Xior blocked her rapid attacks and was getting pushed back into the wall. There was no opening, her strikes were faster than him.
Amidst the blocking he was grazed, impaled and hit. But he didn't back down, he kept looking. His eyes were moving and observing each of her tentacles.
He blocked some even before they could reach, he had started to adapt. And just as she cut his cheek with her tentacle, he grabbed it with his left hand.
He put his palm on her stomach and his wrist shone brightly as a concentrated fireball shot out of his hand making a huge gaping hole as she was thrown across the cavern.
Broken flesh and tentacles led up to her convulsing on the ground. The hole had started to heal, flesh stretched as it attached itself, bones crunched and her breath returned as it closed fully.
Xior's own injuries were still healing, he had suppressed his skill to trick her. And before she could get up he shot consecutive fire arrows impaling her torso and setting her on fire.
But soon the fire was useless as well, the tentacles ate the fire and adapted to it. Just like when it ate his arms and gained regeneration and strength, now she got fire resistance and attacks.
Xior was unamused, he wanted to be done with this but it was getting prolonged. 'I should not use any skills other than my regeneration.' He thought as both of them locked hands.
Xior ducked under a tentacle as he grabbed her and slammed her on the ground. She wrapped a tentacle around his right hand and grabbed the other with her hand.
Xior pulled hard but a piece of rock smashed on his head as he slammed on the wall making it look like he was hung on it.
He groaned, despite having powerful regeneration he still felt all the pain from the injuries. His broken body fell down and the broken bones started to pop into their original places.
Xior got up quickly and pulled his shoulder to get it into place quicker. He jumped forward and pulled his arm back and punched her with full strength.
She blocked with her arms but her blood dropped on his face as a crunching sound came and the arms exploded sending her down.
Her arms had already started regenerating but Xior shot fire arrows at both and did a three punch combo on her. His fists were bloodied but she was still breathing, still moving.
He grabbed her head and pulled, sounds of bones breaking, flesh being ripped apart and her screams filled the entire cavern.
Her neck stretched way more than a humans could, she shifted her body and made her neck like one of her tentacles and kept attacking him with them.
But he didn't flinch, he stood like a nail driven into the ground with the single purpose of killing her. The elasticity of her tentacle like neck reached its limit.
Tears started to form on the outside and with a single pull her head was in his hand. Her body laid on the ground, headless and bleeding.
*****
Xior sat at the opposite side from the headless nameless offspring which had taken the form of a woman.
The system screen flickered and manifested before him. He hadn't checked what he got from using his new skill.
[Skill Rune]
Type - Active
Manifest shadow-like chains forged from the "fading" of reality itself. When they wrap around a target, the victim retains their skills, instincts, and fighting style but their will aligns to his, suppressing rebellion.
[Skill Rune]
Type - Passive
To anyone nearby, it feels as though time itself is running out, their stamina drains faster. Weak-willed enemies may flee or collapse. Enhances intimidation and control in battle.
[Attribute Evolved]
Your new attribute is [Twilight Wyrmling].
A juvenile dragon whose breath carries both creation's warmth and the stillness of the void.
Buffs:
Stronger physical stats (+20% Strength, +15% Endurance)
Breath attack gains a "fading" effect, weakening defenses over time.
[System Message]
The exp from the nameless corpse was too much at your current strength. The extra exp is locked inside your skill [Devour The Fading].
He went through his skills and his attribute evolution but failed to notice the other offspring was now near its headless sibling.
He got up which alerted it and it retreated into a corner. Xior put his hands in the air and said,
"I'm not going to hurt you. I know the pain of losing someone.
If only your sibling hadn't attacked me, I wouldn't have done this."
The nameless offspring tilted its body as to show it somewhat understood what he said. Xior then went to his knees and put his hand forward.
The offspring slowed moved towards him and put one of its tentacles in his hand. Xior thought about taming it, if he could achieve that then he could use it to find answers to his visions.
Xior got up which startled it again but it didn't back away like it did before. He walked to the headless body and put the head near it.
"Come here, can you eat her?" He asked.
The offspring showed multiple gaping maws on its tentacles in response.
"Yes, eat her and you will be able to change like that as well."
Upon hearing this, the blob with multiple tentacles each having a mouth with jagged teeth ate the head first and then bit off the body.
Its body shone brightly, its tentacles grew and wrapped around it making it look like a cocoon. And then it opened, the first to come out was an arm, pale as a ghost.
Following it the legs, the torso and finally the head. She was taller than Xior, her hair was grey, similar to his and her eyes like the finest ruby in the world. Just like her sibling, from her back emerged numerous tentacles which wrapped around her body covering her chest and crotch.
Xior looked up to see her but she went down on one knee and lowered her head. Like a knight bowing before its master. A sign of respect.