Arc 3 – Ch.38: Domains and the mechanics thereof
3.1k 12 121
X
Reading Options
Font Size
A- 15px A+
Width
Reset
X
Table of Contents
Loading... please wait.

Lucas looks like he's ready to pounce at me at any moment.

Should I back off or try explaining myself?

Backing off would probably just make me look needlessly suspicious right now.

I put my head back on my body and link it back together using intertwined roots that crawl all over the inside of my hay head.

Parts of my body are singed and a chunk of my face is missing now. But my field of view hasn't decreased, so it doesn't really matter I guess.

Let's try communicating.
With little more mana this time…

MAGIC SPEECH activated.
5 MP converted.

"I'm your friend…ly neigh…bour…hood-" (Scarecrow)

Just as I was about to finish quoting one of my heroes, the dozen presences that were following behind Lucas finally came charging into the cave.

Rat dragon
STATUS: FRIGHTENED
LVL: 64
HP: 2670/2685
INNATE ABILITY: FIRE
A rodent with the characteristics of a lizard. They spit fireballs and hunt in groups of 2 to 12 to overwhelm their prey.

An entire pack of rat dragons appeared. All within the 55-64 level range.

They're frightened? Ah- they did just come from the direction that the sugar tooth disaster ran away in…
I'm surprised they made it past that monster.

Was it too busy running away to bother attacking these guys?

Unnamed scarecrow (Imbued with LESSER SOUL (5/10))
DUR: 144/144 (164 → 144)
MP: 26/11 (+15)

I took a quick glance at my status. I might be in a bit of danger here.

I'm not surprised, but I've barely got any mana left after those 2 mental attacks against the sugar tooth disaster.
Nearly all the mana I've been diligently hoarding has completely been used up in a single battle.

Do I have anything that can take out a dozen of these at the same time?
It did mention in the description of my mental ability that distraught creatures would be knocked out.
I wonder if that would also work with just 1 mana?

That seems like my best option at the moment.

It's either that… or…
I use one of my new moves…

(Scarecrow retreat.)
It's where I run away really fast using my legs.

Yeah. I should probably just run and find some more mana crystals.
There's no point in staying here anyway.
My only reason to come down here is-

I look at Julia's body.

Slave corpse
The corpse of a slave named Julia formerly owned by Karl Leondra.
Revival is possible if performed within the next 72 hours with a rare-grade potion and or revival-type magic. (71:32 left)

Dead…

Odd. I'm less upset about her death then I was expecting.
Rather, I feel bad admitting this, but it almost feels like a shackle has lifted from my mind actually?

That being said-

My observation says she can still be revived with a rare-grade potion and revival spell though.

I happen to know how I can get one of those rare-grade potions.

The colour associated with something "rare-grade" is the same as my full potion!

All I have to do is chase something out of my domain that's twice my level.
Even though I've been in this other world for a while now, I'm still only level 5.
But that's actually to my benefit in this case.

I just have to find a level 10 demon and chase it away.

That said, if I recall correctly, the information that entered my mind a while back said that rewards would be withheld until I finish assimilation of the entire Royal Capital cavern.

The entire cavern.
If it's the same as the cursed stump territory… I'm assuming I have to take out whatever big shot demon is running each territory.
Which means I'll basically have to take out every single big shot demon in the cavern if I want to get another full potion.

(…)

Taking over the entire cavern…

That…

That sounds kind of awesome.

It's probably not the most efficient plan, but let's go for that!!

It's not like I've got anything better to do!

Thinking of all the types of things I'll be able to learn along the way is getting me excited.

Time to speed run this cavern!!

First things first, I'll have to figure out how this domain stuff works.
I've sort of ignored this odd domain mechanic up till now because I couldn't find any information relating to my domain in my status.
But I wonder if observation level 3 will reveal anything new?

Let's see~

Unnamed scarecrow (Imbued with LESSER SOUL (5/10))
LVL: 5
EXP: 29/40
DUR: 144/144
MP: 26/11 (+15)
MENTAL: 2 (1 → 2)
MAGIC SPEECH: 1
OBSERVATION: 3 (2 → 3)
LANGUAGE RECOGNITION: 1
PRESENCE DETECTION: 2 (1 → 2)
WATER: 1
WOOD: 2
TITLES:
- POSSESSED
- WORSHIPPER
BLESSED BY JULIANA
- TRAVELLING SCARECROW
- CLOWN
- FAILED SCARECROW
- NATURAL ENEMY OF THE CURSED STUMP
DISTRIBUTED TITLES (3/3):
- CARROT MAN
- MAGICAL HOUSEWIFE
- NEW FAITH POPE
PROPERTY (1/1):
- Unnamed scarecrow's domain

Something new about distributed titles entered my mind, but I'll just ignore that for now.

As I'd hoped! It says something about the domain I own now!

Which means if I focus on that piece of information…

Unnamed scarecrow's domain (assimilation in progress)
- (ASSIMILATING) The Royal Capital's cavern: 2/10
     - Entrance: 1/1
     - 1st layer: 1/2
     - 2nd layer: 0/3
     - 3rd layer: 0/3
     - Final depths: 0/1
- (ABANDONED) Alcazar's garden

It seems like I've got 8 domains left to assimilate…
Or- subdomains I guess? That would probably be a more appropriate way to put it. 

If I want to revive Julia, I'll have to do all this within 72 hours whilst simultaneously figuring out what revival-type magic is.

Maybe I can get Lucas to help me out?
I look at Lucas.

Lucas (♂)
AGE: 21
STATUS: INVINCIBLE
LVL: 60
HP: 200/3540
MP: 34/2872
LIGHT: 2
TITLES:
- LIBERATED SLAVE
- ADEPT SPEAR USER
- ADEPT LIGHT MAGICIAN
- DELVER
- THE STEADFAST WARRIOR
- BLESSED BY ALASDAIR
- BRIGHT STAR
- BUDDING LEGEND

Whilst I was standing around thinking to myself, Lucas had begun fighting the rat dragons to the death.

He's been fighting them off for a good while now.

Lucas has managed to take out more than half of the rat dragons by himself so far.
There are just 3 of them left now.

What a reliable guy.

When it looked like he was about to attack me, it was actually just him preparing for the rat dragon that were approaching.

STATUS: INVINCIBLE
Temporary invincibility due to LIGHT 2 magic.

Seems like "super Lucas" is a type of light magic.

Rather then going Super S*iyan, it's actually as if he picked up an invincibility star from Super M*rio instead.

Just as I was investigating his cool transformation, the bright white membrane around Lucas began to gradually flicker and then suddenly disappear after fading out. 

Lucas (♂)
MP: 0/2872

Oh. Seems like that mode burns through mana pretty fast.
Mana is the one thing I don't have enough of all the time.
Seems like my budding dreams for a super scarecrow form will have to wait for now.

On that note.
Now that I've more or less figured out what to do about the domain situation…
The next most important step on my agenda is replenishing my mana supply!

Rat dragon
STATUS: FRIGHTENED
Rat dragon
STATUS: FRIGHTENED
Rat dragon
STATUS: FRIGHTENED

All three of the leftover demons are still frightened, so this is still a good opportunity for me to step in!

Lucas collapses to his knees. He's breathing heavily.

One of the leftover rat dragons pounces at Lucas.

I was planning to take the leftovers out with my mental ability, but with this impeccable timing-

(SCARECROW CHOP!)
I'll use one of my new moves where I swing my arm down really hard on an opponent's neck!!

I'm not about to miss an opportunity to save someone in the nick of time like this!!
It's these kinds of heroic protagonist moments that leave an impact on people!

Do not fear Lucas. I am here!

The rat dragon is startled but after a second realises it barely felt anything and looks at me confused.

He didn't get knocked out from neck chop like in the movies?!

(Ah… I'm sorry sir rat, I was just trying to pet you-)

The overgrown lizard opens its mouth and chomps down on my entire body.

(…)

Even though the surprise dropkick worked before…
I guess I shouldn't rely too much on my body alone… 

(Wood porcupine…)
Roots shoot out of my arm in every direction and penetrate the lizard from the inside.
One of the spikes vaguely aimed at the demon's brain manages to hit something.

It's something I was actually able to sense more clearly after my presence detection levelled up.

The spike transforms into a claw and rips the thing I was actually aiming for out of the rat dragon's body.

Mana crystal
A low-quality crystal that can be imbued with various magic properties.
Contains 50 MP.

Got it~

A slightly larger one too. It's one of the crystals worth 50 mana!

The body of the rat dragon collapses around me, releasing me from its fanged mouth that was still biting down on me.

The roots that make up my arm wrap around the crystal, incorporating it into my arm.

Unnamed scarecrow (Imbued with LESSER SOUL (5/10))
MP: 70/11 (+59)

My body covered in lizard drool turns to look at Lucas who's now focused on me standing in front of him.

MAGIC SPEECH activated.
5 MP converted.

I point at myself using my wooden thumb and confidently assert myself.
"Leave these… guys… to me… Luck…ass!!"

121