Author Note :
Sorry, at one point of this story it will feel rushed since I want to write about wriggle faster. So I guess I have a problem with my pacing.
Though, what I like in any "Isekai" novel is about the world building, politic and battle in that order. and all of them are something that i'm not good at it.
Other than pacing problem, I have a bad habit of where rather using character name I use "I,You,They etc." in my mind since I know whose talking to whose so if you see that too excessively just tell in review or PM me.
now about the review. (Somehow one of the reason i want to finish this chapter is because of this).
To guest : about ex-rumia, I probably will put any touhou character with strong ability for fight in later chapter. though I don't know if I going to write about ex-rumia or not since i need to limit myself of how much touhou character that show up if I want this story to end.
To Lost nuffians : Yeah, you're right about the MC is retard since that what I intended and most of the story that happened in my mind need him to be reckless idiot to make sense for me. but "super retard" is not what I intended so if you read this could you PM me which part make him that. after all I intended to do a rewrite of previous chapters after wriggle story.
Anyway sorry for the long note I hope you enjoy the story
"Hey, did you hear the inn's ghost is back!"
"I heard it broke another door again."
"They say the ghost now is paying 20 gold coins for the door repair."
Those are the rumor that I heard on my way to Guild. Right now, I'm sitting at the guild trying to remember what happened after turning into Koishi. But no matter how hard I try to remember, I couldn't remember anything. "Why there's always a side effect when I'm transforming" I grumbled. "When I turn into Rumia at day she automatically using her ability and I can't turn back until it was night and when I turn into Koishi I can't kill any monster and sometime end up somewhere without knowing how I end up there. Though for Koishi it could be solved with transforming into Akyuu, but there's something that I rather forget in my life. Now I really wish I get a simpler cheat skill like "Skill Absorption" then I can absorb a lot of skill and become stronger and I don't have to fulfill complicated condition just to use it." I tilted my head remembering something "Wait isn't all of my classmate had Attribute Point that can be spend to get skill? Why I didn't have that too?" I complained then I'm put my head to desk and look at the quest board direction. "That board even though it's updated there's no new quest in it at all." Not long after that I saw Eric's party is coming inside the guild build looking dejected. Then they sit at the chair near me.
"As usual we can't find the demon girl." Willes said.
"Yeah, I'm starting to get tired searching for her at night." Jamilla tiredly said. "Even we search in day we still can't find any dark ball."
"Sorry, I thought she will appear if we hunt at night." Eric said
"Nah, it's okay I thought that too when you talk about James encounter her at night." Willes said.
Willes then took out a pouch and looked at it for awhile then said, "Though as much as I like to fight against the girl again, our money is getting low so we can't afford to stay in this kingdom for longer period. My friend said he will going back tomorrow and need an escort again. I planned to escort him so at least we can go back for free."
"Well, I guess today our last day to try to find her." Eric said.
When they said about escort I stand up and interrupted them. "Hey guys, I heard you going to do an escort quest."
The three of them look at me and Willes said. "Oh it's Iyan, yes we going to escort someone. Do you need something?"
"Yes, can I join with you guys?" I asked them.
"You can join us but he probably won't give you any reward is that okay with you?" Willes asked me.
"Yes, I don't care about the reward. I just want to go another kingdom." I confirmed him.
"Why?" Eric asked.
"Well, I can't kill monster around here easily and the quest is hard to fulfill." I answered.
"I can agree about the monster, but the quest should be easy for you rank. Unless.." Jamilla said then point her finger to me. "You don't know what is needed to fulfill it right?"
I smile awkwardly and looking away. I can see she sighed and Willes look like he will laughing, scratch that he is laughing now.
After Willes stop laughing he said, "Anyway, if you want to join us you better do whatever you need to do in this kingdom and meet us tomorrow at the guild at day. Make sure you didn't late okay, or we will leave you behind."
"Okay" I said. "Oh yeah, I heard you going to hunt the demon girl today."
"Yeah, did you have some information about her?" Eric asked me.
"Yeah, yesterday I saw her at the forest area of north gate. You better search her after the sun is set, because that's the time I saw her."
"It seems you have luck to find her, so how about hunt her together with us. You don't have to fight just be our charm to find her." Joked Willes.
"Haha..Sorry but I need to prepare for tomorrow" I said then exiting the guild.
At night at the forest near the northern gate of Wryin kingdom Eric's party is wandering around trying to find the demon girl. On top of the group there's a light ball that help them to see around the forest.
"You still not detect anything, Willes?" Eric asked.
"No, there's nothing around here."Willes responded. "I hope the demon still around here."
"This time we definitely are going to find her." Jamilla said.
"Yeah, you're right. After all this is our last chance trying to find her." Eric said.
Not for long, Willes is giving the signal to stop and said, "Something behind us."
The three of them turn around and prepare to intercept it. They can hear a sound of bush rustle and it getting louder and louder. When the sound is getting nearer Eric shoot a light ball to the direction of the sound.
"AAAGGGHHH" scream loudly by someone in front of them. They move to the source of sound and see a figure of a blonde little girl closing her eyes with both of her hand. "WHY!?" the girl scream and look at their direction. "Why every adventurer that I met is attacking me before I can explain anything to them." The girl complained.
The three of them look at each other and confused of what they should do after seeing the girl reaction. Then the girl is taking a deep breath and muttered "I'm Rumia, I need to act like Rumia."
While the girl is busy muttering, Eric took initiative to move closer and interrupted her, "You are Rumia, right?"
Rumia is stopping her muttering and answered, "Yes, I am."
"So Rumia what are you doing here?"
"I'm trying to attack you." Rumia instantly replied though her eyes are wide open.
Eric astonished by her instantaneous reply but seeing the girl reaction he still curious and ask, "Why do you want to attack us?"
"Because, attacking human is youkai's job. So -" Rumia then clenched her fist in preparation to attack Eric. But before she can attack her leg are encased in stone by Willes Earth Magic.
"Wind Blade" Chanted by Jamilla.
Before the wind magic reach Rumia, she surrounding herself with her darkness trying to shield from the magic.
"AW its hurt, I forgot this darkness can't stop anything." Rumia scream unheard by the three of adventurer.
"I can feel that my magic still trapped her." Willes said.
"Should I use the Wind Magic again?" Jamilla asked.
"No, I don't think it will be effective." Eric responded. "It seems the darkness is her shield. I appraise her and she has a darkness manipulation skill at highest level."
The two of them is astonished by Eric statement.
"I know of dark magic but what is darkness manipulation skill? And that skill maxed too!" Jamilla said.
"Well, it's probably an advanced skill of darkness magic. Anyway what we are going do to about her now?" Willes asked.
"I think I will try to use my light magic again." Eric responded.
"The last time you use it to her darkness it didn't affect her at all. Are you sure this time will work" Willes said.
"Since she is screaming when I use 'illuminate' at her, so I think her weakness is Light. So this time I will my strongest light magic unlike last time since I don't have enough mana."
The two of them are remembering what happen earlier then giving a sign to let him doing it.
Eric closed his eyes then began chanting. A circle magic formation is formed at the top of darkness ball, then another layer at top of it then another. It keep increased until it goes above the tree then Eric shout "Light Judgment"[1]. A pillar of light then rained down from the magic circle to the darkness ball, because of the blinding light of the magic Jamilla and Willes close their eyes. Strangely Eric could see amidst the light and he get displeasure of the result since there's a spot of darkness inside the magic he is using.
Inside the darkness Rumia is trying to break her bounded leg, unaware of the light magic that happened.
"This earth magic is annoying." Rumia said.
She trying to brute force with her leg but the ground didn't break. She is hitting it with her fist it still didn't break.
"Damn it, if only the magic bag didn't disappear along with my clothes I could try to use the hammer." After she said that, the earth magic that held her leg is crumbling down. "Hmm it's gone now? I guess the duration is up, well since all the harm on my body has been healed too this time I will attack them."
The darkness ball that surrounding her now disappearing.
"This time is my turn to..HIIIIIII!" Rumia loudly said.
After that darkness enveloping all of them, because of that they can't see anything at all. They waiting vigilantly for her attack, yet the attack that they expected didn't come and the darkness that enveloping them is disappear.
"Ah, Ah, she run away again." A voice behind them can be heard.
They turn around and see a demon with dark violet skin. Willes and Jamilla froze up when they saw the demon. Their experience told them that the demon in front of them is not something that they can beat. While the two of them frozen Eric lunge at the demon with his sword but she stop his attack by grabbing the sword.
"How cruel of you, this is the first time we meet yet you try to kill me."
Eric trying to pull his sword back with all his strength yet the sword can't be released from her grip. Amused by what happening she release the grip on the sword, Eric lost balance but quickly adjusting himself.
Seeing how his attack easily stopped Eric click his tongue and staring at the demon "This isn't our first time meeting each other. You're the leader of monster that wiping out my village."
The demon is putting her hand on her chin and start thinking. "Hm...Which village? I can't remember you at all. I'm busy right now so could you move aside." Then she remembered something. "Oh yeah, the previous light is your magic right?" said the demon then pointing at Eric.
"Yes, it was me wh—"
Before Eric can finish what he was going to say, the demon use wind magic to blown his body and he crashed into a tree.
"That my reward because you show me where she is and a punishment because you could have killed her with that magic. Luckily she can defend herself from your magic if not." The demon is exuding a terrifying aura. "I will kill all of you."
The aura that released by the demon is making Jamilla and Willes trembled. This hopeless situation is making them remember the times when they are fighting against the transformed vampire. But worse since there's only the two of them and their savior are unconscious.
"Anyway" The demon said and stopping the aura. "You're lucky since today I want to search my pet, she really good at hide and seek that even I can't find her." The demon is then showing her jet black bat wing and making a crouched position. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Can the two of you tell that guy if he want to get revenge at me at least level up first so I can get EXP from killing him." With that said the demon fly away.
Unknown to the adventurers and the demon there's a third party that is watching what was happening from afar.
Iyan's POV ~ Guild building
Yesterday night was a disaster. My plan just want to attack them a little, get attacked and then pretend to run away, but I never thought that demon appear again. Fortunately, like the first time I can turn back and transform into Koishi. Though unlike last time, I hide and watch the battle unfold. "That demon is probably a boss class monster." That was the thought that I had in my mind when watching it.
"They seem still not reported their encounter" I said while looking at the quest board. "Oh, now there's Rumia subjugation quest. Let's see..." After seeing the detail of the quest I'm smiling. Unfortunately Rumia is classified as C-Rank monster, but I'm still proud of myself since this quest is considered as B-Rank quest. "Sadly, I can't clear it."
Not for long I see Eric's party is coming inside the guild. Their face is smiling, but I know there's no way they will be feeling happy when yesterday their life is threatened or at least that what I thought. They are moving to the Guild counter without look around and then talk to Lillia.
"They are forgetting about me aren't they?" I thought. So I decided to go to them "Hey guys, so when is the escort mission start?"
Willes turn around to me, "Oh..It's Iyan. They are now preparing to leave and we're now reporting to guild. Wait, I'm forgot you're going to join us to right?" Willes said.
"How mean, I'm waiting you guys at the guild since morning you know."
"Haha sorry, well since you're here let's go to where the merchant is after we done report this."
"We have received the report about the monster and to escort a merchant, so it will count it as quest." Lillia said then she handing 5 silver coins to Eric. "This is a reward for the report about "Rumia" and "Lilim". Still it's a waste you just need to do 1 more C-rank quest for your rank-up. So I decided to join you so it could count as a quest."
All of us are surprised after heard that.
Eric then said, "You don't need to do that after all the rank-up is just for me and you're the guild master of this guild right and..."
"You don't have to worry about the guild matter" Lillia Interrupted. "I have prepare my substitute for the Guild master. HEY! JAMES COME HERE!"
Then the door behind Lillia is opened then James figure can be seen. "What? You don't have to shout you know."
"He's going to be the one substituting me. I have taught him everything about guild for last three month so you don't have to worry."
Eric seems want to say something but he give up and sighed. "Well, you've prepare everything right?"
"Yep, I have prepared everything for the guild matter and getting escorted." Lillia said while showing a smile.
"Oh, so you're really are going today. Really I guess that why-, Ugh" Before James can say more Lillia elbow hit his stomach. He groaned then said, "Anyway, you can depend about the guild to me. Good luck on the journey."
Right now we're sitting inside the merchant's carriage. The journey is very uncomfortable I can feel each bump on the road and my butt is hurt. Not only the journey, the situation inside too is depressing since Eric and his team is hanging their head down looking frustrated. After some time passed Lillia hitted my side with her elbow and smiling at me when I face her. I got confused why she doing that but decided to just turned around and ignored it.
Seeing it she sighed then whispered to me, "Hey, say something you always spouting stupid thing right. This is what we need now."
I got suprised when she is coming near me but after hearing what she is whispering to me, I get annoyed. Though what she said is right this situation is not good.
"So guys, I know this is late for me to ask about this but where is our destination?"
Everyone dumbfounded at first then all of them have different reaction.
Eric keeping straight face and said, "Oh yeah, we never said our destination to you right."
Jamilla face palmed and sighed.
Willes just keep laughing and only said, "My stomach hurt."
Lillia look disappointed, "Did you even hearing the merchant conversation?"
"Oy, I said that because you told me to." I shouted at her.
"Then tell me where are we going?"
"Uh..Uh"
"We are going to Bronza kingdom." Willes Interrupted me. "Sorry to make you worry about us and thanks for what you said I got a good laugh."
"That didn't make me happy" I said.
"Anyway, you don't have to feel down about losing to that demon. After all I have read about her some years ago and she is classified as walking disaster at that time." Lillia said.
Hearing that Me, Jamilla and Willes suprised. But Eric is looking frustated.
"Well, let's stop talking about her." Lillia said then look at me. "Since we have someone who doesn't think much, let's give our opinion about the little demon girl."
"Whom are you talking about someone who doesn't think much?" I said.
Lillia then ignored me and said her opinion. Soon after her the other three are giving their opinion and then I joined in their conversation trying to exaggerate the talking. Our journey is continuing uninterrupted, until we reach a village where the merchant decided to rest here. When I see my status I got dejected since my RP now become 18, but I remind myself that I'm still lucky it didn't become 0. After resting at the inn here we are continuing our journey to Bronz kingdom. On the way there's a single Orc that show up but the Orc is easily dispatched by Lillia. We're very surprised how easily she handle it, she just stretch out her hand and the Orc is cutted into 3 pieces instantly with her wind magic. The merchant give us info that she is famous B-Rank adventurer who mainly using spear not magic. Hearing that information we get even more amazed for her.
When we arrived in the kingdom's vicinity I see an impressive white stone wall that taller than the previous kingdom. There's an iron gate with a pair of guard with full plate armor. When we near the gate there's a red haired woman wearing a breast plate stopping us. Her name is Regnis and it seems she is one of Willes team. She stopped us since she want to duel with Eric. I do want to see their battle but someone hold my collar.
"No don't go. Come with me to this guild branch and let's see if you still remember about the dungeon on the way." Lillia said.
Since I couldn't break free from her grip, I give up trying and following her. We get out from the merchant's carriage then passed the gate and show our adventurer ID. Then we walk together to the guild direction.
"So tell me about the dungeon." Lillia demanded me.
"Dungeon is a place underground with a high concentration of mana because of that it strangely bright inside it. In there a monster will appear and there's a boss room too."
"Nice answer. Then tell me about the magic stone."
"Magic stone is something that can only be found inside the monster of dungeon, they could be sold to the guild. Each monster has different quality and size for the magic stone."
"Okay, now tell me about dungeon chest."
"Sometime there's a mysterious chest placed inside the dungeon filled with item no one know who placed them but no one complaint since it's free" I told her what I remember when we discuss about dungeon in the village where we rest and added a little of my opinion.
"Well yeah, stuff that found inside the dungeon is considered as yours but you must be careful because there's some monster that could imitate the chest. Anyway, it seems we have reached the Guild's building."
The size of this guild is the same but the door of the guild is different than the last guild, this guild has wooden door that shape like in cowboy movie. Not only is the door that different the adventurer too is different, when we coming inside the place are so much livelier and there's a few female adventurer. Some of the adventurers are joyful with their team, some planned something and some look troubled by something. This made me happy since this is what I had in mind about the guild unlike a silent and quiet atmosphere they had in previous kingdom.
I'm still following Lillia's lead and we move to one of the receptionist with a cat ear. She has a face covered in yellow fur and the nose is just like cat, there's even a whisker on her face.
"There's no doubt she is a beast men." I thought
She seems busy writing something. Lillia then greeted her, "Minya, long times no see."
Minya now look at Lillia, "Ah, Lillia long times no see too." she said cheerfully. "So what make you come here?" then she sees me. "Oh! Did you find yourself a boyfriend?"
"There's no way this weak and ugly man is my boyfriend." She responded with a flat voice. "He's just a new adventurer where I'm placed."
I want to retort to her insult but I don't want to attract any attention like the last time I got ridiculed by James.
"As I thought" Minya muttered. "So what reason then?"
"I just want to invite you to go to the Guild headquarter since the minimum requirement for rank-up to A-rank has been fulfilled."
"Oh yeah, I forgot. Can you wait until tomorrow I need to prepare first, please" Minya said while putting her hand together.
"Well,it's okay I need to prepare for long journey too." Lillia said then she looked at me and said, "As for you I recommend to read the book in the second floor first, the book is about surrounding monster and dungeon so read that and only see the quest board after it."
After she said that, she is continue talking with what it seems her party and that make it hard for me to ask her whereabouts of beast men. So I decided to just read the book that she said at the second floor. The situation in here is not as bustle as the first floor. There are only a few people some of them either read a book or held a conversation about quest. I walk to one of the book shelf and see that all of the book is the copy of the same book, so I took one and sit on one of the chair.
The first few page of the book is about herb and where to find it so I skim through until the dungeon and its monster. It seems there are two dungeons near this kingdom and one of them is pique my interest. The first one is located east of the kingdom it's your generic beginner dungeon mostly inhabited with goblin and slime. The other one that interest me is insect dungeon that located west of the kingdom this dungeon inhabited with insect type monster. That is making me curious about Wriggle condition so I open my status and see Wriggle's condition.
Wriggle
Wriggle is a firefly that turned into Youkai. She can control any kind of insect.
Unlock condition :
- Near insect that live longer than their lifespan.
- RP 1000
Transform Effect :
- Insect Controller
- Insect Swarm
- Insect Summoner
"Well, that was easy." I muttered. I just need to go the insect dungeon vicinity for the first condition. But the problem is my RP after coming to this kingdom is dropped very sharply. Right now my RP is only at 18. I could use the same tactic of attacking adventurer at night with Rumia, but the number of adventurer that I saw in the guild and the possibility of the demon coming after hearing the rumor of Rumia appearance in this kingdom made me hesitated to do that. "Still I have something else in my mind to gain rumor that I want to try" I muttered.
On the west of Bronza kingdom there's exist a thick forest named Royal Bee forest. Inside of it there's a dungeon that only spawn insect type monster. Because of that this forest gains a nickname of "insect forest" by the adventurers. But that nickname will change not for long after some abnormal thing happening inside the forest.
One day a party of adventurer is talking inside the guild that they have a strange event happening to them at the forest. The conversation is about sometime they'll see one of their teammate body part is disappearing but after sometime passed its back again, when they're shocked by it a giggle can be heard near them. The next day, another rumor start this time is about their party can't hear what each other was saying. When they can hear again a giggle is the first sound that they heard. The third day, an official investigation from the guild is trying to find the source of the rumor. They concluded that there's a monster that made the illusion of losing one part of body and the hearing problem. But they couldn't find anything even with someone who has high detection skill. Though what happening to the adventurer is happening to them too and they experience both of the rumor. The next day after failed investigation, there's a new quest of investigating the forest and the forest gain a new nickname "Haunted forest" because of the giggling that can be heard is believed to be a ghost of young adventurer killed by monster.
Iyan POV
Near the insect dungeon I laughed out loud. "I never thought that will work."
All the rumor that talked inside the adventurer guild is all because of me. I use the three fairies of light ability to cause all of the strange things that happened. After using their skill I know some fact about their skill. First, their skill is having a short range except for Star radar, for that the passive ability that I got from Koishi is proved to be useful so I could go near the adventurer to use it without getting noticed. Second, the bigger the area that got affected by their ability the more mana is used each second of maintain it. Fortunately, when using Sunny ability I can use the ability long enough to make them believe the problem isn't their eyes and honestly their reaction made me giggle.
When I'm using Luna ability there's a hilarious event where two adventurers seem yelled at each other about something and ended up in fight. Then when they go back to the guild and asked what happened to them. They said they're fighting because they couldn't hear what each other say and jump to conclusion that the other is challenging to fight.
Then I heard a rumor about the guild sent some people to investigate it and that is an opportunity that I didn't miss. So I try to find information who is the one that investigating it and how they look like before they stopped their investigation. When I confirmed that it's them, I'm giving them the taste of both Sunny and Luna ability. Then the next day, I saw in the quest board a quest about investigating the forest. With that quest a lot of adventurer now talk about it and some even said that's it was an omen that strong ghost monster will appear.
"There's should be enough RP now."
After opening my status I confirmed that my RP change from 18 to 1020.
"I really wonder what make me have a lot of RP in the previous kingdom, but enough of that. Transform Wriggle. YES."
[1] - If you see this, it means I want to put a chant in there but it really embarassing to write about that, so I just describe what happen. If you have some idea about the chant you can PM me or in the review and I will put that chant permanently for that skill. I guess this is why some novel that I read always strive for chantless.