Horrifying. The only word that I could use to describe it.
It made me realize just how dangerous this world is. For someone like me, to be able to cast such a spell.
It was my first true encounter with this world's horrors.
A mass of hands, and writhing flesh. Fins protruding along its body that looked like limbs twisting themselves with each other, as if it were muscles. Eyes that looked like my mother's, and mouths ripping along the seams where the limbs couldn't tangle themselves in.
It was all I could see.
It rose up from the hole in the ground that my spell just made. The moment I passed by it, along with Horsey, it just shot up, and grabbed the catdger.
I could only hold back my gags as I saw it get ripped apart limb from limb, its stomach blown open and its intestines crawling out of it like worms trying to escape the lifeless body. Though the body was already lifeless, I could still hear it. The only thing that I could do was cover my ears to block out its ghastly screams, its wails, its whimpering as its fur was grappled by the uncountable hands and pulled right off its body.
I could only look away, even Horsey had stopped moving. He was afraid too, he could feel the ominous mana that the mass of hands were letting off, like it was an aura of sorts.
And yet, no matter how harrowing the mana felt on my skin, no matter how much it felt like it was ice so cold it felt hot, I could feel myself being drawn to it. It felt familiar, something that I've known for a long time. It was calling for me, and though the gorey sight made me want to vomit up whatever's in my stomach, bile and all, I couldn't stop the longing feeling in my heart.
It knew me, and though I know I don't, I felt like I knew it too. From a distant past of sorts, the mana around me was speaking in tongues that I couldn't understand, but feel the meaning of. It welcomed me back, and sang an unholy song fit for the arrival of a demiurge.
It terrified me, to think that I was being heralded, as if I was ever gone in the first place.
As if they've waited for me for the longest time.
'But not yet.'
I felt the mana say, it sent a chill up my spine. Its tone was bitter and it was as if it was containing some kind of ravenous anger within.
It was suddenly eerily quiet, the mana had stopped singing, the wails of the catdger had stopped, and the hands stopped moving.
It was as if time was at a standstill, as if someone turned the hourglass of time on its side to stop the grains from falling into either side. I couldn't even feel the wind on my skin, my eyes, glazed from the tears that had formed from my forced halting of my vomiting, didn't let down a single tear.
I blinked, my eyes were glazed but they felt unnaturally dry. Most likely from the biting frost of the mana.
There was nothing there the moment I opened my eyes. As if the massacre I had just witnessed was nothing more than a terrifying dream. But I had a feeling that it was all real, as the catdger was there, in the exact place the hole was in, trembling. Only a few seconds passed and it took off, running in the direction it came from.
I shivered in place, recalling the sight. The innards being gouged out and played with by the hands, the eyes that stared straight into my soul, the mana singing a strange and haunting song. It was too much for my childish mind, way too much. I couldn't bear it, the thought of seeing such a thing again. I would vow to never use my Suprema Kalamita ever again, if it wasn't for the fact that I felt–no, I knew–that it had changed.
I heard it in the back of my mind, the same words that announced the name of my Kalamita when I turned a year old. It made the same announcement, but the contents were not the same.
[You have gained the ability to use the unique spell, 'Suprema Kalamita, Toybox Toon Troupe']
"Toybox Toon Troupe…?" I was still in shock from what I witnessed earlier. I didn't understand, what was that thing that came crawling out of my spell? Each time the image of the monster flashed across my mind I couldn't help but feel as if it was still here, staring straight into my soul, singing a siren song to send me overboard and make a deep dive into the unknown depths of those twisting limbs. Into those shark-teeth mouths that seemed to laugh as it tore the poor catdger apart. Those eyes that were as deep as an abyss stared at me, it was looking at me as if I was a mysterious creature of sorts, and when I stared back, those mouths that laughed smiled wide, sending my alarm bells into overdrive.
I felt absolutely helpless facing such a terrible presence. I think I can now understand why this world was an SSS-Class danger. For a kid like me to be able to let out a monster of that caliber out, there must be some pretty wild shit going on with this world's magic system.
[You have unlocked the leveling system via the absorption of EXP.]
Leveling system? I don't think Mama has ever mentioned anything about it.
"I should probably check right?" I asked no one in particular, it helped me feel more calm. Talking to myself was my only comfort right now.
Name:Clailip Diancia
Titles:He Who Is Watched
LvL:3
Job LvL:N/A
HP:50/50
MP:-77,000/123,000
STM:14
STR:9
INT:74
AGI:13
DEX:11
DEF:3
Age:4
Sex:Male
Race:Dianian Divorakk
Elemental Affinity: Water | Air | Ice
Sandata Type:Crafting-Type
Traits of Magic: Tailor | Whimsy
Blessings:Blessing of the Pale Moon, Blessing of Shul'Ka
Skills:
HOME
Artist - 3
Crafting - 3
Sewing - 3
Arts n' Crafts
MAGIC
Mana Control - 4
Mana Regeneration - 6
Mana Channeling - 4
Mana Sense - 5
PHYSICAL
Dancing - 3
Battle Dancing - 2
Arnis - 1
"He Who is Watched… well if that isn't terrifying then I have no idea what is. At least I'm level 3 now… I wonder where the EXP came from though. What is a Shul'Ka anyway? Is there any way to know what the benefits of blessings are, I wonder? If I remember correctly Bu'Wan's blessing removed the magical restriction permanently, and also lets me regenerate mana faster at night I think? Speaking of mana, why is it in the negatives? Ugh, this is all so confusing." I scratched my head, trying to ease the headache I was currently feeling.
"I probably used too much mana for Suprema Kalamita. I don't know how it works but that's the only reason I can think of right now… this probably means I won't be able to conjure up my tools for a while. Ugh, I can feel my mana doing weird wobbly things, it isn't recovering as fast as normal. Thirty points a minute…" I knew how much I was regenerating because of mana sense, it was still a rough estimate though. "At least I survived though, not too okay on the mental parts but I'm still in one piece so that's good."
"Just what was that thing…"
Riding on Horsey, my brows scrunched and my face warped as I thought hard. I didn't expect that something that grotesque and horrible would exist. I felt my skin crawl just thinking of the monster.
"This is an SSS-Class danger world, I don't think that monsters like that are too out of the norm. Still doesn't make it any less scary…" I took a deep breath to calm my uneasy nerves. Judging from the way the shadows were pointing, it would be night soon, I didn't have any access to my Sandata where I kept a makeshift tent made out of shirts and shorts that I decided wouldn't be too good for traveling, along with some bundle-ups for colder temperatures. I'd have to find a town soon, or make some sort of shelter. I knew how bad sleeping shelterless at night is in a safer world like Earth. Sleeping like that in a world populated by all kinds of monsters is just a death wish.
'I never should have left the village. But adventure awaits and all that stuff… God, past Clailip is incredibly stupid, thinking that a 4-years-old boy like me can survive in a world like this.' I couldn't help but grumble as I let my mind run for a bit. Horsey was going as fast as possible, he was probably spooked by the monster and just wanted to get out of the forest as soon as possible. The soldiers were fortunately hidden at that time so they weren't really affected by the whole sequence of events, god forbid they get traumatized and I'm left to fend for myself, I can't fight at all.
"Oh? Walls… that should be a city right? I hope so, for all I know it could be some sort of living fortress monster thing." Riding our way through the forest path, me and Horsey sped toward the city.
Oh dear
Oh dear indeed-