CHAPTER 8: | REALIZATION
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Days had blurred into weeks after I devoured the foolish 'Jungle Stalker' that blundered into my waiting jaws.
The faint, lingering aftertaste of its flesh still offered a grim satisfaction, a metallic tang on my tongue that hinted at fresh kills to come.
A low, guttural chuckle rumbled in my throat, a sound soon swallowed by the deep.
My gaze was fixed on the 'Obsidian Whark,' a hulking silhouette of jagged plates, patrolling the murky water, its bioluminescent eyes sweeping the gloom for any movement.
It had been days since I'd clung to their shadows like a wraith, a self-proclaimed coward.
Every nerve in my body was taut as I waited for them to find a foe they couldn't conquer.
Only then, in the ensuing chaos, could I strike, snatching victory from their defeat and escaping this gnawing weakness within me.
I summoned a hologram, and it flickered into existence.
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[You have slain.]
• S: 0 | T: 2 | Level 3 | Jungle Stalker whark [3★]
[You have gained.]
[7000 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x2
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[You have devoured.]
• S: 1 | T: 2 | Level 3 | Jungle Stalker Whark [3★]
[You have gained.]
[+ 9 - Health.]
[+ 14 - Stamina.]
[+ 0.25 - Physique.]
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[Skills Devoured.]
• Predator's Gaze [Tier 2]
• Thorn Spittle [Tier 3]
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[Grotesque Physique would like to devour these skills.]
• Predator's Gaze [Tier 2]
• Thorn Spittle [Tier 3]
[Yes] / [No]
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Predator's Gaze [Passive | ▪︎]
Heightened visual acuity, particularly for detecting vibrations and subtle movements in obscured or low-light environments.
Thorn Spittle [Active | 15 - Stamina | ▪︎]
A corrosive, acidic saliva can be forcibly expelled in a concentrated stream, causing irritation and minor burns to exposed flesh.
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CRASH!
A thunderous sound reverberated through the water, jolting me from my self-absorption.
A swirling cloud of crimson erupted, staining the currents a sickly red, thick with torn flesh and fractured exoskeleton fragments.
The sharp, metallic scent of fresh blood permeated the water around me.
Their opponent was another horde of 'Obsidian Hulks,' numbering in the tens, as they cornered the group I'd been tailing for a while.
Their brawl was a brutal, unrefined spectacle of pure instinct.
Maws, lined with dagger-like teeth, tore at hardened exoskeletons with sickening crunches and rips.
But I remained hidden in the dark like the grim reaper ready to sow the souls of the dead, for patience was my weapon.
Their numbers dwindled rapidly, as one whark fell every five minutes.
Then I saw it, the exhaustion that was slowly creeping into their forms, after hours of observing them.
I waited for the opportunity to begin my hunt, a cold chill rising on my spine as I felt it.
My senses stirred, not with fear, but with something older, deeper, the primal dread of a Classed demonic beast noticing me.
I couldn't help but tremble, as its mere gaze alone sent chills down my spine so profound they made me stiff.
Its form alone was fear-inducing, a massive leviathan that was fifty meters long.
Then its blue eyes, as massive as me, were locked onto the 'Obsidian Hulk' with an unsettling interest, as if appraising prey.
It gazed at me for no more than a split second, the sheer pressure causing my form to tense, before it shifted its attention to one of the ridges.
Hunger was alight in the massive whale shark before me or aka a whark, as its body blurred then vanished without leaving any sound.
My heart went cold from the revelation of my weakness, as once again the world reminded me of how weak I was.
What I needed right now was the hunger for strength, the desire to be at the top, so that none would dare to cross my path. But I am like a leopard that never changes its spots.
How could I possibly become a hot-blooded youth when I am a strategist who plans my every action?
So I gazed at the 'Obsidian Hulks,' locked in a vicious brawl, as I smiled like the devil itself and muttered internally.
'Three remained.'
And all of them were injured and battered as they began to feast on the defeated.
I licked my lips as my form turned into a blur.
'Let me join in your feast, my dear brothers and sisters.'
A burning sensation spread through my salivary glands, and a sharp, acrid tang filled the water as my saliva, infused with 'Thorn Spittle,' dissolved into the currents.
The 'Obsidian Hulks' spasmed, their thick hides visibly blistering, their movements seizing up in jarring, agonizing jolts.
One of them rammed itself into the ground, scraping off its obsidian plating, while two of them noticed my form and charged.
But it was too late.
I reeled my body, flickered into a blur, and my maw bit the one with the red eyes, on its tail.
Then, I twisted it, and used the red-eyed 'Obsidian Hulk' in my maw as a club, smashing its armored form into its charging brethren with a sickening impact.
Crash!
Blood erupted as its exoskeleton ruptured from the impact, but it was a futile effort, since only three of them remained, all injured.
I charged like a maniac, my maw opened wide as I activated 'Devouring Maw.'
I could feel it, the strength of my bite increasing as I tore its gills apart.
Blood erupted from its gills as life seeped out from its eyes.
It was dead in the next second.
The red-eyed 'Obsidian Hulk,' now regaining its balance, charged straight at me with its bloodied tail.
In a swift motion, I intercepted its charge with a tail slam.
Crash!
Blood gushed from its face as its obsidian armor deformed, stabbing into its flesh.
Meanwhile, the other 'Obsidian Hulk,' finally done thrashing from the intense pain of 'Thorn Spittle,' charged at me.
But I had already anticipated its attack. I twisted my body at the last second, dodging its charging bite as I clamped my maw on its gills before ripping it apart in a swift motion.
Now the red-eyed 'Obsidian Hulk' was too shocked to move.
Disbelief contorted on its face.
How could it lose to a single opponent that had yet to evolve?
The last image it saw was the maw of the abyss grinding on its face before its vision darkened, dead.
Minutes later, I finished devouring their remnants, licked my lips, then gazed at the hologram before me.
---
[You have slain.]
• S: 1 | T: 1 | Obsidian Hulk Whark [2★] x3
[You have gained.]
[12,000 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x2
---
[You have devoured.]
• S: 1 | T: 1 | Obsidian Hulk Whark [2★] x3
[You have gained.]
[+ 4 - Health.]
[+ 7 - Stamina.]
[+ 0.24 - Physique.]
---
[Skills Devoured.]
• Adamantine Framework [Tier 4]
• Stone-Bound Muscles [Tier 2]
• Unyielding Stance [Tier 1]
---
[Grotesque Physique would like to devour these skills.]
• Adamantine Framework [Tier 4]
• Magnetic Veins [Tier 2]
• Unyielding Stance [Tier 1]
[Yes] / [No]
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[ALISTER VON FAI]
Titles: The Accursed One | The False One | Limit Breaker
Race: Whark [1★]
Stage: 0
Tier: 2
Level: 6/10
EXP: 1530/5000
Class: (Locked)
Subclass: (Locked)
Inventory: (Locked)
Equipment: (Locked)
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Stats
Health: 49/49 (+1 per level)
Stamina: 62/62 (+1 per level)
Mana: (Locked)
Physique: 1.29 (+0.1 per level)
Mystique: (Locked)
Charm: 1
Luck: -100
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Bloodlines:
Harbinger Of Myth
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Bloodline skills:
Myth Voracity | Sealed[9/10]
The core ability of the Harbinger of Myth, allowing them to devour the myth—skills and stats—of others. However, a powerful curse has severely weakened it. Now, rather than guaranteed absorption, it only grants a chance to consume these traits. Despite this, it still feeds on the myth of those the Harbinger consumes.
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Affinity:
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Skills:
Adamantine Framework [Passive | ▪︎]
Its skeletal structure is incredibly dense and virtually unbreakable, forming a natural internal fortress that supports its massive weight.
Devouring Maw [Active | 5 - Stamina | ▪︎]
A powerful, crushing bite attack capable of pulverizing rock, shattering lesser armors, and dismembering prey with ease.
Magmatic Veins [Passive | ▪︎]
A faint heat radiates from its body, indicating superheated internal processes that slightly enhance its resilience to fire and blunt force.
Obsidian Carapace[Passive | ▪︎]
The Whark's outer hide is composed of incredibly dense, interlocking obsidian-like plates, providing exceptional resistance to piercing and slashing attacks.
Predator's Gaze [Passive | ▪︎]
Heightened visual acuity, particularly for detecting vibrations and subtle movements in obscured or low-light environments.
Razor Maw[Passive | ▪︎]
The Whark's teeth are sharper and more numerous, capable of delivering devastating shearing and ripping attacks that strip flesh from bone.
Stone-Bound Muscles [Passive | ▪︎]
The Whark's musculature is incredibly dense and unyielding, granting it remarkable raw strength for its size, enabling it to deliver powerful blows and resist physical restraints.
Territorial Roar [Active | 10 - Stamina | ▪︎]
The Whark lets out a deep, guttural roar that vibrates through the earth, intimidating lesser creatures and warning off potential threats within its immediate vicinity.
Thorn Spittle [Active | 15 - Stamina | ▪︎]
A corrosive, acidic saliva can be forcibly expelled in a concentrated stream, causing irritation and minor burns to exposed flesh.
Unyielding Stance [Passive | ▪︎]
The Whark can brace itself to resist powerful pushes, pulls, and impacts, making it incredibly difficult to displace or knockdown.
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Unique skills:
Grotesque Physique [Unique]
A Grotesque Physique, warped by an unknown force from the Whark's biology, lets you absorb external abilities (skills not native to your race). These skills permanently lose their growth path, becoming fixed internal components. They're categorized by Ascension, reflecting their integration as adaptable physical components. Compatible skills fuse into layered bodily alterations. This living physique constantly redefines your body with each absorption and fusion.
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