Chapter 9: Claiming The Role Of The Predator
Bellion materialized back at the familiar woods of the Black Forest, the very place he had stood before being whisked away to Valkorix. He glanced at his wrist, where a newly formed jet-black circle tattoo marked his transformation into a third circle mage.
He chuckled, a low, knowing sound that resonated with the memories of this body. Normally, a mana user would spend twenty-five grueling years to reach this level, but he had achieved it in mere minutes.
"Alright, time to get back, gilly must be worried sick by now" he said as he turned back, but just as he completed his rotation, a gruesome sight froze him in place.
A dead black wolf lay on the ground, eerily close to where he stood. Its stomach was melted as if baptized in corrosive acid, its blood still glistening with fresh, horrifying wetness.
What sent a shiver down his spine was the realization that this was exactly where he had been standing thirty minutes ago before being teleported to Valkorix, and he was certain no dead wolves had been present then.
Whatever creature had dispatched this wolf with such ruthless efficiency was something he decidedly did not want to encounter.
A slow breath left his lips as he extended his hand toward the corpse. His fingers twitched.
"Devour" The moment the word left his lips, a dark, formless energy surged from his palm, swallowing the wolf's remains in an instant.
[Aura has increased to 500]
[Notice: You have acquired a new skill: Shadow Steps (Lv.2)]
"Shadow steps" he repeated, rolling the unfamiliar words across his tongue, recognizing it as a skill inherited from absorbing the black wolf.
Then Suddenly…
[Notice: A strange presence has been detected behind you]
'Shit' his body tensed.
Bellion didn't even need great sage to notify him; ever since he awakened both energies, he could feel and sense his surroundings. And right now, he sure as hell could feel the presence of the towering creature looming behind him. It didn't hold a candle to Valkorix overwhelming presence, but damn, it was still powerful enough to make his skin crawl.
Slowly he turned around, but before he could fully turn…
BOOM!
A tremendous force slammed into his ribcage, propelling him through the air like a ragdoll. He soared several miles before crashing into a tree, the impact reverberating through his body.
"Uhhhh" he groaned as he steadied himself up. He suddenly blinked, surprised. He couldn't feel any pain, neither from his back when he crashed onto the tree nor in his stomach from the force that had sent him flying.
"Uh… Great Sage, I don't feel any pain. Is this your doing?" he asked, flexing his fingers experimentally.
{No, master. You are of dragon lineage, and thus your body is supernaturally tough. Any physical attacks lacking energy imbued within them cannot harm you.}
"Ohhh… is that so" he said, a slow creepy smirk etched on his face. He looked at the face of his attacker, it was a towering 12-foot-tall black spider with eight deadly legs that glinted menacingly in the moonlight. It was huge and exuded an energy of pure terror.
Its beady, pitch-black eyes gleamed with predatory hunger.
He glanced up at the name hovering ominously above its head:
[Black Chnida: Lv30.]
"Level thirty? Great Sage, what level am I?" he asked, half-expecting to be at least somewhat close to it. It felt like a video game he played when he was little, and if you face a monster higher than the level that you are in, you're ultimately finished.
{Calculating Power Level…. Answer: Master your are currently Lv 200}
Bellion's jaw nearly hit the ground. He expected at least, maybe level 50 or 60, but fucking Lv 200.
"I freaking overpowered this fucking monster". In games, monster with this kind of power level difference can easily one shot you in an instant.
"Alright spider, I mean…" he looked closer, to perfectly pronounce its name "Umm.. black nida or whatever you're called. Since we're both monsters and I easily overpower you, how about we just call it a day, yeah?" He asked, waving a hand dismissively as he turned away nonchalantly, not even a little scared.
KIEKKKKKK!
A sudden screeching sound echoed out from the spider's venomous mouth.
"Ohh… you can't speak…well I'll take that as a yes?… then.." His words were abruptly cut off as he felt something tight pulling at his feat. His gaze drifted downwards and he saw a thick, silvery rope, no, more like a web attached to his legs. He traced it and noticed it was shot out from the spider's ass.
"Fuck" he whispered, as if he already knew what the spider intended to do, and just then the spider suddenly twisted, yanking the web and dragging him along with it.
"DAMN IT, YOU EIGHT-LEGGED BASTARD! AM GONNA KILL YOU!" he roared, spinning wildly as he crashed into trees one after another until the ferocious attack suddenly came to a halt. The spider releases its web, probably thinking that Bellion is dead already.
It walked majestically close to the young boy, who to its mind was the prey.
"Surely you can do better than that," a voice echoed from the young boy, who was presumed dead. Bellion slowly rose to his feet, radiating both red and purple energy, a sight that sent a shiver of fear down the spider's spine. It recognized the unmistakable presence of Mana and Aura energy, a feat impossible.
The spider leaped back, instinctively creating distance.
"I gave you an option, but you refused the option" bellion said, embodying the essence of a villain.
"Now, the only option left for you, is death" Bellion declared, his voice deep and cold. He had always been the prey in his previous life, but in this world, he would embrace the role of the predator.
KIEEEEEEK!
The spider screeched, launching two webs at Bellion. He dodged effortlessly, moving with a speed that made the spider's attacks seem sluggish.
He glanced back at the trees where the webs had struck, noting the gaping holes they had created.
"Well I'll be damned" bellion muttered. Broomsticks we're enough to remove cobwebs from a wall but now they could pierce trees?.
"Tsk" he sighed. But he couldn't help but be conscious about the spider's sudden grin. A minute ago it was scared out of it's mind but now it's surprisingly normal, almost as if it had a trick up its sleeve. Bellion couldn't afford to give it any chances.
He needed speed—something that could close the distance between him and the spider. He recalled the skill he had fortunately acquired from the dead wolf, hoping it would be swift enough.
Drawing his dagger, the very same one he had taken before entering this cursed forest, he prepared himself.
"Here I come… Shadow Steps!" In an instant, dark, shadowy tendrils enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye…
VHOOM!
He vanished, or so the spider thought as it's mind raced in confusion as to where his prey suddenly disappeared to. But to Bellion, he was simply moving at supernatural speed, appearing right beside the spider. He struck his blade against one of its eight legs, but to his dismay, it didn't budge.
"Tsk… this shit is tough," he groaned in frustration. He really wanted to avoid a scolding from Gilly, and so he needed to act fast.
The spider's mind finally noticed what was happening as it registered the sting of Bellion's attack, and with a furious swipe, it struck him, sending him flying once more. Yet this time, he landed on his feet. A force so great but the impact almost tickles.
This little insect actually sent him flying, not just once but twice. The thought of it was beginning to piss him off.
"Great Sage," he called out, his voice calm despite the chaos. "How do I cut through this thing's defenses?"
{Master, you need to shield your dagger with aura when attacking}
"Oh…can you do that for me" he asked curiously.
{Positive Master}
Almost immediately, a pulse of red energy wrapped around his dagger, making it glow with a deadly aura.
"Alright, let's teach this insect a lesson…" His words were abruptly interrupted as a ball of green liquid hurtled toward him.
He leaped backward, but it was too late. The thick venom splattered across his torso, It was poison, that came by an awful surprise. That was what the insect had up its sleeve this entire time.
"Ahhhhhh" the liquid burned him like he was bathed in acid, his clothes and skin melting. It was probably the same attack that killed that poor wolf.
"It hurts!, it hurts!, it…..just kidding" bellion exclaimed with a devilish smirk.
{Self healing mood activated}
Slowly he stood up. Meanwhile the spider who saw this was scared, no, more like terrified.
It was at this moment it knew it wasn't the predator, it was the prey.
It knew it had to flee at all cost. It turned around but before it could even take a step...
"Shadow Step"
VHOOM!
Bellion's form blurred, disappearing into darkness. In the next instant...
SLASH!
He slashed at the spider's right four legs in one fluid motion, his dagger now coated in a vibrant red aura.
KIEEEEEEK
The spider screeched in agony, struggling to maintain its balance on the remaining four legs, but it was a futile effort. It collapsed to the ground, defeated.
"Alright, let's end this" bellion said as he exhaled. Suddenly an enlightenment hit him as he slowly raised his right index finger before his face.
Immediately, an immense amount of Mana began to gather just at the tip of his finger. It twisted, churned, and suddenly ignited into a blackish-purple flame.
He knew this spell. The knowledge burned into his mind like an instinct.
"Hell Blaze" The flame, now the size of a mini boulder, shot forward colliding with the spider. The entire spider was swallowed by hellfire. Its death cry rang through the forest as its body was consumed, its exoskeleton cracking, splitting apart.
(Hell Blaze: A flame known to burn it's target, be you whom, until the target disappears into nothingness)
And then, it fell to the ground with a sickening thud. Within moments, nothing but charred remains were left of it.
"Phew… finally," Bellion sighed, approaching the charred remains of the spider. He extended his right hand, whispering, "Devour." A flame-like substance erupted from his palm, consuming the spider in an instant.
CLING!
[Notice: You have acquired a new skill: Chnida Webs]
That surely will come in handy.
[You have acquired a new skill: Chnida Poison Gland]
"Wait… does that mean I can shoot poison just like that damn spider?"
{positive master}
'Now this will be an interesting skill to keep,' he thought, a grin spreading across his face.
[Notice: Mana has increased to 100]
A wave of energy surged through him, his body feeling more stronger than it was before.
"Alright" he muttered, stepping forward as he spotted the teleportation pavement that will help him teleport back to the Cullen castle.
And just like that, he was transported back. The familiar wave of nausea washed over him, but he was getting used to it. Stretching his arms, he made his way towards the castle's front entrance.
But suddenly, his entire body froze, his breathe hitched, his heart plummeting as his eyes fell upon a chilling sight.
Four men clad in black, their faces obscured by masks and hooded capes, stood ominously before him. But what sent a jolt of terror through his veins was the sight of Gilly, lying motionless on the ground, a dagger cruelly embedded in her chest.
"G-Gilly!" he shouted, panic and fury surging through him.