[Would you like to use {Beginners guide}?]
Chirp! Chirp!
(Yes, please)
Paul immediately agreed without any reservations. As annoyed as he was with the goddess, he wasn't going to decline the help. Not after everything he had experienced in this world so far.
He had set out on a whim and learned a painful lesson, so he wasn't going to make the same mistake twice in one day.
[Installing {Beginners guide}]
Skriiieee!!!
Paul dropped to the ground, feeling a head splitting headache, as an immense amount of information flooded his mind. He tried to endure the pain, wriggling around in his nest, but quickly reached the limit of his new tiny body. His eyelids slowly closed against his will and the grip on his consciousness loosening ever more, until he stopped resisting and gave in to his exhaustion.
A few hours later his body jerked upright, regaining consciousness. He looked around in surprise, rapidly turning his head left and right.
Nothing had changed. His nest was the same as before. The dim light continued to illuminate the darkness inside the cave. His body still looked like an uncooked, featherless, tiny chicken.
When he realized he was still in the safety of his nest, he relaxed and instinctively sat down like a small naked pigeon perching on a branch.
(If I hadn't been in the nest, that Salamander would have slurped me up with ease)
He contemplated what his fate might have been, hearing his heartbeat rise in response to his imagination. Now that he had rested, the adrenaline had worn off and the seriousness of the situation hit him like a punch to the face.
(I-I can't be careless like that again)
His body shuddered.
The earlier encounter and his near death experience, had made him hyper sensitive to the vulnerable state he was in.
(I need to become stronger … strong enough to …)
When he tried to think of a solution, suddenly a bunch of information appeared in his mind. It made him feel disoriented at first, as a stream of memories that weren't his gave him the information he desired.
(That's right, the [Beginners guide])
He accessed the new knowledge he had gained and knew what to do.
(Open Status)
Name: Unnamed
Race: Newborn Phoenix
Level: Nil
Class: None
HP: 3 / 3
Fey: 3 / (+++)
SP: 3 / 3
Strength: 1
Dexterity: 1
Defense: 1
Intelligence: 1
Resistance: 1
Speed: 1
(Huh? What's this? A Phoenix? Is this the powerful race Celeste was talking about? And why am I unnamed?)
Paul had heard of the Phoenix as a mystical creature before. But when he tried to remember any stories about it, it became apparent that he didn't know any.
(They're a bird made of fire or something, right?)
He looked down at his own body, seeing the pinkish color of his skin, tilting his head in confusion.
(This looks more like a sunburn, but looking at these stats … I think some stories were exaggerated)
Considering that he is a newborn, the stats made sense and yet he still felt disappointed by them.
(Oh wait, there's a description)
[Description: The Phoenix is a majestic being known for it's fire abilities and it's immortality. In Märchenland, the adult phoenix is considered a Mystic-grade and is thus among the upper echelon of monsters. Its young however are sought after as prey by all, monster and humanoids alike. According to legend, killing a Phoenix and eating their heart will grant immortality to those who do. As such their species was hunted to the brink of extinction]
(Huh? What do you mean everybody wants to kill me? Celeste did say something about saving a race from extinction but she didn't say it would be MY race, what the heck?)
He stomped on the ground in frustration, knowing that this spelled bad news for the future. He had only just been reborn today and people already wanted him dead.
Chirp! Chirp!
(How is this fair?)
He started pacing back and forth in his nest, reading and rereading the description. His life was on the line and he wasn't going to miss any details. But every time he read it, his eyes kept wondering towards a certain part of the status window.
[First objective: Survive until adulthood]
(What does that even mean? This says the Phoenix is immortal, so why is the objective to survive? Shouldn't that be the default if you're immortal?)
He didn't understand this contradiction. After all it made no sense for him, considering how he nearly died today. But there was a way to find out.
(Alright, time to clear this up. Lets see what the skill description says)
[Kindred skill: Budding immortality]
-The signature skill of the young phoenix. In it's initial stages the skill will grant a passive regeneration and despite the name it will not grant actual immortality, until the Phoenix reaches adulthood.
Skriiieee!!! Skriiieee!!! Skriiieee!!!
(WHAT THE HELL? Why does the immortality skill not make immortal? What's this false advertisement?)
Paul jumped in place furiously flapping his featherless wings. He simply couldn't accept this. After finally escaping the misery of his old life, he had not only gotten a second chance but it even included an exiting adventure. And yet-
(How did it go so wrong from the start?)
His hope of a better life was crushed on the first day. Everybody in this new world would supposedly kill him, if given the chance. Even the monsters would do the same. That meant he couldn't even hide in some remote place and live a quiet life in the woods, away from civilization.
(In the end the only option is to get strong enough, so I can defend myself)
He needed to find a way to do that first, which meant exploring the options at his disposal.
(I have two other skills. Hopefully they are what I'm looking for)
[Kindred skill: Fire attack lv.1]
-A skill held by races with a fire affinity. Allows the user to create and manipulate fire. Skill level determines strength and efficiency.
(That sounds promising. Let's put it to the test)
Paul opened his beak ready to shoot a fireball, but stopped himself just in time and looked around.
(Yeah, on second thought, let's maybe not test the fire skill inside the nest)
He peered through the crack and observed the cave outside his little home, in an attempt to catch a glimpse of any potential movement. It had only been a few hours since the Salamanders attack and he wasn't going to be careless.
He then took a step forward and peered through the crack again, repeating this again and again, until he reached the other side of the barrier.
(So far so good)
As there was no sign of danger, so he decided to proceed as planned.
Once more he opened his beak, a flash of light emerging from his throat and then-
POOF!
A small fire spark left his mouth, dropped to the ground and was extinguished upon contact.
Paul stared blankly at the spot, where a puff of smoke rose.
(THIS SKILL IS FREAKING USELESS!!! … No, no, no, this isn't right. The description says that it becomes stronger as it levels up)
Pfffsssss!
The sound of scorching lava came form the direction of the tunnel he had fled from before and Paul reflexively jumped back into the safety of the nest. He wasn't going to wait and find out what made that noise.
His gaze was glued to the darkness beyond the barrier, but nothing was there.
(Fine. The first two skills were a dud, but there's still one left)
Looking at his status window, he paid close attention to the last of the three skills.
[Kindred skills: Polymorph lv.1]
-Allows the user to transform into the shape of a different race. This skill cannot imitate the kindred skills of other races and the transformations are limited to races of the same grade as the user
(Oooooooh yeeeaaaahhh, baby. Finally a useful one. With this I'll be able to transform into something else and fight against that stupid Salamader. I wanna try this immediately)
Not wasting even a single second, he activated the skill and his body began to change. His skinny twig like legs grew thicker, his head became more rotund as his beak retracted. His body was now slightly chubby and somewhat squishy.
Suddenly he found it extremely difficult to move around, as his stubby arms and legs flailed helplessly. His bright red eyes saw the tiny hands attached to the end of his arms but Paul took a few moments before understanding dawned on him and he stopped moving.
He laid there in his new form, as a human baby.
(Oh come on, not this again!)