I lay in bed for awhile, until I remembered the other menu in my Status. I was testing to see if the HP portion in the window would go up and it eventually did. The human servant and my supposed Father were not lying when my health needed recovery.
— Charlotte, level 1
— Class: Human [Common]
HP: 100%
Mana Pool: N/A
Stamina: 100%
— Attack: F
— Magic: F
— Defense: F
— Magic Defense: F
— Skills: Open to view
The moon fell upon the land and there were no shooting stars this time, making the sky the perfect backdrop to read these Status windows. The rank F by all those Stats could be expanded, but seemed to require a higher level. It made sense, I guessed. I selected the Skill tab, waiting to see what horrors Wisdom had stored inside of there. I wondered if I had any Skills like the Humans. I had only one Skill that was not hidden, much to my chagrin. However my eyes widened when I read the description.
— Skills
— Divine Equalizer [Ancient]: Only the Hero with a Divine Weapon or a Powerful Demon can defeat an individual with this skill. This does not prevent damage. A penalty will occur upon taking damage that drops health below zero.
Oi, oi, oi! Is this why he defeated me so easily? This was a bad skill, wasn’t it? I died so quickly when I went up against that Hero, and all of my magic against him was worthless against his attacks. Something plagued my mind, however. If I could only be defeated by the Hero and fellow demons, then would that not mean that everything else could not defeat me? A small grin tugged against my lips. I was in the Human realm. Demons were not around here, but I grew up in Hell’s deepest labyrinths fighting. I am (or was) the Demon Queen, after all.
I still worried about that Skill description. I was no longer at the height of my power, so a cut was still a cut, and the pain from kicking that beam still affected me. If I still felt everything but could not die, then I could not simply go out and brute force my way into leveling up. I crept out of bed and moved to the window again. It was a long way down, and humans did not have wings. The fact that I was left alone here in a tower with no one besides this servant who hated me meant I could do what I want, right? I could save myself the trouble of escaping out the window and simply find the exit downstairs.
I peered at the articles of clothing in the wardrobe next to the window. Humans wear these when they go outside, right? I wriggled through them, and haphazardly pulled up more clothes that seemed to fit around my legs. I was only used to seeing humans in armor! Everyone in the Demon Lands rarely clothed themselves, only to protect from the elements and armor forged from fiery metals. I lifted a rough article of clothing and inspected it. These are pants, right? I stared at myself in the mirror. They reached to my ankles and fit well enough with no adjustment.
Well, they are now. The other was much more obvious. A cloak for my arms and chest. Shabby, but fit all the same. Now, I steeled myself as I stood at the door. There was a tower to explore and a maid to ignore. The nervousness was almost too strong, but I pushed open the door. A cold gust of air brushed against my skin, making me shiver.
The hallway was cramped and led immediately to a winding staircase. There were no other features, so I tiptoed all the way down the spiraling steps. It seemed that this structure I was in was designed for one person. When I reached the bottom floor, I realized there were two doors: The first door was cooled from the winds and night time leading outside; the second was locked and I could not open it.
Maybe that is where the servant stays, I mused. It did not matter to me, since that servant wanted me dead anyways, so I pushed the first door’s bolts open and prepared myself. It has been a long time since I have done any training. If my human parents abandoned me, then I would do what a true Demon does and get out there to become stronger! I swung open the door and my combat senses heightened immediately when the wind caught my hair. There were four enemies nearby already; their four pairs of glowing red eyes and cackling narrowing on me. I grinned. Goblins? Untrained green brutes? I knew where they came from. The previous Demon King let these loose upon the Human realm as a joke, for being too useless in the Demon Realm.
These things will be my training for tonight, I guessed. Both my HP and my Stamina were at 100%, which meant I was ready to go.
“Hey, uglies,” I called out to them and cracked my knuckles. I knew my F ranked stats seemed like a terrible letter to have, but I did not care. Eventually, I caught a glimpse of the cackling creatures emerged from the forest, but something glowed from behind me and caused them to retreat. An ambush from behind? I whirled around, only to notice that on top of the doorframe rested a glowing rune. A ward? How kind of Father to leave this for me. That makes things slightly easier for a swift retreat in case something—
Something struck my shoulder from behind. I nearly let out a scream from the pain. Perhaps not! I dove back behind the door frame and saw one of the goblins eyeing me with a disgusting grin. He hurled a rock at me, but still maintained his distance. I scolded myself. One should never turn their back to a threat!
— HP: 60%
Such a heavy drop! I clutched my shoulder, but felt skin and wetness. My hand came back to me covered in red. Blood. I chuckled as I emerged from the doorway. Another rock came close to hitting me as I laughed again.
“It’s been awhile since I bled,” I laughed at the monsters. They emerged from the forest after gained confidence from wounding me. After getting a good look at their ugly and chittering faces, my Status seemed to read what their stats had as well.
— Goblin, level 1
HP 100%
—All Stats Ranked F.
How convenient. I’m on the same level as a goblin. A fourth rock was hurled my direction, but I was quick enough to catch it despite the sharp impact burrowing itself in my palm. My HP dropped to 40%. No pain, no gain! “But now you’ve given me a weapon!”
I threw it back at the source and dodged another. The wound made me feel sluggish, but the rock connected with the perpetrator. It staggered; I pounced with a wicked grin on my face. Blood lust filled me as the flailing creature scratched me. My health was dropping rapidly, but I made sure his dropped quicker. My mess painted the forest leaves red as I reveled the smooshing of the goblin’s flesh by my own hand.
The others must have fled in fear as my work continued on his face, until his blood painted my skin. A chime sang in my head after he expired. What was that?
—Charlotte gained 21 experience points
—Leveled Up!
A level up? I checked my stats, and sure enough Level 2 was written next to my name. There was no way to see how many experience points I needed for a level up for now. My stats did not seem to change, but a new window appeared before I could complain. An alert?
— Charlotte, level 2
— Class: Human [Common]
HP: 100%
Mana Pool: N/A
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Stamina: 100%
— Alert: Skill “Martial Arts” [Common] has been added. Rank: F.
“Rank F, huh?” I mused aloud. It seemed true, since my reactions were too slow. Could its rank also be leveled up? I could barely dodge a rock thrown by a mere goblin. Speaking of those, I let myself grin. The HP and Stamina recovered back to 100%. If I kill more and level up, I could keep going until sunrise. The night was young and there were three more of those goblins nearby to hunt. I scanned the forest for red glowing eyes, but made sure I still remained close to the tower’s ward. Kidding! I pushed deeper within the dark woods searching for those bastards.
I heard rushing water near me, but there was nothing but trees and the feeling of eyes watching me. This certainly felt like a Forbidden Forest, I thought. At least there was a river nearby to wash this filth off of me, yet when I stopped to see myself in the reflection I was clean. Leveling up cleans me? How intimidating, I shifted awkwardly as the rushing currents bent my reflection and twinkled moonlight in my view. Suddenly, a pair of red eyes flashed behind me! Here it comes from the branches!
I whirled around and prepared to block his diving attack. Something glinted beneath the starlight in his hands. A knife? I cursed. The crude blade sunk into my arm. I let out a scream as we both tumbled in the water. My health was draining rapidly and the creature latched onto me as we flailed about. His teeth were sharp and my vision was fading. I was lucky I held out my guard, since any closer that knife would have gutted my heart.
Right, I was not in any position to be cocky here. I was on par with a goblin, and right now he was gnawing beneath where he stabbed me.
I was dying and I was losing? I felt my world spinning, but my health was rapidly dropping below 30%. Me? Lose? I almost lost consciousness as it seemed more blood filled the river around us than water. Skill or no skill, I refused to give up. I gripped the knife’s handle with my free hand, since he let go of it as he began to chew parts of my skin off.
— HP: 10%
“I refuse to lose so easily!” I howled, ripping the knife out of my arm and plunging it in the back of the goblin’s skull. I already lost once before, and I was sick of it! The blade poked the shirt I was wearing, but the fiend instantly stopped moving. Luckily, the river was not very deep; I could make it back with little effort, but I took a small break to catch my breath until that blessed chime rang in my ear as Wisdom’s warm voice spoke to me. Another 21 experience points and another level up.
— Level up!
— Charlotte is now level 3.
— Charlotte, level 3
— Class: Human [Common]
HP: 100%
Mana Pool: N/A
Stamina: 100%
— Acquired a Goblin Knife [Common]!
I looked down at my hand, and retched out red river water. My arm was glowing and resealing itself. Sure, my stats did not change once again and I was down one shirt, but I was now fully healed and up one knife with a tingling sensation from leveling up. Still, did it really need to alert me whenever I acquire a weak weapon like this? Still, the Forbidden Woods was no place to lay around in! I got up and ripped off the remains of the shredded shirt I still had on. There were two more goblins to hunt, I smiled grimly as I tucked the crude blade in my pants and prepared to hunt them.
No shirt, no problem! As a once former Demon Lord, I am proud of who I am! Even if I did not have any powerful scales or tail or claws to speak of. All I have is a common knife and blood lust! Two goblins who dared to get near my abode remained, and I shall find them.
I wandered around the river searching for those creatures for quite sometime. When I caught wind of their trails, however, they fled further away. The moon was beginning to fall slowly, which probably meant daylight was coming soon. Days and nights switch right? I cursed myself for being unlucky and slow, but I should get home soon. Only problem is, the Tower standing above the woods seemed much further away than I expected. I hurried towards it as fast as I could, however, I watched my Stamina drain quickly each minute I ran. I had to conserve some just in case I ran into a fight.
My ears picked up shuffling in the woods, however, though the Tower was nearby. I froze as I carefully peaked through tall grass and leaves. A large hulking figure was stomping around the perimeter of the Tower’s ward, with two smaller forms crushed in his hands. Those two were the goblins I was hunting! That must mean that this guy was a hobgoblin. A much larger and evolved form of a goblin. He must have crushed them to death for being weak, I guessed. My best bet was to sneak past him or ambush him, but a twig snapped beneath my barefoot. The twisting noise might as well have been a roaring firestorm like in Hell. I groaned, as the monster’s malformed ears twitched towards the noise’s source: Me.
I gulped.
The hobgoblin’s muscles bulged and he howled.
Hobgoblin, level 1
HP: 100%
— Unknown Stats
“Well, now you’ve done it,” I growled at the brute. Those Unknown Stats only meant that it was much stronger than me or those goblins he had popped in his grip. This fiend was in the way between me and the Tower, would that maid even care if I was missing?
I felt the knife poking out the seams of my pants I tucked it in, and prepared for an attack. I never really had to use a weapon before, but I will have to learn. The hobgoblin wasted no time, roaring and hurling the headless goblin corpses at me in a quick succession. I dodged the first and relied on the knife to slice the next, but by the time I did he was already upon me.
His steel grey fist was swinging down upon me, with his savage fangs soon to follow. I aimed the dagger up beneath his jaw and prepared to exchange blows. Even if he crushes me completely, only the hero could truly defeat me, right? The blade connected against tough hide, but his fist buried itself in my chest. I saw black as I crashed through trees towards a boulder. This was definitely going to kill me, I lamented over how fragile this body was.
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Divine Equalizer has healed Charlotte, in exchange, her experience points have been reset to level 1.
Eh? I splat against the boulder before my body could process death. I was level 1 again? I sighed, but another alert notified me. The healing process is about to begin ? I read the translucent board. Suddenly, my body became enveloped in a bloody pool and began to snap back together. Pain was one thing, I ignored it. I have already experienced a lot of pain in my past life as a young Demon, and enough to get used to it as a human on my first day. Still, the gruesome reformation of my crushed bones, torn muscles, and organs that were once splattered against stone resealing to whole again was fascinating to watch.
So this was what that Skill does if I die, I sat up. A hefty cost of experience points, but I was still alive and that was all that mattered. For now, the angry steps of my foe were approaching.
“Ah,” I chuckled. “I see you survived. You are a worthy opponent.”
The hobgoblin made a gurgling noise, bursting with viscous blood from his neck. My knife was lodged neatly inside the fat and I doubt it helped him breathe. Its veins bulged as what little intelligence it seemed to have understood I was laughing.
“But I also survived,” I scanned my Status, and it appeared that I still possessed the Martial Arts Skill. I rose to my feet, selecting the Skill. “Now, you shall be my worthy experiment.”
— Skill: Martial Arts will take 20% Stamina with each use.
My stamina seemed to drain rapidly if I used the Skill too often. The creature charged at me. I could not see his HP, but I knew I only needed three strikes to finish him off.
“First form, punch!” I yelled out. My glowing fist connected with the hobgoblin’s fangs, and I felt the satisfying crunch of bone smashing bone. He reeled back, just in range for me to jump up and deliver my Second form! “Left Hook!”
I aimed at the knife’s handle, driving it further into his neck in exchange for some health and stamina.
— HP: 37%
Okay, my stomach lurched after I noticed the alert. It was a bit more than some health. Before his savage claws could slash me, I delivered my third and final form.
“And a side kick for you!” I roared with all my tiny frame’s might. The blow landed, causing the towering monster to finally fall over. The sight of him made me gag a little and that knife embedded inside his skull was too deep to retrieve. I was out breath and my health was teetering in around 20%, but the monster was down. A chime rang in my head and I eagerly checked my Status. Give me good news, please!
— Level up!
— Charlotte is now level 7
— Charlotte, level 7
— Class: Human [Common]
HP: 100%
Mana Pool: N/A
Stamina: 100%
—Charlotte has acquired 10 Skill Points!
Level 7? Skill Points? Those windows sounded amazing! I counted on my fingers to find the difference between the last level I had before I died. Four extra levels! I almost let out a laugh, but realized the sun was rising. I had to get going! As I ran, my Stamina was draining more slowly than it usually did. I did not appear to have any changes to my stats yet, but perhaps my HP and my Stamina will change as I grow. The Tower came into view, but it seemed no different than when I left it. No one was awaiting me when I cracked open the door. As I was about to head up the stairs, I heard a energetic noise ring out from behind the locked door that led to the Tower’s center room.
I bolted up the stairs instead of investigating. Whatever was coming from there was probably bad news, I decided, and crept back to my room. The noise reached me even as I climbed atop the spiral staircase. I tore off the remains of my clothing and dove into my bed. I vowed to venture out there tonight, I promised myself as I felt giddy under the covers of this soft bed. I must see what Wisdom’s Status has to offer.