Two weeks later, Captain Swallow was engaged in battle with an oversized, maroon-colored tiger-like monster with two oversized tentacles sprouting from its shoulders, each topped with a flat, navy-colored tip covered in sharp blue barbs. A smaller pair of tentacles grew right behind them, flailing uselessly. Its bright, sky blue eyes flashed menacingly as it roared in frustration when its prey jumped nimbly out of the way of its leap.
Underneath her mask, sweat dripped down the Captain's face. After a long day slaying monsters in these ruins, she had encountered this one, which she had been fighting for barely a couple minutes. Stepping sideways over the loose rubble, she warily eyed her opponent, reviewing what she knew about the monster in front of her. It was known as a "Crimson Displacer Beast" and was famous for its skill, "Phase Shift." Not only could the creature teleport, but when it did, it left behind a tangible illusion of itself that could produce sound. It was infamous for using that to teleport behind its prey, ambushing them while they were distracted with an illusion that could actually hurt them. Without the aid of the "Life Detection" skill granted by Bana Laoch, the beast would have fooled her twice already.
Not only could it do that, but it could also bewitch its prey, lulling them into lowering their guard, thinking it was a harmless pet. Many hapless people had lost their lives while cooing "kitty, kitty" at a Crimson Displacer Beast. Bana Laoch was responsible for Captain Swallow's ability to resist this as well; it shared a skill called "Mental Fortitude" with her.
Using "Quick Dash," another skill granted by the sword, Captain Swallow surged forward, closing the distance between them. The maroon feline twisted sideways, dodging her slash and counter attacking with a swipe of its claws and tentacles simultaneously.
Captain Swallow nimbly dodged the monster's claws, reversing her blade to swipe upwards, lopping off the tip of one of its tentacles but missing the other. It roared in pain and leapt at her, attempting to bite her torso. She leapt upwards with "Enhanced Leap," soaring several times her body length into the air before she peaked and fell, readying her sword to slash at the beast as it attacked. Her swipe sliced clean through the monster's head at an angle, killing it almost instantly. She landed on top of its corpse with a crouch.
A now-familiar pair of golden windows appeared in front of her with their usual messages:
*****
Plunder conditions met! New skill acquired: Phase Shift Lvl 11
Skill description: Allows the possessor of the skill to teleport up to 20 meters away in any direction, leaving behind a tangible, sound-producing illusion that does not dissipate until attacked. The illusion behaves exactly as the skill possessor would have had they not teleported. The illusion lasts for up to five hours. Up to 2 illusions can exist simultaneously. Can be used up to 4 times in 20 minutes.
*****
*****
Gluttony conditions met!
Random stat acquired: Agility +5
*****
"Well isn't that something," she said in awe. She still wasn't used to how incredible Bana Laoch was. Not only could she randomly steal skills of the monsters she killed, but she could inherit some of their stats at random as well. It was almost intoxicating to get stronger so easily. Was this why some of the heroes went astray? As a native of this world, she still couldn't level up, so she didn't know how that felt; but surely it was somewhat similar to this. When killing monsters could make you stronger, it was more appealing to do that than to train. It was just human nature.
These thoughts only strengthened her resolve to fulfill the King's commands. The stronger she could get, the better she could serve him; and if she ever needed to face off against the Heroes, she would need to be very strong indeed.
Faintly, Captain Swallow could hear a voice singing. "Who's there?" She called, looking around. No one was visible. She focused on "Life Detection," elevating it to its most active state; she could sense nothing alive within 200 meters.
Except… herself and the sword. Back when she'd first acquired "Life Detection" and noticed that the sword was alive, she'd been shocked, and tried to get a response from it. Of course, it hadn't done anything at all. It was just a weapon. Why, then, was it showing up as "alive" when she used her skill on it? She didn't know.
This wasn't the first time she'd thought she'd distantly heard a voice, either. It had happened several times. Each time, the only "living" things in range (besides regular insects and perhaps normal rodents or birds) were herself and the sword.
Deciding it was a mystery that couldn't be unraveled at the moment, Captain Swallow wiped off the blade, sheathed it, and went to the nearest town in search of an inn.
----
In a vast, empty blackness, a resonant woman's voice boomed, "Who DARES tamper with my little seedling?!"
Edelle LuRoss, stripped bare of her protective titles in the face of this entity, was frozen with fear. Her very thoughts came to a standstill in the face of this unmatched presence, which overwhelmed her simply by existing in its proximity. "I- I, I, I- I, I-" She stuttered, unable to speak. Her normally proud, strong demeanor was completely shattered in the face of absolute power.
The presence intensified, as if narrowing its focus upon her. "Ch, I guess you're innocent," the woman's voice remarked in displeasure, its powerful tones reverberating as if through her very soul. "But I cannot let this slide. Mortal, I am Toltura, Goddess of Chaos, and if you wish to live, you will free my seedling and inflict punishment upon the one who dared commit such blasphemy! I hereby curse you with this purpose. Hear my words and obey, human whelp, or die!"
Those words penetrated into the utmost depths of Edelle's soul, imprinting themselves there with absolute authority. She knew instinctively that she would never be able to escape them -- as if, to her, they had become a natural law as irrefutable as gravity.