Darn, I wish I could get some more info on these guys, this sucks. Like, Vipermouth and Leapmouth? What kinda names are those? They must be related in some kind of way or something.
[Hey, uhh, Spiritus, any tips?]
[[Answer. No.]]
[Hey! What kind of reply is that?! These guys are Superman levels of strong!]]
[[You're not supposed to be hearing me in the first place.]]
Oh, well that's true. My mom told me it's impossible to hear the Spiritus Mundi, and yet here I am, asking the freaking thing for help.
[Who cares about that? It's not like anyone would know you're helping me!]
The voice went quiet from my response before releasing a long exhausted, humanly sigh.
[[Very well. Transferring Epic Skill 'Appraisal' (LV: 3)]]
[Appraisal, level 3?!]
All of a sudden, I could feel my soul brim with a newfound power as it was engraved with a new skill. Was this even legal?! The System of the World was helping me out, but why? There were so many questions, but I didn't have time to start forming theories and stuff.
"Appraisal." I whispered under my voice in chuuni-fashion before I got a clear view of their status-hubs.
[[Name: Vipermouth
Titles: Merciless, Dishonorable, Assassin, Man Slayer
Race: Beastlord
LVL: 65
Strength: S+ Rank
Stamina: S+ Rank
Agility: S+ Rank
Intrinsic Skills: Venomous Fang (LV: 7), Scale Armor (LV: 7), Regeneration (LV: 7), Keen Senses (LV: 5)
Special Skills: Sacred Art of Destruction (LV: 5), Enhanced Perception (LV: 5), Venomous Glare (LV: 6), Universal Translation (LV: 5)
Epic Skills: Serpentine Demolition (LV: 7)
Resistances: Disease (LV: MAX), Curse (LV: 3), Poison (LV: MAX), Defensive Cleaving (LV: 2), Frost (LV: MAX), Fire (LV: MAX), Slumber (LV MAX), Lightning (LV: 6), Death Status-effect (LV: 5), Corrosion (LV: 2)]]
[[Name: Leapmouth
Titles: Knight, Honorable Warrior, Noblebeast, Man Slayer
Race: Beastlord
LVL: 65
Strength: S+ Rank
Stamina: S+ Rank
Agility: S+ Rank
Intrinsic Skills: Poison Spitball (LV: MAX), Water Control (LV: MAX), Regeneration (LV: 7), Keen Senses (LV: 7)
Special Skills: Sacred Art of Nobility (LV: 5), One-thousand Cuts (LV: MAX), Heroic Haki (LV: 8), Universal Translation (LV: 5)
Epic Skills: Heroic Ambition (LV: 8)
Resistances: Disease (LV: MAX), Curse (LV: 7), Poison (LV: MAX), Defensive Cleaving (LV: 8), Frost (LV: 5), Fire (LV: 8), Slumber (LV 5), Lightning (LV: 3), Death Status-effect (LV: 1), Corrosion (LV: 1)]]
[Holy crap, their ranks are broken! Especially that snake-guys' resistances!]
I nearly jumped out of my fur as their ranks flashed across my vision.
"Are they walking raid bosses or what, yo?!"
[[Correction. They are Beastlord Generals of Sasobek. Engaging them would result in immediate termination.]]
[No kidding! I'm screwed if I mess with them!]
I crouched lower behind the tall grass, peeking through very cautiously. Vipermouth looked around as if he spotted something, while Leapmouth stood perfectly still, closing his eyes like he was meditating, or waiting for someone to strike.
Something about them made me feel like a middle-schooler walking into college; it even felt wrong to move without their permission.
[Okay... calm down, deep breaths, Keiko! You're just a tiny, totally-not-ready-for-this black cat watching two S+ Rank beasts! Everything is okay!]
"Keep your senses sharp, Leapmouth. My Enhanced Perception is picking up on something."
Leapmouth opened one eye with his tone as calm as still water.
"You're paranoid, snake."
Vipermouth chuckled, facing the meditating frog.
"No. I sense something, and it's watching us."
My tail puffed up immediately.
[Oh crap, oh crap oh crap! He's talking about me, isn't he?!]
The snake's head turned ever so slightly in my direction as his yellow eyes narrowed. I swore his pupils locked with mine through the foliage.
[[Warning. Silent Steps Skill compromised by high-tier perception skill.]]
[I'm so screwed!]
I ducked behind the grass, trying not to breathe too loudly. My heart was pounding so hard it could probably be heard two trees away, I swear.
"Someone's definitely here." Vipermouth frowned, walking toward my location. "It's a weak presence, but it feels... familiar."
Leapmouth rested his hand on his sword hilt.
"Then perhaps we test your theory."
"Oh hell no! It's time to go, dragonfly!"
I dashed off, hopping over roots and slipping through mud. Every step increased my anxiety, even though I knew Silent Steps should've made me invisible. But apparently, "invisible" didn't mean much when the enemies could sense subtle changes in the air or whatever ridiculous god-tier nonsense they had.
Behind me, I heard the distinct swish of metal cutting through the air. The next thing I knew, the tree next to me split clean in half.
[[Notice. You have been detected. Escaping combat is recommended.]]
[Oh gee, thanks! No freaking duh!]
"Master!" Dragonfly flew behind me, barely keeping up with my speed.
"Cmon, dude, run faster—or fly faster!"
"So, the small kitten thinks it can escape my fangs?!" Vipermouth saw me and wasted no time chasing me down, even transforming his legs into a long tail to slither on the ground like a snake.
"Eeeek! Scary!"
Leapmouth followed behind him, but he jumped up into the dead trees above like a ninja, hopping branch to branch.
I decided to pick up the pace with my tail streaming behind me as the frogs who sat on watch duty by my nest croaked an alarm before the snakes lifted their heads. And before long, my swamp army was ready to fight.
"Protect the Queen!" The turtle bellowed from afar, and next thing I knew, every swamp creature surrounded my home and waited for my arrival.
[Crap, crap, crap! Why did I have to peek?! Why couldn't I just sit on my turtle throne and mind my own royal cat business?!]
I darted through the swamp with mud splashing under my paws, trying to stay ahead of the murderous beastlords behind me. These guys were way faster, so there's no doubt they're purposely going slower to instill fear inside of me!
[Spiritus, this is your fault! You didn't even warn me they could see through Silent Steps!]
[[Correction. You chose to prolong observation of high-tier beasts despite warnings.]]
"I-I... damn it!" I leapt over a fallen tree and slid down a slope with my claws digging into the dirt just to keep balance. I didn't dare slow down, no way in hell.
[Ohhh, this is bad, this is so bad!]
I wanted to cry. No, really, I was on the verge of tears. My entire swamp kingdom was going to see their "Queen" running for her life like a scared kitten, and sacrifice themselves for my stupid decision. What have I done?
I burst into a small clearing where my nest was, and all the creatures stood guard—the frogs preparing their poisonous spitballs, the snakes hissing and ready, even the bugs. But me? I was covered in mud and looked like a coward.
"Q-Queen Keiko!" One of the frogs shouted with wide eyes. "You're being chased!"
"Yeah, no kidding dude!" I yelled, panting hard as I stumbled to a stop. "Two overpowered monsters are on my tail! Literally!"
Then, through the tall grass behind me, two enormous silhouettes appeared; Vipermouth slithering forward, and Leapmouth landing beside him in a crouch, holding a knightly blade in his hand.
Every creature in my swamp froze, prepared to risk their lives for my sake.
[Oh no... I actually led them to my home. What was I thinking! I-I was just too scared...]
My heart twisted oh-so-painfully. I could feel the guilt swelling inside me like a darn storm. I wasn't a queen. I was a walking disaster in fur.
"E-everyone... stand down." I said quietly before they all blinked, visibly confused.
The frogs hesitated with their throats swelling with unlaunched poison. The snakes looked at me with uncertain eyes.
"Q-Queen?" The turtle lowered his massive head. "But they are Sasobek's Generals—"
"I said stand down!" I raised my voice a bit louder than I expected. I didn't want them to die for me; not because of my stupid mistake.
Vipermouth stopped a dozen meters away with his arms folded behind his back, and with a look of amusement on his face.
"How touching. The little queen protects her pets."
Leapmouth said nothing at first, but just looked at me with those calm, froggy eyes.
"She's no ordinary cat, Vipermouth. I can feel... divinity in her mana."
Vipermouth smirked, baring his fangs.
"Divinity? Don't make me laugh. This little runt? Fwa ha ha! She's shaking in her fur!"
He wasn't wrong, my paws were shaking, and my breathing felt a little uneven. But I couldn't let them see me break. That would make me look bad in front of my people, right? Man, I don't know how any of this Ruler stuff works!
[Come on, Keiko. You got yourself into this, don't drag everyone else down with you.]
"Stop right there!" I shouted, forcing myself to step forward even though my whole body was screaming at me to run. "You want me, right? T-Then leave my swamp out of it!"
Leapmouth raised his head, intrigued by my words.
"So you admit this territory belongs to you?"
"It does!" I said, trying to sound confident. "I'm the new King of the Swamp... or Queen, whatever."
"What?" Leapmouth widened his eyes. "So you're the beast who defeated Croak'mar?!"
Vipermouth narrowed his eyes from this revelation.
"That's not possible. Not by a weak-leveled beast like you."
Huh, was this good or bad? Oh man, I don't know anymore!