Uggghhh... where... am I?

Why do I always find myself in situations where I white out and arrive at some unknown place?

As I slowly regain my sight, I can see myself locked in a cage of some sort.

Wow, it sure is dark in here. I'm not dead right? I mean, I'm still not lining in that "heaven" anyways.

Looking around, I cannot really make out my surroundings. All I can see is that I'm somewhere dark... and.. wow, that's a lot of boxes.. Am I kidnapped?

While thinking, I try to remember what happened before I fell unconscious. The last thing I remember was when I was trying to find a place to rest, I stepped on some kind of a magic circle I guess? And after that... after that.... Aaah screw it, I can't remember anything else after that.

But by seeing that I'm inside a cage, it must've meant that I was caught by someone.. or something?

Just when I was thinking of other possibilities why I am here, I suddenly heard a sound of.. something crawling?

The moment I heard that, the tension felt high and it's like my body is telling me that it's not safe.

Following my instincts, I immediately used [Camouflage] to try and hide myself.

A few seconds later, the "crawling" sounds stopped and instead, a door creaked open letting in light and revealing the silhouette of the one that opened it.

A woman's figure.

It would have been fine if only that's the case...

A woman's figure with the lower body of what looks like a Centipede's body.

A half Centipede monster? Not only its' aura is menacing, but also its appearance. It felt exactly like this during my last fight with the dwarf guy.

The monster approached where I was, but hopefully she won't notice since I'm probably invisible? As long as I won't move, she might not see me... probably... I can't do anything else, can I?

"Eh?.... Ah, It's probably like this... hmmm"

Her voice sounds... good? -Ahem! Anyways, she seems to not notice me, but it also seems like she's looking for something in a satchel on her waist.

"Ah found it!"

She then took something that looked like a monocle.. wait, a MONOCLE?! do-don't tell me... Shit!

"There you are! So you can do that huh.. hmmm, how curious.."

The moment she held the monocle on her one eye, her gaze automatically matches mine.

Shit, I never expected my [Camouflage] to be useless.. What do I do now? I'm out of options... Dammit.. Well, come to think of it, she's probably not planning to kill me right? If so, she could've did it while I was unconscious...

Damn, I've became paranoid ever since those humans tried to kill me... I should at least try to calm down...

Even when I was thinking a lot, she did nothing but to glare at me... Considering she ain't human, is she probably thinking of eating me?

"Oh... so fascinating... I could watch you all day..."

Uhh.. excuse me?

"Ah, can you perhaps speak? or roar? can you understand me?"

Even if I do speak, I doubt you can understand me though... anyways, won't hurt to try.. "Hello, I am a good boy"...

"Eh, such weird sound... So you're really not like the common beasts nor another kind of demonkin huh..."

Meh, see? of course you wouldn't understand.

"Hmm.. You seem to be intelligent though.. The longer I stare at your eyes, the more I can sense something like a soul within you.."

Well, that's something. heh.

"Hmmm.. I doubt it would work, but I should try it anyways... Ah, wait a bit for me, got it?"

With those words, she suddenly left the room.

What was that.. I can finally relax as the tension slowly disappears.

She seemed like a plain, normal girl in her 20's (well, not considering her lower part).. And yet, to have that presence... I really shouldn't try to fight against her.. yet..

*BAM*

With that, the room is yet again, filled with her presence. She hurriedly came towards me while holding something like a... belt?

"[Greater Stasis]"

Eh... I.. I can't move... what the hell?!

"Sorry, but it would be bad if you suddenly escape, no?"

As I am left helpless due to the paralysis that was apparently casted on me, she proceeded to put something like a collar on my neck.

At first, I thought it wouldn't fit since it was small, but it suddenly latched on my skin and started coiling around my neck.

[Magic Item equipped]

[skill [Monster Language (Ancient)] is on effect]

[skill [Monster Language (Ancient)] is overlapping with the skill [World's Language (lesser)] and racial skill [Opscurian] ]

[continuous use of the said Magic Item will cause assimilation of said skill]

"What? Ow--! that hurts!"

The moment the collar locked in place, a stinging pain reverberated in my head together with the appearance of these system notifications.

"Oh.. Ohh!!! You- You can talk! It worked!"

"Wh-what?"

"So this means, you are still classified as a monster and not part of the other races nor an artificial familiar... A new breed? A variant?"

"Ehh?! Excuse me? you can understand me?"

"Oh my! Even capable of saying complex structures of sentences. As I've thought you are a creature of high intellect. Usually, the orcs and trolls I've been keeping are only capable of saying single phrases.. Hmmm. so curious.. so much to research!"

This woman.. or monster.. It's like she's off to her own world as she continued to ignore me and started mumbling random stuff.

But seriously, because of this collar, she can understand me? For some reason it made me quite happy that there would be someone I could finally talk to.

I mean, having no one to talk with might make me crazy ya'know?

A few moments later, she seems to have finished her own monologue as she suddenly talked me again.

"So, let's start with this, can you introduce yourself? Where did you come from? What are you?"

"And why should I answer you?"

Heh, I've always wanted to try saying that.

Buuut, it seems like a bad decision as her smiling expression suddenly changed of that full with murderous intent.

"I-I'm sorry, I will answer your all questions"

"Good"

And with that, her expression shifted again to a gleeful one.

"First of all, I am... uh... I don't have a name"

Ehhh, It feels weird to have a japanese name in this world right? As much as I love my name, I also want to experience this fantasy world to the fullest.

"And uh, I am not from this planet"

"Planet? Is that what you call this continent?"

Eh? Is it that they have no knowledge about other planets?

"No, I mean, I from a place farther than the sun, moon and the stars you can see from here.."

"Impossible! I mean seriously? There is some place out there in the sky?!"

"Yes..."

"Ohh! How curious!"

"You... believe me?"

"One can never reach the greatest heights of knowledge when always filled with doubt!"

"O-oh..."

Well that was easy. I thought my setting wouldn't be accepted.. Ha! I might be good at this!

"And lastly, I am from a race called Opscuria"

"Hmm.. But you are clearly a monster."

"Eh?"

"That collar I put on you, It's a Magic Item I made that translates the monster language into the ancient language of monsters. You see, in the past, there used to be only a single language used by monsters. But as time passed, for some reason it was forgotten and monsters speak their own tongue depending on their species. And that Magic Item, only works on monsters."

Ugh.. well, when I created this body, it was indeed a monster classification from the roulette.

"Well, anyways, I won't pry much further. Just let me do some research about you... And probably do some experiments on you too."

"Eh... why?"

"Why? Because I caught you. Only the strong rules over the weak. That is the unspoken rule of monsters.. Unless, you want to escape by force?"

Well shit... Why am I always so unlucky in this world.. not like I was much more luckier in the past. But still!

Well, If she needs me for research, she'd need me to be alive right? Experimenting on a dead body would only narrow her findings... Given I'm the only one on my species, I'm an indispensable research material!

"Well, you shouldn't worry a lot. I will also provide you some few things.. You said you're not from this place right? I think you'd need information about this place."

"Okay..."

Not like I can demand anything... If I want to escape, the first thing I need to do is to get stronger...

.....

....

...

Several days... or months? have passed. I'm still inside this cage.

It isn't really all that bad here. Life is peaceful. I don't have to do anything.

I've been occasionally fed with meat.. I don't even know what meat I'm being fed since there's a variety of meats. Meh, not like I care.

All she does towards me is... stare at me..

While "researching" me, all she does is stare, and rarely, also asks me questions.

If I say so myself, my only complaint here is the boredom.

But, this might not be bad. And yeah, once in a while, she told me stuff about this world. It's actually useful, but most of it are about monsters. Seems like she really is passionate about studying monsters.

Last time, she when she introduced herself, I think my opinion of her became... slightly.. better?

***

" Ah yes-! My name is Vesia. I am part of an ancient species of monsters. Right now, I am dedicated in researching all about monsters!"

***

Just when I was thinking about her introduction, speaking of the devil...

*BAM!*

"Greetings monster friend! Today's experiment would be different~! [Greater Stasis]!"

And again, as I can't move, she puts the collar on me again. She does this every time she wants me to speak. While putting it, the same old system windows popped up and disappeared. This became common for me now.

"I've been wondering, You once said that you could only use skills right? Like spitting acid and turning invisible? If so, what if I teach you magic?"

"Uh... the thing is, I don't have mana."

"Yes, you've told me that, But! What if I told you, you can use magic that doesn't need mana?"

Eh? Really?! Can I... Finally use magic?!

"Eh. Really?"

Imma act slightly uninterested. Cuz I would look cool.

"Ugh, lame reaction. I know you want to learn some magic."

Dammit, this girl..

"Anyways, what I'm talking about is Magic Construction."

"What's that?"

From the sound of it, you can basically create magic? Isn't that cheating?

"It's the magic that I usually use, come! I shall show you an example! [Puppetry]!"

Eh? I can now move... or rather, I am forced to move?! Is she controlling me? Damn.. this girl is strong.. Anyways, is it what I am thinking? After a long time, I can finally see what's beyond my dark room?!

After I'm forced to move outside my room, what I saw was a giant room that seemed to be inside a cave... A various types of machinery and tools.. Even a lot of different kinds of monsters.. Some are in cages, and some are free to move around..

We stopped in front of a door. What awaited inside might be too much if I was still a human...

Humans.. about a dozen of them.. Tied on a rope, naked. I see a mixture of males and females.. I can't even differentiate the dead between the living among them...

Yes.. I almost forgot that she's a monster..

And yet, I don't feel a shed of sympathy towards them... Is this probably because of what the humans did to me in the past?

"Hmmm.. Ah, I'll pick you~"

She then went and grabbed a man. He looks dead, but no doubt he is still breathing.

I couldn't help but to be curious where she got all those humans.. Did she terrorize a village or something?

"Who are they? Where did you get them?"

"Hmm? The humans? Oh well, I get a lot of humans wanting to hunt and subjugate me, might as well make use of them right~?"

Hmm. Thought so, all monsters will always have the same fate.. To be hunted by the humans... That's why it is important to be strong...

After a few minutes of me follwing her, we arrived at the cave entrance. The familiar scene of the wetlands made me remember the moments just before I got captured.

"Here we are! Monster friend, I shall first tell you about my magic. I can do basic elemental magic, but I specialized in using my own custom magic.. I call it, [Grand Library]!"

The moment she says that, a huge magic circle shone where she is currently standing, and a lot of books suddenly projected like holograms in different colors appeared and floating around her.

"First of all, using Magic Construction, I can create magic using an existing magic as a base. I cannot create a non-existing magic using nothing as a base, but I can use several principles in some magic spells and combine them together. For example, this..."

She then took a book that was floating in front of her.

"Invoke! [Plague Series]!"

All of the other books went back to the magic circle and only the book she was holding remained.

"This is one of the hundreds of magic I have made. By combining the principles of Hex Magic, which is basically cursing the enemy, with various other magic... Let me show you."

With that, she tied the human at a distance away from us, and started demonstrating her magic...

"First spell, [Rubor]!"

After the spell was casted, the man started to become reddish... like he was a tomato or something.

"This spell is made by combining Hex Magic with various debuff spells. It's effects are to lower the opponent's status significantly. I've added spells that Slows him, Confuse him, and halves his strength and vitality. Now for the next one.. Second spell, [Calor]!"

And then suddenly, heat radiated from the man. I noticed that he opened his mouth, probably wanting to scream, but he cannot..

"Now, this is Hex Magic with the Elemental Magic [Heat Wave]. He should be feeling intense hotness swelling from his insides right now. Normally, he could've died already, but I gave him some magic items that preserves his body from death for a few minutes. Now, Third magic, [Dolor]!"

Suddenly, the facial expression of the man contorted into something that expresses intense pain... stronger than before.. It might be late to say this, but this torture... I just can't imagine how hellish is it to experience.. I'll remember not to cross against this woman.

"Now this one is unusual! I paired a part of a buff called [Extreme Senses] with Hex Magic. I only used the "Enhance sense of touch" part of that buff and I've also used the "x2 pain" effect from "Masochistic Defense". He is probably feeling so much pain that it might break his mind now~! Well, for the last but not the least, Fourth magic, [Tumor]!"

The man.. suddenly expanded.. It continued expanding until he is now thrice his usual size before finally exploding.. scattered like a lump of meat.

"The last one was Hex magic with Explosion Magic~! to be precise, a [Self-Destruct] spell. Well, that's all that I would show for now! Now my main point is, I could construct a magic spell for you using Nature Magic's property of "using the mana of the surroundings instead of the caster." and some other magic there is...."

As she continued to speak, I was still left speechless from the demonstration of her powers earlier... If that was me.. that.. torture... I don't want that kind of death...

"Well, those are just one of the hundreds of spell I've already made. And what's better, you can't find these anywhere else! After all, I'm the only one who can use Magic Construction!"

The way she said that with a smug face is kinda funny. She really is passionate with her research huh.. When she starts talking about it, it would seem to never end.

A few moments after, I just realized she started staring at me again... And then she grinned slightly before she opened her mouth again..

"Well, to be honest, aside from demonstration, I also did that to show you dominance... Now, do you realize that you have no chance against me? You have no choice but to serve me! Maybe I should make you my apprentice? I used to be a servant of a Demon Lord after all!"

Yeah, no doubt, my current self couldn't hold a candle against her...

wait.. Demon Lord?!

Aren't a Demon Lord something like a last boss or something? (well in games at least)

"Hu-huhh? Where is he now?"

"My ex-master? Oh, He's dead!"

"Oh.. I'm sorry about that then.."

"Ehh? Don't be! I killed him after all!"

Huh?! What the hell woman?! I've been together with someone that killed a Demon Lord all these time?

Good thing I never resisted then... I could've wasted my second chance in life earlier than expected.

And with that, the day ended with me thinking twice about my future actions, careful not to accidentally piss her off...