Kara exited Nilbog’s body before his teeth first sunk in. She felt what he felt, and she had little desire to taste human flesh.
It didn’t seem like he wanted to, either. Even when he only drank the blood, he kept vomiting half of what he put in.
His body, however, was healing. Based on the Devourer skill, he can heal for 100% percent of his original constitution every 24 hours, meaning that he could heal for 130 HP. Considering the bleeding damage would still tick as he closed the wound, the damage would still leave him under.
It was a slightly below average skill if considered only for its healing. The sustain itself was not the issue, but rather that he had to kill things to use it. And when you’re low on HP, a skill which requires you to enter combat to heal was not a great one.
Then again, it wasn’t just a healing skill. She could tell that the entire Shapeshifter race seemed entirely centered around utilizing “Husks.” Though a single Husk seemed to be an inferior version of the real thing, it could, in theory, adapt itself to any environment.
Simply said, a Shapeshifter was not a battle-focused class. Kara would make it that way, of course, but her constraints will be greater in that regard.
How many bodies did Nilbog have to devour to create an S Husk? How many months until they could even get to the Nrail mountains, much less kill a Lordan?
Just you wait, Shindro. I’ll catch up, one way or another.
A wave of Life Force erupted to her side. Kara left Nilbog to his own devices and slightly neared the skirmish occurring, letting her worries accumulate for a later time.
In real-time, only a minute or so has passed since her dive, yet Caldain’s crew did not fare well.
One fight after another left no time for their STM or Life Force to regenerate, leaving them in quite the bind. The Guardian and Caldain himself held their own, though the other two Warriors were not. They fought shoulder to shoulder while the Ranger and Rogue fought at the sidelines.
The Ranger was being chased by a single nimble enemy, probably a Rogue himself, but the difference in skill was too large. The enemy Rogue was able to fend off Caldain’s Rogue while still chasing down the Ranger, not allowing him to send in arrows at his friends back.
Caldain’s too weak. He must have enormous debuffs. Probably the reason why he’s able to enter a low-level area.
Kara was no different. In the end, their experience and utilization of their skills were supposed to fill in that gap. Unfortunately, diving into Nilbog’s Soul took too much out of her. She didn’t feel like she had the voice to sing for Caldain’s party.
Hopefully, she could change that now.
She pulled open her character menu and hovered over her Death Siren profession. There was an arrow button next to it.
Volume Option
Pianissimo (pp)
Specializes in small party dynamics
Fortissimo (ff)
Specializes in large raid dynamics
Fortississimo (fff)
Specializes in army dynamics
Shaking her head, Kara selected Pianissimo (pp), as it was the closest thing. She had little interest in the higher Volumes. Though they would have an undoubtedly larger impact than the lower Volumes in the grand scheme of things, they simply did not benefit her.
Why does it matter whose army won, as long as she would come up on top?
You have selected the Volume Pianissimo (pp)
Choosing a volume has improved all Death Siren skills that affect a party size of 1-6. You are more likely to learn skills in your chosen Volume.
Choose a new skill.
Beware that this decision will significantly impact your profession.
Single Tune
Gain complete control of the body.
You may use all of your skills, but while in Single Tune your Dancer’s skills will become inactive.
The Dancer will gain 50% of the experience and points while in Single Tune.
Penalty for using your Dancer’s Life Force and Energy will be removed.
Songs will be 50% effective on this Dancer. While in Single Tune, you may use Death Siren’s Song but you may not be affected by it.
The Dancer will not be able to act while you are using Single Tune.
You may control the body for 1 hour. The more skills you cast that body cannot handle, however, the faster your time will deplete. Each minute will require 2 hours to recharge.
For Single Tune to activate, you must have used Death Siren’s Recquisition on the target.
Duel Duet
Co-exist with the Dancer.
The Dancer will be able to move and cast skills independently from you.
Your Death Siren’s skills have increased effectiveness on the Dancer while you are in Duel Duet.
Penalty for using your Dancer’s Life Force and Energy will be set to 150% of the basic cost.
Co-existing will grant only the Dancer with experience and points. Rewards will be given as if you are separate entities.
You may use Duel Duet for 10 Minutes.
The more you control your Dancer’s body, however, the faster your time will deplete. Each minute will require 4 hours to recharge.
For Duel Duet to activate, your Dancer must voluntarily accept.
Though Duel Duet was her aim, Single Tune was what Kara had originally wanted. One hou
Her being able to use all her skills was an enormous plus, too. It would be limited by the body’s constitution to handle the influx of power coursing through it.
But choosing Single Tune would mean that she would have to give up on Nilbog’s class, and receive a 50% experience penalty.
On the other hand, with Duel Duet, Kara would immediately start utilizing both classes. It would be in a limited capacity, but the potentials of it working...
It sent a shiver down her spine.
The main issue with Sky And Earth Weaver was that it required duel sources: Life Force and Energy.
The Lordan race is the only known race with a body that can host a Soul which uses both Sources at the same time. Any other body would destroy itself from the combination of two different Sources.
With Duel Duet, however, there might be a way.
Much like Caldain, Kara loved gambling. She was all in on this.
You have chosen Duel Duet.
With that done, Kara floated down to Nilbog.
Let’s get this bloodbath started is what Kara would have said, except that Nilbog had already begun. He had pulled the blade out of his stomach and begun closing the wound.
An interesting thing, this one will be.
He had guts, she had to give him that. Instead of quitting halfway, he had healed his body to full HP.
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***
Congratulations! You have gained the Vigorous Nourishment buff!
HP, STM, and Overall STM regeneration increased by 20%
Sleep rest bonus increased by 20%
Duration: 5 hours
You have healed for 100% of your current Husk’s HP with Devourer.
Devourer will no longer heal you.
Material Gained
D Rank: 68% > 76%
C Rank: 49% > 57%
Material Used
D Rank: 76%> 44%
C Rank: 57%> 51%
You have healed for 41% of your current Husk’s HP with Devourer.
HP
130/130 (+15.6/Hour)
STM
136/140 (+.84/Second)
Overall STM
262/700 (+336/Day)
Life Force
57.6/81.6(1.1/Minute)
Energy
61/120 (1.1/Minute)
His body refused to stop shaking. With each raspy breath he could feel the tears at his eyes threatening to pour.
Every part of him felt utterly sickening. Spitting and cleaning with the cuff of his shirt did not take away the horrible taste.
He doubled over, his stomach emptying itself again.
Red. Everything was red. The smell was suffocating.
“Don’t worry, revenge will be sweeter,” Kara said, her ethereal form floating above him. It was a black foggy, but she still had short hair blazing brighter than the rest of her, and her eyelashes were long and noticeably orange.
She was seated on an imaginary throne, her legs crossed.
At least he did not misjudge her--she was an absolute ass.
He spat to the side, grabbing a sword as he stood up. He had to act strong, even if he wasn't. She was a hound, and Nilbog didn't doubt for a second that she would betray him the moment things were favorable for her.
Common old Longsword
Slash: ★★
Thrust: ★★
Blunt: ★
Durability: ★★
An old sword handed from one inexperienced soldier to the another.
“Not that one,” she said sharply. “That one,” and pointed towards a sword that looked nearly identical.
Nilbog nodded. She probably had some Scouting skill to see the info in detail. He walked over and nudged it from the dead man’s hands.
Common Old Longsword
Slash: ★★
Thrust: ★★
Blunt: ★
Durability: ★★
An old sword handed from one inexperienced soldier to the another.
He stopped and stared at the dirt blade for a few seconds, blood and dust stuck frozen to it. It was nearly identical. “An inch difference? Seriously?”
“An inch makes all the difference,” Kara said, shaking her head wistfully.
Nilbog stared at her.
“A-Anyway!” she said, floating forward. “Caldain’s group is losing--that guy’s luck is not something even I am jealous of. ”
“Didn’t take you for the caring type,” Nilbog said.
“He’s an ally, stupid. We can use him,” Kara said as she entered his body. It was a weird sensation, as if he suddenly had a different heart. Inaudible echoes rang in his mind, though the more he tried the more elusive they became.
“Are you striking down that Rogue? 1 versus 3 should make it quick.”
“That would take too much time. He would just run away. We need to help the frontline now. They’re outnumbered and exhausted, and our time together is limited."
“Strike them from behind, then? Wait, we?”
“I’ll intervene if something goes wrong. Like this,” Kara said, and suddenly his body began to run forward without his consent. “Have it back,” she quickly said, releasing her grasps.
Nilbog stumbled forward, cursing quietly. “Give me a warning!”
“We won’t have that type of time. I’ll be channeling Energy, you’ll feel it coursing through your body. You spread Life Force from your Soul into your body. I'll focus it where we need it--here.”
“How? What? Use what? Wait!” Nilbog said, but it was too late. Kara had already pushed behind the enemy squad, and before him a Warrior stood, well aware of his movements.
They weren’t amateurs. A person of notable skill fell back.
He was old, his skin turned brown and dark from years of harsh labor. The bones of his fingers turned in odd directions, a reminisce of past injuries.
First lesson. Always Scout the enemy before a fight. Kara whispered. A strange, warm sensation grew in the back of his head and then reached towards his eyes.
Level 48 Warrior
Calm and measured, this Warrior possesses mighty resolve and excellent fighting sense.
Though his age began to weigh down on his bones, his parameters well exceed yours. Take caution.
Life Force lingers in his fingers.
Ever fought experienced fighters before?
I ran each time, Nilbog thought back. The man did not seem intent on charging forward, probably recovering his STM.
He’ll be faster than us. Watch out for his hands, he’s adept at External Life Force with those wounds. Remember, hold the sword with both hands but relax your left arm. We need to finish the fight before Short-Breath ends.
Nilbog nodded, and then inched forward. A coldness began to gather around his left entire arm, concentrated within his palms, but he ignored it as instructed.
Sword fights were not his expertise, as he usually withheld his tactics to ambushes, but he still knew where the pointy end was. Stepping forward, he swung in a measured manner, ready to pull back.
The enemy Warrior knocked it aside and stepped forward, also testing Nilbog with a light attack.
Nilbog motioned his legs to step back and to knock the blade aside. This was customarily in fights--it was the most basic thing to do, but Kara had other ideas.
His legs lunged forward, and all Nilbog could do was meet the strike with his sword.
The Warrior was just as surprised, but instead of jumping back, he immediately released a battle cry and pushed forward. Life Force erupted from his body, nearly blowing away Nilbog. The difference in parameters was too enormous, and a new buff made him even stronger. Nilbog began to lose strength in his shoulders, but worst was that his sword began to break.
He wanted to scream but even his mouth did not answer. His left hand, now covered in frost, suddenly swung itself at an unbelievable speed and caught the blade. His right dropped his sword and swung the opposite way, towards the sword's hilt.
The ice protecting his hand did not last more than a second.
Nilbog felt the blade cutting through his skin, but it had done its purpose. His right hand swung towards the sword handle, aiming to strike the Warrior’s fingers.
The Warrior should have lost the fight then--few beings in the world were capable of using both Energy and Life Force. There was little a mage could do at such a close range and in such a short span of time, but he still reacted to Kara’s bare hands.
It was Life Force Empowered. It would have crushed his fingers.
The Warrior released the blade and snapped back his hands, causing Nilbog’s palm to smash into the hilt. His left hand that held the blade pushed to the right as his fist smashed from the right, causing the sword to turn in circles in the air.
Second Movement: Deviation, Kara whispered.
Kinetic Energy! Nilbog realized. The entire Kinetic Energy which caused the sword to swing in circles was now directed in a single direction--forward.
The enemy Warrior, who just as Kara predicated had a thick aura covering his fists, yelped as the blade thrust forward. He stumbled back, and either through sheer luck or unimaginable skill, swung his fist. It struck the blade at an angle, redirecting the blade away from the center of his chest to only pierce his shoulders.
Full Penetration!
You have dealt 53 Damage!
You have dealt Moderate Bleed damage!
He brought up his other hand in defense, ignoring the pain. The one he defended with fell broken to his side.
Nilbog had control over his body, once again. He was about to bend down to pick up his sword, but was surprised to see it already back in his hands, pointed directly at the Warrior.
This time, with his own control, Nilbog stepped forward and swung.
The Warrior, expecting the swing, was ready to slap it aside. He swung his fists as Nilbog did.
Except this time, Nilbog strained his shoulders and paused momentarily, letting the blade hover for a split moment in the air.
The Warrior’s hand met with nothing but open air. The Warrior’s eyes widened, his calm demeanor crumbling into panic as Nilbog’s sword came down, cutting through half of his skull. His body swung to the left and then fell, blood running under him.
Full penetration!
You have dealt 97 damage!
You have dealt a fatal blow!
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
....
You are now level 29!
Good move, Kara said, which was possibly the first time Kara said something nice.
Unfortunately, he did not hear her.
He stood gasping, his sword stuck within the Warrior's skull. His hair stood up and his body was tight, fingers nearly crushing the sword's hilt with the strength he held it, and his feet seemed to almost dig into the ground with their weight.
Nilbog did not fight like this. He was so shocked that he had even missed the level up notifications that he had not seen in forty long years.
Snap out of it! Shapeshift your left hand. Close the wound.
“You can see the future!”
What? Stop wasting time!
“You knew he would do that! You even had the sword ready, knowing-”
You always bring your sword back after an attack. Focus! Attack them now there is an opening!
Right, Nilbog thought, swallowing. His heartbeat widely, drowning out all other sounds. He could feel the blood furiously pumping through the veins in the side of his forehead, and he could feel the vibrations coursing under him.
"Huh? Vibrations?"
Off in the distance, in the center of the field, the earth began to rise.