The slayer growled as his health once again dropped from a direct blast of flame scorching his chest, his skin bubbled from the heat but another strike fell two, then five pathetic demons, their legs simply gone. Pained cries filled the air as he moved through the gore, savagely slamming the mutilated things into the constantly coming horde. The painful regeneration was constant as his wrath grew once more barely overcoming the cost of his combined skills.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 4] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 6] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 6] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 9] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 7] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
Mutilation bonus added to total x 18
The slayer cared little for his own health besides that it slowed the required slaughter, so he battered his way through the onslaught forcing the irritating flame seers to reposition before they could spew more fire once more. A stalker appeared behind him burying its fangs into his lower back, pain shot through the slayer but his aggression never ceased. Grabbing the demon’s scaled tail he tore it from his back, took a chunk of his flesh, and swirled it around himself several meaty crunches reached his ears as the variant's more powerful body smashed through several more of the weaklings surrounding him providing him more fuel for his slaughter.
Health:
642/1430
Stamina:
1324/2370
Wrath:
695
His condition was worsening but it only encouraged him to continue his bloody work. The slayer decapitated the stalker easily enough and threw their head as hard as he could toward one of the Sky Hunters. Before the head struck he was already charging towards a flame seer that had gotten close enough to reach, cleaving his annoying short blade through the fodder.
You have slain [Garghound Stalker | Abyss Spawn 24] - Bonus experience award for defeating a higher leveled entity.
Level up!
You have slain [Garghound Sky Hunter | Abyss Spawn 20]
The flame seer saw him approach and froze for a moment as the slayer locked gazes with it, it sent a fireball towards its slayer but the slayer had time to grab one of the many fodder creatures biting at his heels and use it to block the flames. Then it was too late for the flame seer as he slammed his “shield” on top of the fiery demon, pinning it. Before it could fight back he had slammed his sword to the hilt into its burning skull then savagely wrenched it out.
You have slain [Garghound Flame Seer | Abyss Spawn 23] - Bonus experience award for defeating a higher leveled entity.
With all the close variants nearby dealt with for the moment the slayer allocated his points from the level up as fell into the cleaving sword forms that felt ever so natural. He put four of his points into Vitality to keep him active for longer but his Intellect continued to disgust him so put two points there before once again cleaving his way to the next variant.
Health:
832/1510
Stamina:
1154/2440
Wrath:
786
His additional vitality helped but any debilitating injuries would force him to waste more wrath on his body. It was convenient that most of this rabble could barely break through his superior endurance. His wrath was ahead for now but he could feel that the more he slew the more wrath was being expended as less were affected by his presence, an irritating side effect of his purpose. From the mass four nobles darted towards him, stronger than the ones he had slain previously.
[Garghound Noble | Abyss Spawn 24]
[Garghound Noble | Abyss Spawn 24]
[Garghound Noble | Abyss Spawn 24]
[Garghound Noble | Abyss Spawn 24]
All four were the strongest of the variants he had seen, and their speed and strength were annoying but manageable. Unlike the rabble, they were strong enough to bind him if they worked together, which surprisingly they did. The sword in his hand began to glow red hot and he was forced to drop it and engage them with his bare hands. Three flanked to his right and charged inwards and he was forced to turn and defend allowing the fourth to attack from behind.
One strike from the slayer’s fist stunned one then caught a second, and battered the third away but the fourth managed to bite down hard onto his ankle. These garghounds were strong enough to do serious damage when they got lucky, even with his amplified attributes. The one that he had grabbed spun into the variant's usual escape tactic of lashing out with their flaming tails. Slowed by his injured leg the tail struck him directly in the chest, and with another push from the rest of the nobles he was sent backward several feet.
Health:
642/1510
Stamina:
1154/2440
Wrath:
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
432
Growling the slayer got to his feet amid another dozen of the lesser garghounds and activated his Wrathful Regeneration again to speed up the recovery of his ankle. His resources were far too low but it would not stop him from performing his life’s meaning. Several of the weaker garghounds thought they had an opportunity but of course did not live long enough to see it through as the slayer tore them apart, feeding his wrath.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 7] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 4] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 5 Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 3] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 5] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 7] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
Mutilation bonus added to total x 19
His ankle had healed enough to properly move but it had cost him dearly as even with the accelerated slaughter he was barely keeping up with the demand of his skills. He needed to be quicker, he cursed his stupidity in investing in Intellect when it seemed to have no effect in battle.
The variants needed to die, once they were gone his slaughter would be guaranteed. Besides the four nobles, there were still three flame seers and several of the damned Sky Hunters flying above. They had simply harried him from above when the opportunity came, they were easily dealt with, however. First, the nobles would die then it was the flame seers.
The nobles came at him again under the cover of a dozen of their weaker kin. With his weapon killing the nobles would be difficult, their tail was still a real threat but the slayer charged them before they got the chance to split their assault again. Tearing through two more weaker ones before reaching the nobles slowed him enough that two of them were able to dodge to the side but the other two were not as lucky. The slayer grabbed hold of one by the throat while slamming his elbow down onto the spine of the other.
Mutilation bonus added to total.
The crippled noble fell its hind legs limp, leaving the slayer his right hand to reach over and tear the throat out of his squirming captive.
Mutilation bonus added to total.
The noble’s irritating regeneration kept it alive long enough to let it flare its tail and burn his chest once again even though the tail failed to hit him directly. With a final twist, the noble’s head was torn free fueling his wrath further.
You have slain [Garghound Noble | Abyss Spawn 24] - Bonus experience award for defeating a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total x 2
The still active noble recovered from their dodge and came at the slayer together, one attacking low and the other leaping high. The slayer ducked the leaping noble smoothly avoiding a last second lash from its burning tail though still feeling the skin of his scalp bubble from the heat, and slammed his fist into the ankle biter, shattering its fangs but carving up his hand. The noble yelped as fang shards gouged its own mouth and face. The slayer turned to defend from the likely response from the uninjured noble but saw a glint on the ground behind some of the remaining normal garghounds.
Ignoring the nobles for a moment the slayer leaped towards his sword, sending several garghounds tumbling as he rolled, reaching his sword. It still burned his hand but he ignored the pain and fell into his cleaving swings once more generating wrath as he went.
Health:
343/1510
Stamina:
654/2440
Wrath:
186
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 4] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 2] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 5 Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 7 Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 3] Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
You have slain [Garghound | Abyss Spawn 5 Minimal experience earned for slaying a lesser being.
Mutilation bonus added to total x 14
Each kill fueled him but at the same time increased the burn speed, but his purpose was almost complete. After cleaving his way back through to the nobles the crippled one had managed to get back to its feet, its spine regenerating faster than he expected. Kal gathered up the corpse of one of the fallen garghounds and pierced it with his sword, using it like a temporary sheath to protect his weapon from what he knew would be coming next. Exactly as he expected an intense heat radiated from the corpse as the three nobles concentrated their burning gaze on his weapon.
It still somehow affected his sword but much less than earlier, at least partially insulated from the ability. Without breaking momentum he swung, half hurling half cutting through his gory sheath into the healed noble and ending the toothless one with his now free blade.
You have slain [Garghound noble| Abyss Spawn 24] - Bonus experience award for defeating a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total.
Level up!
Health:
343/1510
Stamina:
542/2440
Wrath:
332
He moved once more savagely cleaving through the now dead noble into the next, taking another burn on his shoulder he pivoted withdrawing his blade from its now severed spine and cracked shoulder blades, then slammed a bare foot into its face finishing his gnarly bisections.
You have slain [Garghound Noble| Abyss Spawn 24] - Bonus experience award for defeating a higher leveled entity.
Mutilation bonus added to total.
Health:
267/1510
Stamina:
432/2440
Wrath:
382
His wrath was dropping rapidly so the slayer committed himself to one last kill before he was forced to weaken. As the slayer turned to make his final kill, he was met by three of the Sky Hunters attempting to strike at his face as the final noble tried to wrap its burning tail around his arm. But the slayer wouldn’t allow the winged weaklings to prolong his goal, so he simply raised his arm, battering the smaller demons to the side while raising his sword and slicing the noble’s tail off at its base. The sky hunters fell to the ground, giving him time to stand on top of the noble and with a two-handed strike, pierce the final noble through its pathetic skull. With a final roar of anger, the slayer activated Wrathful Regeneration and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him as he relinquished his wrath.
Kal felt his mind return to normal and couldn’t help but smile at the remaining garghounds rushing towards him, as his wounds slowly healed as the last of his wrath plummeted. He was wounded and exhausted but the feeling of exhilaration had returned, without the amplification of his skills he could still feel his birthright boiling within, waiting for the future when he could truly harness it. His path suddenly clear in his mind Kal distributed his free points like he had promised as five balls of fire flew over two dozen garghounds towards him. Kal noticed he had received a notification and its description flashed in front of his eyes before a potent rush of power invigorated him which made him laugh at the oncoming flames.
Title acquired: Paragon of Man [Epic]