My heart was full of bubbling elation as I stared at 7 subordinated bats, which I ordered to align themselves like soldiers.

After playing around with my new ability for hours, I realized how charisma worked.

I really wasn't wrong to have chosen Noble Bat evolution path!

For every 10 points in charisma, I was allowed to gain 1 ally bat.

For having over 70 charisma, basically, any level, first realm bat wouldn't be able to resist me, while I had a high chance to gain lower level 2nd realm allies. It was relatively harder to gain level 6-10 realm 2 bats.

There were drawbacks, however. Charisma was a very unstable attribute to invest in. For losing 1st realm ally in battle, 1 charisma would be lost permanently, while losing the 2nd realm bat allied bat, I would lose 2 charisma and so on.

However, I would be acting as the boss of the allied bats, as I had a bloodline, while they didn't.

So technically, if my charisma was high enough, even if I was weak, I could still have a bunch of fierce bats as my guards, fighters and cannon fodders. They would do anything, really.

Going with the same logic, for having 100 charisma, I would be able to subordinate any 2nd realm bat, but going higher would become increasingly harder.

1-50 points in skill could be considered level 1, requiring 50 skill points for investment. 50-100 points were 2nd level, requiring 100 skill points for investment and so on. The skill points requirement doubled for every level.

Following this logic, to just raise a skill from level 8 to 9 would require 12800 skill points...so skill leveling wasn't all that simple in later levels.

How did I know all this? Genetic information was unlocked for every evolution! It seems the primordial ancestors have left it for their descendants, which was incredibly helpful.

After hanging around with my cousins, I tried my luck with many 2nd realm bats, though, it has to be noted, in the group of thousands upon thousands of bats, only a few dozens were in the second realm.

Out of a lot of them, many were level 1-5, which I could easily subordinate, however, I tried my luck with level 5+ ones.

I failed some, I gained some. In the end, my small gang consisted of 6 second-realm Level 5 bats and 1 second-realm level 7 bat!

It has to be noted, evolution leads to different variations, so abilities and stats of my allied bats varied.

I specifically chose them, hehe. Level 5 ones were sonic bats, all of them!

Not only was their agility superior, but they also had a skill called ''sonic shriek,'' which was a soundwave skill, that had varying effects.

If the enemy had insufficient willpower to resist it, they would either feel disoriented or stunned and even bleed from 7 orifices in severe cases. It all depended on my bats' sonic shriek skill level and the enemy's willpower.

Why I chose almost all of them to be sonic bats, was related to the last, level 7 tremor bat, which had a skill called ''resonance,'' which could work in a way, where sound wave attacks of my sonic bats would overlap and be amplified.

This, as a result, would create a very strong effect, where at a minimum, even 3rd realm enemies would be stunned for several seconds at least, though, I haven't tried it and not going to do something so risky if I'm not forced to, really.

Anyways, with a bunch of fierce bodyguards like that, my leveling speed would skyrocket, though, I wasn't used to this new fighting style yet.

Since I was weak, I always hid and fought weaker monsters, while hiding in the dark most of the time. Now that I was coming out in the light, I felt a little bit uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, my body was no longer dark colored, so I was unfit for sneaking around anymore. It couldn't be helped.

I was privileged to see the full status of my subordinates, along with one special attribute - ''familiarity,'' which determined their attitude.

For 1-20 points in familiarity, the bat would not become a subordinate.

As for those, which became subordinates, according to their familiarity level, they were given labels. 20-40 points - Follower. 40-60 points - Devoted. 60-80 points - Faithful. 80-100 points - Reverent.

Giving unreasonable orders or losing allies would most likely drop familiarity points, while successful hunts would increase it. Everything was so simple and convenient.

Hehe, my soldiers, let's go hunt!

* * *

*Screech~

The disturbing screeching sound rang, which was followed by gremlins' miserable howl.

+1% Exp

The best thing about charisma and subordinates was shared Exp!

The bats dived down and clawed mini humanoid monsters. I stared down at the bloody massacre with excitement. My heart was beating like a drum. I never knew this feeling of power...no, control could be THIS addicting.

Haha, they're massacring a group of monsters I'd have a very hard time facing head-on. Not only that, but I am commanding them!

Oh no, this feeling is dangerous. Weren't corrupt officials and generally 'bad people' ruined by such emotions?

Well...I have my bottom line, as for this much...affordable, indeed, for I...am a monster! Hahahahahaha~

*Swish

As I let my guard down momentarily, my body instinctively felt danger. With a swift motion of my body, I barely dodged something coming my way...no, I only dodged half of it!

< -1.5 < -0.3 < -0.3

...

Aaaaah! I'm on fire! What the heck is this?!

My brain reacted fast as I quickly put 0.3 stat points into tenacity, which represented the magical defense. Soon, blue flames consuming my body extinguished.

Whew! That was dangerous. My wing almost got burnt. Thankfully, after evolving, it's no longer that fickle.

Where did the attack come from?!

I raged in my mind as it was the first time I was caught in such predicament.

Heightening my perception, I quickly found the source.

What the fuck is this thing?!

From the shadows, the black-robed skeleton with creepy white hair emerged like a mirage. Wait, how's the hair attached to its skull? Uh, that's not the prioritizing question...

How's the skeleton alive in the first place?! It's a magical world and everything, but man is that creepy.

Angered by the sneak attack, I quickly ordered my guys to leave the gremlins alone and surround me. We'll take this thing down. But, right, first - appraisal!

???, The Accursed Realm: 3rd Level: ?? HP: ??/??

...Oh shit!