FREEDOM, has never smelled so musky. Very, very musky. Like an old wet shoe… or more appropriately, a damp cave filled with shit. I take another whiff and then suppress a gag as an especially damp breeze enters my nostrils. I g my panions, and find them pletely unfazed by the smell. Instead, they are more ed with the ck of light. We are deep enough in a cave somewhere that the only light provided is from the i elevator.
“So, I don't suppose someone here has a mp?” Cillian asks.
“There are fshlights downstairs,” Irmgard says.
“Is fine!” Boriss grins. He leans down and grabs a long piece of wood from a broken crate. Then he s a bit of cloth around the tip. He reaches into his pocket arieves a lighter. He then walks up to Cillian and points the torch head in his dire.
“Drink,” Boriss says.
Cillian pouts. He reaches in his back pocket arieves a small teen. He opens it and pours rotgut onto the cloth.
Not a moment ter and Boriss lights the torch.
He hands the lit torgard and prepares ahree. When he offers a tore, I merely shake my head. I point at my eyes and then the darkness.
“Ahhh, rade Qausi sees in dark. Is good. You will lead, yes?”
I nod.
“Wait, do we even know which way we should go?” Cillian asks.
I growl and then point in the dire where the smell of shit is most pronounced.
I lead them through the cave, heading further and further into the awful smell. As we get closer to the smell, we also begin to feel a cool breeze. Further in, and we see light. My steps qui and my heart rate speeds up- but not from excitement.
Bat shit smells so fug bad. Is this how dogs feel all the time? Goddamn this is miserable.
As soon as we cross the threshold to the outside world, I take in a deep and fresh breath.
gratutions! You have passed the test: Escape from Downside.
You are now being designated as a possible didate fods Champion.
Installing system interface…
Bypassing all soul protocols…
Error: Remnant of obsolete system found…
Removing obsolete remnants…
Installing World System version 1.0137…
Updating system to patch 1.7732…
Instaltion plete…
Activating World System…
World System Activated…
Oh shit. Another system world?
New user identified…
Activating first time user interface…
Restrig blood flow to brain…
Wait, what?
Before ahought surface, my eyes shut and my body falls forward. Before it even hits the ground, I am unscious.
_____________________________________________________________________
And the moment I fall unscious, I find myself standing in a white room with my naked human body.
“This is odd,” I say aloud. I look around and find nothing but white.
Then, like I've trained, I sehe arrival of a powerful soul. I turn towards the source. A portal opens, and a four-foot eight one-eyed goddess falls out and smacks head-first onto the white floor.
“O.” The shoddess cries. “Yazu hates small portals! Yazu is a big strong woman. Yazu will not accept small portals ever again!” she shakes a fist at where the portal used to be.
I raise an eyebrow at the diminutive girl that seems to talk ihird person.
She finally notices my presence from her ying state, and then quickly hops up to her bare feet. She straightens out her dress and then takes an authoritative pose with her diminutive chest extended.
“Mortal,” she begins andably. “This one is Yazu, goddess of luck. You may bow before me.”
“Right.” I roll my eyes, “You’re here to take me to the god who wishes to name me his champion for the games.” I wave her forward. “I’ll bow to them if they are worthy. I don't just champion any divine being that es to me. I have standards after all.”
Her mouth goes open and her cheeks turn red.
“Y-y-yazu chooses you to be her champion. Yazu is the goddess.” she points at herself.
Really? She’s the first offer?
“I refuse. I prefer my gods taller and more,” I my senses over her low divinity. “Capable.”
“But, but, Yazu is the best goddess.” she whines.
I turn away from her and look around for any more portals.
“I very much doubt that, especially from a god of just luck. Lu its own tends to be very weak. Most gods of lud up ceasing to exist.”
The goddess inftes her cheeks in e.
“Yazu is very capable. Yazu is the most capable goddess of all goddesses and gods.”
“Ah’ huh. I doubt that. Hey, do you know how I talk to ods? I’m sure they’re probably wanting to speak to me.
“They 't!” she pouts, “Yazu has already chosen you. You are Yazu’s champion now and Yazu is here to gift you a css and Blessing.”
A css? Blessing? Shit, its Orbis all ain.
“What do you mean css? I haven't even chosen a god yet.”
Her demeanor ges from pouting to happy smug.
“Yes, Yazu has used her magnifit power to choose the best Blessing and css for you.”
How she choose? I didn’t even decide on a go- oh fuck.
“I don't have a choice, do I? I’m not bound to follow your dires or anything, but you have trol over what abilities I obtain?”
Yazu grins. “Yes, you are Yazu's perma champion.”
I sigh.
“I’m guessing you used your power to pick me as a champion out of every other one?”
She blinks at me. “No? Yazu was reeo choose you.”
I blink at her for a few seds. Then I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Let me get this straight. You e. Specifically me because someone reended me to you. Do you even know who I am and what I do?”
“Yazu knows you are human and your name is…” she pauses for a long moment and gives me a long look with reddening cheeks. Then she slowly reaches into a dress pocket and g a notecard. “Quasi Eludo.”
I groan audibly.
Why? Why 't I ever get a normal employer? Like, I'd probably settle fod of Chaos again instead of this.
“Fine, I guess I'm stuck with you.”
I sigh. “Yes, my name is Quasi Eludo and the reason I robably reended is because I am a professional summoned hero. My job involves getting whisked away to other worlds and pleting tasks fods. Out of everyone from my p, I am the most petent out of them all.”
Her eyes widen in realization. “Yazu win!” she blurts out. “Yazu actually win.” She starts hopping up and down, even doing a little dah a grin on her face. “Yazu is best Goddess. Yazu will show horned god how much better Yazu is. Nobody will ever look down on Yazu again.”
“You are not even five feet tall,” I point out to the shoddess, “you’re probably too weak to even ge your form and grow taller. They're going to still be looking down on you.”
Her little jig halts as she points at me. Her hands go to her hips. “Yazu is small because Yazu is cute. Yazu feels cute is the most important thing in life.”
I roll my eyes.
“Right, how about we focus on the games. What are the rules, requirements, and what you offer me for my services?”
She nods to me, her expression growing serious. A fsh happens and her clothing ges to that of a school teacher with a board of all things. She raises a ruler and taps the board where a circle with the word Tristique is written and the number seventy two.
“The test for the games is on the pristique. It is the p you are ht now.” She taps the number . “On the p are seventy-two tower blessings. You must collect all the blessings before the final tower will reveal itself. Obtaining the final tower blessing will win you the game.”
I nod.
Simple enough.
“How big is the p?”
“Yazu does not know.”
Okay....
“What do the blessings do?”
“Yazu does not know.”
“How many gods are part of the games?”
“A lot.”
Really?
“How much is a lot?”
She spreads her arms wide. “A big room.”
Fuck me.
“I’m going to guess that you know practically nothing about Tristique other than it is a p and that I o fiy two towers, correct?”
“Yazu knows about csses and skills.” She expins.
I perk up. “Oh good. And what do you know about csses and skills?” I ask.
“Yazu is not allowed to say.”
…
…
“Yazu.”
“Yes, that is Yazus name?”
“You’re useless.”
“Yazu finds your jokes not funny.”
“Either tell me something useful, or I’m going to take that ruler and shove it up your ass.”
She blushes and holds her ruler closely to her. “Noooo, Yazu finds your advaoo fast. It is nht.”
What?
“B-but, if Yazu’s champion desires her cute body for such deeds, Yazu would be willing to offer it up if Yazu wins the god games. Yazu believes it is only right to offer her champion Yazu’s most prized possession.”
“I don't want your body. I want something more tangible.”
She pouts. “Yazus body is very tangible. It is very tangible and cute!”
“Goddammit women. Is there anything else you offer me? Like, what is the prize for the god games anyway?”
She perks up, “Prize? Oh, yea. Yazu remembers. Big squishy weird man said he is giving away a box that make any mortal a god.”
OH SHIT. Really? That's a thing?
“Alright, if I win yoing to use the box on me and turo a god.”
Her eyes pop out. She blushes and grins.
“You wish to embrace Yazu’s body as an equal? Yazu is truly wanted? Yazu is so happy.” She excims while doing a little jig.
You know what? Fuck it. Let's go with that. I’m already having a headache as it is.
“Yes, yes. But first, I’m going to hat css and blessing you talked about. I’m also going to need you to turn me bato a human if you haven't.”
She perks up. “Yazu has choseest blessing for you and a css that use the Blessing. Look.” she waves her hand at me.
Initializing Css instaltion oy Quasi Eludo…
Css instaltion has activated…
Adding Champinition…
Repg primary earth nguage with on…
Installing Unique variant css [Shifter].
[Shifter] Css level 1.
You are a man who is ected to the material and immaterial pne. You are capable of abs the souls of those freely given and then transf into the species the soul was of by using the [Shift] ability.
0/2 Souls
[Shift] Transform into the species of any souls you possess.
Activation Cost: Mana (Variable)
Sustain: Mana (Variable)
Duration: Until sustain stops.
Css instaltion plete…
Analyziy Quasi Eludo species…
Species s plete: Entity Quasi Eludo is a Male Human based Fenririmorph…
Analyzing physical aal capabilities…
Analyze plete. Loading capabilities…
Traits.
Human Average
Individual Base Calcutions.
Level modifications
Trait Actual Value
Strength
10
36
+0%
36
Endurance
9
43
+0%
43
Vitality
12
0.27%M/R/M
22
0.54% M/R/M
+0%
22
0.54% M/R/M
Perception
9
27
+0%
27
Intelligence
11
16
+0%
16
Mana
388.8
480
+0%
480
trol
12
8
+0%
8
Capabilities Loaded. Initiating Blessing from entity Yazu…
Blessing loaded: Adding baby Mimicus soul to shifter css…
Baby Mimicus (Soul)
Mimicus are one of the most adaptable feline species in all of Tristique. They have the unique ability to adapt to even the most dire enviroal stimuli. They are also exceptional vocal mimics who are capable of mimig any and all sounds they hear.
I read through all the slides, and then I g Yazu grinning at me.
“Did you y css because you wanted me to transform into a cat?”
Yazu winks.
“Yes, Yazu knows that ess is the stro on anyone use. So Yazu chose the cutest thi- what is wrong? Why do you look at Yazu like yoing tle her?”
I take a step towards her. “You chose a css for me based on a blessing that would let me turn into a fug cat? A cat of all things? Do you even know if the css is strong or useful? Does the css only let me turn into a cat?”
“Yazu is not stupid,” she rushes behind the board as I approach.
“Yazu was very smart with her decision.”
I stop and reign in my anger.
“How so?” I ask skeptically.
She peeks behind the board and finds me standing there gring at her.
“Yazu used her great power to choose the best blessing.”
“Your power?” I y arms. “Luck?”
Yazu extends a hand forward with her palm up. Then, out of nowhere, a bowl of tiny pieces of folded paper appears on her palm. “Yazu spent lots of time writing all the blessings Yazu is allowed to give. Then Yazu closes her eyes and chooses a lucky blessing.”
“And the lucky blessing was a cat?” I ask, surprised.
Holy, a goddess of luck choosing a blessing in random and then taking a css associated with it is probably not bad.
“Fine, I hope that cat is useful. What about my human form? I turn back?”
Yazu tilts her head? “You’re human, right? Why would your form ge?” she asks.
“You… don't know? I was ied by something called a Fenririmorph and my body transformed into something of a monster.”
“Yazu does not know. Yazu was busy writing blessings to watch you.”
I groan.
“Fine, whatever. I’ll figure it out. I need some more information about the system. What's the max level? What do all the traits do? How are skills gained? Is there a magic system?”
“Yazu does not know. Yazu ending all her time writing blessings on paper.” she admits.
“You… don't know?”
She shakes her head sadly.
Why? Why does this happen to me? Out of all the possible gods, why her?
“Fine, I’ll figure it out myself. How I tact you again?”
She gives me a bnk look.
“Just send me bay body.”
“Yazu is sor-”
I raise a hand to stop her.
“I’m rather annoyed right now. Just send me back. I’ll figure everything out on my own.”
She pouts as a portal opens behind her.
“Yazu is sorry.” she says sadly. “But Yazu will make it up to you.”
She ehe portal and disappears.
