Chris's first introduction to the concept of a "Mimic" or a "Treasure Chest Monster" came from Ghouls 'n Ghosts, specifically, the sequel, Ghouls 'n Ghosts (known as Daimakaimura in Japan).
The sequel was essentially an enhanced version of the original. The plot and progression remained largely the same, but the graphics, performance, and mechanics had been polished and expanded, making the game more playable while simultaneously cranking the difficulty up even higher.
It was an arcade game, after all; its primary purpose was to swallow coins and generate profit.
In this regard, Chris had a bone to pick with Hook. That game was so easy to complete on a single credit that once you beat it, it would seamlessly loop back to the first stage. It was an electricity wasting game that rarely appeared in local arcades because it didn't make enough money.
In the Ghouls 'n Ghosts setting, there was a specific treasure chest mechanic. These chests could contain different types of weapons and armor for Arthur, but they could also hide a "Vampire Magician" who would cast [Polymorph (Duck)] on the player.
A treasure chest was for loot; a Mimic was for eating you.
A person turned into a duck would temporarily lose all means of attack, retaining only a basic jump. The spell's effect was comparable to the [Polymorph] spell in Dungeons & Dragons or Warcraft, though the latter tended to turn victims into harmless sheep.
Furthermore, because the "phone wielding student" had no resistance and almost no mana to counter the spell, the duration of the polymorph was likely to be much longer than expected.
Although the opening sequence of this dungeon was clearly based on the NES version, that didn't stop Chris from remaining vigilant based on his knowledge of the arcade sequel.
As it turned out, his caution was justified. Someone had just provided a live demonstration of the trap.
"Jie jie jie~~~"
The Vampire Magician let out a series of grating, high pitched laughs, sounding like an elder from the Soul Hall, as he admired his handiwork.
The student, now a duck, had no idea what had happened to him. But this version of Polymorph had a unique quirk: it granted the victim the traits of the creature they had become. Their instincts would even align with the new form.
Several zombies on the outer edge of the group turned their stiff bodies, eager to taste some unroasted duck. However, the panicked "duck student" was already flapping his wings and scurrying away in a frenzy.
Surprisingly, he was quite agile. He could even manage short bursts of flight.
Combined with what he had observed while hiding near Chris--specifically, that the zombies only moved in straight lines--the undead found it impossible to catch him for the time being... provided the red-eyed crows didn't get involved.
As non-undead corvids, the red-eyed crows possessed a level of intelligence far beyond that of a mindless zombie. After seeing several of their kin's heads exploded by the precision strikes of a whip, they had decided to steer clear of Chris and instead focus on scavenging the human remains left behind by the zombies.
Higher intelligence often meant that an animal's actions weren't driven solely by survival. Corvids were known to seek out "fun" once their basic needs were met, and a plump, living duck was clearly a source of great entertainment.
Suddenly, the Vampire Magician, who was still enjoying the sight of the duck, felt a shiver run down his spine. He sensed a gaze that felt like a cold blade against his neck.
Without hesitation, the Magician wrapped his red cape around himself. Just as abruptly as he had appeared, he vanished into thin air.
Back on the hill, Chris retracted the gaze he had been leveling at the Magician's back.
He felt no emotional turmoil over the student's decision to snatch the chest or his subsequent death defying transformation. He might have even wanted to applaud the boy for "clearing the mines" for him. But the moment he saw that Magician cast the Polymorph spell, his hunter's instincts had flared up. Even the handle of the whip in his hand had begun to grow uncomfortably warm.
The Vampire Hunter template that Chris had loaded possessed a broad hunting range; every dark and evil creature was on his list. But as the template's name implied, killing other monsters was just a side job. Slaying vampires was his true calling.
Much like the Ranger class in Dungeons & Dragons, the Belmont family had chosen "Vampires" as their Favored Enemy, becoming eternally and inextricably linked to them across generations.
'Please, join me in killing vampires for the rest of your life.jpg'
After snapping his whip, Chris grit his teeth and let out a sharp, clicking sound, like a mouse chirping. The one-eared student, currently caught between worry and anger for his roommate, heard the sound and immediately understood.
It was a signal, a warning that couldn't be spoken aloud.
Though he didn't know why Chris was doing this, the student chose to trust him. He divided his attention, keeping a wary eye out even as he hacked at the zombies.
Just as their perspectives overlapped and they left a blind spot at the back of their heads, the flamboyant Magician in blue materialized.
With a flourish of his cape that looked like a flasher revealing himself, he unleashed a second hexagram formed [Polymorph] missile. His target was singular: his eternal rival, Chris.
The status of "Favored Enemy" was a two-way street. The Belmont family had become the eternal rivals of Dracula and his kin, but as a result, they were also eternally cursed by Dracula. This was the price of their legacy.
While the one-eared student was brave, he wasn't even in the Magician's field of vision. Chris, however, knew precisely what was coming thanks to his rival instincts.
Notably, at the exact moment the Magician fired the second spell, the student who had been flapping around in the graveyard suddenly POOFed back into his human form!
It wasn't because the duration had ended, but because the effect had been terminated.
This clearly meant that the Polymorph spell likely had a limitation: it could only affect one target at a time.
But just as the magical missile was about to hit the back of Chris's head, a zombie's fist slammed into Chris's arms, which he had crossed defensively in front of his chest.
He had deliberately chosen not to dodge the zombie's attack!
And then, something miraculous happened.
The Polymorph missile, which should have hit the back of Chris's head and turned him into a plump white duck, passed right through his body. It struck the zombie instead, leaving it with a stunned, vacuous expression.
With a familiar puff of smoke, the zombie was transformed. In its place stood a dry, wizened "zombie duck" that looked like it had been air dried for years.
Chris, meanwhile, hadn't just used some mysterious ability to evade the spell. He had used the impact of the zombie's punch to execute a rapid three-meter backward leap. The moment his feet touched the ground, he spun and lunged toward the Vampire Magician!
This strange sequence of events was entirely due to a passive skill inherent in his loaded template.
[Hit Evasion: Template Skill (Passive). The quintessential NES era 'Castlevania' mechanic that has infuriated countless players. In the hands of a master, however, it has the potential to be a powerful tool.
Whenever you sustain a successful hit from an enemy, your body will enter a state of stiffness and be forced to leap backward a short distance. During this time, you gain a 'Phase Movement' state lasting 3 seconds. The stiffness is only removed once you touch the ground.
During 'Phase Movement,' you lose all collision with enemies and allies. You are immune to conventional damage, but your own attacks can still hit your enemies.
If you are still overlapping with an ally or enemy when 'Phase Movement' ends, you will take a significant amount of damage and trigger 'Hit Evasion' once more.]
[Translated and Rewritten by Shika_Kagura]