“Let’s begin,” Aengus said to Aria, who is now an A-Rank powerhouse.
Aria nodded, and the two of them began crafting the circular shaped dome made of tree roots, vines, and hard rock.
Aengus first started by creating the dome’s foundation using rock for the initial layer.
The second layer was completed with Aria’s help, making a perfect camouflage that blended seamlessly with the surroundings.
After their combined efforts of an hour, the structure was ready. It stood nearly 100 meters tall and 400 meters in radius. Inside was illuminated by fireflies and other luminescent bugs under Aria’s command.
Aria’s face show exhaustion while Aengus looked calm and collective.
She watched with fascination. It had been a difficult task, but with Aengus’ help, it seemed effortless.
“Alright, this should do for now,” Aengus commented, satisfied with the result.
There was a curved entrance designed to control the flow of beasts and monsters, able to be sealed or opened at will.
Aria’s mind shifted to another concern. “What about humans, Ethan? What if they come?”
Aengus’ response was cold and ruthless. “They will die. What else? Besides, I don’t see any humans nearby. But if any come seeking death, there’s nothing I can do.”
“Oh… okay,” Aria replied, slightly taken aback but quickly refocused. “When should we start?” She asked, her excitement growing. She was eager to test out her new skills and increased Nature Control after the synthesis.
“We don’t have time to waste. I can start anytime. Are you ready?” Aengus asked as he began to enter the dome.
“Yes, I am,” Aria replied, following him through the large entrance.
Once inside, Aengus moved to the furthest point, opposite the entrance, positioning himself for the ambush. Aria scanned the ceiling, preparing to unleash sharp branches that would stretch across from the top like deadly spears. Her plan was deadly: once anything stepped into her domain, nothing would leave alive.
She positioned herself to the right of Aengus, ensuring she wouldn’t interfere with his destructive attacks. Both stood ready, their eyes gleaming with the anticipation of the coming hunt.
Aengus swiftly unleashed the aura of the Origin Tree within him, which stored and facilitated Origin Mana. Other Seekers had similar trees inside them, but Aengus’s tree looked completely different. It was vibrant, with branches like stars for leaves.
It had grown to the size of a small tree due to the recent harvest and was hungry for more.
The tantalizing aura of such pure and potent energy slowly spread from within, like an invisible invitation to greater power.
Howl!
Awooo…
The nearby beasts and monsters’ eyes turned red as they began galloping in large numbers, some even fighting among themselves outside. This created a small problem—if they fought each other, who would come inside?
Noticing this, Aengus increased the intensity of his aura, and their infighting ceased abruptly. They quickly began to fall into the trap, one by one.
“Roar!”
“Rumble!”
Aria watched as the beasts and monsters swarmed in like ants through the entrance. Some were big, some small, and some as large as 50 meters, almost touching the ceiling. Their footsteps shook the earth, their eyes predatory as they focused on Aengus.
Aria and Aengus waited for the cage to be filled. Only then would the real massacre begin.
“Roar!”
By this point, some of the beasts attempted to reach Aengus, but Aria acted instantly, piercing their bodies, creating a gory mess.
“Ethan, I think it’s enough!” Aria shouted as she decapitated more beasts with her dagger.
By now, nearly three thousand beasts filled the cage to the brim.
Aengus gave her a nod and ceased spreading his Origin Aura. He then closed the gate to finish off the creatures first.
Stepping forward, Aengus activated his Omni-Devour skill and began to consume the beasts.
“Buzz…Buzz…”
The beasts, still at low C and B-Ranks, were easy prey for him to devour.
Realizing they were trapped, the beasts let out agonizing screams. They hadn’t expected to be hunted this way—always the hunters, now turned into helpless prey.
“Crackle, Crackle!”
Boom!
Desperate, the beasts attacked Aengus with everything they had—thunder, fire, and their massive bodies, hoping to crush him into meat paste.
But Aengus stood unfazed, absorbing their energies, his power growing with each devoured beast.
[ Strength +1, Agility +1.5, Defense +1 ]
[ Origin Mana +200 ]
[ You have acquired a new active skill: Skull-Crusher Ape Transformation (C) ]
[ You have…. ]
Notifications flashed continuously before his eyes, but he decided to ignore them for now. The number of skills in his arsenal had increased over 20, making him even more versatile. Some skills were assimilated to enhance sub-levels of same skill, while others waited to be synthesized later.
His Origin Mana had surpassed 50,000 points and was still rising.
Aengus’ lips curved into an involuntary smile. He was pleased with the results; it wouldn’t be long before he reached S-Rank.
He kept an eye on Aria from time to time, ensuring she remained safe.
Aria’s performance was incredible. She dominated her battles like a battle queen, with only flashes of her dagger visible as she constantly moved among the foes. Sharp spears of wood rained down from the ceiling under her command, further thinning out their numbers. She could have summoned lightning for aid as well, if not for the limitations of being inside the dome.
Aengus was impressed. Her every movement was a sight to behold.
Shifting his gaze to the A-Rank massive wild wyverns, Aengus became serious. These creatures could resist the suction of his Devour ability to some extent, making things tougher with their aerial maneuvers. They were elemental wyverns, lesser bloodlines of dragons.
He hadn’t expected to find wyverns in the forest as well.
Undeterred, he retrieved Aegis from his Spatial Bracelet and unsheathed it. As the wyverns attacked with their elemental abilities, opening their maws wide, Aengus appeared atop their backs and slashed down with full force, severing their necks one by one.
“Screech!”
The others tried to escape, but their doom was evident.
Void Venom Blade Tempest
Sharp copies of Aegis Blade materialized from the void and pierced the wyverns’ bodies, silencing their screeches and signaling the end of the battle.
