I stroke my shell-shocked samurai’s hair a few times, patting her head gently in the process. After a few seconds she returns to reality finally and growls adorably, “grr! Stop petting me right this instant!”
I chuckle as I raise my arm in surrender and take a step back. Let’s not poke the bear any longer. I’m fortunate that she played along this much.
“Alright, Miss ‘I will sleep in your embrace tonight’, shall we head down to floor 3? We’ve made the nerds in the line wait long enough.” I inquire with a satisfied grin.
All I get in response is a barely veiled threat compressed into a single word, “Quinlan…” Well, the threat more so comes from her icy tone and eyes that are clearly staring sharp daggers into my body and see an alternate reality where I bleed to my death amidst utter agony.
I know when I’m receiving an ultimatum so I truly relent this time. We move down to the third floor, and we are greeted with a safe chamber, which I use for a brief respite as the King Crane monster really took a toll on my stamina. Ayame also needs a rest, though her exhaustion comes from mental exertion, not physical like mine.
After a dozen or so minutes we move on.
Stepping into the dimly lit chamber, I immediately spot the creatures inhabiting it. The first thing that catches my eye is the kobold. Standing at about three feet tall, it resembles a small, reptilian humanoid. Its scaly skin has a reddish-brown hue, with dark, mottled patterns running along its sinewy arms and legs.
The kobold’s face is distinctly draconic, with a pronounced snout, sharp teeth, and beady, intelligent eyes that gleam with a mix of curiosity and wariness. (picture)
It grips a crude dagger in one clawed hand, while its other hand holds a sling, ready to hurl stones at a moment’s notice. Its posture is slightly hunched, and a long, thin tail flicks behind it, betraying its nervous energy. The creature wears a simple loincloth, and its chest is bare, showcasing its wiry, but surprisingly muscular, physique.
Beside the kobold are two other monsters, clearly working in synergy. One of them is a gelatinous blob, about the size of a large backpack. This translucent, gooey creature is filled with rocky chunks and pebbles, and it clings to the kobold’s back like a living rucksack.
The other companion is a glowing beetle, roughly the size of a cat. Its luminescent body casts a soft, warm light in the chamber, illuminating the kobold’s surroundings. The beetle flutters around the kobold, its wings buzzing softly. This creature seems to serve as both a light source and a distraction, its erratic movements catching my eye and making it harder to focus solely on the kobold.
“What a cute bunch.” I can’t help but comment with a smile. Who would’ve guessed that we would be greeted with such a synergistic monster team composition?
Why do monsters make better teams than both Grunt and Kai did?
To be fair, I’m not the king of team setups either, with me adding a warrior in Ayame and an assassin in Blossom to the party while I’m an warrior-assassin myself, but once I become a spell slinging Wizard things will become great synergy-wise.
I won’t regret spending my attribute points on the physical stats either, because I have no intentions of becoming a glass cannon mage who gets one shot from a single, good attack. With four available class slots, it would be amiss of me not to include a few physical ones.
With the Primordial Villain class taking my Primary Slot to utilize its amazing effect boosts to all my attributes, I will still have three available classes left to use however I see fit.
As for what other benefits will I receive from that class? I have no clue. Unlike most other classes its naming is very ambiguous and not at all indicative of what it entails exactly.
What even is a villain? Do I have to drink the blood of innocents to level it up? Are all good-hearted people like Ayame supposed to become my enemies once I embrace that class? Yes, that’s right; there’s no way I’m going to give up on it. I’m still getting a bit hard down there when I think back on the list of its effects…
[Effect:
Increased HP (Great)
Increased MP (Great)
Increased Vitality (Medium)
Increased Strength (Medium)
Increased Agility (Medium)
Increased Intelligence (Medium)
Increased Wisdom (Medium)]
Just how beautiful is this sight? Especially compared to my Assassin class’s [Increased Agility (Minor)] single buff.
As for the class’s unlock progression, I’m making heavy strides towards reaching the goal. I only need to level three evil classes to level 10. Both Assassin and Slave Master are level 7, with thief being comfortably stuck at level 2 since the first day of my transmigration. I will have to begin working on that one as well.
The main reason as to why I refrained from stealing even after knowing that I must reach at least level 10 is that I’m worried about the detection abilities of the people of this world. I don’t want some strange artifact detecting me as soon as I sneak into someone’s house or something.
Furthermore, I didn’t have much time to focus on this particular activity, as getting stronger as a combatant is enjoying a significantly higher priority on my to-do list.
I refocus on the present, we have a cute little trio to brutally murder in cold blood, after all. Seeing the inaction of my lovely companion, it is evident that she wants me to experience this fight alone.
I step forward, assessing the three monsters. The kobold stands ready with a crude knife, its scaly red skin gleaming under the faint light. Its eyes are sharp, and I can see a spark of intelligence there. Perched on its shoulder is a small, rock-spitting slime, its gelatinous body pulsating with an eerie glow.
Hovering nearby is a firefly-like creature, its luminescent body emitting a warm, distracting light.