Chapter 8 – Forging a Croaking Army
The Sub-Magic Pen echoed with low, guttural croaks. Dozens of giant frogs shifted restlessly in their cages, their wide eyes glimmering in the torchlight.
Glic stood at the center of the pen, cloak drawn tight around his shoulders. He had spent the previous day in bed, his body trembling from the flood of spell integrations. Now, the arsenal lay quietly in his mind—twenty-one new spells waiting to be tested.
But tonight, he would not waste time. Tonight, he would prepare for war.
Bandits.
The Crimson Alliance was more than a nuisance. They were parasites feeding on trade routes, emboldened by the chaos of the borderlands. If he could crush them publicly, it would cement the Goldbear name among merchants. And more importantly—it would provide him with battlefield data for the System.
"System," he murmured, resting a hand on the iron bars of a cage. "Initiate Spell Merge. Target creature: Giant Frog. Spell essence: Blade Ward."
The System pulsed.
> [Merging…]
Base Creature: Giant Frog (Medium Beast)
Spell: Blade Ward (0 Ring)
Compatibility: 74%
Energy Cost: Low
Result: Successful
The frog croaked, its hide shimmering faintly. Patterns of translucent scales crawled across its body like spectral armor.
> [New Variant Created: Blade Ward Frog]
Passive Ability: Damage from weapon attacks reduced by 50%.
Active Ability: Croak of Protection – Allies within 10 feet gain minor resistance for 5 seconds.
Glic's lips curved into a grin. "An armored frog. Not bad."
He moved to the next cage.
"System. Merge: Giant Frog + Fire Bolt."
The creature shuddered as heat rippled through its body. When it croaked, a puff of smoke escaped its mouth. A moment later, it spat a glowing ember that scorched the wall, leaving blackened stone.
> [New Variant Created: Fire Spitter Frog]
Attack: Hurls fire projectiles (range 30 feet, damage = Fire Bolt equivalent).
Side Effect: Minor instability. Risk of overheating on repeated use.
The air grew hot, acrid with burnt stone. Glic's eyes gleamed. Perfect for ranged harassment. Bandits won't know what hit them.
---
One by one, he worked his way down the line of cages.
Shocking Grasp + Giant Frog
The frog's skin glistened with faint sparks, arcs of electricity crawling across its back. When Glic tossed a wooden stick into the cage, the frog leapt—its tongue lashed out, crackling with lightning. The stick burst into splinters.
> [New Variant: Thunder Tongue Frog]
Effect: Tongue attacks deal lightning damage. On hit: target is briefly paralyzed.
---
Chill Touch + Giant Frog
This one disturbed him. The frog's skin dulled to a pallid blue, frost clinging to its breath. When it lashed out with its tongue, the dummy froze on contact, ice spreading from the wound.
> [New Variant: Death-Croak Frog]
Effect: Tongue attack inflicts necrotic chill. Target suffers reduced healing.
The frog's eyes glowed with unnatural cold. Glic shivered. "Useful… but unsettling."
---
Frostbite + Giant Frog
The merge was smoother this time. The frog exhaled, and mist rolled from its maw. When it snapped at a bucket of water, frost spread across the liquid instantly, freezing it solid.
> [New Variant: Frost Breath Frog]
Effect: Short-range cone of freezing air. Reduces enemy movement speed.
---
Thorn Whip + Giant Frog
The frog quivered, its tongue sprouting barbs of thorn-like mana. When it lashed at a dummy, the spines dug deep and yanked the target backward, dragging it across the dirt.
> [New Variant: Hooktongue Frog]
Effect: Tongue drags target up to 10 feet. Piercing damage inflicted.
---
Vicious Mockery + Giant Frog
The System pulsed strangely this time. The frog's throat swelled, glowing faintly pink. When it croaked, the sound was… wrong. Mocking, sharp, like laughter scraping at the edges of sanity. The nearby dummy vibrated as if the sound itself rattled its spirit.
> [New Variant: Mocking Frog]
Effect: Croak inflicts minor psychic damage. Targets suffer disadvantage on next attack.
Glic raised a brow. "A frog that insults its enemies into weakness. Strange… but effective."
---
Lightning Lure + Giant Frog
The merge was violent. Sparks crackled, arcs of lightning splitting the air. The frog roared with unnatural volume, its tongue extending like a whip of thunder. It lashed out at a target dummy, lightning dragging the wooden figure closer before a bolt detonated on impact.
> [New Variant: Storm Lash Frog]
Effect: Tongue acts as a lightning tether, pulling targets into melee range and shocking them.
---
By the time he finished, sweat slicked his brow. His Spiritual Sea trembled from the effort, though not as violently as when he first began using the System. His tolerance was improving.
Before him, eight new variants croaked in eerie harmony:
1. Blade Ward Frog – armored skin, protection croak.
2. Fire Spitter Frog – ranged fire projectiles.
3. Thunder Tongue Frog – paralyzing lightning strikes.
4. Death-Croak Frog – necrotic tongue, healing suppression.
5. Frost Breath Frog – cone of freezing mist.
6. Hooktongue Frog – thorned tongue drags targets.
7. Mocking Frog – psychic croak, weakens foes.
8. Storm Lash Frog – lightning tether tongue.
A small army of living weapons.
Glic straightened, pride swelling in his chest. "With you… I will shatter those bandits."
The frogs croaked, their strange new voices echoing through the Sub-Magic Pen like a chorus of battle cries.
---
The System chimed:
> [Host Progress: Combat Assets Created – 8 Variants.]
Host Stat Growth +3% Affinity (Composite).
Warning: Exposure risk increased. Conceal identity.
Glic's eyes narrowed. Yes… Aurelius must claim these frogs as well. Let the world think them the work of a phantom master.
He turned toward the night sky, the croaking army behind him. His lips curved into a dangerous smile.
"Bandits… pray to whatever false gods you keep. For when the Goldbear family marches, you will not face men alone—you will face my creations."
And in the silence that followed, the frogs croaked again, their twisted new voices sounding less like animals and more like the drums of war.