YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
DUE TO THE RAPID CYCLE OF HEALING AND DAMAGE YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THE AILMENT: PHANTOM PAIN
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
YOU HAVE BEEN HEALED THROUGH DIGESTION
YOU HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGE!
DUE TO YOU RECEIVING A RAPID REPEATING CYCLE OF DAMAGE AND HEALING YOUR PHANTOM PAIN AILMENT HAS INCREASED TO LEVEL II
YOUR FATE HAS GROWN. YOU CAN NOW FULLY CONTAIN YOUR CURRENT PREY.
THE DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR HAS SEEN THE FUTILELY OF HIS STRUGGLES AND HAS SURRENDERED HIMSELF TO YOUR MERCY
CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU HAVE FOUGHT AN ENEMY SEVERAL TIMES YOUR SIZE AND LEVEL AND HAVE WON.
YOU HAVE ALSO DEFEATED YOUR FIRST DEMON
YOU HAVE EARNED THE TITLE DEMON’S BANE
YOU HAVE EARNED THE TITLE TITAN HUNTER
YOU HAVE RECEIVED EXPERIENCE
WARNING!
DUE TO OPPONENT BEING SEVERELY WEAKENED DUE TO STARVATION AND MANA DEPRIVATION EXPERIENCE GAINS HAVE BEEN GREATLY REDUCED!
DUE TO NOT SLAYING YOUR OPPONENT YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN REDUCED
DUE TO THE LEVEL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU, YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN INCREASED
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU HAVE LEVELED UP
YOU ARE NOW LEVEL SIX
THE DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR HAS OFFER A SUBMISSION PACT WHERE YOU ARE THE MASTER.
DO YOU EXCEPT? Y/N
“Um…. what this about a submission pact? It sounds a lot like slavery.” I asked the system.
IN A SENSE IT IS. HOWEVER, IT IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT FOR DEMONS. PACTS ARE A STAPLE OF HOW DEMONS LIVE AND THERE ARE DIFFERENT ONES. THE FACT THAT SALAZAR IS OFFERING YOU A PACT WHERE HE IS FULLY OBEDIENT TO YOU MEANS THAT HE IS TRUSTING YOU TO TAKE CARE OF HIM IN HIS TIMES OF NEED. FAILURE OF A MASTER TO CARE FOR HIS SERVANT IS GROUNDS FOR THE PACT TO BE BROKEN BY THE SERVANT. AS THE MASTER, YOU CAN DISSOLVE OR CHANGE THE PACT WHENEVER YOU WANT TO. AS A WOLF DEMON, IT ALSO MEANS THAT SALAZAR ACKNOWLEDGES YOU AS HIS PACK LEADER. ANYONE YOU SEEK TO SERVE; HE WILL ALSO SERVE. IF YOU ARE KIND TO OTHERS, THEN HE TOO WILL BE KIND. HE WILL STILL HAVE HIS INDEPENDENCE AND FREE WILL BUT HE WILL ALSO LOOK TO YOU FIRST FOR DIRECTION.
“If I can just get rid of it later than I suppose it’ll be alright.” I commented as I hit yes. Immediately, I felt a wave of relief from Salazar when the connection came into being.
“I’m not certain when I’ll be able to get you out of there, but I’ll try to get it done as soon as possible.” I told him. I tried to give the budge a gentle rub in an effort to be reassuring but I had to stop immediately because I felt his pain increase.
“Sorry, about that.” I apologized.
‘It is okay. Master didn’t know so I won’t hold it against you. If Master wants to pet me, please wait until I am better. I can heal once I am free of master’s belly. I will be weaker for it but I will live.’ I heard Salazar say in my head.
“Heal when free…? You mean when you’re no longer taking damage?” I asked him.
‘Yes!’
“You should be able to do that once I’ve gotten what I need from you. Even if I can’t let you out right away, you should be fine.” I replied and I was met with confusion on Salazar’s end.
“It’s not ‘Endless Hunger’ that’s got you trapped in there, it’s a skill called ‘Gluttonous Prison’. It should only take what I need from you instead of continuously breaking you down so you should be fine for a while until I can figure out how to get you out of there. I recently completed a trial that cause my fate to grow stronger. I also unlocked a chance to modify one of the normal fate skills as well so hopefully I’ll get something that can help you recover. It’s what I want after all.” I explained.
‘okay. I will trust the master. it is all I can do.’ Salazar replied and I could feel how unconvinced he was through our mental link. As if to affirm that, my stomach gurgled at us, and I felt a spike in the pain coming from Salazar. I grimaced as I heard him yelp and whimper at the brief increase.
“Sorry.” I told him before turning my attention to the System.
“Hey, is there any way I can convince it that I am telling the truth?” I asked it.
YES. MEMBERS OF THE PACT CAN FREELY SHARE THEIR STATUS INFORMATION BETWEEN EACH OTHER. AS THE MASTER IN A MASTER-SERVANT TYPE PACT, YOU CAN ALWAYS ACCESS SALAZAR’S INFORMATION BUT YOU WILL THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR OWN TO HIM.
“I see. Well, I guess this is as good of a time as any to check my own status page.” I muttered before bringing it up.
NAME: Samuel (hidden: Jackson)
RACE: Human
AGE: 18
TITLES: DEMON’S BANE, TITAN HUNTER
SOUL TRAITS: Defiant(worn), Merciful(neutral), Kind(neutral), Noble(strained)
FATE: Demon Lord of Gluttony(hidden)
STATUS: System Champion
STATS:
Level: lv6
Experience: 17/21
Health: 60/60
Mana: 120/120
Stamina: 10/10
CP(hidden): 25/60
Strength: 10
Vitality: 8+2(reserved due to low resources)
Endurance: 10
Defense: 7+3(reserved due to low resources)
Wisdom: 10
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Intelligence: 12
Agility: 9+1(reserved due to low resources)
Dexterity: 6+4(reserved due to low resources)
Charisma: 8+2(reserved due to low resources)
Luck: 10
Free Attribute Points: 30
SKILLS:
Active: Stealth, Identify, Analyze
Passive: Stealth, Mana Essence Reserve(50), Monster Wrangling, Exploration, Mapping, Enhanced Senses
RESISTANCES:
Mana Poison resistance I
AFFLICTIONS: Starvation (suspended due to ongoing Digestion of Prey), Phantom Pain II (40:52)
BONUSES: None
OTHER: None
I looked it, mildly pleased that I had gotten some stat points applied as well as acquiring the banked skills and other stuff I had. I didn’t see anything on the main part of it that would allow me to share it with Salazar, so I checked the tabs. I saw the familiar Inventory and Karmic Store that I had started with, and my Mark tab was just as freaky as ever. The one for my Fate had acquired a rim of fangs though and I figured I should probably be thankful that there weren’t any tongues or more mouth like aspects to it after the trial I had gone through. Or worse considering the creature that had over seen it.
At the bottom of the column of tabs, there was a new on labeled as ‘Bonds’. Assuming that was what I needed to check out, I did and was rewarded.
BONDS
Pacts: Demon Wolf King Salazar (Submissive/Pack Member)
When I touched Salazar’s name, I was offered another sub-menu like I had when I tried to take out the clothing the system had given me.
CHANGE BOND
DISSOLVE BOND
VIEW PACK SKILLS
VIEW MEMBER STATS
SHARE STATS WITH MEMBER
SHARE ITEMS
Looking them over brought up a few questions about them but I decided I could figure what they did on their own later. I set the matter aside and pressed on the ‘share stats’ one which brought me to another sub-menu.
SHARE MAIN STATUS PAGE Y/N
SHARE FATE STATUS Y/N
SHARE MARK STATUS (unavailable)
I was slightly confused by the Mark one since it was an option, but not one I could use. I had a good idea of why that was, so I ignored it for now. However, seeing the fate option, made me realize I never took a look at what was there. I sort of regretted now that it had changed but I figured that I should probably check it now that I had been reminded of it. I backed out of the various menus and opened my Fate tab.
I was not disappointed in the worst way. The lettering was fine, if ancient looking but the background was of wrinkly, red flesh that moved and throbbed gently behind the letters. The letters themselves seemed to rest upon that freaky surface and moved with it slightly. I stared at it for a long moment before making a decision I knew I was going to regret.
I looked at it, found an open area, and touched it.
The background felt the same as it looked, unlike the other parts of my interface which had felt like nothing. It was warm, and wet, and squishy and I could feel the pulse of a blood vessel under my fingertips. The surface also reacted to me, making a sluggish twitch as I touched it. I suppressed a shiver of revulsion and removed my fingers from it. I accepted all of my regrets from doing that and shoved them to the back to the back of my mind to focus on what was there.
FATE: DEMON LORD OF GLUTTONY
STATUS: BEGINNER (MASTER)
CORE SKILL: CONSUME
CORE ABILITY: GLUTTONOUS PRISON
CURRENT CAPTURED PREY: DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR
CURRENT FOOD STORE: 0/0
UNLOCKED SKILLS:
DIRECTED DIGESTION
CURRENT FOOD ITEM: PREY DEMON WOLF KING SALAZAR
TARGET PREY
CAPTURE PREY
SLAY PREY
RELEASE PREY (unavailable due to Starvation)
PREY RESTORATION (new)
DEMON FORM
FATE BOONS: NONE
-----
SETTINGS
I stared at the oddity at the bottom of the page for a brief moment before setting it aside to fiddle with latter and went back to the other things that were on there. My stomach turned at Salazar being considered ‘Food’ by my Fate abilities but ‘Directed Digestion’ and ‘Prey Restoration’ sounded promising. I noticed the ‘new’ in parenthesis after it and checked where my unread message indicator was. Sure enough, it was blinking at me again, but I chose to ignore it for now to focus at trying to help Salazar.
‘Release Prey’ also looked promising but it was unavailable because of me still being in a ‘Starved’ state. So, I tried the other two with no success. ‘Directed Digestion’ required that there be another target while I lacked the resources to use ‘Prey Restoration’.
I was, however, able to designate Salazar as an ‘Allied Prey’ in the ‘Settings’ area. It opened up other options for him like giving him free range to wander about the prison/my insides and the ability to feed them from my food stores if they needed. I thought they were a bit strange when I saw them but having him automatically put at the bottom of the targets for ‘Directed Digestion’ and permanent protection from my ‘Slay Prey’ skill so long as he remained an ally was promising.
I needed more things in my stomach in order for the settings to work but at least it was a start. I also turned off and locked the automatic activation of my ‘Slay Prey’ skill now that I knew of the setting and was glad that I had caught that before I killed something I didn’t want dead by accident. I also fiddled a bit with my notification settings so that they would be condensed down since I wasn’t looking at them all the time. I checked my messages to see if it worked the way I wanted to before I gave my ‘Demon Form’ skill a quick look and was surprised at what I had found.
DEMON FORM STATUS
2.3 Enhancement to all base statuses and abilities when active
Length of activation based on Resource spent
Appearance change
Form only abilities, skills, and enhancements: None
20~ hour cool down in affect
Rest, Eat, Drink or CONSUME and fully DIGEST captured prey to reduce cool down
Increasing your Fate and Level will reduce starting cool down and increase strength of Enhancement
