Mistress Of The Evil Forest

Case 6: Peculiar skeleton.

rustle 

Hmm... I've been thinking about this since coming here, but this forest looks very gloomy. Not just the grey leaves, but even the soil and dirt seem lifeless.

I guess it does match the atmosphere since I've only seen monsters and monsters appearing, not a single 'normal' animal. Except for the five or six mister Fishes back then, probably.

''!!''

My ears are picking up something in the distance.

''Wait, there's something near us.'' I say to Ariel, who's flying ahead of me. ''Let's hide first.''

After receiving a nod from Ariel, I pull out the old sword from the goblin earlier and we both hide behind a tree. Then, she and I turn in the direction where the faint rustling noises are coming from. 

GRRRR

Eventually, I can see familiar faces come out of the bushes.

[Zircon Wolf Lv.6]

[Zircon Wolf Lv.5]

[Zircon Commander Wolf Lv.7]

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Name: --             

Race: Zircon Commander Wolf                    Title: --

Level: 7

HP: 14/14                    MP: 11/11

STR: 2.0                     INT: 3.2

AGI: 3.7                    STA: 3.4

Skill: [Protection Lv.2], [Acceleration Lv.1].

State: Hungry.

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[Protection: Create a shield around the user for a brief period of time. Cost: 2 MP, last for 2 seconds] [Normal]

That guy with the horn... It gave me quite a struggle back then. I got played by its [Protection] skill. As expected, having [Inspect] is really convenient, thanks a lot, Chloe.

Either way, I'm pretty confident now, based on the status screen alone, they don't stand a chance against that bear earlier.

''Ariel, you use your [Banshee's wail] and I use my [Domination] at the same time, we take them out all at once, alright?'' I whisper.

''Hu.'' She nods lightly.

''Go.''

We both run out toward the wolves.

[Domination]!

GYÄȲÆÑÅÇ

Seizing the opportunity when they are all stunned, I immediately swing the old sword at the leader wolf.

Surprisingly, even under both [Domination] and [Banshee's wail], it is still able to raise its shield, trembling and growling in fear. I guess they don't call it a commander for nothing.

keng

The rusty and fragile sword snaps in half when it hits the wolf's shield. 

Okay, one, two... [Sharp claw].

Throwing the remains of the old sword to the side, I form my hands into knives with the help of my skill and slash at the now defenseless wolf with all my might.  

My razor-sharp blades cut through the wolf's neck like tofu under the confused eyes of its kin, instantly decapitating it.

thud

Its body and head fall to the ground with a dull noise.

[You have defeated a Lv.7 Zircon Commander Wolf]

Now for these cowering two, let's take care of them one by one. Actually, I've been thinking since earlier, am I really that weak physically? I mean, there's an STR stat, after all, it has to have increased my power, right?

So I pull my right leg back and rotate my body to the left, then kick one of the wolves with all my strength.

THUD

AUF

''Huh?''

The poor wolf, to my surprise, flies straight toward the tree in the distance, its body crashing right into the thick trunk, causing a few small branches and leaves to fall. Blood spurts from its mouth and nose as its dying body slowly slides to the ground.

[HP: 2/11]

That was almost a one-shot kill... So I was underestimating my physical capabilities all this time?

Let's try once more.

I turn to the remaining wolf, who's still trembling and grab one of its legs. Once again, I rotate my body, but this time to gain momentum for a throw instead.

AUFFF

Go, my pokémon! You can make it to the moon...! 

THUD

[HP: 4/12]

God, its insides are glued onto the tree... Ugh.

[You have defeated a Lv.5 Zircon Wolf]

Oh, the previous one died. Rest in pieces.

But anyway, now that I've confirmed that my body isn't that weak, I guess I can be a bit more active in the future.

''Hu~?'' Ariel hovers around the only living wolf left.

''Here, let me finish it off.''

---

By the time we arrive at the place where Ariel wants to take me, the sun is halfway up.

''So you live here during the day?'' I ask, looking at the relatively large cave entrance in front of us.

''Hu.'' She nods and continues her way in.

''Do you live alone?''

''Hu.'' She shakes her head.

''Whoever is living together with you won't hurt me, right?''

''...Hu.''

That nod took longer than normal.

To be completely honest, I still don't fully trust this girl, but considering that she could have not helped me during the fight with the bear, but she did, I don't think she has bad intentions. Of course, there's a chance that this is all a scheme to trap me as well.

The point being, I will follow her because I'm curious, but at the same time I will keep my guard up.

Stepping into the dark, but not so dark for me, cave, I am immediately greeted by a rather cold atmosphere.

Hmm... There's green moss scattered everywhere, and I feel like it's a bit damp?

Oh, I wonder if there are any SCPs here, I think there were a few that lived in a cave. 1000, 354... And 423? Or 432, I don't remember.

In the first place, can I really hope for any of them to exist here? It's a fantasy world, so anything can happen, right?

''Hu.''

At some point, we have already arrived at a two-way fork.

''To the right? Alright.''

Okay, enough about the SCPs. I need to consider my future plans as well, mostly about choosing skills.

I still think that I need more attacking skills, even after realizing that my strength is not bad. If I can be that strong, then my enemies can, too. But Chloe said that passive skills and general skills are probably better...

''Oh, are we here?''

''Hu.''

Before my eyes is a passage that seems to lead downward. There are stairs here, so it is most likely man-made.

I raise my guard again and begin to follow Ariel into the path.

---

After walking for some minutes, I can finally see something other than the dull cave wall. Blue light flickering, looks very ominous. It's getting progressively colder the more I descend as well.

''Hm? What is this?''

''Hu?''

I can't see it well, but there's something in front of me, I think. Some kind of walls? I can still pass through it though. Hm... No change to my status, I feel nothing wrong as well, maybe it's just my imagination.

Continuing down the path, we eventually reach a room with some rather interesting details. There are two blue, dimly lit lamps in the corners of the room, a few old bookshelves here and there, and a desk in the middle of the room. The most notable thing, though, is the bleached white skeleton in an old robe sitting at the desk.

''Where are the people living with you?''

''Hu?'' She tilts her head.

What? Is there something-

''Ariel. I told you not to wander out of here, it's dangerous outside.''

Suddenly a deep voice, so deep that it seems to come from the abyss itself, echoes through the room.

''Who's there?!'' I immediately assume a fighting stance.

I can't see anything around... Wait, don't tell me.

[Inspect].

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Name: --              

Race: Skeleton                    Title: Glory of the Past

Level: 15 

HP: 40/40                    MP: 54/54

STR: 3.2                     INT: 6.3

AGI: 3.6                    STA: 3.4

Skill: [Inspect Lv.4], [Language Lv.3],
[Light Magic Lv.3], [Teleportation Lv.2],
[Blink Lv.2], [Pain Immunity Lv.1],...>

State: Bound.

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''...Someone else is here?!''

The skeleton nearly jumps up, its eye sockets flashing with golden-white light.

[Domination], [Sharp claw].

''!!''

''Wait, wait! I have no intention of fighting you!'' The skeleton waves its arms around profusely, head shaking.

''Hu! Hu!!'' Ariel flies in front of me and spreads her arms out as if not wanting me to go further.

''...Who are you?'' I ask.

''I'm... I'm nobody now.'' 

It might be my imagination, but it looks kind of depressed right now.

''What is your intention?''

''I want to get out of here. And for that, I need your help.'' It lowers its head lightly. ''Please.''

''Why are you lying? You have [Teleportation].''

''I can't get out. There's a barrier trapping me in this room.''

''...''

Do I trust it or not...

''How about this, my lady.'' It continues. ''Why don't we form a party? I won't be able to hurt you that way, and then you can listen to my story.''

''...What? Party members can't hurt each other?''

''You didn't know that...?'' It seems genuinely flustered, or at least that's what I'm able to see from the flickering light in its sockets. ''There should be a [Help] function in every panel of the system...''

''What does that look like?'' I narrow my eyes, opening the status panel.

''A simple question mark, my lady. Did you see it yet?''

No? There's no question mark anywhere. Am I hallucinating?

Okay, now that I think about it, the reason why Ariel's wailing didn't affect me much, if at all, could really mean that party members can't hurt each other. So this guy might be telling the truth...

''What's in it for me?'' 

''Of course, there would be a reward worthy of your effort, my lady.'' It steps out of the desk. ''But why don't we introduce ourselves first?''

[ -- has sent you a join party request. Accept?] [Yes] [No]

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