Chương 35: [1.35] Stuffed (Part 1)

[Active Skill: Implant Thought | Unlock: 15 GP | Implant a thought into the target's mind, and make them think it is their own. Cost: Variable MP. Amount required depends on Skill Level, Fraud Attunement, complexity of thought, Target's alignment with thought, and Target's mental fortitude. Additional Unlock Requirements: Blessed Fraud Attunement OR Enchanting Beguilement] Such a Skill even existing was a scary thought. The mere concept that Gelic could have had her mind altered without her knowing made her shiver.

The only solace was that it seemed that giving them a thought that completely opposed their ideals would make it more difficult and MP-intensive. Just by its potential, she was tempted to save up for it. If she didn't spend anything else, she could buy it before she graduated as an Imp. However, with those additional requirements, there was no way she was close to either, making it best to ignore the Skill entirely. Not knowing the Attunement levels, that could be right after Touched, but she highly doubted it.

Undoubtedly, Implant Thought was for high-ranking Demons who specialized in the area of manipulation. Since that wasn't her or what she wanted to become, it was extremely unlikely this would ever be in her future, only even seeing it as available since it was connected to Essence Tip. Hopefully, there was some sort of Manipulation Resistance she could get down the line. That did not mean Fraud was a total bust, however. Because next was something she'd never seen before.

Not a skill, but rather an Enhancement to an existing one. [Enhancement (Transfiguration): Identity Fraud | Unlock: 10 GP | When using Transfiguration, assume a new Identity to match the form that will deceive all those who pry. Enhancement does not grow] That was it! That was what Angelica needed to fool Scrying Eye, she was sure of it. Yep, that was immediately going on the priority list. But where, though? Definitely above Seeking Projectile, but was it more urgent than Toxic Imbuement?

Probably in the sense that it would open more opportunities for her, especially with Summoners, but Toxic Imbuement could be what saved her life in an emergency. Yes, she decided that survivability was more important. Plus, it was only 3 GP compared to a whopping 10. So she could get it first, and then utilize it during the bigger save-up.

Like with Fraud, Gelic didn't expect much from Famine Attunement, and like with Fraud, it, too, surprised her, starting with the skill She'd initially written off at the museum while under duress. [Active Skill: Second Stomach | Unlock: 1 GP | Create a metaphysical second stomach that can hold items in stasis indefinitely upon consumption. Items can be upchucked on command or moved to the main stomach. Cost: Variable MP. Consuming or Upchucking items costs MP depending on the size of the item. There is no MP Cost if the item will fit into the mouth. There is no Cost for moving the item to the main stomach. Space available scales with Skill Level, Vigor, and Famine Attunement] That was definitely not what she was expecting. Well, maybe its base concept of storing food was along her imagination. That was probably why it was connected to Hunger Resistance, its intent to primarily ward off hunger by keeping more with her. But it didn't sound like there was any real limitation on it just being food.

If something would fit, couldn't she use it for anything, like an intangible purse? Never more did Gelic wish she could have a free trial of a Skill, since there was quite a bit of testing she wanted to do with it. Since it was just 1 GP, like Poison Eater, it was probably a no-brainer to take. She had the point available, and that would still allow her to save up for the other two high-priority Skills before the level cap. Even if it didn't work like she wanted, still having the food storage would be phenomenal.

She could go ahead and eat more of her poisoned stir-fry and keep it in the Second Stomach in case of an emergency, then move it over for healing. It sounded like it wouldn't spoil, either, due to the stasis effect, not that it would be a problem for her. Heck, it might actually be a detriment in that case, since that would just make it a more potent poison. For now, Angelica didn't purchase the Skill, but did go ahead and put it at the top of the priority list.

She just didn't want to run into something undeniably immediately better and not have the point to spend. There wasn't too much left to check, though, so it was a good chance of purchase. However, the next one she looked at, connected to Hunger Resistance on the other side, might make her need to alter her plans even further. [Active Skill: Starvation | Unlock: 4 GP | Disintegrates food in the target's stomach, removing all satiation and nutritional value. Can be chained. Hunger may be optionally inflicted. Cost: 20 MP. Chain: 3 Targets. Potency of Disintegration and Hunger increases with Skill Level, Malice, and Famine Attunement. Chain Amount scales with Skill Level and Might] Huh… Well, obviously, this Skill was the most in-line with the ideal of Famine, compared to the others that sort of opposed it. This was clearly designed to starve others and debilitate them, for pure malicious purposes. Yet that wasn't why Angelica was interested in it. She wanted to starve herself.

If she took the Skill and combined it with eating poisoned food, replacing throwing up in that situation—saving her from the vile act—wouldn't she then be able to heal indefinitely? Like the barfing idea, assuredly, disintegrating the food would remove any health benefit from it. But she could wait until after the poison had run its course, delete the food, then eat more. And when she had maxed out her Health from regeneration, she could just leave the last batch of food in there, so she wouldn't be hungry, either.

The dream of 100% Health could very well be alive. So it was definitely going on the priority list. Realistically, it should be below Identity Fraud. Then why did she want to put this Skill above it? Yes, it would maximize her survivability process and help her stay at high Health so she'd feel better in life, but it wasn't as urgent of a necessity in that regard. Though she had just almost died, so it was definitely putting her in a more cautious mindset.

Angelica was pretty sure that a lot of the reason was that she just found the concept funny, way too funny. That had to be her inner Demon manipulating her emotions, because there was no way a silly rumination would bring her to near stitches, right? Ever since reading it, one idea on how to use it had stuck in her mind. Say someone was bothering her. She could just wiggle her hands, or however the magic worked, and then, "Poof, you're starving!"

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Since she could also apply Hunger on top of the empty stomach, that would instantly cripple the person, becoming so famished that they couldn't think or function properly, and have to run off to scarf something down, feeling like they were going to die if they didn't. What if Ms. Gate came to annoy her again?

The landlord would never make it to the door cus she'd have to turn around and go eat a sandwich before she collapsed. Yes, the mental image delighted her beyond reason. So for that nonsensical aspect, plus the other additional bonus of being able to eat whatever terrible food she wanted and then not getting the calories, it was placed higher on the priority list. That, unfortunately, meant Identity Fraud would be pushed until after she evolved on from an Imp. Which might actually be for the best.

Summoners were always surprised of all she was capable of as "a mere Imp," so if she was at least a Hellion—what she assumed came next in the evolutionary line—then that would probably raise less eyebrows for both Gelic, the Demon, and Merlina, the Summoner to whom she was Bound. At this point, she almost feared looking at the final Attunement: Fabrication.

Angelica already had a lot of Skills she needed to buy, and dreaded that her artist side might rouse and demand what was relatively unnecessary to be high up in the priority. Fortunately, the first one, connected to Inspiration, wasn't too tempting. [Active Skill: Muse | Unlock: 3 GP | Take a mental picture so that a subject may be viewed for inspiration evermore. The memory will remain in perfect detail regardless of mental state or status effects. Cost: 10 MP. Recalling the memory has no cost. With increased levels, the original memory may be perceived in additional ways with information gleaned upon study] So… it made her mind like a camera? Or maybe it was better to say it was an artificial photographic memory. While in concept, it sounded nice, she'd be far more interested if it was a Passive Skill instead of an Active one. With that, she'd have to decide what was worth remembering forever in the moment.

It didn't seem like there was a limit on the amount of mental photos she could take, but especially with the MP cost, it sounded like a good way to deplete herself using paranoia, taking a picture anytime something could be remotely important. Or maybe she was reading it wrong, and she'd be stuck with a single use, which would stink. The latter part about learning new stuff and additional perception was interesting, but again, she kind of wanted a free trial to really understand its potential.

For now, she'd just stick with using her phone camera, not that she was big on taking pictures, anyways. And who knew, she could maybe get it for free one day through heavy reminiscence or looking at a photo album. So it was time for the last Skill available before she could finally move on with her planning. [Passive Skill: Auto-Color | Unlock: 5 GP | All newly created works will be colored and shaded perfectly in line with the user's mental visualization while not surpassing their capabilities. Skill does not grow via the Demon Growth System. It instead grows with the user's own artistic ability. Additional Unlock Requirements: Embraced Fabrication Attunement or Ardent Creativity (met)] I need it! Angelica did not need it. Yet at the same time, she NEEDED it. Every artsy instinct in her body screamed at her to purchase the Skill as soon as physically possible. Transmitting idea to paper was the most frustrating part of making art, since it rarely was a perfect replica.

With this, it would remove one huge roadblock and put her well on the path of becoming one of the greatest artists of all time. And it wasn't like it was completely generating the art, making it a full-on fabrication. She'd still need to put in the work herself, imagine the concept, and rely on her abilities to bring it to life. And think of all the time it would save! Yes, that was how she could sell it to herself.

It wasn't for survival or strength, but if she never needed to spend time coloring and shading, it would allow so much more time for Demon activities. And… there was still an important part of her life plan she needed to consider: Enjoy Life. Yes, that's what this was all for, and with that Skill, boy would she enjoy life so much more. It was a necessity. Once more, it also raised the question as to why such a Skill even existed. What use would Demons even have for it? It exists just for me!

Angelica irrationally declared. Undoubtedly not the truth, but it was the rationale she was going with. Whoever had made the DGS had included this and other Fabrication Skills just as a present for her. And on top of it, she already had Ardent Creativity, so it was perfectly designed even more! Screw Vissiem, Ferrul is my deity of choice now! Angelica reallyyyyyyyyyyyy wanted to put Auto-Color at the top of the skill priority list, but even with her incessant gnawing want, she simply couldn't justify it.

Survival HAD to come first. She couldn't make more art if she was dead, after all, and having almost died the previous day had been very eye opening. So she reluctantly placed Auto-Color after Toxic Imbuement and Starvation. Identity Fraud was once more sent down the river, but not too far. It was still super important, but greed had won the day. So now her decisions were made. [Spend 1 GP to unlock Second Stomach?] [Second Stomach Lv. 1 unlocked] [Vigor increased] [Vigor has improved from Frail to Delicate] [Famine Attunement increased] Was Delicate really better than Frail? Didn't they roughly mean the same thing? Whatever, not important. Of course, to ruin her plans to move on, unlocking Second Stomach had made another new Skill available. [Active Skill: Force-Feed | Unlock: 4 GP | Apparate a food substance or other object into the target's stomach. The less edible an object is, the more difficult it is to execute. Cost: Variable MP depending on Skill Level, Famine Attunement, target's resistances, and edibility] Immediately, her mind went to teleporting some of her poisoned food into an enemy's stomach. Another funny idea, for sure, but that also felt like a waste of her precious healing items. Well, at least until she could make them endlessly. The edibility factor also was likely to prevent her from endlessly just sending rocks into someone's stomach. Ooo, or a grenade —her mind was getting too violent lately.

It was still probably not impossible with the Skill, but the MP cost could make it functionally impossible. Regardless, that definitely was not a necessity. And if her maliciousness continued to increase, maybe one-day she could find a reason to forcibly obtain the Skill. So now her Skill priorities really were set in stone… at least until something new and shiny came along. She'd purchase them in the following order: Toxic Imbuement, Starvation, Auto-Color, Identity Fraud, Seeking Projectile.

Any others would have to wait until there was nothing else better, or she could try to unlock them on her own. With that, her "Get Really Strong" path was starting to shape up. Just that much certainly wouldn't get her anywhere near the power she needed to be at, but it would hopefully keep her from a stupid, untimely death while also giving her some ammunition in a fight if it came down to it.

The next time she faced a trigger-happy museum guard, she wouldn't be so helpless when the starving guard suddenly had a poisoned painting magically fly at his head. There was still some planning on how exactly she was going to get all these Growth Points, but for now, it was time to take a break and shift over to "Get Stupid Rich."