Instead of what Urial thought of the rogue, they were in fact, not a masochist.
Big surpise!
They were actually in, not great fear, but in great excitement. Though they did get a rock thrown where their asshole is, luckily, they had protection, in the form of pants. Allowing what their buttocks was hiding to not bleed profusely. It still hurt though.
But it was all overridden by the fact that they had gained a skill crystal as an E-rank adventurer, at the ceiling of E-rank, but still E-rank.
If they sold this, a good enough item, not artifact, would end up in their hands, for them to become a D-rank.
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With blood-shot eyes, I was running after the little bugger.
Though we had just entered the forests, unlike what he thinks; That this area is where it's most difficult for me to attack him or something like that.
It was a place where no one would be able to save him.
I once again kicked up a stone to throw, again right in the ass cheeks. Then I did it again.
But the next time I kept in in my hand while I =Adhere=-ed 7 goblin magic stones onto it, after shattering parts of the magic stones off.
This was my grand creation.
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Make-shift goblin stone-bomb (7 Stones);
A magical bomb made with magic stones as the fuel and catalyst.
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It was supposed to be his time to die, because it explodes the moment it touches any surface after being thrown.
But when the figure was about to die, it suddenly made a suicidal leap side-ways just to get out of the way.
Allowing it to break only the two limbs it needs to stand up.
Oh, it's actually a girl. I guess I couldn't tell because I just didn't care enough to actually register anything outside of age, just so that I knew what I could be expecting.
I walked to the now on the ground, female rogue.
She was actually quite talented for her age, though her equipment was sub-par, and it was pretty obvious she was forced to take terrible skill crystals into her slots just to get by. But with my abilities of alchemy, I could free her from that chain.
"Now, what should I do with you?" I asked, with my plan already set. Now, all she has to do is beg for mercy, then I'd ask 'Why should I do that?', when she's befuddled I'll say 'Come on, I'm waiting!'
Then if she says something I don't like, aka. Not something akin to endentured servitude, I'll say something like; 'Hmmm... No, I don't think I'd want that.'
Finally, when she's at the end of her rope/string or whatever you'd like to say, I'll wisper into her ear, well- Not wisper exactly. More like an off-handed comment, as if talking to myself 'I wonder, where should I get party members.', but more natural.
This would put her into the disadvantagious party, I could get a could get a good amount of info out of her trap during the process too.
But I needed to make sure I never seemed to tempted by any offer she makes, no matter what.
But instead of falling into my trap, that would end up with her as a still living- while being loyal to me- being
She tried to use the skill crystal, my skill crystal.
I instantly kicked the hand with the skill crystal, since she was quite weak right now, I was easily able to get it out of her grip.
I relaxedly strolled over as I took my skill crystal.
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Hunter's pursuit;
A skill specialized in persuing beings through unclaimed and semi-claimed areas.
1-Will cause decreased disadvantages in speed due to unclaimed/semi-claimed terrain.
2-15% boost while persuing something (Overlaps with effect 3)
3-25% boost while persuing monsters and beasts (Overlaps with effect 2)
*Could have a harminous effect with 'Tracking' skills
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A movement skill, it wasn't that good honestly. I recognized it, and there was a way to make it stronger, you just needed to get
Then you could choose to sacrifice them to make
When it's completed, you'd find out you need to use the 'Skill mastery' sub-system to upgrade it in ranks.
Though it's still barely passable when it's not complete.
But, a skill's a skill, and I don't need to worry about mortal concerns, like 'Skill slot management', like this girl with two broken legs.
But, I must make sure she understands not to fuck with me, so, I kicked her arms, both of them.
Then I forced on of them under my foot, then I stomped, full force.
It broke at least a few fingers.
Though, yes. You may say that I'm being extremely easy on her, but remember these words 'If it was any good skill crystal, I would've ended her life.' and 'If it was any skill tree core, then she'd have to live the rest of her life only knowing advanced interrogation techniques.'
I squated infront of her face, and looked at her currently in pain face,
"Now, let's start thinking about how to use you. I'm open to ripping off the flesh from bone and using your skeleton as an alchemical component."
I waited for ten seconds, then said "No suggestions? Then I'll take it as an acceptance to your skeleton becoming a part of my potions."
I stood up slowly, and then slowly unsheathed my bloody sword. I again, slowly made my eyes cold, and got ready to slice 'Come on, take the bait, fall into the trap!'
Finally, the rogue got the gist, the gist being; I was going to kill her and make her bones alchemical ingredients. Completely convinced that I was insane, because I made sure to throw rocks against her ass every time I hit her.
Yes, I perposefully missed once or twice to build up the pressure, though, those were kicked instead of thrown.
"P-please! Don't kill me! N-no no no!" She already started to tear-up and even a bit of crying could be heard from her now balled up form.
She had taken the bait "Why should I?" I said with a bit of arrogance and curiosity mixed in, falsely. While also lowering my sword to the side.
"W-w-what?" She nervously asked out of her ball, now having tear streaks down her face, and a slight amount of snot. Though I'm not sure if I should say 'Beautiful face' or not, never been to concerned about asthetics, though she looks at least, semi-good-looking.
She wasn't fat, that's for sure, how else could she not be panting like a dog after ten meters of walking, if she wasn't fat?
"Since you're not naming you oh so great presentations, I guess you've finally realized your bones becoming my alchemical materials is a great honor." I said while again getting my stance ready to strike her down.
"NO! N-no! Please no! I'll give you everything I have! Please! J-ust not my life!" Finally realizing that there was even the slightest hope.
"And; What else do you have to offer except that, I honestly don't know. So I'm listening to you to hear about something you could offer me that's more valuable that your bones."
"I'll give you everything I have! Please! P-plEase don't kill me!" She started to back up from what she percieved as a psycotic monster that thought of life as worth less than the bones in her body.
"And I'm telling you; You're poor! What could you possibly have that I couldn't get with slight effort?!" I used my 'Surpeme acting evil arts' *TM(In maybe a few years, when I make a joke book about it) to show a good bit of irritation.
"No! No! Please, don't kill me!"
"What are you? A broken record, tell me; Why should I keep you alive, and not turn your skeletal structure into an alchemical product?"
Again she said something while crying, then time to use the 'Hint'
I sighed artificially, and mumbled quite loudly "Ugh, this thing won't get a grip. I'll just kill her in a moment if she doesn't say anything coherent." Threatening her secretly to get her act together, check.
After hearing that her pleading started to become even more frantic while trying to think of something.
Now for the next one, just continue from the previous little hint, look to the side "I wonder when I'll get my first party member," While she tried to use what she just said to make a coherent offer, I continued "It's going to be so annoying to harvest all those monsters too, is there slavery here?"
"I-I'll join your party!" She said frantically, still processing the last hint I would give her.
I stopped to think about it "It's good that your so open to joining my great cause, but... Are you worthy?"
Looking at the speechless rogue, I nodded "That's what I thought," I paused for a moment "One chance left before I get to doing that quest about harvesting an ingridient for alchemical processes."
She didn't understand what I was saying with the last sentence, till she realized, and shivered.
It was pretty obvious her mind was going far more... Calmly. Knowing you only one chance left, and you also assume there's a pretty long time-limit for mental-health related reasons, you start to think slightly more logical.
Then, she obviously had a realization, as she said "I.. I'll serve you like a slave!"
"Really? Couldn't I just buy a magically bound slave at the market?" Now, last step, make a natural process of me being doubtfull while she does her best to save her own skin by convincing me to let her be my slave.
She's already put that posistion on a pedestal, because if she can just get herself up on that metaphorical pedestal, she'd survive. She was ignoring the pain on her body due to the adrenaline btw.
And as such, our back and forth, of her saying a few lines to convince me to pick her up as my endentured servant, after which I put her estimated-value and self-esteem into the dirt.
"S-slavery is illegal here! You won't be able to buy slaves!"
"But isn't the black market a thing?"
"U-um, I'm a rogue! I can pick locks and such!"
"But, I can do that myself."
"What- I mean, how could someone like you waste time on such a thing? I could do it for you!"
"But are you certain you wouldn't mess up? Just look at you."
She refused to look at herself, kind-off scared she would fall unconcious the moment she saw her bloody body "Heh... I- I'm experienced in the processing of monsters and various parts!"
"Hmmm... I can just hire a porter for that."
"But would that be free?"
"No, but paying a small price for garuanteed quality, while compared to... You. I'm pretty sure I'd pick the former, so would you."
"I could carry your loot!"
"But wouldn't that porter be able to do that?"
"No, no, don't kill me, please, give me some time!"
...Shit, I went a bit too far into putting her down.
Like, I know I have to manipulate human psycology by making the posistion of slave hard to obtain, and then giving the perk of freeing-up skill crystal slots would work, but I went a little too far, and had put her into an even more panicked state.
I slowly shook my head, causing her to become even more panicked "Only one more time, after which your bones will become my next batch of potions."
She started to get back even more, and then said "I-I'll even be your slave! Just please don't kill me!"
Instead of saying 'Like a slave', she said 'Slave'. This had big connotations in her language, very big connotations.
I stopped my sword from raising, this was it, she had taken the hook. Just a bit of 'Pondering, but still uncertain' poses. Slowly make it more 'Uninterested' than 'Uncertain', inducing slight fear and starting the final process. Just to increase the value of the posistion, and instilling a bit of fear.
"I'll give you my body"
No reaction, and still a good bit more 'Uninterested' in my expression. I wouldn't be tempted even by a woman with the
"I-I'm talented! I've been told I'm good at stealth!"
Slightly more uncertain. Now seeing a bit of hope, she steeled her will, and sub-conciously started to sell her talents.
"You saw how I was able to steal from you! T-to be able to take something from you has to count something!"
"I'm already an E-rank at my age! I'm even close to D-rank!"
"I-I... I have information on the local area and can get access to the local Ecliptic Eye branch!"
That last one made the most impact on my fake expression, then the first was the second most impactful, though the second had done nothing.
Finally, the final, final part of this, the final statement "*Sigh*, fine, I'll let you live. But, this is only a trail period, for the next... week. I'll be making sure, you are not a waste of good alchemical ingredients."
She suddered slight at the last part, but she couldn't help but be relieved, as the blood-loss and pain took her to dream land.
-Written in the 2nd of febuary, 2023.