I built Mimi’s grave quickly.

Not because of the Kami’s conquest mission, but out of my delayed obligation; this task should have been completed long ago. Because the central axis of this life had become my new ‘siblings’, I knew almost intuitively that I needed to pour a little effort toward my sister of the past.

Sculpting with tentacles, each brick of mud turned into a perfect, heavy stone.

Mimi, who had taught me all the lessons I needed, although she waited patiently even as I forgot those lessons as I adapted to the present.

Two square bricks as a base, one in the middle and one atop of those for some extra height. Then I returned to the beach and brought back some mud to sculpt a little monolith on top. For the first time in a while, I felt genuine thankfulness my squirrel hands had evolved into such a human shape.

Still, I hope this project is graded on effort, rather than artistic acumen.

I scratched her name onto the mud bricks, not her childhood nickname but her full name. After I finished, I moved back and looked at what I had constructed. Compared to the magically altered temple, the grave was undeniably shabby. Yet I kept my chin held high.

I pressed two tentacles together, with two squirrel hands together under that, and bowed my head. I hope you are resting in peace, Mimi. More than anyone else, you deserve it.

Wind rustled the nearby reeds, setting the whole surrounding land to singing a hushed song for the departed. The ache of my grief didn’t vanish, but I felt like the whole of the surroundings shared it, for a brief time. And because of that, the burden was a bit more manageable.

As the world moved around me, I felt like I could see Mimi. She grinned at me and used both of her hands to wave. My jelly trembled. Because seeing her, I had an epiphany. In this life, and in my previous one, choices didn’t appear in binaries: live without regrets and live with them.

Mimi had taken the straight path in her schooling and career, but my sister had ridden on laughter and kindness in a way I had never seen from anyone else. Her choices could be considered ‘boring’ if you just watched her journey; but if you watched her heart, she had been dancing the entire time.

“There are many ways to live,” I hummed.

Choices might be presented simply, but the world was vast. We moved in ways that could produce divergent shades at any time. Even if I chose to live without regrets, there were worse or better ways to go about that. And the plethora of options available to me helped me grasp a bit of clarity.

I, as a Chimera Core, did not select between hanging onto human ideals or embracing monster ones.

I could not burn with joy like Mimi had, but I could still be Tallum.

I lived in the moment. And in each moment, there would be me, my capabilities, and the context of the situation. Even if I was no longer a human, I had made a grave with my newly discovered (albeit shabby) construction abilities. I had made a choice, based on what I could do and what I wanted to do.

That seed of resolve sprouted, sending roots into my jello. Even during this conquest… so long as I have enough capabilities, I suspect I can make a choice that I will not regret.

“You have made a grave,” Violala observed. “A human tradition. I have heard about these stone memorials, but never seen one.”

“Are there no humans nearby?” I asked, glad for a relatively normal conversation topic. I did not want this Venom Mantis to be aware of how many tremors still ran through my jelly core.

Violala shook her insectoid head. “No. I have heard stories from the Matriarch that occasionally larger groups have moved through, heading to the hills far to the East. Even more rarely, a single human will pass through the wetlands, seeking a particular goal or fleeing from others of its kind. But the Matriarch also says that as the magic of the Kamis waned, fewer and fewer humans bothered to come out this way; it was the magic of the Kamis that enhanced the land and lured the humans out of the safety of their cities.”

I executed a slow blink. The machinery in the back of my head stirred, connecting the dots. “So… now that the Kamis are awakening… humans-”

“Isn’t it exciting?” Violala practically chirped. “Perhaps soon, the number of enemies around us will increase!”

Anthropological note: Side effect of monster philosophy is poor self-preservation instincts…

Sir Tallum! Famed reported, Gotcha Gacha here. Question: is this simply Western bias? You’ve joined a long line of anthropologists who claim to have ‘immersed’ themselves in another culture, yet they return only with judgments! Did you even give the flesh-eating monsters a chance?

Ah, imagination, your realism sometimes makes me realize how much of a farce the modern world has become…

Before we departed, I clapped my hands together and bowed in front of Mimi’s grave one more time. Even though my eyes focused elsewhere, my energy sonar made me very aware that the fingers were executing their subconscious hand seals again. For a moment I felt frustrated, but then I remembered the way Mimi would laugh when I did something ridiculous.

Rest in peace, Mimi. I might wear the form of a monster-

Your Skill (Earned) Body Manipulation has grown to Level 25(+4).

…But I’m still your brother, no matter what. I’ll make you proud.

Your Skill (Earned) Mutinous Grit has grown to Level 8.

System, why are you always so weird about these Level Up timings…?

I shook myself; time to get to work.

In a shockingly non-murder-y manner, Violala followed me back to the stump. Sage and Nightshade were waiting there. Both straightened immediately, excitement clear in their body language. Sage’s tails flicked back and forth. The half dozen squirrel heads on Nightshade’s right arm worked their jaws soundless.

“Alright,” I released a long breath. “Let’s go investigate the forest.”

I felt conflicted about invading. But I also knew the fae squirrels living there would have none of the same qualms when their Kami had fully awakened. Violence and conflict were simply a part of the monster lifestyle. My human heart had hesitations… but I would need to go to the forest and gather information before I would be able to think of a solution.

The first step is always understanding. Well, I guess before understanding is witnessing… Actually, before that turns out to be marching through a wetlands-

Hah, okay, I’ll refrain from trying to sound wise in the future.

“Let’s paint the bark red with the blood of those who would stand before us,” Nightshade chuckled. “We will shatter their petty magics and their pride in one fell swoop. Those pathetic corpses… aside from fueling our engine of dominion, they have no purpose in life.”

Before I could try and figure out a response, Sage shot Nightshade a dismissive glance. “Are you not aware how clear it is you are overcompensating? An inauthentic self is most unattractive, brother.”

Certainly, these two bicker like siblings… I used a tentacle to scratch my cheek. I felt relatively confident about this expedition, just because of how well we work together… uwah, their attitudes toward each other mean I’m almost looking forward to when the fighting starts.

Wait, isn’t this dangerous?! It’s exactly weird situations like this that weaken my human sanity!

Stolen novel; please report.

Nightshade growled but pivoted from Sage to me. “So, brother. I assume you shall handle the reins of leadership on this expedition.”

“Failure will not be tolerated,” Sage cut in with a sharp tone, but she simultaneously nodded. “Obviously, Tallum will lead us.”

“Actually,” I cleared my throat. I felt very out of my depth and was hyper aware of the sharpened foreleg lurking behind my back. Shifting to the side of my turtle legs, I gestured to the slight form of the Venom Mantis High Leader. “I believe Lady Violala should take command of this expedition.”

In my mind, I felt the grand cog of my machine clang forward a single metal tooth. Truthfully, those ambushes still made me nervous. But Violala had also demonstrated a profound sense of responsibility. If given the mantle of leadership, I believed she would not violate her duty. She had defaulted many times to ambushes, but also she straightforwardly tried to earn my goodwill by carrying a brick.

Honestly, it had worked.

Plus…

I already had a bad habit of thinking too much during combat. I didn’t need more of a reason to indulge that choice. Managing just my own actions sometimes proved my limit. And fighting up front with my fellow Chimera Cores filled me with confidence.

To my surprise, Sage and Nightshade just gave me a single look before nodding.

“Agreed, little brother.”

“How wise, Tallum.”

Their quick acceptance took me aback; Violala seemed to share my confusion because she tilted her head to the side. “I do not rightly understand your capabilities. I believe-”

“Then you had better learn quickly, little bug,” Sage smirked and then turned away. Her tails coiled beneath her body and she launched herself into a powerful leap across the wetlands. In the next moment, Nightshade followed. Belatedly, I felt a hum from both of their jelly cores.

Ah, it suddenly became some sort of sibling hazing game. Should I be proud of how quickly we closed ranks, or worried by how cruel Sage can be toward outsiders…?

Either way, I was unwilling to give Violala an opening for another ambush. To get back in line with the group, I activated Inferior Adrenaline Rush. Jittery energy flooded my body. I galloped forward on my tortoise legs, splashing mud in every direction.

Your Skill (Temp) Inferior Adrenaline Rush has grown to Level 12.

Your Skill (Temp) Inferior Adrenaline Rush has grown to Level 13.

To my surprise, my body almost over-compensated for my siblings' initial head start. I quickly bypassed Nightshade, hopped over a few puddles, steamrolled through a thicket of reeds, and was only just behind Sage as she landed from her third leap.

She flashed me a grin. “Heh, today’s going to be a fun day, eh brother? Nothing relieves stress like stretching our limbs.”

Then she blasted away, her competitive spirit revealing itself. Her skin glittered in the warm sunlight. In addition… her powerful launch covered me with a wave of mud. I kept my head down, ignoring the muck; after all, I already felt the tugging sluggishness that would come in the wake of the Inferior Adrenaline Rush.

Despite its capriciousness, the System doesn’t name its Skills casually… My tortoise legs churned beneath me, squelching through the mud. Tentacles flicked out and scraped dirt off my limbs. I didn’t have normal musculature, but the aftereffects of the Skill felt quite a lot like muscle aches.

I ignored them as best I could and kept charging forward. Sage cackled in the sky, executing lovely spirals that caused her serpent tails to flash and shimmer.

As we proceeded forward, my Detection Skill pinged a few times. I saw serpent heads poking up out of the reeds as well as a few birds disturbed by our passage. But whether it was our Levels or Sage’s loud merriment, no monsters tried to block our path.

That is until a monster was foolish enough to erupt out of the ground right after Sage landed on its head. It unleashed a bellow of confused rage and wheeled around. It had a squat body (still probably double the size of a Chimera Core) and armored plates running from the crown of its head down to its tail.

Wetland Armadillo Bruiser Lvl 15

“Oh? Well what do we have here?” Almost lazily, Sage twirled in the air to execute a graceful landing on a nearby dry patch. “What a surprise. I didn’t even see you there~”

Sage, no one believes you. You definitely antagonized this monster on purpose.

“Leader,” Sage continued, still in a light voice. “Look, it’s our first enemy. How shall we deal with this?”

I felt the ache of the Adrenaline Rush activation making me slightly groggy, but I slowed and shifted my focus to my energy sonar behind me; I had actually been so fixated on keeping up with Sage I let the situation behind me slip from my mind. To my surprise (perhaps annoyance), Nightshade was only a short distance behind me. Behind him, Violala flew forward, her glistening wings buzzing too fast for my senses to follow.

The praying mantis alighted on the ground between Nightshade and I. For several seconds, she said nothing. Only with my energy sonar could I observe that her body was trembling lightly. With a movement that obviously took a great deal of effort, she raised her serrated foreleg and gestured weakly.

…She’s a sprinter, not a long-distance runner. Do normal monsters have a resource like Stamina? Maybe Chimera Cores are more broken than I thought.

Sage sounded so smug I almost felt bad for Violala. “Such an inspiring flourish of leadership. However, we can handle this ourselves. Why don’t you just sit back and watch? Observe our capabilities, from an appropriate distance.”

The Armadillo Bruiser bellowed and charged toward Sage; apparently, it didn’t appreciate her gloating tone, even if it was directed at Violala. As it spread out its arms, I realized how heavy and muscular each limb had to be to manipulate its armored body. While not of the size of the tortoise I had killed, its segmented armor seemed much more useful than the heavy shell.

Despite the danger, I felt my instincts stir. I hungered for its Anima. And for a chance to harvest its body parts.

By observing the present, I can plot steps into my chosen future.

…or am I suddenly rationalizing my acceptance of monstrous impulses…?

Right before she was going to be crushed, Sage tumbled gracefully to the side. Nightshade and I were already moving, rushing toward the monster’s back. As it pivoted around, Nightshade slithered his muscular body to the left. So when it finished its rotation its beady little eyes fixed on me.

Alright Kami. I didn’t test this before. But… how useful is this new Blessing?

I activated Spray Mud.

Your Skill (Earned) Mana Sensitivity has grown to Level 23.

Immediately, I felt something different about the way the energy moved through my body as the Blessing activated. But the sensation was so confusing that by the time I had noticed the difference, it had faded. I noted that compared to my first Blessing, this one only required 5 Mana to activate.

Due to unique actions, your Blessing Spray Mud has gained +8 proficiency!

A Mundane achievement: For Earning and activating a Second Blessing, +5 Max Health and Max Mana!

A fist (a squirrel fist) )-sized glob of mud appeared in a shimmering wave of energy. Then it launched itself from my center of mass and slammed into the Armadillo’s open mouth. Its primal bellow became a choked retch.

We stared at each other for a long second. Those beady eyes began to bulge as the monster gargled mud.

Sage slammed into the back of its head. Her weight hunched the Armadillo down and she used her tails to kick its head down into a muddy puddle. The Armadillo shifted its arms forward and pried itself up. It used its left hand to wipe away mud from its face, giving me a small blindspot; My Blood-Soaked Left Fang stabbed into the unarmored joint of its right shoulder.

My tentacle functioned as a tongue as I lapped up the hemoglobin.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +19.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +24.

Your Skill (Temp) Mana Feed has triggered! Restoring 17 Health and 8 Mana over the next 30 seconds.

Your Skill (Temp) Mana Feed has grown to Level 18.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +21.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +20.

Perhaps sensing the danger that my absorption posed, the Armadillo flailed wildly. Because of our comparable Level, the glee of my instincts didn’t render me senseless in pleasure. I could disengage and avoid the blows. The Armadillo backed away, hunching over to protect its vulnerable belly.

Sage struck again, impacting the ground next to the Armadillo rather than crashing into it directly. Her tails slithered underneath its arm and she heaved, her many tails bulging with the strain. The Armadillo stumbled back, lifting its body slightly.

And then Nightshade was there, swinging the squirrel-head arm of his. The gap provided by Sage was just enough for it to slip through. The tall arm, covered with five chittering squirrel heads, slapped up against the Armadillo’s soft midsection.

At once, all those heads began to bite.

Everytime I see it, that club of an arm looks even more horrifying…

The Wetland Armadillo Bruiser began to scream. It panicked and flailed, desperate to get away from Nightshade’s vicious mouths. Sage and I glided forward and struck at the weak points between its armor. She lashed out with the Tortoise tail I had given her, I stabbed with the fang she had given me.

Typical fantasy sibling bonding, I guess?

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +17.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +15.

Your Skill (Species) Absorb Anima has grown to Level 35.

In the end, it received too many wounds too quickly-- shallow water had turned murky with Armadillo blood. It experienced one last surge of fury, bellowing out a horrible cry of suffering before charging forward.

Nightshade’s limbs exploded in size and he slammed into the weakened Armadillo to slow it down. I drove my fang deep into its thigh to prevent another surge.

Then Sage landed on its back, wrapped her tails around its head, and snapped the poor monster’s neck.

You have assisted in slaying a Wetland Armadillo Bruiser Lvl 15. You have Leveled Up! Health +5, Mana +3, Free Stat +1.

Your Free Stat has been distributed to your only non-(Temp) Stat: Wisdom.

“So,” Sage spoke cheerily as she walked down the armored ‘path’ from broken neck to the Armadillo’s tail. From the way she started breaking the armored plates, she clearly intended to rip it off. She only took a few seconds to snap the bones and wave the appendage at Violala. “Learn anything?”