When I woke up, I found myself lying in a forest, and just as that crazy woman had said, I was in a new body—that of a horse.
When I tried to gesture a word, all I could manage was a whinny.
(I had lost the ability to speak and was now limited to soft whinnies.)
Stretching my sturdy legs, I got to my feet and began wandering in circles.
Surprisingly, I didn't have much trouble walking, but running was a bit tricky. When I tried to run in a straight line, I crashed into a tree and knocked it over, but despite the impact, I wasn't hurt.
After testing all the possible capabilities of my new body, I ventured into the forest and continued wandering around the area; I walked for hours until a noise similar to an explosion caught my attention
With no time to lose, I quickened my pace a bit, and within a few minutes I reached the site of the explosion
From behind a bush and a tree, I watched the scene.
There were two people there fighting a lion-like creature. One of them was a slightly petite woman with pink hair who carried a huge staff from which she fired violet energy spheres.
Not far from her stood a man of similar height with blue hair, wielding a sword.
(What?)
A blue screen appeared in front of me.
----------------------------------------------- REGISTRATION ACTIVATED -----------------------------------------------
WELCOME, USER. THE REGISTRATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN ACTIVATED. FROM NOW ON, WITH THE SYSTEM'S HELP, YOU CAN VIEW STATISTICS AND INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT THE HERO TRAIT. YOU JUST NEED TO SAY THE WORD "REGISTRATION" AND LOOK AT THE PERSON ABOUT WHOM YOU WISH TO OBTAIN INFORMATION.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW YOUR OWN STATISTICS SIMPLY BY LOOKING AT ANY PART OF YOUR BODY AND SAYING THE WORD "REGISTRATION." IN TURN, IF YOU MANAGE TO COLLECT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF DARK ESSENCE, A STORE WILL BE UNLOCKED WHERE YOU CAN EXCHANGE THAT DARK ESSENCE FOR SKILLS, ITEMS, AND SKILL UPGRADES.
THE REGISTER ALSO HAS AN EXTRA FEATURE CALLED "CORRUPTION REGISTER," WHICH WILL DISPLAY MUCH MORE PERSONAL STATISTICS, THOUGHTS, AND SEXUAL PREFERENCES. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THIS FEATURE IS AN EXTRA FEATURE AND WILL BE ACTIVATED IN THE REGISTER OF THE PERSON WHO HAS ENGAGED IN A SEXUAL ACT WITH THE HOST.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ACCESS THE SUPPORT SECTION BY SIMPLY ACTIVATING THE REGISTER AND ENTERING THE WORD "HELP"
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(Maybe this is the so-called "extra help" that sadistic woman was talking about...)
(But how the hell am I supposed to activate that system now if all I can do is neigh?)
(Hmm, will it work if I say it in my head?)
(I look at my hooves and mentally say the word "register")
(A transparent blue screen appeared before me)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Mark
Race: Mid-tier dark equine monster
Strength: 5/10
Stamina: 6/10
Dexterity: 5/10
Mana: 10/100
Magic: 0/10
Luck: 4/10
Dark Essence: 0
------------------------------------------------------ SKILLS -------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Quick Kick Lv5) (Momentary Acceleration Lv5) (Lethal Kick Lv4)
(Super Senses Lv4) (Tough Skin Lv4) (Resistance to Physical Attacks Lv4)
(Charge Lv3) (Instinct Lv3)
--------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION--------------------------------------------------------------
A quadrupedal monster focused on rapid melee attacks. It possesses great endurance and speed, which, combined with the overwhelming strength in its legs, makes it a fast and lethal attacker
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(So that's my info...)
(After seeing my status on the screen, I said the word "register" again, and the screen disappeared)
(Wow, so that's how it works...)
(I watch the man who was fighting the lion-like beast)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Yulian
Race: Human
Class: Novice Magic Swordsman
Strength: 3/10
Stamina: 3/10
Dexterity: 4/10
Mana: 350/1000
Magic: 3/10
Luck: 6/10
Holy Energy: 100/100
--------------------------------------------------- - SKILLS -------------------------------------------------------------
(Quick Slash lv3) (Sword Dance lv2) (Blade of Light lv1)
(Magic Sword lv2) (Super Senses lv1) (Tenacity lv4) (Mana Absorption lv2)
(Magic Resistance Lv2) (Hero Aspirant Lv3) (Golden Aura Lv1)
(Resistance to Physical Attacks Lv2)
--------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION---------------------------------------------------------------
A young warrior with the blood of a hero running through his veins, he possesses great talent and determination. Destined to be one of the strongest in this world
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(For a hero, his stats are low, but he has some abilities that, just by reading them, give me the vibe that they're very powerful)
(I wonder what the stats of the girl with pink hair will be)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Name: Liz
Race: Human
Class: Novice Mage
Strength: 4/10
Stamina: 4/10
Dexterity: 3/10
Mana: 10/50
Magic: 0/10
Luck: 3/10
-------------------------------------------------------- SKILLS -----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Energy Sphere Lv4) (Magical Affinity Lv3) (Fireball Lv3) (Fiery Blast Lv4) (Lightning Bolt Lv3) (Electrical Storm Lv3) (Mana Absorption Lv3) (Magic Chant Lv2) (Mana Regeneration Lv2) (Concentration Lv3) (Magic Shield Lv3) (Resistance to Magic Attacks Lv2)
----------------------------------------------------DESCRIPTION---------------------------------------------------------------
A young mage with an affinity for the fire and electric elements. She recites spells that allow her to perform large-scale attacks, which can be lethal if she is given enough time to cast them. She is vulnerable to close-range attacks
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, it was more than obvious that she was a mage since she was carrying that huge staff, which is a huge cliché in stories about other worlds
(after seeing the information on the mage with pink hair)
(I proceeded to watch the fight between that young hero and that beast)
(I wonder if I'll be able to see the information on that beast?)
(This time, I said the word "scan" again while looking at the beast, and a screen appeared once more)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
Name: None
Race: Low-class dark feline monster
Strength: 3/10
Stamina: 3/10
Dexterity: 4/10
Mana: 350/1000
Magic: 3/10
Luck: 6/10
Dark Essence: 100
------------------------------------------------------- SKILLS -----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Lethal Claw Lv3) (Quick Attack Lv2) (Super Jump Lv2)
(Camouflage Lv3) (Super Senses Lv2) (Tough Skin Lv2) (Scent Lv2)
(Intimidation Lv2) (Steel Bite Lv3) (Charge Lv3) (Digging Lv3)
(Climbing Lv2) (Instinct Lv2)
--------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION ---------------------------------------------------------------
A dark feline beast focused on surprise attacks, it blends into its surroundings and waits for the right moment to strike. Once its jaws close, it will not let go of whatever it finds between its teeth for anything in the world.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(As I analyzed the data on that beast, I noticed it was very similar to my own records, and what caught my attention most of all was the "Dark Essence" stat)
(Unlike me, whose stat was at 0, that beast had a value of 100 for that stat)
(I was looking at the beast's stats when, all of a sudden, that feline beast swiped at him, and as a result, that young hero was sent flying several meters away.)
Yulian!
(That young hero had a claw wound across his entire torso from which a considerable amount of blood was beginning to flow, but despite that, he still got back up.)
I'm fine, Liz, this is nothing.
(Just like in any series or anime, after that boy spoke those words, his sword and his body began to be enveloped in a golden aura.)
"You just keep chanting; I'll hold it off."
(After saying those words, the boy faced the beast again, only this time the young hero was pushing the beast back. But that only lasted a few minutes, as over time that golden aura began to fade, and in turn, the beast started pushing the young hero back.)
(But before that golden aura faded completely, the pink-haired mage let out a cry)
Get away, Yulian
(The hero, hearing her words, moved away from the beast in the blink of an eye, and shortly thereafter, the area where the beast and the young hero had been stood A massive ring of electricity formed, preventing the beast from escaping, and after a few seconds, the entire area within the ring was lashed by a continuous barrage of lightning.)
(After the thunderous barrage ended, there was no trace of the beast.)
Did we defeat it?
I think so.
Huh?
(Defying their expectations, the beast emerged from the ground. It seemed the beast had dug a hole that allowed it to avoid most of the damage, but it still had a burn on one of its front legs from the impact of a lightning strike.)
Damn it, I'll try to buy some time. You...
(When the young man's golden aura faded, so did his consciousness.)
Yulian!
(The young hero had fainted, and the beast, seizing the opportunity, charged toward them. But before it could pounce, the pink-haired mage summoned a sort of shield that blocked its attack.)
(The beast repeatedly struck the shield, which began to crack more and more with each blow.)
(At this rate, those two kids are going to die.)
(...)
(Determined, I charged toward the beast with the intention of ramming it, but at the last moment, the beast leaped backward and dodged my attack.)
(Damn it.)
(With my back exposed, the beast took a huge leap toward my neck, but instinctively my hind legs rose and delivered a devastating blow)
(The blow was accompanied by a sharp crack as the beast's body crashed loudly to the ground)
(As I turned around, I could see that the creature's skull was crushed, with a huge crack in its forehead through which its brain was visible, along with blood oozing from the wound and its nostrils)
(Did I do that?)
(A little surprised by the situation, I couldn't help but look at my hind legs, which looked sturdy and completely unharmed)
-------------------------------------------------- ANNOUNCEMENT -----------------------------------------------------------
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE JUST DEFEATED A LOW-LEVEL DARK FELINE MONSTER AND OBTAINED 100 DARK ESSENCE. THIS HAS UNLOCKED THE DARK STORE
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----------------------------------------------------- DARK STORE ----------------------------------------------------------------
CHOOSE THE OPTION YOU WISH TO PURCHASE?
[DARK ESSENCE: 100]
[SKILLS]
[ITEMS]
[SYSTEM UPGRADES]
[STAT BOOSTS]
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(Another screen appeared in front of me, belonging to the shop I mentioned when the registration activated.)
(Just as I was about to browse the shop, I felt what seemed like a tickle on my back, and when I turned around, I saw the pink-haired mage summoning a fireball from her staff.)
(What the hell?!)
(At the last moment, I managed to dodge the attack)
Damn it, get away from me, you damn monster!
(The mage formed a new magic shield around herself)
(This is a problem; in her eyes, I'm nothing more than another monster)
(Hmm… is there a skill that would let me become human again?)
(As I spoke those words, the Dark Shop automatically showed me a single skill)
-------------------------------------------------- DARK SHOP ---------------------------------------------------------------------
[DARK ESSENCE: 100]
[Humanization (cost: 300)]
------------------------------------------------- DESCRIPTION -------------------------------------------------------------------
A skill that allows other races to take on a human form at will without the risk of losing their previous form. This form will be as close to a human as possible if the skill reaches level 10 or is above level 5
----------------------------------- WISH TO PURCHASE THIS ABILITY -----------------------------------------------
[INSUFFICIENT DARK ESSENCE]
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(Damn, the skill itself required a high level and was also excessively expensive.)
(Though, come to think of it, maybe this is for the best—if I acquired that skill, I'd be nothing more than a pseudo-human who could only neigh.)
(I'm looking for a skill that lets me communicate with other people.)
(The screen changed again and showed me another skill.)
----------------------------------------------- DARK STORE ----------------------------------------------------------------------
[DARK ESSENCE: 100]
[Language (cost: 10)]
------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION -------------------------------------------------------------------
A basic skill that can only be acquired by beings who do not possess articulate speech and allows them to communicate with other beings using a more complex language. Keep in mind that this skill requires a level higher than 3 to function properly; therefore, we recommend that you level up this skill in the "STAT BOOST" section.
----------------------------------- DO YOU WISH TO PURCHASE THIS SKILL? ------------------------------------
[ACCEPT]
[DECLINE]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Well, this seems to be the skill I need right now)
(I accept the purchase)
(After purchasing the language skill, I went to the stats boost section)
(The section wasn't much different from the registration screen, except that here I had to select the skill I wanted to improve)
(I want to improve the language skill)
----------------------------------------------------- STAT BOOST -----------------------------------------------------------------
DO YOU WISH TO UPGRADE THE LANGUAGE SKILL FROM LEVEL 1 TO LEVEL 2?
[DARK ESSENCE: 90]
(COST: 5 DARK ESSENCE)
[ACCEPT]
[REJECT]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(accept)
(After that, a small screen appeared telling me that the Language skill had leveled up, and since I saw I still had Dark Essence left, I decided to improve the skill as much as I could afford)
(And in less than a minute, I had upgraded the skill to level 4, leaving me with 15 Dark Essence, since the cost of the first upgrade was 5, the second 10, the third 20, and the fourth 40)
(This whole process takes me about 5 minutes, and I can do it with complete calm since this time the mage decided to stay inside her shield instead of attacking)
(Once I acquired the skill, I approached her, and she raised her staff defensively, holding it in front of her)
(Well… should I start with a "hello"? Ugh, I hope I don't make this situation worse with my terrible social skills…)
(Alright, here we go)
Hello…
(This time I managed to say a word instead of whinnying, which meant that acquiring and improving this skill was a success)
My name is Mark, and I don't intend to hurt you. I'm on the humans' side.
(I proceed to smile)
(I was hoping this might make the girl stop feeling threatened by my presence, but I think I made the situation worse since she started looking at me with fear)