My Lousy Father, the Hero (And I will make him pay for it all!) 3 - (Original Isekai Fantasy World)
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"So, let me try to summarize this: you are my familiar-"
"Yep!"
I blinked, still trying to digest the Nymph Princess' bubbly attitude.
While most people would possibly waste a lot of time in finding a name for someone, I was able to give her one on the spot as her pink flower head reminded me of the very kind mom used to love and that she told me much about.
The Calla Lily... so I called her Calla.
To my relief, the Nymph was pleased with the name, and so I addressed her with that one.
"And you are supposedly tied to my lifeforce since I allowed you to be birthed?"
She nodded, "That's correct, Master."
"Your attributes will be similar to mine for the duration of this agreement, and you are, by your own admission, utterly loyal to me."
"Obviously! You are my Master, and I owe my life to you."
...
I didn't reply to that, merely looking away with a thoughtful look. The entire garden had changed after I had 'freed' Calla. The plants were now a healthier shade of green and there were no Corrupted Nymphs as, by Calla's explanation, those were but husks and not proper being.
When I asked for further explanations and I brought up that undead monsters were of a similar kind, Calla offered a rather odd response.
"Corrupted Nymphs are no longer Nymphs. They are empty puppets that are driven by nothing but fragments of their past lives and driven by hunger for what they don't have, a conceptual purpose. Master's previous foes, the undead, are aimless as their soul is not there, but they are alive and they 'exist' within the world's own logic."
It didn't answer much, if I have to be honest, but I decided to claim the substance as 'the Corrupted Nymphs were lesser than the undead, thus unable to bear the qualities to actually have skills'.
After all, that had been another question since Calla had two interesting Skills I decided against claiming as 1) they were not the kind of skills I could see myself needing and 2) I couldn't claim those from Calla as fighting her would instantly kill her due to our bond being severed. I wouldn't be able to win as she would die on the spot the mere moment I decided she was no longer my familiar.
This last bit created a bit of a troublesome dilemma that, even as I was resting a bit by the garden and wandering around with Calla giving me some information over the plants that could be put in the fields, I couldn't just shake off.
Sure, I understood that in a fantasy pseudo-medieval some laws were common and predictable to be against what a man from a modern era would be aware of, but even if I accepted that this was more of a magical and natural 'subordination', I felt like it wasn't fair towards Calla.
I just didn't... I didn't want anyone else to be subjected to what I felt (or worse) back in my original world. To be a slave means that, even if you are treated nicely, you are still stuck within a very specific pattern. You could hope and dream for more, and maybe you could get lucky about it, but you can't ignore that logic has a deep importance in what one can or can do.
And with that in mind, while I couldn't exactly tell Calla to stop calling me Master or to be my 'familiar', I still decided I would look for a way so she could be more autonomous in the future.
If not for what I felt about the matter, for the good actions she was bound to do for me out of genuine loyalty.
If I am to become a Demon King, I refuse to be a King of Slaves.
With that new resolve, I saw a notification coming up.
DING! New Goal Unlocked!
- Calla, the Free Flower -
Difficulty: 12
Conditions:
-Find a way to elevate Calla from Familiar to Independent Entity;
Reward:
-Calla's Eternal Gratitude;
-Obtain Title 'Freer of Familiars';
That made somewhat sense but... it was actually a higher level than killing father?
The notion of warping magical laws is quite a divine business.
This comment from the Game surprised me. So, it was possible but it wasn't feasible within mere mortal understanding- wait, I can attain divine powers?
I am oath-bound to say 'it is up to you' and nothing else.
Oh.
"Is everything alright, Master?"
Calla's question brought me out of my thoughts and I offered a thin smile. "Somewhat. I wish to say something before we move deeper into the castle."
The Nymph nodded earnestly and I said just a few words.
"My main goal is to destroy my father, Calla. He had reincarnated in this world and he is now the Light King. I seek to correct a slight against my mother that he is responsible for. I will not demand your uttermost brutality, but when that fight will come, do assist me in remember that I am not doing it just for myself."
Her eyes widened a bit. "W-What's that supposed to mean, Master?"
"I am not... I am not familiar with this degree of anger I bear against him. I never once got so angry against someone, and I don't wish for innocent people to be dragged into this unless it is strictly necessary. If I ever so stray from this idea, I wish for you to do all you have to do to admonish and bring me back to common sense. Do you understand the tall order I am giving you?"
She was tense and stiff as a board, but the fairy-like girl nodded.
"I will not disappoint you, Master!"
With that matter discussed for the time being, it was now time to go deeper into the castle. It was a simple chore to get through the garden now that the vines all around removed the broken columsn and allowed Nature to orderly restore itself. The path up ahead was devoid of foes, and, while this was good... it soon became a worrisome matter.
Mostly because of what we found on the other side.
DING! Mana Barrier Detected! Needed Level: 10!
That was why the first 'boss quest' required me to be at Level 10 - the Barrier! One of the many mana-induced blocks created to render it difficult for new Demon Kings to speedrun the process and potentially die in the process.
"Calla, can you locate the nearest group of 'unpleasant' entities around?"
My question was met with a nod as the Nymph closed her eyes and... then turned to a hallway leading leftward.
"Over there. There's several fire-breathing monsters and a lot of bones and slimey ones!"
Undead Kobolds, Skeletons and, as expected slimes. I was able to confirm that assumption shortly after as I was done wrecking through dozens of those monsters and, to my relief, I hit my first milestone.
Name: Tamura Shinji
LVL. 10
Age: 18
EXP: 104/200
Title: The Scorned Son
Money: 0G 0S 0B
HP: 500/500
MP: 275/275
ATK: 23+10
DEF: 23+5
M. ATK: 31
M. DEF: 31
INT: 23
EVA: 23
Just enough to break the barrier. I had to touch it, feel it fighting back against me but soon collapsing.
It was like watching a soft curtain of purple breaking down like a glass structure. The shards disintegrated, and soon the doors opened for us to step through.
I expected to have some more doors before having to face the first boss, but Calla and I ended up waltzing into a large lounge with a massive staircase that looked absolutely obstructed by debris.
In the middle of the room sat a silent armored figure, a burning blade stabbed onto the ground.
Mirror Demon General
HP: 500
That is the boss.
"Calla. Keep your distance... this may be a tough battle."
She had assisted me a few times, so I was familiar with how she could work with her skills and none of that involved her in the frontline as things were right now.
As I took a few steps closer, readying my rusty sword for combat, I saw the figure slowly standing up and pulling the sword out of its resting place.
Heat suddenly spread all over the room, and I felt the hints of sweat forming all over my body.
Gritting my teeth, I barely saw the General coming rushing towards me. I reacted as soon as I saw his furious blade trying to cut at me with a downward swing. My shield slammed the attack away, giving me the chance to slam a poin-blank fireball against the monster.
108!
HP: 392
A good start- or that was what I thought before stepping away to dodge just barely a swing coming from the damaged boss.
Instead of being staggered by the fireball, the armored figure seemed to recover quickly enough to deliver sudden strike back at me.
Shit!
I barely dodged that counterattack, the full-armored monster roaring as he readied his sword and suddenly started to assault my shield with ruthless dedication.
I thought it was a bit of a foolish ideas as I thought that my Shield was bound to be indestructible as it would be in most RPG games but-
DING! Shield's durability is dropping at a rapid degree. Be wary that it could be destroyed!
SINCE WHEN THAT'S A THING!?
Despite that sudden panic gripping my chest at that unsavory discovery at the most inopportune time, I was given some reprieve in the form of the knight suddenly hesitating as his footing was briefly deprived by some vines wrapping by his feet.
That brief distraction from Calla as I saw her use some of my mana to reinforce her 'Restraining Vine' skill gave me the chance to deliver another fireball.
CRIT! 162!
HP: 230
After getting hit by that critical fireball, the Boss seemed to direct his attention elsewhere. I saw Calla tense up and stood still as the armored figure bolted after her, roaring furiously at her.
I rushed after the Boss, thinking that he had planned to divert his attention to Calla and remove her from the field. I readied another Fireball, but nothing could have prepared for the 'surprise' waiting for me.
I didn't predict the boss suddenly stopping and strike at me. I struck at him with the fireball-
108!
HP: 122
But that didn't stop his sword. I prepared my shield, and I forgot that its durability had dropped significantly.
I felt the world slowing down as I saw the blade shatter the shield and then travel beyond it. A searing pain erupted within me as the warning for the damage got to me only after I was pushed back to the ground by the intense strike.
-488!
HP: 12/500
WARNING! HP HAVE REACHED BELOW 5%!
I spat blood, my chest burning in agony after getting hit by a burning sword. I had dodged all deadly attacks so well, but I had overestimated my capacity to fight smarter opponents. And I was going to pay that sort of mistake.
I saw the boss raising his sword, ready to cut me, but as the blade came raining down, Calla slammed against the boss, only to bounce off of him after handing out very little damage to him.
22!
HP: 106
It wasn't an outright direct rescue, but it gave me that one opportunity to push through the pain and deliver one last fireball at the enemy as the blade missed my head and landed near by shoulder.
108!
HP: -2
Fire consumed the boss as he forcefully ditched the sword and fell on his knees in front of my lying body.
I stared at him, confused as to why he hadn't died yet, yet I felt shock as I saw his helmet vanishing as I blinked, replaced by a proper humanoid face of a man with pale skin, red eyes and black sleras, his white hair long as they ran below his shoulder.
He gave me a bitter smile and I felt engrossed by the unnatural circumstance as everything happened so suddenly.
"Avenge us."
The burning boss fell onto my body, but I wasn't greeted by pain- no, it was a warm embrace, it was the...
Trust of people that had never lost their hope. Not for a moment.
DING! Goal 'Demon Novice' has been Completed!
'Take' Skill has been Improved!
Take (Unique Skill) - Each time you defeat an enemy for the first time, you can claim two skills of theirs at its first-level variant and an item within their inventory.
DING! Skill 'Take' has been activated!
Choose Skill:
1) Fire Step (Active - LVL. 1) - Spend 1 MP per step to increase your movement speed by 5% and leave behind a line of flames behind you that can cause damage to your foes.
2) Demonic Essence (Status - LVL. 1) - Your HP and MP's Growth for each Level Up increases (Current Level's Growth: 75 HP - 50 MP).
Choose Item:
1) Balen, the Broken Fire (ATK +30)
Not really much of a choice there but-
DING! Obtain 100 EXP!
I leveled up too.
Name: Tamura Shinji
LVL. 11
Age: 18
EXP: 04/220
Title: The Scorned Son
Money: 0G 0S 0B
HP: 575/575
MP: 325/325
ATK: 25+30
DEF: 25
M. ATK: 34
M. DEF: 34
INT: 25
EVA: 25
The Level Up healed my wounds, but I didn't get up from the floor even as Calla came rushing and cried over me as the boss vanished in ashes and then those were dispelled by a strange gust of wind.
I was assaulted by numerous emotions in those weird minutes.
I never once came close to dying, I never felt like any of my actions could have resulted in my own death considering how cautious of a person I was. I also felt another batch of emotions hit me due to Calla.
I never...
I never expected to have someone caring for my wellbeing after so long.
When father left, mom pretty much 'died' inside. She could hardly greet me or notice me. I felt at that point I was living alone with a stranger for some extent- I still loved her but...
It's been a while since someone was glad I was well and fine.
To feel the Nymph's sobs against my chest and for my body to react mechanically by hugging her for that moment of unpleasant peace, I couldn't help but feel my eyes growing blurry as... I couldn't stop crying.
I almost died... and someone cared for me now.
It was something that truly shredded into my original weary resolve, and it somewhat reinforced it.
After all, the reason why I was like this was not my fault. And the bastard behind all of it was going to pay for good once I was through with the castle, I had decimated his armies and cornered him to pay for his crimes.
But for now, I just cuddled with Calla, the poor Nymph unwilling to let go of me until she actually fell asleep on me after crying herself into exhaustion.
Now that I think about it... it's been a while since I slept too and...
Maybe it wasn't a bad idea to rest a little bit before resuming my journey.
Somewhere else in the Demon King's Castle...
It was dark, so dark. The shadows surrounded a lone coffin-like box in the middle of a secret room.
Alchemical machines started to slowly turn off as their purpose had been fulfilled and their potential new lord had taken the first steps into the challenge to become the Demon King.
The cacophony of various machines dying a quiet death was followed by the slow stirring of demonic energy within the box. The individual inside it shaken from their slumber as the potions filtered as gas within the box ceased to be, leaving their body to slowly wake up within that claustrophobic space and-
THUD!
The individual's fist jerked upward, punching the box's only cover away from the box itself.
The shadows left just a pair of red eyes with dark scleras to slowly get accustomed at the desolate room that had been left untouched for several months now.
The individual frowned, scratched their chin and then scoffed regally.
"And now, where the hell am I?"
AN
With MC making his way through the Castle and defeating the first boss, he gets to learn how to 'live again' by remembering that his life has a weight for others now and that one mistake can make him lose it all - both a chance at living and a chance at killing his father. At the same time, someone interesting got awakened by the first challenge's completion.
But they will make a proper appearance in a few chapters from now, when it's time for the MC to face... the second boss!
END CHAPTER STATS!
Name: Tamura Shinji
LVL. 11
Age: 18
EXP: 04/220
Title: The Scorned Son
Money: 0G 0S 0B
HP: 575/575
MP: 325/325
ATK: 25+30
DEF: 25
M. ATK: 34
M. DEF: 34
INT: 25
EVA: 25
Skills
Take (Unique Skill) - Each time you defeat an enemy for the first time, you can claim a skill of theirs at its first-level variant.
Self Heal (Active - LVL. 2) - Use 10 MP to Restore 60 HP.
Undying Stomach (Passive Skill) - You are able to consume rotten food. (Poison is still effective against you)
Fireball (Active - LVL.4) - Use 5 MP to produce a small fireball. DMG = (M. ATK x 3,5)
Fire Step (Active - LVL. 1) - Spend 1 MP per step to increase your movement speed by 5% and leave behind a line of flames behind you that can cause damage to your foes.
Demonic Essence (Status - LVL. 1) - Your HP and MP's Growth for each Level Up increases (Current Level's Growth: 75 HP - 50 MP).
Equipment
Head: Null
Armor: Null
Weapon: Balen, the Broken Fire (ATK +30)
Shield: Null
Accessory 1: Null
Accessory 2: Null