"Oughta be it! Right, sir!"
"I dunno!" the young man curtly said, shrugging his shoulders. "But on to the story…" he continued.
The children weren't so put off by the storytelling anymore… that was a problem! The young man's theatrics weren't the best. As he couldn't lose to the two kids, he took it upon himself to be even more dramatic and deep, let's say, in the telling of the Ancient Tale.
The monster went on: 'Greed has led us to our predicament, humans! Like the greediness that has led us to that, it—my vengeance—will come from you';
❮ Confirmed. Creation — Quantifying of the particle 'Greed' required—
'My will shall not be lost: it will come from within you, assault you, and devour you from within your ranks!'
❮ Confirmed. Creation — the Unique Skill [Devourer] has been obtained! ❯
'Humans, you get under my skin! You irritate me! It will get under yours. It will irritate, too.'
❮ Confirmed. Creation — Materializing of … failure to proceed. Looking for alternatives… ❯
'It will climb into you—'
❮ 'Get under your skin.' Confirmed. Creation — the Unique Skill [Possessing] has been obtained! ❯
'—wherefrom you will not see—'
❮ Confirmed. Creation — the (Active) Skill [Possessing] has evolved into the Unique Skill [Dwelling]! ❯
'—and take control of yourselves!'
❮ Confirmed. Creation — the (Passive) Skill [Control] has been obtained. ❯
'And I announce unto you, O humans, that you will not see peace, before it—my will, my vengeance, my way—robs you of everything you have.'
❮ 'Before it robs you—' Confirmed. Creation — the (Passive) Skill [Copying] has been obtained! ❯
…Ring!
❮ Due to having the (Passive) Skill [Control] and the Skill [Copying], the Unique Skill [Perfect Control] has been obtained! ❯
❮ A new skill has been obtained! The Unique Skill [Perfect Control] and Unique Skill [Devourer] have evolved into the Unique Skill [Grand Devourer]! ❯
The young man slammed both fists onto the table, getting a little too carried away. He was wrapping up with his story, at last, and he needed his audience's full attention. The two children gave a start, slightly trembling, and hugged each other at once. Seeing such a display of child-like fear, the young man grinned in victory—"Got 'em."—and uttered one last sentence: "...Then the monster said, 'And it will never be over… time and time again, my vengeance will have you…!'"
That gave me one last metallic 'Ring!' sound before I was through with all this. It—whatever it is, but I guess you should refer to it as System—failed to 'proceed,' like it so much had already, but then it looked for alternatives.
And finally, by a combination of whatever means or logic the System seemed to possess, I obtained the Passive Skill [Adapt]. And after yet another ringing sound, ostensibly due to having that [Grand Devourer] skill I'd had a moment ago, that [Adapt] skill was upgraded into a Unique Skill too—that was [Evolve].
Truly, a mess of skills, I'll have to admit. Behold, this was me. But anyhow, I'm not important. Not yet. The children were important. Oh, and the young man, too. There was still the young lady sitting at their table, by the way. That's only the prologue. The prologue of my oh-so-great story (teehee) that just about began, so let's focus on them rather than I.
That was the first time the young man had actually tossed in so many details about his ancient historical recollections of the past… or Ancient Tale, for the kids. And so, just as per what was expected by the storyteller, while the two kids were surprised, they also were scared.
The young man felt it was good to repeat: "'Time and time again, my vengeance will have you…!'" The kids shuddered in fear, and as the story was over, they were relieved to hear that, upon these words, the monster died. Put to death. By the hands of the Ancestors. Yes.
My story was told. But at the same time, it only just began. The only thing I—that is to say, the mysterious witch's cauldron's contents—awaited, then, was to have someone drink me. So let's wait together, shall we?
My story made sense. And I did too.
"Your story doesn't make sense."
Ouch! Ow! No!
It was the young lady, who up until now hadn't spoken much at all due to her too blatant disinterest in the young man's funny words, that now spoke. Such insults!
"Eh?"
"That monster, where does it even come from? Oh, and does it speak too? Well? Where does that come from? Because I mean, weren't you talking about low-level monsters, hm? Also, why… or how, even, in the world? Vengeance? Isn't your beast-monster assaulting that group of—no, that civilization of humans, peaceful and prosperous as it was, in the first place? And then it's upset for God knows what reason, going on a full, long-winded monologue about how it's getting revenge soon, giving away all sorts of minute details about how it's going to do it… namely how its revenge against the poor people is going to take place… having the luxury to address that crowd of 'ancestors' right in the middle of their war or something? Rather than a story, too—"
"Heh, Inera. A lot of criticism. You don't change."
The lady agreed, and the young man spoke. These ancient tales, as he called them, have a historical basis, to put it very briefly. They are recollections of the past. Of a faraway past, that's been long since forgotten by most, and that's probably even older in age than the very subject of history itself (which the young man studies). Rather than a literal interpretation of such ancient, and 'mystical,' even, he dares say, archeological recollections of the past, a poetic interpretation and more flexible understanding of said texts would be far more suited in order for one to succeed in the undertaking of comprehending them, the young man said. Furthermore, parts of it are obviously missing. And besides… even with the story being as nonsensical as it may seem, the kids like it.
"But let's not bore the kids, shall we?" the young student proposed. The kids here would only be bored by such academical discussions, so let's not dive too much into MY story, and into MY origin.
The lady sitting opposite him scoffed. "Why not," she said, "why not dive deeper into it? It interests me. And I trust all of what you just explained begs a more fully-detailed report."
"All right." The young man accepted after he glanced at the kids. They didn't seem to mind? Well. A long, boring discussion awaited him (or that's what he thought anyway), and clearing his throat, he decided that it was dry. "Let me first drink that, at last." Of course, the witch's cauldron he had ordered a few minutes ago still awaited him. At last, my time had come.
Ready yourselves, guys. We're about to get drunk!
Bringing the beverage to his lips, he began pouring the liquid down his throat—he choked on it.
Ring! ❮ A Receptacle has been found. ❯
"Kof!"
His eyes went full round. A threat. He'd just sensed a threat. That's what his instincts screamed at him. A hand was hurriedly brought to his throat and pressed it. "Guh!" It wasn't any threat. Was that an attack? Pretty much. He figured this much so quickly. An attack. A threat to his life. The heart that pounded in his chest went from being super relaxed to totally on edge. All of which happened in less than a second.
I had a Unique Skill. 'Dwelling.' Who knew what it did, but it just activated then and there, automatically. Instinctively. ❮ Engaging the 'Dwelling Procedure'. ❯
What was more, that same metallic sound of a notification popped in his ears once more. And he could read the message scripted within. Cold sweat poured down the man's back as he realized. He truly was quick.
To the exterior world, nothing of that could be seen. What was with that sudden switch in demeanor, hm? The kids were surprised, and the young lady pressed forward. They asked whether the guy that choked on his tea was all right. Ignoring them was what he did, panicked, and quickly managed to spit back half of the teacup he'd had. Overly loud coughs reverberated through the now hushed restaurant. People turned and eyed the lively group with tilted heads and raised eyebrows.
Something clearly was wrong with the guy.
But the young student paid his surroundings no mind. In his panic, he flung the table forward as well as his glass. The loud squealing sound, of the table and chair, and the clattering further alerted the other customers around them. The contents of that man's glass were totally spilled, and he just made a mess of his table.
❮ Engaging the 'Dwelling Procedure': failure. ❯
Now, it was the chair he'd been in that was flung backward in the man's hurry. Because still all very much panicked, he abruptly stood up, bent his back, slamming both hands on the table; he started to cough.
Now, other customers started to frown at that. The atmosphere clearly changed. It was now heavy with caution and wariness. ❮ 'Dwelling Procedure' has been reissued. ❯ Then the kids stepped back and said, "N-No way…"
The girl, after his brother who swore never to be scared, shrieked. "I-It's the monster! Run, sir!"
Was it the monster, or were the children talking nonsense? If there was indeed a monster-type lying in here, people should evacuate at once and go call for help. Somehow, the people didn't expect these two children to make sense, however. But they were right.
That's why the young woman got to her feet and gently admonished their stupidity. She saw the apparent fear that built up within them. There was no way what was happening was due to the influence of a monster. That's what she told them. Monsters don't belong here, they're far off in caves, forests, or dungeons. Tugging at her clothes, the two kids listened. Brushing them to the side, now, she turned to the man she loved, exasperation carved on her beautiful features. She raised a hand and pursed her lips with a slight frown. She then began to talk, but—
"A-Away from me!" A loud voice shattered the reigning silence, or added to its melancholy. He was the one to hold out a hand, too. With it, he placed a wall between the girl and her nephews. Between two loud coughs, he managed to get his words out, at last. "I-I said away! Look, th-there's something abnormal… about it…!"
She wondered about what.
"Th-there's… a mon…ster?" he said, his voice barely audible. "Th-The hell…? W-Why are... things written in front of my... eyes...? Writings…? A 'Receptacle' has been found....?" Like this, the young man muttered his wild thoughts to himself in utter disbelief. Remembering his surroundings, he turned to the lady. "...But you wait, just wait…!"
Trying to make himself puke wasn't getting him anywhere. The young man sank to his knees, his face dark red now. Hugging the table with both arms, he prevented himself from sinking further below, and he coughed some more of his beverage. With a hand, he waved at the young lady who now realized something was truly off to let her and the kids further away. She wasn't just any lady. She possessed mana and was trained to use it. Surely, she could guess at what was taking place, and by now at least understand something really was off.
A puzzled look on her face, she whispered to the kid things were just all right before she waved them away.
The young man didn't have enough time to think about the monster-type: the water, tea, beverage, or whatever it was that was within this teacup of magical and enchanted elixir. So anyway, the water or something, it now rose up. Like a wave far in the ocean. From the table, the liquid now stood, still rising up, looking rather ominous. As if it was living, really. Rather than just plainly liquid and flowing, now it seemed thicker and slime-like.
"Y-You too!" howled the young man. He addressed his lady. "Go fetch… cough, cough! Y-Your father!"
At present, her eyes were trembling. So many thoughts and ideas took form in her head, at the moment, but she knew that he was right, that her father would know what to— She cut herself short and took off at once.
And that was my time. Only a piece was lacking to the equation. The [Consciousness] Passive Skill. Something I didn't have yet, something that'd make me self-aware, and most importantly something that'd allow this story to truly begin.
The young man dropped from the table with a light thud. On his butt, he eyed me with gleamy eyes, cold sweat trailing down his forehead. "W-What are you even?! Everyone—gentlemen, get out! Out of this place! ...S-Seriously… is it sentient…? I-If I concentrate using my 'Mana Perception'... maybe… Gah! And why the hell so high-level?! How the hell'd it just spawn anyway… in here? No way… A unique monster-type...?"
His last words were a mixture—no, a mess of so many different, contradicting emotions. Even putting aside the reason why that awe-inspiring, jelly-like water elemental of a unique monster spawned here rather than in the wild, as the young man knew that his life was being threatened by me, his thoughts were in a mess. I looked ridiculously weak and funky yet I was ridiculously powerful at the same time and he could sense it.
No, I wasn't exactly like your other favorite heroes. The ones who came and got reincarnated or summoned away, in their own little and cute fantasy worlds of their own. But I was still something, you see. And mine was a fancy, epic fantasy other-world too.
Another Receptacle had been found. I mean, it was technically the same, however. The system read: 'Mortde Reinred, lv. 45, Human' Receptacle has been found.
The young man, storyteller at heart, who helped me into that world, still trying to run away from the threat I posed, was now getting on his feet lest I try and take control of himself again… but unfortunately for him, from the table, a more or less jellyfish-shaped lump of water still rose, and then jumped at him.
A son of the Reinred House fainted.
After a few moments…
…Ring!
❮ The new Passive Skill [Consciousness] has been obtained! ❯ That was thanks to a passive I'd obtained a minute ago, too. 'Copying'.
I obtained my consciousness. I became sentient. I was born. I'd now live my first day. I now had a life like everyone else. Thanks to my condition, to all these skills you barely read about and understood, I just obtained it, my person-ness, my person-hood, or whatever.
Phrase it however you please: I became a person. I, who, more than anything, simply wished to live, just became that: life in its purest form. Water. The origin of it. And that was me, at the very beginning. Who knew what I'd be tomorrow.
I became a person, and as a side bonus, I then obtained 'Mana Perception' which was a passive skill.
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Author's note down below with details you wanna know about:
❮ Name: Skill ❯
❮ Race: Cute Jellyfish(? — Unknown) ❯ About MC's race, it's actually just Unclassified. He doesn't fit into any boxes due to his too unique condition. He's that kind of monster-type, will always be evolving and undergo physical changes, so his race is Unknown.
❮ Title: Unique Monster ❯
❮ Level: 35 ❯ He already 35 because you also gain experience when acquiring new skills. Makes sense?
❮ Status ❯
❮ HP: 1250/1250 ❯
❮ MP: 297/300 ❯
❮ Vit. 35 ❯
❮ Strength 35 ❯
❮ Agility 35 ❯
❮ Intelligence 35 ❯
❮ Sense 35 ❯
❮ Fatigue: 0 ❯ Those numbers about MC's Status are self-explanatory.
❮ Unique Skills: [Mana's Benediction] [Dwelling] [Grand Devourer] [Evolve] ❯
❮ Passive Skills: [Jelly-like Shapelessness] [Resistant Body] [Consciousness] [Mana Perception] ❯
❮ Active Skills: ❯
You readers will get to know more about the skills, their descriptions and the way they work and stuff, only later on.
Still, I got something for you. Below is a glimpse of a skill description to give you a big idea about how this all works together. Will be plenty more epic skills in the future.
❮ Passive Skill: "Consciousness" — Grants the user Positive Status Effect "Conscious Mind." —
❮ Positive Status Effect (level MAX): "Conscious Mind" — Grants the user individual awareness of the user's unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environments. Essentially differs from the animal experience. Exclusive characteristic to mankind or unique beings. The user's sense stats are increased by +50. Cannot be canceled once obtained. Is one of the requirements to be granted "Nobility." Is one of the requirements to become a Player. Lasting effect: Permanent. ❯
Thanks for reading!