Souls Online: Mythic Ascension
Chapter 106: Monkey’s Paw

Chapter 106: Monkey’s Paw

Hidden Dungeon Key: Leader’s Laboratory Notes

Recommended Level: 15

Description: A pile of papers detailing the experimental Logs of the leaders attempts at genetically refining Monsters. Included are the experiments done on the four failed Projects: Tetsukiba, Mokukiba, Genkiba and Enkiba. Also included is a map leading to the location of the Lab. Extreme caution required.

Single Use Item.

Leo was stunned as he looked over the notes, his frown deepening with each word he read of the so-called experimental logs. The bosses they had struggled to kill were in fact guinea pigs for the whims of a mad scientist.

He trembled with rage, his hands shaking as he wanted nothing more than to slaughter this supposed leader. Nyx noticed Leo trembling and sauntered on over to him playfully. She was about to make a joke when she saw the undisguised look on his face as he stared at the bundle of papers.

Wordlessly, she pried them away from his hands so she could look at them herself. Her faint smug grin she usually displayed disappeared as she read, instead replaced by a cold glare as fury coursed through her. The surrounding shadows seemed to respond to her emotions as they began to churn and writhe around her.

"Leo. . .Once we get stronger...We are going to slaughter him!"

There was no joviality in her tone, only pure hatred.

"Without Question!"

And Leo wholeheartedly supported that. He glanced back towards his party who had started to banter and chuckle as they started to clean up the remaining loot and heal themselves back up to full HP.

He turned back to Nyx and quietly whispered

"Let’s keep this to ourselves for now. I don’t want to bring the mood down for everyone. Especially after we went through in this place.

Nyx slowly nodded her head in agreement as the shadows around her became still once more, her once serious expression melting into her now all too familiar carefree smile

"You got it Leo~! Hehe~"

A small smile tugged at the corner of Leo’s own lips. He was honestly jealous at how she could always be so...free.

"What’s so funny?"

"It’s our first secret. Just between you and me~"

Leo shook his head but his smile inevitably grew.

"You really are something else Nyx. Something special for sure."

Nyx lightly punched Leo’s shoulder with a soft giggle.

"I’ll take that as a compliment, Cutie~!

Before she turned away, successfully hiding the faint blush that came over her.

Just as she was about to return to the group, a system message appeared in front of both Leo and Nyx.

-Bond of the Zodiac: Monkey has reached 10% Completion. Buffs will be applied accordingly. If the player wishes, they may also choose to permanently bind the Bond to the chosen player. Doing so will result in

Zodiac Bond : Monkey shall be permanently bound to Player: Nyx.

Zodiac Bond : Monkey Growth shall become uncapped.

Total Available Zodiac Bonds shall be reduced to 8.

-Do you wish to bind Zodiac Bond: Monkey to Player Nyx?

-[Y/N]

Nyx froze as she realized that her fate in the party was about to be decided. She held her breath, not daring to look back at Leo, afraid of what he was going to say. Was she only destined to be a temporary party member? What about the mission her grandfather gave her.

What Nyx didn’t notice was that her tail was betraying her agitation. Leo could see her monkey-like tail was twitching erratically as if it was stiff. He thought about teasing her for once but somehow that felt wrong. Silently he pressed the Yes Button.

Whether he liked it or not, Nyx had already made her presence in the group well known and it would feel a lot emptier without her present.

Nyx felt a sharp pain in her hip, glancing down she saw the faint monkey tattoo had become a little bit darker as if it was materializing there. Just as she was about to turn to Leo asking what just happened. A follow up screen made her happy enough that she almost wanted to cry.

-Zodiac Imprint Complete. The following buff(s) are currently in effect.

-Skill: Monkey Paw

-Description: When using a Shadow-element skill, there is a 10% chance to trigger a Shadow Echo, duplicating the skill at 20% power. The duplicate activates shortly after the original and targets the same enemy (if still valid).

Echoed skills do not cost mana.

Cooldown between echoes: 2 seconds.

-Applied to: Nyx, Leo

The skill was proof that she had been accepted. Here she wasn’t the Umbral Princess, she was just Nyx!

Nyx turned around and lunged towards Leo, clinging to him, with affection and gratitude in her gaze.

"HEY NYX! Get your hands off my brother!"

Luna roared as she noticed the Monkey Girls movement out of the corner of her eyes, finally dragging her attention away from Kogetsukiba. Nyx turned to face Luna, while still hugging Leo and cooed

"Why are you being so stuffy Sis? Jealous~?"

"Who are you calling Sis?!"

Luna shouted back, her rabbit ears twitching in agitation and annoyance.

"Well I mean if I marry Leo, wouldn’t that make you my sister in law~?"

Leo could feel a cold sweat run down his spine as Luna’s twitching ears became completely still. Her ruby red eye’s became calm and serene. To the untrained eye, it may have looked like Luna stopped caring..At least that would be the case if not for the massive axe she was holding that radiated bloodlust.

"Nyx. You might want to start running"

Leo advised as his sister approached the two of them with slow but steady steps.

"Did I go too far?"

Even Nyx began to grow nervous, Luna’s silence was far scarier than her yelling. Without a second thought after that, Nyx let go of Leo and started running for the exit. As soon as she moved, Luna too launched herself forward, chasing after her with her axe raised.

"GET BACK HERE!"

Luna roared as Nyx screamed in fear.

’Why is the scariest one here his sister?!’

Nyx complained mentally, leaving the rest of the party speechless, rooted to the spot. After Nyx and Luna had disappeared through the exit portal that had spawned, Horo turned to the remaining members of the group and in an awkward manner asked

"Umm...Shouldn’t we try and stop her or something?"

Lily shook her head with a pout on her face.

"Ain’t no way I am risking my neck to save Nyx now. My dinner is on the line here!"

Sonata too shook her head in denial.

"I think Nyx went a little too far there. Luna is probably gonna just lecture her when she catches her."

Horo was amazed by Sonata’s optimistic look on things. Everyone else could tell that Luna was downright murderous there. If they didn’t hurry, The scene wouldn’t be peaceful but full of pieces.

Leo let out a sigh of exasperation, slightly regretting his decision already.

"Alright guys. Let’s go save our monkey girl"