After I sent away my new colleagues to do their work, I went to the kitchen next door where small piles of food meat, vegetables, fruits, and other succulent things were waiting for me.
"Let's dig in!"
I didn't care what it was I shaved it into my mouth munched it and swallowed it, like an animal.
While eating, my body was changing and swelling.
I swallowed the last apple I only realized that I became a human blob that couldn't fit through the door.
[ Skill [Mass Absorption] reached level:5]
[ Skill [Mass Absorption] reached level:6]
[ Skill [Mass Absorption] reached level:7]
Okay, I might have eaten too much. I should go on a diet… No fuck that!
"[Body Physic Manipulation]."
Waves appeared on my body that started to change again.
My skin has completely healed, and my feet became normal again. My hand blades have stayed like they were, but now they became sharper. I did not know how the rest of my body looked like since I didn't have any mirror.
"So, this is done, but I am still huge and naked. I wonder…"
I concentrated on an image then I closed my eyes. I could feel my body changing again and when I opened my eyes, I was a little bit shorter. Also, I had cloth on.
It was a black suit with a red tie.
"Nice."
This clothing is made out of my skin and flesh. The colors they took are the result of pigments infused with my magic. They look pretty convincing if you ask me. But there is something that I want to try out.
I made the cloth disappear and I started to concentrate.
From under my armpits, two extra arms came out. These arms were normal, with human hands and fingers. I moved them a little so that I could be sure that they worked correctly.
Then I touched the ground. It was slower but the wood in dead turned into coal.
"Damn it."
I returned the extra arms into my body then I started to think.
If this skill affects everything I touch with my hand, then would it work with appendages other than a hand? I only want to handle objects like pens or forks. But what should I make? I could imagine things but I didn't want them to be too noticeable.
Wait I have an idea!
I concentrated and two forearms came out, each with five appendages that looked like insect legs. Then I concentrated again, and I created a black fabric from my extra skin that held the appendages together. When everything was done and I shifted there position and joints a little bit, it looked like I was wearing black gloves that reached my elbows. I made a fist then I moved each finger individually.
Then I touched the ground again.
Nothing, it stayed wood.
With a satisfied grin, I let the floor go and stud back up, only noticing that one of my fingers was in a wrong position.
"This will take some time to get used to." I said while moving it to the right peace.
While doing so relocated my arms. My original ones were placed at my back while the new one where put at their places. Then the suite I was wearing has reappeared only that I had now a blue trench coat on me, wearing it like a mobster to hide my blades.
This should do it for now.
[State Humanoid reached.]
[Probability to become a living being in the next evolution: High.]
Neat, I only need to get enough Exp now.
I advanced to the door, but I was still too big.
"Damn it. Ghoul come here!"
From somewhere a ghoul came to me.
I touched his chest with one of the insect legs and I started to shift my mass to it with my unique skill. It was a tiresome job but it worth it: I became regular sized and the ghoul had a very muscular body.
"Not bad, not bad. And now-"
Bam!
With all my strength I grabbed the ghouls head. The head crushed into tiny bits in my hand, and the body falling limp.
[ 5 EXP received.]
[No additional Exp earned.]
"Hmmm, I need to work on my strengths."
I left the deceased ghoul on the floor and went to my room.
On the way, I stopped at a mirror hanging there to admire my face.
It turned back how it was before, but my hair was white like those old peoples, and my eyes were bloodshot with white irises.
I looked like a classic manga protagonist.
"Yeah, no thank you."
I swiped my face with my newly gained hand. The next time I looked into it, I had my old golden hair and blue eyes.
"Now that more like it."
No offense, but I prefer myself like this, then having my hair and eyes washed with bleach.
I snapped my fingers and the bird skull appeared on my head.
"Let's try something else."
I snapped my fingers again and the bird skull transformed into one belonging to a deer one. Feeling it a little blunt I added some decorations to the antennas, colorful jewelry looking things hanging from it. I made them luminescent by sending some mana in them. I didn't know if they used too much and if they did I only needed to get rid of them.
I sat back at my chair in my room and fell back in my thoughts.
I have the manpower for my plan, but I still lack resources and connections. Knowing the movement of my enemies would be a great boost to my work.
But founding someone who is loyal but not brainwashed like the ghouls might be difficult for my current state of being. Also, I don't want them to become a dead weight in the future.
I could go to someone's mind and force them to follow me, but I wanted them to be with me for there free will.
I want a partner, not a puppet.
While thinking I felt a tingling sensation in my head.
"Something is happening."
I went into my Mind Town and left my chapel. With the increase of my handmade ghouls
While walking on the fogy street I noticed that one of the houses have completely collapsed. From the rubles, a figure of a man has emerged. He was normal looking with normal clothing, except for its completely white eyes and a strange red tumor looking thing that was on his chest.
What the hell is this thing?
The man didn't seem to notice me.
He passed next to me and started to wander the streets.
[Soul Fragment recollected]
[Memories of the deceased can now be seen.]
*****
[Sending new data…]
[data unrecognized.]
[Update blocked.]
[… Deactivating main system if the blockage is not lifted.]
[… Update allowed]
*****
[Memory Husk made.]
Memory husk?
Before it disappeared in the mist, I analyzed it.
____________________________________________________________________
[Memory Husk]
Treat level: Non
Description: A piece of soul stripped of its emotion and memories. It serves no purpose, bound to forever wander the realm of the mind.
Most compatible magic: Non
____________________________________________________________________
What? Why did this thing suddenly appear here? Is this a side effect from having been connected to other's minds? Wait the voice said that I could see the memories of the deceased. Has this guy died while he was under me? But the only one who died today was the one I drew the summoning mark. Don't tell me its head was alive till ow.
Deciding that I didn't want to know it, I went back to the chapel. On the way, however, I noticed something.
Something that might be able to help me.
*****
??? POV:
Days have passed by without her noticing it.
Ever since she woke up from her sleep her body became too weak to move.
It took her a week to sit up properly. Another too lift her hands. Sadly, till now her legs have not woken up yet, making her unable to leave her bed.
Yet she didn't felt anything. No pain, no sorrow, not even regret.
As such was the mind of someone who tried to kill itself.
Drinking chimera poison is something that is impossible not to notice. Even if someone tried to hide it in the best food in the world, it would stay taste like melted hot garbage with a side of spoiled milk.
But why did someone like her chose death?
It's simple.
Jane Defo got bored with living.
Her days became monotonous, without any change.
She got up early in the morning, had breakfast, read a book, had lunch, played piano, then went to bed. Even with some changes, nothing seemed interesting anymore.
Be it grand bales, shiny pieces of jewelry, or tee time with friends, all lost its savor.
To escape from her boredom she tried many things.
She learned many languages, got tangled in the world of politics and finance, she even learned swordsmanship.
She did everything she could think of, but after 5 years she got bored with that too.
With nothing to do, what was the purpose of her life?
Then one night she realized something.
If she did everything she wanted, then why not just die?
This was just a fleeting idea at first, something that everybody might have. Yet, this idea kept appearing in her head over and over again, until it became an echo that haunted her every conscious hour.
The thought became so great that she decided to do it.
She drunk the poison that he found in his husband's office. She knew that his beloved had enemies and making her death look like an assassination was her way to keep her family's name out of shame.
Then she felt piece only to wake up again, by a strange doctor who had the antidote.
Now, she was thinking of a way to kill herself when she felt something on her back. It was almost like a burning handprint was pushing her.
Before she could even make a sound, she found herself on a street covered in fog. It was impossible to tell if it was day or night. The old houses that were made from black stones were giving off a dangerous vibe that was freezing her to bones.
"Where am I?"
When her voice left her mouth the senary twisted again and now she stud at the doors of a chapel made from the same black stones.
The heavy doors opened and some kind of force pooled me inside.
She flew through the corridor, before landing in a chair, that was facing a desk.
"Welcome to my domain."
On the other side of the desk, a throne surged from the ground. On it was a deer skulled man wearing strange clothing, with shining jewelries dangling on his horns.
" I am sure that you have many questions. What am I doing here? Who is this guy? Is he going to hurt me? Well, I might, but first, let me help you to speak."
The monster lifted his right hand and snapped his fingers.
At the sound of the snap, the invisible bonds that were holding her down have disappeared, leaving her bloody limp.
I still can't move very well. Everything part of my body feels so heavy.
The monster didn't seem to notice it, he just changed his posture on his chair.
"My name is Dealmaker. My job is to bring happiness to everyone I found and you, my dear, you are really in dire need for my services."
"W-what do you mean."
I made it! Could talk!
"You tried to kill yourself. You actually drunk a full bottle of chimera poison to end yourself! If this isn't a suicide attempt then, I don't know what is it. The only reason you are still alive is thanks to a mysterious doctor. You got another shoot to live and what do you do with it? You are sitting in your bed all depressed, thinking about how to kill yourself. By the way, the way you wanted to cut your wrist was wrong. You need to do it on the length of the vein, it is much harder to heal that way."
The way he talked mad Defo shake. It was as if this being could look into her soul, witnessing her deepest secret.
"I am not depressed!"
"… Yes, you are not. You are bored. Boredom is literally killing you."
She couldn't say a thing. He was right, she was bored.
"What I am offering to you is very simple." The being perched forward. "Work for me."
"W-Work for you?"
Only by pronouncing these words shiver run through her body, imagining the things that the creature would do to her.
"That is correct. I found your personality interesting. You are someone who literally killed itself, just because there was nothing better to do. I am very curious about someone like you who gave up her life, would do if given power."
"Power?"
"That's correct. I can give you strengths that you can't imagine in your current state. I can show you things that you can't even imagine; make you experience things that are greater than your imagination. I can even make you walk again on your own legs. All I want is your loyalty. You have already threw away your life, what those it matters if you lose your humanity?"
What those it matters? Is he crazy?
"If I accept your proposition…become a monster… I can't go to heaven."
Each race had its own afterlife, but only humans have a clear knowledge about theirs, thanks to the church's teachings.
Those who have lived a good life can ascend to the kingdom of heaven. The tainted souls will fall to hell where they are tortured to eternity.
"Heaven? I want to point out that you tried to kill yourself, so you will not get your holy chicken wings anytime soon. You will rote in hell, and if you are not a super famous criminal or one of them down there, then you are pretty much screwed."
"… no, you are lying..."
"Just think about it. In your religion is there any reference to anyone that killed itself even managed to get upstairs? No. Then why did you did it? Do you want to hear why?"
She couldn't talk, each word of his was like a stab in her head and heart.
"It's because you don1t want to go. You want to fall all the way down. It's understandable really, living a boring life can only result in a boring afterlife. But hell. That's a whole different story! There is nothing wrong there, no rules, no boundaries, complete freedom. And with my help you can start your fun in this realm!" the demon lifted his hand and stretched out at me. "So what do you say? An eternity of suffering or a lifetime of fun?"
*****
Sigh, this went well.
I managed to convince her to join my ranks.
I have spat so much garbage that my [Sweet Talk] reached level 7! 7! That1s a whole lot of bull shit.
With her at my side, I will have someone who is versed with nobles. And if she betrays me, I could always take her memories away then kill her.
I sent some of my ghouls to take her here, then I called for a mirror to me. This mirror contained all the memories that I downloaded from Momo.
While touching it another mirror was copying her combat knowledge and experience. When it was enough, I sent that mirror to one of the houses. The mirror flew there and when it touched the door, it fused with it.
[Memories been sent]
[Ghoul now learned skills: [Lesser Knife combat] [Lesser Athletize] [Lesser Knife Throw] [Lesser Poison Knowledge] [Lesser Qui manipulation]]
[Ghoul received the name: Momo]
So, I can use memories to learn skills. Why didn't I tried it before?
I copied her memories again to another mirror and I was about to absorb it when I stopped.
"Wait, will this harm me? I cut out most of her memories and yet the ghoul calls itself Momo now. If I do this, I should do it with one of my soul fragments."
I detached a part from my arm and then I made it touch the mirror. When it made contact the fragment absorbed the mirror and it was becoming bigger. Before I could react the small fragment, transformed into me?
He was wearing a red suit similar to mine and he was wearing a huge dog skull.
[New skill received: [Divided Mind]]
[Due to unique title [Broken Soul] skill [Divided Mind] became [Broken Mind.]]
"Who are you?"
"…I am you. Or at least, the part of you knows how to fight." He said with the same voice I had.
The me who knows how to fight? Is he like a different version of me?
Sob.
Is someone crying?
I and myself turned to the sounds. In the corner another person was sitting in a fetal, wearing a blue suit and what it seemed like my old bird skull.
"Are you also me?"
No answer, he just continued to cry.
"… What a crybaby."
"Don't say that. He must be my emotional part or something."
"…We didn't use him much, didn't we?"
"… Yeah."
I clapped my hand now the two of us were sitting at a table.
"So, you are my personified fighting spirit or something?"
"I believe so. I have just been born but I have the urge to fight and get stronger."
"I see. Then you should start by analyzing the memories that I gave to you. See if you can learn them here. Also, what you can do is look into the memories of the deceased, to find something that you can use."
"Sounds good to me. What about him?" He pointed to the one wearing the blue suit.
"… We will give him some time to get himself together. We don't know what his job is, so we should not disturb him."
"If you say so. You are the original here."
"I hoped that we can agree on that."
I returned to my physical body.
Nothing strange. There don1t seemed to be any problem from splitting up. Uggghh, but why do I feel so tired? I need a nap…ZZZZZZ.
*****
[Requirements meant]
[Sending data to-]
[ Message blocked due to context…]
[…Blockage failed]
[Calculating course of action…]
[Course of action found]
[Sending message to Core…]
[Message blocked due to context…]
[…Blockage failed due to insufficient energy.]
*****
Celestial realm:
[…]
[Message received.]
[Count down till Judgment-event started.]
[Remaining time till Judgment-event: 8 days 23-hour 59 minute and 40 seconds]
*****
[…]
[Message received.]
[Analyzing context…]
[Sin identified!]
[Sin quantity acceptable!]
[Individual Desmond is now on the List.]
[Maximum individuals reached.]
[All preparations are complete.]
[Alert!]
[Judgment-event detected, incoming at Individual Desmond.]
[Timer of Summon has been set at 1 year, 1 month, 1 week, 1 Day after the event.]
____________________________________________________________________
Name: Desmond ˙(Temporary,)
Race: Stranded Spirit
Age: 16
Job: Golem Maker; Slave Master, Apprentice Summoner
LV: 9/30
HP: 560/560
MP: 540/540
STR: 30
VIT: 0
SPD: 20
MRES: 30
Skill PT: 40
Physical attributes: [Dark Vision] [Transparent Body] [Flight] [Intangibility] [Fragmented]
Skills: [Golem Fabrication: LV:1] [Slave Commend;Lv:1] [Lesser Summoning Magic; LV:1]] [Deal Making, LV:3] [Wish Granting, LV:2] [Mapping, LV:1] [ Appraisal,LV:2] [Mind Town, LV:1] [Slave Mark, LV:1] [Chained Possession, LV: 1] [Lesser Telekinesis, LV:1] [Transmute;Lv:1] [ Mind Magic,Lv:1] [Lesser Summon Sign,Lv:1]
Passive skills: [Herbology; LV:1] [Sweet Talk, Lv:7] [Speed Healing, LV:1] [Mass Absorption, LV:7] [Midas's touch] [Broken Mind]
Resistances: [Poison] [Fire]
Curses: [Iophobia] [Holy Burn]
Unique Skills: [Body Physic Manipulation] [Harvest]
Titles: [Broken Soul] [Heretic] [Cursed Book Owner] [Revenge Driven] [Decorator] [Heartless]
____________________________________________________________________