250. ---- Boulder
Wait, so youre telling that the monster that destroyed Mountaintooths tribe is the Cursed Boulder?
I stared at the [Ape Beastman]. Tuktox, the eldest of the Furious Whispers Tribe. He reached a long arm over his head to scratch his other cheek.
Oo, yes. A [Lizard Beastn] from our tribe heard about this Cursed Boulder a few weeks back when she was visiting the Poison Bugs Horde. It only recently surfaced from the western ocean. We thought itd take longer to get here, but it seems we were mistaken.
He wore a grave look on his face. His face darkened as he continued to scratch his head. Honestly, while his expression was dour, his body language seed to tell a different tale. Or maybe that was just his tail acting weird.
It kept bouncing around from side to side.
Also, he was a Beastn. I couldnt use Humans as a standard to asure how he felt. So, I simply nodded.
Huh.
Grr, it destroyed so many lesser tribes. But to think it even reached the Swift Hill Warriors it must be over Level 100, then.
One of the Beastn elders gathered a [Wolf Beastman] growled, his fangs poking out from his snout. I cocked my head. I seriously never thought that a piece of rock could gain levels.
Well, Golems could. But Golems werent really just pieces of rock. They were alive, too. They even had a heart. The [Lux Golmi] showed that. I rembered how it felt the fear it showed when it believed I would kill it and its companions.
Golems werent re pebble.They were alive. And if this Cursed Boulder was going around, killing others while leveling, then it surely ant it was alive too, right?
I furrowed my brows.
Is it so kind of a Golem?
We arent sure.
Tuktox closed his eyes.
What do you an youre not sure?
Truth be told, weve never seen a Cursed Boulder before. We have only heard about it from other tribes. It could possibly be a Golem, but its not any weve seen before. And the magic it casts I have never heard of a Golem that can utilize space magic.
Space magic? I was starting to understand why the Devil wanted to find it and kill it. It was a test of sorts. Although, with the current Skills I had, I wasnt sure how easy thatd be.
Secondary Skills:
[Available Secondary Skill Points: 2]
[Mystical Projection] - Lvl 10
[Long Range Teleportation] - Lvl 5
[Planar Navigation] - Lvl. 5
[Scatter Shift] - Lvl. 5
[Temporal Distortion] - Lvl 20 (Maxed)
Well, that didnt an they were useless. And I could always just claw my way through the Cursed Boulder.
I glanced over at Mountaintooth and the other two children.
What about you? Youve seen the Cursed Boulder, right? Do you think its a Golem?
Heards turned towards him, and the boy shrank back.
W-what? ?
He shifted uncomfortably, trying to muster up any words. Tuktox placed a hand on my shoulder and pulled back.
Please, elder Salvos
Its just Salvos.
Oo, right. Salvos.
The eldest sighed.
Let us not press the youngling with too many questions after all that hes been through. Please, it will surface bad mories.
Oh, ok.
I drew back, but Mountaintooth gritted his teeth.
I-Im fine!
He stepped forward.
I just didnt get a good look at the beast. None of us did.
His shoulders sagged as he turned back to his companions. I studied his expression.
What do you an by that?
He ans that we couldnt even see it.
Amberarm spoke up next. She shivered and clutched her shoulders, hugging herself.
It was a blur. No matter where we looked or where it went, everything around it was obscured. Like we couldnt focus on it.
We couldnt even see its level or use [Identification] on it.
Sharpbraid nodded from behind her.
Well, that was odd. Id never heard of that before. Perhaps it was a [Lux Golmi] using illusion magic?
My musings were cut off when Mountaintooth spoke.
Whatever it is, you guys have got to stop it. You have to avenge my father our tribe.
He gestured at Amberarm and Sharpbraid. They nodded in agreent, children wearing dark, hate-filled looks on their faces.
Huh. But isnt revenge bad or sothing?
At least, that was what Daniel told . Everyone in the room shook their heads.
No, why would it be?
They replied at pretty much the sa ti with a similar variation of that. So, Daniel was wrong. Silly Daniel! Always so silly with his morals and ideals and philosophy!
Nice, alright.
I snapped my fingers, making a decision.
Well, you dont need to worry about this Cursed Boulder destroying any more of your tribes. And youll get your revenge.
I grinned as I started for the tents exit. They stared at , and I glanced back at them.
Because Ill be destroying it now.
--
I really didnt know what this Cursed Boulder was. What I did know was that if it was randomly destroying Beastn tribes for no reason, it was probably wild. Maybe it wasnt Id figure it out for sure when I found it but it probably was.
Wait!
A voice called out to as I walked amongst the many multi-colored tents of this tribe. Mountaintooth squeezed through the crowd of Beastn and ran up to . He tugged at my jacket, and I looked down at him inquiringly.
Whats wrong?
I-I
He panted, gathering his nerves and faced . I frowned.
Do you want to get your revenge yourself? Because I could let you try...
What? No!
Mountaintooth blinked and took a step back.
Then what happened?
You you dont know where the Cursed Boulder went. You dont even know where it was last seen!
He exclaid. I blinked.
Huh, youre right. I forgot to ask you guys.
I crossed my arms, wondering to myself.
Then where was I even going?
Shrugging, I turned back to Mountaintooth.
Well, youre here now. So, where is it?
Its to the southwest about two hundred miles. Thats where my tribe used to be. It I don't know where it went, but maybe you can track it down from there?
Thanks!
I bowed back at the boy that was the polite thing to do here for Beastn, right? and was about to scurry off. But he clung onto my jacket. I gave him a curious look.
Did you need sothing else?
Y-yes
Mountaintooth took a deep breath and sputtered.
R-revenge doesnt work that way!
Huh?
I stared at him, and he repeated himself.
Revenge doesn't work that way. You cant just avenge soone on behalf of them. They have to request a kin soone of the sa Species to carry it out for them.
He closed his eyes as he spoke, fists balled up in frustration. It was clear that he wanted to kill the Cursed Boulder and be done with it, but there was so sort of tradition here that stipulated this. Another weird mortal thing, probably.
T-thats why I want you to bring with you. If Im there if I even lay a finger on the Cursed Boulder as you kill it, then my tribe shall be avenged. Their deaths will be vindicated. Please, take with you.
You want to bring you to face this power monster where you could possibly die just to fulfill so revenge pact you have?
Yes!
I couldnt help but smack my forehead with the palm of my hands. It was stupid. Mortals were stupid.
Dont be an idiot, Mountaintooth!
Amberarms voice cut through the crowd. She ran up to us, followed slowly by Sharpbraid. The duo huddled around Mountaintooth, but he was adamant about it.
You cant stop . I was the son of the eldest. This is my duty to our tribe.
It is our duty too.
Sharpbraid harrumphed. Amberarm nodded.
Let us go with you too!
You two
Mountaintooth trailed off as his companions nodded at him. I watched this play out, rolling my eyes.
This is all very complicated and dumb.
I clapped my hands, and they turned to in surprise. I raised a hand, cutting them off before they could protest.
Alright, so you just need to request soone to carry out this revenge for you, right?
Our kin.
Soone of the sa Species, then.
Thats right.
They nodded. I spread my arms wide.
Then heres a simple solution.
My body shifted as their eyes grew round. Passersby or onlookers, since there were so Beastn watching this scene from the side stopped to stare at in amazent as my body changed.
[Partial Mortality] let transform to most sapient mortal Species. And, well, Beastn were included in that list. I glanced down at my golden arms, covered in a layer of fur. There were gasps people were gaping at how I suddenly beca one of them. A [Lion Beastman]... woman.
There. Happy? You can just ask to kill the Cursed Boulder now and it wouldnt be a problem.
Mountaintooth blinked a few tis. He glanced over at Amberarm.
Is this allowed?
Who cares if its allowed? Just say it!
Alright hrr, elder Salvos
Its just Salvos!
I scowled.
But I have to call you that because of formalities.
Ugh, fine. Hurry it up.
Elder Salvos, avenge my tribe. Let the Swift Hill Warriors rest and slay the Cursed Boulder that slaughtered my people.
He went on his knees and lowered his head to touch the dirt in a bow. I glanced over at Amberarm.
What do I do now?
Just say I will.
Um, I will.
I spoke, and it seed like a huge burden disappeared from Mountaintooths shoulders. With a deep sigh, he drew back to his feet and smiled.
Thank you.
Ok, now that thats finished, can I leave now?
You can. I but
Mountaintooth hesitated, and I tapped my left foot impatiently on the ground.
What is it now?
How exactly did you do this?
He asked, gesturing at my [Lion Beastman] form. I blinked and looked down at myself.
This? Oh, its just a Skill. Im a Demon a [Changeling] so I can transform to other Species. See?
I transford back to myself from [Partial Mortality]. Again, everyone gasped. Mountaintooth flinched at the sudden change. Then his eyes grew wide.
Woah.
Amazing, right?
It is. Demons sure are amazing, Can all Demons do that?
Only so. Like .
I pointed at myself. Mountaintooth stared at .
O-oh. Then youre so amazing, Salvos.
I know.
I smirked. With that, I left the Furious Whispers Tribe behind .
I didnt fly. I wasnt allowed to fly. Not by the Deivl. So, instead, I teleported to the furthest point I could see in the horizon. Which, due to the hilly landscape, wasnt as far as Id have liked. And I wasnt able to teleport again. Even if it was a shorter distance not across thousands of miles which drained of a lot of mana I had a cooldown between each use of [Long Range Teleportation]. Plus, it used up a lot of mana too, anyway. Inefficient compared to using a dozen Short Range Teleports in a row, which was exactly what I did after.
Once I was far enough away from the tribe, I began to run. I kicked up a trail of dust clouds behind as I made my way southwest. It took a bit to actually locate my destination. I had to do a bit of searching. But its na the Swift Hill Warriors implied one thing, so I made sure to get to the high ground and check atop every mound I saw.
What I found was nothing but a bunch of collapsed tents. Many of them were burned from fallen torches after being crushed and trampled by so kind of traveling disaster. Bodies littered the tribe, and I spent a minute or two investigating.
Not a trace of the Cursed Boulder left behind.
I tapped a finger on my chin. That was odd. Id have expected sothing like a moving boulder to leave a deep divot on the dirt. There was none of that. I walked around for a bit until I eventually decided to try using magic to detect it.
[Planar Navigation] overtook my senses, and instantly, I saw a disturbance in the sa around . It was like sothing had dragged its way through the plane, altering the space around it as it went. I followed this trail to the north, where a forest lay ahead. Trees had been felled, creating a clear path for to follow.
And it was there, in a clearing in the middle of the forest, I saw my target.
I narrowed my eyes, trying to discern its shape. I could see specks of gray little bits of rock flying about in a concentrated tempest. It shrouded over what was at the center, like the dusty wind girdling the eye of a storm. Except, instead of a dull brown gale sweeping around
At heart of this odd phenonon my vision unfocused. I could only see a splash of colors coming together in jagged lines and dots. It covered whatever it was there like a curtain, if the curtain itself was warped into a rough and crooked shape. I could only see the semblance of a silhouette of a round shape with it. But other than that, I knew not what this was. Even [Identification] didnt know what it was.
[---- Boulder - Lvl.----]
Huh.
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