Reincarnated as a random race, of course I got goblin.

Chapter 36 - Fishy Skills

The next morning, we head towards the edge of the Illomen forest. Although the researchers are certain that the changes to the forest weren't caused only by the Hateful Forest King, they realize that having just a band of D-Rankers isn't going to be enough to keep them safe.

"Something must have caused the Forest King to become Hateful, and something that strong and malevolent is beyond the power of four D-Rankers, even if they DO have the ruler of all monsters with them." One of them explains.

"We will retreat for now, and send out a call for B-, possibly even A-Rankers to aid the investigation." Another adds. "I'll escort you to the edge of the forest. I assume that is okay?" I inform Valena. "You won't come home with me?" She asks. "I'd love to, but I have urgent matters to attend." I shake my head.

The urgent matter is the fact that I currently possess two Malice Cores, and I just can't shake the feeling that getting them Purified is starting to become pressing. "Oh, okay. I'm just so glad you came when I called..." She smiles, a sadness in her eyes. 

By late afternoon, we're at the forests edge. I stay behind as the others go to their Hornhest drawn carriage. Valena turns and waves goodbye to me. "Remember, if you ever need help, just Call for me." I tell her via telepathy. 

I stand and watch as the carriage dips behind a hill, and vanishes from sight. Now then. I prepared a new form whilst we were walking, a bird-like form, not unlike the Gilded Eagle in build, just a bit bigger and not as incandescent.

Switching into it, I take a moment to familiarize myself with the layout of the body. Once I'm confident, I take off into the sky. I'm very fast in this form! Probably something to do with streamlining. 

*EstiMatinG Travel tIme*
*3 D, 12 H, 30 M*

Ah, it's going to take a while, huh. Mind telling my Servants that I'll be gone a while longer?

*AffirMativE*

I hope a dip in the Spring will fix World Knowledge. It's able to communicate and perform all the tasks it used to do, but the voice it uses is slightly distorted, as if my signal is poorly tuned. It went away completely after I tried to inspect those shadow-tar-wolfs, and only returned this morning.

According to it, for the safety of the World, it cut me off when I engaged the Hateful Forest King. Somehow the Malice seeks to infect the World? I don't get it. Is Malice somehow its own entity? The true bad guy of the story, perhaps? The Demon Lord, so to speak?

I know better than to ponder things I'll probably never get the answer to, I just get frustrated. So I shove the thought to the back of my mind, and focus on the scenery instead. 

Now, one might wonder why I don't just teleport to the Lair, and go from there? Easy, it hurts too much, and I'm afraid of what will happen if I fuck it up. So I'll reserve teleporting for emergencies. Also, the distance between Illomen and the Lair consumed the entirety of my MP, and half my SP, and I still haven't recovered.

As if to remind me, my stomach growls. Right, I haven't really eaten in two days... It's also getting dark by now. Let's set down and hunt a bit before bedtime. 

I land by a small lake. Seems people prefer habitation close to water, because here as well, there's a village by the waters edge. I make sure to be at the opposite shore though, so they shouldn't be bothered by me. 

"Let's try to catch fish!"

I mean... I have no objections to that? Is this still to get fishy Skills? 

"Also We need several nutrients from them"

Ugh, aren't there any vitamin supplements in this World? Oh well. I switch back into my true form and wade into the water. It's decently warm from the sun still, but I hardly feel cold anymore anyway due to my Skills.

Now, let's see... I cast Light, illuminating the waters around me. I see several hand-sized shadows flit away from the sudden light. Holding my wings in such a way that they shade the Light, I should be able to trick them into thinking it's a hiding spot. 

I remember this clever trick from learning about herons, and how one species folds its wings over its head to make an umbrella of sorts. It makes it easier to spot the fish in the water, and the fish are attracted to the shade thinking it's shelter.

I do look really weird though. I patiently wait until a fish swims close enough. Once the moment is right, I impale it upon my tongue, like a chameleon. Well, some monster chameleon that has a sharp tongue instead of a sticky one. 

"Nice catch!"

Indeed. I'm so hungry, I don't bother preparing the meal, I just consume the fish whole. 

*Power Osmosis Activated! Osmosis Successful, displaying results:*
*+5 STR, +7 CON, +2 INT, +4 WIS, +10 DEX*

*Skills Obtained: 
- Gills (Grand) - User breathes water using a specialized organ. User is able to breathe even in oxygen deficient or heavily polluted waters.
- Aquatic Mobility (Normal) - Increases Users Speed in water instead of lowering it.
- Damage Resistance: Water (Lesser) - Reduces damage from physical attacks by 12.5% after Atc. Vs Arm/M.Atc. Vs M.Arm calculation.
- Aquatic Sight (Normal) - Users eyes are able to see clearly underwater.*

Oh, that fish must have been a kind that is resistant to pollution? I wonder how common that is in this world, pollution that is...

"Let's hope it's not."

Indeed... If I'm supposed to bring balance to the World, cleaning up industrial spills seem like an arduous task. Now then, let's see if I have finally conquered my greatest enemy in this World, water!

"Overriding natural instincts"

Thanks for that. I get underwater and activate the new Skills I got. Immediately, my wing arms atrophy and shrink, becoming limp and growing a thick covering of red fuzz, not unlike axolotl gills. My tail grows a pair of flukes at the end, and all three sets of limbs gain fins and webbing. 

Finally, the distinction between my upper and lower body is erased, and I look more like some six-limbed crocodile/dolphin hybrid. Quite the transformation just from activating a few Skills...

"We look horrifying"

I'm sure we do, let's not surface near the village and scare them. 
I try to blink, only to realize that I no longer have eyelids. Okay, let's try moving, and not dwell on my human panic at the thought of that being permanent. After a bit of trial and error, an undulating motion seems to work best.

I arch my body, and push ahead with my three pairs of fin/arms, before finishing the motion by bringing my tail up, then down, resetting my posture for a new round of movement. I go pretty far with just one round, so I leisurely make my way towards the bottom of the lake. 

It's not very deep, maybe thirty meters (~100 feet~), but I can feel the pressure building at just this depth. Once I get to the bottom, I settle down in the thick carpeting of algae that grows here. 

"Seems it's mostly small fish and algae here..."

I'd hoped for bigger fish, but I guess I could test out the kelp. I eat my fill of algae before returning to the surface. As I surface, I notice it's become night. I calmly make my way to shore before deactivating the Skills, returning my body to its original form. 

I settle down in some brush for the night, and sleep soundly.