Sitting against the tunnel wall, Jean rested from her latest harvest. Thanks to the last few minutes of the remedy, she easily killed 56 infected and hunted 87 additional rats. That brought her closer to what she desired.
[You are ready to »Level Up« twice.]
Further ascending seemed less and less appealing. The whispers were to blame. The more she advanced, the more they warned her of the danger involved. The foul smell also grew stronger, as if death awaited her ahead.
Jean reserved half of the corpses again and leveled up. She also bought 10 more minor remedies and 30 potions of each. For a moment, she pondered about buying better ones, but they were too expensive for her current budget.
Strength: 25
Dexterity: 10 (+5)
Agility: 10 (+5)
Toughness: 20
Resistance: 10 (+5)
Wisdom: 20
Intelligence: 1
Willpower: 20
Perception: 10 (+3)
[Reconstructive Healing has increased to Expert Rank.
It now restores a moderate amount of stamina when healing. Allows slow reconstruction of lost body parts. In addition, grants 20% mana consumption reduction and 50% healing improvement. You can add Expert effects.]
[Last Breath has increased to Advanced Rank.
The pure essence of Nimireth shines brightly within you. In a near-death state, you can regain consciousness sooner. In addition, your body cannot be totally destroyed. The pure essence of the devourer will be absorbed by your »Personal dimension« until your complete recovery.]
“Really?! That makes me invincible!”
“[It's not a pleasant situation, believe us!]”
“Well, everything has its downside.”
She didn’t further improve her resistance skill by devouring the weak infected, but the genetic material of the rats finally bore fruit.
[You have learned Devourer Vision — Basic Rank. Unique skill.
Consumes negligible amounts of mana to amplify the reception of light photons. Ideal for dark environments.]
Jean activated her new skill, but barely noticed the difference. She had to wait a while and blink several times until it started to take effect.
“[You should explore all the nooks and crannies you've overlooked so far.]”
"Give me a moment. I'm still getting used to it."
Most of them were too small for her, but one in particular caught her attention. When she touched the wall to inspect it, she chanced to feel the echo of a strong stream of water in the distance.
“Holy shit! What a perception I have now. Nothing escapes my radar!”
Curiosity forced her forward, but she quickly reached a bottleneck. Rocks didn't block that passage, but corpses of which only bones and clothes remained.
Jean pushed the skeletal corpses to get through, only to discover a small, slightly wide area blocked by a landslide. Dozens of corpses hindered the path, especially near a small passage at ground level. “What was behind the collapse to want to risk their lives? Were they infected or fleeing people?”
As she crawled along the passage, she noticed that the last ones had no head, it was several meters apart, on the other side. “Was it as a containment measure?”
Two armored corpses with metal armor and weapons on both sides of the exit confirmed her assumption. From the quality of their equipment, hardly deteriorated by the passage of time, they couldn't have been normal people. “What were they protecting?”
Jean walked over to the pieces of metal armor and stored a few. They offered great protection, but they were cumbersome, and she already carried too many weapons. She thought about transmuting them, but she had nothing to palliate her hunger, or so she thought until she reached a new section of the cavern.
Both the walls and the floor were riddled with faintly glowing blue mushrooms, probably due to the moisture coming from a waterfall visible in the distance.
Jean retraced her steps and stored all the weapons and armor. The excessive weight made it difficult for her to move, but with some effort, she reached the mushrooms again. Going back and forth would consume much more time and energy.
Transmuting the items generated significant hunger, but the mushrooms helped quite a bit. The only problem was that devouring them didn't alleviate the corruption, so she needed to consume a remedy.
She obtained a total of 250 white coins and her first 3 green coins. “Can I buy a better remedy with green coins?”
“[Each green coin is equivalent to 100 white coins, so don't waste them. They are necessary to buy low category magic equipment.]”
Jean decided to save some mushrooms for an emergency, when she noticed crystals forming near some of their roots. They weren't very large, about the size of a fingernail, but there were plenty of them.
From each crystal, she got 6 or 7 green coins, but the hunger was monstrous. She needed to devour 10 square meters of mushroom-covered wall to be able to stand up each time. The process was torture, but at least she gained a new skill that improved rapidly.
[You have learned Source's Link — Expert Rank.
Your ability to obtain mana from planes is increased by 150%.
Current regeneration, 2.5 MP per second.]
"Wow, I’m really broken now!"
“[Stop devouring mushrooms! You can't keep upgrading the skill until you reach level 10. Besides, mushrooms don't level you up.]”
“Ok! Thank you for sparing me the torture! Four have been enough, I will keep the rest!”
She didn't need to walk much further to reach the waterfall. It was huge, at least 8 meters in diameter, and fell from a large crack in the top into a huge hole carved by erosion in the rock. Its waters were transparent, and shone with the already known blue tone.
“What the hell! There's no way out! Why did they crawl inside then?”
She tried to identify the waterfall, but no information appeared. It only reacted with the crystals and the mushrooms.
»Unknown mineral«
Details: Magical ingredient. Solidification of the magic particles in the water. Its properties are unknown.
»Unknown fungus«
Details: Magical ingredient. Panellus Stipticus variant. Used in alchemy to create potions of bleeding resistance.
[Expert level in »Identify« is required to be able to further examine them.]
Jean sighed in exasperation. “I guess I'll have to try it later…”
She intended to turn around, when she spotted small ledges behind the waterfall. They ran along the waterfall in a spiral shape, but were quite far apart from each other. They also were ropes placed as a railing, tied to hooks that served as supports.
She peered down. Maybe if she ran with all her might, she could reach one of the ledges, but they seemed to be covered with moss. “I pass from an eternal bath!”
After carefully analyzing the steep ledges that enabled to reach the other side, she noticed a rope hanging from a rock. A short rope tied in a remote place. Although the rope was in good condition and had several knots to facilitate the grip, she didn't want to test if it would hold her weight. She couldn't shake off her head that something was odd.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
“Hello?”
Was it ridiculous to try? After waiting for quite a while, nothing was heard apart from the sound of the waterfall, so she retraced her steps. “I can't waste more time here. I'm going against the clock!”
As soon as she turned around, whispers warned her to protect her neck. However, even knowing the trajectory, she barely had time to equip the shield. An intense pain in the back of her neck made her fall to her knees.
She put her hand into the wound and realized that it was an arrow. It had sunk almost 10 centimeters, fortunately it hadn't hit the spine.
“[A toxic enzyme destined to kill the infected has entered your body. You can neutralize it with your healing skill.]”
Could it be that she had been mistaken for one? Who could be such an idiot? The infected didn't speak.
She got to her feet as fast as she could while raising the shield. However, she didn't react on time. Another arrow landed, this time in her back. There had to be more than one enemy.
“SHOW YOUR FACES, YOU BASTARDS!”
Jean sought refuge in the darkness of the nooks. The two arrows hurt a lot, but the enzyme made her writhe in agony.
She grabbed the arrows and stored them in her inventory. Blood spurted out as she overloaded her healing skill. The wounds closed in a matter of seconds, but she failed to realize that the white aura gave away her position.
Two new arrows flew in her direction. This time she was able to evade them. She equipped the spear and, enduring the pain of the remaining poison, looked for another nook to hide.
The two individuals talked to each other. However, the intense sound of the waterfall barely let her distinguish a few words in an unknown language.
Without finishing the conversation, one of the individuals jumped down to one of the ledges and descended to the same level as her. He tensed his bow and ran in her direction. However, he stopped short after a shout from his companion.
“Shit! Have they already located me?”
The other individual descended as well, but she didn't realize it until she heard the drops of his wet body falling to the ground. He was so stealthy that not even his footsteps could be heard.
As she prepared to attack, she was startled by a flash that blinded her completely. By the time she saw again, a magical circle was etched on the surface in front of where she was hiding.
“Shit! They know how to use magic too!”
From the experience of so many video games and series, Jean pulled out a superb interpretation of agony. With her tongue blocking her throat, she simulated drowning in her own blood. “It hurts! It hurts so much! Mercy, please! I beg you!”
One of the individuals advanced briefly until his companion stopped him. They talked among themselves, but since Jean didn't understand them, she tried again.
“H-help! Please, help!”
One of them kept moving forward as if he were truly worried.
She had set the bait. Now she could only hope that they didn't realize her shield and spear, ready and thirsty for blood.
Their footsteps were getting closer and closer. When one of them was less than 3 meters away, she tried to impale him, but they were already prepared.
After blocking two shots aimed at her legs. They both jumped back, making clear her chances of hitting them. They drew their bows again, this time holding the string at full draw.
Jean ducked, warned by the whispers. Both arrows struck the shield at leg height. “I haven't started this, but you can be sure I will finish it!”
“We already know your kind, you monster!”
The voice didn't sound human. A faint purr accompanied his words. “You will die soon too! Being infected, it's only a matter of time.”
“How the hell do you know that? I don't act like one of those zombies!”
“Really? You haven't seen the color of your eyes, right? What color do you think they are, monster?”
Jean momentarily equipped one of the metal daggers, discerning a purple halo reflected in the polished blade.
“Do you get it now, monster?”
Jean peeked out just enough to see two silhouettes in the distance. The one talking was much more muscular than the one keeping her distance. Two pointed ears protruded from the top of their heads, and a thin tail reached down to their ankles.
»Tabaxi (Adult)«
Level 25
Name: Auruth
Marks: [Human Killer], [Thief]
Details: Warning! This player's attributes make him a challenging opponent for you.
Not only was he competent, he was also dangerous. “How do you know I resist? You spy on me?!”
Both remained silent, confirming her doubts. “So you've seen me suffer on my own and you haven't helped me! Are all cat players such bastards as you?!”
“We don't help monsters!”
Jean raised her voice indignantly. “So you admit that you could have helped! You are no better than the infected!”
“How many times do I have to repeat myself?! We don't help monsters! That includes the children of Nimireth!"
Her eyes widened. "What...?”
“It's a fact, monster!”
Jean clenched her fists and teeth; she looked like a bulldog about to jump on a chihuahua that wouldn't stop barking. “Stop... calling me... that, you damn shitty cat! I'm not a monster just because you say so! If I'm going to kill you, it's because you treacherously tried to kill me first!”
The slim one stepped forward. From the tone of her voice, she sounded like a female. “You've been happily eating humans for hours. What did you expect us to do? Be your dinner?!”
Jean froze for a few seconds and then stepped forward. “H-humans? Those weren't humans anymore! Those creatures were just...!”
Jean grumbled under her breath. “Wait! What if corruption is reversible? Then I've... I've killed dozens of humans. Many of them were scumbags, but I didn't check them all. Maybe...”
She covered her mouth, holding back the urge to vomit. She couldn't shake the image of all those innocents imprisoned in deformed bodies from her mind, slowly and mercilessly being devoured in the darkness of her inventory.
The female tabaxi lowered her bow and gestured to her partner to remove the magic trap. The latter didn't seem too happy with the idea, but agreed at the female's insistence.
The female approached slightly, keeping her distance. Meanwhile, the other tabaxi jumped over the gap and grabbed the rope to reach the other side of the waterfall.
“Calm down, child of Nimireth! The state of the infected in this place is irreversible!”
Those words helped her breathe again. “Why did you say that? It was...”
“Cruel, yes! But revealing too, right?”
A turquoise necklace appeared in her hand, between her sharp claws. “Take it!”
Jean's distrust was at its peak. “What are you up to?”
The female tabaxi said nothing more; she simply gestured to her with her arm outstretched.
Jean didn't put away any of her weapons. “Whatever it is, put it down! I'll pick it up when I see you're far enough away! You may not have noticed, but you stink like a backstabbing bitch.”
“You leave us no choice. We can't let you approach us.”
“Fuck you! If you attack me again, my spear stuck in your skull will be the least of your worries!”
The female smiled and carefully placed the necklace on a stone. After that, she jumped the more than 8 meters of the waterfall gap without any running start, as if taking a simple step.
“Holy cow with these cats!”
Despite seeing them leave, Jean advanced with her shield ready. She kept an eye on her surroundings, focusing especially on the darkest nooks and crannies. A little caution wouldn't hurt after all.
When she reached the necklace, she noticed that it was resting on a leather-bound notebook tied by a string.
»Yusthor Necklace (Legendary)«
Details: Belongs to the Set of the Dead (1/100). Allows you to see the phantasmal plane and make contact with souls. If you have at least 3 parts of the set, you can interact with the most superfluous realms of the phantasmal plane. You need Expert rank in »Linguist« and »Identify« to begin to communicate with them.
Benefits for equipping parts of the set:
◦ 2 pieces: [+1 to Willpower and Perception.]
◦ 3 pieces: [+1 to Willpower, Perception and Wisdom.]
◦ 4 pieces: [+1 to Willpower, Perception, Wisdom and Intelligence.]
◦ 5 pieces: [+1 to Willpower, Perception, Wisdom, Intelligence and Resistance.]
…
»Notebook (Common)«
Details: You need advanced rank in »Linguist« to begin to understand what is written.
“Hypocrites! What do they expect me to do with this? Call the kid from the Sixth Sense?”
Jean looked with disgust at the path behind the waterfall and raised her voice in disdain. “I love people who abandon me to my fate, shoot me in the neck, and then seem to want something from me!”
She bent down and grabbed the necklace, when an incompressible wave of whispers bombarded her from all sides. However, that wasn't the most disconcerting part. In the distance, on the other side of the waterfall, she saw five light blue vaporous shadows. Something the whispers identified as the souls of the tabaxi.
“Wow! Just by touching it?!”
The female tabaxi raised her voice, startling her from above. “You may be a monster, child of Nimireth, but that doesn't mean you should act like one.”
Leaving while gesturing to her companions to retreat. “Good luck, Jean! You will need it!”