CHAPTER 63: | THE MINIATURE WORLD OF THE FIRST SEGMENT | 19
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Collapsing on the ground, I gazed at the moonlight.
The crescent moon, hanging from the sky, seemed to smile at me.
A smile curved onto my lips as pain shot through my nerves, a testament to the strain my body had accumulated after continuous fighting.
It was a difficult, life-and-death battle.
Especially, fighting Drao was a nightmare itself, since for once he didn't lose his composure for even a moment.
But his temperament was a bit, you know... unique, if I may say.
He acted his role perfectly, too perfectly, so much so that I noticed it was merely a play for him to act as a villain.
But why did he act as a villain when none could rival his firepower and tactical awareness?
He was a monster who could probably rule this segment, so why did he act as a clown in front of me?
When he could have rallied the Overseers and all their manpower to hunt and kill me?
So why did he do that?
Was it all an act so that he could die in a graceful manner?
Or perhaps someone had planned all of this to gauge my strength?
If so, who's behind the curtain?
Reading Drao's intent earlier didn't give me any clue as to who the mastermind of this play was, but then a realization hit me...
Tellus...
based on his title and combat power, it was possible that Tellus was one of the prime suspects in this incident.
Then that means he's alive...
But no, that shouldn't be possible since none could escape the eye of the dimensional record.
Then perhaps another lizard, maybe a sibling of his, conspired this very plan.
My smile widened as I gazed at the water particles that existed everywhere but couldn't be felt nor seen by normal people.
These things had been gazing at me for days...
It was only now that I'd realized I was pretty much fucked if my opponent was like Tellus, one who could reconstruct his body with the surrounding earth, but was dumb enough not to recognize the dust in the atmosphere.
But if the one spying on me was the same as Tellus, one who could use water to regenerate its body, and that very being realized the water in the atmosphere, then a battle of attrition would be the only option.
But I shouldn't worry for now, as I could see that its intent wasn't interested in fighting me right now.
It had another goal in mind.
So I smiled, then gazed at Solia rushing towards me, shouting like a damsel in distress.
"Master! Master, are you okay?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at her display.
I grabbed Drao's body, then began to feast on him as Solia dramatically wiped her eyes and shouted.
"Master! Hic... Don't die!"
I chuckled as Solia was in her dramatic self, crying, shouting, and posing in a dramatic way.
I couldn't help but laugh, her acting right now was surreal. She slumped on the ground in a dramatic pose, sniffing like a maiden.
Her voice was soft as she wiped her tears dramatically to amplify her performance.
"Master... hic... have you perhaps... hic... died?"
She sobbed dramatically as I gazed at her straight into her eyes.
I flicked her forehead, then sighed.
"Haaaa, could you please stop your drama and assess the situation, Solia? I'm tired from fighting three opponents without the time to properly recover, so please drop the act."
Solia giggled as she stuck her lips out, muttering, dejected from me figuring out her act.
"Oops, guess I've been found out."
Then she dusted her skirt and switched to her serious mood, as she began to assess the situation, then softly nodded.
She closed her eyes for a moment, calculating the result of the battle.
Her lips curved into a smile as she reported.
"Master, three Forest Titans, along with four Stone Titans and seven Wood Titans, have met their demise, totaling the death casualties to fourteen Titans. If we're adding the twenty-eight injured Titans, then it would add up to forty-two Titans, leaving only seven Titans able to move."
But Solia only smiled as she continued.
"But on the bright side, most of the surviving Titans have ascended a few tiers, with the highest ascending three Tiers. So it's not bad at all! More importantly, this beautiful priestess of yours has finally reached Tier 10 and is ready to evolve and serve you more competently..."
Solia posed in an alluring position, showing her curves, as she then muttered in an erotic way.
"M-master..."
But I knew she was just playing around to lighten the mood, so I flicked her forehead, then smirked.
"Then be more competent and tell me how to reach the last Overseer of this place, my dear priestess."
Solia's face reddened as I looked at her intensely.
Her act fell apart as she pouted.
"Why, you..."
But then she sighed, pointing at the sky where a prominent island floated.
"That thing floating above is the 'Sky Burial,' the very name of the sky island hanging from the sky and where the ancient dragon is overseeing this entire segment and guarding the most valuable thing of this segment from intruders like you, Master."
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Then she pointed at the Titans and at her back as she smiled wryly.
"So forgive us, Master, for we can't accompany you after this, since we don't have the wings to fly into the 'Sky Burial,' nor the ability to sky-walk like Drao. Sincr we Titans specialize in brute force, so forgive us."
Solia apologized as she bowed, but I only chuckled at her response.
I grabbed her shoulder, then whispered into her ears.
"You don't need to say sorry, since we know it, right?"
Solia sighed as she gazed at me, her eyes now taking on a shade of pink, as she whispered back to me.
"Since when did you know, oh my great Master?"
I only chuckled as I flicked her forehead again.
"Wrong. You should address me as 'my dearest Master,' and you don't have to pretend since I know of your goal."
Solia's form distorted as a Draconian with pink irises took over her appearance, thanks to her earlier use of an illusory spell, as she giggled.
"You're quite interesting... but well, I'll spare you for today since my dearest brother has given us our roles in this endeavor, my dearest Master."
Solia, no, perhaps the Draconian, dissipated as the world of the illusion crumbled into dust.
Solia then gazed at me with a worried expression as she dramatically flailed on the ground, sobbing.
"Master, please don't die... this-this priestess of yours shall offer herself to you."
But I only chuckled at Solia's display, not the Draconian's earlier, as I'd figured her out due to her not staring at my nipples intently, unlike the Solia right now who, even with my injured state, still drooled over them.
She slapped her hand, which was about to reach for them and pinch it, as she wiped her drool, then muttered to herself.
'Damnit, what's wrong with me?! But... those nipples... pinching them wouldn't hurt, right??'
Solia was in a dilemma, her intent a jumbled mess, as I gazed at the floating island hanging above the clouds and shook my head.
While I would love to follow the script you've given me, oh Draconian, still...
Fighting the dragon above in my current state is nothing but a wishful dream.
So perhaps, let us meet in a year's time again, my dear priestess.
Solia wiped the saliva drooling from her mouth.
She shook her head, then slapped her face, steeling herself, then shouted internally.
'Damnit! How could I, the priestess of Skaira, have such deleterious thoughts towards the Divine One!! Steel yourself, Solia, for you are the blessed one!!'
Solia, in her renewed self, gazed at me as if I were some plague.
She shook her head again and again, then smiled politely, took a step back, and tried to slip away from me in a polite manner.
The she ran away from me, waving while shouting.
"Take care, Master!!"
I gazed at her forced smile.
Since she was probably fighting the demons inside of head that wanted to pinch my nipples, as she was now avoiding me like a plague.
I then gazed at the hologram before me with a smile.
---
[You have slain.]
? S: 1 | T: 9 | Level 27 | Blood Wolf Xillan [7★]
? S: 1 | T: 9 | Level 39 | Heavenly Tiger Drao [7★]
[You have gained.]
[800,000,000 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x17
---
[Evolution Available]
---
[You have devoured.]
? S: 1 | T: 9 | Level 27 | Blood Wolf Xillan [7★]
? S: 1 | T: 9 | Level 39 | Heavenly Tiger Drao [7★]
[You have obtained.]
[ + 170 - Divine Energy]
---
[Skills Devoured.]
? Bloodmoon Transformation [Tier 9]
? Frenzied Insanity [Tier 8]
? Lightning Avatar [Tier 9]
? Lesser Holy Blood [Tier 7]
? Lesser Vampire Blood [Tier 6]
? Wind Incarnation [Tier 10]
---
[Grotesque Physique would like to devour these skills.]
? Bloodmoon Transformation [Tier 9]
? Frenzied Insanity [Tier 8]
? Lightning Avatar [Tier 9]
? Lesser Holy Blood [Tier 7]
? Lesser Vampire Blood [Tier 6]
? Wind Incarnation [Tier 10]
[Yes] / [No]
---
Bloodmoon Transformation [Active | 100 - Mana | ??]
Xillan can enter a powerful transformative state where his connection to blood mana intensifies, enhancing all his physical and magical attributes and often manifesting as a "blood moon" aura around him.
Frenzied Insanity [Passive | ??]
Xillan can tap into a state of uncontrolled, berserker-like fury, sacrificing some tactical precision for an explosive surge in destructive power and an overwhelming surge of killing intent.
Lightning Avatar [Passive | ??]
Drao can envelop himself in a shroud of pure lightning, enhancing his speed, allowing him to appear as a blur, and electrifying his attacks upon contact.
Lesser Holy Blood [Passive | ??]
A rare aspect of Drao's lineage that grants him a degree of purity or resistance against demonic influences, offering minor healing capabilities or enhanced defense against corrupted energies.
Lesser Vampire Blood [Passive | ??]
A unique aspect of his lineage that grants him a degree of life-force absorption from his attacks or from consuming the flesh of defeated foes, contributing to his resilience and recovery.
Wind Incarnation [Active | 300 - Mana | ??]
Drao can project or solidify his wind essence, creating powerful, independent constructs (such as wind hands) to unleash barrages of attacks or intercept incoming threats.
---
But before I could react from the fusion, pain shot throughout my body in an instant.
I closed my eyes, then began to meditate as divine energy bathed my form.
Divinity could be seen on my body, but I only shook my head, as the beings I would fight in the future would be far more powerful than Drao.
So I closed my eyes and began to guide my [divine energy] into my stomach, forming it into a proper dantian.
I was creating a lesser version of a [god core], not like the original, since I couldn't understand its workings yet, since I needed to research it later.
The lump of divine energy settled in my stomach.
I smiled, then felt its divine presence now completely anchored in my body.
Then I read the descriptions of the skills, and I couldn't be more satisfied with their quality, how many skills had to evolve just to achieve this!
My smile then widened as I pulled [Wind Incarnation] and [Bloodmoon Transformation] into the fusion table, along with the other skills, to fuse them into [Ascension I] skills.
---
[Would you fuse these skills?]
? Wind Incarnation + Bloodmoon Transformation
? Lesser Vampire Blood + Lesser Holy Blood
? Frenzied Insanity + Troll Vicious Tenacity
? Lightning Avatar + Swift Pursuit
[Yes] / [No]
---
[You have gained.]
? Sanguine Gale Incarnation [Ascension I]
? Sanguine Purification [Ascension I]
? Savage Tenacity [Ascension I]
? Tempest Lightning Dash [Ascension I]
---
Sanguine Gale Incarnation [Active | 120 Mana | Ascension I | ??]
Alister can enter a powerful transformative state where his connection to blood mana intensifies, creating a "blood moon" aura around him. In this state, he manifests a pair of powerful, independent hands composed of solidified wind essence. These hands attack and intercept incoming threats according to his will, while simultaneously enhancing all his physical and magical attributes.
Sanguine Purification [Passive | Ascension I | ??]
Alister's lineage grants him Sanguine Purification, allowing him to absorb life-force from attacks or consumed flesh for enhanced resilience and recovery. This rare blood also offers a degree of purity, providing minor healing capabilities and resistance against demonic influences or corrupted energies.
Savage Tenacity [Passive | Ascension I | ??]
Alister can tap into Savage Tenacity, a state of uncontrolled, berserker-like fury. Even when grievously wounded, he fights with surprising ferocity, sacrificing some tactical precision for an explosive surge in destructive power, an overwhelming surge of killing intent, and the ability to ignore pain, pushing his body beyond normal limits to ensure survival or defeat his opponent.
Tempest Lightning Rush [Active | 160 Mana | Ascension I | ??]
Alister can envelop himself in a shroud of pure lightning, temporarily propelling him forward with a burst of concentrated wind energy. This enhances his speed, allowing him to appear as a blur and electrifying his attacks upon contact, enabling him to rapidly close distances, evade attacks, or pursue fleeing targets with unmatched acceleration.
---
The pain this time wasn't as painful.
I smiled, then dragged another set of skills, fusing them into an [Ascension II] Skill.
With [Sanguine Gale Incarnation] at the forefront, [Incarnate of the Heavens] in the middle, and [Savage Lunar Frenzy] being the last, I couldn't help but chuckle at the outcome of this fusion.
Then I clicked 'yes,' and a new pair of holograms appeared, graciously displaying their information.
---
[Would you fuse these skills?]
? Sanguine Gale Incarnation + Incarnate of the Heavens + Savage Lunar Frenzy
[Yes] / [No]
---
[You have gained.]
? Fallen Lord Descension [II]
---
Fallen Lord Descension [Active | 500 Mana | Ascension II | ??]
Alister invokes the Fallen Lord Descension, allowing him to manifest a pair of semi-corporeal hands donned in gauntlets. These powerful constructs will attack anything their user wills in a frenzy, unleashing devastating strikes and profoundly amplifying Alister's overall destructive output in combat.
---
My smile widened as I read the descriptions of my new skill that would become my new hands.
I'd been pondering this problem since the very beginning, since my physical body couldn't keep up with my opponent's firepower, why didn't I just use something that wasn't like my fragile body, like a [Soul Stand]?
Even if it was incomplete, it was nearly indestructible compared to my own hands, which would be broken with just the right force.
So I pondered for quite a while about how to create one until I saw Drao's Incomplete [Soul Stand] that was displayed in our battle earlier.
So what did I do?
Well, I killed him, devoured him, then controlled my authority to devour that very skill, even at the cost of losing a few exceptional skills in exchange for that power.
It was worth it, as I couldn't help but look at my status window for the last time.
