Nilbog nearly fumbled the daggers out of his fingers in his fright. This was the first time someone noticed he was a monster, much less that type. He figured there would be a difference between him and normal monsters, but Nilbog didn't think anyone would find out.

“Most fascinating! This is the second time this happened, if you would believe me. Charm Gush does not work on things, you see, if you would forgive my noun usage. How did you escape your Dungeon?”

Nilbog didn't respond this time either. He thought it was Sentient Killer's mental defensive bonus that protected him--one of the buffs vastly improved his mental strength. Then again, none of that activated. That only meant one thing—she wasn’t a Sentient.

“Ah, even so,” she said, nodding even with the knife against her neck. It made a thin cut. The blood that dripped was dark blue. “Just a Cub? I can't think of any monster with a skill that could fool me at that rank. An unknown skill, then. Unfortunate, though fitting.” She closed her eyes. Her smile did not waver.

“You’re using a Disguise skill.” Nilbog said, swallowing. He did his best to stop his hands from shaking.

“Mhm,” she said, shaking her head. Another line of blood began to drip down her chest. She must have been a glass-cannon if her Armor was that low. “You gonna eat, or are you just gonna stare?”

The incentive to do it was real. The stronger monsters that monsters ate the quicker they evolved. Their evolution tree was locked to what monster race they were born as, but they could still be influenced by the quality of their kills. A wolf that ate goblins will not become a goblin, but it might become a Gnoll.

Shapeshifters were the only exception Nilbog knew of. That was the extent of his knowledge on this topic.

“Not appetizing enough,” Nilbog said, and moved his knife back. He let go of her chin and stepped away, causing Lady Viss’s eyes to widen even further. She leaned backward until her back touched her feet.

“Oh my! Surprised. Twice. In the same day!” she said, flipping herself onto her stomach. She placed her chin on her hands with her elbows propped against the ground. Swinging her feet behind her, she stared intently at Nilbog.

“What?” he said, falling back onto the bed.

“The rewards for killing me are quite high, you know.”

“I know,” he said, avoiding her eyes.

“Out with the juicy stuff! Why didn’t you?”

“I don’t eat monsters,” Nilbog replied after a pause. The instincts to devour was unrelenting, but so far, it has been absent as he spoke her. It wasn’t a joke—she really didn’t smell appetizing.

“I’m a fairy, excuse you. This body will revert to my original, much more gorgeous, and glittery form when I meet death, or worse, run out of Life Force. Significant damage will also do.”

“I don’t eat fairies, then,” Nilbog said, whistling, though it didn’t feel as cool as when she had done it.

“How heroic and kind of you,” she said in monotone. “No really, why? Tell or I’ll eat you.”

“Eh. Seriously?”

“Seriously,” she said, and Nilbog felt like she was serious. It was hard to read her, and she didn’t seem any type of moral code high on her list of priorities.

Nilbog looked at the shriveled men around him, still frozen in their last sequence. “I hate humans, obviously. You did me a favor by-”

“Second, and last chance,” she said, standing up. A wave of Life Force emitted from her, sending all three corpses flying against the wall. They didn’t crumble into dust, as Nilbog thought would happen, but they did collapse into a gray heap of bones and skin.

It looked bad enough that even Nilbog felt pity for them. Monsters are not so different, I guess. Did every living thing treat one another like this?

Nilbog sighed, already feeling the embarrassment filling his cheeks with warmth. He scratched the side of his head, unsure of the answer himself. “All I've done the past few months was run or fight, from both Sentients and other monsters, and I just thought I could just...talk to you."

“Oh my,” she said, placing her hand over her lips. “That is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard!” She bent towards Nilbog, bringing her eyes level with him. Her marry face flattened into a frown. “You have played human for far too long. Loneliness comes second to eating, dear.”

Too long? He just became human. “Why eat when I can just use you, though?” Nilbog said, returning a treacherous smile of his own. Besides, you would have killed me. He was a fairy before he changed into a Shapeshifter. The head or upper chest didn’t matter too much—behind the belly button was their weak spot. In fact, she didn’t even need the head. Fairies were more liquid than flesh and bone. As long as she stops the bleeding, then losing limbs and organs wouldn’t deal a fatal blow.

“Pfft, let’s be friends!” she said, and wrapping herself around Nilbog in a heavy fit of chuckles. She pressed Nilbog against her. "We’ll conquer the world together!”

“I think you're skipping a few steps,” Nilbog said, struggling fruitlessly. What is this attack? He didn’t think she’ll attempt to crush him. Her words and actions did not match.

But Friends. Was that what he wanted from her? Nilbog only had one purpose to fulfill. Was he even allowed to have friends?

Lady Viss stepped back, placing her hands on his cheeks as she studied his face. "Show me your Disguise skill! It's impeccable, from the smell down to the bone, there is not a single fault.”

“I would rather not,” he said, twisting his head out of her grasps. He didn’t want people to make a habit out of playing with his face.

Not that she cared. Lady Viss stared intently at him, her purple iris turning bright yellow.

“Nice,” she said, folding her arms as she looked him up and down. She circled twice and was distasteful enough to slap his behind both times. “Most Disguise skills create a false shell. Decent ones go as far as altering the surface, but in all cases a powerful Scout skill will see through it. The Life Force flow of Sentient races is not easily replicated by monsters.” She reached over, pressing her hands around his biceps. “But yours? This is no illusion. Every molecule seems to come from humans. That’s terribly inefficient, unless your skill stores rather than transform the organic matter. But where is your actual body? This one is incomplete. Your Life Force Source is not fully built, and I don’t sense a cultivated Mana Source in there either.”

“Not telling,” he replied. So that’s why I can’t use Life Force. He didn’t fully understand, but he got the gist. This body’s status as an incomplete husk went further than the experience reduction. Fixing that was going to be a real problem.

“What’s the skill?”

“No.”

“Race?”

“Na-uh.”

“I told you mine!” she said, pouting her cheeks. “How unfair of you.”

“You wouldn’t get it.”

“Try me,” she said, folding her arms.

“I’m a monster in human flesh,” Nilbog said, shrugging.

Lady Viss laughed until tears fell down her cheeks. She fell back on the bed, holding her stomach tenderly. Then, without warning, she leaped out of the bed and leaned in uncomfortably close, looking left and right. “Wanna see my real form?” she whispered, a nervous smile spreading.

Nilbog did, but he shook his head. "I want to, but I really can't show you mines. It's unfair to you." He didn't have a real form. This wasn't a disguise--Nilbog's real form was the body he had on.

“Bummer,” she said, and Nilbog felt like she meant it. She was the first monster he ever spoke too—all the other ones he met tried to eat him. It might have been the same for her. “What can I do to help you out?”

Nilbog frowned at that. “I don’t want-”

“Oh stop it, it’s not about that. It’s my duty as a senior Sentient consumer to pass on my skills to my juniors,” she said, placing one hand over her chest and raising her chin.

It made Nilbog scratch his own chin. He would have to find something to remove the hair with, otherwise, the itch will drive him insane. “I just need information,” Nilbog he said quietly, though Lady Viss instantly brightened up. She quickly shook her head, prodding him on.

“Will I be unable to use Life Force if can’t fix my body?”

Lady Viss flinched. “Interesting, you sound like you have a choice in the matter,” she whispered under her breath, then looked back to him. “It’s a bit complicated. For most creatures, the heart is where the Soul resides,” she said, placing her hand over her chest. “Setting aside Mana, Life Force travel through a couple of those veins that are connected to the heart.”

“And I can’t use Life Force because I’m missing those?”

“Considering you're still alive, I would say got the normal veins down, but I can’t see any veins brighten up with Life Force. I mean, it’s not impossible, but it’s like comparing water dripping out of a tiny straw to a waterfall. On the other hand, you can defend against mental attacks better than most. There are fewer ways to get into your Soul. Did that ever happen to you?”

“No…Actually, yes. My Life Force didn’t activate on their first attack, though. It was only when I was desperate that it did.”

“Life Force, and especially Mana, are all a matter of imagination and desire. Imagine how you want the skill to manifest, and desire for it to do so, and you’ll have the skill.” An explosion resounded in the distance, closer than the last ones. Lady Viss perked up. "I’m sorry I can’t help, and I wish I can stay,” she said, and this time looked towards a different side of the room, “but I need to leave soon. My loot is flying away.”

Nilbog followed her sight, but all he saw, unsurprisingly, were spider webs in the corner. He looked back at her, feeling more nervous by the second. It was the same feeling he had when he was in a fight, except here he was just searching for the right words. He knew what he wanted to ask for, but he didn't know how.

"Aw, your blushing," Lady Viss said. She placed her hand over his cheek, but instead of pulling she just...held it. It felt nice, but he could feel his head turning hot.

"Friends," Nilbog said, looking down. He was horrified. What if she was just kidding? What if he was just being an inconvenience to her? He knew he was weak. He couldn't offer her anything.

"Friends? Do you accept my proposal?" she said.

Nilbog nodded. "If it's alright with you. I mean, I don't need anything, and you don't have to pro--"

"My name is Lady Viss," she said, taking a step back. She bowed forward, placed one leg in front of the other, and raised her skirt likely. "What's your name, friend?" she asked, raising her head towards him with a smile.

Nilbog liked the way her "smile" looked. Smiles were scary and confusing on others, but for it only made Lady Viss look friendly. She looked so happy with it. "I'm Nilbog," he responded. He took step back like her, bowed, and placed one leg over the other. He didn't have a skirt on, so he just pulled on his pants.

Lady Viss fell into laughter. She dropped to her knees and held onto her stomach as if she was in pain. Nilbog reached for her, confused again. Was she hurt? Was she happy?

"I'm sorry, oh god, oh god. You were acting so mature I forgot you only had what knowledge The Game gave you," she said, wiping more tears. "Sometimes it can lead to amazing misunderstandings."

But tears are supposed to fall when someone is sad. Was it even Nilbog's fault at this point?

She reached over left finger again. After a short channel a small, pebble-sized gray gem was attached to a silver chain. Lady Viss held it in her palm. "3rd Rank Life Force Infusion," she whispered. Almost immediately Life Force gathered in her hands in visible concentrations, creating a small flash. Once the Life Force disappeared the gray gem had turned into a bright yellow. Lady Viss placed the necklace on Nilbog's neck. "A screen will ask you whether you want to Soul-Bind this item. Go ahead and do it."

Rare Topaz Necklace

Equipment Type: Necklace

Equipment Star Level: ★★★

Any Life Force inserted into the gem will boost the regeneration power of its holder’s HP, STM, and Life Force by 20%. The stone has a high affinity with Life Force, naturally replenishing itself from its surroundings.

Lady Viss has infused her Life Force with the crystal.

Life Force: 100/100

Do you wish to Soul-Bind Rare Topaz Necklace?

Y/N

"But this is so valuable," Nilbog said, guilt welting up. "Weren't you low on Life Force, too?"

"Oh this is nothing. I wish could give you more, but my inventory ring doesn't have anything but gems. I used up all my potions in the last phase."

"I...I can't accept this." He couldn't even return it if he Soul-Bound it. Soul-Bound items never drop. If he binds a different necklace than Lady Viss's necklace would just disappear.

"Sometimes you have to make sacrifices for friends," Lady Viss said. She stopped smiling, making Nilbog feel even worse. "And sometimes, you have to accept your friend's sacrifices."

"But this isn't a fair friendship. I don't have anything to sacrifice. I might die before I even pay back the favor!"

Lady Viss smiled. "You said it yourself, Nilbog. It's hard to find friends, so I want to keep you alive. Once you are all-powerful and handsome, then I'll depend on you. Alright?"

Nilbog clenched his teeth. She didn't know he would never grow stronger.

"Don't pout!" she said, flicking his forehead. "We'll talk for hours once I get back, so stay around here, alright? The necklace will help me find you, just in case something happens. Soul-Bind it so nobody takes it."

Nilbog didn't want to answer, though the intent look Lady Viss gave him forced him to. He reached forward and clicked the accept button.

Rare Topaz Necklace has been bound to you. Binding a different item in the Necklace spot will cause Rare Topaz Necklace to disappear.

"Alrighty," she said, standing up. She dusted her coat, though the blood still stayed. "Anything else before I bolt out of here?"

"Uh, yeah." It was a long shot, but he still had to try. "Do you know any Disasters for hire?"