CHAPTER 7 - Dissociative Disorder (Patreon)

“Welcome to Ockpool,” the old werewolf said to me as he hobbled through the broken gate into the village.

I was impressed at the sight of a once-marvelous city, but now only ruins remained. I don’t know what I had expected: huts, tents, teepees, a Viking stronghold. This so-called monster sanctuary was a graveyard. Stone and brick buildings ran along the cobblestone streets of a once densely packed community, but now it was filled with wreckage, rubble, and desperation. Those that wandered these lonely roads appeared malnourished and sickly, already at death’s door. I kind of felt bad for them. Not enough to spare killing all of them, but if there was nothing but classless monsters here, there wouldn’t be much of a point. Ugh!

My last notification, after eating Gaping, had really soured my mood and left a foul taste (salt and vinegar). If this place was filled with classless monsters, any hopes of using it as a farm to grind experience points were as hopeless as this village. Blake, are you seriously upset that you’ve lost your reason for committing a massacre?! No, I’m upset that there’s no point… Oh, maybe I am. I think I may need to find a therapist. Maybe Aurelia will let me crawl into her lap and vent once I slaughter the other candidates.

Despite my now sorrow at losing what I had hoped to be a plentiful meal, I scurried on behind the Chieftain with my eight squid-like spider legs. His walking cane clinked against the cobblestone with every step, and the unusual aura it gave off, if I wasn’t mistaken, the cane was radiating power that I couldn’t quite see, and yet I could... It was almost like watching heat radiate from hot asphalt in the summer, you can’t see the heat, but you can see how it distorts light around it.

“My apologies for our current state. We’ve had a few unfortunate encounters with adventurers as of late, and after the dungeon core was stolen, we’ve been unable to rebuild.”

Dungeon core?! If I destroy it, will I get a huge experience boost? Better yet, can I use it to build my own dungeon for farming if I steal it for myself?

“The idea of stealing a dungeon core is a revolting blasphemous deed, and I pray the gods will smite those responsible. Still, I can’t imagine what a vile creature would do such a thing. Adventurers have no respect for the balance and order of this moon. They just take and murder as they please. Oh, I did not mean to vent there. Please forgive this old warg. It only pains me to see what our enemies have done to my fellow Dungeon Folk.”

Okay, that’s a lot to unpack. Was he reading my mind? Warg? And did he say moon? That’s so cool! I really need to get to the surface and see this for myself.

We had finally reached the central plaza, or at least what remained. Bricks, stones, rubble, and other random debris had been collected and pushed out from the center to form a large gathering pit. Some stones and wreckage had been left behind for seating. The old warg found possibly the most comfy-looking stone there as he waited for his entourage and Wartie to enter the plaza. As the others found their seats, the Chieftain eyed me as if already coming to a conclusion. As for myself, I just stood there on eight legs in my spider form, waiting to pounce the first moment one of these fools tried anything.

The moment the last one sat, the Chief glanced at Wartie, “boy, release your binding over this pudding.”

“But, it’s Muddy. He my pet… You no-kill, please! Muddy protected me!”

I watched as tears rolled down the kid’s face, and for a moment, I felt bad for even considering murdering and eating him. But that moment was over as I braced myself to strike the Chieftan! However, the Chief held up a hairy wrinkly old hand, almost placating his entourage and me to remain calm.

“No one in Ockpool will be harming the leveler. In fact, boy, I assume your pudding friend here already has several means of releasing itself from your services. I assure you, it is in your best interests to release it. Now, as for you, Muddy… Boy, did you honestly name a Black Pudding, Muddy?”

“Y-yes, C-Chief,” the kid gasped out between sobs.

“Ah, well, it will have to do for now. Muddy, if you can understand me, scratch one line in the ground for yes, and two for no.”

“Chieftan, you can’t be serious! Slimes are among the unintelligible monsters. Their only usefulness is as our waste and filth disposals,” a scaled-covered lizard cried out.

I wasn’t sure what or who this lizard thought he was, but I knew I didn’t like him. Isn’t lizard meat suppose to taste like chicken? Blake, cool it. And what does he mean by unintelligible? Doodles, the gelatinous cube I accidentally poisoned to death and ate, seemed far more intelligent than any goblin I’d encountered. You know what? Screw them! I lifted two front legs and scratched two gashes into the ground.

“See, I told you! It’s not capable of understanding us,” the lizard shouted!

The old warg pinched the bridge of his muzzle as he spoke, “enough, Redtail! Well, Muddy, clearly, you’ve got a sense of humor. My apologies if Drake Redtail offended you. We don’t often get reasonable levelers down here, much less a Black Pudding.

“Ah, where are my manners? I am Chieftain Hensley of Ockpool, and all those within it are part of my tribe, Hensley’s Lost, as I assume you’ve already surmised. The question I have for you, leveler, is, will you retrieve the dungeon core and return it to us?”

Huh… Nope! I scratched two more lines into the ground.

“And what if I told you the group of adventures who stole the core have several powerful classes amongst their raiding party.”

Oh, come on, that’s not fair! How does this old dog know exactly what I want? And how powerful are we talking about here? There’s no point in going after adventurers who outclass me! That would be a suicide mission. Yes, of course, I want to kill them now. But I’m already plotting out the murder of five others.

He seemed to pick up on my hesitation as I reconsidered his proposal, which is why he added upon the offer, “while we desire to reacquire the core sooner than later. The adventurers were driven deep beneath us to the old highway. It will take several more months to reach the exit. In the meantime, a few floor bosses still remain. Before departing on your task, we will provide you an escort to those bosses so you may get the levels needed to appropriately handle the raiding party. What do you say?”

Yep! That incentive sealed the deal… Although, what does he mean by several more months? How long will it take me to track them down, and will the other candidates find a way out by then, or should I kill them while I’m killing floor bosses? Who cares, I’ll be receiving a free escort to the bosses for leveling, and I can kill them all whenever I change my mind. With that settled, I etched a single line into the dirt.

“I’m glad. Boy, release your hold on our friend here.”

Wartie’s tears started flowing once again, and for the briefest of moments, I felt sad for him. However, we’re talking about my freedom or serving as a goblin child’s pet until I kill him. Sorry kid, but no sympathy here.

The Pet Tamer has canceled [Submission].

Wisdom points have been restored to Tamed.

Pet Name has been dissolved.

“Done, C-Chieftain,” Wartie sobbed out.

“That’s a good boy. Now, don’t worry. We’ll find another pet slime for you, Wartie.”

Circe has decided you’ve met the requirements for unlocking a [Restricted].

Oh shit, isn’t that the name of the goddess I threaten to kill? I don’t want her to unlock a [Restricted] for me! My entire body stiffened as I braced for the worst.

Blake, this is going to suck!

CONGRATULATIONS!

A [Restricted] has been unlocked.

[Dissociative] is now available.

[Dissociative] Max Tier – Type: Unique – Passive

“Umm… What the hell is dissociative? Where the hell is the description?”

I heard a few gasps as everyone leaped to their feet and started backing away from me. The Chieftain seemed to be grinning, or as much as someone with a muzzle could grin. Even Wartie had a shocked expression on his face as his crying stopped.

“Forgive us, but we don’t know what this dissociative is or where the description can be found.”

Haha

“Did someone just giggle?”

“I can assure you, despite my age, my hearing is still quite sharp, and I heard no such thing,” the old warg said with a hint of concern.

“Wait, you can hear me?!”

“M-Muddy can speak,” Warte stated with as much wonder as I felt!

I nearly polymorphed back to my true form, so I could do my squiggly pudding dance! I had no clue what dissociative did, but if everyone could understand me, it was amazing! I can speak! This is incredible! Even the funny sound when I say or think of a spell or ability name was gone.

Idiot, you could have spoken from the very beginning! You really should have read the description for the veil polyglot ability.

“Who just called me an idiot,” I hissed.

“I assure you, no one said such a thing to you,” the Chieftain insisted with all the warmth and concern of an elderly grandfather.

Stupid! Haha! You’re the one who said it to yourself. Hahaha!

“What?”

“No one called you an idiot, I promise you,” the Chieftain reassured.

I called you an idiot! Idiot! Haha! Now stop talking to yourself in front of everyone, and start asking them questions!

“Myself? Ugh, whatever… Chief, my bad. A lot has changed in my life in the last couple of hours. If it's all good, I would like to get going on those.” Another voice in my head was less concerning than finding out you enjoy murdering and eating everyone and everything in sight.

“Y-yes, of course. Redtail, why don’t you be the one to escort our friend to Spine Pounder.”

“You can’t be serious, Chieftain?! A talking slime? It has to be a demonic trick!”

“Redtail, our friend, is a leveler. There is no trick. Now, I’ve given my final word on the matter. If you wish to challenge it, you may do so with our… I’m sorry, but I’m going to assume you’re name’s not Muddy. What may we call you?”

“Oh, it’s Blake. And, what do you mean by leveler?”

The old warg began stroking his beard as he thought about his response. “Ah, Blake, you must still be a young leveler. Let’s see how best to explain it. The goddess that oversees magic provides countless ways for us mortals to interact with and use magic. For those of us referred to as Dungeon Folk, we bind ourselves to a dungeon core for our magic and are called monsters for it. Although, without our core here binding us, we are quite helpless and powerless. Our binding is not dissimilar to what warlocks and witches do with their contracts to powerful entities. It’s a means to gain magic, power, and longevity.

“Leveling is just another means to gain that magic and power. Levelers are the rarest type and grow in might not through bindings, contracts, knowledge, training, or cultivation like the others but rather through the slaying of powerful foes. And a leveler who loves the thrill of battle is indeed an unstoppable force.

“I hope that helps. I’m afraid if you want to know more, you’ve best find yourself a church or academy on the surface. However, they may mistake you for a common monster and attempt to kill you on the spot, especially the Church of the Devine.”

Ugh, please don’t go to the academy. I swear I’ll kill us if you do!

Will you shut up!

Hey, I’m proud of myself. See, baby steps. You didn’t scream that thought out for all to hear!

“Ugh, I hate you… Oops! Not you! Anyways, it’s all good. It’s safe to say my friends don’t like the church either. What about Wartie? He has a pet tamer class.”

Mentioning the kid’s name caused him to stand up straighter. Still, the Chieftain had an answer for that, “ah, our young ones don’t bind to a core until they come of age, and it is always their choice. Some often leave us for a bit to explore the outside worlds.”

I wonder what will happen once we slaughter all of them after they’ve got their core back? Do we think the absorb will work on them then?

Just what are you, and why won’t you shut up?!

I’m you! A dissociative disorder, or rather a split personality! Hahaha!

So that bitch is trying to punish me. God damn her!

“Ugh, sorry, I’ve got a stupid voice in my head. Anyways, I’m ready to start farming, bosses! Wait, did you say worlds?!”

Haha. Idiot!