AstraMagically
Shapestealer [Tower Climber LitRPG]
Synopsis:
Maya was chosen to die.
She was a nobody, living on the streets. Cursed to enter the tower and died on the first floor.
The Administrator took pity on her, and gave her one more chance at life. She was reborn.
Given the power to transform into the monsters she fights.
*This story is also available on Royal Road
Link: Shapestealer [Tower Climber LitRPG] | Scribble Hub
A shadowy beast lurked behind the burned foliage at the edge of the clearing, its sharp eyes locked on the players before it. Occasionally, it would vanish with a flicker, only to reappear dozens of meters away from its original location. Had it not been for the unwavering attention of the players, they would have lost track of the magical beast’s position in a few seconds. It didn’t immediately start its second round of attack — perhaps it was wary of the crowd — opting instead to materialize and dematerialize in an erratic pattern.
“It appears to be a panther. I think it’s a Shadow Panther — a genuine magical beast.” Zero’s voice echoed from behind William, carrying a tone of certainty.
“How do you know? And why is one attacking the academy now?” inquired another player in anxiety.
“I read about it on the wiki. According to the official website’s wiki, the arachnid horde invaded because the magic barriers surrounding this place were deactivated due to mana depletion. It’s part of the background setting for this expansion,” Zero explained.
“This is no time for that!” William interjected forcefully. “Come and help me!” If it weren’t for the spear’s incredible durability and the lucky parry, he would have been killed just now.
“Uh… We want to, but… you’re the only first-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte among us. That Shadow Panther over there is at least a second-stage Initiate Attunement magical beast.”
“Fuck!” William cursed. The magic staff lent by the headmaster NPC had been returned after the conclusion of yesterday’s invasion. Although casting spells didn’t necessitate the use of magic staff, the absence of his staff left him feeling vulnerable.
A mage’s staff was often a matter of life and death. This truth resonated with him keenly in this perilous moment. If that’s not bad enough, I only know of one spell!
Seemingly breaking the tense standoff, the Shadow Panther launched itself at William. Positioned behind him, the other players stood poised with their weapons, ready to lend their support at a moment’s notice. Yet, the panther’s speed surpassed that of a speeding car and proved more unpredictable than his ex-girlfriend on a volatile day.
Like a bolt from the blue, a swishing sound cleaved through the air, striking the Shadow Panther square on its head and propelling it several meters away. Before the magical beast could launch a counterattack, a barrage of light arrows rained down upon it, compelling the creature to flee with its tail between its legs.
We’re saved? William’s line of sight turned to their savior and settled upon a huge silvery wolf that stood approximately three meters tall.
“Isn’t that the headmaster’s mount? The one that appeared during the encounter with the queen spider?”
“Whoa! It’s magnificent!”
The huge silvery wolf wasted no time before vanishing into the forest's depths, leaving a lingering sense of curiosity and wonder among the players present.
***
Victor was cajoled awake from the rumble of his stomach. Ngh… I haven’t eaten since forever, he thought in his heart. Even a Magus had to eat, although there were those who utilized alchemical products to endure extended periods of abstinence.
Hours had slipped by since he received the System’s rewards, and it was bound for him to work up quite an appetite. With a sigh, he pushed himself up from the floor, wincing slightly as his stomach protested. But before anything else, he activated the black mark etched on his left wrist to see his progress.
Victor Asteriscus
HP: 100%
MP: 208/208
Power Rank: Third-stage Initiate Attunement
Elemental Affinity: Cosmo (95%) | Anemo (82%) | Pyro (57%)
Mana Aptitude: Inferior bright grade
Meditation Technique: Myriad Elements Method (third level, 77%)
Status: Healthy
Strength: (25)
Agility: (25)
Vitality: (25)
Magical Power: (33)
Inverted Mana (total): (208 → 211)
Spell Repertoire: {Blink Step}, {Slicing Wind}, {Zephyr Dash}, {Tempest Burst}, {Wind Guard}, {Flame Whip}, {Flame Dart}, {Ember Shield}, {Heat Wave}
If Victor could maintain this rate of progress, he calculated that he would reach the peak in less than a week. From there, all he had to worry about was how to undergo the elemental fusion successfully. Mission accomplished.
Suddenly, his stomach growled again, and more insistently this time. “Okay, okay. Let’s get something to eat.”
Muttering to himself, Victor ascended the stairs that led to his office. When he emerged from the secret passage, he was greeted by a concerned voice echoing through the room.
“Didn’t I tell you to come back soon?” Lizbeth, who had been dozing earlier, was now sitting upright in his chair, her brows furrowed in irritation. She then floated in front of Victor and huffed with her arms crossed. “I was starting to think you’d gotten lost down there. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to eat?”
She what now? Victor looked around the room and noticed the plates and a covered dish on his desk. “Ah, sorry, I was caught up with something. But come on, it wasn’t that long, was it?” He said that, but the view outside was already dark again — another half a day seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye; no wonder that even an extraordinary being like him was so famished.
Her mischievous eyes softened a little as she said, “Hmph, that’s fine then. Though your food is now all cold.” She lifted the cover and revealed a meal of what used to be two bowls of warm stew and continued, “I got the players in charge of the kitchen to make this for you; I figured you’d be hungry after all that time.”
Huh, that’s unlike her to bring me food. Usually, it was vice versa, with Victor getting two servings of food he asked from the players for Lizbeth and himself. At least, that was the routine until now.
Victor took a seat, and despite the change in temperature, the aroma was still tantalizing. “Well, thanks. Let me warm it up with my magic.” He flicked his fingers, and elemental particles gathered atop the two bowls of stew, releasing heat and restoring its warmth.
“Alright, let’s eat.” Victor declared, scooping a spoonful of stew with the wooden spoon on the side into his mouth. The savory broth wrapped around the tender chunks of meat and hearty vegetables, infusing his taste buds with a delicate medley of herbs and seasonings. Just perfect to satisfy his hunger and ease the stress of the day before.
“Mhm!” Lizbeth did the same, using a child-sized spoon that looked comically large despite holding it with both of her hands. Eating it from the spoon made it seem like she was eating in a large bowl instead, and the bowl that she scooped was likened to a bathtub.
“Yum! Magic is always so convenient. The players are also getting better at cooking,” she commented while slurping on the stew.
Speaking of what she said, this had been inside Victor’s mind since his first encounter with Lizbeth: Could she use magic too? Faint memories resurfaced, recalling how she alleviated his pain when he consumed the Ashen Shriek Elixir and cast some kind of healing spell that seeped into him. Curiosity got the best of him, and he inquired about her abilities.
“Magic? Well, it’s not impossible, considering I’m a magical creature after all. But I don’t get stronger the same way that you do. For starters, my growth is intricately tied to the development of this academy,” she explained, smiling mysteriously.
“That so?” Victor mulled over her enigmatic explanation while slurping the stew. Lizbeth’s existence was inextricably linked to the academy and the Magus Academy System itself. It was highly likely that once the academy leveled up, so too would Lizbeth. All he could do was wait for that moment.
Wait… Where’s her food gone? Victor noticed that her bowl was devoid of stew as soon as he placed his bowl down. A portion larger than her own size was gone within a minute, leaving not a single drip behind. That was crazy, to say the least.
Victor decided to leave the question alone and shifted the conversation to a more pressing matter. “By the way, where’s Lumen? I think I haven’t seen her since I woke up.”
Because Lumen was a magical beast in essence — a Celestial Moonhowler at that — ever since her innate ability manifested, Victor didn’t forbid her from roaming outside the Headmaster’s Building and into the forest. After all, a magical beast could only grow in power by engaging with other magical beasts and consuming them. She couldn’t remain a sheltered puppy forever despite being less than a month old.
“Oh, that’s right.” She widened her eyes and answered, “You see, some pesky magical beasts had been encroaching into our domain today. So, Lumen jumped out and put them in their place and, of course, marked this as her territory and all that.”
Right.
With the academy’s magic barriers gone, the concealment was lifted, and other magical beasts would inevitably find their way here. The forest fire trap might have deterred them for a while, but they were bound to return sooner or later. To put the nail in the coffin, the smell of blood from the battle with the arachnid horde would attract them no matter how hard the rain and the players had tried to clean the place. Fortunately, Lumen was here to act as a deterrent, or at the very least enough to scare away weaker magical beasts from approaching.
But what does she mean by marking the place? Common beasts might urinate on or scratch trees, but for a magical beast like Lumen, that method wouldn’t be the norm for territory marking. For instance, it could be that she would put her mana signature to alert other creatures. Victor wasn’t sure.
“One more tidbit I wanna share: There are two new missions on the Headmaster’s Journal. You should check it out,” Lizbeth suddenly added.
Victor hadn’t come across any new missions when he checked yesterday, thus prompting him to activate his Master Shadowlink Mark. He navigated the blue holographic screen to the Headmaster’s Journal tab to see what was in store.
—— [Headmaster’s Journal] ——
Mission: Lookout for a Spider Lair in the Forest
Now without your turtle shell, the academy is at risk from all sides. Furthermore, the demise of the Queen Lesser Hiveborne Arachnid has caused a power shift in the forest, and her offspring are running around like headless chickens. Or are they?
Seize this opportunity to locate their nest and reap your benefits.
Type: Main mission
Nest Found: 0/1
Reward: 200 academy points
————————
Mission: What’s a Game Without an NPC?
Thus far, you have managed the façade of a game by becoming a capable NPC. But no long-lasting game runs with only two NPCs, so you must find another person to be an NPC.
Type: Side mission
Reward: 20 progression value points
…
AstraMagically
Shapestealer [Tower Climber LitRPG]
Synopsis:
Maya was chosen to die.
She was a nobody, living on the streets. Cursed to enter the tower and died on the first floor.
The Administrator took pity on her, and gave her one more chance at life. She was reborn.
Given the power to transform into the monsters she fights.
*This story is also available on Royal Road
Link: Shapestealer [Tower Climber LitRPG] | Scribble Hub
A shadowy beast lurked behind the burned foliage at the edge of the clearing, its sharp eyes locked on the players before it. Occasionally, it would vanish with a flicker, only to reappear dozens of meters away from its original location. Had it not been for the unwavering attention of the players, they would have lost track of the magical beast’s position in a few seconds. It didn’t immediately start its second round of attack — perhaps it was wary of the crowd — opting instead to materialize and dematerialize in an erratic pattern.
“It appears to be a panther. I think it’s a Shadow Panther — a genuine magical beast.” Zero’s voice echoed from behind William, carrying a tone of certainty.
“How do you know? And why is one attacking the academy now?” inquired another player in anxiety.
“I read about it on the wiki. According to the official website’s wiki, the arachnid horde invaded because the magic barriers surrounding this place were deactivated due to mana depletion. It’s part of the background setting for this expansion,” Zero explained.
“This is no time for that!” William interjected forcefully. “Come and help me!” If it weren’t for the spear’s incredible durability and the lucky parry, he would have been killed just now.
“Uh… We want to, but… you’re the only first-stage Initiate Attunement acolyte among us. That Shadow Panther over there is at least a second-stage Initiate Attunement magical beast.”
“Fuck!” William cursed. The magic staff lent by the headmaster NPC had been returned after the conclusion of yesterday’s invasion. Although casting spells didn’t necessitate the use of magic staff, the absence of his staff left him feeling vulnerable.
A mage’s staff was often a matter of life and death. This truth resonated with him keenly in this perilous moment. If that’s not bad enough, I only know of one spell!
Seemingly breaking the tense standoff, the Shadow Panther launched itself at William. Positioned behind him, the other players stood poised with their weapons, ready to lend their support at a moment’s notice. Yet, the panther’s speed surpassed that of a speeding car and proved more unpredictable than his ex-girlfriend on a volatile day.
Like a bolt from the blue, a swishing sound cleaved through the air, striking the Shadow Panther square on its head and propelling it several meters away. Before the magical beast could launch a counterattack, a barrage of light arrows rained down upon it, compelling the creature to flee with its tail between its legs.
We’re saved? William’s line of sight turned to their savior and settled upon a huge silvery wolf that stood approximately three meters tall.
“Isn’t that the headmaster’s mount? The one that appeared during the encounter with the queen spider?”
“Whoa! It’s magnificent!”
The huge silvery wolf wasted no time before vanishing into the forest's depths, leaving a lingering sense of curiosity and wonder among the players present.
***
Victor was cajoled awake from the rumble of his stomach. Ngh… I haven’t eaten since forever, he thought in his heart. Even a Magus had to eat, although there were those who utilized alchemical products to endure extended periods of abstinence.
Hours had slipped by since he received the System’s rewards, and it was bound for him to work up quite an appetite. With a sigh, he pushed himself up from the floor, wincing slightly as his stomach protested. But before anything else, he activated the black mark etched on his left wrist to see his progress.
Victor Asteriscus
HP: 100%
MP: 208/208
Power Rank: Third-stage Initiate Attunement
Elemental Affinity: Cosmo (95%) | Anemo (82%) | Pyro (57%)
Mana Aptitude: Inferior bright grade
Meditation Technique: Myriad Elements Method (third level, 77%)
Status: Healthy
Strength: (25)
Agility: (25)
Vitality: (25)
Magical Power: (33)
Inverted Mana (total): (208 → 211)
Spell Repertoire: {Blink Step}, {Slicing Wind}, {Zephyr Dash}, {Tempest Burst}, {Wind Guard}, {Flame Whip}, {Flame Dart}, {Ember Shield}, {Heat Wave}
If Victor could maintain this rate of progress, he calculated that he would reach the peak in less than a week. From there, all he had to worry about was how to undergo the elemental fusion successfully. Mission accomplished.
Suddenly, his stomach growled again, and more insistently this time. “Okay, okay. Let’s get something to eat.”
Muttering to himself, Victor ascended the stairs that led to his office. When he emerged from the secret passage, he was greeted by a concerned voice echoing through the room.
“Didn’t I tell you to come back soon?” Lizbeth, who had been dozing earlier, was now sitting upright in his chair, her brows furrowed in irritation. She then floated in front of Victor and huffed with her arms crossed. “I was starting to think you’d gotten lost down there. Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to eat?”
She what now? Victor looked around the room and noticed the plates and a covered dish on his desk. “Ah, sorry, I was caught up with something. But come on, it wasn’t that long, was it?” He said that, but the view outside was already dark again — another half a day seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye; no wonder that even an extraordinary being like him was so famished.
Her mischievous eyes softened a little as she said, “Hmph, that’s fine then. Though your food is now all cold.” She lifted the cover and revealed a meal of what used to be two bowls of warm stew and continued, “I got the players in charge of the kitchen to make this for you; I figured you’d be hungry after all that time.”
Huh, that’s unlike her to bring me food. Usually, it was vice versa, with Victor getting two servings of food he asked from the players for Lizbeth and himself. At least, that was the routine until now.
Victor took a seat, and despite the change in temperature, the aroma was still tantalizing. “Well, thanks. Let me warm it up with my magic.” He flicked his fingers, and elemental particles gathered atop the two bowls of stew, releasing heat and restoring its warmth.
“Alright, let’s eat.” Victor declared, scooping a spoonful of stew with the wooden spoon on the side into his mouth. The savory broth wrapped around the tender chunks of meat and hearty vegetables, infusing his taste buds with a delicate medley of herbs and seasonings. Just perfect to satisfy his hunger and ease the stress of the day before.
“Mhm!” Lizbeth did the same, using a child-sized spoon that looked comically large despite holding it with both of her hands. Eating it from the spoon made it seem like she was eating in a large bowl instead, and the bowl that she scooped was likened to a bathtub.
“Yum! Magic is always so convenient. The players are also getting better at cooking,” she commented while slurping on the stew.
Speaking of what she said, this had been inside Victor’s mind since his first encounter with Lizbeth: Could she use magic too? Faint memories resurfaced, recalling how she alleviated his pain when he consumed the Ashen Shriek Elixir and cast some kind of healing spell that seeped into him. Curiosity got the best of him, and he inquired about her abilities.
“Magic? Well, it’s not impossible, considering I’m a magical creature after all. But I don’t get stronger the same way that you do. For starters, my growth is intricately tied to the development of this academy,” she explained, smiling mysteriously.
“That so?” Victor mulled over her enigmatic explanation while slurping the stew. Lizbeth’s existence was inextricably linked to the academy and the Magus Academy System itself. It was highly likely that once the academy leveled up, so too would Lizbeth. All he could do was wait for that moment.
Wait… Where’s her food gone? Victor noticed that her bowl was devoid of stew as soon as he placed his bowl down. A portion larger than her own size was gone within a minute, leaving not a single drip behind. That was crazy, to say the least.
Victor decided to leave the question alone and shifted the conversation to a more pressing matter. “By the way, where’s Lumen? I think I haven’t seen her since I woke up.”
Because Lumen was a magical beast in essence — a Celestial Moonhowler at that — ever since her innate ability manifested, Victor didn’t forbid her from roaming outside the Headmaster’s Building and into the forest. After all, a magical beast could only grow in power by engaging with other magical beasts and consuming them. She couldn’t remain a sheltered puppy forever despite being less than a month old.
“Oh, that’s right.” She widened her eyes and answered, “You see, some pesky magical beasts had been encroaching into our domain today. So, Lumen jumped out and put them in their place and, of course, marked this as her territory and all that.”
Right.
With the academy’s magic barriers gone, the concealment was lifted, and other magical beasts would inevitably find their way here. The forest fire trap might have deterred them for a while, but they were bound to return sooner or later. To put the nail in the coffin, the smell of blood from the battle with the arachnid horde would attract them no matter how hard the rain and the players had tried to clean the place. Fortunately, Lumen was here to act as a deterrent, or at the very least enough to scare away weaker magical beasts from approaching.
But what does she mean by marking the place? Common beasts might urinate on or scratch trees, but for a magical beast like Lumen, that method wouldn’t be the norm for territory marking. For instance, it could be that she would put her mana signature to alert other creatures. Victor wasn’t sure.
“One more tidbit I wanna share: There are two new missions on the Headmaster’s Journal. You should check it out,” Lizbeth suddenly added.
Victor hadn’t come across any new missions when he checked yesterday, thus prompting him to activate his Master Shadowlink Mark. He navigated the blue holographic screen to the Headmaster’s Journal tab to see what was in store.
—— [Headmaster’s Journal] ——
Mission: Lookout for a Spider Lair in the Forest
Now without your turtle shell, the academy is at risk from all sides. Furthermore, the demise of the Queen Lesser Hiveborne Arachnid has caused a power shift in the forest, and her offspring are running around like headless chickens. Or are they?
Seize this opportunity to locate their nest and reap your benefits.
Type: Main mission
Nest Found: 0/1
Reward: 200 academy points
————————
Mission: What’s a Game Without an NPC?
Thus far, you have managed the façade of a game by becoming a capable NPC. But no long-lasting game runs with only two NPCs, so you must find another person to be an NPC.
Type: Side mission
Reward: 20 progression value points
…
