Siren’s Cry [A LITRPG Adventure]-Ch. 31
A/N: Last chapter was… heavy, even for me writing it. I know it was fucked up. I freely acknowledge that it was 1000% fucked up. There were absolutely zero redeeming qualities about what happened in the interlude, and I want to make sure it's clear: this is a fairly unique instance of this level of graphic detail ever being shown. Most will be a brief mention of spraying blood or something, maybe a short description of dismemberment during combat. Never something like the last chapter. This is not an apology, simply a statement of what to expect lol. Now, please enjoy the much, MUCH, calmer chapter this time around. Next chapter is some therapeutic bandit-killing.
—
My spiraling thoughts are interrupted by a warm, fuzzy weight dropping onto my shoulder. My eyes snap open - not sure when I closed them - and I look to see Keira leaning into me, arms tight around me and tail lashing in agitation as she sniffles softly. I wrap an arm around her, taking deep breaths and wiping away the tears that reliving the memory always brings. Ouro butts his head into my other arm, and I hug him as well, just taking a moment to center myself, taking comfort in the two amazing friends I have.
Not entirely sure how much Ouro counts, being my familiar and all.
Shaking my head to clear the random thoughts, I lean into Keira as well while we just enjoy each other's company after the trauma dumping I just did. I sigh, nuzzling into her soft fur and earning a slight giggle for my efforts. We sit there for a few minutes, long enough that my tail started cramping before I gently tug her to our feet.
“Well, we should probably get going now. Don't want to still be out here when it gets dark, do we?” Keira shakes her head, reluctantly letting go of my arm as I remanifest the saddle on Ouro.
“Probably not. I'm not entirely sure what lives out here, but most monsters and beasts that come out at night are predators.” Nodding, I leap back up into the saddle and hold out a hand, helping her up with a small heave. Settling her in front of me again, Ouro resumes our journey while I pull out the skill upgrade tome.
“Shall we see what skills I can upgrade?” Keira glances back at me before returning to admiring the scenery that whips past in a blur of green.
“Might as well, right? No point waiting, those things aren't too absurdly rare anyway.”
Before I actually use it, I double check the description to make sure I didn't read it wrong the first time.
-==÷==-
Common Upgrade Tome (Consumable, Upgrade)
A skill tome allowing the reader to upgrade a single low-rarity skill to the next higher variant. Read to use. 3 uses.
-==÷==-
Nope, still says low rarity.
“Hm… wonder what skills count as low rarity for the upgrade?”
“Probably means first tier skills. Those are ones that are either non-evolved or aren't fusion skills. You can tell your status to tell you which is which, you know.”
“I can do what now? Oh hey, I can!”
Keira wasn't lying; a quick mental command later, and a small message pops up along with my status.
-==÷==-
Skill Rarity Shown
Updating Status…
Complete.
—
Name: Siris
Race: Siren
Level: 20
Class: Witchlock
—
FP: 0
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 20
Speed: 15
Vitality: 25
Magic: 15
Will: 24
Intelligence: 30
Mana: 30
—
Active Skills:
Lesser Summoning (Tier 1)
Conjuration (Tier 3 Fusion)
Witch's Tome (Tier 2)
Basic Hydromancy (Tier 2 Fusion)
Siren's Cry (Racial)
Diagnosis (Tier 2)
Basic Identify (Tier 1)
-
Passive Skills:
Mana Sense (Tier 1)
Basic Ritual Knowledge (Tier 1)
Lecherous Looter [Disabled] (Tier 1)
Mana Powered Physique (Tier 3 Fusion)
Mana Condensation (Tier 2)
Melee Weapons Mastery [Beginner] (Tier 1 Fusion)
Deviant Form (Tier 1)
Summoner's Pact (Tier 2)
—
Traits:
Blessing of Deras (Death)
Blessing of Friea (Life)
Blessing of Quilinarus (Magic)
Blessing of Artemer (War)
-==×==-
Let's go one at a time. By low rarity I'm going to assume that means anything marked as Tier 1.
A quick reference to the tome description shows that ‘low-rarity’ has been replaced with Tier 1. Why it didn't already have that as the description I'll never know. I don't take long to decide that besides Lesser Summoning and maybe Lecherous Looter, none of my other skills are really worthwhile to upgrade. Mana Sense has only really been useful once, Basic Identify will upgrade on its own eventually, Basic Ritual Knowledge won't help me until I manage to get new summoning rituals, and I once again haven't really used my summons much, except on the ship. Deviant Form, once more, I have yet to use much except with Keira… and I don't think it really needs an upgrade. All my other skills are either fusions or higher tier than the book will upgrade.
Hmm. Let's upgrade Looter, because if it works how I think it does that means better loot from any dungeon we enter. Then I'll give the last two charges to Keira, so that she can get a much needed boost.
-==÷==-
Upgrade Lecherous Looter (Tier 1 Passive)?
Y/N
-==÷==-
Yes.
-==÷==-
Skill: Lecherous Looter (Tier 1 Passive) Upgraded To: ERROR
Divinity-Augmented Skill Detected
No Information Found
Resolving…
Resolved.
Skill: Lecherous Looter (Tier 1 Passive) Upgraded To: Lecherous Looter (Tier 2 Passive)
Lecherous Looter [Tier 2 Passive (Toggleable)]: Increases the chance for higher rarity treasures to be found in dungeons. Hidden treasures have a significantly increased chance for a higher rarity.
While active: Modifies treasures gained from dungeons to be sexual in nature. Cannot change existing treasures.
-==×==-
…
Alright then. Friea really did make this skill just for me. No wonder the description was so vague when compared to some of my other skills, the system didn't know exactly what it could do. I guess upgrading the skill allowed it to be scanned or something? Eh, the effect is worth whatever weirdness comes from it. Higher rarity is always better!
Closing the window, I pass the book off to Keira. She gives me a strange look.
“Why are you giving this to me? Don't you have skills to upgrade?” I shrug, grinning at her. By now, any lingering depression from my earlier story has passed, and I'm feeling much better than I have in years.
“Not really, I upgraded my looting skill, the system threw an error before fixing itself, but none of my other skills really need upgrades and the ones that do, can't be upgraded with that book. So, you use the last two charges so I don't have to save you next time~” I poke her cute little nose, her eyes crossing as she follows my finger. Swatting away my hand with a grumble, she nonetheless accepts my reasoning with a muttered
“Of course you managed to break something…”
Her eyes glaze over in that way I've come to recognize is someone using the system, and a few moments later she shares the screens, the tome disintegrating in her hands.
-==÷==-
Skill: Parry (Tier 1 Active) Upgraded To: Counter (Tier 2 Active)
Counter (Tier 2 Active): Counter an incoming blow or physical projectile, redirecting it to a chosen direction. Stamina cost scales with difficulty of maneuver.
—
Skill: Enhanced Physique (Tier 1 Passive) Upgraded To: Perfected Physique (Tier 2 Passive)
Perfected Physique (Tier 2 Passive): Grants an overall enhancement to the user's body, greatly increasing muscle density, skin toughness, and bone strength.
-==÷==-
Keira grunts as the passive takes effect, muscles tensing as they grow denser. She doesn't change visibly, but poking her arm reveals that I can barely dent the skin unless I try. Her fur is still as soft as ever though.
Ouro makes a panicked sound, and I quickly look up to see a fallen tree laying across the road. Several crossbows poke over the top, and I even see what looks almost like a musket trained on Ouro's head. Several people in surprisingly matching armor step out of the woods around us, not there one second and the next shimmering into view.
Either stealth skills or magic, can't tell which.
The one in the fanciest gear steps forward, massive enchanted claymore hefted over one shoulder.
“Halt! What're two pretty girls like you doing riding a beast like that? Why don't you climb down and we can talk over your inevitable surrender?”
Keira and I share a look, smiles matching as we hop off of Ouro's back. Patting his side, he turns his head towards me as I whisper a quick order before patting him again and turning to the fancy bandit. Flashing him my brightest smile, my cowboy outfit warps into the armor I tested before, shadows curling around me as plated darkness solidifies.
“I have a counter offer; how about you surrender, and I don't hang you from a tree by your intestines?”
The bandits don't respond, just readying weapons as crossbows twang and the distinctive crack of a gunshot signals the start of the battle. Keira vanishes from existence as arrows zip through where she was seconds before. A few bolts ping off of my armor as I draw my saber and summon up my constructs and sand wights, the blobby creatures flowing towards the bandits in eerie silence. Ouro charges the ranged attackers, spears of compressed water mulching the log.
A quick step and a slash decapitates a hammer-wielding bandit, and the therapeutic bandit slaughter begins in earnest.
.
!
Ch. 31
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