Our carriage journeyed beside a tranquil river stretching towards the River Port Town of Rodwin's Market. It had been two hours since we left the ambush site. Nazrat hadn't caught up, and I started to worry about him. Whiterock noticed and distracted my thoughts by teaching the river's history and how it was named after Rodwin, the Mithril Rank Water Mage who created it centuries ago. Rodwin used his Water Spell Tome to flood the plains to defeat an army of Non-Human Minotaurs who had invaded his lands. The river's crystal-clear waters, spanning 48 kilometers (30 miles) in width, flowed peacefully, hiding the scars of the past beneath its surface. Rodwin's name carried on the legacy he left behind, symbolizing the lives he saved and took to achieve peace.
The story made me pull out the Chimeramancy Spell Tome I traded for the Lucky Dice. Since it came from Blackrock, his brothers gave me some peace to study it while we traveled. At first, I thought the Tome would contain every Spell related to Chimeramancy, but 90% of the pages were blank. Only one Spell of Clay Rank is visible to my Warrior Golem's eyes when reading through the Interface, which translated the stylized scripts into simple words.
[Chimeramancy Spell Tome
Spell Name: Ein Monster Fusion
Rank: Clay
Requirements: Any creature of Clay Rank of any Class with sufficient Mana must hold this Spell Tome to activate the Spell.
MP Requirement: 200
Instructions:
Please select one Monster of Clay Rank to serve as the Primary and another Monster of Clay Rank to serve as the Secondary. Once you have chosen, clay models will be created based on their images, and you can manipulate and design a new creature using voice commands. Please note that only the Secondary clay model can be broken apart and melded with the Primary. Any unused body parts from the Secondary will be discarded during fusion.
Next, please choose one skill and one Class from the Secondary to be fused with the Primary. Once you have completed the design and skill selection, please designate an area for the fusion process. It will take one hour and must not be interrupted, or it will result in an abomination that will attack everything, including the creator. If the Spell is completed successfully, the Monster will be born with the original mind of the Primary intact, and the mind of the Secondary will be erased.
The Chimera's soul will be linked to the one who created it. The Chimera can be used as Primary for fusion an unlimited number of times. However, the Mana requirements and the fusion duration will double each time.
Restrictions: The Spell only targets creatures belonging to the Monster category. If the creator of the Chimera dies, it will die as well]
After I studied the instructions and restrictions, I began to imagine the possibilities that could happen if I used Chimeras in the Monster Breeding Farm. As I daydreamed about my future creations, a thought occurred to me. I needed a Golem dedicated to increasing their Mana Pool so they could use this Spell Tome. Therefore, I must obtain a Recipe for a Mage Golem and a Soul of a Mage.
"Redrock, you mentioned there would be Mage Caste Imps in Rodwin's Market. Are they as powerful as a Human Mage?" I ask.
"Well, any Mage in Clay Rank will be shit! Their Class will reveal their worth if they reach the Bronze Rank. Until then, it's babysitting and ensuring they have enough Mana Potions to use more than a few spells an hour. But I'm referring to Human Mages with Spell Tomes. You won't find anyone selling Imp Mages with a Spell Tome in Rodwin's Market." Redrock explained.
"But they have access to Spells without a Tome, right?" I asked.
"Of course! However, those spells are weak compared to those from Spell Tome and are limited to their race affinity. Imp Mages have an affinity for Pyromancy, Shadowmancy and Bloodmancy. You would be lucky to have an affinity outside of those three or an Imp with two or all three affinities I mentioned. The Majority of Mages in this world are born with one affinity at most. Only geniuses or those with an ancestry of Mages with different affinities might have a chance of being born with Dual affinity." Redrock explained.
"What about Triple or Quatriple Affinity?" I asked, and Whiterock decided to answer it instead.
"I've never heard of a Mage born with that kind of luck. Well, they get around it by fusing different elemental Spell Tomes. For example, a Pyromancy Spell Tome gets Fused with a Geomancy Spell Tome to create a Lavamancy Spell Tome. But this type of Spell Tome belongs to Mages belonging to Diamond Rank or above since those Ranks can fuse Spell Tomes and have enough Mana to use them. But their fused Spell Tomes split back into their original versions once they die. So you won't find a Fused Spell Tome in their crypts." Whiterock Explained.
After Redrock finished his explanation, my mind brought up the Black Phoenix, who combined Pyromancy and Shadowmancy to create the Black Flame Mage. Could I use the Chimeramancy Monster Fusion Spell to combine two Monster Mages to achieve a similar result, or was the Curse of the Black Phoenix that made Dale's spells so powerful? Imps are classified as non-humans, so I can't fuse them. But Golems are classified as Monsters. I could convert Imp Mages into Golem Mages and then fuse them to create the ultimate Mage with multiple affinities. But that would mean sacrificing two or more Mage Golems to raise the potential of one. Would it be worth it?
"RRROooooaaaaRRRR!"
A beast roared in the distance behind our carriage. I poked my Shadow Cloak hooded Golem head out of the window. I saw Nazrat riding on the back of a Bear with the scale armor of a Pangolin with a black-and-white chessboard color scheme. The Bear has Obsidian Sabre tooth Fangs. Its paws had the curved, sharp white claws that should belong to an Ant Eater. There are no eyes above the Bear's large nose. The sight was so surreal that I couldn't help but use the Interface to study the creature in detail.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
"Interface, Examine the target," I whispered in English to avoid the triplet from understanding the voice command. A screen invisible to them appeared in front of me.
[Dark Fae Bear (Clay)
Summoner: Nazrat - Warrior Caste Imp
MP cost to Summon: 100 MP will be locked to sustain the Summon
Max Summons: 1 (Rachel's Note: Meaning Nazrat can't spam the Summoning Ritual spell to add more Bears even if he has more MP to spare)
Skills: Dark Fang (Clay), Dark Claw (Clay), Dark Clone (Clay), Fae Scale Armor Resistance (Clay), Enhanced Smell Sense (Clay)
Summon Duration: Remains summoned until death or the Summoner recites the verses to recall it to the Fae Realm.
Skill Cooldown: Upon death, there is a 12-Hour Cooldown. If it is recalled, 1-hour cooldown.
Stats
HP: 200/200
MP: 200/200
ATK: 200
DEF: 200
DEX: 200
Warning: The Basic Stats of the Summon will be upgraded after a Rank Up]
Oh wow!
"Interface, Expand Skill Details," I whisper again in English.
[Dark Fae Fang (Clay): The Damage dealt to the target is based on its ATK x DEX. 10% of Damage dealt to the opponent will restore HP.
Dark Fae Claw (Clay): The Damage dealt to the target is based on ATK x DEX. 10% of Damage dealt to the opponent will restore MP.
Dark Fae Clone (Clay): Use 50% of the total MP to summon one Clone that will possess the same stats and skills but cannot summon another clone. It will disappear when its HP is reduced to 0, or the original is killed or recalled.
Fae Scale Armor Resistance (Clay): Use 10 MP to activate the scale armor, which ignores 10% of Physical and Elemental Damage up to Stone Rank.
Enhanced Smell Sense (Clay): Any creature or object with a known scent to the Bear can be tracked through smell alone in a 10 KM radius]
The creature came from the Witch's Ritual Summoning Skill. But the Triplets should have no idea because the Witch couldn't summon it during the ambush. But they didn't panic when they looked back. The two eventually caught up when Blackrock forced the horses to slow down after they picked up speed from the predator's scent.
"High Chief! Are you pleased?" Nazrat asked me as he rode the Bear beside my window.
"Yes, very pleased! Why did you take so long to catch up?" I asked.
"I followed the Witch to an old wooden house deep within the woods. I waited for the right moment to attack her, but she noticed me and summoned a bear. I fought and killed the Bear and the Witch. After consuming her brain and flesh, I gained the ability to summon the same Bear, but I needed to speak in her language, which was called Wicken. Since I couldn't retrieve any memories from Non-Humans, I searched her home and found a book that translated Wicken-Falaran. It took some time to study it, and once I learned how to summon the Bear, I rushed over to your side." Nazrat explained.
"You did a good job, and I am glad you got a powerful mount," I replied as I reached out to stroke the scales of the Dark Fae Bear. I couldn't feel any sensation because of my Golem body, but I could hear grumbling sounds coming from the Bear's stomach.
"It is hungry after running for so long! Let me go ahead and find it some prey." Nazrat requested it, and I looked over to Redrock.
"We will reach Rodwin within half an hour. So he shouldn't stray too far from us." Redrock suggested, and I relayed it to Nazrat, who urged his new mount to head into the river where fish were swimming in the shallows or jumping over the currents upriver. After he left, I decided to ask some questions about Imps from the expert.
"Do Imps get any skills from eating Elemental Beasts and Monsters?" I ask.
"Thankfully, they get nothing from eating those two types of creatures," Redrock answered.
"Why weren't you surprised to see the bear?" I asked.
"My brothers and I have dealt with Witches before, and they usually have a beast to fight for them. However, it wouldn't have made a difference if they summoned the beasts instead of using the sprites with the sleeping powder. The outcome would have been the same because of the difference in our ranks. At least your Imp has been rewarded for contributing to the battle." Redrock explained.
"You knew Nazrat would obtain this particular skill?" I ask.
"Imps can obtain the skill they desire the most from their non-human victims. They usually have a higher chance of getting that skill if they fight the victims one-on-one and force them to use their best skills before being killed. Since the Warrior Caste is best at combat, they reserve the right to Non-Human consumption in Imp Society," Redrock explained.
"While the Leader Caste reserves the right to consume Humans," I added. There was no need to inform him I knew a bit about this topic.
"The Leader Caste Imps obtain memories, intelligence, and skills from each Human they fight and consume. Since they gain so many advantages, they prize capturing Humans alive. That is why the Kingdoms have banned everyone from entering Imp territories to prevent the Leader Castes in the Underworld from getting stronger," Redrock explained.
"If they are so dangerous, how are they available for sale in Rodwin's market?" I ask after recalling Blackrock suggesting them among other Imp castes instead of focusing only on Warriors.
"Often, the Leader Caste Imps with weak minds get taken over by the Humans they consume. We nicknamed them Human Imps! Most reject the life of an Imp in the Underworld and choose to return to Human society to get branded with Mana Slave Tattoos that forbid them from using Imp skills, eating any more Human brains or flesh, and never thinking of killing their Slave Master. So those are the Leader Imps you will find in the Market." Redrock explained.
"But why would anyone choose to be a slave just to live on the surface? Wouldn't they be happier among the Imp tribes?" I point out, recalling Brock's Imp brother who stayed with the Imps in the Underworld.
"It's not like they have a better life down there. Some Imp Chief will challenge them every other day into a death match to take over their tribe and expand their territory. So they risk getting killed if they stay there. At least their lives won't be in peril if they get bought by a reasonable slaver." Redrock explained.
I tried to recall Brock's memories of seeing a Human Imp slave in Falar, but I couldn't remember any. Nor were there any Human slaves.
"Does the Falar Kingdom have Slaves?" I ask.
"The Heroes Church banned all forms of slavery in Falar. But they turn a blind eye to the other Kingdoms who still practice Non-Human slavery." Redrock explained.
"Why do they buy Imps that are forbidden from using their Imp skills?" I ask.
"Even though they don't think of themselves as Imps, the other castes will follow the hierarchy without question. So you can have the Human Imps lead rest in battle, mining, or any activity they are good at. However, that won't be a problem in your case since they think of you as 'High Chief' and treat your word as God-given law. We must see if it applies to all the 100 Imps you choose. Otherwise, getting those Human Imps can solve your management worries." Redrock explained, but I didn't want to tell him about Nazrat's ability to find believers, which I planned to use.
"Rodwin's Market is in sight!" Blackrock informed from the top of the carriage.