Honestly he hadn't really thought that far. He was able to get what he needed from the villagers because he was divine but, this time he was also dealing with one as well!
"Ahem … how about you, put it on my tab and I'll pay it later?" He asked shamelessly.
"Hehe, no way, but I do have a job I need your help with in the future, what do you think?' Edyta said with a smile.
"What would I have to do?" The manta clone asked suspiciously. He didn't have much of a choice anyways he was completely broke!
"In three months there will be a large auction at the marshlands and I was able to get a few contracts with nobles of certain cities to escort them there and back. I would have been able to handle this with only my people but there have been many attacks against humans around this area so I'm a bit worried. So my proposition is that when you are set up and have your own chosen you will send a few to help me with my escort job. It's simple right? What do you think?." She looked at him expectantly.
"Why don't you go yourself or send a clone?" He asked curiously. How can beasts that haven't reached divinity be able to threaten a divine?
Edyta rolled her eyes at his question before responding "And leave my city which is my foundation open to attacks? Also just because they are your clones doesn't mean you can just go out killing mortal creatures with it you know?. Mortal problems can only be solved by other mortals that is the unwritten rule in the enlightened continent. Let's say you kill a few mortal creatures with your clone and then one day a divine shows up at your door challenging you to a death battle because you shamelessly killed his chosen then what??"
"Creatures can be chosen too?!"
"Of course they can! Why wouldn't they? And they can quickly strengthen themselves by consuming strong humans as well! That's why divines that have creatures as followers are usually followers of the church of darkness and make their dens hidden away in mountains or underground."
As he heard that he couldn't help but think back to the creatures that were attacking the villagers which he had wiped out when he left the sea. 'Surely I'm not that unlucky right?'
"So do you agree?" Edyta asked once again
"Of course! I agree! I Malik give you my word" The small manta said as he gave a small bow and motioned with his tail.
"Oooh what a gentleman!" She said with a smile.
"So ahem, how can I turn into a human?" He asked, seeing as the payment was agreed to.
Edyta looked at him strangely "I don't understand why you want to learn how to change into a human so much, there isn't much use for it other than convenience. The only other thing that we get is a sharp drop in our strength since we lose our powerful bodies, which is why we divines only turn with our clones and never our real bodies"
"Wait? didn't you tell us to turn into humans to follow into the city?" He asked, confused.
"Of course. If you two had turned into humans when you had told me you were new divines and had never met other divines I would have known you were lying. So I would take advantage of it and attack once you had completely turned." She spoke with a smile on her face that gave the duo goosebumps.
After answering the question she started with her explanation "The human body is the perfect body created by the heavens. It is able to practice martial arts and use and craft powerful weapons and armor, but the heavens are fair so while they have those two advantages their bodies don't get the ability to control elements like we can." After speaking she downed the rest of her wine cup before she continued.
"To change your body you must control your life force through every muscle, bone, skin and even hair. Once you succeed you will have every part of your body under your control, all you have to do from there is rearrange, resize, and restructure everything into a human body. It sounds complicated but as you work you will feel as if there is something helping you through the process so just follow that feeling. Also don't try this with your real body first because if you fail there could be some permanent damage. So who wants to go first?"
The manta clone shuddered as he heard permanent damage and pictured a strange manta human blob that looked like a failed experiment that would constantly shout "kill meeee" in a wheezy voice.
As he was hesitating he heard a sweet voice shout from his back "Mee! I'll go first!" The manta was ashamed that she was going before him and wanted to protest but he wasn't able to make any sounds, that picture in his mind had truly terrified him.
"Ooo, looks like we know who is the most courageous of you two huh?" Edyta said as she looked at the manta clone with a teasing gaze
"Ok, get in front of me. I'll help you through the process since it's your first time so you don't have to worry"
The little crab rose her body off the manta clone and landed in front of the beautiful lady while facing the small manta
Edyta put her cup of wine back on the tray of her servant and got off the couch before moving right behind the little crab and put both her hands on her back.
"Ok, try and move your life force through your whole body and once you do that I will help you with the next step."
The small crab nodded and closed both her eyes before her body started to glow a golden color. After some time you could see the light started to slowly change shape. The process took a few minutes when the small manta noticed Edyta started to frown, the golden light became unstable before it completely went out. She had only finished with the legs when the process was interrupted making the legs she had created break into fine sand and fall onto the floor. Now that she lost all of her legs the small clone was just a crab head with two claws. Seeing she had failed the little crab looked sad and disappointed.
"It's fine don't worry. Honestly you would have succeeded if not for the fact that you aren't very experienced in making clones yet. As long as you practice a bit more it shouldn't be a problem for you to gain your human form" Edyta said as she tried to encourage her but the blocky crab head said nothing as she sulked quietly.
Seeing her face the small manta felt guilty and decided to try it as well "I-I want to try it as well"
Edyta looked up at the manta clone and said with a smile "Sure but since you went second I won't be helping you"
The manta was a bit disappointed but if he failed at least it would put little gold in a better mood anyways so he wasn't worried anymore.
"Ok here I go" Once he said that his body started to glow a golden color as he slowly passed his life force through every inch of his body. The little crab stopped sulking and stared at the process curiously.
Finishing up this step he started to rearrange, restructure and resize. He felt the helping hand that Edyta mentioned that was slowly guiding him through the process. However as he kept going he started to feel that he didn't need help at all! He had been a human his previous life after all so he was very familiar with the human body! The process took only 2 minutes before the golden light that had shaped itself into a human shape started to dim and eventually go out.
There stood a tall young adult around 18 years old with a handsome face that was actually the same as the one he had in his previous life. He had straight black hair that went down to his back, The black itself was so dark that it reflected no light. There was also a thin ponytail that reached down to his lower back. His skin was white but it was a white that was just bordering a sickly pale color, but fortunately he had a pretty well built body which countered the sickly look of his skin. What stood out the most however was his eyes that had a beautiful violet color that seemed to shine in the darkness.
The manta clone felt a little emotional when he was finally finished. He looked at his arm and hands before clenched his fists. 'I'm finally able to move my hands, my fingers, and stand with my own two feet!!'
As he was immersed in his emotions he heard some giggling. When he looked up he found that the little crab stump was pointing her small claw at his body while laughing.
"Ha! You messed up too! Look! you left your tail behind and it even moved to the front! But why is it.....so small?" That sweet voice asked in confusion.
As he heard her he was puzzled but he also noticed Edyta from the corner of his eyes laughing while avoiding eye contact with him and her servant had blocked both her eyes with one of her hands.
He looked down at himself still in a daze and finally realized he was in his birthday suit! His white skin turned completely red as he willed his darkness element to become a black robe around his body almost instantly.
"It's not small, ok? It's normal size for humans! Normal size!" He shouted with his face as red as a tomato.
Both Edyta and her servant couldn't help but laugh out loud as they heard him while the little crab looked around confused at everyone's reactions.