《Humans Must Adapt!》Chapter 27: There is only First Place
Advertisement
When the wombat gets within 15 feet of Duchess, she whips her head and makes eye contact. The wombat starts to slide before shaking off her magic. I activate [Scientific Insight+]
[Fighting Spirit C
Increases Spirit in combat. Gain minor resistance to fear and mental conditions.
Bonus: +25]
It seems that he managed to shake off the [Hypnotic Gaze] thanks to the bonus to Spirit. Duchess achieve distance against the wombat before It could shake off the full effect of her spell.
The wombat starts to clutch his head with his gloved hands before staring hatefully at Duchess, then his eyes go opaque. [Telepathy] to weaken his mental defenses with an onslaught of information his brain couldn’t handle with another [Hypnotic Gaze] manages to bring the wombat into a daze.
This is a combination of skills that Duchess worked on last night. Adding [Mental Illusion] can cause additional terror and continue to break willpower, I can’t tell if she cast that spell. Mental Magic is terrifying, especially since there are no visual indicators that it’s been cast.
She expertly slithers over and climbs the wombat, then uses her entire body to put the wombat into a choker hold. The wombat starts to struggle, she quickly binds his arms with the rest of her body before blasting him with another [Hypnotic Gaze].
The [Combat Wombat] collapses to the ground, levels and rank don't matter if your anatomy has such a glaring weakness. If Duchess truly wanted to kill this wombat, then a few more minutes will be needed for brain death to kick in. But only a few seconds are needed to incur fainting. The instructor calls the match.
“The winner is Ellis with his [Feathered Boa]!”
The students are quiet after the official verdict was called, Duchess leaves the wombat’s body as his trainer rushes over to check on his little buddy. The wombat wakes up a few seconds later to the relief of his trainer.
“Wait! I can make the exact same argument that Ellis made. My beast is better than his in every way! Plus it looks like the [Combat Wombat] took a dive, who knows if those two are in cahoots!” the wolf boy speaks up to the instructor. I don’t like how he said my name, he just learned it when the instructor shouted my name out, but he doesn’t have to emphasize it.
“Tell me in which of the four ways is your beast better,” the instructor asks.
“Well, for rank and level, the same argument can be made about it doesn’t matter with strength, but at least it’s well known that my beast can evolve into a high-ranked [Shadow Wolf] while his snake is stuck like that forever. Utility-wise, dark magic is a very versatile element and with my skill [Pact Tactics] all creatures of the same type get buffed for being tamed. With my other wolves that means his presence alone gives a bonus.”
Advertisement
How many wolves does this guy have? I wonder if he has a higher ranked [Wolf Tamer] class rather than a normal one.
“There are a few problems with your statement. Ellis if you can tell him what's wrong with what he said we don’t need to set a battle.” The instructor said before turning to me.
“First, most of what you said only applies to a different beast entirely. This test isn’t about the potential of a single beast but our capabilities of a tamer. Second, just being there isn’t utility if anything can fill that role, it's not a strength but a standard. Third, you didn’t even mention if it was difficult for you to tame it, it’s a puppy so It couldn’t be that hard for you to get its trust. Finally, if that wombat truly dived, then face your [Dark Wolf] against my exhausted [Feathed Boa].
Duchess isn’t actually that tired, but her mana is running a little dry. [Empower] also ran out and I cant use it again for another ten minutes.
“Good, since the winner offered, will you pit your tamed beast against his?” the instructor asks the wolf boy.
Duchess must have imposed her [Divine Right] since the puppy cowers away behind his tamer’s legs.
“No Instructor Wurm, I will not,” he replies. He walks past me and whispers in my ear, “I see that you found another dead kid.”
I don't reply to his outlandish claims of me being a necromancer, Rob is the exact same skeleton he mistook as a reanimated corpse the first time. Wait… where did Rob come from. If he came from the fracture, then he is a denizen of the graveyard. Was he born from a dead body or was he just created out of mana?
“Hey Rob, do you have any memories of being alive.”
Rob tilts his head and looks back dumbly, or at least if he had eyes, he would of.
Someone from the crowd speaks up, “If that guy is in first place, what about second place? What's the ranking system like?”
“There is only first place, anything else is not worth talking about,” Instructor Wurm replies.
I speak up, “Since I got first place, what do I get?”
“... come with me.”
He rides his mount out of the arena, I quickly catch up to him after saying goodbye to Val and Jerry.
~
He leads me to a row of warehouses that are tucked away behind the arena. He stops in front of the third one before asking me a question.
Advertisement
“What do you want? Give an appropriate answer for getting first place.”
I stop to think for a moment.
“Can you allow me to graduate right here and now?”
“Even if I had the power to do that, I wouldn’t. Ask again.”
“One million dollars.”
“No, our budget has been cut from last year. One million is too much even before budget cuts.”
“Any strange beasts you can give me?”
“Yes but I won’t. Tamers should find their own, the test is the only exception.”
“... how about a D-rank Crystal.”
“We have a few, they are around ten thousand dollars on the open market,” he nods, “We don’t need to go any further.”
He pulls out a crystal the size of a golfball from a leather pouch on his waist and tosses it to me. Duchess catches it with her mouth and swallows it in one gulp.
[Evoltion to Winged Serpent
Unlock Luck: Completed
Reach an Altitude of 50,000 feet: Not Completed
Consume a D-rank Crystal: Completed]
“Why did you have one on you like that?” I ask him since he pulled something I needed out so casually.
He pats the head of the [War Elephant], “Snacks for her, big appetites can be satiated with mana crystals.” The massive elephant bellows in content.
I take note of this in the future, so far all my tamed beasts have been easy to manage meal-wise. Flash Gordon and Rob do not need food, and Duchess much like other snakes only needs to eat every few days at most.
“Can you tell me what we are going to learn in future tamer classes?”
“Are you asking because you plan to skip it if it’s boring or worth coming to?”
“...”
“First years are typically new to having a tamed beast. We will go over beast bonding and training techniques for beginner trainers. There will be no more tests besides the final exams.”
“...”
“If you can periodically prove that you are ahead in the pack, you can skip as many classes as you want except for the final. Get a friend to tell you if I assign any tasks to the whole class.”
“Can you tell me your full first name?”
“Wurmheldguruff”
“... thank you, Instructor Wurm, have a good afternoon.” He grunts at my farewell and I leave to go to the library. I need to take full advantage of my [Lexicon]
~
I texted Val where I was and for her to go home if she wanted, I also texted Jerry to tell me if any new homework for the tamer course comes up.
The campus library is a giant building where students hang out in to study or find a quiet place to be alone. There are numerous hidden alcoves with sofas that you can sit and read at. There is even a cafe right next to the library where students can go and get something to drink or munch on while reading.
Most if not all of the books are enchanted to resist wear and tear, which includes water (or coffee) damage. I walk up to the old librarian.
“Excuse me miss, I bought some textbooks after enrolling and I never picked them up.” I had a valid excuse for putting off getting them until now. I haven’t needed to use them yet.
“Okay, let me see your pin.”
I hold up my uniform jacket in front of a metal wand.
[Ding]
“Alright, the wand says you are picking up six textbooks which include; Math, The Common Languages of Man, Comprehensive Guide to Elvish, History of the World, Monsterology, and lastly The Art of War.”
“Wait, I don’t remember having to buy that one?”
“It comes free if you enroll in Mr. Cobble's physical education class.”
I guess I will have to check my schedule, I remember a different PE teacher that was my educator. I never went to any gym class so I guess it doesn’t matter too heavily. The tamer’s course didn’t require me to buy a book which I am grateful for.
“Thank you.” I take the books.
“You're welcome, is there anything else dear?”
I quickly write an excerpt from the journal I found in the fracture, “Is there a translation guide for this language?”
“Let me check real quick,” she scanned the slip of paper with her wand. “Sorry, it looks the book you are looking for is restricted from first years.”
???
“I thought libraries are places where you can freely learn to better yourself, what is with this imposition?”
“I don’t know hun, you can ask the dean if it really matters to you.”
“Thank you anyway.”
I leave the library.
Advertisement
- In Serial28 Chapters
The Deathseeker [Under Revision]
NOTE: This story has dark elements, but it's neither grimdark nor particularly edgy. It's also currently being revised. Satan's Axe...Lord of High Honor...The Immortal Giant...The Black Maelstrom...Son of Thunderfield...The Gods' Retribution. Dalric had many names. None were as fitting as his last, Dalric the Deathseeker. Born from an unwanted mating between the greatest warriors of the time, death was his only true kin. It birthed him, molded him, and now standing in the middle of a lifeless battlefield, it drenched him. The blood of thousands of soldiers soaked his skin. Two hundred thousand men approached him that day. All of them sought his life, none of them left with theirs. But they would not die in vain, they had accomplished their mission. Hidden beneath a thousand layers of their blood, was Dalric's very own. Feeling his life fade, he gazed weakly at his work. A seemingly endless array of corpses laid battered and disfigured before him. Some bore faces of horror, most had no face at all. His most trusted companion floated in front of him, blocking the view. Waves of sorrow flowed between them. “My time has finally come. I’ve begged for death and it’s finally arrived. My work is done...and so is yours. You’re free to be who you were meant to.” With his contract with the gods fulfilled, they were truly free. The centuries of torment would end. No longer would they have to walk the path of a monster. Little did Dalric know, the devil was in the details. What To Expect: A good time. In a few more words than that, a cast of believable characters in a unique world dealing with conflicts and problems a little bit more complex than punching the big evil guy in the face. Just a little though. Minimum Word Count a Week: 5000 Release Time(s): Between Friday 12pm EST and Monday 6am EST I also write A King in the Clouds
8 87 - In Serial17 Chapters
System Programmer
After dying, our main character found himself summoned by a young woman. She comes from a long line of summoners and had expected to partner up with a powerful being, like the rest of her family. Instead, she summoned a computer programmer, who from now on will be living inside her head. Powerless, he's unable to help her with the upcoming war. Disappointed that neither of them had been blessed by fate with some divine abilities, he decides to build a computer system inside her head himself. ======= Volume 1 of the series is now available on Amazon Kindle! If you like the series, please check it out! https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B07NSGR37P Volume 2 is now available for pre-order and will be released on April 1st! https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B083F76XRT
8 151 - In Serial29 Chapters
Tome of the Body
Every great story needs an author. Samuel Bragg, an ordinary human map maker, sets out from his humdrum life in a small village to take over the estate of his late father, and discovers that an ancient, fallen god calls out to him in his sleep. Come find me, it says. Intrigued, Samuel sets out to find the deity, assisted by his two new mysterious and powerful friends. Read Tome of the Body to discover what happens when a legend is born. In a world teeming with the extraordinary, what can be accomplished by a young man who is quite ordinary himself? Together, we will learn, just as Samuel does, that even amongst the ordinary, the extraordinary can be born. New chapter every day until completed. This story is posted both on ScribbleHub and Royal Road
8 129 - In Serial9 Chapters
Forever Online - Wanderer
Wanderer The journey of one young man to greatness. Will he succeed? Will he die almost instantly? Probably the former because of the special trait is known as 'Plot Armor' achievable only with the level 1000 legendary title 'MC'. “This world may be infinite but I will not stop until I see every inch” Currently on Hiatus so I can focus on my Fiction for the NaNoWriMo competition, linked here https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/21354/an-ent-like-existence
8 298 - In Serial35 Chapters
Myriad Huntress
In an ordinary day, Joan was suddenly pulled in the full of mysteries and wonders of myriad realms. Lets follow as she search for the truth about why she was chosen to be the huntress of myriad destiny. [Warning] I don't own any of the franchise or the stories related to movies, comics, or anime. This novel is only for fun, enjoying the different movie and anime I watch and creating them in my own world as a avid fan. P.S (I dont own the cover)
8 153 - In Serial24 Chapters
Be My Wonder 8... || HanaNene
*Currently Editing*Inspired by the amazing anime: Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun / Jibaku Shounen Hanako-KunHanaNene Fan Fiction Hanako wants Yashiro to acknowledge his hints to her that she's his type, so he goes to crazy lengths to achieve this. What will Hanako come up with, and will he succeed in the end? Read to find out!Might be an Emotional rollercoaster. For people who read the descriptions, you have been warned.
8 136