Chapter 39: Follower & Clear Passage
A bunch of wolfies that looked like they had bushes growing on their backs tried to attack me, but I threw a Fireball on the ground in front of me and made them pause. Then I threw daggers and [Mystical Threads] at them from behind the "firewall" to shave off more of their HP while keeping an eye on them with my Evil Eye.
SYSTEM MESSAGE: Your level has increased by 1. You have reached Lv.11. You have obtained 0.6 Aether Points. |
And that's all she wrote. I extinguished the fire and started dismantling the wolf corpses before they disintegrated.
I've been on a roll since yesterday. I did start the monster hunting just to vent out some stress over having been so unceremoniously killed by those "ostriches" as the boss called that dustcloud, but I'm getting quite the hang of this "forest battle" thing. Though, it's only thanks to the magic items I have. If they're gone, so does my efficiency.
With that in mind, I should start planning for the future. Especially what class I wish for. Classes enhance the status boosts from level-ups, so it's better to take as many as possible from the start. Then again, I don't wanna end up as a joke that can't do anything right, so I should prepare right away before getting too many levels.
My battle style right now is to use distractions through items or skills before finishing the enemy off with a solid attack. I'm strong physically thanks to my main class and race, but most of my skills require magical prowess. I'm weak with defense, but I'd say my evasion covers for that. And instead of direct attack magic, tricks and disruption may be better for me.
Meaning I should take classes that focus on magic and tricks while not sacrificing my physical attack strength and speed, I guess.
The classes I can take now are only those I could take when I evolved the Scout class, meaning Hunter, String Artist, Rogue, Slasher, and Ruin Carrier.
But I don't feel like any of them are worth my time. Ruin Carrier reduces MAG and STR, Slasher is just a fancy knife-user, String Artist lowers my STR again, Rogue seems like it would overlap with Demonic Rogue, and Hunter forgoes anything magical.
I need to unlock new classes. The question is how...
*Clack, clack, clack*
Ah, one of my traps got something. The area over there's filled with my traps by now. It's become something close to a spiderweb by now. But because of that, I can't use the Fireball strategy.
Following the slates of wood I'd used as signal traps, I found that one of the snares I'd put up had captured a..., a shadow? It looks kinda like one. How did the snare even work on it?
The "creature" looked like a humanoid made outta shadows. It's different from the Dark Phantoms that live in the Fort, as they didn't have a solid form. There's a pair of purple spheres that must represent its eyes and part of its body looks like clothing. It has a pair of horns pointing backward and thin, yet strong-looking limbs.
I'd say it's female from how it looks like it's wearing a skirt, but..., how pitiful. In so many meanings.
Race: | Umbra Servant | Hostile | |
Level: | 2/50 | |
Condition: |
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HP: 138/165 | MP: 132/154 | SP: 44/60 |
Wow! The stats are far from pitiful. Only its SP is pretty low compared to the other two. And it's a servant...
Okay, let's settle for this one. It sorta fits, and if it's female, then it may be worth training it. Maybe it will end up as a cute monster girl?
With that settled, I pointed my hand at the shadow creature and activated my newest skill, obtained from the skill book I "borrowed" from the Goblin lair: [Taming].
Skill: | Taming |
Skill Type: | Leadership Skill |
Skill Tier: | General |
Element: | --- |
Effect: |
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After using the skill, the Umbra Servant calmed down a little as it turned around what I guess is its "head". I cut the thread making up the snare and let it down to the ground. It turned around in the air and landed on its feet like a cat. Not bad. Then it sat down and stared at me. And stared..., and stared........., this is getting awkward......
"...raise your left arm." - Garami
The creature lifted its left arm.
"...jump twice on the spot." - Garami
The Servant did so.
"Do a backflip." - Garami
And the Servant did a magnificent backflip. Wow!
I gave the Umbra Servant some dried sweet fruits I'd bought from the village as a reward. It walked over to me on all four in the same manner as something like a gorilla. It looked different since its limbs were so thin compared to the banana eaters, and it's not that big either. It reaches my knee at most when walking on all four.
While feeding my new..., pet? Partner? Whatever I should call it, I noticed that there was a notification from my system menu outta all things. When I opened it up, I saw that a new tab had appeared in the window, one that was named "Tamed Followers". I accessed this new tab and got up the Servant's status.
Name: | *nameless* | [Garami's Follower] | |
Race: | Umbra Servant | Tamed Creature | |
Gender: | Female | |
Level: | 2/50 | |
Traits: | 2 | |
Karma Value: | -11 | |
Main Class: | Warrior Lv.29 |
|
Skills: | 9 | |
Titles: | 1 | |
Aether Points: | 3.7 | |
HP: 138/165 | MP: 132/154 | SP: 44/60 |
STR: 155 | VIT: 154 | MAG: 64 |
RES: 175 | SPD: 84 | DEX: 109 |
INT: 61 | LUC: 82 |
Skill List:
Title List:
Huh, it's pretty strong. But what the heck's with that title!?
Title Name: | Garami's Follower |
Acquisition condition: |
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Effects: |
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Status enhancements upon equipping: |
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Description: |
A title granted to creatures that have successfully become a follower of player: Garami. They can now obtain titles in the same fashion as humanoids. |
Ah, I see. Guess tamed monsters won't get any boost from equipped titles. But it doesn't tell me anything about the Servant itself. If I try to "access" the name of the race...
Name: | Umbra Servant |
Rank: | E |
Genus: | Demon (Demonic Spirit) |
Element: | Darkness |
Description: |
A spiritual demon evolved from the Demonic Elemental. |
And it worked! Go me!
To summarize, this thing seems to be a different evolution path for the Demonic Elemental compared to the Dark Phantom. Maybe the Phantom is an over-specializer in the Darkness Element and this one only picked it up as a hobby?
As for its stats, I would say it's an all-around with a focus on MP and RES, but the Warrior class altered it so STR, VIT, and HP got a boost in return for MAG and INT being lower. And this girl could become such a great magician...
Wait! If I groom this demon into a true Ashura-like warrior, can't I use her to my advantage? Brute force has never been my strong side, and all the big battles I've won were because I worked together with someone else!
The armor devil with the first Queen, the other adventurers with the raid-class mantis, and the adventurers with the second Queen recently! Not that I properly participated in two of those fights...
The biggest monster I've defeated on my own was the area boss frog, and that thing practically self-destructed.
Let me tell you, it's not that I can't fight alone. It's just that big games are too big for a delicate girl like me. Sure, Demonic Rogue sounds like a class that's strong in a fight, but my main thing is sneak attacks.
And to do that, I need a diversion. Something I didn't have until now. If I train this one into a Benkei-class warrior, I can let her take the pain and I take the good parts! It's a perfect division of roles!
...now I feel like some piece of trash.
*Thug, thug*
Hmm? What's wrong? Did you eat all the fruit? Eh? Already? And you want more? Are you going for a Beelzebub theme instead of Benkei?
Okay, let's return to the village. Wonder if it's gonna be satisfied with a wolf steak?
Oh, I can set a name for it. Guess that should come first. Hmm..., calling it "Beelzebub" would be rude...
"Nyx. Your name will be Nyx." - Garami
I only gave it the name based on its black body, but it seemed to like the name. It was jumping around in what I'd guess be joy, at least. What a funny demon.
---
"Miss Garami, we have successfully registered your completion of the Quest. Here is your reward," said the Union receptionist as they handed over a bag of sol to me.
This should easily cover the food expenses. The little imp's currently on her fifth steak..., I do have enough with this, right?
"Also, could you please give this to your tamed follower?" asked the receptionist while handing me a bandana-like cloth. "Tamed followers requires to be equipped with a mark provided by the Adventurers' Union if it is to be allowed to enter a town normally."
That sounds important. I tried to grab the cloth, but Nyx got it before me and wrapped it around her left arm. Don't tell me this glutton understands fashion!?
"The second I turn my away from you and this happens. As expected of the demon princess."
Some guy started to talk behind my back, and who'd known? It's the Union master.
"...what did you call me?" - Garami
"Hmm? Demon princess. The HQ told me that you're a little celebrity among the Migrants after I sent the status report after the raid on the Goblins." - Belford
Those bastards!! Who told them to spread that name around!?
"But that's not what I was going to talk to you about. Turns out the birds have fled the Demonic Plains already. You're free to go now." - Belford
"Really?" - Garami
"Honestly! The guys in the HQ told me that themselves, and they're keeping a close eye on creatures like the Zoom Ostriches or Bloodrush Bulls." - Belford
Tch, already? I wanted to test Nyx's powers. Guess the pigs in the plains should be a good enough sparring partner for her. Should I try giving her a weapon before we leave? I still have that [Spear Proficiency] skill book from the event, but..., can she even hold a spear?
"By the way, you planning on becoming a Demon Caller or something?" - Belford
"Caller? What's that?" - Garami
"You don't know? It's a class that tames and summons monstrous demons to do their bidding." - Belford
Oh, a tamer class? Nice!
"Tell me more," I demanded, asked the boss politely. The plains can wait. They're just so plain anyway. Stories about taming demon girls, demons are much more interesting.
And Nyx? She was starting on her 6th steak. My poor wallet...