Chapter 164: Big head

I could merge 'Melting Touch' with 'Ice-Fire Body'. But before I did, I sated my curiosity by testing out what 'Melting Touch' even did. That required me to put a few more levels into it first. When it was levelled enough that I could feel at least some effects of it in the body of my size, I focused on activating it.

The increase in the temperature of my body was neither fast nor drastic, but it was noticeable. That, just as I hoped, gave me a dose of energy from my affinity. But if there was a way to make this thing even better…

I paid the price of 15 million EXP to merge my abilities. The result was 'Ice-Fire Transformation'. Which was everything I could dream about from that particular ability. I only had to will it, and my flesh transformed into lava or soft ice, giving me a boost in all my physical attributes.

Now THAT I called a synergy. The merging of abilities allowed me to ignore the fact that I didn't have the ice-themed version of 'Melting Touch'… probably because I had ice in 'Ice-Fire Body'. Either way, I didn't complain. Now enemies would have trouble just getting too close to me thanks to the heat or cold I emanated. Plus, both lava and ice were more resistant to damage than my normal jello.

That left me with 33 million EXP and 'Telepathy' to upgrade. I had 7 levels of it from my current species, but it was only useful when other telepaths transferred their thoughts on me… And I was far away from any other bugmen.

It also had a basic cost of 30 EXP, which was another reason I didn't upgrade it before. I could level it up to just level 15 for a reasonable price—at that level, abilities started to actually work in the body of my size—but after that…

Good thing that I didn't NEED to spend all my EXP at once.

On level 10, 'Telepathy' offered me a cryptic choice between 'Mind Shadow' and 'Mind Flayer'. It was so cryptic, in fact, and so important—with how expensive being a telepath was—that I decided to wait for Pest to drain me of EXP and that level of ability so I can try out both branches.

He was good enough in draining that it only took him half a day. I spent that time testing the branch I chose first, 'Mind Flayer', on small animals. It was… an interesting experience, to flay minds.

First, I had to establish a connection. Grabbing an animal and staring at it until it focused on me and only on me worked very well, but the focus was the most important thing. I could feel other minds when they focused on me.

Then I could take these minds and force my own upon them. With animals, it was awfully easy. I didn't know about humans, but I was sure that my will was stronger than that of a general person who never felt or saw or did the things I had gone through.

I could put desires and impulses into these animals. Make them flee, or beckon them towards me. Nothing too complicated—animals didn't understand complicated, and long chains of commands were impossible because I needed focus. Plus, it was tiring—not on my body, but on my mind. Still, it had a lot of potential, potential for opportunities the likes of which I never had before.

'Mind Shadow' wasn't worse, though. The first thing I noticed after evolving it was that I could feel every mind around me. Not insects—they didn't seem to have a mind at all—but every rodent, fish, and bird in a good dozen meters. In a way, that was like blind sense. Except I could only "see" minds.

Not only that, I could feel what was their focus and general state: were they hungry, afraid, in pain, or happy, it was like an open book to me. But there was more. I could focus on any of them and know even more. I could be almost like a shadow in their head: see with their eyes, smell with their nose, hear with their ears. It didn't give me more insight into their thoughts… but I didn't know if that was because they were animals or because the ability was limited.

The only mind I couldn't feel with both abilities was that of Pest. A great reason to joke that he didn't have any.

The choice between the two abilities was hard. I had to think both long-term and short-term. And long-term, 'Mind Flaying' had a glaring disadvantage. It required my will to be stronger than that of an opponent. I could say a lot of bad things about the Twelve Bastards, my ultimate opponents, but I couldn't deny that they were much older and had more life experiences than me. Even if they spent all that life pampered in Heaven, I was positive that they had plenty of internal fights over that time.

With how much of bastards they were, it wasn't possible for them not to.

So it will help me a lot against common enemies, especially against monsters, but against the divine assholes? That might attack me any hour now? Doubtfully.

'Mind Shadow', though, was sneakier. More cunning. I liked that. With it, I'd be able to feel the enemy's intent, to predict their actions, and possibly even read their thoughts. It will also help me in the future with any followers I might get—I'd be able to know people's true intents.

And I'd be able to understand women! Even Yvenna. She certainly needed a telepath translator…

So it was decided. With a wiggle of my antennas, I smacked that level up button (which didn't really exist, but I imagined it did so I could smack it) until I couldn't anymore, and bore the pain in them and in my brain.

It was the worst migraine ever, but it was worth having that ability, and worth seeing how it branched next.