"The only thing left is to teach him is the godly way to handle a woman's body.."
"Melinda.. No matter what you do… even I know you can't do that with him… he is your grandson.."
"Oh… I don't have to do that… he he he…" Melinda who laughed creepily grinned ear to ear at how she corrupted her grandson… she especially liked pure hearted ones for this specific reason… to think I could love this woman…
...
"It's just delicious! to think we would eat such tasty food here."
Gramps was giving rev reviews eating breakfast that I had cooked just now. Our journey was going great. Now that Gramps and Granny had joined, I could also use many plants in our cooking. I wasn't really good at judging edible plants, so I had always avoided vegetables until now, but since Gramps and especially Granny came along, we had more varieties in our cooking.
"Rekka dear, where did you learn all this cooking? I think you'll create something godly if given premium ingredients to work with. This would really charm girls, you know, we like to have good food so I assure you that."
Granny asked while eating my new vegetable dish. She was quite pleased with my overall talents and such, but cooking was the most favorite to her. She sometimes gave advice on how to get girls… It was weird at first but after some time, I earnestly listened to her. Some were rather steamy advice but… as a man, I would really like to know what women really like. No matter how creepy it is to hear from your own granny...
"I don't know, I just can cook like this. It's not like I learnt it somehow. One day I just started roasting stuff and other ideas kept coming the more I cooked." I told the truth. In my 2nd life, I wasn't impressed with the cooking of others. It was partly because civilization had not progressed much into different flavors and my 21st century taste buds got me into cooking to find those flavors. And before I knew it, people started to say I could cook well and stuff. maybe this was why I was good at finding spices... I may have done that a lot in my 2nd life.
"You are always full of surprises aren't you!" Gramps gave me a pat on the head with a jolly expression. I was a kid on the outside so I had to be treated like one nevertheless, so I had started to get used to patting from Gramps and many long hugs from my Granny. although I still told Granny to let me sleep alone, not because she was beautiful and I got embarrassed . it was because she would strangle me in sleep and god knows how she has that much strength in that slender body. From a normal view, she would look harmless but she had monster strength…!
At this point I got used to her antics.
"Say Gramps?"
"Hmm, yeah." He always gets interested when I ask something from him or try to learn from him.
"I know we are heading towards where people live but where are we actually going or living?"
I had this question for some time. I did know some information about this world because of Granny's knowledge, but I still didn't know where I would live or what I would do after getting there. I had to think of stuff beforehand.
Granny only said stuff like you can get these types of girls in this country or city or you can buy goods in this country or city. If Granny was a man, I was sure she would be called a philander… with how many experiences of sexual encounter she shared with me… I had my doubts if gramps was really a saint to tolerate granny at this point… since she had actually been with more girls then gramps ever could.
"We are going to one of the human countries where I'm from. It's a great place, people are friendly but there's competition in everything, so you have to think and be prepared to do anything to reach your goal, although I don't hold any authority there but all the lords know me so I think you can do anything you want."
"Hmm that description doesn't really sound that peaceful and what do you mean by anything. Amanori told me nobles are a hassle. I was thinking how many would get in my way.... Not to mention, having Amanori in my hands, everything won't be smooth sailing..."
"Hmm that's true but actually this country doesn't really have any nobles, it only has lords and on top of them is the overlord. These lords are a type of nobles but in actuality they are just the overseer of the population, furthermore everyone of them hold their own individual power, so they are not like the hollow nobles, since they had to get there at their own might and had to gather people with actual charisma. Now the overlord is something else, the overlord can only be chosen by being acknowledged. Since the creation of my country, the overlords have been chosen only 3 times. I actually know the current overlord. She is a lot stronger than me but she was once my apprentice you know."
"Hmm is that so? But didn't you say your country was quite old? So how come only 3 overlords have changed since then? Do they live long for some reason?" I asked because Grandpa told me before that his country had a lot of history.
"That's because of something called authority."
"What's that?" I know what authorities mean but I think it's something else this time.
"Hmm... how to tell you that? I don't even know if you'll understand…. Okay, think of it like a blessing that comes from people not the angels or gods, it gives specific powers to overlords so that they can like live long and healthy and gain power at needed times. That's why the overlord needs to be revered by people only second to God, nothing else."
Heh actually, I think it's better than corrupt kings and nobles who thrash people around to show their empty authorities with dirty politics and in this case people's actual support and your own might gets you to the upper echelons. This may actually be a great way to make a good country. Only a strong and good natured human could get respect from the people or maybe even some eccentrics too can get it for their individualities.
"Oops did I confuse you? Don't worry. You will get it soon enough. I think you can fit in right away." Gramps patted me and tried to cheer me up. Actually I was lost in thought so he misinterpreted it as I was confused, well any boy my age would get confused, so I didn't say anything.
.........
"Hyaaaaa!"
I punched a monster that looked like an oversized rhino. I didn't activate my blessings since my body was still morphing so it was better to use that power after that was done. I really wouldn't want my limbs flying out of me. And since the time gramps joined the fray I didn't have to rely on my strength too much, it did damage my body if I used it now after all.
"Hah!" Gramps slashed at the rhino from the side, my punch has not affected it much. Although I had gotten stronger by training with Gramps and all, I was far from powerful in this place. But Gramps one slash made the rhino fall over like it was staggering from the impact. Granny was sitting this bout out. Gramps and I were the only one fighting, although it looked like he could kill it alone.
Shhhhhhhhhhhing.
The slash of grandpa's great sword made a sound and the rhino was down; it took only 3 slashes and he delivered each slash at the same place so it added a clean takeout. The rhino still wasn't bleeding. but I could see with my vision that its neck bones were broken. Although it had an invincible pelt, the vibrations from the strikes on its neck had done the deal.
"Wow Gramps, it isn't even bleeding but it's dead" I was truly impressed, landing such swift and powerful also accurate strikes can only be done by someone with the most mastery over handling swords.
"Your punch wasn't half bad too kiddo, it even grazed that invincible pelt." Well, I was the distraction after all, I had to attack it to annoy it.
"Huh, well I used Amanori's miasma to coat my hands like gauntlets. I thought it could make up for my lack of power." I was now using Amanori's miasma as many things, after she showed me how to do it, I had started to think of many ways. The system was the main one to help me achieve results, but my ideas were the base. If I can never use mana, then this miasma can be used as a somewhat alternative.
"Really! You are doing things like that, why didn't you tell me?" Gramps gave an overstimulated reaction hearing me say I could use miasma now.
Is it really that big of a deal? It's close to using mana to me.
[Don't worry, you're doing great using my miasma, even the demon lords couldn't wield it. ahhh! How I wait for the day you would start holding me and slaughtering the humans and demons. You may even get a new title which could get grander than even demon lord like maybe Maniac god or something and...…..]
Amanori lately gets way too excited seeing me getting stronger. She even stopped calling me demon-child; it was after I showed her I could use her miasma. Now while she was chattering herself in her own little world, we started our journey again.
Granny could use storage magic, although she couldn't store infinite amounts. I collected valuable monster parts from the ones we defeated and stored it there. I was planning to get some money by selling them. Granny thought I was collecting them for fun so I didn't say anything. I mean which kid would think about money and living expenses and such.
I was always independent, so even now my mind wonders on subjects for how to be independent as such. So having a prepared start with the money is a good thing. if they were not here, I would have only collected as much as I could carry with me in a large makeshift bag... but thanks to granny... I really am gonna do business once I get to the humans. I am gonna make it my goal to get as much money as I can!
That's how our travels went on, we fought monsters, traveled, took rests, had feasts. Then we repeated the process over and over. We became closer by the day, living in hard conditions really makes humans grow stronger and closer. By 4 months of journeying together, I almost felt that I couldn't replace these people for anyone in this world. My feelings towards my grandparents grew to the point I felt connected to them on a different level. Such good people…. I don't think I can ever replace them.
In our 6th month... my body's metamorphosis got completed and I got some rather good news too. which can really be a trump card.
{Notice: Host's body metamorphosis has been completed. current body status;
Spiritual base human body Spirit power usable.
Can gather spiritual energy.
Can supply Life force- Limit unknown.
Special ability to evolve into higher potential can be found (Conditions apply)
New message: Hosts blessings have been gathered under the system's guidance and now can be used at all times.
New message: Body has been modified for using miasma. Cursed blade Amanori is being used as a miasma source. Miasma as a secondary power source has been registered.
~New objective: Reach peak potential using all means, steady growth for power of body and soul has started.
~New Objective: Become invincible.}
Um… did I ever say I wanted to become invincible?
....
It was still early in the morning. I was still in sleep when the system started giving notifications. My sleep went out in a second, this was what I was waiting for all this time!! I had to conserve my strength but now my time has come! I could let loose. Fearing about my body popping like a balloon was long gone now!
Amanori! I'll wield you.
[So you are ready at last!]
I was excited after hearing the system's message, but Amanori got more excited after hearing me say that I was ready to wield her. I was sure if she were a puppy her tale would wag like crazy. Of Course I wouldn't tell her that.
Shoooo!
I tried to get up but I suddenly found myself 50 feet above ground. It was because I had put too much force while getting up. I could feel that my strength was incomparable from before. I could also follow up with my new found speed of movement. My perception had gone way up.
I landed a little far from our camp. It was time for tuning my strength. It would take maybe a day or two but I was sure that soon I would even start to think about increasing my current abilities. Although it was kind of amazing that even with this small body, my strength was unreal. still... for a moment even this much strength didn't make me feel superior as if I knew that this was nothing... strength like this was nothing compared to actually becoming invincible...
"All right, let's see first my speed and my reflexes. I have to see how fast I am." Musing to myself, I started to run as fast as I could. My speed was fast to the point I felt it too much and if pushed, I could speed up more. Then I realized something else: my perception was even greater than the speed and reactions. If I concentrate hard enough, I could literally see the world getting slower. I myself saw that my own body was moving in slow motion. This development was different from my 2nd life. At that time, I was more to the mage side so this time it felt opposite of that... unlike with magic... this time, even without it my body was this strong...
Booom!
"I have to get used to this." I had stumbled over while running and I could see I was bleeding in various places. When I had concentrated, my perception had increased leaps over my own body's movement capabilities and failing to control my body at that time, I crashed at high speed.
"If I could move faster even at that perception, I could maybe warp spaces too without using mana."
{Suggestion: Host's perception ability is superior to all other aspects because of systems individuality. So it is not possible to overcome this gap of ability without using any other means like magic or spirit power but the Result may be negative and still not reach hosts perception ability because Perception and Analyze Abilities are part of the system.}
"Is that so? then what if I improve my speed more, like I know that if trained I could reach higher speed without any use of magic and spirit thing you said?"
{Answer: Host's perception will gradually increase with the base abilities. so there will always be this current gap and the chance of this gap increasing is also affirmative.}
"Hmm but why is that?" I got curious because I know from my 2nd life that increasing one's perception or rather calculative and composing abilities can be next to impossible.
{Answer: As time passes, the system will also grow with the host, since the system can use more means to increase its abilities, the host's perception will always remain superior. Until now, the system had not synced with the host's body so the body's metamorphosis had taken 2 years but the current system has modified the host's body to fully keep up with the system and become interwoven as one. This is no longer a vassal only belonging to the host, the System has also taken residence.}
Now I get it. Until now The system was an individual and I was another individual but now we are typically one since it was just tied to me until now. that was why it took so long. Now it basically has also become one with my body and unlike being tied like two ropes with a knot it's become a single rope entirely....
{Answer: Affirmative; system has completely merged with the host's body and soul. There were no records of such achievements until now, and that is the reason it had taken even longer to find a way to achieve this feat.}
Guess now it can hear my thoughts all time too, well that's good. But what's with this stamina, I have been running at full speed for about an hour but I barely felt anything. Do I have infinite stamina or something?
{Answer: Hosts stamina is not infinite. Hosts regeneration speed of stamina is currently overflowing because of the hard experiences in the Edge of the world.. More training will increase stamina and regeneration ability. Since the host has been resting and recovering even while fighting, sleeping, running and in every possible time, this unique regenerative prowess has been developed by the host's own body unconsciously. The System has analyzed this ability to be far more superior than perception. But as it is a passive ability, there is no other way to increase it, so the host has to increase it manually. as a precaution, this ability makes it so that if not given any nutrients every few hours, the body will start to die on it's own.}
I guess I did try to conserve and regain my strength even while I was fighting… but this outcome is so abrupt… and the penalty too...
I wouldn't know how this stamina would actually affect my future… but in many ways… it would affect my life more than anything else actually could...