Sanguine Paradise
Chapter 19: [Day 7] – “Glade Guardian”

∼ Day 7 ∼

-A-appraisal!-

[Appraisal - Glade Guardian]

Name: "Glade Guardian"

Race: ???

Sex: ???

Rank: ???

Level: ???

Health: ???

Stamina: ???

Mana: ???

[Attributes]

STR - ???

VIT - ???

AGI - ???

DEX - ???

INT - ???

CHR - ???

WILL - ???

MAG - ???

[Trait, Titles, and Skills].

Skills - ???

Traits - ???

Titles - ???

[Resistances]

Phy. Resistance - ???

Mag. Resistance - ???

Men. Resistance - ???

Is this a joke?!

I once again refocus on the behemoth.

Seeing it's massive frame about the height of full-grown trees, a solid 3 meters tall.

For some reason, I was somehow unable to properly see it even though it was right there.

Suddenly what looks to have been black fog surrounding it rushed to the ground and exploded in every direction.

But no trees or leaves seemed to have even been disturbed by the black fog, even the wolpertinger seems to have yet to notice the hulking monster.

I focus on the monster again and is left in awe at the sight now laid out before me.

At the epicenter of the black fog explosion stood now a massive jet black horse.

Although it had the form of a horse, its taught and muscled frame seemed almost slender and elegant.

I couldn't help but describe the massive monster as anything other than beautiful.

But all of that was secondary, to what really caught my attention.

Its eyes.

Dark rectangular pupils and irises filled with molten silver which glinted in the moonlight.

It completely mesmerized me.

Suddenly snapping out of it as the hulking behemoth puffed a wave of air out its nostrils that made steam rise to the air.

Somehow, when hearing the puff, it was like a cleansing river rushed through my mind. Making me able to think properly again.

But unfortunately, I was still unable to move under the pressure caused by this supposed glade guardian.

Redirecting its glance from me the to completely unsuspecting ball of fluff with wings, It just looked for a second or two before looking back to me.

Once our gazes met on each other once again, I In an instant simply knew...

A stream of consciousness flooded my mind, and it wasn't with words or sounds but I fully understood what the guardian wanted me to know.

"Enough"

That was simply what it meant.

No more killing in the glades, I've apparently got enough.

And as such the black fog came rushing back from the tree foliage to consume the form of the glade guardian.

As soon as the form of the guardian was covered once again, the entire cloud of black fog dispersed, leaving no behemoth behind.

...

...

What. the. fuck.

I think I was just cut off by a fucking horse...

Why didn't it just kill me if I was causing trouble in its territory?

Besides, what the fuck is a monster like that even doing in a small place filled with fucking rabbits!?

A bit uneasy I look from side to side but see nothing.

Only the sound of the small wolpertinger now munching on grass seems to radiate throughout the night.

These glades must have a lot more secrets than I'd first imagined...

Uh...

I-I think I'll be going to sleep.

Returning to the previous tree I try my best to calm my nerves.

That glade guardian had simply told me to hunt no more here in the glades, and then let me off.

It could've literally killed me with just its fucking mind.

The feeling of the pressure it had on my body, mind, and soul was as if I was right between the ground and it's hoof, it only having to apply slight extra pressure to snuff my small life out.

At least replaceing peace in knowing that if it had ever wanted me dead, I would've never known in the first place.

Luckily soon my fatigue overcomes my nerves, and I finally manage to fall into a deep slumber.

...

...

(Whargh!)

I jolt up as the eyes filled with molten silver appear in my dream, and I shudder.

I look to the sky and see the twin suns are just on the horizon now.

Guess it's time for me to leave.

Before setting off I take a quick glance at my status, which I never really got to do it after last night.

-Status!-

[Status]

Name: "???"

Race: Sanguinite

Sex: Male

Rank: I+

Level: 16/20

Health: 61/61

Stamina: 25/25

Mana: 0/0

[Attributes]

STR - 8 ⇒ 10

VIT - 13 ⇒ 15

AGI - 22 ⇒ 25

DEX - 15 ⇒ 17

INT - 18

CHR - 1 ⇒ 2

WILL - 15

MAG - 1

[Trait, Titles, and Skills].

Skills - 13

Traits - 4

Titles - 1

Skillpoints - 13 ⇒ 19

[Resistances]

Phy. Resistance - 4

Mag. Resistance - 0.501 ⇒ 0.658

Men. Resistance - 7

Another minor rank increase, nice.

I can only imagine what kind of power these attributes would provide me if I had a better body then that of a mosquito.

Anyways, that's a lotta skill points!

Plus I also have to advance heat sensitive which will provide me with another 2 skill points, making my grand total 21 points!

But I think I'll have to put that on hold for now, at least until I get out of the glades.

I don't know if that dream was just my imagination, or if I've really overstayed my welcome here.

Getting a move on, I take off.

This time, I'll be returning to the rocky hills.

That is mostly because of three reasons.

One is that it's the safest place I currently know.

The second and third, is I want to see what I can do with my new stats, coupled with the fact I'm still curious about what has happened to that infected goblin.

‹ 3 hours later ›

With my newly acquired skill increases in swift flight coupled with my increase in agility, I've really gotten a lot fucking faster.

It only took me three hours to reach the rocky hills.

On the outskirts I replace a tree to settle in, so I can properly focus on advancing my skills and what to do next.

-Skill advancement, heat sensitive!-

[Skill advancement - Heat Sensitive]

Choose one advancement

-Greater Heat Detection-

Allows the user to better detect heat sources. Greatly increased heat detection capabilities.

-Thermal Sight-

Allows the user to better detect heat sources. Grants the ability to detect heatwaves with vision.

Only two this time huh?

Well, two is better than one at least.

The first is simply the higher rank of heat sensitive, which is quite reliable.

And second is thermal sight which could allow me to also see heat.

One important thing to note is that its thermal sight, and not thermal vision.

Due to its description and name, I'm quite sure that it's not going to give me something like an infrared vision.

But rather just adapt my eyes to visually perceive heat.

Instead, that might be the next advancement of that skill path that allows for true infrared vision.

So what do I pick?

Mulling over my choices a bit, I believe I should pick thermal sight here.

This is mostly because heat detection isn't one of my important skills, and if taking a small chance I might be able to make it good once it advances again.

-Thermal sight!-

[Skill - Heat Sensitive has been advanced to Thermal Sight!]

[For advancing a skill you receive 2 skill points!]

Wanting to try it out I look around trying to see any heat signatures with my eyes.

Not before long, I spot a very vague signature from a very small furry creature about 10 meters away.

The heat signature was so vague I would've not have seen it if I wasn't paying attention.

Well, it's not that amazing, but it's still just level 1 and that was a small creature.

Casting away any more thoughts of my skill advancement I get giddy in excitement.

It's about time we buy some skills!

Barely knowing were to even begin, I start to formulate a plan on how I will search for the skills I might want.

Firstly I'm going to overshoot the cost to 25 points, to make sure I'm not missing out on a fantastic skill just because I just searched for my current total.

Secondly, I searched for requirements to be only 10 points over my current attributes.

With that in place, I searched and sorted out all of those that seemed interesting and/or useful to me by slightly reading the descriptions.

It took me a while since there were a lot of skills to pick from. But here are the ones that caught my fancy.

Skill shop

Search > Skills ≤ 25, req. dif. ≤ 10

Lesser Enhanced Organs: Cost 5 / Requirement; VIT - 8

Enhances the inner organs of the skill user, providing them with increased the toughness of their insides and also a slight increase in the effectivity of those organs.

Mind control: Cost 25 / Requirement; INT - 25, WILL - 25, MAG - 10

Influence the mind of another creature by consuming mana from your mana source. The amount of influence to be imposed depends on mana used, skill level, power difference, and the difference in mental capabilities.

Lesser Elemental Resistance: Cost 5 / Requirement; None

(Fire, Earth, Water, Air) Grants minor resistance against one of the four basic elements.

Healing Surge: Cost 15 / Requirement; VIT - 15

Creates a gland withing the skill holder's body which can release a compound that quickens the healing of wounds.

Lesser Fortified Mind: Cost 15 / Requirement; INT - 16, WILL - 16

Increases mental resistance, and allows the user the put up mental fortifications in their minds.

Weak Burst: Cost 10 / Requirement; VIT - 15, AGI - 20

Exert burst of acceleration to any body part by consuming stamina.

Lesser Charm: Cost 15 / Requirement; INT - 10, CHR - 10

Increased capabilities when influencing the mental state of another creature with charisma.

Hemophilia: Cost 10 / Requirement; None

Makes creatures struck wounded by the skill user bleed severely.

These skills were the ones that caught my attention.

First I'll address the mind control and lesser charm skills. While they did catch my interest at first, when I thought about it they didn't seem as enticing as before.

That was mostly because with blood plague I should be able to do pretty much the same from my guesses. Besides, they are crazy expensive and I do not even have remotely close to the 10 magic power required for mind control.

The lesser elemental resistances seem quite useful and will cost me 20 points if I wanted all of them. But currently, I have no use or need for them.

Now weak burst seems very good. While the description is a bit vague to what it does, I think if I synergize it with weak infusing slash I could enhance its lethality, and I might also even be able to use the skill for dodging and even traveling while flying.

The hemophilia skill also sounds really good but might be a bit too expensive for now.

The last three really got me interested though.

Lesser fortified mind, this one, in particular, caught my attention since my little encounter with the glade guardian.

But I ultimately dropped it, I'd be lying to myself to think that this skill would even remotely help me against the monster called glade guardian.

Now lesser enhance organs is a skill that I've been eying for quite a while. It's cheap, effective, and useful. I can't really see anything bad about it.

And lastly healing surge. Now this skill really intrigues me, I've yet to be properly wounded, not counting my missing limb. But the reason for me not being wounded was mostly just because I was so small that even if I got hit I would most likely just die.

But that isn't the case anymore, now I'm much bigger which makes me a target. So this skill will help me greatly since I have no way else than to hope my next evolution can fix me if I get badly injured.

Spending another 10 minutes thinking, I decide.

Lesser enhanced organs and healing surge are simply too precious and useful right now.

-Lesser enhanced organs and healing surge!-

[Skill - Healing Surge has been added to the skill list!]

[Skill - Lesser Enhanced Organs has been added to the skill list!]

I first felt a tingling around the area between my thorax and the abdomen, as if something was being formed. Most likely the healing gland.

After that finished, I suddenly felt a rush of tingling feeling in my entire body, centered on my organs.

I also notice the same tingle permeating my new healing gland.

Oh yeah! I completely forgot that a gland is also an organ.

It was really a good choice to take these skills since they also synergize.

Satisfied, I redirect my attention back to the rocky hills laid out before me.

I'm coming for ya lil' green fuckers.