Chapter 29
"Uwaah!?"
"W-What is this meow!? Crow! The Magpie went inside Mr. Adventurer meow!"
"...?"
Leaving a faint ripple on the surface of the Contractor's black Robe. Thanks to the Magpie suddenly vanishing, the Party Members fell into confusion.
"Lord Magpie... into my body...?"
"Crow, what on earth happened here meow?"
Even if you ask me that, I am just as bewildered.
I told the Magpie to protect the Contractor; I never told it to crawl inside the Contractor's Robe. Actually, how did it even get in there in the first place?
'Let's stay calm.'
Showing my panic here will only add to the confusion.
I must respond naturally, as I always have.
"Everyone, calm down. The Magpie has simply possessed the Robe temporarily to protect the Contractor."
—is the setting I'm going with!
It is quite natural for something fantastical, like a spirit or a Demon's Kin, to possess Equipment, after all.
"Kyu!"
As if confirming my words, the Magpie's cry echoes from within the Contractor's Robe at the perfect time.
What incredibly nice timing, Magpie.
"Ooooh! So that was it?"
"Well, something like that."
"...There are all sorts of fascinating Kin meow. But Crow. What exactly is the Magpie's ability meow?"
"...."
At Shion's sharp question, my useless mouth and brain immediately ceased to function.
That's right.
Originally, the Magpie's main ability was managing the various functions of the Plague Doctor character.
Things like manipulating cells to create wings, adjusting nerves to erase pain, or pushing Regeneration to its absolute limits.
However, the Magpie is currently detached from my body and exists independently.
Then what kind of abilities does the current Magpie even have?
And what about me, without my control tower known as the Magpie...
Besides pulling a gun out of my chest, what the hell can I do?
"Hmm."
Well.
I'll just have to check for myself.
I am the Demon of a Speed Shooter, faster to pull the Trigger than to agonize over things.
Therefore, for now, I act.
Inhale....
As I slowly breathe in for Concentration, something simultaneously cold and hot pierces through the Plague Doctor Mask's Filter.
A subtle sweetness can be felt in between. An instinctive fear of the unknown.
Feeling a delicate sense of omnipotence and a pulse of power spreading throughout my body, I slowly clenched my hand.
"...."
Normally, this would be the time to issue an order to the Magpie. To tell it to use its vaunted abilities to create what I desire. Things like wings or a romantically awesome Biological Weapon.
But right now, the Magpie is away playing with the Black Magician Kid next door.
Then, what should I do?
What do you mean, what should I do. Beggars can't be choosers, I have to figure it out myself. A thirsty man digs a well.
Therefore.
I craved.
'Sword.'
For a sturdy sword to be grasped in this hand.
The emperor of bladed Weapons, which makes you bleed if slashed and leaves you crippled if stabbed. I vaguely imagined it.
A classic sword I casually spotted while strolling through the city center. As that rugged image is added, the imagination becomes much more concrete.
"...."
That was it.
Only the image of a 'freaking awesome classic sword' popped into my head.
There is just a Plague Doctor Cosplayer squirming around, clenching and unclenching one hand as if it's itchy....
"...What are you trying to do now, Crow meow?"
"I have a bad feeling about this."
As my strange behavior and silence dragged on, the Party Members' anxiety only grew.
What the hell. What am I missing that a sword isn't popping out with a swish!
Wasn't it an unwritten rule of fantasy that you could do anything as long as you had the willpower?
....
'Wait.'
This World is a fantasy world, but not an ordinary one; it's a game fantasy world with a strong RPG vibe, featuring a Leveling System, Skills, and a Dungeon equipped with a Portal.
That's right.
An RPG game.
'Patch Notes.'
Struck by a sudden realization, I urgently called up the Patch Notes.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[Passive Skill]
A Passive Skill refers to a skill that is always active even if not used directly!
[Mana Body]
It might melt away if you let your guard down!
-Substitution.
[Fear Eater]
Fear is your source.
-Conversion.
[Indescribable Fear]
Fear is like a shapeless shadow.
-Polymorph.
[Heterogeneous Color]
The unknown is one of the oldest fears.
-Disturbance.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
What I need to pay attention to right now are the Passive Skills. Among them, the one called [Indescribable Fear].
After skipping the part about fear being a shapeless whatever, looking at the end of its description reveals a meaningful word.
'Polymorph'
To change or transform from one's original state.
I had thought about this when I first saw the skill.
It must be a skill created by combining Traits related to body polymorphing.
Then why wasn't it activating?
If it's a Passive Skill, shouldn't it be active at all times like the description stated?
'No.'
Even a Passive Skill might not always be active.
Because some well-made RPG games have a System called a 'Toggle'.
A function that can switch between 'Activation' and 'Deactivation' states.
Simply put, a System that allows you to turn passives on and off is this thing called a toggle.
That's right. Right now, I am thinking that one of my damn Passive Skills might be in an [off] state.
Since there was no dedicated skill Activation button, it was highly likely that the Activation condition was a voice Command like an active skill.
Well then, since I figured out how to solve the problem, it was time to take action.
It was a bit embarrassing, but since I couldn't drag things out any longer, I calmly opened my mouth.
"Indescribable Fear."
"Pardon?"
"What are you suddenly saying again meow."
Other than Shion and the Contractor's gazes becoming slightly more painful, nothing had really changed.
'Is this not it?'
It seems I need to use a different Command rather than the skill name.
'If it's not the skill name, could it be...?'
"Polymorph?"
-Ding!
[Would you like to activate the Passive Skill: [Indescribable Fear]?]
[ [YES] [NO] ]
A transparent window popped up with a cheerful notification sound.
I had a feeling. The word written below the description was the skill Activation on/off Command.
I checked to see if any of the other Passive Skills were in a Deactivation state, but all the other skills were active.
In that case.
'Why was only this skill deactivated?'
—With that thought in mind, I activated the skill.
If I'm curious, I just have to try it out.
'Accept.'
-Ding!
[Confirmed!]
[Passive Skill: [Indescribable Fear] will be activated.]
[Caution* Please maintain Concentration!]
Concentration?
***
Simultaneously with the skill's Activation, the change came instantly.
—Rustle.
"Huh?"
"Nya...?"
"Hmm?"
In an instant, the Contractor and Shion grew ridiculously tall!
No, wait.
Looking again, it seems I've shrunk.
'What in the world happened?'
I want to check my body's condition, but my Head won't turn.
It's not like I don't have feeling below my neck. It's just a bit strange. It feels like every part of my flesh is clumped together like Rubber Clay.
Feeling my legs where my arms should be, and my waist where my chest should be....
A bizarre sensation of my body being literally jumbled up into a chaotic mess.
"The Crow melted down, leaving only his Head meow!?"
"R-Raven, are you okay!?"
'I melted down?'
Shion and the Contractor looked even more shocked than when I pulled an egg out of my chest.
I figured calming them down should be the priority, so I opened my mouth. Fortunately, my Head was fine, and the words came out smoothly.
"Everyone, calm down. I am fine."
"Saying that while looking like that doesn't calm me down at all meow!"
"...Raven, are you perhaps lacking fear? Why do you suddenly look like that...."
I don't know what state I am in for everyone to be panicking this much.
Did I really melt down like Shion said?
'It's really frustrating not being able to see.'
Amidst the Contractor and Shion's bizarre gazes, I slowly retraced my tangled bodily sensations and tried to somehow raise my body.
Twitch, twitch!
As I pictured my original self in my Head and continued my Concentration, the sensation in each part sharply came alive and began to find its place.
—Rustle!
"He's slowly returning meow!"
"Whoa...."
'I think I roughly understand how this feels.'
My flesh and mind adapted to the new sensation.
And then.
"...."
At some point, I was standing again.
'Is this why the Goddess left the Skill on Deactivation?'
If I had melted down right at the Update, even I would have been quite panicked.
And above all else. This Skill requires far too much Concentration.
Even now, I am putting intense effort into my whole body to maintain its original form.
If I relax even a little bit, I'll probably end up looking weird like just before.
However, once I adapt to it, I think I'll be able to do more than I expected.
For example.
Something like this.
—Swish!
"...A sword?"
In a fleeting moment of less than a second, the black branch extending from my hand instantly transformed into the shape of a sword.
I really liked how heavy yet sharp it felt.
Not bad at all.
"Hmm."
This should be very useful in testing out our Magpie's abilities.
I took my eyes off the sword that looked like it was picked up from a fire scene and shifted my gaze to Shion and the Contractor.
Seeing me pull an egg out of my chest, melt down by myself, and suddenly even conjure a sword, Shion and the Contractor's expressions clearly showed they were thoroughly fed up.
But what could I do? This is just how my body is built.
As if I've truly become the Demon of Fear.
I lightly shook my Head to clear my thoughts and called out to the Contractor.
"Contractor."
"...Yes?"
The Contractor looked at me with a mix of question and anxiety.
Well, anyone would react that way if pointed out by a sword-wielding Phantom with a Crow's Head.
However.
"Do not be too afraid."
I didn't really intend to hurt her.
—Swoosh!
Saying that, I directly thrust the sword at the Contractor.
"Eh?"
'Magpie, show us something!'
Cheering the Magpie on enthusiastically in my mind.
***
Kyu, kyu!?
F-Father!?
Are you truly out of your mind?
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