∼ Day 9 ∼

I do realize that there must be many more things I can learn about the sanguine plague. But for now, I've acquired the knowledge I needed, and now I must capitalize on it.

For all the days since coming here, I've not had any place to properly stay. I've wingin' it as I went, lucky not to stumble into any other big tree-dwellers in the glades or the rocky hills since they were apparently none.

There was only that one time at the swamps where I found those komodo-chameleon things, which made me extremely uneasy to find rest there.

While now that I've become somewhat of an apex predator amongst the outer reaches of the rocky hills and most of the glades, I still need a place where I can properly stay.

Looking back at the green-skinned fellow behind me, I ponder my thoughts.

While I do have my grievances with Bob and his previous leg-biting, I honestly don't care anymore.

Bob is the first creature I've dominated with my blood plague skill, and I believe he could possibly become an asset for me.

C'mon Bob, let's get outta here. I have something interesting in mind for you.

Just before leaving, I turn to Bob again.

"Bob, go finish off the rest" - Me

While I could give Bob commands with my mind, just by willing it. But found it more comfortable to speak when telepathy wasn't needed.

Promptly and without hesitation, Bob walked over and picked up the sharp rock which had been dropped by the previous dead goblin subject.

Without any further ceremony, Bob executed the remaining test subjects.

[8 Goblins have been slain by another under your control!]

[You have been rewarded with the split 121 points of EXP]

Wondering how the EXP was split among Bob and me, I appraise Bob.

-Appraisal!-

Appraisal - Goblin

Information Attributes

Traits. Titles. and Skills -Name- "???" STR 5 Skills 4 -Race- Goblin VIT 4 Traits 2 -Sex- Male AGI 5 Titles 0 -Rank- H- DEX 4 Resistances

-Level- 5/10 INT 5 Health 30/30 CHR 1 Physical Resistance 3 Stamina 12/13 WILL 2 Magical Resistance 0.084 Mana 0/0 MAG 0.01 Mental Resistance 1 Afflicted - (Domination)

Hmm, not even a single level-up?

I know that the EXP I now get from goblins are severely reduced. But the EXP he gains should be more since they're on the same power level of himself.

How EXP is rewarded and calculated is something I've yet to fully figure out.

I do know that EXP is only rewarded to the one dealing the killing blow to a creature, mostly from me damaging a creature and them something else kills it while I gain nothing.

But something suspicious has been nagging the back of my mind for a long time.

While I most definitely didn't have it easy getting this far with death's door being a hair-length away at all times, I've been growing so damn fast.

I do have to credit my extremely powerful traits and skills. But if it was that easy to grow in power by just killing and grinding, wouldn't this world have been already overrun by some absolutely terrifying monsters?

Looking back at my limit breaker trait, I wonder just how much it's doing for me.

-Limit breaker- A unique trait that allows the user to be unhindered by the limitations of levels, evolutions, and skills.

Unhindered by the limitations of levels, evolutions, and skills.

The limitations mentioned in the here, are they the ones keeping all the creatures of this world in check?

Could it be that the amount of EXP I get is much more or different in some way to other inhabitants of this world?

Recalling the goblin chief at level 10, I wonder if his reasoning for not evolving when he had reached the level cap, might have something to do with another limitation that hindered him in doing so.

While I can not be sure, these are the most logical and reasonable answers to my speculations.

I should most definitely not neglect the importance of the limit breaker trait if that is truly the case.

Stopping myself from wandering any further in that direction, I glance at Bob's status once more before closing it.

Oh, it would seem that his name hasn't changed to Bob either, I'm most likely not powerful or influential enough to do so yet.

I do remember the system explaining how names for monsters worked in this world, so I wonder just how powerful and influential are we talking?

Done ruminating my thoughts, I call Bob to follow me.

Outside of the rancid-smelling goblin den, I smile in the delight as the sweet morning breeze hits me.

I was a bit worried I might permanently damage my ability to smell if I stayed any longer in there.

Looking at Bob to see what he thought, I began wondering just how much intelligence is left in there.

On his status, it seemed that his intelligence was unaffected.

Hmm, I wonder. Can I return him to consciousness?

Currently, Bob is just a mindless puppet that can follow basic commands.

But If has to become a valuable asset in the future, I need him to be more than that.

Approaching Bob, I inspected our connection closely with my mind's eye.

Spending a minute or two, I find something interesting in the connection. Embedded within the bridge I've formed between me and Bob, I see what I believe to be a stream of consciousness.

Around the stream of consciousness is something similar to a pressure holding it firmly together in a vice-like grip.

Intrigued, I try and slowly lessen that pressure.

Keeping an eye on Bob as I did, I notice his blank stare become more and more alive again.

Completely removing the pressure, I take a step back and look at the now confused-looking goblin.

Focussing on me, Bob's eyes suddenly became wide with realization.

About to scream out and turn tail, I willed him in place.

Stopping any movements, Bob simply stared at me in horror.

But while I had willed him to not move, I was surprised at a minor strain on the connection between me and Bob as if he was fighting my command.

It would seem that if I don't have his consciousness suppressed completely, he can somewhat fight my influence.

Luckily, Bob was nowhere near being able to actually combat my influence.

Before things got any more out of hand, I tried to appease Bob's raging emotions of fear and terror.

Touching upon our mental connection, I radiated a feeling of safety, to signal I wouldn't hurt him.

Surprised at how fast his emotions eased up, I released my hold on him.

Standing there and just looking at me a bit warily, I became even more surprised at the voice suddenly in my head.

"Who?" - ???

Well, it wasn't actually a voice. But more like a stream of thought that simply implied the intent of the message.

It would seem that Bob and I can communicate like this. It also means that no there would be no language barrier between us, the only thing was that I could feel that the intelligence of the message of which it was given was somewhat like that of a child's.

That would make sense since he only has an intelligence of five points.

Before replying, I thought about what I should say.

"I am your new master" - Me

"M-asta?" - Bob

He asked with a bit of a weird way of pronouncing it, even though it was just a stream of thought.

"Hmm, a master is like a chieftain." - Me

"CHIEFTAIN?!" - Bob

I was surprised at Bob's sudden mental outburst but even more surprised at what Bob did next.

Throwing himself on the ground, he laid on both his knees and dared not look me in the eyes.

Sighing, I stared at the goblin who almost seemed to fear me like a god.

While only saying that I was a chieftain, he simply treats me like one without hesitation.

It may have something to do with my grasp over him. But it was still amazing to see the low intelligence of goblins even though this one was quite a bit smarter than the rest.

It could also have something to do with the instinctive nature of greenskins.

From the stories I know back from Earth, I remember greenskins to value strength and power above everything else. So me just being this powerful was enough for him to readily accept my ownership over him.

"Get up, from now on, I will call you Bob" - Me

"Yes-yes, me Bob. Bob fank m-m-asta." - Bob

I was somewhat surprised at how easily Bob accepted the idea of a name even though he had lived without one for all this time. But I just ignored it was motioned him to follow me as we needed to move on from this den.

But suddenly before departing, I hear in the distance a clatter of voices.

Oh, it would seem that a hunting party returned.

Looking at the nervous-looking Bob fiddling with a piece of ragged cloth hiding his genitals, I get an idea.

"Bob, we have company" - Me

"M-asta?" - Bob

"Kill, and I will reward" - Me

Instantly, greed and excitement filled Bob's eyes.