Monster

by Sergey Belsky

  “Not again,” everything was spinning before my eyes. How much experience on earth do I need to put in this damn brain so that it no longer fails? Grrr!

  “Hey lad, don’t be mad,” the Garadarok raised his hands. “What happened to you?”

  “There’s something wrong with my head,” I growled.

  “Why?

  “I’m simply not all there,” I answered again, and the beetle stared blankly. “Forget it.”

  “As you wish.”

  "Derergon," I turned to the warrior. Have you or any of your guys found transparent pebbles with white patches?

  “Hmm... let me think,” the warrior narrowed his eyes, and then he fished out Efilioll’s crystal from his spatial pocket. “Like this one?”

  “Yes,” I tried my best not to show my immense surprise because I did not expect that I would find the second crystal so easily. I’m really a lucky guy. “Would you trade it for anything?”

  “Let me think,” the warrior was obviously stalling for time, he already knew the answer. “Ten pieces of gold.”

  "Deal," I said, and laid out a stack of coins in front of him, after which I immediately took the crystal and threw it into my spatial pocket before the Garadarok changed his mind.

  The Spatial Pocket ability is increasing! Current Level: 10!

  You have access to a new feature! Now you can take almost anything out of any other creature’s spatial pocket!

  This ability level extends the maximum amount of load you can carry and the number of cells.

  Available cells: 17.

  Very well, very well. Finally, I will be able to see what those lively creatures from the ancient city carry around.

  “Where did you get that gold?” asked the warrior beetle in surprise. “You’re so small, aren’t you? And why do you need this garbage... ahem, this stone?”

  “I collect them,” I grinned, to the mercenary’s astonishment.

  “You guys are strange, very strange,” Derergon scratched his head.

  “Now I do not have a hundred pieces of gold, but I may have them soon, and can I then count on your help on a different matter?” I decided to ask, throwing the bait for further cooperation. After all, I needed help to search for crystals, and possibly explore the lands beyond the airless territory.

  “Of course,” the mercenary replied without hesitation, and then he looked at me carefully. “Maybe you tell me what I should expect?”

  “I will need help in dealing with the spikers,” I replied.

  “We’re in business and we’ll wait for you to collect enough gold,” Derergon slapped me on the back, and this gesture seemed vaguely familiar.

  Now I would like to think about where to put experience points. Now I have three hundred and sixty points and, as a recent event has shown, I need to use them for my brain again, but I still need exploding balls, and this will require investing in claws, muscles and my nervous system.

  I have already developed the first and second, but not the nervous system. However, if I improve it, what will it provide? In theory, I should handle my body better, therefore, my mobility will increase. Or should I spend all the points on the brain? I again thought hard.

  Your brain cannot sustain the workload created by your mind, which can lead to your death!

  When I woke up, I saw this wonderful message and, looking around, I realized that I was in the house of Sel Nurs. What the hell!

  Chapter 29

  Development. New enemies. Heavy fight.

  Having calmed down a bit, I sat down and began to do what I loved so much: I began thinking. Skal will stay with the mercenaries, they will not harm him since I already made clear that I would like to work together for a fairly long time and showed them I had gold.

  They’re not aware that I gave them all I had. Consequently, I should not worry about my friend, maybe he will find something to do there, and will not pass through the spiker patrols again.

  However, Skal can die and move here, so in any case, I do not need to worry. Okay, that’s settled. Now I need to test the ability and collect explosive balls. And to do this, I need to boost the nervous system. I put three hundred experience points at once.

  Your nervous system is evolving. Now you have a developing nervous system!

  Stats: Mobility +5, Structure +1, Complexity +1, Health +40.

  60 points of experience gained!

  Level up! Current Level: 12.

  That’s much better. I even jumped a few times, feeling the lightness. I felt tingling and numbness all over my body, but it passed quickly enough.

  Your Brain has gained additional body control that will enable faster growth!

  Evolution stats are increased! Evolution +1!

  Even better. Only one point left for the next level. First I need to overcome a couple of spawns. I left the house of Sel Nurs and went to the part of the city I had not visited yet.

  I wondered what happened here. And where did those strange spawns come from? Too bad I forgot to ask Kroark about this. However, if we assume that the Sel Nurs fought the creatures, then why did they lose?

  After all, these creatures do not seem so strong, especially against the majestic ancient warrior beetles. There were many questions to which I still had to find answers if I live that long, that is. Sometime later, the enemy finally appeared.

  Small Frosty Spirit, level 9

  This was new. Dens air, through which eerie dark eyes pried, and a wide mouth full of ice crystals. This compaction, engulfed in ice cold air, constantly changed its shape, with only the mouth and eyes remaining unchanged.

  Something told me that this creature was similar to a small autumn elemental and that it would not be so easy to hit. Well, let’s try.

  I approached it quickly and, to my surprise, struck a powerful blow with the spiker claw. There was a terrible crash, a crack appeared in the spirit’s dark eye, his health fell slightly, but the second attack went right through him.

  Understandably, it means weak points are the eyes and mouth. The frosty creature peered at me with a look that promised no good, and I shivered from the chill that ran through my shell.

  The spirit formed a kind of sphere in the brushes that emerged from the air, with sounds of crystals clanging, and threw it at me.

  I jumped to the side and ducked the trajectory of this ball of energy. The sphere hit a decrepit house which was instantly covered in frost. Clearly, it is better to avoid such attacks.

  However, mobility turned out to be a very impressive characteristic, which allowed me to avoid all the violent attacks of this creature, and soon the spirit ceased to throw its frost spheres at me, and I finally launched an attack. After fighting this spawn for a couple of minutes, I finally won.

  50 points of experience gained!

  An unusual creature and if we were the same level, I would prefer not to mess with it. Well, okay, now the most interesting thing was to see what this creature was hiding.

  Approaching the defeated enemy, or a small pile of white snow that was left of him, I imagined the same spatial pocket as mine. In one of the cells, there was something strange and radiant.

  The focus of a small frosty spirit

  I didn’t know what it was, but I liked this thing. Wish I learned to throw such spheres. I put it in my pocket and went searching for the next enemy.

  Surprisingly, for some reason only these strange frosty spirits were to be found in this area, I killed four of them, accumulating a total of 150 experience points.

  One of them was level 7, but he was so angry that he turned out to be more difficult than the first one I met. I was infuriated by his spheres, which he was throwing constantly throughout the battle.

  All in all, I scored two foci and frost pollen. Now self-confidence has become my main armor, which even the next spirit I encountered could not break.

  Small Frosty Spirit, level 12

  I said that I would avoid the spirit who was at the same level as me. That was before, but now I saw
things differently, so I immediately decided to attack.

  A couple of powerful attacks on the eyes, a blow to the forehead and a sharp rebound to the side. I already worked out the tactics for these creatures, so they could not surprise me anymore unless they were caught off guard by my arrogance.

  But as soon as I thought that and jumped to the side, a frosty ball immediately slammed into me. My eyes instantly darkened, my body was seized by bitter cold, and the pain sharply shot through my head.

  It hurt, it hurt so much. I blindly jumped from side to side to avoid the second ball. Soon the debuff disappeared, and I could see again, blinking a little.

  My health was dropping, but much of it was left, and I didn’t want to feel this pain anymore, so I was extremely cautious. Trying to move quickly, I struck weak blows at vulnerable spots and immediately retreated.

  This went on for a while until I lost concentration. It turns out that these spirits can move quite rapidly too. This spawn suddenly darted to my side and inflicted a powerful attack with an ice claw, knocking the spiker claw from my hand. However, this was not all.

  With his other hand, the spirit threw a sphere at me. I blocked it and activated the energy shield. There was a crash, my shield burst, and the sphere disappeared. I managed to pick up the claw and struck a powerful blow with two hands at once.

  The creature’s health dropped dramatically. It took me another five minutes to win the toughest fight I’ve ever had. And for this fight, I had to lose the claw twice and activate the power shield four more times.

  Having finished this fight, I leaned on the wall of the neighboring house tiredly. It was hard, especially hard to bear the blows of the spheres.

  The “Simple energy manipulation” ability increases! Current Level: 3!

  Your shell is evolving! The effect of protection from the cold increases!

  Effect: Protection against cold + 3%

  20 points of experience gained!

  100 points of experience gained!

  So, all this was not in vain. A hundred experience points in one go. My energy manipulation has also grown, and even protection from the cold. It’s great. So, now let’s check what’s in this spirit’s spatial pocket. Yeah, the focus, three frost pollen units and a crystal of energy.

  The Spatial Pocket ability has increased! Current Level: 11!

  What is it and what does it do? However hard I tried there was no description to be read. Shame, it would be interesting to learn if it was possible to use it to increase my energy supply.

  I also found that it was necessary to upgrade the hands since they could not hold the claw after the spirit hit it. But until I do this, I would try to catch the explosive ball before it exploded. If it works, then I will upgrade the hands, otherwise, it will be the nervous system. So, I’ll look around a bit and go to the traps.

  Chapter 30

  Dangerous place. Effect of "Accumulation". More experience points for the brain is needed.

  Wondering around the area, I did not find any new creatures, and then I heard a hissing sound. Carefully moving over the next ruins, I saw a large building not far away, which was in relatively good condition compared with the rest of the city.

  A couple of level 20 frosty spirits flew out from this building hissing, and they looked menacing. Just two of them? I was surprised because most of these creatures kept to themselves, and here they were so strong and there were two of them.

  When I reached the building, I looked into the slot and realized that I shouldn’t have come here. In the middle of the spacious hall there were a dozen frosty spirits, from level 20 to level 45, and among them, exuding horror and anger, there stood a giant.

  This spirit was bigger than me, at least three times as big, and he looked creepy. The frosty aura around him was especially strong and the constant turbulence of air which he created, howled, inspiring fear.

  Frosty spirit, The source of frost. Level 50

  This spirit suddenly turned around and formed a large sphere so quickly that I had not time to react. This energy structure instantly crashed into my head. Strangely, I did not even have time to feel the pain.

  I was lying in the house of Sel Nurs, and I saw in my mind all the spirits in the building turning in my direction after their leader had done so. I shivered at the mere thought of this and noted the place on the map which I should avoid for the time being.

  Well, I overtook enough enemies, and I mastered new possibilities of the spatial pocket, now it was time to test the nervous system and catch explosive balls.

  However, a trick was waiting for me. The traps changed their location and new ones appeared in other places. I was twice killed by lightning, after which it managed to hit me about ten times, so I had to eat a rubitus.

  I noticed spikes and other not very difficult traps in time and carefully avoided them. But then it was time for explosions. I responded to the first such trap in time but did not even try to grab the ball, ducking so as not to be hurt by the explosion.

  The second trap almost killed me, but my legs saved me, or rather my nervous system did, which allowed me to react quickly. It was at the third trap that luck finally smiled at me, and I managed to catch the explosive ball.

  I dodged the other two explosions, although the shards of one of the balls still hit me and left deep scratches on my shell. After a few more attempts, my space pocket now held two explosive balls. However, that was not good enough, since I died two more times.

  I needed to do something about this. I noticed one very important thing. My hands did not have time to react to the signals my brain sent, and simply could not catch the balls in the time.

  The problem, as the brain told me, was not the nervous system. Looking at the number of experience points and at my hands, I threw two hundred points into them without thinking, that is, one hundred points in each.

  Your hands are evolving. Now you have moderately developed hands!

  Stats: Strength +2, Life +1, Complexity +1, Health +30.

  Effect: Tenacious hold.

  40 points of experience gained!

  Level up! Current Level: 13

  My hands grew slightly longer, as well as the claws they held, and they became much more mobile. I tried to grab an imaginary object several times and, satisfied with the results, I went to try out my new abilities with explosive balls.

  Surprisingly, I died only once, when five explosive balls hit me at once. I did not expect this, so I was annoyed and went to the house of Sel Nurs for rebirth.

  However, I already scored a dozen explosive balls, the only drawback was the fact that only five of them were placed in one spatial pocket cell.

  Along the way, I also boosted energy manipulation to four, protecting myself from lightning, explosions and other traps. It seemed to me that my energy shield has become somewhat stronger than before.

  Having received another blow of lightning, I saw a very interesting message, which surprised me.

  Thanks to the “Accumulation” ability the maximum possible amount of energy is collected!

  Use the collected energy to empty the reserve or increase the available reserves!

  Accumulated energy: Lightning

  Number of available charges: 7

  So, what was this ability? I began to carefully study the numerous tables I had. In the end, I found what was responsible for this message.

  The gene of cave moss, which I devoured some time ago, had the effect of “Accumulation”. Apparently, this effect was responsible for it. However, I could not understand why only lightning was counted among the energy means.

  If we take into account that lightning tried to kill me much more often than anything else, then it is understandable. But why was there no cold or explosions? Maybe the accumulation saves only the strongest type of energy and releases the rest?

  Or, for example, I do not have enough knowledge or experience to use this opportunity to accumulate different types of energy? And what does the number of available char
ges mean? Can I use lightning? But if this is so, then there is another interesting question - how to do this?

  Your brain cannot sustain the workload created by your mind!

  Be careful, this can lead to your death!

  Damn! I didn’t even get angry this time, but I was pissed off, so I threw two hundred points into my brain at once.

  Your brain is evolving!

  Stats: Mind +10, Evolution +3, Structure +2, Complexity +1.

  20 points of experience gained!

  Level up! Current Level: 14.

  The stats did not grow much, but it was enough to get to a new level. This fact calmed me down somewhat, but it was still insulting. I have already invested four hundred points in my brain, but it was still buggy and something was telling me that these two hundred points did not help much.

  Although... there were no other messages, so I could live with that. Now I need to go to the goddess, as the Supreme called her, and talk to her about different things. I ought to plan what to ask her.

  So many questions flashed through my mind at once that I saw a well-known message.

  Your brain cannot sustain the workload created by your mind, which led to your death!

  Everything is fine, I was a fool thinking that my brain would now work well. Again, I took it in stride, because it would be a shorter trip to the statue from the house of Sel Nurs.

  After all these deaths, I began worrying if I would soon see a window that said this was my last life.

  This notion frightened me, but I tried to set such thoughts aside, as I had already leveled up so many times. According to Khha, this should increase the number of rebirths. Too bad that among these numerous tables there was no counter for the remaining lives: it would be much easier.

  Chapter 31

  The Goddess. The Conversation. The Ability

  Having safely reached the statue, I noticed that the flowers at its foot perked up, and the goddess spoke a little softer.

  “I am glad to see you again, little Sel Nur,” the voice of the two-legged was as quiet as always. “And I feel that you did not come empty-handed.”