Elisa turned around.
"Sexless? Do you mean you're... Does it mean you're... It does, doesn't it? Of course, it does. Why did I... How could I just assume that you were a guy??"
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about?"
With a shocked expression and a hand covering her mouth, Elisa remained silent for a couple of seconds.
"Joking around." She said as she lowered her hand. "Anyways, do we have to move away so soon? This is kind of a nice place."
"It's in front of the forest. Right in the open. Horrible spot."
"But there's... Water. Fresh... Refreshing..."
"Mm..." Mark turned his gaze towards the pond. "That's a good point." He said before pushing himself off the ground.
"Right? Huh... What are you doing? Going for a swim too?" Elisa asked as the white-scaled Monster walked towards the water.
Mark lowered his body in front of the pond.
"It's been a while since I drank water."
"Pfahaha. Get some. It's good for you."
"Do you not need to drink water?"
"Well... It does help recover Endurance faster."
'Must be the same for me then. So they don't need food or water for survival, but for Endurance?' Mark thought to himself as he nodded. 'Well, with no Endurance surviving will be tough so I guess there is a resemblance.'
The white-scaled Monster stared at the pond for a bit.
At its own reflection.
It lowered its head closer to the water, brought a hand to its face, and pulled on its upper lip.
'I should get used to seeing myself. Really don't get the opportunity to see my reflection often.' Mark thought as he stared at his fangs, face, and body.
"Do you have to look like that?"
"Huh?"
"What? You're getting lost looking at your reflection?"
Mark turned his gaze towards her, before turning back towards the water.
"Something like that." He muttered, and Elisa chuckled.
'I wonder if I could see something with my right eye. I'd have to focus on my vision which would hurt but... I gotta get used to that. Pain comes and goes anyways. If there's something at the bottom... Mm. I guess Elisa must have checked for that earlier. But I could still-'
Mark suddenly felt something come into contact with his back.
"Revenge for peeking." Elisa sneered as she extended her leg, pushing the white-scaled Monster.
Splash-
???????????????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????????????????.????????????.
'Huh... That is kind of childish.' The Monster thought to itself as its body fell into the pond.
The water was clear and clean.
Mark let his body slowly sink.
Minutes passed.
"He's not coming up. Hey, Krista. Krista! I didn't drown him, did I? He can swim, right? Right? Kris-"
Splash-
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?"
"What?"
Elisa shook her head.
"What kind of lungs do you have??"
"I can breathe underwater."
"Oh, okay. Wait... What?"
Mark left the water and unclenched his right hand.
Pupupupuru-
"What's that?" Elisa asked as she walked closer, her eyes filled with curiosity.
"Not sure..." Mark muttered as he stared at the blueish pearl on his palm.
"Oh. A Lesser Water Spirit."
"Lesser? Spirit have Grades like that?"
"Yeah." Elisa nodded as she stared at the blueish pearl. She liked its color. "Lesser Spirits, Spirits, and Greater Spirits. Though some have other Names for them. This is how us, Elves, refer to them."I think you should take a look at
"I see. The Fire Spirit would be... Just a Spirit."
"Yes." Her eyes didn't leave the pearl. She liked its color a lot.
"What about Yarnha?"
"I like the color."
"Me too." Mark muttered before raising his hand.
Elisa's eyebrow twitched repeatedly as she stared at him in disbelief.
Crack- Crack- Crack-
Crunch- Crunch- Crunch-
Gulp-
"This tastes-"
"Yeah, whatever..." Elisa flipped her hair dismissively and walked away.
"What?"
"Nothing." She answered without turning around.
'I'm guessing she wanted it? Better to act like I don't understand.' Mark thought to himself as he stared at the floating words in front of him.
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" nods.]
[Your Title "Devourer" chuckles.]
[Affinity with Water Magic has very slightly increased.]
'Mmm...' Mark brought a hand to his mouth. 'Devouring Spirits might be the way to increase Magic Affinity...' He thought while pressing his thumb against one of his fangs.
A, finally dry, Moonlit Feline brushed against his shin.
'Being underwater felt good after all this time. It was quite the challenge in the Dungeon, especially against Levi.' Mark chuckled as he remembered the fight against the Third Floor's Guardian, the Leviathan. 'Had to get to the bottom to find the Boss Room. Had to get to the bottom to find the Lesser Water Spirit... Why would there be a Spirit here?'
The white-scaled Monster turned its gaze towards Elisa who had taken a seat by the pond, her feet under the water.
"This is the only spot with water that we've found so far. I'm guessing a lot of Monsters and Beasts use it to... Get their Endurance back?"
"Probably." Elisa answered while kicking her feet nonchalantly, creating small waves on the pond.
"Is that why there's a Spirit? Because it's an important place?"
"Probably."
"Huh..." Mark scratched his head. "You wanted it that badly?"
Elisa frowned as she turned her gaze towards him.
She stared for a bit before turning back to the water.
"I'm taking the next... Thing I want."
"If you can find it." Mark teased.
Bleugh-
Elisa stuck out her tongue at him.
'The childish Princess is sulking...' Mark thought as he sighed.
Kick- Kick-
"How do Spirits even work? Think there is another one down there?"
Elisa's eyebrows rose slightly. She tried to hide her surprise.
"Maybe." She wanted to say more, but that would make it too easy, wouldn't it?
"I doubt it. It's not that large a pond and I looked around pretty carefully after finding that one-"
"Then..." Elisa pressed her lips. "We could... We could wait for another one to be born."
'So that's how it works. Then... It would have been the same for Yarnha.'
"How long would that take?"
"Since it's a Lesser Water Spirit, it shouldn't take too long."
"Which means?"
"A couple of hours. Max." Elisa said as she nodded with her lips pressed tightly.
Almost apologetically.
'I'm not sure I have it in me to give her one though... They taste pretty good.'
