A Fungal Dream

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Again.

In the dead of the night in another empty building, I channeled some energy while reading the incantation from the book.

Oh, pure flames which burn by the love of God, answer my prayers by descending your holy powers onto me, so that your servant may purge your enemies from your realm. Fire Magic: Flame Bolt!

I could feel something forming from my hand but once it exited from my palm, nothing happened.

Damn it, what the hell am I doing wrong? I recited the spell perfectly and I should have an affinity for fire magic so what am I doing wrong? Bah, maybe I should try another type of magic.

I flipped through the book looking for the spell I was looking for.

Once I found it, I placed my hand on my chest as I was concentrating.

Lord, give me strength so that I may be able to fight for your name and protect those close to my heart. Light Magic: Lesser Light Heal.

This time it seemed to work. I could feel a warmth coursing through my body, making me feel warm and energized.

So, this is how it works, nice then I should…ugh. I feel funny.

It was like something…was growing in me.

I quickly took off my clothes, noticing something quite frightening.

On my bones, something appeared.

Tentacles.

They were the same tentacles that made up my new pet in the flowerpot.

As I observed them, I noticed that I could move them albeit awkwardly. Once I let them do as they like, they somehow shrank and took the shape of –

Muscle fibers? Di-Did I create mold-based muscle fibers by accident?! This-This is incredible! This could help so many people! muscle transplants, possibly organ transplants! This deserves a Nobel prize… But in a fantasy world where magical drugs exist this might not be so incredible. Still, for me this is perfect! I can quit being a skeleton and get a human body! Maybe I can even grow my skin back!

Excited, I continued applying the magic onto my chest, neck, and jaws. I hoped that if I could grow them back, I could regain the ability to talk! no more of this silent guy act, I will finally be able to talk again!

As I felt my lungs grow in my ribcage, and the big part of my throat grow, I felt dizziness overrun me.

What now?!

[You ran out of MP]

[Time to remaining to fully replenish your energy: 1 Day; 12 hours; 30 minutes; 47 seconds]

Too long! No way in hell I will wait this out! I want to do this now! Wait... what about that thing?

I searched my bag, finding the big bottle containing some healing potion.

If this stuff worked on a severed part of my body, then it must work on me too! Let's test it out!

Lifting my tight left arm I poured the whole bottle on it, making it soak in the stuff.

Sure enough, the tentacles quickly formed on it taking on the shape of the muscle fibers I saw on the body blueprints.

As I flexed the arm, the sensation of touch started to spread from my bones to my muscle, feeling it like a true part of me.

This is incredible. How is it able to mimic it so perfectly?

The funny thing was that I could extend and control each tentacle, creating quite a gruesome scene.

It's too hard to control this thing and with the spore sacks on them, it's too dangerous to fling them willy-nilly. Till I can use it properly I shall stick to its normal form. Still, this shows that it works! I only need to drink those healing potions and I will be golden. The only problem is that I don't have enough of it to cover my entire body, so I should do some shopping at the market.

I quickly packed up and exited the house.

It was still day, but it seemed like in the poor area nobody liked to leave their house or there were very few people living around this part.

No matter, this is good for me. Less people to dispose of if my location is found out.

With great confidence, I jumped up to the nearest roof. and started to run towards the market.

I wonder, can I find that old lady at the market. I have a couple of hundred questions I like to ask her, like what the hell did she do to me. Well, I guess I will see, won't I?

*****

Angela POV:

"Damn it I am starving."

After escaping the sewers, the medical team quickly patched me up, using various creams and plant-based products which didn't irritate the mold in me.

"Fresh prunes! Who wants some fresh prunes?"

"Chicken egg! snake egg! If it's an egg, then we have it!"

"Bread! Fresh bread here! The tastiest bread here!"

"How do I have it?"

I checked my purse, disappointedly seeing only a few coins of silver and a couple of coppers.

"I hope I will get some sort of raise after I do! This won't even keep me going for a week."

Seeing it as the least expensive, I took a piece of bread and ate it while I was walking.

"Now I wonder where I could -Hmmm!"

Out of the blue, my senses got all haywire, screaming at me as nausea took over me.

Grabbing my mouth to not puke, I breathed deeply in.

What is happening to me?

Looking around I noticed somebody standing on top of the roof of a nearby house, looking down on the crowd of people.

It was a tall man wearing a white coat like a noble and… had a sack for a head.

It's him!

Not having my weapons on me, I grabbed the knife of a nearby butcher who was serving a customer, then with a powerful leap, I ran towards him.

Probably too focused on his thoughts, he didn't seem to notice me, he just kept on looking down the street, not moving an inch.

Should I attack him now? No, I should follow him to see where he is hiding and what he is planning in the future.

So, as I decided, I hid behind a chimney not far away from him, keeping my eyes on him.

On closer observation, I noticed the oddities which the receptionist talked about.

Its body was terribly thin as if it was a skeleton with its arms and legs twice the size they should be. Then there were those green spots on its clothing.

It was strange, as I could see them with my bad eye which got infected by the mold, but with the other one, I couldn't see them.

Is his cloth covered by some sort of substance invisible to the naked eye? How am I even able to see it? Does the mold have some sort of hidden effect?

As the sun slowly set under the horizon and fewer people were on the market, he finally started to move.

Easily he leaped off the roof, landing with grace on his toes.

Definitely, he possesses a movement-related class, or he has a very high-class skill!

Once his entire feet touched the ground, the bag-masked man started to run towards the stalls.

Did he notice me?!

I jumped after him and by channeling some energy in my legs I ran after him.

Damn it, did he get faster?!

As I ran after him, I saw him grab various things from the stalls around him, sinking them in his bag, before anyone could notice him.

Why is he stealing those? What is the planning?

Suddenly, he jumped over a stall selling various knives, grabbed a handful of them, and turned around… to face me!

He noticed me!

Not hesitating, I boosted my speed rushing right into him!

"You're under arrest!"

We clashed blades over the table, making sparks fly.

The people around us cried out in their surprise.

"What is happening?!"

"Somebody call the guards!"

The bag-man pushed me away with his knife, then threw the one he held in his other hand.

It was a weak throw, with the blade not even facing me, but I still evaded it, not wanting to fall into any little trick he might plan for me.

Suddenly, from one of his pockets, he took out a small green object.

That's the thing he threw at me!

Not thinking I started to run towards him, but he was faster than me.

He threw the bomb toward the crowd of people.

That coward!

I jumped after the bomb and when I got it in midair, I clung to it, covering the entire thing with my body, ready to sacrifice my life.

I waited, praying for the gods for a quick death.

Then, nothing happened.

What?

Carefully I looked at the object that that guy threw.

It was a green apple, uncovered of mold.

T-That bastard tricked me!

Furious I threw the fruit away and looked at the place he stood, unfortunately, he ran away long ago, taking most of the knives with him.

"THAT BASTARD!"

*****

Phew, that was too close for comfort! I almost died from a heart attack! That girl scared me to death when I noticed her running after me! Thank god for these instincts which are in this body or would have died! As I ran, I opened several potions I stole from the stalls and poured them into my mouth.

Vocal cords here I come!

[Alert!]

[Unidentified substances been found in your body]

[Commencing analysis…]

What? Ugh, not again.

Considering what I have been through, I started to get used to sudden pains appearing in my body, but this one really hurt.

[Requirements are meant]

[Congratulation]

[You completed the secret mission: My body, my choice]

A secret mission? What is this game?

[For completing the secret mission, you shall receive the special prize, gifted by the mysterious being Nergal.]

[You received: [The Pendant of Nergal], Skill:[Perfect Stomach] ]

[Do you wish to use your gifts right now?]

Eeehh, yes, please?

[Gifts have been accepted.]

[Warning.]

[This was the only secret mission.]

[You are now on your own]

As the message disappeared in my head, I felt a strange power spreading through my body, charging me up with power.

As I touched my chest, I felt something hanging on my neck.

It was a silver chain hanging on my neck, which was connected to a pendant made from a strange metal, which had a greenish shine. The pendant itself was formed as a vertical eye, with a green gemstone embedded in its middle.

What the hell is this?

[As a special occasion. The system will describe 1. equipped object and 1. prize Skill.]

[Description:

Name: [The Pendant of Nergal]

Description: In the time ancient mankind prayed for the entity known as Nergal. To his most trusted and bellowed ones, the powerful being gifted them various gifts. This pendant was given to a sage who searched for knowledge in realms far more dangerous than the ones he lived in. To help him in his studies, the pendant received the power to be unseen and untouchable.

Powers: The user is able to turn invisible and untouchable when activated at command. The effects can be reversed. Increases speed by 50%.

Note: This item is a part of an armor set called [Blessed Armor of Nergal]. By completing the set, the user will receive incredible bonus stats.

Skill description:

Name: [Perfect Stomach]

Description: The owner of this skill is cursed by hunger so great it escaped its own body, manifesting around itself. The user is able to digest the things it touches at command, be it living or not. Once digested all nutrients will be used to strengthen the user with a small possibility for it to absorb the physical characteristics of the meal.

]

Man, this is quite lucky. These two gifts are quite cool, both very useful for me. A pendant that allows me to finally be seen and… an eating skill? Where does this come from? How does it work?

Curious, I took off my glove and held a potato in my hand.

Immediately, the vegetable became covered in mold, like us all, but this time, it shrank quickly, soon completely absorbed by me.

Damn, this thing is-Ugh!

In my stupor, I accidentally tripped on a stone. Luckily, I caught myself by holding onto a nearby wall.

The bad news was that I held myself with my 'naked hand', making my mold spread on its surface.

Before I noticed, around 3 meters wide of the rock wall became green with black lumps on it, before it started to shrink. With a loud rumble, the mold retreated into my hand, fragging the stone with it.

In seconds, the infested wall was gone, there was only a hole in its place, allowing me to see into the house and face the surprised family of mother and father holding their kids in their arms, looking horrified at me.

Ahhh….Ehhh…Good day, family! The beautiful day we are having.

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Name: Unknown.

Race: [Low Molded Chimera Skeleton] Lv: 10/70 (20/60)

Main Class: [Life Scholar]

Sub Class: [Runner]

HP(Health Points): 60/60

SP(Stamina Points): 70

MP(Magic Points): 20/20

TMN (Tamed Monster Numbers): 1

Blessings: [Blessing of Nergal]

Active Skills: [Basic Steady Hand] [Basic Fast Eye]

Passive Skills: [Basic Body Knowledge] [Basic Plant Knowledge] [Basic Medicine Knowledge] [Basic Stamina Enhancement] [Basic Movement Enhancement] [Basic Reflex Enhancement.] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Perfect Stomach]

Affinities: [Basic Farming Affinity] [Basic War Affinity] [Basic Pestilence Affinity][ Basic Fire Affinity.] [Basic Life Affinity] [Basic Death Affinity]

Titles: [The One Who Saw A Thousand Worlds] [Knowledge Driven] [Chosen by Flies]