Chapter 3: Ashura's Incarnation Arc - Chapter 3: Creepy Skills
Although I viewed some of her memories, as I am an entirely different person and she is too, I only obtained a small portion of her knowledge and not all of it so there's still a need for me to question her about the things I'm not informed about. I just hope she's reliable enough to provide me that though.
「First off, what exactly happened for you to end up here?」
As if prepared to answer this question for a very long time, she explained the cause to me.
"The Ashura Tribe was raided by slave sellers who wanted our clan's combat prowess. I don't know why they made such a large scale invasion to subjugate every one of my people though. But it's far from normal, usually they would just abduct some of us atleast once every few years."
No way... They know these things are happening to them and they're not doing anything about them? According to the memories I saw, the Ashura Tribe specialized in combat.
「How did you lose?」
"The enemies... At midnight on a full moon, they launched a surprise attack by showering the whole camp with arrows that were emitting some green smoke. When my people inhaled it, they fell asleep and so everyone got captured. Including me."
「What happened to your parents? And what happened to your mouth? Are you alone?」
"According to what I've heard from eavesdropping, the adults were immediately dispatched as battle slaves somewhere at the Star Continent. As for me... They cut off my tongue and slit my mouth after I've protested against them. After they've done this to me, and in order to silence me as well, some alchemists looking for human guinea pigs happened to have bought me which leads me to where I am now."
A brave girl, but also a courageous fool. That is lots of the questions of mine solved, she talks alot but it may just be an effect of her not being able to converse with someone after a long while.
「Thanks for diligently answering my questions, I have more in mind but that may come later. For now, our top most priority is getting you out of this place.」
Right after I said this to her, everyone's attention was stolen by the loud crashing sounds of the room's backdoor which most likely led outside.
"Hurry up and transfer the goods, you useless hooligans!"
An eyepatched bandit with twin swords on his back roared at his subordinates supervising this girl and the other slaves. Behind him was the scenery of a green forest, looking at the sky outside, it seems to be an early evening, the sun is close to setting.
"You! Stand up and get moving!"
The girl's body was jolted upwards by some bandit from behind us and she obeyed afterwards then got in between the line with the other victims being led outside.
"Any funny movements and we'll make sure you won't be able to speak just like that girl over there."
They warned us brusquely, while the speaker pointed his finger at me- I mean the girl. I don't think there's any possibility of any of them escaping with these thick steel shackles though.
「Just hold on for a bit and we'll find a chance to escape.」
Even though she didn't give a response, I felt that she listened to me for some reason. Eventually, every slave here including us was transported to a cage inside a horse carriage and the eyepatched bandit went in to watch over us inside the cage.
A few minutes after mounting the vehicle, it started moving along with the hoofs and puffs of the horses from the front. The road was muddy and slippery due to the outpour of rain outside.
According to my current host, the Ashura Tribe consisted of an exceptional race of humans with a very unique trait biologically natural to their bodies. Their looks was said to be quite splendid and one indicator of theirs was the gleaming silver hair they had, but one thing that differentiates them most to normal humans is their monsterous battle instincts and thirst for combat. It's said that their origin was from an ancient human hero favored by the God Of War.
And as this girl is an Asura or what they call those that come from that tribe, it's probable that she's going to be powerful in the future.
「Are these guys going to sell every slave in this carriage once we reach our destination?」
"Yes. That's right."
She said in her mind with a rather cheerless tone. We're steadily getting used to communicating telepathetically.
「I'll think of a plan.」
I assured her and once she responded an okay, I went back inside the lobby as my illusionary parasite self and opened the status board to study all of my current skills.
Before engaging in battle with an unknown opponent, I must first know myself and my own capabilities in this world.
Alright, so let's start with the first skill that pops up in my status board.
[Physique Optimization] ⟨Active Skill⟩
- Allows the parasite to tweak or modify the host's body they are currently attached to. The changes are reliant on the parasite's focus, if the vessel's stamina is sufficient, metamorphosis can be done. Full alterations of organs and limbs to another form require the parasite to analyze the specific body parts they wish to replicate.
MP Cost: 30
[Martial Arts] ⟨Passive Skill⟩
- Any form of Martial Arts or techniques scrutinized by the parasite will be learned by the host after a short period of time. This skill only replicates the form and structure of the duplicate technique.
[Matter Conversion] ⟨Active Skill⟩
- Objects being held or touched physically by the user can be transformed to something else of equal value as long as it is physical in form and finely visualized.
MP Cost: 20
[Self Evolution] ⟨Passive Skill⟩
- As to grow in all-around power. The parasite can use the current host's body to absorb any object unto it's host's body and fully analyze it, dangerous hazards will be removed and every kind of trait the object possess will be granted to the vessel after digestion.
For now, these are the most appropriate skills I can make use of with this girl's body. I can already think of a plan to get her out of here.
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, why are you helping me, great Ashura?"
Now that she mentioned it, I did tell her I'm the god her people worships. Although that's a lie, it's one of the best ways for now to gain her trust.
「Uh, you see I've simply chosen to help my people in a time of need.」
"I see, I see! So you're going to save everyone else?"
Owh crap, I forgot about that. If I said I'm here to rescue her because her people was in danger, that would lead to her thinking I would save not only her, but them as well. But I'm only stuck in her body!
「Y-Yeah, ofcourse I will!」
"Your highness is so heroic, I'm forever in your debt."
Although we can only speak to each other in her mind, her body moved to a slight bow only enough for the guard not to notice.
"Hey you!"
Crap, was she noticed?!
I acted on impulse, the bandit guard was glaring daggers at us so it might have implied he did.
"What do you have on your back?!"
I was confused about what he was talking about and it seemed like my host was too. But then she turned around to look from behind and we saw there a kid. Perhaps an eight years old girl?
The bandit hurriedly walked towards the child and jerked out the thing she was holding.
"Hm? What's this? A doll?"
The thing he stole from her seemed to be a hand-made doll. Seemingly made by a complete amateur, due to it's poor craftsmanship I can't even make out what it was. But despite how terrible it looked, the girl had an expression on her face that was close to crying.
"What are you sniffing on about~? This looks horrible. Did your mommy make this for you~?"
The bandit snickered. I guess there are some people who likes making kids cry.
"You know your mommy treated me so well, you know? She was one of the best I've tasted so far. I wonder how tasty you'd get when you grow up?"
Licking the corners of his mouth with his disgusting tongue, the bandit grabbed the child's face to have a closer look at her. I can tell he's one of those iconic villains in novels I read on my past times.
「Asura what are you doing?!」
My point of view somewhat changed. The man grimaced all of a sudden, the reason for that was quite obvious.
「Why did you kick him in the balls?!」
I reckon that must've had hurt, I even pity him as a fellow man. Asura didn't reply, but rather she was furiously glaring at everyone in sight.
"They all just watched. If I didn't do something this demon would have done something to her!"
I do understand her reasoning but because of this, we're in trouble! I haven't prepared for this mentally just yet!
"You... YOU MUTE BITCH!"
Bogubogu
Just when he was about to grab us by the neck, the carriage shook madly and he fell on his back on the floor. Whatever that was, I'm thankful.
He also dropped the doll he was holding and the little girl retrieved it right away.
"...ugh."
He's starting to get back up, but before he did so, the carriage shook again. But this time, it was far more intense than the last.
Bogubogubogu!
A mighty crash resounded as the whole cage and the carriage came rolling on it's sides. The layer of cloth that hid us was torn up and removed and the sound of a tremendous roar echoed in the surroundings.
By the time the carriage stopped rolling on it's sides, everyone else inside was heavily injured or had fractured bones.
The only ones that seemed to look alright was the bandit that wanted to harm us, Asura and the eight year old girl she saved during that heavy roll.
「Are you alright, Asura? Are you hurt anywhere?」
"Only a bit, my lord."
She responded in kind, at a closer inspection she really didn't take much damage and she was healing pretty fast.
"Get outta' my way!"
I felt a sting on my cheek at the same time as my head shifted right. It looks like that bandit kicked Asura's face while heading to see what's happening outside. What a rude bastard.
"Huh-?"
The moment he stepped out, he disappeared in the blink of an eye. A small glimpse I saw was the presence of a sharp snout, armored with emerald scales armed with small razor sharp teeth and the small pool of blood that came after.
My perspective shifted once again. It's hard getting used to my body moving on it's own.
"Is she alright?"
She asked me with a worried voice. The girl she saved earlier was collapsed on the floor but didn't take much damage because during that time the carriage was going on a rampage, she used her body to shield the girl from the impacts.
I can't tell if her body is strong or it's just my skills taking place.
"My lord, it feels like you're healing my wounds. Thank you."
I guess I'll take that it's the latter.
But more importantly... What is lurking outside?
My host' heart started beating fast, I felt it. I was confusing it as my own and a sense of fear came over me.
The thrill mixed along with the chaotic tremors from the thunderstorm outside, this felt like I was a prey being hunted down by a predator.
The floor vibrated, something was coming over to us and I confirmed it with my own eyes. The owner of that big figure, it poked out it's left eye to look at the contents of the carriage and spotted us as well as everyone inside.
「What is that? A giant snake a reptilian?」
It's eyes were bright green with a dark color as it's slits. For me it looked like that eye was big enough for my whole buttocks to poke through.
Bogum!
It's head disappeared again, and as soon as it did, the carriage was instantly bolted right up. The gravity was now centered at our entrance, the carriage was turned upside down!?
"Don't fall! Cling on to something quick!"
One of the slaves yelled for the others to hear. However, already more than half of us fell and Asura just barely got to hold her ground by clutching on to one of the metal bars while carrying a kid.
"Kyaaa!"
"God save me!"
"Fuck! Fuck! I don't want to die!"
"H-Hey don't let go of me!"
As they fell, I was bewildered, and from this discovery alone I could deduct that I'm definitely in another world.
「What is that creature!?」
"It's a giant Earth Dragon, my lord!"
So I was right, this is definitely a fantasy world! But how can I apply my knowledge here? We're dealing with a dragon, one of the strongest beings in fantasy series' just when I got here. How can we escape that?!
The repeated screams of those who fell resonated in my earsockets. People kept falling to that giant mouth. Falling straight to the dragon's throat. This beast is treating us like the leftovers of a pringles container!
"Wh-What should we do?!"
「I'm thinking! Wait for a bit!」
I have to calm down, don't panic and think remarkably. What should I do to escape this?
All I could see was the last 5 people desperately clinging for their lives, the tough metal bars of the iron cage, and the torn up leather coverings of the cage.
And after some quick retake of my skills, I came to a conclusion.
「[Physique Optimization]!」
"Eek!"
Asura squirmed and screamed frightfully in her mind. The reason for that is a pair of new arms that perfectly resembled her own suddenly grew right out of her back and promptly grabbed on to the iron bars.
「Don't worry it's me who did this.」
I can control these arms and it feels great. I take that back, it feels extremely weird since my arms are at my back but I can still control them. I used the skill once more and added a single eye behind her nape.
And because of that Asura began screaming in her mind now. It was so noisy honestly.
"A-Ashura-sama, I can see from behind me!"
「I know I know! Quit moving around!」
She kept moving her head which means the eye's view kept pointing somewhere else so I had to scold her for it.
Now then.
Using one of the arms, I used the skill [Self Evolution] and melted the iron bars along with the steel shackles on Asura's real hands. From what I can see, it wasn't just being melted, the liquidized metal was getting consumed by small holes in my hand! That's creepy!
"A-Ashura-sama! Why does the hands on my back feel like it's swallowing something?!"
「That's because it is. Anyway that's too many questions I'll explain to you later.」
I melted and absorbed two iron bars then told Asura to use that space I've made to get out. It's a good thing that none of the people with us noticed, they were too caught up in fearing the gigantic mouth that lay below us.
Alright, let's use this chance to escape! Who gives a damn about those guys inside? Letting a kid get hurt and assaulted by a fellow adult? They're not adults like I was or those I knew in the previous world, they're just cowards.
"M-My lord..?"
Asura's voice was shivering. And I can tell what exactly caused that.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone