Day 14

I woke up to a surprise.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, you have enough experience to reach Lvl 14. Unfortunately, without Biomass to consume, you cannot level. After obtaining Biomass, select the “Level Up” option in the status screen to proceed to the next level.

Apparently, my actions last night had killed enough things that I gained a level. I sat up and got to work.

My first action that morning was summoning 5 skeleton archers, 100 mana each, and stationing them on the walls. I inwardly cursed the design of the castle; there was no gate, just an open drawbridge that didn’t appear to actually function, and was entirely cosmetic. There really is not such thing as a free lunch… I should have known better than to buy something premade.

Dead Snake was close to being recovered, but I didn’t want to risk it. I left Jerry by the path upward and had the yellow skeleton and Dead Snake block the gate. Cracking my fingers I walked out and surveyed the marsh around the castle. My addition to the ecosystem had tinted everything unnaturally green, the plants withering and twisting into the dark color of rot.

Welcome challengers.

*****

Now that I understood what was happening, I went about my hunt in a much more stealthy manner. When I found challengers I attacked swiftly and silently. One yelled, and to my frustration I encountered a period where I found no one for a half an hour. But I went back to the castle, summoned two more Skeleton Archers, and then walked down a different path, finding my hunting stride once more.

I surmised they would attempt to gather more survivors before the attack, and returned to the castle for lunch.

Jen was wearing her pink frilly apron again, and was practically bouncing. “Are you excited? If you block everyone again today, you will receive another promotion. And if you do, I’ll-”

She abruptly went silent, wiggling back and forth. I ignored it, devouring my lunch. Gritting my teeth, I resolved myself to level up and keep the growth rate. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad… There was always the chance for positive things happening in the mutation, right…?

“I’ll…-I’ll give you a ki-ki-k-ki-ki…. I’ll give you a Kettle!”

“Uh, what?” A kettle?

-For boiling tea.

-What’s tea?

-It goes inside a kettle when it isn’t boiled.

-....

“Oh yea! I made a new friend named Kettle, and I’ll introduce you. She’s really pretty and stuff, so I think you two will make a good….hahaha that’s why I asked if you were seeing someone...for...her…..”

Jen’s tentacles were profoundly droopy as she left. I opened up my status menu, saw the 131 Biomass, said a prayer, and clicked level up.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, you have reached Lvl 14. All Biomass has been consumed.Due to your special circumstances, you have the choice of retaining the previously earned Racial Growth Rate of “Carniverous Dusk-Wing Owl” or use the Biomass to receive another randomly assigned Growth Rate. Note, retaining a Growth Rate will allow you to learn Racial skills at the typical level they are learned. Note, if a Growth Rate is retained, the Biomass will instead be converted into random chances for improvement.Do you wish to retain your previous Growth Rate? Y/N

I decisively clicked yes.

Growth Rate Retained!Vit +1Str +4Agi +9Dex +6Memory +11Processing Power +9Wis +14Timeless Perception +22Mana +149Due to the conversion of 131 Biomass, 7 chances for random improvements were earned!Chance One: ...Evolutionary Leap! All stats (aside from Parallel Computations) +1. A small amount of height and weight gained.

This seemed familiar. A burning sensation spread out over my whole body, my muscles undulating outwards in an indescribable way. I wondered idly how tall I was now. Then I realize I didn’t remember at all how tall I was before…

Chance Two… Mutation!

Shit.

Body Undergoing mutation...

Mutation Failed!

Falling to my knees, I released my gritted teeth.

-I made a mistake.

-There is still time to take our own life-

Chance Three… Mutation!

-Quick, the sword!

-SHUT UP OTHER ME.

Body Undergoing mutation...

The pain was like 1000 little embers burrowing deeper, into my eyes, my brain, my intestines. My heart trembled, unable to continue beating normally. Something was pushing my ribs open, spilling agony out of my guts and covering the floor with it. I couldn’t stand, I couldn’t breath, I couldn’t even scream. In that moment, I hated the pain, loathed it. I just wanted to kill, I forced myself upwards, a strange, unnatural rage boiling over.

I looked at the twilight sky and roared, the deep hatred shattering the silence.

Mutation successful! Your skill “Aura of Dread Lvl 4” has evolved into “Aura of the Predator Lvl 2”. Bloodlust, Hatred, and Agony roll off of you in waves, filling your enemies’ hearts with fear and you minions with the desire to kill. Skill proficiency will now be earned when you kill with the Aura toggled on.Chance Four… Vit +1!Chance Five… Dex +2!Chance Six… Str +5!Chance Seven… Mutation!

A strange feeling bubbled up within me. Something was changing, had been changing ever since my aura shifted. The corners of my mouth lifted as the pain descended.

I spent the next several minutes roaring my defiance at the sky, daring the pain to get worse. It was strange, but as I burned with it, with that strange red black aura surrounding me… I wanted it to grow stronger. I wanted the pressure, to force my growth. I wanted my body to tear itself apart, my veins flooding with adrenaline and pure, cleansing anger…

Mutation Failed!

Breathing heavily, I slowly settled down, my mind still swirling with strange chemicals to cope. And I was grinning like a madman.

“Come quickly, challengers,” I said, as I brought up my status screen. “Any longer and you will have no hope.”

Name:PredatorLevel:14Race:Biomass:0Health Regen:x2Mana:119/685Vit:38 (+2)End:25 (+2)Str:22 (+2)Agi:33 (+2)Dex:32 (+2)Memory:242 (+2)Processing Power:271 (+2)Parallel Computations:2Wis:99 (+2)Luck:33 (+2)Timeless Perception:47 (+2)TitlesA Creature Which Named Itself PredatorRacelessSkillsLesser Air Affinity Lvl 3Endless StomachWeapons Mastery Lvl 2Knife Throw Lvl 9Path of the DragonAura of the Predator Lvl 2Summon Lesser Dead Lvl 3Bile Emission Lvl 2

*****

***POV Change***

Zindaloo didn’t consider himself a particularly brave man. Nor did he think his stats were all that impressive, especially for his race. Everyday of his teen years he had cursed the level up gains for levels 2-5, all of which were on the lesser side of average. It left him bitter and resentful of his peers, as they began to develop a combat style that suited them particularly well.

They switched from general weapons training at the institute to a particular master. They entered competitions, earned results and garnered respect, while Zindaloo remained in the general weapons training. His resentment would likely have consumed him if not for the master of the general weapons intervening.

During one of the sparring sessions, instead of slashing downwards with his scimitar like Zindaloo expected, his master let go of the deadly weapon and punched Zindaloo in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

With no fanfare, Zindaloo collapsed and his master just chuckled. “Why dwell on the one specific area in which they are superior? If your enemy is faster, make it so you clash with their strength. If they are stronger, make it a battle of wits. The true battlefield is fighting to establish how you battle. The individual who makes the rules is usually the winner.”

Shaking his head, Zindaloo returned to the present and surveyed the surrounding marsh with a bitter expression. After using his forbidden technique on that hammer wielding challenger and escaping from the dark haired and ominous individual who he could only assume was the path boss, Zindaloo had planned to slowly gather more challengers, and then just overwhelm the path, but the boss had proven surprisingly resourceful.

Somehow he had managed to poison the water supply, and the marsh was dying around their group. A significant number, not noticing the creeping rot, had tried the water, swiftly frothing at the mouth and collapsing, dead.

Perhaps most annoying was how the bear traps had hampered the recruitment efforts today. Initially, Zindaloo had disdained the bear traps, sneering at an individual who would pepper the landscape with so many. But then in a moment of levity among challengers, someone had stepped on one.

And no matter how much he tried to warn them, in that first instant that a pair of metal jaws close on your legs, you scream.

It was a strange blessing that the path boss kept his aura on, so there was a small amount of warning as the creeping chill seized your heart, making it hard to breath, but warning of his approach. If it wasn’t for that aura warning of his approach…

Zindaloo shivered. That thing was a monster, and seemingly becoming stronger every day. Was this really a newly risen path boss?!?!

A subordinate challenger approached ZIndaloo, indicating that they were prepared. Zindaloo stood, adjusting the whip wrapped around his waist, tightening the straps to the scimitar that slanted across his shoulders, checking the shurikens hidden along his wrists and thighs.

He inhaled through the nose, and then out through his mouth. Zindaloo’s eyes flashed as he gestured for the group of 40 or so challengers to follow him. Their mouths were set into a grim line. A tall tiger beast man walked up to Zindaloo, issuing quiet orders to the surrounding people. They began marching towards the castle.

*****

Zindaloo narrowed his eyes at the castle. Nothing felt right. He knew that this was a premade environment, and that the path boss couldn’t close the drawbridge… but still. They had encountered his undead minions these past two days. Why was there nothing now…?

The only figure visible was the path boss, rather lazily draped over the battlements above the gate, a lazy grin twisting his face. There was something different about him, too. Where before, seeing him was like gazing into a festering wound on your own body, know he gave off the even more disturbing aura of a blade slippery with fresh blood. It was a chilling invitation.

The tiger beast man folded his formidable arms and glared up at the path boss. “...I do not like this. Are you sure we cannot wait for this miasma to pass? He has something prepared. And him boldly hiding even a pretense at defense worries me…”

ZIndaloo shook his head. “Perhaps if we understood what happened last night. But what if he could do it again? We would only grow weaker…” By an effort of will, Zindaloo relaxed his clenched jaw, admitting the secret fear that this creature had planted in his heart.

“...and I have no confidence that even if we maintained recruitment and gathering, we would grow in strength fast enough to rival him…”

The Tiger beast man nodded, then laughed, breaking the tension of the moment. The other challengers twisted around, and then broke out in awkward smiles, embarrassed at the ominous silence they had let descend over the group. “Very strange. I was assured that I would not encounter any foe that could rival me before the 5th floor. But now that I face this…”

They both took a moment to look at the challenge in front of them, his sloppy grin and his wiry frame, knives dancing across his fingers and a short sword and a cudgel at his waist. The mountain was a very tall one.

“...I’m almost glad I chose this path. One does not grow strong without risk.”

They shared a smile and clasped hands. “Stay close, brother,” Zindaloo urged the tiger beast man, feeling the vitality and strength surging inside of him.

For a moment, Zindaloo almost lost control and devoured his strength. But, shivering and reluctant, he allowed their hands to part.

‘Now was not the time,’ He thought. ‘If the others see forbidden blood magic, they will turn on me…’ But the hunger within him was a living thing. It was an addiction.

“You too, we shall watch each other’s backs.” The tiger beastman walked boldly towards the drawbridge, and Vindaloo could only follow.

Seeing their approach, the path boss ceased his lounging and straightened. He raised a hand slowly, his right, and snapped his fingers. With a dull series of thumps, a huge yellowing skeleton, over 3 meters tall, lumbered around from inside the castle and stood with folded arms in the gate. Each limb seemed to be a trunk made of entwined bones. Sharp femurs stuck out of its knees and elbows, and interlocking shoulder blades seemed to form plate armor across its torso.

But what disturbed Zindaloo the most is that some of the bones seemed to be shifting from a yellow color to pit black. There were only spots of it, speckled across the legs and in the joints, but it made his eyes widen.

‘A Skeletal monstrosity? Here, on the first floor…? It hasn’t evolved yet, but…’

With a echoing laugh, the tiger beast man started sprinting forward towards the skeleton. They were about 40 m from the drawbridge, and 10 m across to the skeleton. The group of 40 challengers, screamed their agreement, their defiance of the oppressive fear that pervaded the air. They charged towards the mocking smile of the path boss, intent to slaughter him and his minions.

Almost against his will, Zindaloo felt his heart rate and and adrenaline rise, screaming all of his frustrations. The fact he was always the weak one. The fact he never mastered a weapon path. The fact that no one from his village currently would even recognize his name.

The fact that he betrayed the one person who had showed him kindness.

***POV Change***

Gillette watched the screen thoughtfully. Most paths succumbed very quickly to when challengers were allowed to pool and launch a group attack. For this reason, a large environment was the last improvement that was made to a path.

But this time, the path boss had somehow managed to flush them out, and now was going to clash with them directly.

Gillette’s mouth twitched. He hoped his investment wasn’t misplaced.

“46 against 17, huh…” He sipped his drink, eyes intently watching.

***POV Change***

Zindaloo was leading the charge with the tiger beastman now, lungs already hoarse from screaming. The 40 odd individuals thundered behind him, weapons raised. It wasn’t a neat charge, but…

But when they reached the drawbridge, the path boss raised his fingers and snapped again. Suddenly, 10 skeletons stood up from behind the ramparts, raising bows. Zindaloo had a flash of fear, but it was much too late. If they turned around now, they would only suffer more damage.

So they surged forward, anger and mob mentality overriding the fear. Arrows wizzed downwards, striking several of the people around him.

Roaring, the tiger beastman surged forward, leaping towards the monstrous yellow skeleton. His body contorted and grew, swelling until his body was covered in fur and he was only about half a meter smaller than the skeleton, and just as wide.

With a burst of effort, Zindaloo raced after him, a few of the other challengers keeping up, almost completely across the drawbridge. He spared himself a glance back, and what he saw made him break out into a smile; only about a dozen people had fallen to the arrows, and they were almost completely-

Snap.

“Shatter!”

The drawbridge disintegrated behind him, only himself, the tiger beast man, 4 others who had kept pace with him, and a desperate woman who leaped at the last second made it. Zindaloo heard a huge shout and a crash as the beastman and the skeleton smashed together, but the rest of them walked back to where the drawbridge once was, looking down in horror.

A sallow skinned creature with webbed fingers waited below. Approaching the stunned challengers and waved his hands, disintegrating their entire bodies without a sound. Realizing what was happening, the challengers leapt up, tripping each other in their haste to run away.

Which is when the arrows fell like a downpour. In that dried moat, only a few feet across, there was nowhere to hide. The challengers died.

Zindaloo drew three shurikens and threw them downward at the strange creature. The first struck it in the shoulder, and it raised its hands instinctively, disintegrating the other two into poofs of dust. The momentum carried the dust forward, striking the creature’s nose.

It sniffled, steadying itself with a hand on the inner wall of the dried moat.

Zindaloo drew several more shurikens, preparing to throw.

“Achoo!”

While sneezing, the creature used its power to make a hole in the wall, and tumbled into it. Huffing, Zindaloo put his shurikens away. What a crafty creature.

He turned his gaze to the courtyard. The skeleton and the tiger beastman were standing in the centre, punching each other. Although it appeared the beastman’s nose was broken and his face a bloody mess, several of the skeletons major armor bones had large cracks in it. The force of their blows shook the courtyard, and when the stepped the ground shock.

Frustrated, Zindaloo bit his lip. He wanted so badly to absorb someone. He NEEDED it now. He had put it off for days, after he had fled his town, sure that he would be suspected of the murder. He had been so calm, he had refrained… but he could feel the strength he had stolen slowly fading away, leaving his body. He needed more.

But aside from the beastman, none of the other challengers were any stronger than he was regularly. The forbidden also required that the targets guard be lowered, so the path boss was out of the picture…

HIs fellow challengers were already up among the battlements, smashing the skeleton archers to pieces. Although their accuracy was scary, they weren’t as resilient in close combat. The path boss just sat above the gates, his feet dangling over the edge, almost directly over Zindaloo, watching it all happen.

He was watching his subordinates dispassionately, seemingly pondering something. He also glanced frequently at the battle between the yellow skeleton and the beastman, intrigued.

As silently as possible, Zindaloo drew his shurikens again.

***POV Change****

Gillette rubbed his chin. “And just like that, it’s 7 against 5. That was quite the ploy, path boss on the level of 64.”

But then Gillette’s gaze focused on Zindaloo. “...But I suspect it won’t be quite as easy as that.”

***POV Change***

As the shurikens were leaving Zindaloo’s hand, the path boss’ head swiveled around, locking gazes with him. “Ah, whip man. I’ve been looking for you.”

As it was speaking, it casually tilted its head to the side, the shurikens shooting past harmlessly. Zindaloo could hear his heart hammering in his ears, barely handling the rush of fear that came from the eye contact.

But what disturbed Zindaloo more was what followed.

Snap.

With a creak, the doors to the castle opened, revealing a tall, ghoulish creature with the body of a snake. Cradled in its hands was an orb of darkness. It raised the orb, letting it float into the sky. Suddenly, the light fell, going from twilight to pure night.

The path boss’ eyes burned yellow in the darkness as it turned towards the challengers on the ramparts, the group that had killed the skeleton archers.

“But I should let my dependable subordinates handle you; they called dibs. Don’t ever injure a ghoul without injuring, whip man. It neither forgives, nor forgets.”

The path boss streaked off towards the other challengers, and Zindaloo heard a slithering in the darkness behind him. He rolled forward, drawing his scimitar in a smooth motion. He adopted the water stance, weapon held above his head.

“Remember,” His master used to say, “You may not be as quick, or as strong, or have as impenetrable a defense…”

The ghoul slithered forward, lashing out with its claws. Zindaloo deflected the blows to the side, circling around, but the ghoul twisted and backed off a bit, fading into the darkness. Immediately, Zindaloo lowered the tip of the scimitar and danced on his toes, settling into air stance. He kept his gaze firmly ahead, letting his peripheral vision take over his entire perception.

“But you can see it! And you understand it. And when you understand it…”

The ghoul rushed forward, baring its crooked teeth.

“You can break it.”

Ducking under the tackle, Zindaloo slashed at the ghoul’s torso with a blade that flashed towards its target. But when it struck, it skittered off the strange dead skin that covered the ghouls body. Without missing a beat, Zindaloo bent his knees and shifted to earth stance, but the ghoul whipped its tail around and slammed it against him, sending him flying.

After smashing into the ground, Zindaloo stayed there for what seemed a long time. Tears formed in his eyes.

“It doesn’t matter, master.” He sat up, standing slowly.

A man in a dark alley, offering to help him. A face hidden in shadows.

“If I don’t have the strength, no matter how much you understand… It’s pointless!” Zindaloo jumped up, shifting into thunder stance. Then he threw himself towards the silhouette of the ghoul.

A secret too good to be true. Stealing the strength of another. But who? Who wouldn’t be missed? Who was just as invisible to the world as he was?

Zindaloo lashed out again and again, his blows consisting of the wild strength of desperation. He could hear the screams of other challengers as the path boss moved among them and slaughtered them. Even the tiger beastman’s shouts had become more pain than battlelust. And the constant, creeping fear…

The man’s smile in the darkness. “The betrayal is the bridge… and by using that, you make take the his strength.

The ghoul hissed, annoyed at the flurry of blows from Zindaloo, but still Zindaloo pressed forward, refusing stop. His body began trembling from the strain. His strength was almost gone. The gains he had received...have all but deserted him.

His master, his eyes wide. Stabbed in the back. The shame, but also the throbbing rush of power.

Switching to air stance, Zindaloo dodged passed the ghoul and slammed into a tall figure in the darkness, crossing his fingers.

“GRRAAA- oh, brother, hehe, sorry, in this darkness…”

The ghoul launched itself at Zindaloo’s back.

Zindaloo met the tiger beast man’s eyes as he slid his scimitar in between his ribs, piercing his heart. He opened his mouth, shocked. There was a moment of silence, and then all of a sudden Zindaloo was full of strength, his body swelling to be of a size of the beast man. Without breaking eye contact with the beast man, Zindaloo reached behind him and caught the ghoul by the neck.

He squeezed.

***POV Change***

-Kukuku

-This really isn’t a fair contest.

-I sorta consider it exercise.

I smashed a challenger’s collarbone in the darkness, driving her to her knees. Then I swept my sword along in a low arc, beheading her. Blood fountained upward for a moment, and I stared broodingly off into the distance.

-Oh stop it, no one can see you in this darkness anyways.

-Shut up, other me. The snapping thing was really cool, wasn’t it? Think they were scared?

-...And whose idea was that?

-Well, it’s unbecoming to bicker over-

I frowned. The darkness was dispersing. Unreliable subordinates at it again. Shaking my head, I leapt to the last of survivors on the battlements, shivering in the corner, already succumbing to my aura.

-Let’s start referring to it as our “charm”.

-Good idea, other me.

My charm had left the man trembling, his eyes rolling up to the back of his head, succumbing to my… charms. There was a little bit of frothiness emerging from his mouth.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, your skill has improved to “Aura of the Predator Lvl 3”. Your stats will slightly improve when opponents are under the effect of your aura. Area of effect is slightly larger.

-When my opponent is under the effects of my charm, my performance is improved. Related, it’s slightly larger.

-....Turn around.

Other me’s tone was serious. I slit the man’s throat, put off that other me hadn’t continued to play along. Whip man was standing in the center of the courtyard, almost embracing the tiger person. The yellow skeleton was almost completely shattered, barely able to stand. But Dead Snake…

“Hey.”

I leapt down from the battlements, practically teleporting over the intervening distance. He lay on the ground, his head lolling at a very unnatural angle. He was not moving. I was thinking about the cute way he couldn’t walk after he had become the snake thing he was now, rolling to get places. The way he got huffy when I brought a new minion. The way he complained about how the competition wasn’t fair. The way that he burped and played dumb when I woke up to find catman dead.

“Hey, you can’t just… Summon Lesser Dead! Reanimate this corpse!”

The corpse has already been reanimated. Structural damage to the body is too severe. The spark of life has departed, and thus it will return to dust.

...Are you fucking kidding me?

I touched Dead Snake’s strange scales. I lifted his spindly fingers and let them plop back on the ground. I looked into the eye sockets were a dull red ember usually burns.

This is…

The impression within me, which had become increasingly inactive, sighed.

‘Grief,’ it whispered.

Standing, I looked to Whip man, whose charms had also become slightly engorged recently. He was almost as tall as the yellow skeleton was in his kill mode, almost 3 meters. The tiger person had shrunk, transforming into a withered husk. As I watched, whip man removed the scimitar from the body, and turned to me.

“I took your advice,” He said offhandedly, sneering at me. “This time I just killed it. I wouldn’t want him to hold a grudge or anything.”

My eyes narrowed, and the air around me turned cold. “Then I suppose I have to bear it for him.”

At almost the same moment, we both moved, leaping towards one another. His scimitar lashed towards me, but, I saw glimmers of it moving before it even twitched. My eyes grew wide as my mind disengaged with conscious control of my body and I just swayed forward, relying on instinct.

I landed and spun pivoting on my heel to swing my shortsword towards his thigh, but suddenly the way that he was using his sword shifted, becoming small arc around his body, deflecting my blows. Snorting, I used my other hand to draw my cudgel and added it to the mix, alternating between high and low blows.

But he continued to use his strange motions to deflect all of my attacks, much to my annoyance.

Blinking, I lifted my right foot out of the way, and just in time, his whip snapped against the ground where my foot had been. Whip man blinked, and then gave me an appraising gaze. Without warning the way he wielded his sword changed, the small circles replaced with thrusts of varying quickness. I knocked his weapon to the side as best I could, gritting my teeth.

Suddenly I was very aware of how inexperienced I was at prolonged combat, especially with weapons. My fights thus far had been decided in an instant, a moment of primal confrontation in the wild. I had been fighting like an animal, against animals. Even my actions thus far in this fight had been more focused on breaking their spirit with powerful moves, asserting my dominance, and less focused on an extended confrontation.

-Well, I don’t think we are to blame. We are basically are two weeks old. Me even less than that.

-I don’t remember a life without you other me… and it’s a life I don’t want to remember!

-Now, now, don’t go raising death flags for yourself mid fight-

“Your greatest strength is also… a weakness. You are so talented in martial arts…” His scimitar smashed my cudgel to the side. My other hand thrust forward, striking like a snake towards his throat.

“That it seems as if your two arms are independent minds, controlled by different people. Their tempos are cooperative, but not exactly the same. And because of that…”

-I mean, they really are controlled by two different people.

-Technically not, I think. Until one of us starts wanting to be called by another name, I think we can safely claim we are one person.

-You call me other me all the time.

-You call ME other me! And I was the first me! I think.

-Still, we don’t need to tell him-

“If you push at the right moment,” His scimitar twirled around my thrusting sword and knocked it into the side, putting it between him and my cudgel, which paused, confused.

-Uh, other me, if you don’t block-

Like lighting, whip man struck out, slashing me in across the torso with his scimitar. I was sent tumbling back, a manageable cut in my shoulder opening. But my balance was lost, and he struck again and again, smashing me backwards, criss crossing my body with thin lines of blood. My skin withstood most of it, but it was slowly breaking down under the assault.

Still, most of the damage had healed by the time, several minutes later, he backed off, considering me.

“Your body is strong. Just a little bit stronger than mine, even. But without more martial arts training…. You are not my match.” Then whip man turned away and began walking towards the open doors.

As incredibly frustrating as it was… he was right. Whatever change had occurred within his body had made him much closer to me in physical abilities. And without a doubt, he was better at fighting with weapons than I was.

But my eyes locked in on the departing back. I would not let him leave so easily. My fingers danced, all 10 knives flying forward and piercing into his back. He stumbled, and then turned around, eyes furious and red.

“Do you not know the difference in our strength!” He bellowed, taking long strides towards me. “Why must you struggle? Even if I can’t kill you… I can incapacitate you.”

The whip lashed out. I danced to the side, but was met with a wide sweep of his scimitar, the force of hit jarring me. Before I had recovered, he had dropped his whip and reached through my guard, grabbing my left wrist.

Before I could even process what he was doing, his right arm had dropped the scimitar and flashed out, delivering a palm thrust to my sternum, and elbow to my chin, and another palm thrust to my nose.

I blinked away reflexive tears, but he was already yanking me and pulling me forward, twisting my arm around my back at an awkward angle. Then he put weight on my shoulder and pushed.

Pop.

My arm was spasming, the burning pain spreading throughout my body. He twisted me again, keeping me from getting my balance, and pulled my head towards his swiftly approaching knee.

A grin began to grow on my face as the taste of blood spread through my mouth, the fiery pain spiking from my shoulder.

More.

-You are turning into something of a masochist.

Before I could even respond to other me, the knee smashed the side of my face, and I felt my jaw crack and dislodge. Without giving me time to recover, he smashed again, rattling my brain.

It felt as if every nerve ending was buzzing. I was alive, and I savored the burn of it.

Tossing me on the ground, whip man turned and began walking away again. I struggled on the ground, attempting to push myself up, but just tumbling over because my right arm wouldn’t listen to my commands.

By the time he reached the doors to the main hall, I had managed it to my feet, but then I felt myself sliding to the left and I fell again, my sense of balance almost completely destroyed by one of the knees to the temple. I stood again, this time taking a few extra seconds to gather myself.

The buzzing was intensifying, a strange jittery energy that was agony and ecstasy.

“I prefer…” My words came out garbled through my broken jaw, and I imagined I was quite the sight with my jaw and right arm hanging limp and useless as I stumbled forward, barely managing to stay on my feet. “...the term adrenaline junkie.”

I hurried after him as fast as I could go, but by the time I reached him, he was ascending the steps to the portal above, only 10 meters away from escaping. At this point, I didn’t even care about my record, but what I cared about was revenge for Dead Snake.

But for some reason that buzzing gave me confidence. He was right, I was not as skilled at fighting as he was. I couldn’t deny that. But without a doubt, I was much more well equipped at being a predator than he ever would be.

“Hey, weakling!” He turned around slowly at my shout, glowering.

The first step was to teach them fear. Then to use it to drive them into a trap. And like all prey, what this man feared more than anything else is something that he doesn’t understand.

I raised my hand, fingers splayed in an imitation of Jerry, and grinned at him. “You will die here, whip man. Can you feel it coming?”

He opened his mouth, perhaps to retort, or laugh, but froze. I concentrated on him, barely managing it at this distance. His body trembled, struggling against it.

I wondered idly how it felt, to have the very air inside your body stick inside your mouth and lungs, refusing to move. The strange disbelief, followed by the immense pressure, and then the creeping fear that what I just said was right, that he would die here. The panic would set in then, and…

Yes, right about now he turns away from me as I collapse, my mana pool exhausted. But he doesn’t even notice. The fear locks the breath within him now, refusing to let it go until he stops for a moment to consider. But he cannot, he is too intent on his salvation: the portal.

And he doesn’t notice the skeleton archer hiding not 3 meters away from him, arrow knocked and bow raised, hiding in the shadow of a column.

The arrow shot forward, taking whip man in the eye, pressing through into his brain. He died before he hit the ground, and only the pressure on his torso from smashing into the stairs finally forces that breath from his constricted chest.

Grinning, I stand up and hobble over towards the dead body, intent on reanimating him and torturing him for as long as possible. But I’m distracted by the change in his body.

-Well, both bodies. That skeleton archer is changing too.

Fascinated, I watched as whip man’s body shrunk and withered, shrinking down from its larger size, and then further still from his normal size, until he looked just like a wizened old man.

The Skeleton Archer on the other hand grew a slight amount of height, and his bones shimmered and turned a deep maroon color. But the most noticeable change was that his bow grew to be as tall as he was, turning a glittering ruby. Each end of the bone morphed into a skull, and the entire thing grew spines, as if it was living.

-Ah, the birth of another dependable subordinate…

-Yes well, we keep letting them die, so the total number has stayed the same…

Notifications began to pop up.

Congratulations! After reaching level 8 and killing the user of the forbidden blood magic, the Skeleton Archer has evolved into a “Archer of the Blood”. This rare variant is part of an ancient skeleton lineage that spans back to the days of the first great Lich, Nartuk. Accuracy and damage inflicted by this minion has vastly improved. Due to the evolution, the growth rates of your minion have improved! Would you like to give your minion a name?

-I sorta am leaning towards something unexpected.

-No more Arnauld?

-Just look.

Congratulations! Turnip has been named. Due to your high Processing Power, Turnip has learned the archery skill “Rapid Fire”. Due to your high Processing Power, Turnip has learned the archery skill “Multishot”.Due to your high Processing Power, Turnip has learned the archery skill “Assassinate”. Due to your high Processing Power, Turnip has developed sentience. He will be able to lead lesser undead in battle. He will gain a small portion of the experience from their kills.

-That’s quite a few skills.

-A bit of dashing naming sense goes a long way. To think we were impressed when Dead Snake could make the sky go slightly darker.

-Truly, we were young and naive.

Congratulations! Due to your actions, you have earned the Title “Nurturer of Undead”: Although typically viewed with suspicion, you have shown your dedication to the growth and progress of the undead by assisting multiple to evolve into rare variants in the last week. Undead minions cannot become disloyal to you. Chances of an evolution or rare variant appearing among your undead minions has increased by 25%. Learned the skill “Unholy Bestowal Lvl 1”: You may bless selected undead servants, once per week. Your blessing will grant them traits or abilities based on your race. Due to the title “Raceless” your current Racial Growth Rate will be used instead.

-Well, it seems appropriate that he be the first to receive my blessing.

-True. Turnip may be a fresh harvest, but he did save the day.

-I’m not in love with it, but I like that we are moving towards puns.

I placed my hands on Turnip’s shoulders. “Unholy Bestowal!”

Turnips body trembled, beginning to clatter due to the increasingly violent shaking. His bones darkened further, settling on a color close to dried blood. Then, two large bone protuberances emerged from his back, spreading wide, stretching about 8 meters in diameter. Then they shifted, growing more portions, turning into skeletal wings. Turnips eyes grew bright and his jaw lowered. Small tufts of wispy white hair grew from his skull, falling across his face.

“I…” The voice was raspy and deep, but it emerged from Turnip’s open jaw.

“I…” The jaw closed, then opened again, his voice booming out. “I want to fly!”

Unholy Bestowal used! Turnip has received a great blessing based on the race “Carnivorous Dusk-Wing Owl”. Intelligence vastly increased. Ability to lead minions has grown. Ability to speak gained. Object permanence gained. Thoughts and emotions gained. Growth Rates for Dex and Wis greatly improved. Growth rates for other stats slight improved. Turnip has learned the skill “Eyes of the Owl”: range and detail of sight improve. Darkness doesn’t affect his gaze. Turnip has grown skeletal wings. Turnip has gained a deep desire to fly.

Turnip flapped his wings tentatively, and then with more confidence, ran to the stairs and jumped, beating his wings in powerful strokes. As he fell, unable to gain even the slightest bit of lift from his featherless wings, I admired the sharp points at the tips of the wings and the spikes running along them. They would undoubtedly be a powerful weapon if an enemy got close enough for a melee battle.

Smashing into the ground, Turnip remained there for several seconds. I could have sworn I heard a sniffling noise emerging from him. He stood, turning and glaring at me. He twisted his neck slightly, swishing his wispy little hairs across his face.

“THANKS FOR NOTHING.” Then he turned and stomped out of the room, furiously whispering to himself.

-Ah, they grow up and rebel so fast~

-But I thought undead couldn’t be disloyal? Why didn’t we get a skill that made manners mandatory…

***POV Change***

Gillette smiled at the screen ruefully. “A little unorthodox… but I like it.”

He picked up the phone and dialed a number. After a minute of ringing, the other end of the line picked up.

“Director? Hello, this is Gillette. I’d like to call in that favor you owe me. Yes, I’d like to promote someone two levels in today’s changes. What? No, not a challenger.”

Gillette’s lips twisted. “A path boss.”

*****

***POV Change***

After I had regained enough mana, I reanimated whip man’s corpse. The system warned me that his body had degraded and his strength would be severely reduced, but I did it anyway. I would make him pay for killing Dead Snake.

In his honor,

-Because you were hungry after fighting.

I ate the flesh from Dead Snake’s body. It’s what he would have wanted. I gave the bones to the Yellow skeleton, which was looking pretty fractured after his fight with the tiger person. Jerry finally managed to climb up out of dried moat by making hand holds with his disintegration, but I immediately sent him back down their to retrieve the bodies for flesh and bones.

-We should run a recycling center. Ain’t no waste here.

-What’s a recycling center?

-....Haven’t you talked to that impression of the past at all…?

Before I could ask about that, a slime popped into being next to me, wearing a shimmery yellow apron. “Congratulations!”

She looked… bigger. The voice was still Jen’s, but where she once was only to my waist, now she was about to my chest, and much wider. My frown deepened. And come to think of it, I even had an evolutionary leap, which should have made me grow taller. Why was she…?

She offered me an envelop. “Someone even intervened on your behalf! You are being promoted directly to the level of 16. Here is a 1000 tower bonus. And your daily salary is now 300 towers, and I’ll bring the rest to you in food. Well, err, I might have dipped into your new salary already, just a bit of celebration, but oh, dear me..”

Her tentacles jellied around, patting her body. “I seem to have misplaced it.”

....You clearly ate it.

-Are you really one to talk? Dead Snake hadn't been dead for 5 minutes before you came sniffing around.

I opened my mouth to ask about why I was promoted so fast, but Jen began trembling. Not in her normal, wind blowing on jelly way, but violently, pulsing. Then she rose up slowly, her body thining as she got taller, until she was my height. Then the slime of her body slowly reshaped itself into a human shaped face. The nose was a little large, her ears were slowly but steadily sliding down her face, but it had all the right features…

-It’s hideous. You aren’t even racially a human, anyway.

-Yes well… it’s sort of endearing…?

She opened the mouth and spoke. “Look… um… I’ve been practicing and uh… I really...”

I grabbed my right shoulder and shoved it back into its socket with a loud pop. Then I punched the underside of my jaw, settling it back into place. I turned back to Jen.

Her body flattened into a puddle. “Nevermind… I can see you are busy… I’ll just go…” She popped out of existence.

-Do you think she’s scared of injuries?

-She’s a slime, why would she be scared of that? It’s probably that you just left your “Charm” turned on casanova. I’m surprised she lasted that long.

After binding whip man with his own whip and summoning two Zombie Scavengers, I finally went to bed, exhausted.

*********Author's Note*********

Ohoho, y'all are finally caught up. Congratulations, and I'm sorry.

For those curious about release speed, on the word processor I'm using, the current chapters amounted to 95 pages. I started writing late Monday night, early Tuesday morning. Mon-Thurs is 4 days, so roughly 23 pages a day. That's an unsustainable pace, but it did help me deal with some stress.

I'm not going to make an guarantees on releases, but I am going to continue to write this for a while. I'm surprised how much I'm enjoying it. Releases will likely come in a batch, around this time every day, if I have any.

I've never shown my writings to strangers, so any comments, suggestions, and feedback is welcome.

Oh, and sorta expect the focus of each of the weeks to shift slightly. Some will likely be more combat oriented, others will be more comedy. I think coming up is a training arc, but I try not to plan too much to keep from stressing myself out~

I also suspect that some of the skill levels from status screens in days 7-13 are off, but who checks those anyways?

Thanks for reading.