Silent Howl:
You shouldn’t be persistent percussion, you utter weirdo.
That’s the nicest thing I could think to call you.
It should take EFFORT!!! for you to do that. Like singing.
The fact that you automated it?
“Little Corpse”:
I’m sorry for laughing.
It looked like you had hiccups and had never had hiccups before.
Okay, that’s pretty funny... The fucking drum isn’t, but the hiccup thing is.
Sweet Pea Blossom and Chrysanthemum Petal:
What did we do!?!
!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
I transfer Little Corpse and the girls to me in my void, realize I can recall them from anywhere, and just stand still as I try to figure if I should try to grab Silent Howl or leave him where he is...
Silent Howl:
Not a Familiar or Contracted Spirit.
... Can he recall me?
Silent Howl:
Not stupid enough to try.
“You said you were going shopping!” one of the girls pouts, glaring and stomping her foot.
“You owe us for punishing us for no reason!” the other shouts, fists raised as she glares.
“She meant Resentment, not coins,” Little Corpse chastises them, shaking his head before turning back to me. “The monks are willing to teach you a few Prayer Techniques and... Teach you about a few other Sects you may be interested in...”
“They’ve got some other Sects they want me to pester, right?” It’s their fault I tok, and I’m pretty sure they’ve been pushing on my bullshit mutations. I don’t need to check the Logs to know they did that bell shit on purpose!
“What are you going to buy?” Little Corpse asks, head tipped to the side, arms crossed, insane if he thinks I have a plan. “Of course you don’t,” he sighs, arms dropping to his sides as he turns away. “No... I should go...”
“Not the adult!” I fling my arms up as I cheer when I realize he’s planning on being the responsible one.
“Doesn’t mean you don’t have to be a decent person,” Little Corpse snaps, unamused.
“You have to buy us something!” the girls crow back and forth, saying the same thing with different words.
“The more you whine, the less likely she’ll move, because you’re drowning out her funeral drum,” Little corpse says smugly, turning to smirk at me.
“Tch! Bish!” I snap, glaring at him and he wiggles his nose at me.
Tattle-tale! I didn’t even realize I was doing it, but he’s not wrong. He didn’t have to tell them, though.
“We can buy wind chimes!” one of the girls suggests, eyes wide as the girls gasp and clap in excitement. I kinda hope they do, and that they’re not as annoying as my drum...
“Not with our money!” one of the girls shouts, pointing at me while the other just frowns at me in disappointment.
Tch! It’s all my money, what do they even mean?
“We’ve gathered Resentment, too!” one girl raises her fist, frowning and glaring at me while the other frowns and nods, eyes closed, arms crossed.
-I dunno. I can buy some instruction manuals, probably...-
“Are we going to do this before your Resentment matches your Regard?” Little Corpse puts a hand on his hip and gestures for me to get on with it.
Hmm?
[Ghost Pot (+120/-2)]
[Resentment: +759840/-619688]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831323/24490081]
[Current Qi: 1730395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 97960327/107275977]
Oh, shit!
I transfer us to the store in the Hovels because I don’t know where any other stores are.
“We do!” the girls shout, standing side by side, raising their free hand in a fist because they’re holding hands again.
“Better to go to the higher zone shops,” Little Corpse advises me.
Not an order. Just a suggestion.
“Move faster, please,” Little Corpse says, voice tight and eyes wide.
-I’m not looking!- I shout, moving to my manor in the Sect grounds.
“This way!” one of the girls cheers, flying off quickly, the other joining her before I realize we’re off.
I go to follow and Little Corpse grabs the back of my robes, getting a good grip on my collar.
“I can’t fly,” he says, shrugging but not releasing his grip.
I narrow my eyes at him and he shakes his head at me, his wide-eyes reminding me that I’m on an “oh, shit” timer. I lift off, he doesn’t fall off, and then I follow after the girls who shout for me to follow them. Guess I was taking too long.
I get to see “my” manor, a sprawling three building compound with its own walls and courtyard, which, based on the other manors I can see, I’m supposed to turn into a graveyard for farming Resentment. Unless they’ve got personal shields, I’m about to steal a lot of free produce. Maybe I can buy a lock of some sort for my house.
“Here!”
I look towards the sound to see the girls floating in the distance before they fly off again. Maybe I should give them --. I can just transfer to them, can’t I?
-Tch! I forgot you’re not just a bank bug.- I can hear Little Corpse’s disappointed sigh, but I have no idea what he’s upset about. -A void bug isn’t a bank bug, and a bank bug doesn’t necessarily have Void Step.-
We slow down as I lose focus trying to figure out this new riddle. Bank bugs and void bugs are the same thing, aren’t they? Just, like, different focuses?
-Different focuses means different skills,- Little Corpse reminds me, and I wonder how the hells I’d forgotten that. It’s so... Basic.
-You passed us!-
Little Corpse grunts as I transfer to the girls and they fall into me, their feet impacting the ground away from me, extended as they are from their grip on the back of my robes.
-Oops, my bad,- I try to turn around, but I’m stuck on Void Walk being special.
Like... I know it is, I use it, I’ve gotten away from and away with so much shit because not everyone can do it, but that’s the same for flying. And now I’m stuck on the fact that not everyone can fly, and I know this, and it’s mind-blowing to me right now.
-Too much Resentment! The Unwilling are affecting her!- Little Corpse says, grabbing my arm and dragging me towards a nice little mall with an Asian flair.
“Dude, think we can buy swords here? Let’s buy some of those edgeless prop weapons!”
There’s always some place that caters to tourists who are those martial arts nerds. I’m not a fan, but weapons are cool. I could eat, but I hope we don’t go anywhere too “authentic”. I’m hungry, but I can admit my tastes are basic. Wonton soup, here I come! Ooh! Broccoli beef! Well, the broccoli in broccoli beef. The beef is usually only so so.
“How much for these manuals?”
I look up to see some dude cosplaying a corpse brawler --. No, wait. He’s missing his handwraps. Fail on your costume design.
When I look around, I notice I’ve wandered into some kinda weapons shop. A quick scan, and everything is super flashy, and probably useless as hell. So many LEDs in all the weapons. Wait. Not just the weapons.
“I... Something’s --,” not right.
I’m coherent enough to not point out that I’ve been drugged. I can’t remember if I ate anything or if someone did something. There’s some janky drum heavy music with absolutely no rhythm I can discern, but maybe it’s some of that “Raindrops falling during a fall moon” thing.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“This is their most expensive, and valuable, item,” some grey gradient dude points to some shiny silver glowy mess like I’m not dying, and I wonder if he’s in on whatever’s happening to me.
Silent Howl:
Make a Shard of Resentment, moron.
“Bet.”
[Resentment Shard -10,000 x10 -Resentment]
[Resentment: +759840/-639458 - 100000 -Resentment]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.0 +10]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-539458]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831353/24498294]
[Current Qi: 1700395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 97993177/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.10]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
Let’s flex on the “elite” again. I hold up my hands, a Ghost Flame spawning between them, and Little Corpse standing nearby as I spam Tears of Resentment. Literally the flame just condensing down, and I don’t remember it doing that earlier. Why don’t I get credit for making the flame. Oh, wait.
“What happened?” I ask, recalling that I thought I was in a frickin’ mini-Asia in town. I check my Logs and Little Corpse is depositing them into my bank for me.
“Little Corpse”:
That was brilliant.
-No, seriously? What just happened?- I keep spamming Tears while trying to silently encourage someone to explain. I’ll think about making broccoli later.
-Your Negative Resentment was high enough that the Unwilling souls inside of your soul were able to rebel. They started by attacking the Library, sealing off the doors and your memories.- Little Corpse waves the shop keeper off before grabbing my arm and guiding me out of the shop. -Silent Howl suggested you condense more Resentment Shards to lower the amount you were storing in yourself.-
If the Resentment was already in me, why wasn’t it triggering revolts before?
-Same reason you don’t own the people that live inside you. It wasn’t yours yet,- Little Corpse intones, and I wonder if he knows that I technically do... -Not familiars! Your fish, the people trapped in the Maze, the stuff with a Will outside of you!-
What Maze?
-My head hurts. I need to meditate,- Little Corpse says before requesting a transfer to my void. -When I’m centered I’ll ask you to send me to your house so I can check the grounds.-
M’okay.
I shrug, intending on going back to the compound, and the girls whine. Right. Shopping trip, then shopping trip subverted. I do a quick spin then walk back into the weapons shop.
“Do you know where they sell training manuals?” The girls whine louder. “And wind chimes?”
“New robes!” I turn to tell them we have robes at home, but they’re wearing a frayed set already.
“These tear from flying!” one of the girls whines, screwing her eyes shut as she talks and stomping once she’s finished.
“Robes, manuals, wind chimes, and broccoli,” I sigh, shrugging.
“Make a purchase,” the guy at the raised island counter leans against his arm, pounding his fist on the counter before he juts his chin at me.
I suppose he has a point. I just walked into his shop, and said I’d like to spend money somewhere else. Hells, I even made money. Speaking of.
[Resentment Shard -10,000 x10 -Resentment]
[Resentment: +759840/-543412 - 100000 -Resentment]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.10 +10]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-443412]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831359/24499936]
[Current Qi: 1694395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 97999747/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.20]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
I look around at all the shinies, snorting as I remember thinking the Essence I could see with Ultravision was just a bunch of LEDs. Bunch of weapons. Got it. Any of them good? Won’t know unless I try to look at them or use them and get a memory hook.
-Any suggestions?- I ask the girls who have been looking around with frowns and light glares.
-You can infuse items, supposedly items other than foods,- one girl cuts her eyes at me. -*And you don’t use weapons,*- she finishes, turning her back to me, easily putting me out of her sight.
-You should have a small knife as a backup,- the other girl mumbles thoughtfully. -To cut things you can’t with your hands.-
-There somewhere I can learn how to make my own?- I’d rather make my own stuff if the quality is only so so. -Or do you two see a knife I should use?-
I freeze, head snapping down from where I’d been looking up at the array of polearm heads as they stand in weapon racks. Was I volunteering more work for myself?
I’d noticed that I’d potentially consumed a lot of skilled tradesman, but when’d I start wanting to do it myself? Foods, I understand wanting to fuck around with cooking when there was no way to lose out on the ingredients. If it didn’t work I’d just reabsorb the materials. But why did I even try to make my own body for Little Corpse instead of telling him to find one and use it? Not even offering him one but leaving the whole thing up to him. I know now that he would have failed, but what’s happening to me.
Do I like crafting?
-Ugh,- I shudder, quickly looking for something to focus on.
There’s plenty of infused and enchanted weapons, but I don’t need that. I might not be able to enchant for extra shiny, sharp, and no-breaky, but I can just forcefeed Essence into things.
-Do you have any blanks?- I ask the shopkeeper. The girls, Little Corpse, and Silent Howl all telling me that I need a forge or blacksmith, a weapon forger, not seller.
“Buy something, and I’ll answer your questions. One question per 100 Resentment you spend,” the shopkeeper says, way more patient than I am.
Silent Howl:
You’re purifying the air.
Living creatures aren’t meant to sit in that much Resentment.
Fack. I’m not supposed to be helping. How do I fix this?
-Are you finding it easier to breathe? You want me to stay in your shop? You answer my questions,- I tell the shopkeeper, leaning against their counter while waving a finger around to show that the air is cleaner. -You can buy your own shield, but I can clean the air. If you’re agreeable, I’ll stay. If not?- I stand up and shrug. -I’ll ask questions elsewhere.-
He rolls his eyes, looking off to the side, and I probably would have missed him peeking at something under the counter if he didn’t freeze with his eyes bugging out of his head at whatever he checks. I pan my vision around and see he’s looking at some weird compass, mirror, board game, horoscope, astrology, overly complex multi-layered, multi-edged, not circle. There’s a mirrored bubble in the middle, with a red dot pulsing off to one side. Don’t know what it means, but I guess it’s important.
He looks up at me staring blankly at him, his face twisting into a mid-laugh, eyes squinted with laugh lines, teeth visible, more laugh lines, expression, and then he laughs. He stands up slowly, face still locked in deep laughter, but he stopped laughing pretty quickly. I grimace in sympathy and he fake laughs, triggering me to fake laugh at him.
I tense as he starts, shuffling around the counter at me while waving for me to come with him... somewhere. No, he wants to guide me to a corner. He sets up a chair, a table, and then starts putting out a tea set with snacks.
-Guess he wants me to stay.- I try the tea to see if it’s poisoned, and it’s just cheap tea.
The shopkeep casually explains that they’re more than willing to answer my questions as payment for purifying his shop, and he’ll allow me to come back once a week to keep it cleaned up, and even I know that it’s not a good deal. He said something about 100 Resentment for every question, so that feels like a good payment for every 1000 Resentment I remove.
-Anyone know how to check how much Resentment I’ve cleaned from an area?- I ask since I’ve been in the shop for an hour and he hasn’t answered any of my questions despite being very long-winded.
-Logs. Resentment Collected. Name of shop. You’re at the Weapons Shop. They buy and sell weapons from Disciples to Disciples.- Little Corpse drones. It sounds like he needs a nap. I can hear him rubbing his head and sighing through the send.
The girls stand behind the shopkeep, idly fingering their little blades, and I ask for chairs for them so they don’t kill him. I feel my eyebrows shoot up as he laughs and dismisses me. He knows they “belong” to me, and he’s not going to treat them like people. ‘Cause they’re my workers...
I go to my Logs, see I’ve filtered the shop of only 5000 Resentment despite creating several sets of Tears, shrug, and make another set of Tears.
[Resentment Shard -10,000 x20 -Resentment]
[Resentment: +759840/-482952 - 200000 -Resentment]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.20 +20]
[Max Will: 9,579,451]
[HP: 9,579,451]
[Resentment: +759840/-282952]
[Current Condensed Qi: 1831419/24516361]
[Current Qi: 1634395/957945100]
[Current Karma: 98065447/107275977]
[Resentment Wallet: C.St.0,R.Sh.40]
[Mortal Wallet: 12E,692K,180P,697R,179Da,258De,2605k]
[Spirit Wallet: 0Dr,0Ph,0Th,1325Di,126Co,10679St]
-I’ve filtered 5000 Resentment from your shop,- I tell the shopkeeper, standing up with one hand raised to condense shards and the other to catch them to Deposit them.
“You’ve been burning Resentment in here?!” The shopkeeper screeches at me, furious because what? Who’s burning what? “You trying to draw down spirits on me?! Get out!”
-You’re trying very hard not to pay, and who is burning anything?- I snap, storming out of the shop before the girls can kill this unhelpful dumbass.
“Your condensing rate is very high,” Widow’s Sigh murmurs, one arm crossed over his chest while he gently strokes his chin. I do a double-take, wondering where he came from, and how long he’s been standing there watching me. “Why not create Resentment weapons?”
-I don’t know how to condense Resentment in that way,- I admit while the girls argue, loudly, if they should add the shopkeeper to their corpse collection or mine.
“Come. We’ll see that you’re taught,” he murmurs, turning around and calmly walking away.
-He paid 500 Resentment,- one of the girls pouts. I look back to see the shopkeeper lying unmoving on the ground.
-We said we’d accept it if he condensed the stones himself,- one girl says, showing me a gumball-sized stone before dropping it back in her purse. Guess they’ll give it to me later.
-He can only condense 10 Resentment at a time...- one girl sighs, and then they skip after Widow’s Sigh while holding hands.
While we walk Widow’s Sigh requests an update, I side-eye him with suspicion, and then get a notification. For something in the Sect. I meditate on the Ghost Flame, see I have a new Mission, -- the fuck are Missions, and who gave me this? -- open it, and see that Widow’s Sigh, my Sponsor, and mid-Rank Mentor, -- not an Instructor or a badass, just some dude higher up. Disappoint, -- has put in a request of sorts. He’s offering to teach me how to create Resentment weapons and spells, -- is Ghost Flame a spell? What’s Vengeful Ghost Flame? -- in exchange for a progress report. If I don’t complete this “Mission”, then there will be penalties. I have five chances to turn down “Missions”, and then he can choose to stop sponsoring me.
-Okay, so what had happened was...- I begin, trying to decide if I want to complain about stuff we’d gone over. Technically I wasn’t part of the Sect when we went over them, so why not? -I get dumped in this random graveyard with corpses and skeletons, right? And one attacks me, but it’s really bad. Like, I feel like I honestly stand a chance, you know?-
