Chapter 22: The beasts
Fresh and clean, Tetsuya and Reyas resumed their adventure. It was time to find the beasts that were the surrounding calamities for the villagers. It wasn't hard to catch the track of those beasts due to their raids.
Those raids were the reason why villagers had tough times. Not only they had to pay tributes to nobles, but they also had to deal with the beast's calamity and their lack of comprehension. It was bad to be a villager, but one doesn't decide one's birth.
After around an hour passed, Tetsuya spotted fresh footprints, "Oh, some hunters stepped into the forest." It might seem like villagers wanted to weaken the raids by attacking in small groups, but their main goal was just to have meat reserves. As Tetsuya found the footprints of beast and humans, he thought like that.
Then, he followed the steps and found a beast chewing on the bones. It was so engrossed in its meal that Tetsuya and Reyas didn't slip into its sharp senses. Instead, the beast looking like a mutated bear continued to chew more onto the bones.
The bone was slowly losing its content, then Tetsuya muttered, "The villager lost." Then read more of its settings. Of course, Reyas rolled her eyes as it was obvious that the villagers lost, but she had yet to know what exactly happened.
Only after Tetsuya shared the story did Reyas close her eyes, "Since you can read this beast, you can change its settings." Tetsuya couldn't write the utmost loyalty in the settings, but he can turn the beast into an NPC. He limited its skills and gave the stages that naturally worked with its instincts. The beast was ready to cause more problems for villagers, but Tetsuya also read about its natural weak points.
He remembered those naturally with his eidetic memory, then sneaked past the beast.
"Are we going straight to the leader?" Reyas asked as she could tell just from the fact that the beast's meal didn't get disturbed. She was getting kinda nervous as even people of her caliber would find it hard to face the beast's leader.
It goes without saying that the leader is stacked with underlings. It might be not that safe for them, but there was no way for Reyas to leave Tetsuya. She also was getting confident in his abilities not just from the fact that she had seen those many times! The lady simply could believe in him.
"Yes, I know the path." Tetsuya didn't lie to her and leisurely avoided the rest beasts. It made the red-haired woman wonder what more did he read in the beast's settings. Then, he also said the obvious. "You know, why would I go around the forest and change every beast if I can have the leader call all of them for me?" This made Reyas go 'O' as she couldn't answer this at all.
But such a plan was so dangerous that Reyas had to leave some comment, "Just be careful. The beast leader can surprise even your world." She said in a way that Tetsuya liked.
"Thanks for worrying. I see that you have finally begun to change for me." Tetsuya felt like taking out a cigarette, but he was not that stupid. "Oh, no response? Haha~~ You just said more this way, though." An adventure continued in silence.
Then, Tetsuya noticed the beast leader.
It was the leader that looked like the rest of the pack, but the aura shrouding its body was more menacing. Such an aura worked on both the invaders and its own race causing the leader to be the one with a strong and decisive paw.
This leader was too intriguing for Tetsuya's eyes though, "It's not only an aura built on killing but something else. Since I can't read the leader's settings, I just have to go all out. Reyas, you will assist me." Tetsuya took out the black armor set and put it on. This black armor was high in defensive stats. It was mainly for physical defense and it was exactly what Tetsuya needed.
"I have a skill that increases my defensive stats. This skill also immobilizes my targets, so each time I use it, attack the leader." Tetsuya passed brief information, then waited for any questions.
As Reyas was still new, she just confirmed a few things, "I assume there is notification each time you use this skill?" It was exactly like that, but Tetsuya just began to utilize the player's bar above the head, so he thought about it and said.
"Let's use these. Now, you can see both my HP and MP in the party window and 'IRL' I guess? If I use the skill, you will see an icon next to my name." Those terms made Reyas tremble as she couldn't understand. If she could, then she would already slap this ego head with her pipe! Fortunately, Reyas was kinda sharp so she solved the mystery on her own.
It will be not only a written notification but also some image next to his name. It truly made things easier, so Reyas' inward volcano calmed down and she thanked him instead.
Finally, the game master rushed forth.
His ego punch became already the skill that initiates his battles.
Running past the weaker beasts, Tetsuya ignored all and just focused his eyes on the leader. Various messages flashed within his eyes after he got close to the leader! Those messages were related to the menacing aura and the leader's oppressive killing intent!
But Tetsuya paid no heed to those. He just went forward to smash his fist!
Boom!
[-805 HP!]
"Getting stronger, hmm?" As a smirk spread on his face, Tetsuya raised his other hand to block the incoming paw's descent. He was clad in armor and his stamina stat was pretty high. Furthermore, Tetsuya could boast the most HP points from all his group.
That was why he just narrowed his eyes when the beast clashed with his armor.
The action then got faster!
[You have used 'W' Skill - Ego Eyes.]
Ego Eyes was the second skill. It was a skill closely related to the tank class as it could 'taunt' the enemy and completely invade its mind. Tetsuya's enemies touched by this skill were getting so irritated that they couldn't stop themselves from hitting him.
Surprisingly, it worked even more on the women, but Tetsuya had yet to find it.
As this skill also increased Tetsuya's defensive stats, Tetsuya was more than eager to get all the world's attention. It could taunt up to five enemies and each would increase his defensive stats by 3%! The thing was that this game master only had a physical defense stat, so there was a lot of room to explore and train!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Taunted by the skill, the beast leader let out more attacks! "Am I getting taunted too?!" Reyas shouted as she felt like smashing her pipe! This desire was raw and didn't have any specified target, but her eyes went to Tetsuya rather than the beast leader.
Fortunately for her, she could control herself and so the pipe began to smash the leader's head from the side. She exerted everything within her disposal, causing the pipe to flash with bright firelight at the end. It seemed like Ego Eyes could work on both allies and enemies as Reyas truly got forced to go all out.
The duo fought together until the beast's body hit the ground heavily.
[You have beaten the beast's leader!]
[All the surrounding beasts are scared of you!]
The world lightly shook, then Tetsuya pushed back his sweaty hair… His eyes, clear as ever, spotted a yellowish light that escaped somewhere. "No one can escape from me." The ego hit heaven as he ran forward!
Reyas belatedly followed as she was more exhausted than him. The difference in stats began to show and she couldn't help, but get slightly jealous over it. As the future moderator, Reyas was sure that she would be similar in the future, though.
Her red eyes stopped as Tetsuya found a small hill. This hill blended in the forest, but she found it unnatural to be here. The same went for the game master, but he had Ashley and her knowledge within himself.
"I think it was earth soul remnant…" She said the term, then explained it, "It was a person who used to work with the earth element while alive. Those remnants usually have one to three desires that they want to fulfill before disappearing from the world.
As Tetsuya heard it, he scoffed and said, "A fool that got another chance to live yet he wants to fulfill some last desires?" His words caused Ashley to just smile inwardly as there were things that went beyond one's will.
Many people wouldn't like to be the remnant as it thoroughly controlled them. Her partner misunderstood her or probably found such a phenomenon as the second chance!
Before Ashley could explain, Tetsuya began to look around for a thick branch.
"What is the plan next? You haven't modified the beast leader's settings yet…" Reyas asked while not knowing that there was an earth soul remnant. She then got an order to find a flat stone… Not only flat but also big.
"Where am I supposed to find one? Haah…" She sighed and looked around.
Then, luck struck her as she found a passable stone. Tetsuya made a shovel for himself, then began to make his way towards the soul remnant.
"Try to find another one to assist me." Tetsuya then let out another order.
"Yes… I will try… It's all to save time, isn't it?" Reyas shook her head, then went for the search.
After she disappeared, Ashley commented, "She will be a good moderator in the future!" It was because Reyas knew how to speak with Tetsuya and accepted that ego quickly. On the other hand, Ashley still sometimes found it unbearable and just refuted back.
However, as a partner, it was all good as Ashley was exactly the future wife. It was her job to sometimes provide a different perspective on Tetsuya's life.