“Howl! Growl!”
Aria’s heart raced as the terrifying roars of multiple predatory beasts echoed near them. Her nerves tightened, sensing the danger rapidly approaching.
“Whoosh!”
She spun around just in time to see a massive Thunder Wolf charging toward Aengus, its eyes glowing with hunger, drawn to the salivating energy Aengus was radiating in his vulnerable state.
Aria’s face turned cold with killing intent.
Swish, Slash!
Without hesitation, Aria sprang into action, her body moving in a blur of shadowy motion. Her new skills from the Shadow Wolf allowed her to dance through the battlefield like a ghost, confusing the Thunder Wolf. It barely had a moment to comprehend what was happening before its head was already severed from its body.
The heavy thud of the head hitting the ground was followed by the collapse of the rest of the wolf’s lifeless form.
“Buzz, Buzz..”
Before Aria could catch her breath, the ground trembled beneath her feet. She instinctively spun around, her keen senses picking up the distinct movements of several more beasts closing in.
She looked and her eyes squinted as she saw more Thunder Wolves, followed by a horde of ferocious beasts: Three-Headed Infernal Lions, Fire Eagles, Wind Griffons, Ironhide Boars, Bloodthirsty Chimeras, and massive Skull-Crusher Apes; all advancing toward them in a terrifying swarm.
They came in waves, drawn like moths to a flame, their eyes gleaming with the desire to consume the powerful energy that radiated from Aengus.
These beasts were no ordinary creatures. They ranged from C to B rank, and Aria could even sense a few A-rank monsters prowling within the horde, though their numbers were fewer.
Still, their auras were overwhelming, a clear reminder of the real danger they were facing.
Aria’s face grew solemn as she realized the gravity of the situation.
The beasts were here for one reason: to devour Aengus whole, to gain more power for themselves. And they were not going to stop until they had torn him apart.
She was vastly outnumbered, and while her skills and stats had improved, taking on so many high-level monsters alone was a difficult task.
Yet, she knew she couldn’t let them reach Aengus. He was too deep in his synthesis to defend himself.
“Come on, Aria, You can do this..” She muttered herself in determination.
Summoning all her courage, Aria prepared to face the monstrous horde. She activated her Shadow Vision, allowing her to see even the subtlest movements of the approaching beasts, and readied her Shadow Slash, prepared to unleash its full power.
Combing with Infernal Lions’ might within a few swifts movements she took down two more beasts that was about to reach Ethan.
“I will never let you harm Ethan. Not on my watch!” Aria shouted as she channeled her nature powers to command the nearby trees for assistance.
Rumble, rumble!
Under the influence of her mysterious force, ten or so large trees came alive and sprang into action. They used their branches and vines to both attack and defend.
They managed to take down a few beasts, but the creatures were relentless in numbers, making it increasingly difficult to hold them off.
Aria was now up against two A-Rank beasts, creating an unfavorable situation for her. Still, she desperately fought to buy enough time for their survival.
—
Huff..huff..
Just when the situation reached its peak, Aengus finally opened his eyes, gasping for air.
[ Gluttony Of Darkness + Soul Devour + Skill Absorption + Mana Harvest ]
[Your synthesis was successful.]
[You have acquired a new Unique Skill: Omni-Devour (Ultimate).]
—
Skill: Omni-Devour
Type: Assist / Attack/ Defense
Description:
This ultimate skill allows the user to devour almost all forms of energy and matter—physical, magical, spiritual, and even divine essence—increasing their own power.
Effects:
Soul Absorption, Mana Absorption, Skill Absorption, Traits, Bloodline, stats, and more.
Limitation: Limitless, but overuse or exceeding the soul’s capacity could be self-destructive.
Ignoring the notifications, Aengus’s gaze fell on Aria, who was desperately fighting to protect him. Guilt and anger welled up inside him. He hadn’t anticipated that his actions would attract so many beasts, let alone the sight of blood dripping from Aria’s mouth. This was something he hadn’t calculated—completely unexpected.
His rage turned into a terrifying calmness. There was only one thing on his mind now: to devour and punish these creatures for eternity.
“Omni-Devour,” he whispered coldly, extending his right hand and activating his newfound Ultimate Skill, his face devoid of any emotion.
Buzz… Buzz…
A massive, terrifying black hole, much more powerful and larger than before, formed beneath his palm.
Whoosh!
In an instant, a Thunder Wolf was swallowed by the void. Aengus absorbed its mana, skills, soul, and even fragments of the beast’s memories.
[You have acquired new active skills: Thunder Step (C), Thunder Storm (C), Thunder Summon (B) ]
[ Strength +3, Agility +2 ]
[ Orgin Mana + 300 ]
As he absorbed more of the beast’s essence, a cold determination filled him, and his aura intensified, signaling the beginning of a devastating rampage.
“Howl!”
The beasts let out painful howls as they were being devoured like ants.
When the beasts’ screams reached Aria, her attention shifted back to Aengus, bringing a relaxed smile to her face despite her injuries.
She continued fighting alongside him, effortlessly taking down B-Rank beasts. The pressure she had felt earlier gradually lessened with his participation.
With Aengus retracting his aura of Origin Mana, the attraction that had drawn the beasts ceased completely. The remaining creatures, about 300 in number and already were near death.
As their battle was nearing its end, a few strangers’ voices echoed through the trees.
“Ryann, stop being such a scaredy-cat. There’s got to be something amazing here that attracted so many beasts. Let’s check it out!” A confident female voice broke through the stillness.
“No, I don’t feel good about this! Let me and Tina go back. You can all die here. They’re literally B-Rank beasts! Can’t you see that, goddammit!” A frustrated male voice, timid yet firm, responded.
“Hahaha… What a coward Ryann is. Little Tina, why are you even with this guy? He doesn’t have the balls,” came the mocking giggles from a few more females in the group.
“Fuck!”
“What the hell?”
Their laughter was cut off abruptly as the group emerged from the dense jungle, their eyes widening at the scene unfolding before them. The sight of the aftermath of the battle, with beasts strewn across the ground and two powerful figures standing amidst the carnage, left them speechless.
