Wanderlust Beastkin, Beauty and the Beastkin-Chapter 41: My System

After indulging in a delightful bath with the fabulous new goodies Oliver gifted me, I finally felt like I was truly clean for the first time since my arrival here. And oh, the scent! I was enveloped in a lovely floral aroma that was simply enchanting. My hair gleamed with a radiant shine, cascading smoothly, while my skin felt luxuriously soft to the touch. I couldn’t help but notice that Ira, despite not turning around, had the telltale signs of a blush creeping up the back of his ears, which twitched every now and then—adorably endearing, if I do say so myself.

"Would you be willing to help me improve my swimming skills? I realize that it’s quite the request, especially since it might mean you’d have to stick close to me for a bit. But I’m confident we can come up with some mutually beneficial arrangement that works for both of us."

Ira’s back stiffened for a moment. "I don’t mind I haven’t been out of this cave for a while, it wouldn’t be bad to see what the outside would is like. There’s one thing though, I’m going to need you to not mention what my species is though or else I’ll be harassed by others. I’m sure you understand my predicament since you’ve a mermaid."

"I completely get where you’re coming from, and rest assured, your identity is safe with me—no one else will hear a peep about it. Having you on board is going to be fun. However, I’m curious to know what kind of compensation you might be looking for to make this all worthwhile for you."

"I’m not sure yet, how about we consider it a favor for a favor? Just allow me to travel with you and if you take care of the housing situation, I’ll be happy to accompany you and train you how to swim to the best of your ability."

"Sure, I can go along with that, provided the trade is fair; I have no objections whatsoever."

We had decided to hit the road bright and early, which meant a flurry of activity as everyone scrambled to pack their belongings before calling it a night. They insisted I turn in early, claiming that my first shift had been quite the workout and that I’d need ample rest to tackle the next day’s adventures. I was a bit puzzled by their insistence but chose to keep my curiosity in check; after all, some questions might raise eyebrows, and I wasn’t entirely sure if they were aware of the divine intervention that had brought women like me from other realms. If they did know, what implications would that have for my situation?

Despite my swirling thoughts, fatigue washed over me, and they kindly arranged a cozy spot for me in the back room, ensuring I wouldn’t be disturbed while they finalized their plans and packed up the last of their things.

As I nestled into the blankets and let my eyelids grow heavy, I surrendered to the comforting embrace of sleep, drifting away into a world of dreams.

As I blinked my eyes open, I was taken aback to discover myself in a cube-shaped room, bathed in a striking shade of blue that seemed to stretch twice my height. The atmosphere was thick with confusion as I surveyed my surroundings, a curious blend of dreamlike surrealism and stark reality. It was as if I had stepped into a whimsical painting, yet something about it felt all too tangible. Tentatively, I extended my hand and brushed against one of the walls, only to be greeted by a peculiar sight—a loading symbol flickering in the center.

"How utterly bizarre," I mused to myself, a mix of intrigue and bewilderment swirling within me.

Then I heard a voice bouncing around the box. [Hey, it seems that I’m going to be your system from now on, I’ve been assigned to you, my mane is Echo.]

[Well, darling, look at you! You’ve officially met the bare minimum to snag yourself a permanent system. You’ve completed your first shift and found yourself a True Mate. Now that I’m stuck with you, it’s time to embrace your inner beastkin!]

[Now, let’s get one thing straight: you’re a Legendary beastkin type with a system, which means you get to pick and choose your skills like a kid in a candy store. Just remember, once you toss a power aside, it’s gone for good—unless it decides to pop back up later. Right now, you’ve got one shiny primary power slot wide open and three secondary slots just waiting for some action. Your primary power will be strutting around at full strength, while your secondary powers will be doing their best at half strength. Keep grinding, and you can unlock even more powers! You’ve got five skill slots to fill, and they can grow as you level up. And guess what? You’re starting off at level one, so let’s get to work!]

[As you climb those levels, more fabulous items will come your way as rewards. But here’s the kicker—you won’t know what you’re getting until it lands in your lap, unless you’ve already snagged that item before. So, buckle up, buttercup!]

[Oh honey, let me break it down for you. You’ve got a whole buffet of quests just waiting for you, and guess what? More will pop up in different spots or when you check off certain boxes. And if you’re feeling a little lost, you can always snag some clues to unlock those high-level quests.]

[Now, every quest you finish comes with a nice little stash of points. You can use those to grab skills, pick up items you’ve already got, take a chance on a random draw, or get a hint about something you’re itching to know. And let me tell you, even the little things like finding yourself a loyal partner or laying some eggs in the beastkin world will score you some points, even if they don’t come with a fancy quest label.]

[So, you’ve made a shift and found yourself a true mate? Well, darling, that’s a cool thousand points for the shift and another thousand for the true mate. Plus, you get a sweet bonus of five hundred points for snagging that level green chipmunk male as your true mate, and a whopping two thousand points for leveling up to legendary beastkin status. Now that’s what I call a win!]

"What’s a true mate?"

[Oh honey, listen up! When you sink your teeth into someone, you snag yourself a little temporary love connection. But if you decide to bite while you’re in the heat of passion, darling, that mark becomes a forever thing—unless you pass it off to someone else or decide to kick them to the curb. And let me tell you, if you ditch that bond, you better be ready to cough up what you got from the system in the first place. Now, let’s kick things off by picking your main power, and then you can throw in a secondary power and some skills to spice things up!]

"What’s the difference between a power and a skill?"

[Honey, let me break it down for you. A power is like the fabulous magic a beastkin can whip out once they’ve mastered their shifting skills, while a skill is that nifty little trick you can do once you’ve loaded it up. You can level up those powers by, you guessed it, leveling up, and skills get a boost when you actually use them.]

[Now, as you rack up those points, you’ll be leveling up and even expanding your aura ranking and size.]

[So, darling, let’s not dilly-dally because I’ve got places to be! You’re starting off with a nice little stash of four thousand five hundred system points, so let’s see what options you’ve got. If you’re feeling a bit indecisive and want to mull it over, take your time—no rush! And if you fancy switching a secondary power to a primary one, or vice versa, just snag a power flip from the system store. Easy peasy!]

Power Options

Water Manipulation 1: You can control the movement of some water that already exists as long as you can see it and you have close proximity to it. Cost: 500 Points

Enhanced Strength 1: Your strength is marginally better than it would have been. Cost: 500 Points

Enhanced Eyesight 1: You have a wider range on eyesight than you naturally have. Cost: 500 Points

Enhanced Speed 1: Your speed is marginally faster. Cost 500 Points

Healing 1: You can heal visible injuries by touching the injury directly while burning your mana stores at triple cost. Cost 500 Points

Enhanced Smell 1: You can smell everything around you more marginally more profoundly. Cost: 500 Points

Siren Song 1: You can now carry a tune and sometimes living things will find you slightly more charming. Cost: 500 Points

Telekinesis 1: You can move extremely light objects with your mind. Cost: 500 Points

As I gazed at the mesmerizing blue wall, illuminated in a soft glow, my mind danced through a myriad of possibilities, weighing each option with care. After much contemplation, I ultimately decided on Healing as my primary power. The thought of nurturing a family in this world fills me with hope, and I simply cannot bear the idea of losing any of them. For my secondary powers, I opted for Siren Song, drawn in by its intriguing allure. It has the potential to evolve into something truly formidable over time, and let’s be honest, who ever heard of a tone-deaf mermaid? It’s a delightful twist, don’t you think?

Next on my list was Telekinesis, a dream I’ve harbored for as long as I can remember. The idea of moving objects with just a thought is simply enchanting! And then there’s Enhanced Speed; my time in this world has been brief, yet I’ve already found myself sprinting for my life more times than I care to count. I briefly considered water manipulation, but with Kai already wielding that magic, I thought it best to hold off on that one for now. I can always add it later as I level up and unlock more slots.

On a slightly different note, the idea of Enhanced Smell gives me pause. With so many men around who seem blissfully unaware of the necessity of regular bathing, I can only imagine the olfactory challenges that await me! So I’ll pass on that one.

Skill Options

Animal Identification 1: You can automatically Identify all animals within tier one. Cost 500 Points

Fishing 1: You can easily catch tier one fish. Cost 500 Points

Traps 1: You can easily make tier one traps. Cost 500 Points

Sewing 1: You can easily sew basic items with greater speed. Cost 500 Points

Cooking 1: You can cook basic dishes to taste good every time with greater speed. Cost 500 Points

Plant Identification 1: You can automatically Identify all plants within tier one. Cost 500 Points

Basket Weaving 1: You can create basic baskets with faster speed and more good durability. Cost 500 Points

Internal Compass 1: You will always know how to get to your destination as long as you aren’t too far from it. Cost 500 Points

Melee Weapon Crafting 1: You will be able to make basic melee weapons in greater speed with more sturdy results Cost 500 Points

Lock Pocking 1: You can start to open basic locks. Cost 500 Points

Bartering 1: You are slightly better at bartering. Cost 500 Points

Choosing the right skills took me a bit of contemplation, but ultimately, I settled on Plant Identification, Animal Identification, Cooking, Fishing, and honing my Internal Compass. The choice of an internal compass seems rather self-evident, doesn’t it? After all, being aware of the local flora and fauna is essential, especially since I find myself in this particular locale for the foreseeable future. As for fishing, I thought it would be a delightful way to spend time by the water, and who wouldn’t want to contribute to the household in a fun and productive manner? Now, let’s talk about cooking—oh dear, my culinary skills are so rudimentary that even the simplest dishes seem to elude me, which is quite the source of embarrassment. If I ever aspire to whip up meals for my family down the line, I’d much prefer to avoid the culinary faux pas of serving them food that could potentially send them to the hospital!

Regrettably, I found myself without any extra points to peruse the catalog and indulge in some delightful spending. However, I was fortunate enough to receive a list of quests that I can tackle to earn more points. I’m allowed to have up to three active quests selected at any given moment, along with two Event Quests. Now, let me break it down for you: an Active Quest is one that you deliberately choose from the available options, while an Event Quest is a delightful surprise that you can unlock under certain conditions.

Active Quests may come with a ticking clock, meaning they can expire, while Event Quests require your immediate attention when they appear; you either select them right away or politely decline. The good news is that you can swap out your quests whenever you like, but be warned: once you make a switch, you’ll have to wait for those quests to reappear on their own before you can choose them again. It’s a bit of a dance, but one that keeps things interesting!

Available Quests

Hatch First Litter: Worth 1000 Points

Hatch Female Egg From First Litter: Worth 1000 Points

Hatch Legendary Beastkin Cub: 1500 Points

Hatch Legendary Beastkin Cub Female: 2000 Points

True Mate Blue Aura or Higher: 1000 Points

True Mate Legendary Beastkin: 2000 Points

Join a Guild: 1000 Points

Purchase or Build Family Unit Home 5+ Rooms: 500 Points

Purchase or Build Family Unit Home 10+ Rooms: 2000 Points

Travel to five Villages Within two months: 1000 Points

Plant a Small Garden: 200 Points

Plant a Medium Garden: 500 Points

Plant a Large Garden: 1000 Points

Use All Chosen Skills: 200 Points

Upgrade a Chosen Skill: 200 Points

Level Up: 500 Points

"Why are so many of these quests about mating with men and having babies?"

[Oh honey, let me break it down for you. The whole point of my existence? To bring fabulous women into this world so they can do their thing and bring new life. And guess what? I get to sprinkle in some delightful options to keep those lovely ladies smiling, because a happy woman is way more likely to pop out a bunch of healthy little ones. That’s why I threw in the Join a Guild quest as a little treat—just doing my part, darling!]

"For the time being, let’s go ahead and select Use All Chosen Skills and Upgrade One of my Chosen Skills. I’d prefer to keep that last slot open for now since I’m not entirely sure what I might need to utilize first. And just a heads-up, don’t expect any eggs from me in the near future!"

Coming Next Time: The Mysterious Man