A Rattling Monster

Chapter 41: Another Training in an Oasis

So now, some enraged trees are chasing me. That's probably a first time for me. Since on Earth, trees are a lot nicer and just stay in place. They don't move like that, they don't even think, I think. But while I managed to destroy the local oaks, I don't think that will work the same for those chasing me. I mean, they will probably have an incalculable number of buff and blessing on them, because we are in a forest right now. If I used only one crystal, I am sure they will just slow down and regenerate their missing limbs in no time. And from what Oslo told me, it didn't sound like my chance of survival should I encounter them was high. Now I am grabbing my Pathfinder that I got from the second prince. C'mon little scarab, do your job and tell me where to go.

He points me a direction and I instantly follow it. He probably knows better than me, since I manage to get lost multiple times already. But now that I have killed such a high number of fairies and both the elves and the drake, I am at max level. And I really run a lot quicker than I thought. Those non-cursed attributes are more powerful. A lot more. I am fairly certain that the distance I should have run for three hours was done in just one. I see the desert, calm, yellow, and desperately advancing. Right now, I see how the grass slowly turns into sand. The fact that I managed to anger the treants is a good thing. That way they will see this, and try to do something.

Because if we are not lucky, the desert will still have the same size. Only with fate by our side will we be able to reduce it. As for why it really bothers me, well, I don't want to spend more time in a desert ever again. I hate sand now. But there is no time to think. I have to make a choice before entering the Sand Empire. Should I evolve and have all my abilities improved? But at the same time, provoke suspicion, because I don't know how I will be dressed after it and how I would look. Just thinking about a total change that would prevent me a quick and easy recognition from the prince, that is not a good thing. But if I stay the same, when I will face the elite guards of the emperor, after or even before I find the ritual, I will have a harder time.

I stop at an oasis before continuing my travel. Maybe Oslo can help me with that.

(Nope.)

Thank you very much for your contribution. Are you even a normal god?

(You prefer a god like Aria? Stupid, arrogant and that think that every single representation of her should be the beauty itself?)

Now that I think about it, my first meeting was with a beautiful angel and even inside those cathedrals, the representation of Aria was always finely painted or engraved. Is she really that concerned about her beauty?

(Yes, and you know what is the worst? Just appearing with a form like that cost her some powers! That's why most gods don't even bother to have a form, we just stay as nothing or at best a black, grey or white mist.)

Ok, you are better but first I would like your thoughts about some stuff, I have now the possibility to evolve.

(That quickly, you already evolved like 2 or 3 times in a month or so.)

Yes, that's the power of the System, if you kill a lot, you evolve a lot.

(Well, I don't think a ratman should have been able to kill a drake like that. So that makes sense. But you are even quicker than the humans. And here I am with my demons, waiting for eternity.)

Why? What are the problems between demons and humans?

(Well, humans since they have a short lifespan, are able to quickly learn and improve themselves. That way, from the moment he is born to the moment he can be considered a Hero, for example, it takes, let's say, twenty years. For a demon, that's the opposite. I mean, they earliest Demon King I had was a six hundred years' demon. Now you realize what was the problem when I lost my Demon King to the Hero of Aria.)

So, that's means that even if you made me your Hero, you didn't lose anything, since even if I die at like 200 years, you won't have a proper Demon King.

(No, it was because, eh, you were, eh, special.)

You think I will trust that?

(Ok, fine you got me, yes I wouldn't have lost anything, that was only beneficial to me. Even if you died instantly.)

Thank you for your honesty but now about my evolution. I have four choices, a Warrior, and Assassin, a Sorcerer, and an Apostle.

(Don't take the Apostle, that would be useless to you.)

Why?

(Normally I should have made you an Apostle, but the problems are that you are smart, that's a problem yes, and you will need a true evolution path. The principle of an Apostle is to strengthen the bond between the God and the Hero. But you are clearly more powerful than the regular ones and you evolve too quickly, so that will prevent additional growth. I don't know what will be the next evolution if you take that path, but I will guess that it will be more beneficial to me than to you. And I want you to be strong.)

That's strangely nice coming from you. I would have thought that you would try to make me your Apostle at any cost.

(That would be good for me, in the short term. But we are on Astria, not Forslo. So, my help will be limited anyway. So your strength is better than my strength. Just the detection of the possible threats in the surroundings is enough for the moment.)

That's true, so I still have the three other choices. I really don't know what I will pick.

(Seriously, like you always have gone toward the magician way and now you are trying to make me buy at your hesitation? Just take the damn Sorcerer and be done with it. You know, desert, ritual, end of this world?)

Ok, ok, fine. Just one last thing. Can you currently put a false mark of Salazar on me, right now?

(Yes.)

If I evolve, are you sure with absolute certainty that you will still be able to do it?

(Yes. Probably.)

Yes, or probably?

(I don't know what will change with you damn System. You could have taken that damned and cursed sword at the beginning. It would have been easier.)

Ok, forget my question. With the recent supplies of crystal, do you think that you have the power to do it?

(Yes. On that point, yes. Maybe it will take me a day or so to figure out how to apply the mark but I will be able to do it.)

Ok so let's evolve.

-Marc Cassidy chooses: Plague Sorcerer!

"System acknowledge the choice of the user, the evolution: Plague Sorcerer has been chosen."

"Attributes:

Name:Sleek

Race: Ratman

Class: Plague Sorcerer

Level 0/30

HP: 230/230

MP: 350/350

Strength: 20.6

Agility: 36.0

Vitality: 23.0

Wisdom: 35.0

Intelligence: 35.0

Active skills:

[Sneaky-Sneaky lvl 8] [Venomous Bite lvl 10] [Infected Claws lvl 10] [Create Acid lvl 5] [Create Plague lvl 3] [Aura of Mayhem lvl Max] [Nightfall lvl 5] [Magical Orb lvl Max] [Cursed Winds lvl 1]

Passive Abilities:

[Scavenger lvl Max] [Language of Aria lvl Max] [Night Vision lvl 10] [Toxic resistance lvl 8] [Plague resistance lvl 6] [Craftsmanship lvl 5] [Pain resistance lvl 10] [Deadly Body lvl 1] [Self-Healing lvl 1] [Magical Restoration lvl 5] [Magical Efficiency lvl 5] [Magical Handling lvl 4] [Cause Fear lvl 1]

Titles:

[Forsaken of Aria] [Blessed by Oslo] [Killer]"

A lot of new things and a lot of improvement. First, two new spells. I use [Magical Orb] and I barely need 1 MP for it, that creates an intangible orb inside my hand. Since it is empty, I try to pour my acid inside, and it worked. So no more crystals are needed. That's a good thing. After that, I can use it to launch my spell at a huge distance. It is working just like a fireball, just that I create it first, then put a spell inside, and launch it with mana. The orb is doing a great straight line for 300 meters. And then it slowly falls and explodes on contact. I try to do the same with my crystal, to test the differences. I only manage to barely reach the 140 meters, but the explosion is a little stronger. That was expected. But one is clearly capable of hitting a target from far away. And it doesn't even produce a sound.

For the [Cursed Winds] I guess that will be my main source of curses. It cost me twelve MP. I can see the air turn purple after my spell. It is in a wide area, all around me. Even after 5 minutes, it is still present and only beginning to fade away. Unfortunately, I have nothing to test it. Both my [Plague Bearer] and [Poisonous Being] are fused into a [Deadly Body] and that has given me a self-regeneration I guess. That is extremely useful. I won't need to depend on eating bodies to survive.

Last but not the least. The weird passive called [Cause Fear]. That should probably strike fear in the heart of my enemies. But since it is a passive, everyone will be affected. That is both good and bad. Good, because even if someone tries to attack me by surprise, they will be affected. Bad, because all hope for negotiation will be canceled if one of the two parties is too scared to talk.

But, everything else has improved so, I am more than ready to return to the Sand Empire. Let's see if I can enter by the front door or if I have to pierce a hole in those mighty walls.