Chapter 27

  A blue sky filled my eyes as I opened them. I had logged back into Royal Road, 20 seconds after the counter reached 0. I am back to this world again. Now where is Stella?

  “Stella?” I looked left and right. All I could see was the empty field around fairy lake. No one is here. “Yggdrasil?”

  I tried to call out names and so on but no one answered. Now I am getting worried.

  “Umm, Riri?” A yellow fairy came from the lake. “The ritual has finished. Stella has been revived in your body but her skills and stats were decreased as much as possible for safety reasons. Now, umm, please leave. Sorry, but a demonic presence disturbs us. We will pray for your safe journey from afar.”

  When I looked closer I had a new popup window.

  “Summon Stella.”

  Then with a green light, Stella was summoned in front of me. She now has wolf ears on her head plus two wolf tails on her butt but the face and body are definitely her. She wore a one piece dress now just like El. But it was definitely her.

  “Stella!” I hugged her. It has just been for about 2 or 3 weeks but it felt so long. ”I have missed you.”

  “Hello Riri. It is very good to see you again. I have missed you too.” She hugged me warmly.

  “Let’s leave. It is forbidden for them to let us stay here any longer.” Stella said while looking at Fairy Lake. Her face somehow seemed uncomfortable when she looked back at the lake. We then walked toward the ruins of City of Acolyte.

  ‘What the heck? Isn’t this overkill? she has 150 strength and agility!’ I thought when I opened her stat window. Then for further reference, I clicked on each of her skills for more detailed descriptions of her skills.

  ‘Alright, in her wolf form, she is stronger than me even at beginner level! This is overpowered!! And that Yggdrasil said he had already decreased her stats as much as he could!!’ I thought to myself.

  ‘So, as long as her fighting spirit is high, the enemy will stand still like a statue, it is not a battle, it is dinner on a silver plate. Her fighting spirit is 350! Even I only have 180. Moreover she is level 40!!’ I thought again.

  I just stared at her skill window. This is OP way to OP!! I pitied Reis for fighting her in her full battle mode. No wonder Death Manager was scared shitless when battling her. His movement was decreased and she also gained many buffs.

  I just stared at the screen speechless. If El was a living powerplant, Stella was now a living bio weapon. Just touching her or getting near her will inflict serious poison damage!

  “Riri....” Stella then nodded. It seems like she knew I was investigating her stats.

  “Yes? What is it?”

  “I-I-I have turned into a monster, haven’t I?” Tears then started flowing from her eyes as she started sobbing.

  “Ah. Umm, no. Not at all!” I tried to deny her words.

  “Just look!! Even the monsters here are afraid of me!!” She said while pointing at other monsters while activating her fighting spirit. Some Sabertooth tigers ran away after she pointed her fingers at them. Her fighting spirit was so high that no monster dared to disturb us even when she didn’t activate the stat.

  Towards her words I could only remain silent. I tried to hold back my tears as I said my words. “I am sorry. I just. I just wanted to meet you again. I-I-I don’t care if you have turned into a monster or whatever. I.... just want to be with you again like before.”

  Stella then remained silent. With a whisper she then said. “Wolf form.”

  She immediately changed herself to her wolf form. A majestic form which put fear into the hearts of her enemies. Smooth green fur and white fangs. Her fighting spirit was so high combined with devil glare it could only petrify me preventing me from moving.

  “What do you think about me now?” She said in her wolf form. The sound was accompanied by a growl, but she still sounded sad.

  You are inflicted with venom aura. Due to your character’s bonus, damage is converted to health. In Stella’s presence, you are healed by 0.1 HP/second. This will occur until you are out of venom aura’s range.

  She came closer. The moss in the forest wilted as she passed by. When she stepped in, shrubs and small bushes that were stepped on by her paws wilted. Such a frightening glare even without system notifications, her presence was enough to put me in a state of fear. But inside that fear, I felt impressed. Impressed that I have such a thing as my friend.

  “You are afraid right? I can see it.” Stella said as she stood in front of me. I just looked at her dazed. My feet trembled but I tried to resist it. With a trembling hand, I tried to reach her head.

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  “Yes. It is true. You are fearsome. But magnificent at a same time. I am proud to have you as my friend.” I said while holding the wolf’s head. My fear was reduced after the healing message appeared. She is fearfull but somehow this healing had a soft warmth in it.

  You are inflicted with venom fur. Due to your character bonus, damage will turn into healing by 0.2 hit points per second. This will last as long as you touch Stella fur.

  “You still consider me your friend? After I am no longer human?”

  “Yes. I do.” I answered in a soft but firm tone.

  “I see. Thanks.” Stella said as tears came from her wolf eyes. She then changed back into her human form with her 2 tails wagging and dog, I mean wolf ears on her head. She then looked at me with a worried. “You touched me. Are you okay?”

  “Huh?”

  “You are poisoned right? Ehh? But your face isn’t darkened.” Stella is now 100% confused. She thought I just withstood the pain from the poison damage while touching her. While the poison from venom aura vanished when she returned to her human form but when you touch her fur you will get a chance to receive stackable poison damage.

  “Ahh, I have immunity from poison. Your poison will no longer work on me. It turns into healing instead. Ahahaha.” I laughed as I said this but she was crying instead.

  “I see. Thank you. I guess Yggdrasil understood me.” She then inhaled and exhaled her breath. Then she said to me. “Ride me.”

  “Huh?”

  “I don’t want to stay cooped up in this forest for too long. Ride me and we can get out of here faster.” She said as she turned into her wolf form. A I,5 meter tall wolf was almost as tall as my shoulder. So riding her was quite possible. With her strength stat I should not be too heavy right?

  “Umm, am I heavy?” I asked nervously as I rode on her back. This feels like how I rode my dog 7 years ago. Then I had to cry because the dog wouldn’t stop so my father had to chase me with his motorcycle. Well, this one is intelligent. She will not scare me like that right?

  I then pondered about her dog... I mean wolf form. She is 100% wolf okay. But the features of dogs and wolves are very similar. It is hard to distinguish wolves and dogs (Some people keep wolf-like dogs in their homes right? Those that look like a wolf no matter how you look at it but they call it a dog instead. This is the part Riri was confused about. Don’t compare her to a bulldog, Labrador or Doberman.)

  “Not really. You are just like a backpack. I can handle it. Just don’t fall off.”

  She then ran out of the woods. Her steps were fast and she could also dodge every tree in rapid succession. I strengthened my grip on her fur as she sped up again when we reached a plain. To counter the wind resistance, I had to duck down while continuing to look forward. She is faster than a horse! She slowed down after 1 hour, her pace was more like jogging now but it was still fast nevertheless.

  After 12 hours of continuous running, she stopped while kneeling. She turned back into her human form with me still on her back. She then lay down on the dirt completely exhausted. “Please, let’s rest for a while!” She said while catching her breath.

  “I didn’t tell you to run continuously.” I said while sitting on the dirt, the day had turned into night. We are close to the ruins of Acolyte City but I guess Stella can’t go any further.

  “Stella is just too excited.” El said sitting on my head.

  “Yeah. I guess I am. Well, no one has ever complimented this form.” Her breath was more steady now.

  “Umm, Stella. I have the soul transmutation skill.”

  “It has your name now.” I said cheerfully. ”Maybe we can trade places?”

  “DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!’ She screamed with a deathly glare. She then unconsciously used devil glare on me. This time it was full of killing intent.

  “Ah, I am sorry. I-I-I just wanted to show off a little. Maybe I-I-I can understand you better if we have the same f-f-form. Sorry.” I stuttered as I asked for forgiveness.

  “Ahh. Sorry. I unconsciously used it again.” Stella quickly deactivated her devil glare. “So, have you used that skill?“

  “Yes. Once.”

  “I see. I should have never giving the idol performer class to you but somehow I just wanted a successor. You should have never used that skill.” She said while hugging her knees in front of the bonfire that I made using fireball.

  “Why?” I said while tilting my head.

  “Unlike other skills, this skill will change your race when it hits advanced. Then you will completely become like that race. All of your stats and skills will be gone. At first you will only get the benefits of the race. But when you hit advanced, you will also accept the demerits of the race.“

  She then continued with a little sob. ”You might have been fascinated by its power when you used it right? It will increase your power even more by the time it reached intermediate. Then after you are hypnotized by its power and can’t stop using it, you will turn yourself into that race. Those monsters. I was a fool back then. I used it like a toy. It was just then when I realized that my senior used it for the last time in a dungeon raid that I realized.....”

  “She couldn’t change back... after we took out the boss monster, she then continued to attack other teammates until eventually Ragnar smashed her head in with his hammer. The raid team took heavy losses more than from the boss monster itself. Fortunately most of them were hired mercenaries and soldiers.”

  She then cried. “I was in a state of fear back then. My soul transmutation was at intermediate level 7 back then. I swore to never use it again but even when I didn’t use it, each month the percentage of the skill mastery rose by 1%, it was like a nightmare or a death sentence.”

  I then looked at El. ”But my soul transmutation is a fairy. El, you are sentient and will not cause any trouble right?”

  El could only remain silent. “We are sentient. But we have orders from Yggdrasil and we have to obey him no matter what it is.”

  Stella looked at me and then looked down in defeat. “This skill is so rare that I have never witnessed anyone using it other than my senior. At that time, we were given an item each. Some priestess thanked us for our success at their festivals that we were a part of. She got a Demonic lion while I got the wolf. I was a fool back then. I used it like a toy for amusement and Tantalus’s plays. The controlled wolf and lion played a big part and the group was famous. We also used it in several dungeon raids. Its power was massive and awesome, we couldn’t stop using it, vanity had gotten the best of us. Even when the skill window was showing us the description, we still used it carefree. Until that time.” She stopped at that last sentence. “You might still be sentient when you change into a fairy. But still, your personality might be damaged.“

  “I see. But relax. My soul transmutation is at beginner lvl 3. It still has many uses before it reaches advanced.” I smiled trying to calm her. In my head, even if I transformed into the wolf, I might not change like how NPCs. After all, player personalities and mental health are heavily protected by the Royal Road capsule. I should not change.

  “You do not understand!!” Stella screamed again.

  “Ahh, sorry, I screamed again.” She said. “This skill is unlike other skills. The higher the level. The easier it is to level up.”

  “Huh?”

  “Yes. It can easily jump 2 or 3 levels in one go. Even I only used it for like 7 or 8 times before and it had already reached intermediate lvl 8.”

  “I see.”

  She then looked me in the eye with a pleading voice. “Please. Never use it again.”

  “Umm, alright.” I said.

  “Promise me, Okay.” She then slept on my lap. Somehow this felt like that night in the cave where she slept on my lap with moonlight shining above us. With El this time, I slept while leaning on the tree at my back. El then slept on Stella’s head for comfort. Now I know why I befriended her. Beneath that cheerful face lies a deep sorrow. I admire her strength. She was able to withstand all that sorrow and pain and keeping everyone happy. Even if she no longer has fame, I still admire her. I still want to be like her. I still want to be as powerful as her.

  The night passed with peaceful sounds. In her sleep Stella still whispered to me to repeat my promise on not using that skill again.

  previous chapter 26

  next chapter 28

  ______________________

  author note

  - now here is the next chapter. the next one or maybe the next 2 chapters as college has already started might be my last chapter until my hiatus ends

  - my PR Obsidian made a funny comment that Stella looked like siberian husky ^_^ i say that it quite look like it but twice or thrice bigger. but after browsing through Wikipedia, i found out that while siberian husky does look like her, a pure wolf like arctic fox and gray wolf suited her form better though she is green. i pretty much fond of arctic wolves with their pure white fur

  - so what do you think about Stella? questions, comments, and critics are welcomed

  - here is the usual MC related stuff

  SpoilerStatus window

  Name Riri class idol performers

  Health 6675(+800) mana 10900 (+800)

  Level 125 Race human

  Fame 1000

  Title  manager, the white rider

  Job none

  Health regen/sec 26.5 mana regen/sec 43.4

  Strength 143(+122) dexterity 352 (+55)

  Wisdom 342 (+102) intelect 311 (+125)

  Stamina 305 vitality 117 (+150)

  Art 74 charisma 177 (+140)

  Leadership. 160(+30) charm 105(+125)

  Fighting spirit 180 faith 140 (+105)

  Magic resistance

  Fire   water

  Earth  wind

  Thunder ice

  Dark 45%(E)  light 45%(E)

  Unused points 20

  Contribution point church 8000

  Contribution point haven 2500

  Bonuses

  Magic will be reduced by 90%. unless you meet normal requirement of 300 wisdom

  weapon will be reduced by 90% unless have intermediate blacksmith

  Leather armor will not be penalized

  iron armor will have it’s movement speed reduced by 30% and increased stamina consumption by 20%. Only if you meet the equipment requirement

  While riding horse the movement speed increased by 10%

  you are immune against poison and acid damage

  poison damage will heal you for 10% of their damage

  your body is bounded with Stella’s soul

  Bag 1

  Water canteen

  Ring of mana(E)

  Ring of leadership(E)

  Black staff

  Circlet of purity.

  White high heel shoes

  White dress of purity

  Sword of Elkami

  Earing of faith and wisdom

  Necklace of vitality

  Ring of vitalityx4

  Ring of inteligence x3

  Stella’s ring

  Skill list

  Speed reading beginner’s lvl 2 (40%)

  Manage beginner’s lvl 5(10%).

  Magic mastery intermediate lvl 9

  Acrobatic intermediate lvl 6 (Movement 160%)

  Multitasking intermediate lvl 3 ( (Focus 6, intelect +25)

  Sword mastery intermediate lvl 6 (power 70% speed 70%)

  Ambidextrous beginner lvl 2 (Dex +2)

  Bullet deflector intermediate lvl 6 (Dex +80)

  Sneak beginner level 2

  Horseriding intermediate lvl 1

  Soul transmutation beginner level 3

  Enchanted autograph beginner lvl 1

  Break dance beginner level 1

  Audience beginner lvl 1

  Sub skill of Riri magic mastery

  light blessing intermediate lvl 5

  phoenix regen intermediate lvl 4

  healing hand intermediate lvl 7

  Healing Area intermediate lvl 9

  Group cure intermediate lvl 6

  Expert cure intermediate lvl 6

  Single bless intermediate lvl 8

  Fireball intermediate lvl 7

  Elkami Spell list

  Thunder Barrier advance lvl 6

  Thunder strike advance lvl 8

  Thunder shower advance lvl 1

  Thunder ball advance lvl 2

  Lightning ball advance lvl 9

  Enigma of lightning god Zeus strike intermediate lvl 7

  Enigma of lightning god thor Hammer intermediate lvl 3

  Enigma of lightning god zeus bolt shower intermediate lvl 2

  Enigma of lightning god bolt of thor intermediate lvl 5

  Lightning bolt intermediate lvl 6

  Mana bolt intermediate lvl 6

  Lightning charge advance lvl 4

  Lightning pulse advance lvl 5

  Lightning strike advance lvl 2

  Lighting flash advance lvl 1

  Lightning storm advance lvl 2

  Shadow ball beginner lvl 2

  Dark lightning beginner lvl 3

  Skill list of Stella

  Wolf form beginner lvl 1

  Devil glare eginner lvl 1

  Hunter instinct beginner lvl 1