"Midnight wolf (Warrior) (female), name: Sapphire, level 1. HP: 3892/3892, MP: 4842/4842, Stamina: 6180/6180, Strength: 2693, Defense: 2471, Speed: 3728, Energy: 100% (2632678/2632678 units), Skill Points: 4200. List of skills:
Titles:
"A lot of stuff as usual." Sapphire sighed, stretching her arms and legs.
The shadow waved to her, sitting right in front of her. Sapphire waved back to it before dropping down from the branch onto the ground.
"I really wonder what was the need to send all these hunting, when I already said I will do it." Winter mumbled, glancing at Sapphire from the corner of her eye.
"Didn't trust you, and as I am right now I can eat the entire world and still not be full," Sapphire smirked.
"Just eat all that we gathered here, leave the poor world alone." Winter sighed as she gestured to her right.
"That... is a lot... even more than I imagined." Sapphire nervously grinned as she turned.
In front of her was a decently sized Earth Dragon, a decent number of humans, trolls, orcs, goblins, and everything that could be found in the area, including fruits, all gathered in a giant pile, most of it having been gathered by the Shadows from Sapphire's guess.
"Complain to them, I only killed the dragon." Winter shrugged as she sat down in a patch of thick grass nearby. "You better kill a dragon too while I evolve next time."
"Sure, I can kill two with ease at this point." Sapphire chuckled as she walked over to the pile. "As for all this, it's almost perfect to try it."
"Try what?" Winter inquired.
"Shadow Magic: Engulfing Shadows, and Material Absorption." Sapphire chanted holding her right hand out.
At once a flood of shadowy darkness burst out of Sapphire's palm, slowly covering the entire pile. Gradually the size of the pile reduced to nothing, leaving no remains behind as the shadows receded back into her palm.
"Energy: 100% (3944681/3944681 units)."
"That is very creepy!" Winter exclaimed. "The creepiest skill you have used yet, like just what even was that! Creepy child!"
"Shadow Magic: Engulfing Shadows, I already said the name while using it just so you won't ask, and you still asked." Sapphire sighed as she walked back to Winter. "I used it to gather them into a small area, basically my palm, and then I use material absorption to slowly eat them, it's the better, faster and easier way of eating, more so when I highly doubt anything would have tasted good." Sapphire explained as she tapped Winter on the head.
"You can't taste any of it?" Winter asked.
"No, not like I would want to taste it." Sapphire shrugged as she walked walked away.
"That was my point, monster flesh is high energy, but it tastes disgusting, after eating that much even you would throw up. Even some of the adults will avoid eating it even though it makes you stronger." Winter explained.
"Didn't know that, thanks for telling." Sapphire smiled as she stopped and turned back. "Anyways, let's get moving now, we should be able to pass now that the unit of soldiers has passed." Sapphire suggested, putting her hat and cloak back on.
"Didn't we kill them just last night?" Winter questioned as she got up.
Sapphire banged her head on a nearby tree in frustration, shaking the tree, a fruit dropping on her head. Shadows wrapped around the fruit, absorbing it as it bounced off Sapphire's head.
"Okay I am sorry, I am sorry. Let's get moving quickly." Winter laughed, pulling Sapphire away and towards the fort.
They weren't very far from the fort, reaching it shortly after sunrise although departed at sunrise. The fort appeared to be a lot busier than yesterday. There were carts and people in a long line on both sides of the fort, waiting to pass through. They were showing their travelling permits to the guards and passing ahead. People who were arriving on this side were on the left, and people who were going to the other side were on the right. Sapphire and Winter quietly joined into the back of the line, patiently waiting for their turn as they observed everything and everyone from under their hats.
"Move faster!" A man yelled from up ahead, attracting the attention of both.
A part of Sapphire's shadow on the ground split away, making its way towards the commotion. The shadow warrior placed itself near the commotion, materializing a body and standing in the darkness to give Sapphire a clear view of what was happening.
Quite handy that I can see what they are seeing and even control them whenever needed.
Close to the gate were five men, who seemed nobility or very rich from their attire. One of the five men sat leisurely in a carriage while the other four walked beside him. The carriage was drawn by four canines in their humanoid form, not wolves but somewhat similar, and many large boxes were being carried by eight others. On a closer look however, Sapphire noticed that all weren't canines, there were five felines amongst them.
As the entourage passed by Sapphire glared at the man in the carriage from under her hat. Though he didn't see her glaring at him, his discomfort from her subconscious activation of Deterrence seemed clear. Neither Sapphire nor Winter said anything for a while after the carriage passed.
The two passed quietly through the fort, making their way over the bridge to the other side, without any need for their permits to be checked as Sapphire had already shown hers yesterday. Right after crossing the river the two seperated from the path and walked to the side to a secluded area.
"Stay here." Sapphire ordered as she turned towards the river.
"As you wish." Winter accepted with a mischievous bow, knowing very well what Sapphire intended to do.
"Shadow Play: Exchange." Sapphire whispered to herself as she closed her eyes.
Her shadow extended up from the ground, engulfing her inside of it, seemingly turning her into one of her Shadow Warriors. However, in her place stood one of her Shadow Warriors, and Sapphire stood in the forest where she massacred the entire army unit last night, having swapped places with the Shadow Warrior. The five people who Sapphire had seen before were bound to each other in front of her. The twelve slaves standing right behind her, a fearful look in their eyes.
"You have no clue who you are making an enemy of." The man who sat in the carriage earlier warned.
Sapphire stomped her foot on the ground, an inch away from his knee, glaring right into his eyes right after she did. "Someone else said just that to me a month ago, and I don't think anything has happened to me, so I suggest you find a more effective warning."
The five men wore frightened faces, though the twelve slaves still seemed more frightened than them. The difference between intimidation and deterrence was simple, intimidation could be focused on enemies, but deterrence affects everyone in the surrounding, though it only gives the stat decrease to those targeted.
"Answer my questions now, any pointless rambling and I will kill you right away." Sapphire warned as she stepped away from the group. "Where did you buy them from?"
"You will pay for-" One of the men shouted, being cut off mid-sentence, in a literal sense. Just a few moments his severed head hit the ground, right next to the remaining four men, all of them staring at it in horror.
"You are only alive right now because you may have useful information for me, if you waste my time then I have no reason to keep you alive." Sapphire hissed as the tentacle-like shadow blade receded back into her palm.
"From the city of Ellay. Follow the path straight from here and it will lead you there." The leader answered, panting in terror.
"Where in that city?" Sapphire questioned.
"There is a dungeon a slave trader is using for keeping the slaves there and for his business, it is the safest place in the entire city as Imperial Knights are stationed there to guard it." The leader answered, the other four men nodding in reassurance.
"Any other useful information?" Sapphire inquired as she pointed her hand towards the group.
"They have recently acquired a shipment of wolves from other slave traders. Wolves are strong and fast so they will make suitable slaves," The leader mentioned. "I am acquainted with the trader so I can help you buy some at a reduced price."
Sapphire punched the leader on the head, using 1% energy transfer and concentration, blowing his head clean off his shoulders, the shockwave created from her punch uprooting some of the small nearby bushes. The remaining men looked at their leaders body in horror, the blood spraying out from the severed neck.
"Shadow Magic: Domain of Horrors." Sapphire chanted as she turned and walked away from the group.
Shadows slowly engulfed the remaining men as they begged for their lives, screaming in horror and squirming as the shadows crawled up their bodies. After a few painful moments they disappeared, completely absorbed into the shadows and leaving nothing behind. The slaves looked at her in terror, many of them seeming to be prepared to bolt. There were four men and eight women, three of them were just little girls slightly older than Sapphire. The four men seemed prepared to fight to halt her so the others can escape.
"Do you all know where your clans reside?" Sapphire inquired, changing her expression to a calmer and more charming one.
The four men seemed to be from four different clans, two being canines and two felines, none belonging to any of the four wolf species or even seeming to be close relatives. The females also seemed to be from the same clans as the men, from their looks at the very least. They all hesitantly nodded as they realised she didn't mean them any harm.
"Can you reach there by yourself?" Sapphire questioned.
The four men glanced at each other before nodding.
"Very well then, you are free to go, just deliver a message to your clans. Tell them the four wolf clans would like their assistance in the upcoming war" Sapphire requested.
"War?" One of the females echoed.
"The wolves are preparing to wage war against humans for the atrocities they have committed against many of us. Since your clans also seem to be suffering similarly, it would be a good idea to join forces, don't you think?" Sapphire explained. "So, are you willing to help?"
"We will put our lives on the line for this, and our clans will too, I can assure you that. Fighting alongside the wolves clans would be a great honor for us too." One of the male canines stated, seemingly the oldest and strongest of the group.
"You should leave fast then, the sooner the better. The humans also seem to have sensed the upcoming war and are preparing." Sapphire warned as she turned away.
"We will, thank you very much for saving us, we will certainly return the favor." The oldest one bowed before turning to the others.
Sapphire lowered her hat as she used Shadow Movement to teleport back to Winter, smiling to herself.