Out of the cave I went, and a new world greeted me. It was all forest and lush greenery stretching beyond forever. The trees were tall, and from where I stood—atop the entrance of the cave further up the mountain—I guessed that if I were to walk the forest, I'd be robbed of the sky's brilliance for days yet.
I let out a sigh of relief, a smile etching its way onto my face as I momentarily basked in the ambiance of this new world under this faerie existence I now wore. I felt like a better person as an elf.
A touch to my pointy ears, and my good mood swelled even bigger. I indulged in the moment for a few more minutes, then after a while, I began to descend at the pace of mundanity. I was a bit anxious that I might be hurt by the sun—unnatural existence and such—but it turned out that my fears were unfounded.
I was unbound, and in a way, I had become freer than ever.
I was still stoked about the magic I had acquired, and even as I walked and enjoyed the nature—animals and all—I was still engaged in the crafting of spells, because it was that pedestrian, and adding them to my database.
The basic ones like elemental spells—especially lightning and earth—were easier to use because of my innate abilities allowing me contemptuous execution. I also discovered that pure magical effects could be… erased? I didn't quite grasp the prerequisite of their neutralization. But the basic idea was that, after being damaged or rendered useless, the conjured magical effect lost its actuality and faded into memory.
I discovered this when I broke the vial I had conjured from pure magicules. It was a reversible miracle. This meant I couldn't just create food, or any organic material worth a damn, from pure nothing. That was a bit of a bummer.
But, as I said, Aspectual Magic was just science and imagination. It wasn't even full science, just the basic how-to.
But with that, and my garbage but still true understanding of the theory of relativity, I pretty much just subjugated this magic. I could, just by applying that theory to my spells in the conduit of whatever physicality was in reach—it was always earth—inspire the permanence of miracles of matter.
Yeah, I had matter manipulation just hours after acquiring this magic. I was so stupidly broken. I shouldn't have been allowed in this world. I was the enemy of progression under the discipline of training or cultivation.
Additionally, I had cut the cost of my invocations to almost nothing. No, I wasn't brute forcing my miracles; I was merely substituting my magicules for the energy of the existing matter. Also, I wasn't conjuring something from nothing; I was merely reinstating a new structural composition to the already existing one.
"Hell, how disgusting can I be?" I said while riding my bicycle on the road that was continuously forming in the general direction I was heading. "Life shouldn't be this easy."
I yawned a bit, looking at a dire mother bear clawing gruesomely into a regular stag. It was all covered in blood and guts, gorging itself alongside its cubs that were, in themselves, vicious looking.
Most uncute babies ever.
Still, as they startled at my passing form after I had rung my bell, I waved at them happily, as I wasn't devoid of manners. The mama bear roared at me, then tried to rush at me but was stopped swiftly by my barrier.
"No need to be greedy now, you already have a cute boyfriend waiting for you at home," I told it as I looked back on the forming path with a shaking head.
It was sad that my form was irresistible, but these monsters needed to know that I was only interested in sexy slimes… and maybe some human-looking big titty babes—mainly big titty elves.
I chuckled; Satoru's depravity was unchallenged.
When midday struck, I had still to make a dent in my wanderings, the cave still but a single blink away from my current location—well, it was only that if I went Raijin. I was not quite sure what I wanted at the moment except seeing the sights some more.
"Maybe I should slowly wander around the proximity of this cave?" I wondered, pausing at a little spot a few meters away from a spring stream and arresting my Road Creation spell. "Maybe…"
I was probably going to do that at some point. I didn't feel the need to rush—that little time in the cave had instilled in me the patience of a monk. I had lost my addiction to my phone and social media. It was nice to regain my normality.
Easily, I dismounted my bicycle, quickly stored it in my inventory, and invoked a quick leisure spot. The ground trembled before shaping and transmuting into different types of material—wood, metal, cotton, synthetic leather, wool, stone, and all manner of materials.
A moment later, the materials began to bind together, forming a little open-space hut with a grill, a fridge filled with meat and bottled drinks, some cabinets filled with spices and condiments, two bowls of synthesized vegetables and fruit, a set of plates, a sink and soaps, a comfortable eating station, and a grinding machine.
I smiled wide, ear to ear. "It is time to make some burgers!"
Unlike my other transformations, which had been only external with some features reserved, I was a full elf, and I hungered as one. I even had a heart and brain, though my reaction time was still under the influence of my slime form—I wasn't giving up that killer perk any time soon.
I immediately… transmuted into a chef's attire, immediately beginning the preparation of my meal. I did it slowly, taking all the time I needed while I adjusted and added to the process of cooking under the recollection of the web-star who had taught me how to make it.
"Veldora wasn't kidding about the memory being seared into one's soul," I voiced in astonishment, just now experiencing the true feeling of my memories. "What the heck is this vividness?"
It was like the moments were caught on a high-definition camera, and I was able to enter them and experience them as I did or separately while inside them. All those pages looked through in bored interest? Caught. All the sounds and words that you actively filtered out? Recorded. All those dreams forgotten? Clear as day, albeit just as trippy and inexplicable.
As I was preparing my delectable meal and wondering of delights most fabulous and heartening, my magic sense—as I had still yet to assign a more fitting name for it—caught something that was a bit concerning.
By the stream, rushing in fright and injury, was a small host of goblins, clutching spears and wearing rugs and loincloths, rushing away from a pack of dire wolves.
The scene took me, even as I never slowed in my cooking. I was of different opinions on how I should act. I wasn't opposed to leaving nature's order alone. There was no malice spared by the wolves in their wanting to feast on the goblins.
And although I was compelled to surrender assistance to the green creatures, more so due to their humanoid appearance and childlike resemblances than actual fondness, I was loathed to deny the wolves their hunt.
Additionally, I was reminded of the stereotype that surrounded these green dudes, and in that reminder, I felt my urge to offer aid dwindle. And besides, it was said that interfering in matters of survival disturbed the balance or something of the like.
There were a bit too many documentaries about the effects of human interference on wildlife. And the truth was, I had been so quiet and indifferent to the predation of cute animals on my journey by the feline monsters and animals of sadistic nature.
These dire wolves were owed their hunt, and although the goblins bore an uncomfortable similarity to toddlers, I saw no displays of sapi—
Just then, one of the goblins tripped and yelped. One of the other goblins looked back at the fallen goblin, then attempted to return to its rescue.
But…
"No! Walk…" it shooed the other goblin. "Me come… late. Walk!"
I felt a swell of frustration ravaging my breast as the decision was made for me. "Goddamn it, world! Why can't you be a bloody generic fantasy world with stupid rapist goblins?" I shouted as I watched the wolves close in. This was so stupid. "At least make the goblins ugly as sin, not pathetic homeless children."
I clicked my tongue in annoyance, instantly turning into black lightning and blitzing to where the fallen goblin was. I was a flash of blur and lightning, the straight line that marked my path being reduced to a burning and embered scorch of oxygen absorption.
I was like a plasma blast, and I burned thrice as hot as a normal bolt. Black Lightning was not normal lightning; there was a conceptual factor to it that branded what it struck true with something akin to a curse.
It was understandable since the skill was a bastard child of Veldora's Dark Lightning. Still, I was quite loving of my version, though I wondered what supremacy the original held over mine. It better not just be potency.
In that fraction of a blink, I phased into existence without the impact or heat, merely crackling with lightning that was my form before my physicality materialized in short order. And upon that reaching, I was already aware of all that was happening.
One wolf was already mid-lunge, mouth wide to clamp down on the pitiful goblin's neck.
"Suspend!"
I invoked the spell, a dozen unseen hands shooting toward the magically deranged creature and wrapping around its form, halting it in the air. It whined, its tail tucking between its legs and its ears flattened against its head.
What was that behavior?
The other wolves paused in fright, though rather than retreating, they decidedly elected to stand their ground, baring their teeth at me and growling threateningly.
I was inspired to engage in some theatrics, as I was aware that these creatures had some sense of sapience in them.
"You'll need to pardon my intrusion," I worded in a calm and refined cadence, shifting just a bit to impress authority. "Developments have forced my hand." I glanced at the goblin on the ground, and the many peeking out of the trees. "Understand that I can't just sit aside when suffering is in echo."
Surprisingly—and I do mean I was surprised—one of the wolves, a brown-furred one—they were all brown-furred—with an enviable scar over its right eye stepped forward, still growling and glaring. I deduced this was the leader of the pack.
"What importance are these weaklings to one of your power, Oni?" The words, thick and low, were unspoken; no, they were projected into my mind, and I was surprised to hear them. This bastard had the coolest skill.
And…
«Skill "Thought Communication" acquired.»
…now I had it too. I didn't like Great Sage, but I couldn't deny its capabilities. In an instant, the complete analysis of the skill's limitations was done, and I was presented with the full utilization and manipulation of it.
«Confirmed: Synergy has been discovered. Telepathy and Thought Communication have become "Imaginary Projection."»
"None," I projected in turn, bombarding the dire wolf leader with the imagined weight of my being. "Though their mere cries of help still compel me to action."
I also worded my words vocally, as my image needed this significance to impress appropriately.
The dire wolf growled more fiercely, but I had seen it cower under my projected significance. "What of us? Are we to go hungry just because of your act of fancy?"
'Oi, are you seriously arguing that I let you kill these clearly sapient creatures?' Was this wolf serious?
Of course it was; from its view, no act of cruelty was executed save for my interfering in their predation.
And I understood: despite the meaning of this act, these wolves were just creatures of their environment. In that sense, they were no different from humans, who surrendered livestock to so much cruelties under the premise of… sustenance.
Seldom would you find a person who was truly aware and recognizing of the evils of their actions.
I mean, I had killed a lot of monsters and still didn't see myself as evil. What right did I have to reject this monster its philosophy?
"I've enough mercy to spare," I produced two carcasses of Tempest Snakes. "My gift. You'll find that these are more filling and satisfying than a bunch of goblins."
The entire pack actually startled and whimpered at the appearance of the corpses. I suppose even if they were dead, they were still giving off large amounts of magicules. Props to the wolves for having good danger awareness; these snakes were more than ten times stronger than them.
Again, I was surprised as the dire wolves simultaneously—even the one suspended in the air—bowed to me. "We graciously accept your mercy, oh strong Oni."
The leader responded, and I could feel both the fear and gratitude that radiated from him. I shooed them off, amused a bit at their clumsy and greedy attempt to drag away the large serpents. Still, they succeeded.
That made me wonder if that mama bear that was so in love with me was capable of the same thought communication skill as that wolf… somehow, I didn't think that was the case. Not even the Tempest Snakes were possessed of that skill, or better yet, a sapience.
"There must be a special requirement for that little evolution," I said to myself, then turned to look at the goblins that had come out to look at me. "Now, what to do with you folks?"
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The Saint: New story. Yes, it's an alternate universe. Will go in-depth with the magic system as time goes. Rimuru is mad broken. Goblins acquired.
Eleven extra chapters on my Pa-treon/BoombaTheSaint. I'll be taking this opportunity to bring Echoes of the Seven up to date. Bye