this, I'm too tired for this shit.
"Look, I'm sorry okay, but if I had showed you it, then we'd all be dead right now. So, let's call the past the past, deal."
"Whatever."
Wait! I just killed a dragon, shouldn't I have leveled up Patty?
< Yes, in fact you have a choice to make. >
Why didn't you tell me before?
< I was waiting for you to be done bitching. If you're not done, I'll wait. It's not like I have anything important going on, my whole existence is to aid an incompetent boob. >
Hey! Shut u..... I mean, just tell me what you wanted to say.
< Fine. You have successfully defeated an enemy over seventy levels your superior. You may choose to level up a hundred levels or use synchronize and evenly spread the levels with your party. >
Which one should I choose? I always wanted to be powerful enough to one shot kill anyone dumb enough to fuck with me, but I've always heard the team makes the man.
Besides, what if my team needs help, but I'm nowhere to be found.
< Do you want my vast insightful
opinion?>
Yes, please.
< I. Don't. Care. Either option can lead to their death or yours, choose or I'll pick one at random. >
Team! I choose synchronize.
< Understood, all party members level up twenty-five levels. >
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : Jamal Hendricks / no name monster
Level : 41 points available : 1800
Species : Akkedis/ human soul
Strength : 600
Increases the ease to lift and damage objects and opponents
Intelligence : 200
Makes resisting mind control, solving complex problems, reading people, learning magic and skills easier
Durability : 500
Resistance of disease, sleep deprivation, injury of body and soul, temperature, starvation
Energy : 300
Increases pool of energy and energy rate
Health : 500
Increases pool of health and healing rate
Stamina : 300
Increases pool of stamina and stamina rate
Luck : 120
Odds play out in your favor
Speed : 314
Increases reaction time, sensory perception, rate of travel, time perception
Agility : 200
Allows for complex movement's
Crafting: 300
Allows one to craft objects well
Special ability : adaptation
: forced conscription
: perfect mimic
: empath darts
: peerless regeneration
Adaptation : ability to adapt to any situation to survive. Dependent on energy levels.
Forced conscription: Anyone you defeat you can force into your party. Can order them unlimited times, but each order takes energy. All previous benefits from 'party leader ' apply.
Slots : 3/6
Perfect mimicry: Can perfectly replicate any sound.
Lesser ability perfect recall is a side effect of this ability. Due to this lesser ability you will remember everything .
Empath Darts : Projectiles made from mana.
You can imbue emotions into the dart via mucus. The higher your level the longer you can make the emotions last.
Lesser ability Gastron mucus allows you to produce mucus through your skin. The mucus gives you minimal protection and allows you to scale vertical surfaces.
Peerless Regeneration: you will continuously heal.
Lesser ability Ample Strength doubles strength.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Eighteen hundred points! With that many I can get some of my stats past a thousand.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Name : Jamal Hendricks / no name monster
Level : 41 points available : 0
Species : Akkedis/ human soul
Strength : 1,000
Increases the ease to lift and damage objects and opponents
Intelligence : 200
Makes resisting mind control, solving complex problems, reading people, learning magic and skills easier
Durability : 500
Resistance of disease, sleep deprivation, injury of body and soul, temperature, starvation
Energy : 1,000
Increases pool of energy and energy rate
Health : 700
Increases pool of health and healing rate
Stamina : 300
Increases pool of stamina and stamina rate
Luck : 134
Odds play out in your favor
Speed : 500
Increases reaction time, sensory perception, rate of travel, time perception
Agility : 200
Allows for complex movement's
Crafting: 800
Allows one to craft objects well
Special ability : adaptation
: forced conscription
: perfect mimic
: empath darts
: peerless regeneration
Adaptation : ability to adapt to any situation to survive. Dependent on energy levels.
Forced conscription: Anyone you defeat you can force into your party. Can order them unlimited times, but each order takes energy. All previous benefits from 'party leader ' apply.
Slots : 3/6
Perfect mimicry: Can perfectly replicate any sound.
Lesser ability Perfect Recall is a side effect of this ability. Due to this lesser ability you will remember everything.
Empath Darts : Projectiles made from mana.
You can imbue emotions into the dart via mucus. The higher your level the longer you can make the emotions last.
Lesser ability Gastron Mucus allows you to produce mucus through your skin. The mucus gives you minimal protection and allows you to scale vertical surfaces.
Peerless Regeneration: you will continuously heal.
Lesser ability Ample Strength doubles strength.
------------------------------------------------------------------
This has to be an accomplishment!
Shut up Patty.
"I leveled up twenty-five levels?! I thought only the killing blow counted in XP gathering?"
(Flora)
"Normally yeah, but Patty gave me the choice to either level up a hundred levels or split it with y'all. You are welcome."
"Are you an idiot?"
"I think the words you're looking for is thanks so much for being so amazing."
"No, I meant what I said. You should have leveled up to the highest level you could possibly go, because you're the only one of us who can adjust your stats. Then, and only then, you'd take us to better dungeons where we'd just power-level."
"Well, I didn't think of that."
"Exactly, you didn't think."
"You know you're horrible at gratitude."
"What would I be grateful for?"
"Me saving your life."
"I would've been fine."
"Yeah, in its stomach."
"What the fuck are y'all talking about?
Levels, XP, power leveling? What the fuck is all of that?"
(Jurea)
Oh yeah, we never did tell her about this.
After a long explanation we packed up all the mana hearts, meat we cut up, and other drops.
I wanted to absorb the dragon heart too, but Patty told me that unless I wanted to die a horrendous death I should stick to absorbing hearts that I could safely absorb - I took her advice.
"Great, that took hours, now we got to walk back in the dark monster infested woods."
(Flora)
"Look at all the loot we got though."
"We still got to leave the majority behind. Those dragon bones alone are worth two hundred gold per pound."
"Well, at least you don't have to trudge through the dark."
I know I'm gonna regret this.
"You mean...?"
"Yes, we'll travel faster this way, and I was acting kind of childish."
"What's going on?"
"He's going let us go inside him!"
"I'm not into that!"
"Flora! I told you to word that better!"
"Fine, I can't wait to propagate ... everything I've learned in there."
"..."
"Fine, I'll stop. Now, let's hurry, the last time I was there I was looking into the effect of cellular decay in a vacuum."