Guy0fV4lor

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

Though the absorbing the beetle's soul had been far less traumatizing than it had been with the slime, Jason doubted he'd ever be able to truly stomach the experience of absorbing souls, and having to relive every moment of the life he had just taken. However, on the bright side, he had finally hit level 8! Regaining his body was that much closer to happening! As for what he wanted to spend his skillpoints on-- Jason didnt need to dwell on it much, as three skills stuck out as potentially valuable to him.

"3 points to spiritual awareness, 2 to mana sense, and 5 to shield."

The moment it registered with the system, Jason cast shield on himself, hoping to negate some of his MP loss by "trapping" it inside the shield. Slowly, he lowered himself into the darkness of the log as he activated his newly awoken [Mana Sense]. He felt for the mana in everything around him, the log, the air, the light, the darkness, and finally; the earth. Focusing on the earth's mana, Jason used [Mana Drain] to once again draw the ever so familiar energy of the earth into his phantasmal body; in hopes it may allow him to regain some of his lost abilities.

After one or two minutes of focused draining, Jason turned his attention to Danny's dissection of the beetle, passively draining the ambient mana with [Mana Drain] as he did so. Carefully, Jason analyzed the beetle as his only remaining ally went about processing their kill.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

Despite the fact that he and Danny had been safe throughout the night, Jason couldn't shake the feeling that there was something lurking in these woods... Something big, with a presence that could shake the world of the living, and the dead.... It couldn't be JUST the void's pull, could it?

Jason
Your MP is Overfull. Mana Density has increased.
Your Mana Burn has subsided. Natural Mana Regeneration returns to Normal Levels.
Your MP is being affected by environmental factors.
You experienced a Fast Rate of Skill Progression.

System

Mana density? What was that? Did it have something to do with the potency of his magic, or presence in the world of the living?
"System-- Display skill list, and explain Mana Density." Jason commanded the ever present force thats seemed to keep track of this world. The prickling sensation and increased mana drain, if Jason had to guess, was likely due to ambient sunlight; which would explain why most undead don't function during the day. Before he could contemplate any more, a big black beetle, with snapping mandibles had come along and started to dig around the roots of the hollow tree. It was clearly injured, and seemed to be eating in order to nurse its wounds, and seemingly regenerate mana by eating part of this tree; which seemed to have magical properties. The fact that the bug's soul; small as it may be-- was contained in some form of bubble, suggested that its soul had some sort of protection, unlike the slime he had devoured the night before. Shaping a pseudopod into a needle, Jason guided his mana into filling the shape as he darted to absorb the beetle's soul!!! "I. AM. JASON!" he roared as his needle entered the beetle, poised to pop the bubble and absorb the soul using [Mana Drain].

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

With the slime having no ability to maintain its sense of self against Jason, the ghost's phantasmal grasp continued to tighten and constrict. It convulsed violently in both body, and spirit. It didn't want to die. So much fear, so much pain, an insurmountable dread of the coming end. Jason did more than witness it in the slime's convulsions, he could FEEL ALL OF IT.

Despite the futility of the slime's fight, it took a full minute of violent spasms, before the dark blob went stiff one final time, then went limp, puddling on the ground. For Jason, it had felt like an eternity that he had been trapped in that harrowing wrestling match, and despite the fact that the night was still young, and offered plenty of souls to drain, Jason was done draining souls for the night..... He.... He needed some time to get past this.

Laying a hand shaped pseudopod on Danny's shoulder to inform his ally that it was his otherworldly doing, Jason settled down just outside the hollowed log, activating [Meditation] and entering the 'sleep' state to maximize its effects. Jason would continue to do this all night until Danny awoke in the morning, moving around as different spots ran out of ambient mana, but staying in the general area, near enough to protect the hollowed log if any predators attempted to attack during the night.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

---

@Zeroth@Duthguy

The moment Danny's soul left his field of vision, a feeling of uneasiness came over Jason. What if something lurking in the dark suddenly struck out? Even as an evolved wisp, Jason doubted Danny would have the defensive capabilities to survive an attack from a nighttime predator. Without hesitation, the ectoslime immediately exited meditation and quickly scanned the area for Danny, quickly finding his fears to be justified. A grey soul; about as big as the dire rat's , was right next to the poultergeist!!!

Even though he hadnt known Danny all that long, he was the only person that hadnt betrayed, or abandoned Jason in this strange world. Hell, Danny even could've just joined up with the bastards that tried killing Jason. And yet, Danny didn't. He waited for Jason to return, even without guarentee that would even happen at all.

He wasn't going to let Danny die because of his mistakes and poor planning. Low mana be damned! Jason was gonna protect his only ally even if it KILLED him.... Again. Just like he had done in the cave when he devoured Teef, Jason cut the mana maintaining everything but sight, and absolute essentials. With all of his phantasmal might, he rocketed toward the gray light, a gooey mimicry of a hand outstretched to crush the soul in his grasp. The moment he touched the slime, Jason activated [Transparency], wrapping his grip around the black slime's soul as if he was choking the life out it, he then activated [Mana Drain] with far more violent intent than ever before; aiming to tear the soul from its body.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

"BOOOOONIEEEEE!!!" Jason roared as he slammed a misshapen gaseous fist into the ground.

DAMMIT! Why did everything keep going to shit??? First being too trusting and leniant fucked him over, and now being too cautious, and not leniant enough fucked him over.

Why the fuck did everything have to be so fucking complicated?

Jason sighed with exasperation, some things just couldn't be helped, right now he couldn't afford to chase Bonie nor mull over his current grievances. Right now, he needed to get as much mana as possible, and the wind brought upon it a sign... Albeit very faint, the cheering voices of goblins in the east brought promise of a very potent supply of mana.

Though tempting to secure sustenance, making sure Danny was safe for the night before he departed was Jason's number one concern. As he waited for his friend to find a suitable place to spend the night, the Ecto slime closed his eyes and activated [Meditation], focusing his mind on the mana within him, and around him... The circulation of the energy, how it transferred from the world to Jason, and perhaps even back again. Every so often taking a break from his meditation, Jason made certain he stayed near Danny, ensuring he would be near enough to save his friend should any nocturnal predators attack.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

"Before dat, Ja-Soon--how do I be makin' da Skeelz betta? All my Skeelz, and Teef's too, got different numbahs you was readin'. Tell me dats, and I tells ya bout da dreams, and den we figures out dat udda Skeel."

Jason sighed. He knew where this was going, and he wasn't going to have it.

Turns out that finding a goblin that had risen above their base instincts was too good to be true after all.

"Look Bonie, I appreciate the guidance and direction you have given me... But I know the cruel nature of goblinkind. There is nothing for you to go back to. You've been dead too long. I wish you best of luck in your next life"

Placing a pseudopod on the ground, Jason activated [Guidence], "Oh great spirit of earth, I humbly ask that you guide this old soul back to the world, that they be born anew." he prayed with a touch of sorrow. As the mana traveled into the depths of the earth, Jason concentrated all his will, and ejected what he felt was Bonie with the mana, that the earth could help her, where he could not. He spent a few minutes meditating, dwelling on what he had just done. It tugged at his conscience like a wild dog at the meat of a rotting carcass.

As the stars came into view, Jason knew that he and Danny needed to keep on moving and began to trudge east, brushing Danny as he passed so that his companion knew it was time to keep moving. Staying low to the ground, Jason would occasionally activate [Mana Drain] on the earth, as well as any plants, bugs, and other such things before meditating for a few seconds, and continuing on his path.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

Though pretty happy to see that his skills were returning, Jason was astonished by what he saw on Bonie's screen. 90 SKILL POINTS??? She had to be at least level 19!!! "Correct, these are spells, special attacks, and so much more... Honestly Bonie, I don't belong in this world, especially not as a monster.... So I think, that in a way, the rules and limitations of species, and usage of the system don't fully apply to me." he responded to Bonie's earlier question. Then, gathering mana at tip of a pseudopod, Jason attempted to form a mana orb several times; reabsorbing the energy with [Mana Drain] rather than firing it off each time, as he read the Elder goblin's skill list out loud, but pausing for a moment upon reaching [Lucid Dream] and [Guidence] skills. If goblins really progressed as slowly as Bonie's skill list suggested, she must've prayed and had these 'lucid dreams' pretty often. "Bonie, tell me a bit about these dreams you had, and what you prayed to while you were alive." After listening to her response, he continued through reading her the rest of the skill list.

Knowing that that he was going to be waiting for Danny to regain his mana, Jason extended a pseudopod into the earth below him, searching and probing for this "Earth Vein" that Jason assumed he could draw mana from. After a bit of fidgeting around, trying to locate the earth's power; and consequently tap into it in a similar fashion as he had with the rat, an idea struck the slime. "Hey Bonie, I need you to say 'System: Describe (Better) Spiritual Awareness V, and how it was gained.' That'll give us even more information on how we can bring ourselves more fully into the real world."

As he awaited a response, Jason attempted to meditate once again, since he could once more regenerate mana naturally.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

"First of all Teef, I'm not dumb, nor a slime, I'm actually a reincarnated human." Jason responded with a pause as he followed Danny, canceling [Mana Drain]. "I guess I never considered that some monsters would be unable to understand the system..."

As Danny took out the source crystal, which somehow seemed... smaller? Jason intentionally hovered before the green object, focusing his mana. He wanted to make his presence more pronounced, in hopes the crystal would register him. And so, he was going to attempt what he saw the knight doing through soul sight, making his mana internally surge and circulate without truly expending any.

A few seconds ticked by as Jason held this state, before releasing it and addressing Teef and Bonie one more as he floated to the ground and activated [Mana Drain] on the earth. "So you two, if you want to see your skills and progress, you say... System, show skill list!"

Hopefully one of Jason's locked skills would be close to returning, as well as the possibility of a new skill being developed. If Jason's suspicions were correct, skill recovery was directly correlated with mana absorption, and time.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

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@Zeroth@Duthguy

Huffing a sigh of relief as the knight turned his focus to the dungeon, Jason slowly crept to Danny. Almost forgetting about the squire for a moment, the ecto-slime narrowly avoided brushing the young apprentice's leg in his attempt to reach his ally. "System, prioritize recovery of skill 'telepathy'." Jason said under his breath as he pressed a pseudopod against the 'spiritual core' of Danny's form as he activated [Mana Drain I], draining mana in short, repetitive pulses in the pattern of S.O.S. in morse code. Though he didn't have access to telepathy, nor any other way to communicate with Danny, hopefully the most recognizable pattern on earth would let Danny know that he wasn't alone anymore.

I, the Demon King, Will Summon My Own Damned Heroes!

---

@Zeroth@Duthguy

If Jason still had a heart, it would have stopped the moment that knight locked eyes on him.... Right now, the knight's white soul had in and of itself become a surging aura, held just beneath the skin, as if ready to explode at a moment's notice. In contrast to this, Danny's was blue; much bigger than the Dire Rat's, and the younger human's soul was gray at the center but surrounded by red tinged with white; appearing much larger than Danny's.

Even though Jason had no idea about what had happened leading up to his arrival at the scene, but a real fight had yet to start. He needed to take action before one broke out, and fast.

Slowly, Jason descended so he was just barely off the ground, raising two pseudopods above his head in a gesture of surrender as he focused mana into manifesting what he felt was his 'mouth' so to speak. "Easy there friend..." Jason spoke in a loud, yet calm voice. Keeping his pseudopods above him, and maintaining his current altitude, he slowly began to circle toward Danny; making sure he gave the walking fortress before him ample room. "I'm not looking for any trouble. My companion over by your squire is waiting for me so we can leave. He can't see me, but once he knows I'm by his side we'll be on our way."

Inch by inch Jason drew closer to Danny, not taking his eyes off the knight for even a second. Carefully, he watched for any fluctuations in spiritual energy, ready to react to any attack the knight might throw at him.