Moonlight streamed through a circular opening carved into the straw roof, filling the small room with an ethereal glow. Sparse of furniture and amenities, the room's focal point was a large stone situated in the centre. Before it lay a grotesque mound of flesh. This stone was not ordinary; it was an exceptionally large shard of MirrorStone, a type of reflective crystal. The mound of flesh, despite its hard-to-believe appearance, was very much alive. More astonishingly, this living mass of flesh was, in fact, a ‘he’, who long ago had been a human.
Gazing into the mirror, he was met with an eldritch reflection. Eyes, numerous and unblinking, took turns casting their gaze upon the surface, while a pair of tentacles shifted restlessly, as if in disapproval of the image they beheld. There's a belief that a mirror reflects not just the appearance but the essence of one's soul. If there were any truth to this, the monstrous reflection observed through his manifold eyes served as a grim testament to his soul's condition. He was intimately familiar with the life he once led—a life marred by darkness, steeped in malevolence, awash with the blood of others, and corrupted by greed and senseless violence.
In this existence, diverging from his past, his body underwent transformations alongside his soul. The consequences of his reckless deeds stripped away what little remained of his dwindling humanity, accelerating his descent into chaos.
"You reap what you sow," he mused, examining a new tentacle that had emerged at dawn—a slender, squirming appendage at the very heart of his corporeal form. The new appendage, unlike others, lacked grotesque eyes and mouths, and it was rather smooth and polished. “I like this tendril, It’s beautiful and special!” He wriggled it to test it out. Let's see if there have been any further alterations. [Status]," he summoned, seeking to understand the full extent of his metamorphosis.
Title: Specimen-X
Class: [Champion] lvl.8
Magic Affinity: Chaos
Race: Eldritch
Variant: Abomination
>>>[Error!]<<<
HP:100
MP:300
STA:50
👾
Skills
[TentacleAttack], [EvolveMonster]
Perks
[CorruptingInfluence], [ChaosBlessed]
Tags
[Abomination]
"No changes there," he observed, manipulating his two most dexterous tentacles with a twist. "But hey, I've gained an extra appendage!" He attempted to inject a note of optimism into his voice. "Seven's a lucky number, isn't it? It must be!" Unfortunately, a glance at his status revealed no 'Lucky' perk awaiting him. "Perhaps thirteen will bring luck... Maybe then?" He harboured a sense of anticipation for what might come next.
His monologue was abruptly halted as a clawed paw swept aside a roughly woven curtain. The multitude of mouths ceased their murmuring, and the numerous eyes shifted toward the entrance now revealed.
A voice, both pleasant and feminine, cut through the gloom: "Master, are you ready?"
Ah, this was one of his subjects, an evolved humanoid rabbit monster, a DemiMonster to be precise. He held a fondness for his rabbits, but this one, in particular, captivated him. Favouritism wasn't ideal, yet she stood out as his inaugural and, by a fortunate coincidence, his finest creation: the Rabbit Maid.
The RabbitMaid, standing five feet tall, embodied a fusion of agility and grace, weighing just 100 pounds (45kg). Her coat of light grey fur was both soft and inviting to the touch. With large, round green eyes, she radiated the endearing charm typical of cute animals. Her ears, long and erect, were finely tuned to capture even the softest sounds, eagerly awaiting his response. A small, button-like nose sat above a tiny mouth, which, curled into a smile, revealed a pair of sharp incisors ideal for tackling the most resilient of vegetation and fruits.
Her hands were a unique blend of human and rabbit characteristics, featuring dexterous fingers tipped with claws and equipped with opposable thumbs. To a human, these hands might appear oversized, yet within her world, they were considered charmingly proportionate, covered in fluffy fur that extended up to her elbows before giving way to smooth skin.
Her lower body too was an amalgam of human and rabbit anatomy. Her powerful digitigrade legs, designed for exceptional leaping and swift sprints, bore a coat of fur that ceased above the knees, transitioning to smooth human-like skin. A simple loincloth provided modesty, while her wide hips and voluptuous rear boasted a fluffy cotton-like tail.
Moreover, she possessed the subtle allure of a well-balanced figure, with breasts that were neither too large nor too small, perfectly complementing her lithe frame. These were modestly enveloped in plant fiber cloth, with a delicate tuft of fur adorning the cleavage, tapering gracefully to her collarbones.
The RabbitMaid was indeed a stunning creation. Moreover, she possessed the remarkable ability to comprehend his eldritch speech, a feat not easily achieved.
"Master?" She inquired again, her ears pivoting slightly as if driven by curiosity.
His attempt at speech resulted in an unsettling dissonance, the words never quite synchronizing to form a coherent whole. "YeS, I’m ReAdy," he managed, producing a jumbled and eerie echo.
This method of communication, while straightforward, was not universally understood among the rabbits, and it occasionally induced a state of Terror in the listener. To circumvent this and to facilitate communication with his rabbits, he had devised 'Tentacle,' a language of movements and gestures, which he used nearly exclusively to avoid any vocalization.
"Yes, I’m ready," he conveyed through the fluid motions of his tentacles.
"There's no need," RabbitMaid chuckled, amused by his elaborate gestures. "I understood you the first time," she reassured him, pulling back the drape further. "Please come, they are ready," she beckoned, offering him an encouraging look. "Or should I carry you?" she asked, a playful smile dancing on her lips.
"No," he responded firmly.
Contrary to what some might assume, movement was a challenge for him; it had always been. In times past, when he was smaller and adorned with fewer tentacles, the rabbits could transport him with ease. Now, having doubled in size and mass, he was far too cumbersome for a single rabbit to lift. Despite lacking legs, which might lead some to view him as disabled, he was determined to prove his capability. With an awkward sequence of movements, his tentacles undulated, each taking its turn to lift his centre and drag him forward, inch by inch, towards the doorway.
“...”
Indeed, his progress was slow, a journey made by a mass of flesh adorned with writhing tentacles. Yet, within him burned a fierce pride. "I've got this," he conveyed with merely two swipes of a tentacle, an action that nearly caused him to lose his balance.
The RabbitMaid leapt forward, arms ready to assist, yet she did not intervene prematurely. "Yes, Master, you're doing well!" Her voice was full of praise, her encouragement echoing around them. With attentive, large round eyes, she observed him much like a mother watches a toddler's first steps, always prepared to catch him should he stumble. In his mind, however, such caution was unnecessary. Despite the awkward appearance of his movement, he was surprisingly stable, supported by his seven tentacles.
After some effort, he finally entered the Ceremonial Hall. There, two DemiMonster rabbits awaited him—one male, one female—both kneeling in respect. "Master," they greeted in unison, bowing deeply.
They were not without an offering; before them lay a stick cage, housing a forest creature—a rabbit. It was an ordinary animal, innocent and untouched by the corrupting influence of Chaos magic. Upon noticing the approaching eldrich figure, the creature recoiled in fear, curling into a small, trembling ball of fur.
The Ceremonial Hall lived up to its name, serving as the stage for rituals of significant importance. The two evolved rabbits before him had diligently contributed to the betterment of their village, and it was time for them to receive their well-earned rewards.
A tentacle extended towards the cage, eliciting a scream of terror from the animal within; it instinctively knew that its fate was about to change dramatically. Once the cage was opened, the rabbit was swiftly ensnared by a coiling tentacle.
He invoked the skill "[EvolveMonster: DemiRabbit]" using the magical blueprint he had meticulously refined over the years. Instantly, 100 MP and 1 RefinedSoul were consumed, enveloping the rabbit in a shimmering purple light. As expected, a series of familiar notifications appeared before his eyes:
[Warning! You’re committing an act against the Deities], he habitually ignored this warning.
[Warning! You’ve gained Taboo +1], which marked a peculiar milestone—his Taboo reaching 1000. He was indifferent to this, though he acknowledged the milestone with a mental note of "Yay!"
[Rabbit was Evolved into DemiRabbit], the message signified yet another successful transformation. His expertise in these matters was evidently growing.
[ChaosBlessed was activated], came another system message that carried a pleasant surprise, which would be pondered upon later.
The rabbit, now immobile and still glowing in the transformative light, began to physically morph. Moments later, in place of the simple forest creature lay a small, endearing child DemiRabbit, asleep and blissfully unaware of the future challenges and adversities of life within the Forbidden Forest.
Yet, his task was not complete. He flipped the juvenile rabbit onto her belly to perform a more regrettable action. Biting his tentacle to draw blood, he meticulously drew a blood glyph, a symbol of Chaos magic, on her back. The blood sizzled upon contact, thankfully, the juvenile, still sedated by the evolution, felt no pain. This blood glyph was crucial—it Branded the rabbit so that upon her demise, her soul would be his to claim. This process, though seemingly cruel, was essential for creating more DemiMonster Rabbits. The cycle of using MonsterSouls to spawn Monsters was a form of recycling, in a twisted sense.
With the final step completed, he gently handed the sleeping juvenile over to her new family. But before parting, he quickly invoked '[Inspect]' to learn more about this new addition to their community.
Title: Rabbit Child #42
Class: [None] lvl.0
Magic Affinity: None
Race: DemiMonster
Variant: Rabbit
>>>[🐰]<<<
HP:40
MP:0
STA:60
Skills
[Burrow], [Hop]
Perks
[EnergyBurst], [Luck]
Tags
[Monster], [Infertile], [Weakened], [Branded]
Like all his creations, this new DemiRabbit was tagged as Infertile and Monster. Also, the chaotic evolution had placed her in a Weakened state, halving her HP and STA—a condition that would dissipate in a week. Apart from this temporary setback, she was in good health. His primary reason for inspecting her stats was the rare chance that some DemiMonster Rabbits might possess unique talents or perks. However, as was often the case, this one had none. The perks EnergyBurst and Luck were merely common to the Variant: Rabbit.
"Thank you, Master," the male rabbit expressed, bowing once again.
"Thanks, we'll cherish her dearly," the female rabbit added, gently cradling the child in her arms.
"No problem," he replied in Tentacle.
The couple, not well-versed in Tentacle, looked towards the RabbitMaid for clarification.
"Master says it wasn’t difficult and that it was his pleasure," she translated for them, albeit with a bit of creative liberty.
Ah, dear RabbitMaid… Her translation might have strayed from his exact sentiments, but it was close enough for the moment.
He waved his tentacles, a gesture he used often enough that the couple understood it as a farewell without needing translation. The pair departed, visibly elated with their new addition. This joy, however, was something he couldn't fully share. Behind his actions, there lingered a sense of guilt rather than happiness.
The existence of the DemiMonster Rabbits, much like his own, was marked by a curse. Despite their natural desires to form families and bear offspring, the Infertile status effect rendered them incapable of fulfilling such instincts. As beings classified as Monsters by the System, they were targeted for elimination, given that the slaying of monsters awarded a substantial amount of EXP. This made them particularly vulnerable to races of Good alignment, who might seek them out for the promise of experience points. Additionally, their home in the Forbidden Forest subjected them to constant threats from other vicious and powerful monsters. They were also burdened with the care of their creator, who, by his own admission, was quite helpless on his own. Thus, the DemiRabbits' survival hinged on him just as his well-being depended on their support. Their destinies were intertwined in a bond that was almost romantic in nature, though undeniably twisted.
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With the ceremony concluded, there was only one task left on his agenda: a bath. Even as an abomination, he saw no reason to neglect personal hygiene. However, before attending to this, he reviewed the latest notifications he had received:
[Warning! Your Taboo reached 1000. ChaoticEnergy is pooling inside your body]
[Max MP -200], his mana pool shrunk permanently to 100 MP.
[You have gained ChaosCore: Petty], this was a newly acquired passive perk that came with a significant cost (reduced Max MP).
ChaosCore: A crystalline core has formed within your body granting you access to ChaosPoints. Just like your blood, it is a vessel for magical energy. You’ve gained ManaRegeneration +1. The core is now a part of your body, if you grow stronger so will your core. Protect it at all costs, or suffer a ShatteredCore!
Essentially, he had exchanged 200 MP for an increase in his ManaRegeneration rate. While the trade-off might seem balanced, the acquisition of ChaosPoints (CP:100) — a mysterious form of magical energy — introduced an element of unknown potential. The true purpose of these Chaos Points was yet to be discovered, prompting him to plan for future experiments. But such endeavours would have to wait for another day.
===XXX===
In the serene quiet of the bath, the cold water proved to be a refreshing balm against his eldritch form. Emerging from the water, he felt revitalized, his scent now carrying the pleasant tang of citrus—a gift from the BathLeaf herb indigenous to the forest. While the water rendered by this herb was unsuitable for drinking, it worked wonders for the skin, leaving his tentacles feeling smoother and silkier than ever. The usual black ooze they sometimes secreted was replaced by a zesty fragrance.
Moving at a leisurely pace, he navigated back to his chamber, situated just beyond a short corridor and to the left. As he pulled aside the drape with a tentacle, an unexpected sight caused him to recoil in surprise.
"RaBBiT MaiD?!" His voice came out in its usual distorted cacophony.
The room had been transformed subtly but significantly. Flower petals, vibrant and colourful, were scattered across the floor, lending a soft, calming ambience to the once-stark chamber. Most striking, however, was the sight within his nest. There, amongst the fluffed leaves and flower petals, was yet another flower – the RabbitMaid. She had her hind legs tucked beneath her, her head resting on her palms. Her usual work attire was replaced by sleeping clothes. At a glance, one might think she looked rather relaxed, but a closer look revealed a tinge of anxiety on her face. She was muttering something while plucking the petals of a random flower – she clearly was bored of waiting.
That’s right! – The two were having a sleepover today. X had entirely forgotten about this occasional event. In his excuse, it was hard to keep track of such things with no actual calendar. The Rabbit Village was deep within the Forbidden Forest and so it didn’t have most of such amenities. Anyway, this was their evening where the two could forget the mundane activities of the day and just chat about nothing till the early morning.
“Sorry,” he spoke, “It seems I have forgotten.”
At the sound of the voice, the rabbit's face brightened. She met his many eyes with a beaming smile. “Good evening, Master!” Her cotton-like tail danced happily in greeting.
“Why didn’t you remind me?” He inquired using his tentacles.
“You forgot?” The rabbit tilted her head giving a cheeky smile. “That’s even better. Ta-da! A surprise sleepover!” She jumped out of the nest, sending flower petals flying.
“Yay!” He wriggled his tentacles in enthusiasm.
“Come then, the nest is ready,” she encouraged, patting the branches.
“Yes, I see you’ve decorated it.” He poked at the flowers. “Very nice! But are you sure this is a nest for Eldrich Abomination?”
“Huh?” She looked quizzically with big rabbit eyes.
“Well…” He considered telling her that a nest filled with bones and skulls would be more appropriate, however, “I do like flowers,” this was the honest truth. “Yes, this is very beautiful. I feel unworthy,” he wriggled feeling a tad bit emotional.
“Unworthy?” RabbitMaid furrowed her eyebrows. “Nonsense!” She protested.
“Then don’t mind if I do. He-he,” he wriggled inside the nest. it was soft and even pre-warmed!
The RabbitMaid adjusted his tentacles, making one her pillow. “You took time bathing. Was something on your mind? Or maybe it was… someone?”
He ignored her question, pondering on something else entirely. Here he was, a mutated amalgamation of flesh, mouths, eyes, and tentacles, sharing a nest with an exceptionally cute rabbit. He knew he was repulsive, but even then the RabbitMaid would insist on spending time with him like this. He felt truly blessed to have his rabbits, but also very guilty.
“RabbitMaid, do you mind being tagged as Monster?” It was the cost of his magic.
“Not one bit.” She shook her head while playing with one of his tendrils.
“How about the other tags?” He asked with worry.
“Infertile and Branded? Hmm,” she mused it over for a bit. “Well, you can always Evolve more rabbits. And when we die, our souls return to you to be reincarnated. I think it is amazing!” She exclaimed fervently.
He struggled to grasp her acceptance. The red tags were clearly debuffs, and yet the rabbits couldn’t care less. Still worried about certain things he asked, “And what about my cursed form? My many eyes, my many mouths, and my tentacles – they’re all monstrous and unsightly. How come you don’t mind?”
“Master? Are you fishing for compliments?” She asked mischievously. “Your eyes radiate intelligence, your mouths speak with power, and your tentacles…” she paused momentarily, her gaze drifting up to the left. “I’m envious of them. You can do so many things at once!” She nodded, satisfied with her answer.
“Shameless flattery!” He protested, but a tentacle reached to pet the rabbit right between her ears. The rabbits were naïve, or just too used to him. No normal person would find his visage pleasant. However, he felt much more secure.
“Hi-hi!” The Rabbitmaid giggled at her reward.
The Rabbitmaid nuzzled closer to the tentacle she was resting on. “Master, did you level up earlier today?” She asked something personal and seemingly out of nowhere, but such questions were all part of the sleepover they were having. “There was a moment you seemed very giddy. Your tentacles were wriggling left and right, he-he.” She recalled with a giggle.
“No, the level-up eludes me. It’s gotten much harder past level 5. But I did gain something: a ChaosCore and some CP to play with… but,” his tentacles drooped in disappointment, “but I don’t know how to use my Chaos Points. I can’t figure it out!”
“Hmm…” She pursed her lips in thought. Then, as if remembering, she pointed her finger up.“Rabbit Huntmaster spoke about something similar!”
“Really?” He perked his tentacled up, intrigued.
“Yes! She said she’d found out how to use Strike properly in the heat of a moment when she was going after a warg.”
“Oh…” The perked-up tentacle drooped back down. “My situation is entirely different. CP is something between MP and STA, it’s not a skill I can invoke.”
“But you use STA and MP through skills and perks. So I say let's give it a try – a mock battle!” She hopped out of the nest.
“Huh?” Did he just somehow activate a pillow fight event? “But we don’t have pillows?” He tentacled in disappointment.
“Pillows - what's that? Never mind, catch me if you can!”
“Oh, so it's ‘catch-me’,” he realised. This was a game he would often play with the RabbitChildren. She was far too mature for games like this, and he doubted it would solve his mystery, but he decided to humour the RabbitMaid regardless. “Watch out, I’ll snatch you,” he reached with a tentacle.
“A-ha! I’m not a child. [Hop],” she dodged the tentacle expertly. “I know how to use my innate skills.”
He tried again, “I’ll snatch you”, putting the real effort into it.
“[Hop],” she darted to the side, “[Hop],” she darted to the other.
“You are near impossible to catch!” He wriggled in frustration.
“He-he,” he rabbit smiled mischievously.
He tried and tried, but he just couldn’t catch her. She was only level 1! This was becoming embarrassing. It was time to change the rules slightly. “Take that!” He reached not with one but with two tentacles now.
“Good try, but… [Hop],” she dodged expertly, “Too easy!”
There were more where this came from, he used THREE tentacles now.
“[Hop], [Hop], he-he. Are you even trying?” She teased.
“What? “This isn’t even my final... FORM!” He went all out.
There was no way the rabbit could dodge attacks from multiple directions, yet… Her body glinted with a tinge of purple sheen, a clear sign of EnergyBurst. Despite all odds, she ducked, jumped, sidestepped, parried, or otherwise hopped away from all of them. “…” She looked at him with a cheeky and overly satisfied grin.
“Impossible!” He protested. “How can you even keep up with the Stamina drain?”
“I’ve plenty to spare, and you need to try harder! *Bleh*,” she stuck her tongue out. “Now get me!”
Okay, if she wanted serious, she’ll get serious. “[TentacleAttack],” he used a skill of his own.
“Wow!” Her eyes went big at the formidable attack. “[Hop], [Hop], *Gah!*, [Hop], [Hop], [Hop], *Ugh!*, …” She literally spammed her skill. Yet, somehow she was left unscathed. “Ah-ah-ah. Ye-eee-sss!” The rabbit maid celebrated in between tired breaths.
Knowing that her STA won’t hold for longer, X didn’t hesitate. “Watch out, [TentacleAttack], I’ll snatch you!” He used it again showing no mercy.
“Ah!!!” The RabbitMaid cried. “[Hop],” she tried but…
He snatched her with all of his tentacles, and he snatched her well. The appendages wrapped around the petite rabbit's body, binding her tightly. He pulled her closer to his centre like some sort of a hard-won prize. “I win!” He declared victoriously.
“Wow, you’re a tight hugger! He-he.” She giggled mirthfully. “Congratulations, you’ve got me!”
The game of catch-me was fun, but the room was left in a bit of a ‘state’. The nest was a mess, the petals were scattered all over, and the flowers… what flowers? In the end, the CP remained as mysterious as ever, but hey, all of this was good FUN! He eased the bind on the RabbitMaid.
“Huh? No!” She protested. “I like tight hugs, this is comfy.”
“ReaLLy?”
“Yes, your tentacles are warm and soft… Yawn, the game made me tired.” No doubt this was her 0 STA talking.
“I see…” He too found this comfy. There was something about having a rabbit tightly wrapped in his tentacles. Perhaps, this was the Eldrich Abomination side of him talking, but It felt just RIGHT, it felt like JUSTICE…
It was right, and it was comfortable, so much so that, “Zzz”, the RabbitMaid was already snoozing.
For unknown reasons, a message popped into his vision:
[ChaosBlessed activated]
[Do you want to grant RabbitMaid a MonsterCore?]
The obvious reply was YES!
[You have lost 10 CP], it drained straight from his ChaosCore.
At that moment something horrible, and equally embarrassing, had happened. His freshly grown tentacle, a special boy, administered a generous amount of Chaos-enriched ooze-like substance. EldrichOoze it was, and it had a mind of its own. As if alive, it flowed and moved through the skin of the rabbit, as if looking for the right spot to enact the magic.
“Eh? Huh?!” X didn’t know what was happening, or how to stop it. A second later, the EldrichOoze settled, and then it began bubbling violently. But instead of evaporating, it was absorbed into the rabbit. “RabbitMaid? Are yOU oKay?” He cried with worry.
“Huh? Did something happen?” She sounded clueless. “This feels… Ah!” She reacted to something. “What is this power? It feels amazing!” She grasped for her midsection.
“Master!” She voiced with giddiness. “I’ve gained a MonsterCore. Thank you!” She nuzzled closer to him.
It seems there was nothing to worry about. He hugged her tightly, sharing in her happiness. It seems the rabbit was right all along, the game of catch-me did it!
[Congratulations! You’ve learned CreateCore]
CreateCore: At the cost of -10 CP you can implant a part of your core into another monster. The monster will grow stronger and unlock better perks and evolutions over time, however, this power comes with a hidden price. The seeded core will retain an ethereal link with its parent granting you the ability to Shatter it at any time.
So this was his prize for winning the game. As for the Rabbit Maid, he invoked "[Inspect]" out of curiosity.
Title: Rabbit Maid, lvl 1
Class: [Maid] lvl.1
Magic Affinity: None
Race: DemiMonster
Variant: Rabbit
>>>[🐰]<<<
HP:80
MP:10
STA:120
Skills
[Burrow], [Hop], [Care]
Perks
[EnergyBurst], [Luck], [CareGiver], [MonsterCore: Lesser]
Tags
[Beautiful +1]
[Infertile], [Monster], [Branded]
“I see. You’ve gained 10 MP!” He tentacled with a spare appendage.
“Yes, Master. Does this mean I can learn magic now?” She inquired, rubbing her cheek against it.
“I’m not too certain,” he replied. He understood that an affinity was a crucial factor, and she still lacked one. “We’ll have to wait and see,” he motioned.
More importantly, he discovered the purpose of the CP (ChaosPoints) held by his ChaosCore. Interestingly, instead of creating a ChaosCore, the skill granted the rabbit a lesser MonsterCore, the former clearly appeared to be the superior option based on its capabilities.
Furthermore, he couldn't help but find the requirements for invoking the CreateCore to be rather involved. He just hoped that playing catch wasn’t a hard requirement. However, he shouldn't expect anything less from Chaos magic, given its ominous red colour... However, surely CP had other uses and more skills to be learned – he would have to experiment to find out. All of this was very exciting!
He wriggled his tentacles in anticipation of the upcoming future, new experiments, and mysteries to discover.
===End===
Title: Specimen-X
Class: [Champion] lvl.8
Magic Affinity: Chaos
Race: Eldritch
Variant: Abomination
>>>[Error!]<<<
HP:99/100
MP:0/100
STA:30/50
👾
CP:90/100
Skills
[TentacleAttack], [EvolveMonster], [SeedCore]
Perks
[CorruptingInfluence], [ChaosBlessed], [ChaosCore: Petty]
Tags
[Abomination]
[ManaRegeneration +1]