**Snowy Fields, Same Time
Near the Stolen Niva
Volcano**
I took another look at the monsters surrounding me, their circle steadily tightening. They weren’t armed—just claws—and they looked starving and disoriented, like newborns encountering prey for the first time.
“Dima, any idea what these critters are?” I asked, sharing the scene with my mental companion. “While I take them out, feel free to explain.”
“Yeah, I know about them,” Dima replied, nervously scratching his head. “Though I haven’t dealt with these exact ones before. They’re called Walkers, or Wanderers—‘mobs’ in slang. In short, they’re monsters spawned from lenses.”
“Alright, and what are these lenses?” I asked while grabbing one of the "mobs" and slashing the throat of the one leading the charge. “No memory of them in my time. And keep it simple—don’t waste energy.”
My actions agitated the goblins, prompting them to split into two groups and rush at me. Smart enough to realize the controller was the priority target.
But I’d already released the controlled Walker, who was now being attacked by its comrades. I dove into another group, dispatching two more, then moved to the next body. Unlike the guards, these creatures had no mental defenses, making them much easier to control with minimal energy.
“To my understanding,” Dima continued, “lenses are fragments of distorted space that copy a part of reality but alter it, generating ‘mobs.’”
“Definitely didn’t have those in my time,” I muttered, carving through another foe. “Alright, that’s enough for now. The situation’s clear—cold fields, hence yeti-goblins.”
“Well, it’s more complicated, but yeah, that’s the gist,” Dima conceded.
After a few more possessions, I grew bored of this method of extermination. What’s the point of a fight if you’re not physically involved? I’m *Volcano*, not some lowly deity to rely on cheap tricks!
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“Take over,” I told Dima as I returned to my body. “Good practice for you—it’s not like these are humans anymore. Useful experience.”
“You’ve done this with monsters before?” he asked, clearly surprised but already stepping up to the task.
“Oh, plenty of times. Summoners always pick something weird for me to inhabit,” I chuckled, stepping out of the car. “Doesn’t really matter, as long as the body has enough energy.”
We’d already thinned the goblins’ numbers by half, and the dumb creatures were losing track of friend and foe. Still, the moment they spotted me, they abandoned their infighting and charged as a group.
Time to test this new body in real combat. I grabbed a handful of black pellets from my pocket and tossed them into the mob. As they dispersed, they released a sharp, ashen cloud.
Over ten goblins collapsed into the snow, clawing at their eyes. With those talons, trying to wash out the irritation was a losing battle. My ash wasn’t deadly in open spaces but extremely unpleasant for such low-tier foes.
The remaining six goblins, lucky enough to avoid the cloud, shrieked and charged. Scratch that—now five, as Dima had taken control of one and sent it back to finish off the incapacitated.
I braced for the remaining attackers, gripping a blade in one hand and directing a jet of flame at the others with the other.
Oddly enough, the creatures didn’t flinch from the fire. They shielded their faces and blindly charged, growling something in their guttural language. My magic still needed work, clearly.
No more games. Adjusting my grip on the blade, I charged into the fray, skewering two goblins before they could recover. The remaining three tried to flank me, but I released a burst of ash, buying a few seconds, and spun to strike down the one behind me.
The last two weren’t much of a threat. Another flame jet stalled one, allowing me to dispatch the other in a direct clash. The final goblin barely had time to react before my thrown blade found its mark. These throwing knives were proving to be quite effective—a promising result for this new body!
Dima was handling himself well, finishing off his controlled goblins by the time I dealt with mine. I hoped the experience wouldn’t traumatize him—kids these days seemed fragile. But no, he was grinning ear to ear, clearly pleased with himself.
Retrieving my blade from the fallen Walker’s neck, I approached one of the survivors. It’d be useful to study these creatures more closely.
“You can leave now,” I said to Dima, gesturing at the subdued goblin. “I’ll handle this one.”
Once Dima exited the body, I knocked the goblin unconscious with a swift blow to the temple, then expertly severed its tendons to ensure it wouldn’t pose a risk. Better safe than sorry, especially in my current state.
“Interesting,” I muttered, placing my focus near the goblin’s core. “Definitely a new type, and not entirely alive in the usual sense.”
Inside, even a creature as weak as this contained a chaotic mix of energies. It was hard to determine which was dominant, but in some ways, this insignificant being surpassed even me. Without any inherent gifts, it could simultaneously wield cursed and divine energy—albeit in tiny amounts. And it also had a mana core and life energy reserves.
I could theoretically convert divine energy to cursed or other forms, but using it directly was impossible. It was like trying to strike a spark underwater—forces inherently incompatible.
“These blasted birds and their war ruined the world,” I growled, pressing a hand to my forehead. “And I warned them! Told them it’d disrupt the balance! Where are they now?!” Shaking my head, I sighed heavily. “Seriously, where?”
“Volcano,” Dima interjected, hanging back as I mulled over the implications. “Don’t forget about me. I barely understood any of that, but it seems important…”
“Not like I understand much more,” I snorted, sharing my observations. “Until I get inside one of these lenses or interrogate an ancient bird, I doubt I’ll uncover anything new.”
“Hate to break it to you, but lenses are the least of our problems,” Dima replied, forcing a strained smile. “Nests and breaches? Now those are the real nightmares.”