As I walked slowly through the reeds toward the spiderling web area of the wetlands, I looked at my Status Screen with a discerning eye. First, the pleasure I felt now having three non-(Temp) Stats was palpable. Although I wouldn’t have chosen them myself, I, Tallum, lived in the present. So I could see that my most efficient current development route would be as a Poison Mage.

If only my Blessing would let me throw poison… I clicked my tongue, but kept my thoughts relatively clean; I already had a headache from having a spike of emerald energy being driving through my soul. Drawing the Kami’s ire right now would be not at all leisurely.

Seeing all the Skill Levels I had earned through the painful process did a lot to evaporate the remnant aches in my body. Plus, the random bonuses I got to Poise helped be feel recovered after a short amount of time.

“But most importantly…”

My gaze sharpened to one particular arrangement in my Status Screen.

[Redacted I]

-[Stained Fang of the Pestilence Count- Attack +5, Poise +2, Insight +2, Virulence +8]

-[Bitter Heart of the (*) Bog Heron- +2 Agility, +4 Constitution, +7 Poise, and +8 Virulence]

-[Mysterious Sac of the Pestilence Count- +6 Recovery and +8 Virulence]

Could the secret waiting behind the Second Growth Threshold… be a method of ‘anchoring’ body parts together? My imagination churned through the possibilities. Heheh, I already have incorporated a pair of wings and an entire spine… if associated body parts can be combined and take up only one slot…

Won’t I soon be a delightful mature Chimera?!

…wait, why does this monstrous restructuring fill me will such joy…?

Ah, Tallum, the sins of fantasy-flesh have proven too much for your mortal psyche. What happened to your Leisure?!

But while the imagination portion was fun, a more rigorous consideration soon crushed my dreams. How could this secret be related to body parts? As far as I could tell, it was a System that affected all monsters, not just Chimera Cores.

Clearly, the association between things mattered-- I even received a Stat with one of those [Redacted] designations. But for the moment, the details were beyond me.

“I’ll just Level and find out,” I nodded to myself. I felt like I was on the right path. I thought about the pulsing energy of Old Oak being remade. I recalled the surging power of the land. The glimmering secrets contained within my and my siblings' animating arrays.

Are you watching, Mimi? It’s different this time. The ripples I create… In this life, they are a force of positive change?

My mind drifted back to the return journey from Nightshade’s duel with the Corrupted Bog Heron. Tsk… now if I could figure out what bastard is poisoning corpses around our wetlands, ruining the reputation of us virtuous Chimera Cores.

Did something else really escape from Raccain’s Tower…?

I used my sleek new extended fang arm to push aside the reeds and stepped out next to the spiderlings area. While I had been out spreading the influence of our duck Kami, the spiderlings had been busy.

I was at least happy to see that the area covered by the dense network of threads above the sluggish waterways had been tapered back. My sense of size was slightly warped due to my smaller size, but the spider-space had become simply ‘large’ rather than ‘it doesn’t appear to end’’.

A passing breeze ruffled the whole of the structure, which had also been extended upward. A procession of spiderlings marched out in tight formation to herald my arrival. I cannot deny it was slightly flattering. A full fifty of the little monsters stopped at the same time and offered me a bow.

I coughed lightly; it wouldn’t do to become too enthralled with this. “You have news?”

A small spiderling skittered forward and waved its forelegs. It wanted to know if I wanted the good news or the bad news first.

Considering I’m still in a bit of pain… “The good news, please.”

The spiderlings led me around the edge of their web zone. The group at the front cleanly parted, forming two lines. They raised their forelegs and pointed proudly to the edge of their web zone. I glanced at the target and frowned; from just a glance, I could tell we were on the downstream side of their structure. Water filtered slowly through the web. And in that water…

“What’s this?” I stretched out a tentacle and plucked up some brown filth that clustered around the nearby reeds.

Your Skill (Earned) Body Manipulation has grown to Level 25(+11).

Your Skill (Earned) Mana Sensitivity has grown to Level 25(+22).

The gunk… smelled, for lack of a better term, in my energy sonar. Not with a scent, although looking at the gunk, I couldn’t be sure whether it didn’t smell. It certainly looked like a clumpy cousin of mud.

It did give off the vague impression of Mana. Looking at it with the benefit of the System provided… almost less information.

Energy Rich Muck: Through filtration, most of the active energies have been removed. Polarization has occurred. What remains are pockets of vital force. Easily harvestable. Useful as fertilizer.

The spiderlings continued to explain about how they had discovered this substance, just as the other spiderlings returned with the four saplings from Old Oak’s forest. They had used some of this muck to line the plantings and already, the saplings were adapting well to their new locations.

“How… nice.” I said. Then my expression darkened. It seems my farming pursuits would receive a boost with this energy muck, but calling this good news seemed a bit optimistic.

Still, every step forward is another weapon I can use to shape the present. Let’s not stress over the unpredictable developments and instead just move forward.

“Okay, and the bad news?” I asked.

The spiderlings hesitated for a moment. Then they reported coming across extremely particular corpses. My expression darkened; the mutilated and corrupted corpses of frogs were becoming increasingly common on the other side of the river. Whatever sadistic fuck polluted our wetlands with corpses was apparently very industrious.

A headache tightened around my head-area. Somehow, I knew that we three siblings would get blamed for this. The unfairness of it was quite aggravating.

“Well,” I finally said, because I had such a magnanimous attitude. “Although a random necrotic monster murdering things can be considered a small issue… as long as it has moved its activities across the river-”

I paused as all the spiderlings in front of me shook their heads. I felt a sense of foreboding.

Your Skill (Earned) Short-Term Prediction has grown to Level 20.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

The spiderlings led me further North around their web area. Several large ponds dotted the immediate landscape, with even larger bodies of water visible through the reeds in the distance. If I remembered correctly, this had been the area given to the otters to subjugate.

The lead spiderling raised a foreleg. Tucked next to a stretch of mud were a bunch of gathered frog corpses, with bits of spidersilk dangling from their bodies from when they had been dragged here. In the wounds, I could sense the pulse of necrotic energy, the same sort of energy that served as the anchoring in Nightshade and Sage’s animating arrays.

Is necrotic energy more dangerous than even I expected? Bluntly driving spikes of energy through my array may be crude, but at least my flesh doesn’t grow this weird mold-like substance.

I approached the corpses and prepared to activate my First Blessing. Because of the way the necrotic energy proliferated, it would be best to get rid of it now. But the spiderlings surged forward, radiating the strong message ‘you don’t need to do that!’

I looked at them, unimpressed. “...and if I don’t use the Blessing to cleanse the necrotic energy…”

They waved their forelegs. Obviously, they believed it would be better to provide them with more Blessed Oil.

My gaze hollowed out at their naked greed. Forget it, their support is valuable. Let’s not police their unfortunate habits.

Yes, generous behavior like mine just proves this second life is much more relaxed than the first.

My mind purposefully blank, I set up a dispersal array around the corpses and then activated my Blessing. I considered it payroll. Although the weird muck wasn’t exactly the result I would have chosen… surely it was just the first of many unexpected discoveries. I wouldn’t withdraw my support after a single misfire.

Due to your Actions, your Blessing Seep Blessed Oils has gained +4 Proficiency!

After the debriefing with the spiderlings, I headed back to the stump. I didn’t really need the extra Anima, but it seemed as good as place as any to train a bit. Considering my sudden increase in Stats, I wanted to test the limits of my body. So much of my recent improvements came from forced growth during battles.

“Not at all the best way to build a foundation,” I muttered to myself. Yet as always, a new distraction popped up as I moved to the stump. There, sitting at the edges of the swamp were two saplings. I blinked; with one sapling being planted in the mud field next to the temple, there should have been three.

I scuttled over to the edge of the swarming flies and peered through their bulk. Yes, if I squinted and tried to push aside all the rush of information… there, within the dark cloud of rotfly swarmers-

Your Skill (Earned) Detection has grown to Level 25(+15).

“In a place like this…?” I said out loud, wondering what the spiderlings had been thinking, planting one of the saplings within the confines of the Mana array.

“Heh, indeed, it was very foolish.” I tried not to jump back as Violala appeared out of the screen of the rotfly swarmers. Luckily, with my newly boosted Poise, I just managed it. Her foreleg blurred sideways in a motion I belatedly realized I had taught her was a greeting. It bisected a score of flies unfortunate enough to be in her area. “Chosen Tallum, I apologize. Attempting an ambush in such a location is embarrassingly obvious. Indeed, I will be more cunning in the future.”

“Please don’t bother,” I said. “Actually, I plan on making a suggestion; no fighting within a certain distance of the temple. That way-”

“Tallum!” My chance to clear up the misunderstanding with the Venom Mantis was obliterated by the arrival of Sage. She spun around, her tails trailing gracefully after her. Then she bounced up to me and waggled her tail in consternation. “We had an agreement! A night of dancing and enjoyment. And then you didn’t show up.”

She examined me closely. If anything, her jelly hummed with exasperation. “...ah, your body changed. Did you get so wrapped up in your experiments you forgot about me…?”

“I- well-” I wanted to deny it. It’s not like I had forgotten. I just…

…I just incorporated a new colored essence into my Mana Core, experienced a shift and grouping of my body parts, and had been unconscious from pain for several hours…

“Sorry,” I bowed my head. I knew my sister well enough that an explanation would not earn me any bonus points. A lifetime with a human sister also taught me how unexpectedly weak they were to someone just capitulating to their demands.

Sage patted my shoulder, instantly softening. “No need to apologize, brother. I understand your compulsion; if you sense even the slightest deficiency, you zealously attempt to polish and improve. Even at the cost of your own health and happiness. Because of the loftiness of your goal, I cannot find even a speck of ire within my heart.”

Although it seemed silly to describe this second life as one of me sacrificing my Health and Happiness in exchange for strength…

I squinted, nonplussed. …why is it so hard to deny it…?

“Still! Are you not free now? Let’s-” Sage began brightly, then trailed off as the nearby reeds began to rustle.

Nightshade, as well as the Jade-Hearted Otters Takkle and Pukkle, sauntered out of the group. All three were covered with gore, clearly fresh from combat. One of the otters’ eyes brightened as it saw me(this otter had longer hair on its face, yet I couldn’t remember which was which). It moved up in front of me and dropped a few items onto the ground. “How many of your tokens can we exchange for these?”

I leaned forward and stretched out a tentacle. Ah yes, my new hobby of being an economic guru/merchant. There were two different materials on the ground. The pieces were both pebble-sized, although one looked like amber and the other obsidian. The System provided a bit of information.

Minor River Opal: An uncommon material that condenses in Mana-rich river water. The density is not high.

Weak Necrotic Seed: A condensed bit of Necrotic energy, grown in a corpse slain in a corpse with corrupted Blight. Can be inserted into another corpse to revive as a zombified version of the body.

I dropped the little black pebble, afraid that touching it too long would infect me with the energy. “Uh… these River Opals, the Kami will take them. For… a token for every two you provide. More if they are larger and the density is higher. But these necrotic seeds… they are not good things.”

So all those corpses are essentially incubating these necrotic seeds? Perhaps... I shouldn't have just surrounded them all with dispersal arrays. A dark part of my mind imagined me experimenting with the Necrotic Seeds and learning how to utilize them. Perhaps down the line, I would be able to gather corpses, plant the necrotic seeds in the dead flesh, and have an army of zombies at my beck and call. Yet-

Isn’t that just an invitation for that powerful group of religious humans to storm the wetlands and eradicate me? I’ve gotten stronger since running away from those mana birds… but nowhere strong enough, Even just remembering the powers demonstrated by the humans as we escaped Raccain’s tower was enough to make me shiver.

Luckily, the otter nodded, not pressing the issue. But what I didn’t expect was for Nightshade to step forward. “...actually, brother, I hope you do not mind if I buy these seeds. I will give you a token for all of them, Pukkle.”

My gaze focused on Nightshade. “You want these?”

“Not to feed into corpses. But I wonder…” He was silent for a moment. “I wish for your assistance. The mana array you placed within this heron head… its power burns brightly in my awareness. I wonder if, perhaps with your unique methods, you would be able to put those seeds within all these heads, to empower them.”

Nightshade hefted up his pillar arm. Floppy-jawed squirrel heads looked blankly at me. Their tongues lolled out of their mouths. Most of the heads had been damaged by the battle with the Corrupted Heron, but I supposed they would be replaced soon.

Yet-

Nightshade, are you asking me to seal a dark power within your arm…? Such a cliche… but isn’t it actually kind of interesting…?

“As long as I’m there for the process,” I allowed after a second of reflection. Definitely, the continuation of my positive path required me to master Mana Arrays. Only then could I stabilize my own situation and fix the inherent flaw in Nightshade and Sage.

A part of me was disappointed in how far I’d fallen, tempted by the allure of fantasy tropes. Yet I also felt completely sure: this life was me fully invested in my siblings. This was a nature, albeit roundabout, step in that journey.

The short-haired otter, Takkle, spoke up in a surprisingly quiet voice. “Did I hear earlier you would soon be dancing? I wish to learn. I have heard tales of human dances, but know of none amongst the wetlands who can dance.”

“To have the desire for movement already kindled within your heart is a blessing,” Sage seemed pleased. “Come, I will gladly teach you. However, we will need another, so our numbers are even-”

“You wish for this?” Pukkle seemed surprised as it looked at Takkle. “I… do not.”

“I will find you when we finish.” Takkle bowed.

My insides hummed with the weird tension of the moment. The two otters stared at one another. Are these two otters related? Or are they a weirdly codependent couple that always does everything together…?

Your Skill (Language) Bestial Comprehension has grown to Lvl MAX(+2).

If not for the Skill Up, I would have thought my read of the vibe was completely wrong. In the end, Pukkle eventually pivoted and walked away without saying anything further. Sage probably noticed the same tension, but she began to grumble about a completely different issue. “Tsk, which means our fourth… that fool Nightshade… gah, why would a head-obsessed fool like you wish to dance… won’t the simplest frame involve your partner being bitten…?”

The fool Nightshade seemed pleased as he moved to join us. “How fun.”

“Do you think so?” I asked, without any thoughts on the subject.

Nightshade chuckled. “Indeed. After all, can you imagine that A Skyrage’s take on dancing… would be untainted by violence…?”

Jelly drained out of my limbs at this very logical conclusion. I had let sibling affection cloud my vision… and would likely soon regret it.