One With The Abyss

Everything besides the necklace was placed in my bag, I had no need for weapons with both my magic and my shapeshifting. 

The necklace was another matter though, although in this environment it was useless, in any other it would likely have value.

So, off I went; up the mountain. Slaying any Yeti I came across. It would have been simple but I chose to make it hard, focusing more on deviating my elements than actually killing them. Ultimately I just improved my magic, breaking through to [Quad Mage (5/5)].

My water became more solid and my earth became more liquid. What that actually meant was I began tapping into the offensive properties of water and stepped away from the offensive abilities of earth in favour of more versatile uses.

In terms of my wind, it began to hold more explosive power, just like how I wanted it to. My fire became both hotter and faster; to the point I could easily conjure blue fire with an efficient mana cost.

"If you just focused on one element, you would probably have broken through now." Abby tells me as I hang from an icy cliff.

"Yeah, but what's the point of being a quad mage if I can't use all four elements." I respond, seeing my [Cold Resistance] talent gain a natural breakthrough, likely due to the way my fingers had turned blue after being forced to grab onto the icy cliff when a strong wind almost knocked me off, "Besides, is this the best time to be having this conversation."

I used my greatly improved strength to pull my body back onto the path up the mountain, relishing in my new body; had I still had the strength I came to this world with I surely would have died. Not just then, but many times over.

"I'm just saying, it would be much more efficient that way." Abby continues as I blast through the skull of a yeti with a current of pressurised water. (A/N: Magic water doesn't freeze unless under magical cold)

"I have time right, this dungeon is warping and extending it so I have time to master all 4, and eventually 6." I say, using wind magic to kill another yeti by creating powerful blasts of wind, like the screech bat had done against me. Similar, but frustratingly different in their fundamental formation.

Magic swirled around me, burning, blasting, exploding, crushing and all forms of carnage as more and stronger yeti came to attack, killing them was of no consequence as I barely noticed the change in strength at all. But it did help me practise magic a lot.

I quickly reached the top of the mountain, and inlaid in the wall of the summit was a large door made of ice. Same as those that had appeared on all the floors before this is, in order to display the majesty of the floor boss?

I had really just begun ignoring them and this time was no different.

This door did lead to a fun twist though, despite being built into the wall, as I passed through what revealed itself was an open plateau at the top of a mountain; not a cave.

On the opposite end was another yeti, but now it was much larger, off the edges of the plateau was a raging storm that would surely rip me to pieces should I fall down there. I used appraisal so I knew exactly what I was dealing with:

[Abominable Snowman]

[Lord of the blizzard mountains. King of yeti and commander of treacherous weather]

As it stood its form towered over mine and even at the distance we were from one another I could tell its strength was just as abominable as its name.

With a single step the distance was cleared and its fist crashed down on me, almost crushing me between its weight. I managed to dodge the initial attack as vines grew from my back and moved me from danger.

"Time to get serious I suppose." I laughed, seemingly upsetting the boss as it charged at me again, but faster.

I continued to laugh, my sense of danger completely destroyed after what happened following the blizzard bear's death. No pain or suffering could compare to that and the yeti had posed no danger; what did I have to fear.

I laughed and laughed as my vines pulled me over the plateau and out of the abominable snowman's reach, infuriating the snowy sasquatch even further every time it failed to kill me; the ringing laughter of its 'prey' likely only increasing its anger.

"Better get to it then." I chuckle as I wipe a crystalized tear from my eye, launching a torrent of raging blue fire at the boss, it dodges right, straight into a wind bomb and falls back in pain. 

I continue to laugh as the boss dances around, trying to avoid the flurry of attacks I laid up it. It felt like abyssal intoxication but it wasn't; the joy was just the same; the adrenaline was just the same; but this is where the similarities end.

I didn't act rashly; I didn't lose myself in the fight; I maintained my clarity. Each and every action was taken by my own, unaltered will, and it felt so easy. The transformation from heart to soul had done something; allowed me to control my emotions so much easier and it was great.

What else did it change, I wondered. I looked within myself to see what else had come while I continued to apply force to the boss who was desperately trying to get closer.

Eventually, the boss managed to break past my barrage, releasing a blast of ice and snow to push back my magic.

I take the moment to analyse the attack, as best I could anyway, and find that my approach is correct as the structure of the mana is as I expected it to be for both types of water; I just needed to make it now, surely this thing would help me do this.

In my daze a fist brushed up against me and almost pushed me from the platform into the stormy abyss below. I felt as the winds above became stronger, centred around the boss as a blizzard raged on.

Think kid, how best can I kill this guy?

Logically my fire would work, but it's using strong winds to push it back.

Earth magic would ensure a hit, but can it pierce through the monster's skin?

Then wind? With my explosive improvements surely I can knock off its balance. This seems like the best bet, but even then it does not have enough strength to end the fight.

Obviously, water is out of the question. It would simply freeze and become the abominable yeti's own strength. 

"Wind seems like my best bet." I say, shielding myself from the cutting weather.

"Maybe, but it lacks the necessary finishing power." Abby parrots my thoughts back to me, likely having read my mind, "Perhaps try using physical strength."

This was a good idea, but wasn't the boss too physically strong for that.

"Like you aren't just as strong." Abby argues, "With your shapeshifting you could easily fend it off."

Yeah, I can't believe I had been ignoring my greatest asset. With no access to her soul weapon yet, her magic being ineffective and aura not yet awakened; [Shapeshifting] would serve me best right now.

I dodge sideways, away from a fist as my arm shifts into the lanky form of a garden troll, it slammed into the boss but gave less than desirable effects.

With my failed attack I had no chance to evade the backhand that knocked me across the floor. Had the abominable snowman been slightly more intelligent I could have fallen over the side. Though despite this I was still no closer to winning, the garden troll was one of my strongest forms and I doubted the yeti would be stronger than their own lord. If only I could combine their strength.

Wait. Why can't I? 

With that thought I pushed my idea into the talent, I felt resistance at first, but like a floodgate the idea rushed through and my arm grew longer and thicker and... furrier. The combined strength of a troll and a yeti ran through my arm as I launched it towards the boss.

It did not majorly damage it, but I certainly felt the impact I caused. The power was enough.

Why hadn't I done this before? Why hadn't I bothered to try? 

I had always loved myth and fantasy, a form of escapism to deal with the abuse I faced at the hands of everyone around me, and of them all I especially loved the stories involving chimaera. In a world where I could be nothing but a failure, it was nice to imagine one where something could be anything it desired.

I loved chimaera's as a concept and now I was one; yet I had neglected that part of myself in favour of mediocre power boosts and weapons.

Sure most of the monsters I had assimilated could do very little to assist me, but I had not even bothered to look into the possibilities of the talent beyond its surface level abilities. 

As I landed another hit I heard my talent increase to the 7th level. A smile spread across my face, almost allowing me to be hit across the head.

I was going to step out of range when another idea came to mind. Why step away?

My body shrunk, completely evading the attack as I no longer existed as a human. Instead I was a little gremlin, completely seeing in my reflection only my purple eyes and birthmark remained as it was in my human form. For the first time I had undergone a complete metamorphosis into something that wasn't me.

I watched the boss not understand how it had missed, and became even more shocked as a purple eyed yeti appeared before it; slamming a fist straight into its stomach.

While clutching its fist, the boss swung at me and with the enlarged wings from the screech bat created distance.

I was simply trying out what I could do with the talent, hearing yet another increase to my talent, up to the 8th level.

I went forward again and punched, not only with increased strength, but also coated in the mantis carapace. This time blood flew from the beast's mouth as I had knocked a pair of its teeth out.

It stumbled back and I released the transformation, an excited grin on my face. I had more than enough to keep it up for days, but I wanted to keep trying new things. What I found though was that all of my clothes were ripped to pieces, only the shirt and backpack were spared with their repairing feature; though the shirt was in pieces.

"S-S-S-Shit!" I stammered, my teeth clattering in the cold; apparently level 6 cold resistance was enough in normal conditions, but this seemed to only count when I had pants and shoes on.

I couldn't even do anything about it either, besides transform into something furred. The boss once again roared and the storm raged even harder, furthering my predicament.

Actual ice began forming and launching at me, I changed, choosing evasion as my best asset, becoming a horned rabbit and jumping around the platform; bypassing all attempts to skewer me with ice. When I had enough distance I used the momentum of my transformation to increase the strength of my punch; thinking of new ways to use my power. I was having so much fun it was unreal.

I had discovered I was literally living my dream.

My form shrunk again as I evaded another desperate punch and a set of jaws wrapped around the abominable snowman's leg, cutting into it with the Gris Wolf's jaw.

It screamed again as I used the opportunity to copy the ability, it shook me around but tentacles extended along my wolf-back and wrapped around the boss's leg, keeping me in place.

As the copying was complete I let go and took to the sky as the screech bat, and used my wings to increase the output of my wind magic pushing the boss right to the edge.

It clutches its stomach and I charge forward to finish this. My leg extended, growing beyond any monster I had ever encountered. A blad ran along it and even with my massively improved ability.

The abominable snowman looked up in fear at my finishing attack, the last sight it would ever see are an enlarged leg and my signature blade running along it.

The abominable snowman was cut into 2 pieces and a chest appeared.

"Hahahaha!" I laughed, I was loving my second life more and more; even if it started rough, "Time to look at my winnings."

The abominable snowman gave me a large fur that I would likely never use; straight into my bag it went.

The chest was slightly more profitable, and definitely displayed how this 'dungeon', though it wasn't really one apparently, gave me things I desired, or things I needed.

Inside the icey blue box was a new pair of shoes, pants and a shirt, even modern underwear was prepared for me. I was ecstatic.

[Expanding Wear]

[Clothes that can freely expand and heal at will, for those who exist in more than one shape]

It was a little annoying to be called out in a description, but my clothes now fit my purpose; it was great. Though they seemed even more tight than my last pair of pants, the shirt was baggy as I liked it.

"Now for the talent!" I say, looking at my newest system message, only to find there was more than just a message for the new talent.

[Blizzard Manipulation (0/5)]

[Able to generate and control the raging winds of snow and ice. You command the icy sky]

"Oh this is perfect!" I say, immediately following Abby's advise and fusing it into my [Quad Mage] skill; like an avalanche new information floods into me, the final piece of the puzzle clicks into place and now my water is ice and soon I believe it will be snow; this was just what I needed as it also gave clues into the fundamental part I was missing to create the other deviated elements. My process was right, I just needed to put more into it.

I then took the time to see the second message, and boy was I happy.

[You have fully altered your external form: <+Unrecognisable Title>]

[You have fully altered your external form: <+Trickster's Anatomy Title>]

[You have fully altered yourself into many different forms: <+Polymorph Title>]

Now ain't that a lot of new power? Let's see what it does for me...

[Unrecognisable]

[Proof you can change your appearance. Increases believability when pretending to be another person or being]

[Trickster's Anatomy]

[Proof you can change even the finer details of your being. Able to block and change the results of analysing-type abilities]

[Polymorph]

[Proof you have taken many different forms. Increases ability to mimic mentality of chosen form]

"HAHA! This is the shit!" I yell out, excited by my new title, I have already walked into the waiting area and looked over what they did.

The first of the 3 was, about average. Increased ability to pretend to be another would be useful, though from what I have seen I had 2 very clear indicators when I was transformed.

The second was the one I was most excited about; it would allow me to blend in easier. Should I come into contact with someone who could pose a threat to me, I can now prevent any knowledge falling into their hands.

The last one was a little more confusing, but I think I understood what it meant.

When I took the form of the rabbit or the wolf I felt a little more uncomfortable than when I became a more humanoid monster. It was like my mind and body fell out of sync, the adrenaline kept me going, but I may not be able to keep it up in normal situations. Thankfully, the title would solve this before it even began.

I checked to make sure but I felt no discomfort as any of my more bestial forms. I smiled and decided to look further into my identity as a chimaera.

I created a mirror formed from ice and changed into every form I had available to me.

In every form I had purple eyes and a large birthmark over one of them. The goblin, the wolf, the troll, the bat, even the plants had the birthmark; and where I had eyes they were purple.

"This kind of ruins the whole blending in thing, but I can live with it." I say, returning to my human form.

I'm going to keep going down, heading deeper and growing stronger with new forms and abilities!

This world will tremble before the abyss that is my power!

HA HA HA HA HA!

"Well. Down we go."