Chapter 28: Three quests at once?!
Leon and Louise had caused so much chaos that no monster came closer to them.
In a clearing with a dark sky above them and a full stomach, Leon opened his system and started testing the fusion development route. Having already done a few fusions, Leon realized it was much better than breeding weak, low-level monsters.
[You've fused a Black Bear Lv.20(Common) with a Black Bear Lv.20(Common)]
[You have received a new card.]
[Black Bear Lv. 21(Common)]
Fusing the same type of monsters increased their level and stats. Of course, it wasn't so omnipotent to double levels and stats. Depending on the grade and kind, at least ten percent of stats and experience points would transfer over.
Leon understood and acknowledged it.
He'd fused many black bears, and having a few monsters with conscious minds under his control, he carefully started developing a pet that hopefully would turn out to be a permanent companion for a long time.
"The problem with those monsters is that they can't level up. We level up so fast that I fear I'll just waste my time." Leon explained to his partner, whose eyes shone at the appearance of the new cards. "Even if the pet turns out weak and impossible to level up, we still have uses for him."
Since their rest was over and they could continue leveling up Louise's level, Leon summoned a black bear whose body was healthy and mind intact. He appeared with a loud thud and threatening eyes, only to become smaller before Louise and Leon: the people that dominated him with their absurd strength.
Having his own will and freedom, only limited by a collar on his neck, the black bear remembered all of today's events and Leon's powers, which enslaved him through unknown chains and a collar. Leon naturally used a different method for this bear, keeping the monster's loyalty the sole fake emotion.
It was fake since the absolute command forcefully affected the monster's mind to follow and listen to Leon, his new master.
Louise looked up and down at the monster, then crossed her arms. "Has he become smaller?"
"He's just scared," Leon replied before continuing, "Who is the strongest in this forest?"
Even though the monster couldn't level up and required more than just a fusion to unlock this feature, Leon could ask him to provide him with reliable information. It'd be legit since the black bear couldn't resist the absolute command.
Leon knew he wasn't dealing with someone like that, too.
Unfortunately, the monster couldn't speak, so he moaned a few times, then turned around and guided the duo to the cave where the strongest existence dwelled. On their way, Leon and Louise spotted many black bears and boars. Those monsters didn't dare to attack them and ran away upon seeing them.
The pair followed the black bear for an hour.
"I think we haven't seen any monster for at least fifteen minutes now." Leon voiced his thoughts, growing cautious about their surroundings, and clenched his crimson chains, ready.
Louise turned silent, too. Although her tails seemed to draw attention as they shone, her presence dimmed and blended with the forest's background.
Additionally, Leon swathed everyone from his party with his Predator's Camouflage, perfectly covering them from outsiders' eyes.
In this way, the party arrived at the cave's feet. It appeared abandoned and empty. It was wide; at least a few black bears could enter simultaneously, and none would touch each other. Of course, no one came out to greet Leon and his party, as their presence was hidden.
Leon was still unsure of his skill's potential and what dwelled inside, so he turned the bear into a card, then entered without him. First, he'd do some reconnaissance, then decide what to do upon seeing the most powerful existence of the forest.
After a few steps inside, Leon's plans crumbled.
He noticed a group of five skeletons aiming their bows at them, their red hues of eyes not flickering. They hadn't moved or made any noise, keeping the same ready-to-shoot position, which was weird.
"They've trained their arrows at the entrance." Leon inferred and quickly put a hand on Louise's shoulder to stop her from making any moves. However, to his surprise, Louise's eyes remained narrowed, staying cool-headed.
Leon already knows that she becomes different in battles and blames it on her overconfidence, inferring that Louise believes fighting is the only thing she is good at. Since he didn't think like that, he'd have a talk with her after their short adventure — it'd be asinine to talk about it during it.
"No wonder the black bear deems them the strongest since their levels stretch up to level thirty… Ronald alone would be able to kill him with one shot… Their appearance confirms they have some plan in those areas, and our meeting with them was coincidental." Leon quickly analyzed his situation, then wheeled to Louise. "Their eyes shine red, so their grade is common or unique, meaning they can not see through our cover."
Louise nodded, her eyes still on the skeletons. Upon a command, she'd fight them!
Leon knew about the skeleton's eyes' color and what those meant from his first quest's reward. It was knowledge straight from the system's library, where all knowledge was recorded surely.
Aware that the undead couldn't see through them, Leon and Louise took bold steps forward and bypassed them. They went through a few more dark corridors, relying on their outstanding senses to not bump into cold walls and to avoid all skeletons patrolling around.
In the latter's case, their red eyes helped them navigate.
At last, Leon and Louise saw an entrance expanding and much more space ahead of themselves. They carefully peeked inside to see what the undead had been hiding and doing in the large base — a skeleton mage in the middle made Louise shiver and her eyes turn colder.
"Those chains are similar to mine, aren't they?" Leon didn't tremble as he'd experienced the rivers of the underworld. Still, he was as shocked as Louise since he sensed a familiar mana oozing out of the chains wrapped around a lady before the skeleton.
The lady was the reason all those undead had arrived here.
[Celes Diamante Lv. 50 HP: ??? MP: ???]
[You've learned new information about vampires.]
[You've received three new quests!]
[1: Enslave Celes Diamante.]
[2: Kill the black skeleton.]
[3: Notify authorities about the undead's doings.]
[You can only choose one quest.]
"Master… My quest is to follow your wish. What do you want to do?" Louise asked flatly, sounding like a machine ready to execute all orders and bring doom!
The vampire woman, the skeletons, and Louise's cold tone — all of it was so different from Leon's usual life that he cursed instead of replying to his fox partner. "I fucking hate your tone."
"…"
"But I understand, I think I do, why you are so different now. Anyway, those are my three options." Leon turned his quests visible and passed them to Louise.
He wanted to hear her opinion.
They weren't a master and slave: they were friends on the adventure!
Louise's eyes flickered, and her cheeks turned slightly redder. "I want to hear master's thoughts first!"
New novel 𝓬hapters are published on fre ew𝒆bnovel.com