Reborn as the First Boss, Chapter 130 (Patreon)

Chapter 130 – Discussion

Of course, I had experimented a few times with the [Blessed Bed] and [Profane Bed] skills, since I’d gotten them, and learned that the skills did, indeed, extend to everyone involved in a ‘session’, so long as they were actually, you know, involved. Someone sitting and watching in the corner as they got themselves off didn’t count, but I did not personally need to be on or inside someone for them to count as part of the session. I had not, however, experimented with [Bed of Skills] before now.

That wasn’t due to lack of interest, of course. The simple fact was that my pets did not get two extra skill points per level, like I did, which meant that they always had to pick and choose what skills they purchased, and which ones were left by the wayside. That meant my pets already had more Available Skills than they knew what to do with, and most of my skills were not things that would really benefit them, with the way their classes and professions were building out. Likewise, they did not generally have any skills I truly needed, because I was already overpowered, and hadn’t spent enough time developing and gaining experience with most of the skills I already had. I’d barely used any of the [Magic Touch] skills from the Courtesan profession, after all, since most fights we were over too quickly. I think the last time I made major use of those skills was during the Goblin Hero incident, and, even then, it was primarily the skills to make people more comfortable and ease their worries.

Mariun did not resist as I guided her to her knees, and then all fours. She moaned softly as I rubbed her folds, showing them to her brother. “She’s already wet, the naughty little sister.” Then, I leaned in to whisper in the princess’s ear, telling her to transform.

She took a breath, and then magic flowed through her flesh. Bare skin became covered in sable fur, a tail sprouted from her spine, and her flesh and bones seamlessly, easily, painlessly transformed. The whole process took about three seconds. No flash of light transformation, but it wasn’t a full magical girl transformation scene, either. But, when it was done, there was a Spectral Panther there, waiting.

Sewell groaned softly as I guided him forward one hand on his shaft and the other at the small of his back. As I fed him into Mariun’s waiting flesh, I licked his ear. “That’s right, your Majesty. Fuck that kitty’s pussy. Make your sister feel like a good kitten. And then I’m going to show you what a hound can do.”

Through my skills, I got the sense that Sewell was going along with this not just due to the fact that my CHA dwarfed his, and I had social skills which fed off each other, but also because Mariun was doing it. And [Carnal Relations] made Mariun more pliable to me. It wasn’t mind control, or anything like that, but ‘force of personality’ that hit like a tidal wave. The only way they could have opposed was if there was no desire there, even in their most deeply buried fantasies, the ones they did not even consciously know about.

I used my tongue and fingers to prepare Sewell, getting another deep moan from him as I worked his ass open in preparation. When I turned into a hellhound, my weight pressed against his back, pushing him down over Mariun’s haunches. And then, I forced my way inside, and I felt the king building to a climax, too soon. Not that I blamed him, since the sensations he was feeling would be overwhelming, but it would ruin the ritual if he came too soon, so I had to use [Deny Release] on him, to keep him on the edge.

Mariun yowled in feline pleasure, and I growled in wolflike approval as we had Sewell sandwiched between us. The king, meanwhile said nothing coherent as the pleasure built, and built, with nowhere to go. Until it did. As I came, I released [Deny Release], and he came as well, triggering another climax in Mariun.

[Bed of Skills] grants you one of the target’s skills for 24 hours!

From Mariun:

Poison Use – Can use and apply poisons without risk of poisoning yourself.

Mariun gains:

Sensual Dancer – While not, perhaps, at the level of those who make dancing their profession, the Courtesan knows how to move their body to the rhythm in ways to entice those they mean to entertain.

From Sewell:

Loyal Subjects – Those inside your domain are more loyal to you, and it is more difficult for sedition and insurrection to take root.

Sewell gains:

Perceive Soul – You are able to see people’s souls, allowing you to see not only their nature, but to which god or gods have touched them.

The notification from the Voice of the World had, at least, considered the chain effective for [Bed of Skills], which I had not been entirely sure it would. Since Mariun was already under the effect of [Blessed Bed] and [Profane Bed], I wouldn’t have been able to tell from those skills, if the Voice counted the arrangement or not. However, since I got skills from both, there was a good chance that the [Ritual of the Beast] might have counted everything.

I shifted back into my natural form, my breasts pressed against Sewell’s back as my hellhound cock disappeared, leaving him gaping and dripping. “You did such a good job, your majesty. I know you got my ability to see souls. But what about the ritual?”

Sewell was about to answer, but then Mariun shifted, becoming human again under us, her brother still hilt deep within her. “I don’t know about him, but I can tell you that I got both another one of your skills, and the Hellhound form. But I would appreciate it if my brother would get off my back. The two of you are heavy!” Despite the words, there was a breathless tone of pleasure and excitement in the princess’s words.

I laughed, and slid off Sewell, so he could collapse next to his sister. He looked over at me, and said, “It seems as though I got both forms, and that skill of yours that allows you to see souls. And I got the Accommodating title. Thankfully the royal seal includes a [False Appraisal] spell effect that automatically hides my titles, since that is information that could be used against a ruler.” He took a breath, and then said, “I’ll admit that I am more used to being the ‘giver’ than the ‘receiver’ in these kinds of exchanges. Not entirely sure how I feel about this.”

I chuckled. “Well, you did a very good job, your Majesty. Both in taking and giving. I know Mariun was practically purring as you gave her what she needed.”

The princess blushed furiously, but didn’t say anything, as King Sewell just shook his head. “And you said that these forms would increase in Tier if we manage to reach Tier 2?”

“Indeed. And it might offer you new possibilities for your race, class, and profession when you Tier up. I did not receive options based around these transformations, but my situation was already ‘special’. The Voice of the World does not mention every single class or profession you qualify for when advancing in Tier, after all, just the ones that are closest to the way you’ve advanced.”

Mariun nodded slowly. “So, since we have more ‘conventional’ abilities, the ability to turn into a Celestial Panther or a Hellhound will have more of an influence if we manage to get to Tier 2. Especially if we use those abilities more in the course of our leveling.”

“Exactly. However, the transformation gives you a bit of an extra buffer for how much damage you can take. It reserves 20% of your maximum SP, and makes that temporary HP. When that goes away, you return to normal, after the attack that robbed the last of your temporary HP. So, it will let you survive one lethal blow if it happens while you’re transformed.”

King Sewell shook his head. “Under normal circumstances, it would be all but impossible for a reigning king to get to Tier 2 in these lands. The monsters are simply too weak, even though they are numerous, and a king cannot easily go traveling to other countries in order to dive into their dungeons as an adventurer might.”

Princess Mariun nodded. “And the fact that the Great Demon Emperor is making moves again says that these are no longer ‘normal circumstances’. It is likely that the Theocracy will try for a war, sooner rather than later, as a way to distract their people from their failings. In war, a King gains a portion of the XP that soldiers gain while fighting in his name. Your last level came from the skirmishes in the Northern Reaches, after all.”

Sewell looked my way, and said, “I know you’ve ‘gone rogue’, since you woke up in that body, no matter what the former Mhyrsha was planning, but do you have any idea of the Great Demon Emperor’s plans?”

I shook my head. “Sadly, no. Not beyond the obvious, at any rate. Making creatures with the Boss title, to draw out the Hero, and eventually get them to his own domain. Same as has happened innumerable times before. According to Zazriel, my angel familiar, the Great Demon Emperor somehow uses the souls of Heroes who make it to the Shadowed Continent and fall there to help empower the barrier and protections guarding that continent. The angels do not know the exact mechanics, only that, each time a Hero dies on that continent, the barrier’s strength surges, before beginning to slowly wane again.”

The King frowned at that. “Then would it not make sense for the Hero to stay away from the Shadowed Continent, and starve the barrier of its power? If the barrier is powered by the souls of Heroes, then that should cause it to come down, eventually. And the Great Demon Emperor likely cannot freely leave his lands.”

Mariun scoffed. “You’re assuming that the Hero would be allowed to just stay idle, brother.”

Sewell shook his head. “Not idle. But turning their attentions elsewhere. There are always plenty of problems that could use a Hero to help with them, across all the other continents. If the Great Demon Emperor wants the Hero on the Shadowed Continent, then denying him his prize seems the surest way to succeed.”

“You’re not wrong, your Majesty,” I said, “but you’re not right, either. It is my nature as an ‘outsider’ that allows me to ignore much of the pressure that the Boss title puts on me, and a Hero, by their nature, would not be able to ignore their title’s urges unless they, too, were an outsider. The role of the Hero is one of stabilization, support, and order. Which means that every Hero, eventually, feels the urge to seek out the greatest source of chaos and destruction present in the world, the Great Demon Emperor, the Boss above all other Bosses. Much like how plants turn towards sunlight. It is simply their nature.”

I paused, considering. “Though, from what I have heard, most Heroes do not attempt the crossing until they are somewhere in the third tier. Unfortunately, situations tend to find the Hero, regardless of their will, leading them to level faster than a normal person would. There is a reason it is rare for any Hero to have the title for more than thirty years, and, more likely, they are going to perish within a decade of receiving the title. The fact that we are on our third Hero of this cycle, and it has been less than a year, should explain the hazards of a Hero’s nose for trouble.”

“So, there is nothing to be done?”

“Oh, I would not say that. As you said, there are plenty of troubles that could benefit from a Hero’s aid. You just need someone strong-willed, that the Hero trusts, to help guide them from trouble to trouble as they gain strength, to let the process draw out as long as possible. The zealotry of the Theocracy, and the churches under it, works counter to that goal, whether they know it or not, by implying that faith and righteousness can fully shield a Hero from an Elder Dragon’s claws, much less the attacks of the Great Demon Emperor. Without someone who can counter that talk, and keep the Hero grounded, reminding them of how weak they are, in the grand scheme of things, then they are fated to die too soon.”

Princess Mariun clapped her hands. “All right. We should get dressed, and retire. Tomorrow brings more of the celebration, and the announcement from the Voice of the World is going to cause trouble, if we don’t address it properly.”

I nodded once. “Until tomorrow, then, your Majesty, your Highness.”