Chương 70: Chapter Sixty Nine

Bob had already deactivated 'Sub-Dimensional Sight' and taken two steps towards the door – or to be more accurate, two thousand – when he realized that he still had a few pressing matters to attend to before beginning his 'hunt'. Pressing matters like picking a Trait, actually equipping his D-rank Species Class, and deciding what to do with his two open Skill slots. It feeling a bit stupid to try capturing a creature powerful enough to so-far avoid his notice without first fully preparing himself.

Deciding to start with both the easiest and most tempting choice, Bob quickly went into his 'Available Classes' tab and selected the only option which made the 'mimic' parts of him quiver with joy. The golden light coming off the S-ranked Class seeming to shimmer through the waters in front of him as he confirmed his decision. Ding! You have chosen the Class: Fell Contractor (S) Class: Fell Contractor (S) Level: 1/???

EXP: 0/50 Attribute Gain Per Level: Intelligence + 16 Willpower + 8 Perception + 8 Class Skill Soul-Binding Agreements (S) Evolution Path Geas/Law Magic Path Skill Evolution:??? -Unique Experience Gain- Fell Contractor (S)* Gains Experience points by Successfully creating binding Contracts. Ding!

You have acquired the Class Skill ' Soul-Binding Agreements (S)', from the 'Geas/Law Magic Path' Soul-Binding Agreements (S) Allows the Class Skill holder the knowledge of how to bind other creatures to written or verbal agreements and aids in the creation and leveling of all Geas and Law Path Skills. System Note: As 'Soul-Binding Agreements' is new to The System, it lacks the ability to evolve; its Path as of yet untraveled. Instead, its first user will be given the chance to mold the ability as they see fit.

Their actions blazing a trail for all future claimants of the Class as well as determining its ultimate Ranking. Had Bob vocal cords, he would have groaned as it felt like yet another semi-truck full of information crashed its way into his brain. Luckily, the dry and esoteric knowledge of how to weave mana into words and bind them to willing individuals hurt far less than the eldritch-understanding forced onto him by 'Dimensional Weave'. And it certainly felt far less dehumanizing.

In fact, Bob actually found bits of his old self returning to him as he considered the various 'spells' he'd have to create in order to write out even one well-protected document. The 'examples' shoved into his head by the system appearing simplistic at best; almost like what a child might expect a contract to be. They all felt far too… rigid. As if the original creator the Geas Path had only considered such things as clauses and modifiers insofar as how to prevent them from coming into play.

All their focus being on how firmly they could bind someone to a contract, and how horrible the consequences of breaking one should be. And the idea that those 'consequences' could be anything other than some terrible magical punishment felt alien to the knowledge now filling his head. Or the idea that someone could 'buy' their way out of one; the very notion of an 'escape clause' seeming anathema to the entire school of magic.

There didn't seem to be any other party protections available to be put in place either, which he imagined had resulted in an unknown number of fairly inevitable betrayals. And that wasn't even mentioning the complete lack of anything relating to financial matters. Bob expecting that even adding something as simple as interest and penalties to a loan document would take upwards of six or seven different bits of Magic.

Normally such a realization would dim his mood, but instead Bob found himself becoming excited by the challenge of it; his mind already beginning to draw out the varied paths the mana would have to travel in order for certain conditions to take hold. His only real complaint being that he wouldn't be able to practice with the ability anytime soon. His current location and the total isolation it provided not being conducive to the creation of Geas Path magic.

Nor, admittedly, were his complete lack of arms, fingers or vocal cords. Though Bob did feel slightly hopeful that his high Dexterity would allow his tongue to legibly fill out documents once he got to that point. Still, those were concerns for later days. He had more than enough already filling up his plate as it was; starting with his need to select a new Trait. Him quickly opening up its 'minimized' window and selecting 'yes' to making his choice. Ding! This story has been stolen from Royal Road.

If you read it on Amazon, please report it Congratulations! For elevating yourself to Species Level (5) you are awarded (1) additional Species Trait! Please choose carefully! Unnoticed Assassin (D) Allows the Monster to go unnoticed even while in plain sight, hiding them from up to (moderate) Detection Path Skills.

Gains further access to (Mind Control/Stalker) Path traits/skills Willpower + 20 Ghostly Defense (D) Allows the Monster to temporarily make themselves intangible Gains further access to (Spatial/Haunting) traits/skills Intelligence + 10 Willpower + 10 Marionette Master (D) Allows the Monster to temporarily take mental control of one of their minions Gains further access to (Minion Creation/Mind Control) Path traits/skills Intelligence + 10 Willpower + 10 Aquatic Adjustment (D) Allows the Monster to become semi-aquatic.

Granting it gills, fins, added fat reserves and the ability to both swim and survive at pressure. Gains further access to (Movement/Adaptation) Path traits/skills Constitution + 20 As Bob watched the Traits start to appear before him, he quickly realized his previous concerns/hopes about being kicked from the 'Mimic' Tree had been proven valid. Especially as the last one arrived, 'Aquatic Adjustment' feeling very much in line with some of his previous 'Trait-Skill' choices.

A part of him felt stressed about what might happen should, some day in the future, all of his options end up being in that category; but the rest of him was too busy drooling over the other three choices to give that part much attention. Not that there was much of a debate about which to pick. While 'Ghostly Defense' and 'Unnoticed Assassin' were quite good, they were also likely things he could mimic via a Skill with enough time and effort.

'Marionette Master' on the other hand seemed both impossible to replicate, and like it was heading in exactly the direction he wanted his 'Minion Creation' ability to go. Should he eventually be able to freely swap his mind between his many minions, who cared how bizarrely mutated his main body might end up being? He'd be spending most of his time walking around in some meticulously crafted False-Life mimic that was impossible distinguish from a normal human being anyway.

Or locked in some armored war-machine of a mimic specifically designed to dominate whatever battlefield he needed it on. With enough money, anything was possible. Especially considering it seemed likely that a few of his creations might accidentally step off the mimic evolution tree themselves. After all, mimics shouldn't be able to access a 'Minion' Trait any more than they could a 'Minion Creation' one.

Meaning his sparkly-toothed subordinate might well be transforming in strange and unusual ways, come its next evolution. At least, should it ever have a 'next' evolution. Bob not sure he would be willing to watch over five thousand gold go up in a puff of smoke no matter how rich he got. Either way, his choice was set, and without much in the way of regret he quickly made it. Ding! Congratulations! You have acquired a new Trait!

Marionette Master (D) Allows the Monster to temporarily take mental control of one of their minions Gains further access to (Minion Creation/Mind Control) Path traits/skills Intelligence + 10 Willpower + 10 Active Ability (Mind Link) acquired! Minion Creation/Mind Control Path Ability Mind Link (D) Cost: 10 mana per minute usage Allows the user to take control of a created minion Bob shivered as he felt another 'button' be added to his mind.

As well as a connection he hadn't previously noticed light up between him and his sole creation. He was slightly sad to see that Buddy had been left out of the mix but, given the already noted separation between 'bound creatures' and 'minions', he wasn't all that surprised. He did feel a few mild reservations as he went to use the ability admittedly. Taking over the mind of something intelligent enough to give him 'tribute' feeling like it was crossing more than a few of his previous moral boundaries.

That said, it was an issue he very quickly moved past. Those morals were from a previous world after all; and belonged to a previous Bob. One who could afford to have them. The current Bob wasn't quite so fortunate. A quick expenditure of mana later and he experienced what felt like a sixteen-hour acid trip condensed down into a few terrible seconds. The world around him melting as his existence felt like it was simultaneously shrunk down and yanked through an endless tunnel.

Thousands of abstract shapes and colors passing by his eye before, only moments later, he came back to himself. Only now he was sitting within the vast wooden world that was his vault. With the transition being so shocking and the size difference not being overly large, it took Bob attempting to take a step before he realized that he'd succeeded. The body he was currently inhabiting not actually belonging to him.

The sound of coins rattling against the floor had him instinctively attempting to turn his now much-less mobile form. Shifting himself just enough to see a very confused looking octopus starting back at him; the gold it had been carrying now once more littering the ground.

'Friend?' The creature asked, its tone more incredulous than he'd ever heard before.

'Yeah Buddy, it's me. But only for a second; I'm popping back out right after we finish this conversation. Make sure to keep on training the newest member of our party once I do, alright?' The octopus said nothing, merely reaching out a tentacle to hesitantly poke at the side of his/his minion's body. Still, Bob figured the creature more or less got the message.

Quickly cancelling his new Trait ability and experiencing his previous technicolor adventure reverse itself; the change in perspective unfortunately not making it any more pleasant to endure. Luckily, it was only a few moments more before he was back in his original form, sitting in a sealed office surrounded by enduring and immortal bookcases. Enduring and immortal bookcases whose contents Bob realized he still had yet to raid.

Unfortunately, the wooden structures themselves were far too large to squeeze inside himself even after his recent evolution and level boost. Bob at best looking like a small 'War-Chest' while the bookcases were huge, triple-rowed monstrosities well over six-feet wide. Still, the collection of their possibly priceless manuscripts could be put off for a moment more as he solidified his Skill choices.

The first was simple enough, with Bob likely requiring 'Fragmentary Dimensional Infiltration' equipped just to get himself back outside the room. The real question however was what to do with his second Skill Slot. Or more precisely, whether or not he wanted to permanently lock it out by choosing to evolve 'Calming Words' into 'Lesser Mantle of Domination'. It honestly had a lot going for it.

If nothing else, this might be the perfect place to level the Trait/Skill up; him currently being surrounded by potentially millions of immobile F and E rank monsters. And he had no doubt the attribute increases it gave would be fairly sizeable. There was always the worry of something going 'wrong' when he chose one of these transformative Skills of course, but the same could also be said of any Trait choice or Species Evolution as well.

Really, his more pressing concern was whether or not he'd regret only giving himself access to four changeable Skills. Though, to be fair, it wouldn't be all that long till he made it five. Him reaching level ten all but guaranteed before he even left the building. The last argument was a persuasive one, but likely wouldn't have pushed him over the edge on its own.

Only moments later however, he was hit by an idea, one which was admittedly quite far-fetched, but also had the potential to make his plans of 'farming' the boss mussel actually viable. Bob looked down towards the Skill Evolution screen he'd unconsciously opened, feeling tempted to make an impulsive decision. One which would likely affect him for the rest of his life; and which had the potential to either seriously improve, or massively worsen, the overall quality of his existence.

And, moments later, he made his choice.