Hard-Working Rat!

****(POV)

True speech?! OH MY GAWD!!! Even a rat like me knows. Only the most powerful beings possess it! The strongest of magical creatures.

He also looks human. He can shapeshift too! That is a BIG deal! This is crazy!

No wonder he disregards Hundred Year Yuccas. Calling them white flowers. He is able to create them with pure mana! The two humans fall to their knees in prostration.

"Please spare us, great lord! We didn't hear anything!"

"Yes! I have a really bad memory too! I don't even remember what I ate this morning!"

Should I do that too?! The lord turns toward me.

[Back to business. How long does it take you to evolve once you eat these?]

"It should be pretty much instantaneous."

[Alright, eat it then.]

"Seriously ?!"

I can't help but voice my disbelief.

[Go on.]

He throws me 4 flowers. At this point, I do not care. Whatever he asks of me I will do. I wonder how smart I will be after that! I start munching instantly.

With the first one, I can already feel a change in my body. My senses becoming sharper.

Then comes the second one. I can feel the mana enveloping the area as easy as breathing.

The third one. I can now see the small variations in the mana I see. A kind of flow that is somehow pulsating.

The fourth one. It tastes good. That's it. No other effect at all. I have reached the maximum transformation for this specific treasure.

I have attained perfection! HAHAHAHAHA From now on I am a powerful rat! I will show all these bullies down there who is king! I will…

[How is it?]

Ah! I need to thank him! I lower my head in a submissive gesture.

[Do you feel any more powerful?]

"I think…I can use magic now!"

The wyvern chimes in.

"What?! Since when can rats use magic?!"

"I think it's because I ate many fully mature Yuccas."

[Alright, enough chit-chat. There is a barrier not far from here. I want you to disable it.]

I nod and depart. I can hear the wyvern asking him why he isn't worried about me running away. Please. How naïve is she? There is no way that I would.

Could anyone even run from someone as godly? Why would I even want to in the first place? I'm not dumb! This lord is a walking treasure trove! Someone would have to kill me to prevent me from returning.

I will accomplish the mission. Then I will ask him to take me in! Hug his thigh, hehe. This is the best plan.

There it is! Dark smoke. Deadly one. I start digging. With my claws. Except that somehow, I can feel the weakest areas. A simple press and the mana in the surroundings follow my command. I'm not even sure how I am doing it.

But the earth and the rocks vanish away in front of me. Ah, it seems to have gone in the walls of this tunnel of mine. Making it sturdier. This is awesome! I can't help but marvel at my newfound power!

Before long I reach the other side. Let me see. Many of us died in the past to such magic. Normally it would be extremely hard for me to manage it. But now I can see mana!

I quickly locate a few spots of higher density. I swim in the earth right underneath. Then I cause a very small tremor. Not enough to do any real damage to anyone. But enough to disrupt whatever magic is above me.

I repeat that a few times. Until finally I can hear shouts of distress from above. Mission accomplished! For good measure, I quickly head to the few remaining spots. Soon enough there is just one remaining.

This is wonder-

Stop! There is something incoming! Something filled with tons of mana!

*STAB*

What the hell?! Before my eyes is a purple crackling blade of energy. Whatever this is I almost died! This rat is out!

I quickly flee the scene. My pursuer tries to kill me a few times. But I always evade at the very last moment. Until finally I am far enough to be safe. I almost died, but it was worth it.

Now I just need to proceed in the smartest way possible. I got this. I am a valiant and wise rat! I can do this. I have a plan. I need to make this lord my master for sure. I need to somehow convince him to bring me along.

What can I do? Power-wise I am sure there is nothing he cannot do. At worst it will take him a bit of time. I can do these sabotage missions. Will it be enough? I need to sell myself as a great scout! I need to emphasize my loyalty too.

What else? Ah, this is hard. Who would have thought I would ever face this problem? I spent my whole life trying to be as independent as possible.

The alpha rats down there always trying to bring others under their reign. Muscular rats that have understood the benefits of training. Instead of scavenging for food they train. They have become strong enough not to be contested.

Then there was me. Always on my own. Refusing to cooperate. Biting anyone trying to control me. I was truly lucky to have gotten that first flower. Attaining intelligence is what saved me.

I countered power with technique. Right now I could easily go back. The current me is strong enough to become a rat king. Not an alpha, a true king. One that would lord over them all.

If the Wyvern Queen is to accompany him, I could even take over the valley. This would have been a dream before. But now it feels plain. On my way, I keep thinking of more arguments. I quickly go back to his side.

"Master I am done! The barrier should be down now!"

[Good job!]

"Master, I have a request!"

[What is it?]

"Please let me follow you! I have a list of 30 things that I could be very useful for! The first one is-"

[Sure, feel free to follow me.]

He said yes?! He seriously said yes?! Oh my god! HAHAHAHA!

[Now, let's proceed shall we!]

HEHEHEHEHEHEHE!