My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 38: Peaceful Days

The next few days passed peacefully. Although they were busy with setting up various defenses around the town. Kace glanced at adult humans who were sobbing in their cages. They had captured as many alive as they could to be used as fresh meat.

The more Kace accepted his monstrous nature the more he began to feel at ease with situations like this. Just now he was heading towards the Mages Association. The area that had been demolished around it during the fighting had finally finished being cleared yesterday.

So now it had been turned into an area to practice sparring. He was going to meet Grugda, since neither Kharja or Gyn could pose a threat his current self.

'I hope the Heroes turn up soon. I need more exp.' he thought sullenly. He had gained 1200 exp upon Stonefall staying under their control for twenty four hours. He was only 350 away from his next level now.

On the other hand he had gained the Goblin Lord title. It gave him the right to take command of up to one hundred goblins. It also meant that any goblins he would meet on his travels would welcome him as one of their own.

As he arrived at his destination Grugda was already waiting for him. The Eljein focused all three of his eyes on him.

"You're late." He said without any emotion.

"Yeah yeah. I know." Kace replied casually.

A crowd had already gathered to watch their match. Kharja and Gyn could be seen near the front of the crowd chatting away with each other. The pair seemed to be getting along well these days.

Kace took up his position a short distance away from Grugda and prepared himself. Once he was ready they began. Kace immediately cast [Silence] but it was blocked with an earthen wall.

Grugda responded by firing off stone bullets in a scattered formation to try and trap him. He activated [Kinetic Vision] allowing him to defend against the projectiles as he continued advancing.

He smiled as he noticed a gap and cast [Mind Numb]. Luckily this one struck the Eljein as he was unprepared for it. Making him feel groggy.

This was not enough though. Grugda's response was set up multiple walls to block his advance while firing more stone bullets at the gaps between them. The crowd was already getting excited at watching such a heated battle.

"Grugda will win." Kharja said to Gyn as he watched the fight.

"Keep dreaming." Gyn retaliated before the pair began laughing.

'Thanks for the confidence boost!' Kace thought feeling annoyed by Kharja's remark.

It was true he was in a bad situation. Though he had already come up with a plan having expected this. Using [Spider Thread] he creates nets between the walls to catch the stone bullets.

As more and more got caught in the webs it began to become difficult for Grugda to see if Kace was moving between them. At the last second he looked up as a shadow passed over his face.

Kace slammed his halberd down hard, aware that anything less would not be enough even for a spar. He had used another thread to scale over the top of the walls while Grugda had been focused on the nets he had made.

The Eljein stamped his foot. Tree roots sprang from the earth and slapped Kace backwards before his attack could reach him. Feeling disgruntled about the quick response he picked himself up off the ground. Eyeing Grugda warily.

'He's got so many tricks tucked away I doubt I can outmanouver him.' Kace thought. The whole point of this spar was for Kace to gain more experience in fighting those who could use mana.

'I guess it's time to use that then.' he thought as grin broke out on his face.

As he charged forward again Grugda prepared another wall for him. '[Ice Spear]!' The spear of ice quickly formed and flew forward. Piercing through the wall and continuing on to strike Grugda in leg. Catching him off guard.

He was not prepared for it as he had no idea that Kace even knew this spell. He grimaced as his mind returned to the fight with Victor.

Not wanting to lose his momentum Kace dashed around the side of the wall and used [Stampede] and [Cursed Weapon] in unison. As he swung the halberd Grugda suddenly covered his body and arms with hard stone.

It was Kace's turn to be caught out. As his weapon struck he felt vibrations run up his arms from the blow. A crack appeared on the stone where the blow had landed. The next thing he saw was a stone covered fist headed for his face.

He would not be caught with something like this though. Easily avoiding the blow thanks to his advanced vision. Though that was the last use he would get out of it. Having to deactivate it as his AP was getting low and he wanted to conserve some incase he needed [Stampede] again.

As he side stepped around his stone covered opponent he fired off another [Ice Spear]. Piercing through the armour and impaling Grugda's other leg. Letting out a loud roar it seemed like he had enraged the usually gentle giant.

Grugda was now out for blood. As he waved his hands a multitude of roots sprang forth. Seeking to deal similar injuries to Kace. 'Might have overdone it.' he thought as he panicked.

Just when he was about to be impaled he let out [Fire Spit]. Quickly melting away the offending roots. He had failed to notice the ones approaching from behind though.

They lashed at the back of his legs causing him to kneel on the ground. In that moment his arms, legs and throat were seized by separate roots as a particularly thick one wrapped around his chest.

They raised him into the air to display his captured body. Causing riotous laughter and Kharja punching Gyn on the shoulder as he roared that he had told him so. Gyn could only smile in disappointment. He knew both were strong in their own ways but he had thought more of Kace.

"Fine! You win!" Kace roared, unable to deal with the humiliation any longer.

Grugda dropped his stone armour and released him. As Kace hit the ground he was certain he had seen a playful smile on the Eljeins face. As he lay there Grugda removed the Ice impaled in his legs and began pouring some liquid from one of his many bone decorations onto the wounds.

The wounds knitted themselves back together almost instantly upon coming into contact with the liquid. 'I need to get some of that.' Kace thought as he once again picked himself up.

"Thanks Grugda. It was a good match." He said as he approached the Eljein and shook his hand.

"Same again? Tomorrow?"

"I'll think about that one and get back to you later on it." Kace replied not too keen on the idea of being humiliated again.

"Need to. Train more. Not even. Warm up."

Kace felt his cheeks flush as he was told that he was not even a warm up for Grugda. It made want to punch him in the face but he would be the one that would take the beating in the end. With a sigh he swallowed his pride.

"I'll try to get better." He said, nodding in acknowledgement of what he had said.

A stone clattered against the back of his head. Turning to see who had thrown it his gaze met with a grinning Kharja.

"Let's get some food!" he roared.

"Sure let's go."

"Afterwards I'm next!" the bulky orc cried out.

Kace smiled at this. It was only fair for him to vent his frustration out on the orc right? Surely nobody would blame him. 'These peaceful days won't last much longer though.' he thought. His eyes gazing out over the walls towards the mountain.

*

CURRENT STATS

Name: Kace

Class: Hexblade

Title: Glutton, Man-Eater, Predator, Goblin Lord

Level: 5

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Race: Chimera (Monster)

Rank: Captain

Legendary Feats: 2

HP 310/310

AP 255/255

MP 270/270

Exp 2050/2400

Strength: 20

Endurance: 14

Intelligence: 17

Willpower: 13

Agility: 19

Speed:17

Charm: 9

Luck: 5

Skills:

Racial: Basic DNA Manipulation (Passive)

Description: Having absorbed enough DNA strands into your own DNA chain has unlocked the Chimeras natural ability to alter themselves. Using accumulated DNA points you may choose only one genetic enhancement or skill from each strand per level of Mastery. Spend DNA points to rank up. Next Level: Apprentice. Current points: 0

Just think 'DNA' to activate.

Racial: Digestion (Passive)

Description: Able to eat the meat of any living thing absorbing a portion of its Experience for your own. Slight chance to trigger Assimilation.

Racial: Assimilation (Passive)

Description: A racial ability of the Chimera. When triggered randomly increases HP, AP or MP as a percentage of subjects Max Value. Slight chance to randomly gain an ability or knowledge possessed by the subject.

Racial: Chameleon (Passive)

Description: Your Chimera bloodline his awakened the ability to give a false reading of your status. Allowing you to "blend" into the world of humans with great ease.

Class Unique Skill: Empower.

Description: At the cost of 20 MP, once per day cast a wide area hex. Those caught in it's area of effect will suffer a 20% decrease in all attributes temporarily transferring these stats to you. Lasts for three minutes.

Tracking (Active)

Cost: (None)

Description: Heightens users sense of hearing and smell allowing them to 'see' recent paths of passing lives.

Night Eye (Active)

Cost: (None)

Description: Allows user to see in the dark.

Kinetic Vision (Active)

Cost: (1 AP/ per Second)

Description: Heightens the users ability to track fast movements resulting in faster reaction speeds.

Stampede (Active)

Cost: 5 AP

Description: A skill allowing the user to rush forward at extreme speed for up to 10 metres ignoring all incoming damage in the process.

Instinct (Passive)

Cost (None)

Description: 70% chance to detect a stealth attack aimed at the user. 30% chance to automatically react to what would be a lethal blow preventing a killing strike.

Spider Thread (Active)

Cost: (3 MP)

Description: This is the innate skill of soldier level spider monsters. Able to secrete a mana enriched spider thread. Can be made tough like steel or extremely sticky. Highly versatile.

Ice Spear (Active) (New)

Cost: 10 MP

Description: Freezing the moisture in the air you create a fast moving projectile as cold as the embrace of death.

Flame Spit (Active)

Cost: (5 MP)

Description: This is an innate skill of the Salamander. Using magic you turn air into flammable liquid in your left lung. The right lung sets natural gases on fire. When you breathe out the two mix in your throat to create a high temperature flame. As you breathe out magic power mixes in to greatly increase the propulsion rate. Please note that while magic will keep you from harming yourself internally a serious case of dry mouth may be inevitable.

Silence (Active)

Despription: Cast a curse on your enemy for 10 MP. Causes the enemies mana to be locked making magic impossible for 10 seconds. Upgradeable. Level 1/5

Cursed Weapon (Active)

Description: Curse your weapon for 10 MP. Each strike on an enemy creates a stackable curse. Each curse decreases all attributed by 2 points. Stacks up to 5 times. Stack lasts for 20 seconds. Upgradeable. Level 1/5]

[DNA] [Padded Feet] [Passive]

Increases Agilility by 5.

[DNA] [Fangs and Claws] [Passive]

Increases Strength by 5. Elongates and hardens hosts nails and grows fangs.

[DNA] [Swift Foot] [Passive]

Increases Speed by 5.

[DNA] [Mind Numb] [Active] Cost: 3 MP

Magic that causes opponents thoughts to be slightly clouded. Occasionally causing slower thought processes.

[DNA] [Curtain of Night] [Passive]

Passive ability that greatly enhances the hosts natural stealth. Without great perception the host may as well be invisible to their surroundings.

[DNA] [Rocksteady] [Passive]

Passive that increases hosts Endurance by 5 points.

[DNA] [Natures Pact] [Passive]

Passive granting immunity from poisons possessed by plants.

HUNTER STATS

Name: Kace

Class: Hexblade

Rank: E

Level: 3

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Race: Human

HP 220/220

AP 190/190

MP 50/50

Exp 215/400

Strength: 12

Endurance: 6

Intelligence: 11

Willpower: 6

Agility: 10

Speed: 11

Charm: 4

Luck: 4

Skills:

Tracking (Active)

Cost: (None)

Description: Heightens users sense of hearing and smell allowing them to 'see' recent paths of passing lives.

Instinct (Passive)

Cost (None)

Description: 70% chance to detect a stealth attack aimed at the user. 30% chance to automatically react to what would be a lethal blow preventing a killing strike.

Class Unique Skill: Empower. (New)

Description: At the cost of 20 MP, once per day cast a wide area hex. Those caught in it's area of effect will suffer a 20% decrease in all attributes temporarily transferring these stats to you. Lasts for three minutes.

Silence (Active) (New)

Despription: Cast a curse on your enemy for 10 MP. Causes the enemies mana to be locked making magic impossible for 10 seconds. Upgradeable. Level 1/5

Cursed Weapon (Active)(New)

Description: Curse your weapon for 10 MP. Each strike on an enemy creates a stackable curse. Each curse decreases all attributed by 2 points. Stacks up to 5 times. Stack lasts for 20 seconds. Upgradeable. Level 1/5]

Stampede (Active)

Cost: 5 AP

Description: A skill allowing the user to rush forward at extreme speed for up to 10 metres ignoring all incoming damage in the process.