[The Ero Core Resonance Link's Rank can be increased by a multitude of fashions.]
[A Higher Rank is necessary for additional benefits.]
[Warning!]
[Ero Core Resonance Link Rank can increase, but also decrease.]
'That goes without saying.' He thought.
[Additional information: The "Ero Core Resonance" Skill's effects depend largely on the Target.]
Jason shut his eyes for a moment.
'Don't use the word Target.'
[Different Ranks will lead to different Rewards depending on the Target and the nature of the Link created.]
"I'll just have to test it out and see how it varies."
A couple of seconds passed and,
[Your Endurance Stat increases by 1 Stat Point.]
[Endurance Stat: 21—>22.]
Jason raised an eyebrow.
He asked what the Stat Point was for, but the System did not answer.
"Let's see…" Jason looked around. The village was much quieter than before.
With the sun starting to set, the male Ogres formed a big crowd, at the cliff-end of the village, opposite the forest where the female Ogres were.
Usually, they would head to the cave inside the cliff to sleep, but they hoped things might be different now.
Jason's gaze alternated between the two groups in the distance, each on opposite ends, until,
[Dual Quests have been issued!]
[You have expressed your desire to rule over the Ogre Tribe.]
[Choose your Path to power.]
Two screens appeared side by side.
[Alternative 1:
-Quest Name: "The Path Of Blood"
-Quest Clear Condition: Kill the previous Chief and claim your title rightfully.
-Quest Rewards: The previous Chief's Skills, namely: Tactical Berserker [D Rank] and Sexual Abstinence [E Rank].
]
[Alternative 2:
-Quest Name: "The Path Of Unstable Peace"
-Clear Quest Condition: Convince 6 of the 11 female Ogres to accept you as Chief.
-Quest Rewards: Cross-Species Communication [E Rank], which allows the user to converse freely with three specific local Species.
]
'In other words, do I want to be a killer or a diplomat?' Jason thought it over while scratching his chin.
As a Human turned Monster, Jason had no allegiances to any one Monster Species. Additionally, he also had no allegiances to the Humans of this World, nor any Humans really.
"Killing Vel would put Camelia's mind at ease…"
Jason's eyes slowly widened.
"Actually, either of them would make me Chief, and give me the power to take off that choker." He whispered to himself. "In that case, I'll choose the easier and more fun option."
[You have selected "The Path Of Unstable Peace".]
[Current number of Female Ogres that have accepted your leadership: 0/6.]
"Yep." The Ogre clapped his hands together and started walking. "Let's go make some friends." He said, as eleven arrows appeared high up in the sky, showcasing the location of each of the Tribe's females.
…
Camelia carefully scooped water and laid it upon her chest. She had a slight smile on her face.
In fact, she had even started humming.
'What am I doing?' The Catgirl asked herself, suddenly freezing in place. 'It's still not too late for me to run away. Vel was in a hurry and messed up when binding me… She's unlikely to make that mistake again.' Camelia gulped. 'Now is the time to run, the time when no Ogre will even see or notice me.' She crossed her arms, feeling an iron ball form in her stomach. 'I can't put myself in so much danger… Just because we… We shared…'
The Catgirl gulped and massaged her forehead.
'Where would I run to anyway? This area is full of Ogres and Orcs. With this thing around my neck, I wouldn't be able to truly break free, maybe even survive. That's likely why Vel got sloppy when binding me. She knows that, ironically, being here is safer for me.'
In a way, Camelia was in a similar situation to the male Ogres.
'Can I really trust him with my life? Can I really…' The crouching Catgirl wrapped her arms around her knees. 'Believe in him so blindly?'
Camelia asked herself such questions, not because she didn't believe in him, but because she did.
The Catgirl couldn't understand why, for the life of her, she trusted and believed in someone she had just met so much, an Ogre no less.
"Ahh…" She let out a frustrated sigh after having cleaned herself up and put her clothes back on. "Just pieces of the underwear, the same that the Ogres put on… When will I get to wear clothes again?"
Camelia's frustration bubbled up as she looked around the room. Vel's room.
"It's mine now, right?" She whispered to herself cheekily. "Then I think it's time to rearrange it a bit!"
Rearranging the room also meant breaking a couple of things and tearing others, just in case Vel came back for it.
…
'System, I need more information.' Jason thought as he walked towards the group of male Ogres. 'Cross-Species Communication, how does that work? I can already talk to Camelia, so… How is it decided?'
[Currently, you can converse with Species able to use the Local Language.]
[Unlike the World you were in previously, Speech is an innate ability in Urd'Amazonia, and those with that ability innately know the Local Language.]
'So I wouldn't be able to talk to an Ogre from a different region?'
[Correct.]
[The region you are currently in, however, is a very wide area.]
'So it'll take a while before I meet someone who talks a different language.'
[Cross-Species Communication will allow you to converse with Species that do not use the Local Language.]
[It does not necessarily mean that those Species will be capable of Speech.]
'So I would be able to talk to a pack of wolves, for example?'
[Correct.]
[The Species will be revealed once the Quest has been Cleared and the Reward Earned.]
'Sounds good.'
The short conversation with the System ended at the right time.
"Chief!" The male Ogres declared at once.
Jason nodded before gesturing for a certain Ogre to come closer.
"Yes, Lagos? What can I do for you?"
"Doro, right?"
"At your service!"
Jason turned towards the forest, and Doro followed his gaze.
The latter, however, could not see the arrows hanging above or the names associated with each arrow.
"Come." Jason said as he started walking away from the group, and Doro followed him. "Also, call me Jason from now on."
"S… Sure, Jason."
After the two were beyond eavesdropping distance from the group,
"This wager that I made with Vel will work out very well for us, right?"
"I, um, I would assume so." Doro nodded repeatedly. "I mean, depending on…"
"Things will be different." Jason waved a hand dismissively. "But we still need the women, don't we?"
Doro scratched his chin.
"Yes, I suppose." He answered before falling silent for a moment. "What do you need me to do?"
'Good,' Jason smirked as he stared into the distance. 'He catches up quickly.'