It was morning, but there was no sun in the sky. Just a dimness that had no source and yet covered everything. It was overcast.

I was standing not far from a rocky lake. There were many rocks near my feet, scattered all over, some very flat and big and others tiny, placed in a way that made them seem like they’d been dropped there long ago by mother nature herself.

Around me was a very pretty sight, with little yellow and white wildflowers scattered on the grasses. The water was so still and calm it looked like black glass.

It was beautiful and peaceful. The landscape was pristine and serene, as if it had been untouched by the hands of humans. The sky above was a muted grey-blue, and the surrounding area seemed to be filled with a sense of mystery and quiet wonder. It was truly a sight to behold.

I moved towards the shoreline, trying to get closer to the lake. There was a tree not far from me. I reached out to touch its trunk and noticed that it was soft, almost velvety to the touch. This was an unusual tree, and I wasn’t quite sure what species it belonged to. It seemed to be more of a plant than a tree. It was tall, and its branches hung low, reaching out towards the water. It reminded me of a weeping willow. I knew I’d never seen anything like it before, so it must have been a type of plant. I noticed there were no leaves on its branches, and its trunk looked like it was covered with thin green veins.

I walked over to one of the rocks on the shore and picked it up, holding it in my hands. It was smooth, with rounded edges and a soft texture, like it had been worn down by the waves and the wind over a long time. It was an oval-shaped rock, with no noticeable features other than its smoothness. I looked at it for a moment, turning it over in my hands. I thought it was quite beautiful. I held it to my cheek and felt the texture of the rock against my skin. It was cool to the touch. I placed it down on the ground and kept walking along the shoreline, admiring the scenery. I passed by another tree, a very tall one that seemed to reach out for the sky above me.

I saw something floating on the surface of the water. I moved closer and saw a strange object there. It looked like a flat piece of metal, with a hole in one corner. There was a small, black object on the top of it. It looked like a piece of paper, except it was made of metal. It had a white spot on the top left corner, and what looked like words in an unfamiliar language written on it. I reached out and took the object off the surface of the lake, but I wasn’t sure what it was or what I was supposed to do with it. I held it up to my eyes, trying to read what it said. I couldn’t read any of the words, but I thought they were probably just a number.

40.

The numbers on the top were written in a different way than the ones on the bottom of the sheet, which I couldn't guess at all. I wasn’t sure if they were supposed to go together or not. It was probably just some kind of code. It threw the object back into the lake. It flew really far, and landed with a distant splash.

I then stood on the shoreline, waiting for something. I don’t know what, but there was anticipation. The kind you feel on Christmas morning or on the first day of summer vacation. But I couldn’t see anything in the lake except my reflection.

My reflection?

It looked like a human girl. With long white hair, bright sky-blue eyes. I was wearing a simple, white knee-length dress. My feet were wrapped in the silky white, transparent fabric of a pair of tights. My chest was flat.

I bunched up the front of my skirt and lifted it up. My body was androgynous despite my feminine face. A pair of nipples, A flat stomach. I was wearing white panties under the tights. I had a bump between my legs.

I was a boy. But I sure looked like a girl in this getup.

I looked like Elissa. Except my ears were round like that of a human.

Why was I still alive?

Death=

A throbbing headache came crushing down on me. I let go of my dress and crouched by the lake. Holding out my head in pain.

“Ouch”, I said.

I crouching by the shoreline, feeling the outline of my round head, waiting for something to happen. It was such a peaceful day. Why did it feel like something had gone terribly wrong?

That’s right. We fought Panda. I remembered everything.

Somehow, though, it didn’t weigh on me.

I didn’t feel much. I hadn’t felt much since reincarnating. But I didn’t feel the undercurrent of... hate. Instead, there was a strange, cold sensation of peace. Of a callous, self-satisfied joy.

I stood up and brushed my dress down. I had been standing in the coarse sand, and it was all over my feet and tights. I shook the grains of sand out and walked away from the lake. I felt like a complete stranger in my own body. Like a fake that had been pulled from my mind and pasted over mine. I had the oddest feeling that this was not the first time I’d felt this way. I couldn’t quite grasp the memory, but it was like it had happened before, in the past. That this was a feeling I’d experienced. But I couldn’t quite remember when or where.

Wait, I had a body.

Why did I have a body?

I guess I just did now.

Hello body.

Hello me.

I chuckled. This was amusing.

What a strange boy I was. I smirked.

The breeze felt wonderful on my skin. The lake was so still that it looked like glass. It was such a beautiful sight. It was like a painting. It looked so clean. I guess there were no factories here to pollute it. No oil spills or plastic waste. I guess there was no pollution at all in this world. A world of beautiful and untouched nature. How peaceful. How peaceful indeed. I felt so at home here. The birds chirped in the trees. It was so serene. Like a dream.

I guess I should look at my status.

—

[STATUS]

Name: Hero

Level: 200


Title: Incorruptible Abyssal Lord

Species: Living Armour


HP: 499,999,985/499,999,985


MP: 450,000,001/450,000,001


EXP: 1,000,000,000,000


STR: SS


DEX: SSS


CON: SS


INT: SSS


AGI: SSS


CHA: S+


LUK: B-

Skills:


Locate

Cleanse


Couture


Conceal Aura


Reveal Aura


Death==Evolution (passive)

Stop


Start


Master Chef

???

[…]

Title skills:


(Abyssal)Champion

(Domain)Control

(Eye)Convert


(Re)Construct


(Re)Coalesce

(Mind)Channel


Alignment: Abyssal True Good

Contract: Elissa (Demon Lord)

Subcontracts: None

—

Well that’s a lot to take in.

I considered everything in turn as I was casually strolling by the lake. The rocks didn’t hurt under my feet at all.

For start, I now had a name. It was Hero. That’s right. That’s my name. I don’t know what else I expected, but I suppose before I was an object, and now I was a person? Is that what changed? Let’s just say that’s it.

Second. I was no mere Abyssal Lord. My title was now “Incorruptible Abyssal Lord”. Sounds pretty cool if you ask me. What this meant, I had no idea.

Third, I have gained species-ness. I have a species. Apparently I wasn’t human even though I really looked like one. Living Armour. That’s what I am. Another new cryptic addition to my status. Didn’t Pandora call out “Transform Living Armour”? I’m pretty sure she did. Am I the same species as her panda onesie now? I was never a big fan of my extended family.

Let’s keep things going, there’s a lot to get through.

My HP was halved because I gave half my body to Elissa. That’s the only thing it could be. But my MP remained unchanged and quite impressive, if I do say so myself.

Experience.

I killed so many people.

A crime.

I should atone for my sins, I thought to myself with a slight frown. How will I do that? Will anything do? It was a million people, at least. People with lives, families, dreams and emotions. So much pain... So much unnecessary pain.

...

...

No point in dwelling on it right now. I’ll redeem myself when the opportunity arises. No point in fretting over something I can’t control. Something in the past. There is no use in actionless regret.

Not something I’d say in my old life.

STR, DEX, CON, INT, AGI, CHA, LUK. I had your DnD style stats now. This really was some kind of game-world, wasn’t it? But oh what an assumption to make. Every person in the old world probably had stats as well, they just couldn’t see them. IQ testing, physical training, luck. All of those things factored into your success, depending on your environment and the battles you faced every day.

My stats were excellent, if SSS meant what I think it meant. Except for my LUK. Luck. It was still good. In games I played in my past life a high luck stat was a rarity. It was just that OP. B was still above average, I’d say.

Altogether a clear indication of my newfound personhood.

My skills remained unchanged. This was a relief.

I cast Cleanse on myself to wash my body. My feet and tights specifically. It worked as usual.

What was different? It didn’t occur to me until now.

I couldn’t pan and zoom with Locate anymore. My vision was entirely centred, emanating from my two eyes. Locate merely caused a sort of heightened sense of awareness. I could sense the landscape as if it had shrunk around me. I could sense the presence of a variety of creatures, curiously eyeing me from behind the distant brush. They were harmless. To me.

I walked down the lakeshore and washed my face with the clear water, taking a drink. It was cool and refreshing. The birds in the trees sang a beautiful melody, one that I could only hear. It seemed to speak directly to my heart, with an unusual sensation of peace. I stood there, letting the song wash over me. I wasn’t in a rush. I didn’t have to be.

Elissa would be fine. Pandora wanted to kill me specifically. Not her.

How did I know? Well, I felt I could understand her better now for some reason. She was a mean little girl, though.

There was no floating island in the sky. I was the only person here as far as I could tell.

I saw a fish in the clear water of the lake. What a strange fish. It seemed to be attracted by me splashing of the water. Didn’t it fear I’d make it a meal?

I wasn’t hungry. And even if I was I don’t think I’d kill a living creature. I had plenty of HP.

But I suppose that fish didn’t know that. Or did it?

Its body was covered in scales, a vivid rainbow of colour. Its tail was long, with a flair of fins that shone a beautiful green. It had no gills, just a pair of holes in its side. Its mouth was big, and there were many teeth inside. A very scary fish to someone. Not me.

I smiled and waved, watching the fish swim up to me. I was amazed at its boldness. It swam right up to my toes, nudging my foot playfully. I laughed and reached down to touch its scales. They were smooth and soft, almost like the skin of a frog. I could feel the fish’s muscles rippling beneath its scales, as it swam around my legs. Its teeth brushed against my skin, and the tickle made me laugh. I splashed my feet in the water, and the fish jumped up and down, playing along. I was having a wonderful time. This was so fun. I never expected a fish to be so playful. It was like a dog. No. A puppy. I wish I had a treat for it.

But, oh, I got distracted. Play time is over fishie.

As if sensing my intention, the fish swam back into the body of the lake. Was it just me, or did I sense a pang of disappointment from it?

Hmm, let’s take a look at my title skills.

Title skills:


(Abyssal)Champion

(Domain)Control

(Eye)Convert


(Re)Construct


(Re)Coalesce

(Mind)Channel

(Re)Construct
 and (Re)Coalesce were still there. But the other skills seemed to have changed. They used to be (Abyssal)Command, (Domain)Create,(Eye)Corrupt, and (Mind)Communicate.

I focused on the new skills to receive their descriptions.

(Abyssal)Champion: Inspires an abyssal creature. Target will gain a boost to STR, DEX, CON, INT, AGI, CHA, LUK matching that of the user. If the user’s stat is lower than the target, a boost of two levels will be applied. Can be applied to only one target at a time.

Well, that’s a nerf and a half. Only one target, hey? Before I could command an abyssal being, with no level limit on target. Now I buffed them. I guess that was useful in itself.

(Domain)Control: Creates a meta-conceptual bubble around the user. Size and available parameters of space depend on the MP used.

What a mysterious title skill. Unlike the previous skill it sounded incredibly powerful. While before I used it to create a fleshy dwelling, now I could change reality around me?

I had to try it out.

(Domain)Control

Uhhh... I couldn’t think of anything to do. I guess this field could do with more colourful flowers?

Instantly the surrounding ground bloomed in a wonderful display of a thousand verities of beautiful flowers. There were white daisies, red roses, pink tulips, yellow daffodils, purple violets, and so many more. The colours were so vibrant, and they filled the air with a sweet scent. It was like a field of perfume. Amongst the flowers, there were rainbow daisies. They were breathtaking. How could a flower have so many colours? I bent down to pick one up and it came right off the stem, as if agreeing to give its life to me. I held it in my hand and took a sniff, breathing in the fresh smell. I placed the daisy behind my ear and looked out over the field. I had done this. Good work me.

I focused on one of the roses near me.

(Domain)Control

It instantly transformed into a golden sword, embedded in a rock.

Useful. But I’ll let it be.

I walked to the periphery of the circular field, brushing my hand against the taller floral growths I had created. The wind was cool but gentle on my skin, carrying the sweet scent of the flowers with it. I sat down among the flowers, letting their petals brush against my body. The cloudy skies opened up to let through golden beams of light.

Let’s take a look at the other title skills.

(Eye)Convert: Converts any being below user’s level into an abyssal creature. Target’s alignment remains unchanged. Target’s permission required.

From memory, the skill used to be:

(Eye)Corrupt: Corrupts any being below user’s level into an abyssal creature.

The two differences were that the target’s alignment didn’t change and that I needed permission. I guess that was polite, if anything. I couldn’t think of a good reason to forcibly change someone’s nature like that, anyway.

Finally, there was...

(Mind)Channel: Telepathically communicate with any being within a certain range.

Before I could communicate with Ao without any limit on the range. But that only applied to abyssal beings I had a contract with. But this worked with any being.

I turned my head to look at the birds, singling one particularly big one.

“Hello?”, I said, reaching out with my mind towards the bird. I could see the bird pause and turn to look at me. “Can you hear me?” The bird tilted its head and flew down to land on the ground a few meters away from me. “You can hear me, can’t you?” The bird chirped in reply. “What a lovely day it is today, isn’t it?” The bird chirped again. “Yes, yes it is,“ I replied.

The bird then flew off, disappearing into the forest. I could sense a faint trace of amusement from it. Did it find me funny? Well, it was nice chatting with you. I had no idea the skill could be used to have a conversation with an animal.

Out of sheer curiosity, I looked at a small rock near the edge of the rainbow field.

“Hello”, I said once again.

“Don’t step on me!” said the rock. It had a very small, quiet voice. Its tone was high pitched and timid, but there was no malice behind it. “Please?” It pleaded. “I’ll die if you do.” It added. How odd. I hadn’t considered the possibility of the skill working on an inanimate object. But then, did the rock even have a will of its own? And why did it seem so worried about me stepping on it? Maybe the rock was worried that I’d break it, or hurt its feelings. Perhaps I could reassure it. I crawled forward on all fours and scooped up the small rock in my hand. It was cool and hard, and felt a little bit dusty. I ran my thumb over its surface and felt its tiny bumps and imperfections.

“Don’t worry,” I said soothingly, “I won’t hurt you.” The rock seemed to relax a little, but still trembled slightly in my palm. I lifted it up to my face and examined it closely. It was grey and rough, and looked rather unremarkable. “What’s your name?” I asked. The rock thought for a moment, then replied, “I don’t have one. I’m just a rock.” It sounded sad, and a bit lonely. Maybe I could help it out. I set the rock down on the ground in front of me and closed my eyes. I concentrated, trying to feel the rock’s thoughts and emotions. I could feel the rock’s presence in my mind, and I could feel the warmth and love that it was radiating towards me.

(Domain)Control

I transformed the rock into a butterfly.

“Mr. Rock. You now have life. It may be short and fleeting, but it’s just as important as any other,” I said.

The butterfly flapped its wings, sending a tiny gust of air towards me. It was a pale green colour, with delicate, intricate patterns of dark blue on its wings. The butterfly fluttered its wings and flew off into the distance, disappearing over the horizon. I was pleased that the butterfly had been able to enjoy its newfound freedom. Perhaps the rock had been trapped underground, or in the soil, unable to move or explore the world. I was glad that the rock had found a way to experience life, even if it was brief.

I turned my attention back to my status.

Alignment: Abyssal True Good

That was quite a change, wasn’t it? I’ve totally flipped alignments from Abyssal True Evil to Abyssal True Good. How did that even make sense for an abyssal being? More importantly. Why?

I felt the answer was out of reach. I could feel the headache coming back, so I shifted my thoughts to the next line.

Contract: Elissa (Demon Lord)


I was still contracted to Elissa. The fact I still had a contract meant she was alive. I was glad. I’d like to see her again soon. I wonder how she was doing? Hopefully Pandora didn’t mistreat her. That girl had it in for me. What was her deal, anyway? Did she hate me or something? No. She was just a meanie. Plain and simple. That’s what Pandora was. A meanie. No need to dwell on it. It’s not like I could go back and change the past. So I won’t. The fact was, I’d like to see Elissa again. But how would I find her? Perhaps I’d ask someone in the area about the direction the Island of Rozpacz went.

Finally, there was this:

Subcontracts: None

I no longer had subcontracts with Ao, Francisa, Sarah and Delia. What a shame. I wondered what happened and concluded they were transferred with my other half to Elissa. At least I hoped so. Otherwise, they would be quite a handful to handle.

Well, that was it. Thanks for your patience.

I bowed briefly.

I could feel a fleeting human presence at the edge of Locate.

Couture!

The fabric around my feet shifted to turn into a pair of translucent sandals.

Cute. I looked over my back, bending my knees in turn.

Couture was not just the creation of clothes, but the manipulation of the materials already at my disposal. That’s why the fabric on my legs hadn’t turned into the sandals. The skill could make clothing, but not out of thin air. Instead, it took what was already there and transformed it. My dress, and the tights, could now become whatever I wanted them to be. A skirt, a shirt, a pair of pants, or even a hat. It could create new fabrics or change their colour. And best of all, the skill could modify their size, shape, and fit to fit my exact measurements. I could easily alter my outfit to meet any occasion. I couldn’t, however, change my body. This was a disappointment. I wanted some abs.

Oh, I get distracted so easily now...

Turning towards the presence I sensed earlier I pushed against the ground and began sprinting, a grin plastered across my face, the grass and wildflowers brushing against my feet as I ran away from the lakeshore, feeling the wind on my skin, my white hair flowing behind me, my eyes wide open and taking in every detail of the world around me.

I evaded the incoming trees skilfully as I gently bounced along the forest undergrowth. The trees soon parted and revealed a dirt path that lead through the woods. I slowed my pace and made my way along the path, following it until it led me to a group of men in armour, mounted on horses.

“Halt! Who goes there?!”, one of the men shouted, drawing his sword and pointing it towards me threateningly, a scowl on his face and an intent to kill in his eyes. “Answer me now, or I’ll cut you down!” The other men drew their swords as well. I raised my hands up in the air, showing that I was unarmed. “My name is Hero. I’m a traveller,” I said calmly, keeping my voice steady and calm.

“A traveller, eh?”, the man scoffed, spitting on the ground in contempt, “then where’s your horse? No one travels these roads without a horse.” I could feel his hostility growing, and a sense of paranoia coming from him and the other men, as if they were afraid that I was going to attack them at any moment, or ambush them from behind, or something along those lines. This was a bad situation, and I didn’t want to escalate things any further. “I’m sorry, but I don’t have a horse,” I explained. “I’m not from around here.”

The man laughed mockingly, shaking his head in disbelief. “Yeah right. A likely story. You think we’re idiots, don’t you?”

“Idiots? No, I think you’re quite smart,” I said, “you know this area very well.” This seemed to calm the man down somewhat, but he still kept his guard up, and I could sense the tension in the air. The other men didn’t put away their swords, but they did stop pointing them at me. “So, tell us. Why are you here?”, the man asked, “What business do you have here?” He seemed to be calmer, but I could tell that he was still on edge. I decided to tell him the truth. “I’m looking for a floating island“, I asked hopefully. The man narrowed his eyes, staring at me suspiciously.

“Kill her!”, he commanded his men.

“I’m a boy!”, I yelled for some reason. Why did I do that? I could’ve run away easily, but instead I was acting like a tsundere from an anime. “I’m not going to hurt you,” I assured him, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible. “I just want to find the island.” The man’s face turned into a grimace, his eyes filled with anger. He tightened his grip on his sword, and I could sense a feeling of hatred coming from him. He seemed to be conflicted, his mind wrestling with the thought of whether or not he should trust me. The other men shifted uncomfortably, but none of them moved to attack me. “You look like a girl to me, boy. But you’re not lying,” the man finally said, “I can tell when someone’s lying.“

“So you’ll help me?”, I asked, a spark of hope in my voice, “You know where the island went, right?”

“Yes. But who are you?”, the man asked, frustration clear in his tone, “Who are you, and why are you looking for the cursed floating island?” He seemed to be thinking about something, and after a few moments he lowered his sword, letting out a sigh, “Look, I don’t want to hurt you, and I believe that you’re telling the truth, but I can’t help you unless I know who you are.” His expression softened and he gave me a small smile.

“I am Fredrick, platoon leader in the Imperial Army,” he introduced himself, after some internal turmoil.

“Fredrick, huh?”, I said, smiling back, “Thank you for believing in me. I really am just-”

The sound of an arrow, then the creak of armour being pierced.

Fredrick’s heart was shot by a presence hidden in the tree line. 

Fredrick's body slumped on his horse.

I guess mistook them for one of the soldiers?

Panic and chaos ensued.

The rest of his platoon fell one by one, as a rain of arrows pierced the soldiers and horses alike.

I probably could have stopped those arrows.

But who was I to interfere?

“Ambush!!!”, a solider cried out.

“Kill her!!!”, another solider screamed.

“I’m a boy!!”, I yelled back, annoyed.