Chapter 4 Evolver
'I'm guessing Shiro named her already. Why doesn't she have any unique skills though? She was blessed by the [Fallen Dragon God] as well.'
<<Answer. Not all High Ranking Beings are capable of granting Unique Skills>>
'For real? And a simple baby chick like me got 3 unique skills? I'm starting to feel like something bad is going to happen down the line.'
The girl, Shiro said something.
I looked at her face and his had a bluish shade over it. That's when I realized that the entire time I had been checking our status panels, we had reached the giant jewel. She looked at me then at Karma. There was a very adorable smile on her face. Like she was unsure of something or nervous.
She stretched out her hand to touch the gem. I looked at it and [Analyst] activated.
'Looks like it works on objects too.'
[Item name]: Gemstone of the Ancients
[Item rank]: Legendary
[Description]: A gemstone left by a tribe of Ancients.
[Effect: 1. Power Scanning
2. Contract Formation
3. Law Amendment
4. It kills anyone with |Of World| title
[Value]: 400,000 gold pieces.
'Oi, oi. This isn't something I'm supposed to be seeing so early on in my adventures. This is too scary. What is that |Of World| title effect 4 talks off?'
A screen popped up to answer me.
[|Of World|: A title given to those born of the [World]]
'Eh? D-Does that mean those who come from this world?'
<<Affirmative>>
'D-Doesn't that mean it's basically a useless piece of rock for someone from this world? Wait! Shiro no! Don't touch it!'
I tried to warn the girl by jumping on her palm, but it didn't work. She wasn't listening to me and her palm was literally inches away from the rock. There was nothing I could do for her and I wasn't going to stress myself over it. I didn't really know her either way. She placed her hand on the rock.
"Oi! Oi. Do you want to die!?"
I tried screaming, but as expected, only chirps came out.
The Gemstone glowed a brilliant blue light, and we were consumed by the light. It was so bright I had to close my eyes and even then I could see through my shut eye lids. After it calmed down I opened my eyes and there was a status panel in front of me.
ALERT
Shiro Tatsumaki is requesting a soul bond with you. Will you accept?
[YES] / [NO]
'Soul bond? With me? She wants to get married? Huh? What's happening?!'
I looked around, confused. I thought she would have died by making contact with the rock, but she didn't. In fact, she looked like nothing had happened at all. Was [Analyst] wrong then?
I heard a weird squeak, so I looked up, only to see Karma glaring at me. I didn't know what she was trying to say so I looked back at the screen in front of me.
<<Note. It might be best to refuse>>
'Refuse a chance to get married to a hotty? No way. I mean what could go wrong?'
Ignoring the agent, I accepted it and the screen disappeared. I looked around for a bit and nothing happened.
'You see, nothing bad happened and I can hear the wedding bells already. Mister Hinotori and Mrs. Shiro. That has a nice ring to it.'
Suddenly, another status screen popped up.
[ALERT]
[You have accepted the soul bond request from Shiro Tatsumaki. Congratulations. You are now her slave]
'Huh!? Slave? What's that supposed to mean.'
<<You became her slave because weaker creatures cannot have an equal's soul bond with creatures of higher strength. It automatically transforms into a slave contract>>
'Wait! For real!? I just got here and now I'm a slave!?'
[ALERT]
[You have received new titles and have joined Shiro's familia]
'Huh?
I immediately opened my status panel and was shocked at the same time horrified and brought to tears.
STATUS
[Name: Hinotori
[Species: Golden Chick Level 1/15
[Status: -
[Age: 30 minutes
[Rank: F
[Race Rank: Tier 1
[Titles: [Newborn in a New World], [Rare Species], [Familiar], [Familiar of the Tatsumaki Heiress]
[Blessings: Ancient goddess' blessings
[Level: 1 Exp: 0/20
[Health: 20/20 Stamina: 25 Strength: 5 Speed: 40 Defense: 7 Dexterity: 6 Intelligence: 10 Luck: 40
[Skills: [Evolver], [Analyst], [God's voice] [Adorable Wink], [Imprint], [Baby Chick Cry]
[Familia: Captain: Tora
Grunts: Kame, Karma, Hinotori
'What the hell am I seeing!? Don't people who usually get reincarnated in another world just set out to become an overpowered freak there? But I'm a slave? Why me?!'
I screamed in a rage.
'You are too loud.'
I heard a raspy female voice say which made me think that I was starting to hear one too many voices in my head. And I was starting to get the feeling that it wasn't normal to have two in a person's head.
'Huh? Who said that?'
I asked, hopefully it wouldn't be another super powerful being trapped in my head.
'I'm on the master's shoulder.'
The voice said.
'The master's shoulder?' I instinctively looked towards the girl's shoulder where Karma rested. The black dragon was looking down at me with its royal gaze, as if watching a noble watching a pitiful peon. That sort of ticked me off.
'Were you the voice I heard?' I asked
'I suppose so. Unless there is another?'
I jumped up in shock.
'You can talk!?'
Karma stuck her tongue out like how a lizard would then looked away.
<<Answer. Both targets Karma and you are incapable of talking for the moment. The only reason why you can hear her voice is because you share a soul bond, so all your thoughts are shared between each other>>
God's agent explained the situation to me in the most unsettling of ways. I didn't like the fact that all our thoughts were being shared between ourselves. I didn't like anyone knowing what I thought to myself.
'Oh. So that's how it is.'
As I was thinking to myself, I could feel eyes looking at me. It felt so awkward I stopped all movement and faced the huge crimson red eyes. I gulped as I stared at those beautiful eyes that seemed to swallow me whole.
'W-what is it?'
I forced the words out of my beak. This time, I knew that she could understand me because of the soul bond.
"Hinotori-chan. Can you understand me?"
She asked with a nervous smile on her face. I didn't understand why she was nervous though. I was the guy who was now a frail chick.
'Y-yes?'
Her pupils dilated instantly, then she jumped in the air, forgetting that I stood on her palm. I was flung into the air and was headed for the lake. All I could hear was, "Yes! Yes! Yes! I managed to get another familiar! And it's a cute one too!"
While she was yelling that, I was also screaming for help.
'Aaaaagggghhhhh!!!!!'
Suddenly, this wave of calmness spread over me. It was just like before, when I was hyperventilating. That thing was starting to get annoying. It was almost like it wouldn't allow me to lose control of my emotions for a weird reason.
'What is that?'
<<Answer. An effect of the skill [Evolver]. It allows you to stay calm in all situations>>
It would seem that [Evolver] makes me unable to get excited. That's good because it enables me to think rationally at times like this. But it's in times like this that I don't want to think rationally because if I wasn't able to think it through, I wouldn't have known that my chances of survival were practically zero.
I looked at the lake then I looked at the girl who was still jumping. She hadn't realized that I was about to fall into the water.
'She isn't falling into the water, huh? Yo, agent. Didn't you say something about her using a skill to do that?'
<<Affirmative>>
'Can you explain it to me? How it works I mean. Quickly!'
<< [Air Plate] is a common magic spell that requires intense concentration to keep up for long periods of time>>
God's agent confirmed my suspicions. It was magic, which meant
'Does that mean I can also do the same?'
<<Affirmative. But not as of yet>>
'What the hell do you mean by not as of yet!? I'm about to die!'
<<Your mana circuits and control are too weak. If you attempted to utilize mana now, your mana circuits would break and this might lead to spontaneous combustion>>
'Eh!? What the hell!? You're telling me that I can't use magic else I'll die!? What kind of shitty body is this?'
<<Affirmative. After a period of 62 days. Your mana circuits will be properly developed and you will be able to utilize mana. Any use of mana before this deadline will result in your death>>
'Ok, then what about the skill [Evolver]. It allows to me live comfortably right? So if I channel mana right now, it'll let me avoid death, right?'
<<Negative. The unique skill [Evolver] works on the principle of equal but opposite reaction. To do this there will be a price that you will not be able to pay>>
'Eeeeeehhh!!!??? Too dangerous! Too dangerous!! What am I going to do now? Will I just fall into the lake and die? Again!?'
As soon as I thought that, I submerged into the lake. I could feel the water rushing into all available holes on my body. With all my strength I tried to swim up but I couldn't. The water was too dense and I had the body a newly hatched chick. I was doomed to die unless Shiro decided to save me.
As the water rushed into my ear holes, I couldn't think straight. I wanted to swim up, but my body was too heavy. I couldn't move it again. The more I cried for a help, the more water that entered my body. Soon, I gave up and begun to sink, slowly giving into the deep cold. Strangely though, it felt nice. Like I was being welcomed.
'So I am going to die again? On the very day I reincarnated? That's shitty. Heh, maybe in my next life I'll be a badass powerhouse. Hopefully as something more than a chicken. A slime seems fun.'
As I began giving up on life, I heard God's agent mumble some annoying stuff.