We went back home after the battle with the skarid and the bestfiend attached to it. Those were the species names of the squid and the biting parasite respectively, as discovered by myself and Moonwash. I participated in the identification ritual just because I felt like it. I wasn’t the worst at the casting process because wind as an element did agree with me. I just never had the time to focus on it, but I was certain it’d have a mean combination with fire. I told Moonwash of the idea, and she agreed to practice as it would indeed be strong.

We didn’t go back to the wonderzone, and instead stayed home after that, as it was just about time for Luine to return. And just on time, a week or so later, she arrived with a big pack on her back.

“I’m back!” She landed on the floor of our base, dirty from her travels but none the worse for wear.

“Ooh! Did you get it?” I lowered my voice conspiratorially. “The goods…”

She rolled her eyes and spoke evenly. “Yes Haell. I got the goods.”

I gasped. “Sssshhhhh. You never know where there might be… ears on the walls.”

She looked at me blankly for a second, before we both started laughing, soon joined by the others.

“Okay, okay. Seriously, I got most of what you asked for.”

“Ooh! Lemme see lemme see!” I pounced on the pack of broken and severed body parts like a child on christmas. Moonwash soon jumped after me, and while her expression was picture-perfect calm and stoic, her demeanor was closer to a starved scavenger.

We confirmed the goods enthusiastically, separating the jar with a troll’s heart, the madrenaline gland of a superquarrel, and more. I shrieked in joy upon spotting the wings of a burat. They were a species of burrowing creatures that looked like a cross between a mole and a bat. Their wings were retractable into a special pouch in their back, allowing them to live and hunt both in the air and under the ground. They typically only lived higher up in the barrier range, so I wasn’t sure if there would even be any that made it to the markets here. But Luine delivered!

I was planning on adding these wings to myself just like how I got my horns. I didn’t know if it would work, I wasn’t sure if it was necessary for a species evolution, but a strong and free Mutation was valuable regardless!

Additionally, I did have reason to believe that adding a new Mutation would aid in achieving another species evolution, as the last time I tried, it started out as a very painful process, but that pain soon turned into pleasure the moment my horns were added into the mix. So perhaps forcing the acquisition of a new Mutation was a necessary and integral part of the process!

“I wasn’t able to get the blood of a hekaton,” Luine calmly stated once we had calmed down. “There just wasn’t any available, it’s very hard to get ahold of even if you manage to find one. Sorry about that.”

“No no. No need to apologize! You’ve already helped tons and tons!”

It made total sense that a hekaton’s blood would be a bloody challenge to obtain. Heh, bloody.

The dreaded hekaton was a terrifying species of bipedal monsters with way too many hands. Their main claim to infamy was their ability to make chaotic rituals with unpredictable elements and effects. It was theorized that the hekatons consumed the flesh of their victims, and extracted the mana that existed within all of creation, in order to achieve the chaos they brought to bear.

But that’s the thing about them! We just didn’t know! They remained a mystery because they self-destructed upon death, or when captured. Not a single speck of blood was left behind as a semi-ritual was conducted, with their very existence as the sacrifice.

“I can get it for you!” Elfrafim proclaimed, her voice ringing like a divinely sacred bell.

“Eh? What?”

“I said I can get it for you. The hekaton blood.”

“Uhh… It self-destructs. How would you even do that?”

It was a stupid idea from the start, really. I just got way too excited by what that monster was capable of. And I wanted its blood to feed my own.

“Pfah! I’m a level 80 elf built for speed. I’m sure I can figure something out.”

“That… actually makes a lot of sense. Maybe if you just dash in, steal a hand, and then run back out, the hekaton won’t even have a chance to activate any self-destructs!”

She snapped her fingers. “There, see? You get it. Don’t give up so soon, Haell. It’s soo unlike you! Just keep on breaking all limits til the very end!”

“Thanks…” I smiled bashfully, but the expression soon fell from my face. “But no. I can’t… ask this of you. You’ve already done so much for me, with the life mana and all, and I haven’t even repaid that…”

“Haell.” Elfrafim’s voice suddenly turned serious. Her hand landed on my shoulders, and it was heavy, even as she had to reach up. “That’s a gift. I told you it was a gift. You agreed. Are you… breaking your promise?”

“What? N-no! Of course not! I’m sorry.”

“Good.” She nodded. “So?”

I gulped. “It still… you’ve still given me so many gifts. I can’t ask this of you on top of all that.”

Elfrafim sighed, and let go of my shoulders. “I’m a traveler, Haell. I traveled out of the Grandest Forest to see new sights. You know that, right?”

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“And in my time here, you’ve shown me an entirely new species and given me the details of how a species evolution could even be achieved. You have curse-aligned mana in your body, so much of it because you’ve actually Mutated your blood to hold more of it, and yet you retain your sanity. Your impressions of that alone would be the scholarly achievement of my generation! Do you not realize that!?”

I couldn’t help the stupid grin that formed on my face, I giggled like a spoiled and evil princess. “S-shit, you're right. If you list all of my feats like that, then I am fucking amazing!”

“Oh yes!” She agreed, unabashed. “But that’s hardly the full list. There are plenty more!”

“Oh yeah. Stroke my ego further. That’s a good idea.”

“Hell yeah! I’ll have you challenging dragons and rushing off to your death once I’m done!”

Elfrafim made good on her threat, gushing in detail about my technique of doing pseudo-rituals inside my body. Not entirely unprecedented, but mythically rare, and those that could do it were either not sapient to begin with or were raving mad.

Elfrafim had only praise for the rituals we could do. It was known that using parts of one’s own body would help, but not nearly to the extent I was capable of! The process for our creation of cursed weapons was ingenious, and that alone had enlightened her to so many new possibilities.

She continued further, gushing over every little thing, and my continuously growing smirk betrayed the staggering amount of enthusiasm that I felt. Praising me like this was really unhealthy, maybe, but I did not wish for her to stop.

Luine had some comments of her own to make during the whole thing. “Great. She becomes even more insufferable.

“I didn’t know jaws could do that,” Baston played along. “She’s smiling all the way up to her dome!”

“Truly, the power of a level 80.” Even Moonwash joined in…

Their comments were nothing, however, compared to the sheer hype that I felt. I was already capable of all these ridiculous feats, what more could I do an evolution later!?

“So, Haell,” Elfrafim said, after all the praise. “In my view, what you’ve given me is priceless and unique. Nothing compared to a single wand filled with life mana. I can still get that somewhere else. Multiple somewhere elses.”

“Eh, you’re exaggerating…” I believed in myself, but even I wouldn’t say that.

“Does this mean, Haell,” Elfrafim barrelled through, ignoring all my protestations, “that I must now work for you forever in order to repay this great debt that I perceive?”

“What? No! Of course not!” I instantly responded.

“I don’t want to do that either.” She nodded, satisfied, before grabbing hold of both my hands. “So once again, I ask. Do we have to keep track of every little transaction like merchants who are only trying to squeeze as much value out of the other,” her hands tightened around mine, almost shaking, “or can we be friends who give to each other freely, because the mere act of it is reward enough?”

My lips quivered, there was only one response I could make.

I pulled her in for a hug, holding on tight. “Yeah. Yes, I’d like that. I’m sorry. I was being stubborn. It’s even less grateful for me

“No, Haell. It’s okay…” She patted me on the back. “It’s not… bad to repay a favor. It’s just not how I do things. And well, if anything, I’m the one just pushing my values…”

I chuckled. “Yeah, maybe. But I prefer it this way too. I was just spooked, I guess. By your power, by the help that you freely gave. However, you can see it with me and… Moonwash.” I recalled the kiss we shared, then pushed it out of my mouth. Mind. I meant mind. I pushed it out of my mind. Damn it! “We also give freely and all. Me and her. No one’s keeping track of ledgers or anything, favors are not quantified to be repaid in full. I’ve always been that way, really. Those were the kinds of friendships that I treasured the most back in my past life.”

“Wait, wait. Back up.” Elfrafim broke the hug and stepped back, looking at me intensely. “What did you just say!?”

A beat of silence. I realized what I'd just revealed.

“Yeah, what the fuck, Haell?” Luine broke the silence.

“Somehow. It only makes sense,” Baston claimed, though he was clearly just as surprised. “She always seemed to be in another world entirely.”

“Oh… Well! Gifts freely given, remember? I’m about to give you a gift of information that’d make everything that came before look like run of the mill common knowledge!” I laughed, very awkwardly, but also while remaining very cheerful.

~~~

“Amazing!” Elfrafim loved the reveal of myself being a reincarnator. It was a known phenomenon, but extremely rare. There was one allegedly among them before, but he’s long dead, and she’s never met someone like me before. I promised to tell her more later, I too wished to share my history. It was just knowledge that could potentially paint a target in my back, for a host of reasons.

Luine thought the same.

“This really puts things into perspective. Mahka and Rallem knew?”

“Yeah, they did.”

“Well. I understand the need to keep it secret. Rather, you should not even have revealed it just now!”

“Ehehe, sorry. It just came out.”

“That’s not an excuse!” She shook her head. “I think you need training to keep your mouth shut.”

“Eeeeeeehhhh. This was a special case. An accident. It’s fiiiiinnneee. You worry too much!”

She sighed. “Sure, sure. You know what you’re doing, it seems.”

“Still, a reincarnator,” Baston wondered. “I wasn’t even sure if Shanayah really was a reincarnated soul from a world without the same magic or Mutations that we enjoy.”

“Well, it’s probably true. She got the name of my world right.”

“Her description of the place seems vastly different to yours.”

“Have a dwarf from the impenetrable barrier range describe their home to you. You think you’d recognize it?”

“Oh damn. That’s wise. Is that your otherworldly wisdom at play?”

I laughed. “Fuck off. Besides, I think something else is going on with Shanayah. We might even have been from the exact same region.”

“Oh? What’s up with the differences then?”

I shrugged. “People can have differing views even from the same place. Ask a shepherd and they’ll see the touch of the angels in literally everything. I see only a sickness that has gripped all that they rule.”

“Damn. You really are dropping some otherworld truths right there, Haell.”

I sighed good-naturedly. “I’ll use my otherworldly forces to chuck you into a wall if you keep this up.”

“Is that your alien way of friendship? I’ll allow it, but only because you can’t actually harm me.”

“Goddamit.”

Even if it was an accident, I was very happy with this reveal.