"What say you Mudman," the Centipede queen turned to him. 'Oh shit. What should I do? I can't freaking talk damnit, I got no mouth.
So, he just stared blankly at her through his web cage. The centipede sighed with frustration , " I forgot how useless these monsters are sometimes ," she shook her head.
"I don't know if you can understand me , but I'm only gonna day this once. If this works , I might be inclined to believe these youngsters story. If not ," even though she couldn't smile, Salazar could sense the dark vibes she radiated.
She took her a breath before speaking. "Ok, so as a monster , you possess mana in your body, no matter how pathetic a race you belong to. "
'Ouch. The pathetic wasn't necessary, but whatever , you can continue ,' Salazar urged. He had a feeling he was about to learn something very important here.
"Mana is a type of energy that's available to all living creatures , and is used in the casting of spells and skills. It is manipulated by a persons will and focus, " Salazar frowned. Neither his [All seeing eye] nor his [Assimilation] used mana. His [ Assimilation] uses stamina but that was it , but he of course couldn't say anything so he just listened.
"Mana inhabits every part of your body , and can be used to make up for your shortcomings, as well as to empower your body ....."
Salazar had already began to think while she rattled on. Something she'd said had caught his eye.
Make up for your shortcomings. Could he use it to speak.
Hmmm. The ability to talk is related to the larynx. When air passes through it, the vocal cords vibrate, producing sound which the upper portion of the throat modifies into words.
From what he understood from this monsters words, mana is a form of energy , much like electricity or solar energy, that is manipulated by ones thoughts.
If that was the case, then the first step to being able to use it , was to sense it. Because of his status screen, he knew he had mana , but he didn't know how to manipulate it, or even call it. Maybe....
He closed his eyes.
Breathe. In. Out.
Focus on your yourself. Let everything else fall away. Just focus on your breathing.
Feel your body. What you are. Feel for the energy within you.Focus. FOCUS.
.....Argh. This is a waste of my time. I can't feel anything. So much for trying .....
He felt like cussing. Mana was the most basic thing he'd have to master if he was going on with this whole 'Monster king' nonsense , and he couldn't even master that. He felt like sh*t.
He was about to open his eyes when he felt a slight jolt. It was like adrenaline in his veins. Though it was light and barely noticeable, Salazar immediately sensed it.
Since he was reborn, he hadn't felt any real sensations. Although he could feel pain, it was suppressed as though he was feeling it in a half conscious state.
And he didn't possess any organs to produce adrenaline.
No, what he was feeling was something entirely. Something he'd never felt before, even during the few times he'd been high or drunk.
He immediately latched onto it. Pulling it.
A 'ping ' from the system assured him of his success.
[ You have acquired the skill Mana Manipulation level 1]
What's that. Is it related the energy he just felt. A screen immediately appeared with the info on the skill.
[Some creatures are naturally gifted, blessed by the world to be able to control mana very easily. Their sharp mind and focused will allows them to manipulate magic in its most purest form with just a thought. Requires no MP to use].
'I see.
'So I'm a blessed creature, is that it. Hahaha, heaven hasn't abandoned me yet. Even as the most useless creature in existence, i am still one of the blessed few that can easily control mana. Hahaha'
Activating the skill, he controlled the mana to fill the air around him , then with a thought , he caused it to vibrate...
The centipede queen was still talking when she suddenly paused and focused on the mud man. Her eyes brightened just as their eyes locked.
"Hmmmm. It seems that you didn't disappoint me. "
Salazar chuckled. His voice weak and unstable , but sound was definitely being produced. " Thank you my queen. I express my deepest thanks for this favor you have bestowed upon me. Without your guidance, it might have taken me years to figure out how to do this. "
The Centipede queen chuckled. " You really are gifted, so you must be a variant. Usually , it doesn't take just a simple explanation before a monster is able to use mana. Most at times, it takes weeks of practice , and the teacher having to pour mana into the body for you to sense it , before there is a chance of success. "
Salazar shivered. If that was the case, this monster was really vicious. If he hadn't been able to understand her and gain mana control, she would have killed not only him, but her own subordinates children.
He gulped. "Now, " continued the Centipede queen," We shall begin with the interrogations. "
He couldn't explain it , but Salazar felt something lock onto him. Scared he immediately used[All seeing eye ].
[Three eyed Centipede Queen
A centipede monster that has evolved into the three eyed queen species, a powerful rank E monster capable of fighting D rank monsters. She eats poisonous monsters to grow her own develop and grow her own poison.
Rank E
Active skill: [ Truth-seeker. ]
'What the heck is that. ' He called up the info for it.
[ A skill of the Three eyed Centipede queen that allows it to determine whether a monster is lying or not. If the monster is found to be lying, ithe queens eyes would start glowing red. ]
'Oh come on. '
The more he learned about this monster, the more scared he became. So she could have easily determined whether what the Malevolent scorpion and co. had said was true , yet she still went through that test to try to kill them all.
Thinking on it , maybe her goal was to eat the scorpion and spider. He was just a side dish. After all, consuming their poison would allow her to grow her own, but doing so without a tangible reason would infuriate her subordinates and , as a ruler , she needed powerful allies.
Damn , she was really meticulous.
It doesn't matter though. She'll find nothing on me.
As the centipede queen interrogated him, he answered to the best of his ability , as honestly as possible, watching to see if any hit of red appeared in its soulless eyes. The centipede queen asked him questions related to the one armed giant. 'Does he know him ,' 'is he a spy,' ' what business does he have here '
At the end of it all, she nodded. " You seem clean, though I'll have to verify the information. Until then , you'll be kept in the base as a guest. "
She looked at Nasuae who shivered and retreated, taking Salazar with her.