I awaken with a startle, sitting up and thrashing my head about to take in the view of wherever I was. It was hard to see, but I seemed to still be on top of the hay roof of the hut, although my vision might have been swimming a bit too much to clearly tell.
Hnnn, god, as painful as ever-,,
Lightworm has (EVOLVED) into Will 'o Whisperer
Your (EVOLUTION) has finished
Aaand there it is-,, if my memory serves me right, next up is the skills and all that-?
You have lost the following skills due to (EVOLUTION):
Intermediate Flight Lv.26, Light Lv.12, Novice Fire Magic Lv.5
Awh :(
You have gained the following skills due to (EVOLUTION):
Advanced Flight, Hijack, Intermediate Fire Magic, Basic Light Magic, Mana Absorption, Mind Erase
Oo, nic-, no wait what the fuck is that
Due to completing special requirements, you have gained the following skill:
System Recon Interference
I don't-, no, wait, look, that's cool and all, but what the fuck is Mind Erase?????
...Okay, you won't tell me anything, Mr. blue scene, so I guess I'll have to check the skills myself. But, in accordance to "as you do", I shall first open my general status, since, that's what you do.
Johnny Fowl(Lv. 1/50) Species Will 'o Whisperer (D) Title(s) Monster Health 75/75 Mana 50/50 Status Strength 26 Magic 42 Speed 37 Defence 17(+12) Skills(...)
I'm very anxious to get to the skills part, but this actually looks really really good. Considering that the first stats I have were all in the 1-2s, if even that, this is quite the step-up! Hell, even now I really just want to take to the skies to see how well I can fly, especially since I not have an "advanced flight" skill. Hehehehe.
Oh, shit, the skills-,
Skills
Advanced Flight Lv.1
(Active) Grants the ability of flight. The higher the level, the more flexible and quick the flight.
Munching Lv. 32
(Active) Eating
Hijack Lv.1
(Active/Passive) Allows the user to hijack the mind and body of a host, causing them to act in favour of the user. In the field of monters, this skill is exclusive to a select few. Among these is the Will 'o Whisperer, which inserts it's fiery abdomen into the neck of the host to override their nervous system and Mana crystal with its own. higher levels grants higher level of control.
Chitin Armour Lv.57
(Passive) Lessens damage against the user. If chitin is cracked, the damage will be more than if without Chitin Armour skill. Healing Chitin Armour takes longer/more mana than healing regular wounds. Exclusive to insects, spiders and insectoids.
Intermediate Fire Magic Lv.1
(Active/Passive) Grants the user the ability to use Fire Magic at intermediate levels. The spells included among (Intermediate Fire Spells) are those of (Basic Fire Magic) along with added ones more suited for combat. These are more powerful, but consume more Mana and requires greater control. (See all available spells)
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Fall Damage Reduction Lv.2
(Passive) Reduces the amount of damage caused by falling.
Passive Health Regeneration Lv.6
(Passive, 6 Health/minute) Heals the user passively when Health is lost.
Basic Light Magic Lv.1
(Active/Passive) Grants the user the ability to use Light Magic at the most basic forms. The spells included among (Novice Light Spells) are weak, ineffective in combat and usually reserved for everyday use. Despite this, the Light element is usually considered rarer than (Fire, Earth, Wair, Water). (See all available spells)
Mana Absorption Lv.1
(Active, 0,1 Mana/sec) Allows the user to absorb Mana from another living creature possessing a Mana Crystal by way of touch. Higher level grants higher absorption/sec.
Mind Erase Lv.1
(Active, 50 Mana/use) Use of this skill upon another living creature possessing a nervous system allows the user to erase part of the creature's cognition, whether it be memory, cognition, self, personality, etc. In combination with skill (Hijack), this can allow a user of both to absorb the mind, body and Mana of a victim, irrevocably usurping their life.
System Recon Interference (SRI) Lv.1
Allows the user to view the information of (MOBS), (MONSTERS), and (HUMANOIDS).
...
No, wait... where is it-?
The-, the communication skill! Telepathy, "talking", whatever, where is it?!? Why-,, please, please don't tell me I've been lied to. I-, let's read it again, okay? It isn't the SRI, it isn't the mind erase, it isn't the mana absorption, it isn't any of that, so... so is it-,,,
Okay, let's think here. For just. One second.
The wisp was characterized by the fact that it-, that it whisked people away. It made people walk off into the forest, so, so people started thinking wisps could talk to humanoids. That makes sense. But-, but I guess, that isn't how it happens?
I guess, the skill people didn't know existed, the one that made wisps do this, was... Hijack?... the one that can manipulate people into,, into doing exactly what the wisp wanted?....
I... I feel cheated. Sure, I didn't expect the screen to speak all truth, after all it sounded a lot like people just assuming things, but... No, wait, this does raise one question, um. In the description of the skill Hijack, wisps are even specified! So, then... do people here not know of this? Can they not see skills and these kinds of things?
If so, what kind of creature, thing or person is it that knows all these things about these skills, that knows that this is was wisps does?
Hrrr. I don't like this. But,, no use looking at the past, right? Regretting things you've done.
...Considering I'm regretting this one thing a lot, what with the murder, I guess I don't sound too convincing, huh?...
ANYHOO, I can't do anything about that. Maybe, somehow, if I use Hijack without the mind erase part (a part I will never ever fucking use like Jesus christ dude what the fuck), I can take over the mind of a goblin-, just, just temporarily, and talk to the goblin girl about what I did-?...
Yeah, that could work! Maybe. Depending on how Hijack exactly works. Y'know, if it lets me use the goblin's skills and all. That'd be cool.
Oh-, I almost forgot! I should still take a peek at the spells-, gosh, not only do I now have intermediate fire magic, but also novice light magic...
All Available Spells (You are currently able to use seven Spells)
Heat Lv.2
Used to heat an area by 1 Mana/0.1 Celcius and 1 Mana per cubic diameter. Increase in level lowers the amount of mana needed.
Flare Lv.5 Causes a small explosion. Depending on level, size and properties may be manipulated. Spell can be charged to cause one large explosion or spammed to create many small ones.
Fireball Lv.1
Creates a ball of flames, size and intensity depending on level and amount of mana poured into it. Fireflies Lv.1 This spell creates a large amount of small, fly-shaped falls of flame. Power and intensity change with level, amount is dependant on mana used. Bolt Lv.1 Shoots a ray of concentrated fire, draining mana with every second of usage. Intensity changes with level, mana consumption does not. Shine Lv.1 Creates a small, shining orb of light which can be manipulated by the user at will. The brightness is decided by the amount of mana used, and higher levels allow for less mana for higher brightness. Blind Lv.1 Two explosions of light are caused in front of the eyes of the opponent, causing temporary(if desired, permanent) blindness. Higher levels allow for strengthened light and therefore strengthened blindness.
...Interesting. Right, so, probably, the last two are my new Light spells, the three before that are the intermediate fire ones, and the rest is as usual. Right. I'm not sure what to do with this, but I'll keep them in mind for when/if I enter combat again.
This whole debacle aside, I am kind of curious of how I, well, actually look. I've just been staring at my status all this time, so I have no idea what I look like. Let's have a looksie...
The first thing I notice is that it is, in fact, night. For one thing, there are no goblins to be seen inside the cave, and the ones I can't see are all outside, huddled around a campfire, clad in armour and carrying crude weapons. Keeping watch. It's really dark out there, but not as dark as the cave I've spent the last (days?) in.
For my own part, I am... very bright. Well, not bright per se, but I am certainly glowing. That is, my bulb is glowing. By the very end of my body, by the abdomen, if you will, is a large, ball of blue-ish cyan light. It looks almost like fire, and when I touch it, my footsie simply sinks right in. The fiery orb is centred around what seems to be a white, lightly glowing crystal.
...I'm going to take a quick guess and assume this to be, well, all of my mana. Y'see, before I evolved, when I felt my mana, it was in my midsection. But now, it is more like, well, right there. In the orb. Or, even, the whole orb. If I will it, I can make the orb act however I want it to, but it takes a bit of focus.
The orb is connected to my midsection, a part of me which is actually rather slim. On the behind of this midsection, two pieces of armour stick out, maybe to defend my mana just a little-? Either way, my midsection connects to my other midsection, where two of my three pairs of legs stick out. The other pair is by my lower midsection.
The upper midsection connects to my head, but I can't really see my head since, well, I haven't got a mirror. Altogether, I now look more like an ant, or an actual insect, than a worm.
Hark, for I hath ascended! Worm no more; insect henceforth.
Hrrmm,,
Standing up, I realize that 1, I am indeed still atop the hay roof of a random hut, and 2, Standing with this body is actually quite uncomfortable. Sure, it's not like my mana weighs anything so it isn't heavy or anything, but it's uncomfortable.
...Let's test out that advanced flying, shall we??
Flying has now become second nature to me, and with no need to watch my mana since I don't have Light and advanced flying doesn't consume any mana anymore, I simply rise from the floor, utilizing the wings on my back.
Somehow, this insect body has become natural to me. Well in the air, I let myself fly.
Advanced flying is no joke. Despite trying my best not to exit the cave due to responsibilities, I still somehow find myself just at the edge several times. The wind swooshes through my ears, my now-even-longer antennae straightening out behind my head due to the force, and it feels almost like when I was falling, but I control it, and it is good. I'm somehow even smaller than I was as a lightworm, with the mana making up most of my appeared mass.
When all is said and done and this new body is mine and mine alone, I land by a windowsill, lacking actual glass windows since goblins apparently can't make it, and I peer inside.
I see the goblin-girl, but she doesn't see me. She's asleep, brows furrowed, and mouth distorted into a deep, tight-lipped frown.
...I'm going to need to get the hang of Hijack.