It was the day after the triple invasions of the monsters, and just as I entered the Guild... I was assaulted by scout-line adventurers.
"Miss Garami! How do you obtain the Assassin class?" - Hunter adventurer
"Do you need to have skills related to daggers?" - Scout adventurer
"Is stealth related to it? Please tell us!" - Archer adventurer
"One at a-, one at a time! What's going on here?" - Garami
I got them to sit down in a seiza-position while listening to their excuses... and stormed into the guild.
"LILLLLYYYY!!" - Garami
"Huh? GYAAAHH!! Boss-! My brains, my brains are coming out!!" - Lily
I caught the loose-lipped chimera in my patterned Fatal Blow-Iron Claw and squeezed her for her testimony.
"Pe-people was surprised when they had received a title all of a sudden over the night, and it was the one you told me about before, so I thought I could make some easy money informing them abo-ow, ow, ow, OW!!" - Lily
"Are you an idiot? No, you're a goddam real idiot! What good is it for us when Assassins turns into a staple class? Do you really want more people like me roaming around?" - Garami
"?! I didn't think of that!" - Lily
This idiot ram! Argh, even Mira knows better than her. Looking at the empty dishes, I bet that those guys outside bought the information with food... ram? No, that's wrong...
"When did you have horns again?" - Garami
A jet-black goat horn peeked out from her hair. Or, it's perhaps better to call it a devil's horn...
"The dismantler guys from the Guild dismantled the big goats for me yesterday night!" - Lily
Ah, now I see. I gave the responsibility for guarding the reward chest to Marc after all. Better double-check if we got all the materials.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Let me see my skills now!" - Lily
"Too many 'hey's. But here you go." - Garami
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Lily Terity
Race: [Growth Chimera] | Level: 35
Karma Value: 45
Skills: 49
Titles: 7
Skill points: 49.4
Main Class: Pugilist LV31
Sub Class: none
HP: 260/260 | MP: 138/138 | SP: 292/292
STR: 277 | VIT: 253 | MAG: 110
RES: 165 | SPD: 190 | DEX: 169
INT: 88 | LUC: 88
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
SKILL LIST
Ability Skill: [Physical Enhancement LV2] 1From Baphomet. Integrated the [STR Enhancement (Small) LV31] skill that Lily already had. NEW [HP Auto-Recovery LV1]2From Stamina Snake. NEW [SP Enhancement LV7] UP2 [SP Reduced Consumption LV3] NEW
Attack Skills: [Martial Arts: Punch LV18] UP7 [Martial Arts: Legs LV12] UP5 [Martial Arts: Grappling LV8] UP4 [Martial Arts: Throw LV3] NEW [Claw Arts LV1]3From Boulder Bear. NEW [Heavy Strike LV1]4From Boulder Bear. NEW [Great Roar LV1]5From Baphomet. NEW [Bite LV14]6From Glavras turtle-monsters. NEW [Poison Bite LV11] UP6 [Drain Bite (Blood) LV7]7From Vampire Centipede (was forced to eat it). NEW
Magic Skill: [Earth Magic LV1]8From Dahu. NEW [Reactive Magic Attack LV1]9From Dahu. NEW
Crafting Skills: [Poison Synthesis LV3] UP2
Active Skills: [Stealth LV5] UP1 [Shooting LV2] [Aerial Movement LV8] UP1 [Full Potential Unleashed LV1]10From Baphomet. NEW
Passive Skills: [Close Quarters Combat LV22] UP11 [Quick Arts LV5] NEW [Demon's Wrought Arms LV1]11From Baphomet. NEW [Running LV8]12From Horned Rabbits. NEW [Flee LV5]13From Horned Rabbits. NEW [Acrobatic LV11] UP3 [Sand Walk LV5]14From Desert Tunas. NEW [Hidden Strike LV4] UP2 [Big Eater LV5] UP3 [Swimming LV1] [Digging LV1]15From Terrain Snakes. NEW [Leg Enhancement LV7]16From Wasteland Horse. NEW [Poison Enhancement LV3]17From Soldier Scorpions. NEW
Resistance Skills: [Death Resistance LV2]18From Vampire Centipede (was forced to eat it). NEW [Sand Resistance LV6] UP3 [Poison Resistance LV12] UP8 [Heretic Immunity] [Physical Resistance LV4] UP2 [Disease Resistance LV1]19From Boulder Bear. NEW [Hunger Resistance LV50] [Overeating Resistance LV14] UP11
Perception Skills: [Sense Heat LV2]20From Terrain Snakes. NEW
Leadership Skills: [Cooperation LV15] UP8
Racial Skills: [Growth Chimera] [Formless Chimera] [Chimeric Possession: Demon Goat LV1] NEW [Demonic Vault LV1]
Elements: [Darkness Element LV1]
=====================================================================
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[Title Page]
[Kin of Garami] [Undead Slayer] [Ghost Slayer] [Haunt Conqueror] [Skeleton Slayer] [Dungeon Conqueror] NEW [Lord Slayer] NEW
=====================================================================
"......Let me ask, how many Baphomets did you even eat?" - Garami
"? All of the-ow, ow, ow, ow!!" - Lily
I resumed the Iron Claw to went some anger on this idiot. Don't eat our game without consulting with the rest of the team!
"B-b-but, he said it was a goo-ow-ow-ow!!" - Lily
"No buts! And who's he?" - Garami
"He's the guy... huh? He's gone!" - Lily
Lily pointed towards the other side of the table... which was currently as empty as her head right now.
...Was there someone there when I entered the Guild? I think there was, or maybe there wasn't someone-*creak*-ah! There!
"WHOOA!!" - ???
The threads I had thrown towards the door wrapped themselves around... something there, but I couldn't see what it was. Wait, aren't [Magic Sense] supposed to be the greatest observation skill?
"OUCH! Uncle, I said uncle! Give up, I surrender, just stop that thread! My arm's breaking here!" - ???
Whatever it was that I had captured turned out to be done so in a bad position. A small gust of wind blew and then, like a mirage fading away, a man in their thirties appeared, bounded in my threads, with his right arm in a direction it shouldn't have been in. His clothes were shabby, but the mantle he wore over them was kinda fancy. I like that lustrous green color it has.
If I had to describe him, I would call him a useless old vagabond. The type who would hit on every girl he could lay his eyes on. But that's not important at the moment. The real problem is: how did he trick [Magic Sense]?
=====================================================================
Zerus Morts
Race: [Human] | Level: 41
Karma Value: -101
Skills: 30
Titles: 6
Main Class: Vagabond LV50
Sub Class: Musketeer LV12
Sub Class: Gambler LV19
Sub Class: Storm Mage LV6
HP: 140/144 | MP: 98/98 | SP: 320/320
STR: 57 | VIT: 43 | MAG: 45
RES: 76 | SPD: 370 | DEX: 182
INT: 80 | LUC: 165
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
SKILL LIST
Ability Skill: [SP Enhancement LV18] [SP Reduced Consumption LV28] [SPD Enhancement LV27] [DEX Enhancement LV7]
Attack Skills: [Bow Arts LV48]
Magic Skill: [Wind Magic LV41] [Storm Magic LV11]
Crafting Skills: [Bullet Creation LV11]
Active Skills: [Wind Step LV50] [Storm Step LV12] [Reload (Bullets) LV7] [Dice Shot LV8] [Item Box (Quiver) LV32]
Passive Skills: [Bow Mastery LV3] [Marksmanship LV16] [Dexterous Fingers LV11] [Hiding LV8] [Path Finder LV21] [Great Escape LV5]21A skill evolved from [Escape LV50], which is evolved from [Flee LV50]. [Magic Talent LV50] [Vagabond's Luck LV4] [Homing Instinct LV12] [Beginner's Luck] [A Journey's End]
Resistance Skills: [Disease Resistance LV30]
Perception Skills: [Hawk Eyes LV49] [Observation Eyes LV47] [Farsight LV50] [Clairvoyance LV8]
Elements: [Wind Divinity] [Storm Element LV5]
=====================================================================
=====================================================================
[Title Page]
[Peeker] [Honest to a Fault] [Monster Slayer] [Enemy of Woman] [Wizard of Age] [Ultimate Slayer]
=====================================================================
"...Let me ask: Are you the Champion of Nirmer?" - Garami
"And you're the poor fellow that's under Alvatria?" - Zerus
"I'll take that as a yes. Then, for what reasons are you filling our loli-chimera with bad ideas?" I asked, having [Bloodlust] at full force.
"Loli-chimera?!" - Lily
"Nothing! Nothing at all! I'm definitely not trying to have her in my debt so she can tell me when some busty babes are in the open-air bath... ah." - Zerus
Honest to a fault, alright. But before anything could happen, the so-called Champion of Wind has slipped through the loosened threads and made his escape out of the door. That [Storm Step] sure is effective.
"...Ah! Aren't you going after him?!" - Lily
"Hmm... no. I'm gonna let him slip away this time. Such a guy's too difficult to hate anyway." - Garami
I just hope he doesn't reach the point of being a [Sage of Age] when I meet him.
"Also, even if I don't hunt him down, he's got enough problems as it is," I said while pointing out the door the Champion of peeking had run out of.
As I and Lily peeked outside from the door, we saw Zerus running away with a horde of female adventurers, probably all customers of the local hot spring bath. I was denied access by the way...*sniff*
*SPLASH!!!*
And with that, the pervert was washed to the next... no, wait a sec! What happened? No, I get that a large amount of water with enough force almost hit Zerus, but where did that come from?
I went out of the Guild to see the direction from where the water originated from... ain't that our inn? Just when I recognized the place, a figure jumped out of the windows.
"I don't know what's going on, but I can smell a bounty from a mile away from you. Give up all hope of escape, and be obediently captured by this Ocean Sword Sprite, Mira Aureola!" - Mira
The one who had jumped down was Mira. And what the heck's an 'Ocean Sword Sprite'? That wasn't in the evolution options yesterday.
"O-, O-, O-O-O-O-O-O-?!" - Lily
Lily has been making a strange face ever since Mira introduced herself. Or, everyone is doing it. Even the female mob that was after the bounty-hunted Champion has stopped up. Ain't this a chance for them, now that Zerus is being stared down by Mira?
"Hey, what's the commotion?" - Marc
"Mira just woke up and have already captured a semi-criminal. And you? Out and shopping already?" - Garami
"Yes. The innkeeper allowed me to borrow the kitchen, so I wanted to try to make one of the local dishes. But is Mira alright? She passed out drunk yesterday." - Marc
"Ah, she's feisty as today's catch. Also, she didn't pass out. She started to evolve." - Garami
"...Evolve?" - Marc
"Yup. But what the heck's an 'Ocean Sword Sprite' supposed to-." - Garami
"EHH?! You don't know? Are you stupid?" - Lily
... Alright, only rice with seasonings for this girl for a week.
"The 'Ocean Swordsman' is one of the most famous heroes in the world! If not for him and his allies, humanity wouldn't have been able to travel out of the Enitum continent!" - Lily
...So, her evolution is based on someone famous?
---
"That sneaky old fart! Champion or not, next time I see him, I'm gonna thrown him to the cops!!" - Mira
So fumed Mira at the breakfast table at the inn, after Zerus lived up to his [Great Escape] skill and escaped the city.
I took another look at her as she sat on the other side of the table. Her sky-blue hair now had silver stripes mixed into it. The same color was used for the symbols in her eyes, which had kept its shape from before.
The only other changes that I can see is that she has a tattoo-like mark on her chest, above her boobs, and on her arms. The chest-tattoo looks like a mix of the old teardrop-symbol along with waves that went across her chest. The arms-tattoos looks like swords, but are of the same dark-blue color as the one on her chest.
And for some reason, she looks more of a beauty than before. Is she sure she didn't pick that sea-succubus evolution?
"Yeah, yeah. Before that, start explaining. Where did 'Ocean Sword Sprite' came from?" - Garami
"Not sure. The notice about me getting another evolution option suddenly appeared." - Mira
"...And you accepted it without counseling me?" - Garami
"Eh? Didn't you leave behind your book so I could choose myself?" said Mira, while handing me the Kigal-Note from her pocket. Wait, when did she get that? I have... haven't it on me. What?
"Then, Garami's book described what kind of creature that new 'evolution option'' was, and you decided to pick it at once?" - Marc
"In short, yes. It even had the evolution requirements written on it, so I didn't want to bother Garami. She looked tired for some reason." - Mira
"More like I'm tired 'cause of your actions. What were those requirements anyway?" - Garami
The Kigal-Note shouldn't have been able to give out that kinda information.
"Well, first was being a Water Sprite at LV40, then having a Main Class that required Swordsman LV50 to obtain, three or more Water-attribute skills except [Water Element], and then I needed [Water Element] at LV30 or more." - Mira
That's... harsh. The Sword Sprite needed only the skills from clearing Swordsman as the main, but now you needed to evolve the class as well. That's 10 freaking Skill Points. We're swimming in those thanks to the Haunt grinding, but usually, that's an amount only exceptional adventurers can earn. Hey! Who're you calling unexceptional?!
"It sounds like it was order-made for you." - Marc
"Quite the opposite. It's rather me who had specialized myself for this species, even when I didn't know it existed. Remember the reason why I chose Swordsman as my main class?" - Mira
"'Cause of that Paladin-dude that saved you. What about it?" - Garami
"The 'Ocean Swordsman' from the stories was a Swordsman before he became a Paladin!" - Mira
"...Again, who's this 'Ocean Swordsman' guy?" - Garami
"They don't know," informed Lily to Mira, pointing on me and Marc. With a look that said she understood the situation, Mira started to tell the story about four humanoids, a human, a demon, a beastkin, and a sprite, which adventured together, saving many people's lives in the process, and even opened up the sea borders of the Enitum continent, which only had one piece of land where one could build a dock.
Long story short, the sprite on the team was a Water Sprite that was also a swordsman, and a crazy one too boot. Crazy as in being able to cut a dragon into sashimi without it being able to defend itself.
"Then, the new option was related to that guy?" - Marc
"Sure is! The book said the evolution was a new path added into the World System's evolution chart as a reward for the four heroes' bravery! This is way better than becoming a Paladin!" - Mira
"You could just have picked the Nereid option-" - Garami
Before I could finish my speech about that being helpful for her other classes as well, Mira had grabbed me by my collar and forced my face close to hers. Her eyes are colder than the tundra. Scary!
"The Ocean Swordsman is from the bedtime stories my mother used to tell me before she died. Being a real sprite is an honor for me, and it's my only connection left with my parents. Don't even try to say something like becoming one of those fake sprites to me ever again. Got it?" - Mira
"...Got it." - Garami
The sheer pressure Mira radiated was enough to make me swallow any witty comments I had in store. Lily and Marc had taken cover behind another table they had flipped over. Can't blame 'em. Mira's serious mode's damn scary!
"However, even this book ain't fail-proof. If something like that happens again, ask me for help. Having more sources of info will never hurt. Especially when something that strange happens." - Garami
"Fiiiine. I'm also reflecting. Now, where are the sweets? We're not gonna celebrate that I evolved? And I want the other-world ones." - Mira
Her reflecting's too fast!
"! I want them too!" - Lily
"Fine There's no one else here anyway. Just be quick about it." I told Marc while giving him the money for the purchase. After the goods were received, I took one-quarter of it all with me.
"Just remembered I'm needed somewhere else. You guys can chill out here, but remember the gate's opening at two o'clock, so pack your stuff before that. And get something for Levi later." - Garami
"Got it! So sweet..." - Mira
Many thanks to the inventor of sweets. If not for them, it would have taken a lifetime to please her. I took a peek at Mira's stats before leaving.
=====================================================================
Mira Aureola
Race: [Ocean Sword Sprite] | Level: 1
Karma Value: -132
Skills: 47
Titles: 10
Skill points: 19.4
Main Class: Chaos Templar LV1
Sub Class: Spy LV17
Sub Class: War Mage LV15
Sub Class: Dancer LV6
Sub Class: none
HP: 245/245 | MP: 480/480 +20 | SP: 200/200
STR: 413 +100 | VIT: 269 +50 | MAG: 243
RES: 237 | SPD: 331 +50 | DEX: 246
INT: 130 | LUC: 95
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SKILL LIST
Ability Skills: [MP Reduced Consumption LV13] [MP Auto-Recovery LV8] UP1 [STR Enhancement LV11] [VIT Enhancement (Small) LV22] [MAG Enhancement (Small) LV12] UP2
Attack Skills: [Sword King Arts LV1] [Magic Sword Arts LV14] [Curse Attack LV1] [Mana Burst (Water) LV14] [Storm Surge LV1] NEW [Oceanic Force LV1] NEW
Magic Skills: [Water Magic LV18] UP1 [Glacier Magic LV6] [Heretic Magic LV1]
Active Skills: [Magic Weapon LV3] [Super Acceleration LV2] [Espionage LV5] [Silence LV15] UP1 [Aerial Movement LV5] [Dried Earth LV2] [Shadow Ganger LV1]
Passive Skills: [Sword Mastery LV7] [One-Handed Swordsmanship LV25] [Warrior's Knowledge LV8] [Swordsman's Knowledge LV11] [Riding LV9] [Magic Talent LV18] UP1 [Battle Continuation LV7] [Dodging LV38] [Dancer's Knowledge LV8] [Water Walk LV1] NEW [Sand Walk LV5] [Hiding LV26] [Swimming LV16] [Fishing LV11] [Charming Movements LV5] [Golden Ratio]
Resistance Skills: [Water Resistance LV27] [Poison Resistance LV15] [Charm Resistance LV16] [Heretic Immunity]
Perception Skills: [Appraisal Blocking LV9] [Night Vision LV15]
Racial Skills: [Mana Conversion LV26] [Underwater Breathing LV1] NEW [Soul of the Sea LV1] NEW [Demonic Vault LV2] [Lewd Demon LV18]
Elements: [Water Element LV34] UP2 [Heretic Attribute LV1]
=====================================================================
---
After leaving the inn, I traveled to a less populated area of the city. After nobody was around, I placed the sweets I had taken with me on top of a rock, prayed, and when I opened my eyes a moment later, the sweets had disappeared.
[Yay! Free sweets!] - Alvatria
"Stop the act. What did you do?" - Garami
The only one that could make the Kigal-Note appear in front of Mira like that is this sweets-depending goddess. And when one thinks about who could add another evolution option all of a sudden, then one can only point to the gods.
[I didn't do anything. The four hero-evolutions were added way before this, but the requirements for the evolution was too strict, so we eased them in the update last night. It was Sprite-chan's hard work that allowed her to evolve.] - Alvatria
"...And the previous requirements for Mira's current evolution were?" - Garami
[Having both [Sword King Arts] and [Sword Mastery] at max level, plus all the stuff from before. Way too demanding for a rank D+ evolution. The same was true for the other evolutions, but that's a thing of the past. Ain't you happy with that, miss designer of the heroic evolutions.] - Alvatria
"Knew I had heard about it from somewhere. Then, there's demon mages, human priests, and beastkin pugilists evolving all over the place, or was it just here?" - Garami
[The demon evolutions are goings great. Same with the human evolutions, as we made the level limit there be LV40 rather than the level cap. For the beastkin, they're probably too hardheaded to notice that one of the evolutions they obtain is related to a hero of their species.] - Alvatria
Tough luck for that hero. It was probably limited to feline beastkin anyway.
[And I didn't do this for no reason you know?] - Alvatria
"Then what? Were you going to demand sweets even if I didn't give you them?" - Garami
[What are you taking me for? I would have demanded them even if you guys were broke. It was little Sprite-chan who asked me for help, with 'help me to impress my leader'. She's quite loyal to you, even if she's trying to keep it a secret.] - Alvatria
"...Seriously, that girl... When did this transaction happen?" - Garami
[On the day you recruited that Migrant. It was quite the ordeal in convincing Order to delay the update. I even had to share the first batch of sweets I received!] - Alvatria
"? Then why did you do it?" - Garami
['Cause that freaking Holstein Lusalki's Champion is a freaking Diva Nereid!] - Alvatria
...What's the odds.
[Any kin of you are the same as my subordinate! And no way in my name is any of my subordinates gonna lose to some wannabee from that Holstein's camp!] - Alvatria
"Don't go and make my second-in-command the nemesis for a Champion." - Garami
[Eh, she's already after the wind-guy. Why not one more?] - Alvatria
"What's with that logic? If that was all, then I'm gonna go-." - Garami
[And not hearing about my plan to grant your dragon the evolution it wishes for?] - Alvatria
"By all means continue, Alvatria-sama." - Garami
Having Levi evolve is something that I can swallow my pride.
[... I could get used to this treatment. *cough* Go to the Dungeon filled with gemstones inside the city of Baoshi. In there, exists a sub-boss that your dragon has to defeat on its own to gain the future it wishes for.] - Alvatria
"A Dungeon? Inside the city?" - Garami
[On the same plateau as the city. It's treated as a mine that works as an endless source of gemstones. You can use them as an excuse for the rest of the team. There are also many Gem-attribute monsters there, so your chimera will probably like it as well.] - Alvatria
Hmm, that will be the first Dungeon I challenge as an Adventurer for real. The Water-Knot isn't something I want to classify as a Dungeon, and the Husk Forest was more like a hideout than a Dungeon as well.
[Well, good luck then. And I want a new offering after the Alchemist exam. Remember, if you fail, then... kukukukuku.] - Alvatria
Huh!? Wait a-! ... She cut the line.
The exam in three days is gonna be eventful if anything. *shudder*
Patreon
Ahaha that champion is an enemy of all women! Get him!!!!
Also hooray for Mira getting a cool evolution thanks to alvatria and order's meddling, and I bet she's gonna become even more attractive to women now!~
Gonna be honest VERY annoyed the poll was pointless
Won't happen again. But it had to happen once as well
@Greydra Yes nether do that again please
Thanks for the chapter!
I looked and I can't find the racial rank of an undead dragon like Levi, even the Kigal-note doesn't list it. Now that her evolution is close I am really curious.
I've also been curious if the Full potential unleashed skill is one the skills that Garami was supposed to ask about at the adventurers guild.
Undead Dragons are the starting stage for death-attribute dragons, meaning it's rank D.
Full Potential will be talked about later in the story, and let me tell you, the Baphomet who had it at LV2 was awesome for doing so.
@Greydra Thanks, looking at the Dragon section properly this time I saw it, I skipped straight down to the Undead Dragon section thinking it would be listed there.
I know Garami was given a head start so how does it compare as an achievement to leveling Appraisal to level 9 from level 5? I remember that the earlier levels are harder but the later levels are surely hard as well.
@Oshibo Well, the amount of information that Appraisal obtains on each level is always the same, so the difficulty of using the skill is at max despite the result you get.
The amount of proficiency is equal for all skill levels, but the proficiency obtained is determined by the amount of data that the skill holder can read, so the lower levels give less proficiency since they can't show as much data as the higher levels.
@Greydra I was more referring to the headaches you get at a lower level from using it, but you didn't answer my question of how Garami's achievement of leveling appraisal compares to the Baphomet's of leveling Unleash Full Potential to lvl 2.
@Oshibo Oh, that. Full Potential is a skill that literally unleashes the full extent of your abilities. But it doesn't get better with each level as in bringing up more power. Instead, a safety-system of the skill is used, allowing the skill holder to be in "Full Potential"-mode for a longer time, but the usage of the skill can result in the skill holder to implode.
Appraisal has the same type of safety-system that increases with each level, but someone that's used to large mental activities can grind the skill at a nice pace.