Forge a Path

I left the city and began travelling to the forest in the direction of the huge pillar in the distance. There were no roads or paths into or through the forest, one was meant to forge their own path to power. I stepped into the forest and took stock of my surroundings. There were many small animals running around, I could see rabbits, squirrels and small birds. There were a few foxes running through the underbrush close to the entrance to the forest. Suddenly, everything went quiet and I heard a sound out of nightmare.

SKREEE!!

I heard an air rending screech coming from between the trees in front of me. My heart began beating faster and I felt my blood being pumped through my veins faster as the adrenaline hit my system.

I slowly crept forward to get a look at the creature that cried out and almost fainted at what I saw. In front of me was a small clearing, about 20 feet in diameter. In the center of the clearing there was a massive insectoid creature facing off against a large lizard.

The insect was all black, about 6 feet tall and had four arms. Two of the creatures arms had large mantis like blades at the joints and where the hands would be while the other arms were normal. It's carapace exuded a thick, black, smokey mist that seemed to corrode the grass around it in a 5 foot area.

The lizard had blood red scales and bright scarlet colored eyes. It exuded a bloody fog from it's body and mouth which saturated the air and ground around it with an intense killing intent. As I watched, the two creatures clashed and the energies they released collided, causing a chaotic response. Both energies attempted to override and dominate the other but it appeared they were equally matched.

I hadn't yet learned my scythe skill so I didn't know how effective I would be in the battle. The creatures fought for many minutes until the battle came to a standstill once more. Both creatures were breathing heavily and the energies around them had dimmed considerably. They were both equally injured and I saw my chance, probably the only one I would get.

Not wasting any time, I brought my scythe up and charged for the insect like creature. Swinging my weapon with all my might the blade seemed to almost vanish and appear before the monster, taking it by surprise. The blade dug into the carapace of the monster and passed through with ease. Cutting it's head from it's torso in a spray of black ichor like blood.

As the blood rained down, I turned to the red lizard to see that it had collapsed on the ground and was looking at me with it's scarlet eyes. The monster seemed to have accepted its fate and it didn't move as I approached and raised my weapon. Before striking down, I spoke to the beast in front of me.

"Your life shall not go to waste, this I promise you."

My blade descended and took the lizard's head off with a bit more effort than the insect had taken.

(You have defeated a Death Mantis! Gained 50 EXP!)

(You have defeated a Blood Komodo! Gained 75 EXP!)

I received two notifications at which I smiled. 'So I can gain experience from hunting monsters too. I suppose that males sense considering I am in a dungeon.' I thought to myself before inspecting my kills. Unlike what one might expect, the bodies of these monsters didn't disappear after they were killed. I could see many useful parts on the monsters based on the information I was given.

I proceeded to harvest the useful parts of the monsters until I got to their cores. From what I understood, monster cores could be used by System Users to gain experience and, in rare cases, to gain skills, abilities and elemental affinities. The last required the core to be exceptionally pure and I could tell that these cores weren't.

But I had an ability that could perfectly purify any energy source I absorbed. I held the two cores in my hands. One black with swirling dark energy inside, the other red, with a bright blood red center.

'Purify'

As I willed it, the cores in my hands began to secrete a black ooze-like substance. This was the impurities of the cores. After a few moments the ooze was cleared away and both cores gleamed brilliantly in the light from the sun. They each gave off an oppressive aura many times more potent than before.

I grinned and sat in a lotus position in the center of the clearing, between the bodies of the two beasts. As I closed my eyes and focused on the cores, I received a notification from the System.

(Would you like to absorb Blood Dragon core? Warning! Absorbing this core will change your species to Dragon. You will gain many benefits from this change but there will be an immeasurable amount of pain.)

(Yes/No)

I didn't hesitate at all. 'Yes!' I all but shouted in my mind before the pain hit. It was immediate and extreme. My vision went white and I nearly lost consciousness from the shock to my body, but I was somehow able to remain awake. It felt as if my entire body was burning from the inside. My blood felt like it was boiling to the point of evaporating.

After what felt like an eternity the pain finally stopped and I lay on the ground, breathing hard and sweating profusely as I grinned into the sky at the notification in front of my eyes.

(Congratulations on awakening a divine bloodline!)