Shifter - Infinite Transformation-Chapter 48: Nasty Gnome

Chaos unfolded below me.

Hnolls of all kinds–agile, massive, as well as a select few bearing distinct racial traits–charged at the soldiers and hunters. A few of them resembled Giga Hounds and Titafur Wolves more than ordinary Hnolls as they burst forth with a bloodlust I only knew from Clove.

One way or another, the Hnoll army was not something I wanted to deal with. Even the weakest among them stood on par with my strongest Hnoll form. If anything, their weakest members were likely stronger than my strongest.

Just watching, sensing their presence from high above, sent my plumage crawling. It was humbling.

Monstrosities in the dozens attacked, and the soldiers and hunters retaliated. I half-expected the defenders to be crushed in the first clash, but they stood strong. These soldiers were nothing like the thugs who had kidnapped me and the others after the Choosing. They were real warriors, their Powers unlike anything I’d seen before.

One of the hunters conjured an arrow made of glistening light and shot one of the monstrosities right between its brows. The Hnoll, one that looked more like a Titafur Wolf, collapsed helplessly to the ground. It was dead even before its body crumbled. Just like that, a monstrosity at the second Tier died.

I can’t do anything.

This was not a fight I could join. Nor did I plan to. The soldiers and Hnolls could crack each other’s heads for all I cared.

Inspecting the fight a little longer, I finally noticed some weaker figures. Lesser Hnolls emerged from the thicket, their numbers having already surrounded the encampment. Dozens were covered in blood, and some collapsed to the ground even before they reached the camp, but that didn’t affect their brethren. They charged on, their focus fixed on the weakest soldiers and hunters.

I even spotted the three hunters who had shot and pursued me. They were not the strongest by far, yet they knew what to do when dealing with a group of Hnolls. It was just that there were too many.

The clearing turned into a bloody mess, and it wasn’t long before the towering presences of the men and women guarding the dungeon entrance shifted. Only one of them made a move, but that was enough. He left an afterimage as he moved. One moment, the man, lanky and quite ordinary at first glance, stood before the dungeon entrance. Next, he was in front of a Hnoll monstrosity.

He pointed a finger at the creature, his lips parting.

Something stirred.

My heart trembled, and my mind rattled as I struggled to comprehend what I was experiencing–right before the monstrosity’s head exploded.

What in the Netherworld did I get pulled into here?!

There was no way I was going to join the battle. Instead, I infiltrated the human camp. Why? Because there were fae in the cages, and I had to rescue them before the Hnolls reached them. No matter who emerged victorious from this bloody clash, I doubted the fae would be treated justly.

I burst into a tent and shifted into the soldier, Cedric. It was the first, and only, human shift I could maintain more or less permanently. I had yet to figure out how using Powers worked in a permanent human form, and I didn’t plan to find out today. My priorities lay elsewhere.

Looking around as I stepped deeper into the camp, I was relieved to find that all the soldiers had left the area. Screams and the sound of clashing metal echoed in my ears, though they were muffled by my racing heart. It drummed so hard against my chest that I wondered how long it would take before it leapt out entirely.

Rushing past the first few cages containing ordinary monsters, I reached the smaller ones, revealing diminutive humanoid figures. One was the size of a human toddler, while the rest appeared to be Flower Fairies... or something similar. They had humanoid frames, but their limbs were covered in bark. Some even wore helmets that obscured most of their heads.

"Are you fae?" I asked, reaching for the locks. I pulled, but nothing happened.

"Fucking moron. Die, you witherhead!" the tallest of the small humanoids screamed in the fae tongue. I was proficient enough with fae curses to understand him perfectly.

"That doesn’t answer my question," I replied in broken fae. "Take a deep breath before you insult me."

With that, I shifted back into my main form, my head swiveling as I checked our surroundings. When I noticed no one nearby, I turned back to them. The Fairies, at least, I hoped that was what they were, stared at me with wide eyes. They remained apprehensive, but my scent was impossible to miss.

"You foul human! You violated one of our kind, and now–"

"Shut it, idiot," I snapped, cutting him off before his shouting could draw attention. "Use your brain, even if it’s just for a second. My scent wouldn’t have changed if I’d violated a fae. That only happens when..." I gestured toward him, hoping the gnomish figure possessed something akin to sense.

The retort died on the gnome’s tongue.

Shifting again, I transformed into the strongest Herculean Ant at my disposal. The Fairies exclaimed and waved their arms, but none of them spoke. They only watched as I tried to bite through the lock.

I failed.

Shift triggered once more, and I transformed into my strongest Hnoll form. The Fairies’ excitement turned to horror as they shrieked. Ignoring their outburst, I tried to tear the lock open, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Nasty cages. They’re enchanted," the gnome said in a know-it-all tone.

"I can’t open them," I replied, shifting back into human form.

"You need the key."

"...Or replicate it." I snapped my fingers and used Shift to turn into a Blue Slime. I wasn’t much of a locksmith, but I was confident in my control of Shift or my proficiency as a Blue Slime. In a way, the slime form was my greatest Accessible Shift.

So I got to work, hoping it would be enough, and that the gnome would keep his mouth shut.