n

n

nAnd there it was, my informant… a large tortoise.

n“What do you mean by vessel?” I asked as I scanned the entire tortoise head, which was taller than the trees surrounding me.

nI was at the very corner of the cavern, where the boss of this seemingly infinite spawning dungeon lay peacefully, watching over his kin being slaughtered.

nYou have encountered The Boss of the Dungeon: Crystal Torterrous

n“You felt how hard it was to create that spear, right? Well, it is much easier to create an attachment to an already existing item, which you would call a vessel,” The tortoise explained as I set my backpack down and quickly unzipped it.

n“I see… Well, why is it so much harder? Is it any different?” I asked while taking out a chocolate cake and then tossing it up into the air.

nCHOMP

nThe tortoise snapped open its almost beak-shaped mouth and then snapped back down, devouring the tiny treat.

n“It really depends on your imagination. That Tangible Bloodlust skill that you have is basically what you mortals would call magic. Magic is pretty much only limited to your mana and imagination, though, with the assistance of skills, that imagination becomes easier. In fact, you don’t even have to imagine it as the skill just comes to you as if you were controlling a sixth finger on your hand,” The tortoise explained.

n“Is there any way I could possibly expand my imagination? Like, could I train it somehow… wait, wait, wait, wait, you also said that us mortals call it magic… So do you monsters not use magic, or is it something else?” I rapidly asked as the tortoise was practically flooding my mind with questions.

n“To answer your first question, yes, you can expand your imagination, but it is truly up to you. Repeatedly do things that use your imagination which could literally be anything. Even as we speak, your imagination is improving by a few small clumps every second,”

n“I… I see… Well, then my second question?”

n“Ah, yes. Well, you called me a monster, but I don’t classify as one of those low-class beasts. They are nothing but fodder for the expansion of living beings,”

nAfter hearing the tortoises’ heartless words, I realized why he didn’t have a shred of empathy as he saw his kin being slaughtered.

nHe was like an arrogant god, and to the tortoises within this dungeon, he may be that god they hate.

n“So, then monsters use magic, but what do you use? Also, what even are you if you aren’t a monster?” I asked, dumping another question onto the tortoise.

n“Yes, yes, I’m going to answer that. Just stay put and listen… also hand me another cake,”

n“I don’t have anymore… That was the last one in my fridge,”

n“Ah… Well, continuing with the answers. Ummmm…. Yeah, I don’t use magic. It’s not even classified as something. I speak it, and I will it… kinda. There are some limitations, but I can basically turn anything with my imagination and my words into, I guess, magic,”

n“Oh, so it’s like the Ancient Dragon’s Tongue?” I replied, and though the tortoise didn’t display a physical reaction, I could feel its shift in mood.

n“Mortals have come this far… Then are you aware of the Ancient Torterra’s Tongue?”

n“No, I am not. Is it exactly the same as the dragon’s?”

n“Heh… I won’t expose such a big secret. Such information is a national treasure amongst gods, so don’t think you’ll sway me so easily,”

nI pulled out a frozen bar of chocolate from my backpack, presented it to the tortoise, and drool began to leak across the rocky ground.

n“As I said, you can’t persuade me with-“

nI cracked open another bar of chocolate and spread them in my hand like a deck of cards.

n“Did you prepare these because you expected me not to answer some of your questions?” The tortoise asked, and I just silently nodded.

n“BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FINE! FINE! BUT I’LL ONLY INFORM YOU OF THE POWER OF MY TONGUE!”

nThe tortoise seemed amused with my dedication, and after devouring the two chocolate bars, which were practically chocolate chips in his eyes, he licked his lips before speaking.

n“That’s good enough,” I replied with a large smirk.

n“My tongue not only wills my basic words into magic, but it also wills the earth itself. I have authority over the earth. It is essentially my bitch! HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

n“…”

n“I only tried to speak with how you mortals talk nowadays. We never had this type of slang a couple of millenniums ago,”

n“Okay, well, then it’s just a better version of the dragon’s tongue then, right?” I tried to confirm while ignoring what this old ass tortoise just said.

nJust as I finished my question, I felt something step into my sensing range, and it wasn’t a tortoise… but a humanoid being.

nMy eyes quickly shifted behind me, and I chased after the figure that tried to escape.

n“Stop,” The tortoise suddenly said, and his voice boomed through the cavern.

nStrangely, the humanoid being I was chasing after halted in place, and the veins on his body strained as if he was trying to move with all his might.

nIgnoring the tortoises’ crazy use of his tongue magic thing just now, I circled around the humanoid silhouette.

nIt was a normal humanoid adventurer who looked to have just started off as his gear was really basic, and he had absolutely no threatening traits.

nHe looked as if he was trying to scream as the veins on his neck were popping out, but he couldn’t due to the tortoise freezing his entire body.

n“Should’ve just minded your business,” I muttered before summoning a small faint dagger using Tangible Bloodlust and then swinging at his neck.

nFWOOSH

nI missed… but only because the magic had been undone, and he fell straight forward, slamming his head into the dirt.

nI heard the tortoise chuckle to himself, clearly amused by the action portrayed.

n“P-p-please have mercy! I-I didn’t mean to eavesdrop! Please spare my life! I-I have a family!” He shouted while clasping his hands together.

nI smirked with a mocking smile before slicing his head off.

nSHING

n“How brutal… He had a family, and you still killed him,”

n“Nah, he was a threat. Look at that small birthmark under his lip… Though that still wouldn’t have saved him from his destined death,”

n