Chapter 48: The Slave Girl Pt.I
Day 20
I was in trouble. Why am I saying this out of the blue? For two reasons actually.
Well, you see, we ended up spending two days over at the bee hive since the dryad said Diane asked us not to come back until she called for us. Something about the expected betrayal. She was probably talking about the old goat... erh satyr.
So in the past two days have been spent with me eating fruits, because the spider king could not tolerate me eating her "children" or so I wanted. I mean, I just got an out of nowhere power-nerfing for no reason known to me.
Apart from that, my day was going surprisingly well, if you took out the fact that I was supposed to be preparing for combat against a tyrant and I had been weakened. Emphasizing on the WEAKENED! I had decided to go exploring in the spider king's territory and familiarize myself with the place. At least know my burial grounds well. Maybe I would be able to haunt this place as a poltergeist.
[System master ##### has implemented punishment: No XP gain]
[You will no longer gain XP]
[System master ##### has implemented punishment: LvL Subtraction]
[You have lost 2 levels]
[System master ##### has implemented punishment: Unique skill lock]
[You will be incapable of using the unique skills [Evolver] and [God's Voice]]
[You can only use the unique skills [Analyst] and [Hunter]]
[System master ##### has implemented punishment: Blessing Nullification]
[All your blessings have been cancelled]
[System master ##### has implemented punishment: Forced Quest]
'Ah!? What is happening? What's all these punishments and who is this system master? I've never heard of him before. What did I do?'
I quickly brought up my status screen.
STATUS
[Name: Hinotori
[Species: Golden Demonic Hen Level 9/30
[Status: [Full]
[Age: 19 days
[Rank: D
[Race Rank: Tier 1
[Titles: [New-born in a New World], [Rare Species], [Named Beast], [Survivor], [Vulture], [Bunny Slayer]
[Blessings: |LOCKED|
[Level: 24 Exp: 100/5700
[Health: 950/950 Stamina: 1600/1600 Strength: 162 Speed: 500 Defence: 134 Dexterity: 136 Intelligence: 36 Luck: 40
[Skills: [Evolver(LOCKED)], [Analyst], [God's voice(LOCKED)], [Lustful Gaze], [Imprint], [Baby Chick Cry], [Fear Resistance], [Aquatic Form], [Heat Resistance], [Poison Resistance], [Peck], [Black Wayne Caw], [Auto Mapping], [Poison Generation], [King Viper Scales], [Sprint], [Pain Resistance], [Spearhead], [Acrobatics], [Blood Sucking], [Terror], [Soul Consumption], [Fire Breath], [Poison Maelstrom], [Thread Creation], [Thread Control], [Stealth], [Mana Perception], [Magic Perception], [Dark Vision], [Flight], [Spore Generation], [Sap Spores], [Poison Gas Creation], [Spawn Spores], [Co-ordination] [Cold Resistance], [Goggles], [Heat Sense], [Mental Damage Resistance], [Feelers], [Sensors], [Poison Claws], [Verwesen], [Murderous Aura Resistance], [Auto Regeneration], [Timber Wolf King’s Howl], [Hunter], [Size Manipulation], [Charisma], [Devil Miasma], [Mental Pain Resistance], [Predator], [Slime Body], [Pain Nullification], [Assimilation], [Horn Protrusion], [Stomp], [Telepathy], [Fiery Kick], [Aura Resistance], [Murderous Aura Resistance], [Beetle Armour], [Centipede Armour], [Acid Spit], [Compound Eyes], [Stinger], [Fusion], [Camouflage], [Allure]
'AAH!? T-they actually took away my unique skills and blessings! Ah and why is XP locked? And I'm back to being just level 21? Even with level 26, defeating the tyrant was basically a pipe dream! What the hell!?'
I was so surprised that I ended up screaming.
'What is this Forced Quest?'
[Forced Quest: Protect the West from the East]
[Rewards: You will be pardoned of all punishments]
[Side Quest (Optional): Defeat the Ogre Tyrant without killing it.]
[Possible Rewards: [A new unique skill]
[300 Stat points]
[10,000XP]
[The Title: Saint]
[Title effect]
[Unlock Complete System Functions]
'Ah? What is this? Just what is this? AH, why do I have to go through such a thing at this time? I'm supposed to do this forced quest to free myself of all punishments? That's bullshit! What makes this worse is this… this side quest? It says optional, but is it really optional? The rewards are just too tempting. A unique skill? Ah, I thought I could only get those from a higher being. This system master can gift me with one if I complete this task? W-Wait a minute… he locked two of my unique skills. What if this means after the quest I'll only get one of them back? No! Let's think about something else. 300 stat points and 1-10,000XP? Ah you should be giving me more for the trouble. As if that's going to cover the kind of thing I am about to do. Another interesting one, the Title effects? What's that supposed to mean?'
[Titles will create certain effects for you]
The titles hadn't really done anything, so if I did this I would be able to get the title effects. Nice. So what kind of effects would Saint give me?
[Saint: You show exceptional holiness]
[Effect: Causes 2X damage to opponents weak against Light Magic and you acquire the [Light Attribute] and [Light Affinity]]
'For real? Ok, moving along, we have unlocking system functions? Wait, I haven't unlocked system functions? Now that I think about it, I remember something about a locked function from before. Don't tell me the system I've been using was a sort of trial period. Ah, this is like a bargain with the devil. How am I supposed to stop this whole thing without killing him? I now had to convince Minerva to someway not kill him? Maybe they would fight to a stalemate? No… Minerva already emphasized on how much stronger than him she was.'
So in the end, I had to come to terms with that situation. There was nothing I could do about it. At least now I knew for sure there was someone watching my every move. Damned stalkers. Then there was my next problem and it was standing in front of me breathing restlessly.
She looked haggard and dressed in muddy rags. In fact, there was a chain collar around her neck. Her skin looked bruised and had fresh wounds. I could tell she was exhausted from the way she was breathing heavily and stumbling. I was watching her from behind a bush plant. She hadn't noticed my presence yet.
It was painful just watching her look so beat up. And there was Minerva. It was only a matter of time before she noticed this girl in the forest. Maybe if I could help her get out she would be saved.
I was about to run at her, but I was sure she seeing a weird bird wouldn't help calm her down. Still, there was nothing to do about it. I sent a message to her using [Telepathy].
'Are you ok?'
The girl looked around after hearing my voice. It was funny looking at her. So this was how people felt when they observed me from far away and used [Telepathy]? Ha! However, I saw the girl's eyes. Those dull crimson eyes looked scared. Her face was battered up. And tears were streaking down. This girl…
I intentionally made some noise while I was going out to get her attention. She warily turned around and our eyes met. Her face was really bruised. After seeing me, she tried to run away, but then I used [Black Thread Creation] to trip her then trap her on the ground.
'Where do you think you're going to?'
I moved closer to her then brought my face closer to her.
'Hey, you ok?'
Her body was cold and she was shivering. It were almost as if she had been frozen for a while. I turned her around and she was crying.
"P-please…"
She was mumbling something but I couldn't hear her. I figured it was just going to waste her energy if she tried to talk anymore.
'It's ok, it's ok. You can relax now. I've got you. Trust me, ok? Hey agent, is there something I could do?
<<Notice: The best option would be to rub [Renosue Herbs] on her body>>
'[Renosue Herbs]? Seriousy? But that's like a day's journey away! She won't make it that long!'
<<Notice: With your speed in the air you should be able to make the journey in 30 minutes>>
'Ah! That's right! I'm a bird now.'
"Is that you Hinotori?"
The voice startled me and caused me to jump. I recognised that it belonged to the spider king. When I turned around, surely the spider was looking at me.
"W-what are you doing here!? Ah, never mind. Can you watch this girl for me? I'll be back in the next hour. Thanks."
I flew off after saying that and I could hear the spider shouting about something. That wasn't important at the moment so I would just ignore her. I quickly got the herbs and flew back as fast as I possibly could, even using [Sprint] at the end so I could get there faster.
I managed to arrive when they were in the cave and gave the herbs to the sprite who said she could make a medicine out of them. Within no time, she fed it to the girl. Her wounds were visibly closing up and her body was becoming less pale. I could feel a bit more heat on her and her breathing became a bit more paced.
I let out a sigh, happy that she wasn't going to die. I couldn't let the first human I met just die out of nowhere without helping them out a bit.
"Oh yeah, chicken. I've got something to tell you."
The spider king came up to me with a very serious tone.
'What is it?'
"Um, well… the sprite said to give you the message that you can return to your home now."
'Eh? Seriously? That means Derbyshire is safe?'
"Huh? I don't know this Derbyshire person so I can't say. Ask her."
I looked at the sprite and she simply shook her head. Diane must have not told her the details.
"Mm… mmm."
We heard a voice. The girl was moaning as she slowly opened her eyes. And her first reaction after opening her eyes was screaming. I couldn't blame her. She was trying to get away from everything freaky she saw or at least that was what I assumed she was doing.
'Calm down. We aren't going to hurt ya, kay?"
She looked at me, freaked out. I wanted to ask the sprite to talk to her, but she was hiding behind the rat man and I couldn't ask a rat or spider to talk to her. At least birds were friendly creatures, no?
'Hi there, my name is Hinotori. I'm a bird. What about you?'
She looked at me with distrusting eyes and sniffed the air. Once she had confirmed whatever she wanted to confirm, she calmed down. She let out a sigh of relief.
"Psst. Chicken. Who is she?"
The spider came up to me and started whispering.
'That's what I'd like to know.'
"Ugh? She isn't a friend of yours?"
'Do we look like we're friends?'
"Guess not."
I let out an exasperated sigh. This supposed second-in-command of the west was nothing more than a powerful brat. Honestly, why did the three strongest creatures here have to be so immature? Minerva refused right off the bat, the wolf king decided to keep to herself as well and the only one who decided to help was an immature brat who just wanted more power.
The girl took a step back.
'Hold on. Don't worry. We don't bite.'
She glanced at the spider and I could tell what she was thinking. Not really convincing when someone says a giant spider isn't going to bite you, is it?
'Ok, I don't bite. I don't know about bug face over here.'
"Hey! It's rude to call me bug face. Chicken."
'You have a bug face, don't you?'
"So? It's still rude, you know."
I ignored the annoying bug then tried to establish communication with the girl.
'Yea, yea, anyway what's your name?'
"…U-Ulva…"
She mumbled something but I couldn't hear her clearly.
'I'm sorry, come again.'
"…U-Ulva!"
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone