What did I get myself into?
I just got possessed, fought an army, ran away from a giant frog, and now I am in a forest in nowhere.
"Sigh, at least I am out."
Deciding that I need to digest the things that happened to me recently, I laid down next to a tree and waited till day time.
[... Message received.]
A message?
[ Individual [High priest of the Void] wishes to speak with you, through system intercom.]
System intercom? I have such a thing? Why didn't I saw it in my skill list?
I will think about it later.
"I accept."
The screen flickered before it started to let out a beeping sound.
[Request accepted.]
[Connecting to [High priest of the Void]'s system]
[Please stand by...]
The beeping sound continued for a second then a distorted voice started to talk in my head.
' Mr. Right. It's a pleasure to meet you.'
"...How did you find me?"
'Hahaha, yes, I am well aware of your current situation. It must be hard to be a sentient rock in a body possessed by a demon.'
This guy knows me too well!
"What do you want?"
'Mr. Right, I have a proposition for you. The organization that I am leading is very interested in your ability to survive. We offer you a place in it.'
" As a servant? No thanks."
'Hehe, no, someone with your talent will be wasted to be a near servant. No, what I offer you is a seat between the leaders of the organization. You will receive special benefits and the payment isn't too bad. I can already send you an advance payment if you accept.'
Payment?
"What will you give me as payment?"
'...We can give you gold coins that are used as currency across the entire realm. Or if you prefer we can also give materials, potions, weapons, information, or mana cores for you to eat.'
This sounds very useful. Right now I am in severe lack of information about the world I am in. With my current situation joining this group might be advantageous for me, but just in case...
"Tell me, what should I do for receiving my payments."
'Nothing much. Some of our members managed to 'bend' the system a little, creating a sort of subspace for us to use. There we can exchange materials and messages. Some of our members created something like a notice board in it. You can take quests from it and when you complete them you receive the rewards that were set in the quest.'
"...This sounds very fake. What if I complete it and I don't receive the reward?"
'Hehehe, trust me, you will receive it.'
Hmmm, i don't like the tone of his voice. but this does mean that I will get paid no matter what.
"Fine, I will think about it. But Before I sign anything, tell me. Is there any penalty for leaving this organization?"
'For you, none. I sent you the invite. I hope to work with you, Mr. Right."
The screen disappeared and was replaced by another one.
[Invitation letter received from [High priest of the Void]]
[Do you accept the invitation?]
"Not now."
[Invitation been placed in the mailbox.]
[You can access invitation any time from mailbox]
Ok
I sat there, looking at the night sky, thinking, till the sun rose from the horizon.
"Time to go."
Not having a clear destination. I just started to walk in a random direction.
"Hey Amu, are you there?"
'…Leave me alone.'
"What did you got discouraged from the frog?"
'FROG MY ASS! That thing was a monster! I have never seen so many buffs activating at the same time. And I am a specialist in the mater!"
"You are a specialist in buffing?"
"Yep, my specialty is buff and debuff with my magic. I can also control thunder and plants with some skill before you ask."
"I see. Are you able to use your power while I am in control?"
'Ehhh, I never tried it without my trumpet so I can't guaranty it will work.'
"Try it anyway. If we can use our skills while the other is in control can be really useful for us."
"…Fine, here goes. Music Magic: Note of Joy!"
…Nothing.
'See I said that it won't work. Now leave me alone.'
Damn her ego really got hit by that frog. I might be able to stay in command for a couple of days if I am lucky.
'I heard that!'
*****
We walked for weeks.
It was kinda hard at first getting used to change our spots at first, leading to some difficulties.
One time, while I was walking over a river she tried to take over my body, making us fall in the water and almost drowning since neither of us knew how to swim.
Then there was that time when we were attacked by a pack of wolves while she was in control. Even though she was way stronger than them she got frightened and started to run in the opposite direction.
Sigh, not only her ego but her spirit also got destroyed.
After these events, we made a new, deal.
I will be in charge of walking and everything combat-related and she will deal with humans and everything related to thinking.
" Isn't there a chance that their society changed during the time you were dead?"
'Trust me on this, human civilizations develop really slowly. When I was still alive they were still stuck at the same level for 1000 years!'
"If you say so."
With our new arrangement, I could move quicker, with no need for me to stop.
I even managed to get a new coat of fur and some bone daggers from a bear attacking us. Truth be told, I didn't need them. With my new skill, I could grow the chitinous materials on my finger to become small knives, but it was really disgusting to get the blood and meat that get stuck on them.
So, yeah I will stick with my weapons.
After maybe another week, I finally saw the first sign of civilization.
It looked like a caravan, with two horses next to it, eating the grass around them.
"Okay Amu, it's up to you."
"Leave it to me! ~"
We switched places.
Turns out that when this happens the stuff that is on me fuses with our body and reappears when I am in control.
So, when she is in control she turns back to her white dress form.
"Hmmm, next time, make me one of those coats as well."
'You are the one who decided to stay inside while we are in the forest.'
We went to the carriage but it seemed to be empty, abandoned even.
"Why is a caravan in the forest?"
'Maybe to hide something. Hey, can you drive this thing?'
"Yeah, why?"
'Let's take it'
"…And we don't need to walk anymore! Good idea!"
I can't decide if she is easy or that we are on the same brain wave, but I loved it that I didn't need to convince her for everything.
We might have a bright future together…
"You are disgusting."
'Shit! Seriously we need to figure out how we keep our thought away from each other!'
"There is a skill called [Mind Lock]. I can tell you how to get it while I am driving."
'Serious? Thanks!'
-5 days later. -
"Halt, missy! You need an ID card or pay 10 coper lai to enter."
We arrived at what seemed to be a town, with a tall stone wall erected around it.
'Go for it.'
She nodded and turned to the guard that was standing next to us.
"Sorry sir, but I was attacked in the forest and I lost my adventurer card with all my money. I collected some monster corpses; can I exchange them for the entrance fee?"
The guard veering a medieval armor, looked at her strangely for a sec then he nodded.
"Alright, one of the guards will accompany you to the guild so that we can get the pelt. No strange movement or we will throw your ass in jail, get it?"
"Clear as glass."
The heavy doors slowly opened, letting us in.
To be frank I expected to be similar to the one I was in when I was an earing-
It was not like that.
Not by a looong shot.
The streets were muddy, the houses were small and shabby, the people were sickly thin, some sitting on the ground drinking, or walking by, in a zombie-like manner.
'Was this place always like this?'
"Pretty much yes. Humans might be strong when it comes to fighting, but in the other areas, they are greatly lacking. You will get used to this."
'I don't know if I want to.'
"We are here. Do you need any help with carrying the corpses?"
"No thanks, but can I ask you to guard them while I am inside?"
"Sure."
While the guard waited for us outside, we entered the building.
'This is a tavern.'
"It's a tavern AND the adventurers guild."
The place was dirty and dark.
Peoples in leather armor were drinking in silane or whispered between themselves, not paying attention to us at all.
She directly went to the counter where a big bald man was cleaning a sword.
"Wha' tya want?"
"I want to register as an adventurer and I brought some monster corpses to sell."
The bartender didn't seem to be surprised he just let out a sigh.
"Bring the corps here. I will ass' them. For ya card, go up and there will be a lass to help ya."
With the help of the bartender and the knight, we put the wolf corpses on the counter.
These were the ones we encountered while we were traveling.
I didn't eat their cores guessing that they were quiet valuables.
When we were done we went upstairs.
Here there was almost no drunkard just another counter, with a young girl behind it, looking half asleep.
"Excuse me."
"Hmmm, what do you want?"
She was unfriendly, giving us deadly glares.
"Ehh, I wish to register as an adventurer."
"Sigh, of course, you want. Sign it here."
She took an empty paper and a pen from the table.
"Okay."
She signed it as Amu Left.
Wait, is she making a joke? Calling me Right and herself Left? That's unoriginal.
"Here."
The counter took the paper and handed her a simple wooden plaque.
"Do I need to tell you the rules, or ya fine by your own?"
"I am okay, thanks."
We left her there and went down to the first level where the bartender was waiting for us.
"Ya wolves were terrible! The furs were ruined and some important bones were broken! I can only give you 50 silver."
"I take it."
When he gave us a pouch that felt a little light went back to our carriage and were looking for a place to sleep.
"At this kind of place, there is usually a place to sleep. But before we do anything, I wish to get something."
'What?'
"If my memory serves me correctly, wooden plates are the lowest. There are in total 10 ranks, G at the bottom and SSS at the top. It takes years even decades for someone to reach the rank above them, some even stay stuck at their given rank for a lifetime. But there is a failure in this system. When you reach D rank then you will become a true adventurer and have your name carved into your card. Under this rank, you can easily take away someone's else's card and use it to take the rank up exam."
'… By your opinion, witch rank are you at?'
"Around C maybe. At my peak, I could easily be an SS."
'I can probably make a false card with my power if we manage to get our hands on the materials needed."
"It's also a possibility but it's a risky one. B rank peoples have better equipment than we do so, it should be better to start at D or a C and work our ways up."
'If you say so. Hey, when did you become so smart?'
"I was always smart! I am centuries old!"
We found an inn and deciding to stay for a day we stayed in our room, planning our next route of action.
'Now, we should look for the capital or an important place of trade. There we will level up and evolve till we figure out how to separate without killing each other. Ok?'
"Yap. Till we are here we should hunt some monsters to get some money to buy better equipment."
'Right, that is also something we need to think about. I have my daggers and my claws so I can defend myself, but what do you use as a weapon?'
"As I said, I can use my magic. Killing monsters might be even beneficial for me."
You said it.
'Fine but there is something that I want to try out. Can we swap for a sec?'
"You remember our agreement."
'It will only take one sec. You will probably stay outside more than me for a long time anyway so let me try this. It might be beneficial for you in the future. '
"…Fine."
We changed places and I went to the only mirror that was in the room.
"Here I go. Mimic Shell."
Like before the white shell started to spread on my body, but this time I could control it.
My now white body started to shrink and turned something like a naked human in his twenties.
As I expected, my body was that of a male with black hair. Sadly, some of my traits seemed to be carried over. My fingers were too long to be normal and they ended with black claws. One of my eyes was entirely green with a point of blue in it.
"It seems like this is the best that I can do."
While speaking, my sharp black teeth showed themselves.
"Sigh, at least it looks remotely human. We can change back."
'…'
"…Amu?"
'Hmmm? Oh, yeah, let's change! I need to sleep!'
She sounds weird.