Chapter 417: Puhuhut. What a Fantastic Transformation Show, Meow!
TL: Hanguk
My name is 13-2279. As soon as I was born, I was kidnapped by the Copyist Kapi and became an experimental subject.
Kapi was a crazy wizard who was obsessively fixated on transforming into other forms. He didn’t hesitate to perform live biological experiments to achieve that.
At first, my surroundings were full of friends, but one by one, they disappeared.
It was later that I realized the ’13-‘ prefix in my name signified that 10,000 test subjects had disappeared 12 times.
As the experiments continued, my friends vanished, and I was left alone. Unfortunately.
When I was the only one left,
104.28.193.250
“Your new name is Kabi now.”
I received a new name from the Copyist Kapi and was forcibly made his apprentice.
However, being called an apprentice, I remained an experimental subject until the very end.
Then one day,
“Drink this.”
My master handed me a thick silver liquid. Lacking the courage to defy my master’s order, I drank the liquid and lost consciousness.
When I regained my senses, everything around me was in complete ruins.
I waited for my master for days in that place, but he never appeared.
Finally, freedom... The freedom I had so desperately dreamed of.
As I thought I had escaped from my master,
Twitch.
My body began to transform into a completely different form. Perhaps I had wished for too much freedom.
Even my body was freed from its previous constraints.
My second transformation, and the first one I remember, was into a gray wolf. I wasn’t accustomed to walking on all fours, and it took me days to learn to walk.
And just when I had finally gotten used to running,,
Twitch.
I transformed again.
After that, I transformed into an orc, a goblin, a man, a woman, a child, an old person, an animal, and even an insect.
While I retained my consciousness in animal forms, I lost it when I transformed into an insect.
When I regained consciousness in another form, recalling my memories of being an insect filled me with self-loathing.
Moreover, I faced hundreds of near-death experiences when I transformed into weaker beings.
Fortunately, even if my arms were cut off or I bled profusely, I could survive by transforming, which restored my body to a normal state.
I wanted to settle in a village and be safe, but I couldn’t stay because my appearance kept changing.
I couldn’t control my transformation ability.
In fact, there were times when I transformed while in the company of others, got attacked, and barely escaped.
Realizing I couldn’t live like this, I reluctantly risked returning to my master’s lab.
I feared meeting my master, but the world outside was even scarier.
Luckily, my master wasn’t in the lab. The lab was covered in dust, indicating he hadn’t visited for a long time.
Relieved, I studied my master’s research materials to find a way to control my transformation ability.
While studying, I discovered what my master had done to me.
The experiment to transform me into the greatest lifeform.
He experimented on me to transform me into a great dragon.
It was a crazy idea.
Naturally, it was impossible for me to become a great dragon, and as a side effect, I lost my original form.
Then I remembered.
During my first transformation, I had transformed into a Black Minotaur and killed the Copyist Kapi.
I continued my research based on Kapi’s materials and completed two potion recipes.
[Transformation Suppression Potion]
[Transformation Acceleration Potion]
One was to use when I wanted to maintain my form, and the other when I wanted to change my form.
Upon completing the recipes, I ventured outside to gather the ingredients for the potions.
However, most of the ingredients were extremely expensive, and without a way to earn money, I used my transforming abilities to become a thief.
Since my appearance kept changing, as long as I didn’t get caught, no one could track me down.
Starting with petty theft, I honed my skills and gradually scaled up my heists.
Before long, instead of the name Kabi, the new name “Faceless Thief Loon” became attached to me.
And returning to just a moment ago...
Beep!
“Mmm...”
Faceless Thief Loon, tossed and turned in bed at the sound of the alarm magic signaling an intruder.
Of all times, an intruder had to come when I had transformed into a weak flying squirrel...
I wondered how they found my hideout, but I wasn’t too worried.
I had invested enormously in traps just in case.
So, I wrapped myself in my blanket and fell back asleep without worry...
Clang...
I woke up to the sound of something breaking.
“What was that...?”
I quickly got up and activated the video magic stone that could show the laboratory.
And then
...?!
I saw the intruders in the lab, and all the potions displayed on one side of the wall were shattered.
Do you know how much those cost?!
As Loon fumed over his wasted efforts and money,
“Huh?”
He saw a small brown bear creating a dazzling white light in its front paws.
No!
If a fire breaks out, my research materials...
Especially the potion recipe I finally completed yesterday to return to my original form was right in front of that bear.
So I quickly grabbed the Transformation Suppression Potion and the Transformation Acceleration Potion and left my hideout.
***
“Is that the Faceless Thief Loon?”
Sejun was surprised to see a flying squirrel gliding with its limbs spread out.
Is that tiny thing really the great thief?
Press.
Stamped the cicada’s leg on the slave contract.
But,
Piyo?
[Theo~nim, did it work?]
“It didn’t work, meow!”
It seemed the slave contract wouldn’t work without a stamp from his original form.
“For now, let’s... tell Iona about this location and go back.”
“Got it, meow!”
Sejun captured Faceless Thief Loon, and returned to the 99th floor of the tower with his party.
***
12th floor of the Golden Tower.
Boom!
Hundreds of lightning bolts struck the ground from the sky on a plain.
Rattle. Rattle.
A golden cart slowly moved.
Bang!
Boom!
Despite being struck by lightning several times during the move, the cart continued undamaged.
“What is that?”
“Should we attack it?”
Elves hiding in a cave and keeping watch outside whispered as they observed the suspicious cart.
At that moment,
Rattle. Rattle.
The cart changed direction and started moving toward their cave.
“What’s going on?”
“What should we do?”
“Inform Elder Roiva first!”
As the elves busily moved around,
Thud.
The cart stopped in front of their cave.
“Prepare to fire.”
At Elder Roiva’s command, the elves loaded wooden arrows with sharp stone tips onto their bows and aimed at the cart.
However,
...
The cart didn’t budge at all.
“First squad, approach.”
“Yes.”
At Roiva’s order, five elves cautiously moved toward the cart, alternately looking at the sky and the cart, hiding under trees.
They had no idea when lightning might strike them.
As the first squad got closer,
Woong.
The cart started to emit a golden light and created a large golden shield with a radius of 500 meters.
Boom!
The shield perfectly blocked the surrounding lightning bolts.
And then,
Clank.
The side of the cart opened up,
[Items for Sale]
1 Magical Cherry Tomato – 2 Tower Coins (Remaining quantity: 10,000)
1 Power Sweet Potato – 10 Tower Coins (Remaining quantity: 10,000)
...
..
.
[Items Wanted]
Land Deed of the 35th Floor of the Golden Tower – 1 million Tower Coins (1 piece)
– When you sell items, they will be appraised and purchased at a set price. (Remaining items: 4 types)
A shop window appeared.
“Huh?”
“What?”
The elves, with their keen eyesight, could see the shop window, not just the first squad of elves but all the others as well.
“I’ll go check it out first!”
Elder Roiva, as the representative, approached the cart.
Ten minutes later,
“Ahem... it seems safe to use.”
Roiva, who had been excitedly eating the Magical Cherry Tomato, finally calmed down and spoke to the elves.
“Wow!”
“Let’s try it quickly!”
The elves approached the cart and bought Sejun’s crops.
A moment later,
Clank.
After the transactions were completed, the side of the cart closed.
“Goodbye!”
“Come again next time!”
Rattle, rattle.
Leaving the elves, who were holding Sejun’s crops tightly, behind, the golden cart started wandering the Golden Tower in search of new customers.
*****
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