Day 3
I decided to camp out in the Jura Forest since it was already getting quite late. Although I was worried since I couldn’t find any shelter to take cover for the night, Source told me that most monsters wouldn’t even dare to get near me if I emitted my aura. And so, after a tiring first day in the Jura Forest, I took my first and final break of the day.
Day 4
I woke up with a serene expression; relishing in the fact that no pain came from my abdomen this time. Glancing around, I noticed the faintest hints of the sun’s rays piercing the horizon - an indication that dawn was just breaking.
As I reveled in the scenic panorama, the warm orange hues washing over the forest like an artist's brush stroke, my reverie was unceremoniously shattered.
*Notice. The Host’s body is lacking nutrients and requires immediate attention, this One recommends consuming a creature posthaste*
“And whose fault was that…” I muttered with a sardonic smile curling my lips as I rolled my eyes.
*The Host’s unregulated emission of Aura*
“… What a shit way to start the morning.” I muttered as I stood up and inspected myself; all of my belongings were still there,but my clothes had a small layer of dirt on them. Swiftly brushing off the dirt, I inhaled the verdant aroma of the Jura Forest deeply, craning my head towards the sky. The smell of nature ingrained itself onto my nose, a truly relaxing feeling. Picking up my bag, I prepare for another expedition deeper into the forest; this time with my Aura suppressed.
To my delight, It didn’t take long for me to find the first Monster - a Blade Tiger. At least, that’s what Source told me. The blade tiger looked at me with greedy eyes, like a predator at its prey. It didn’t even bother to strategize, leaping straight at me crudely, relying strictly on its superior physical abilities; expecting to tear me apart in an instant.
Regrettably for the perplexed feline, things didn't unfold as anticipated. Relying on my Thought Acceleration and Magic Sense, all fine-tuned to perfection by Source, I was able to easily determine the attack’s trajectory and dodge its attacks despite my lacking physical abilities.
I sidestepped to the right just in the nick of time, rendering its swipe fruitless. The Blade Tiger's countenance contorted in confusion, witnessing its lethal claws swipe through empty air where I had just been standing. Seizing the opportunity its disorientation offered, I lunged at its hulking frame, amassing a cluster of Nihilicules in my palm.
The tiger, seeing me rushing towards him and the ominous energy gathering in my palm, hastily leaped backward, jumping on all fours to escape my range. Landing gracefully on the ground a few meters from me, it just stood there and stared at me; our eyes locked in a staring contest. The creature began to circle me cautiously, its earlier recklessness supplanted by a newly acquired wariness - obviously recognizing me as a threat.
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Sweat dripped down from my face; I was getting anxious. I’d expected this to be easy, after all, Rimuru had cleaned the floor with B-ranked and A-ranked monsters soon after his birth, and he didn’t even have an offensive skill. And yet, here I was, with one of if not the most powerful offensive Unique skills and still struggling against a mere B-ranked monster.
Of course, I’d contemplated using Nihilicules as a ranged attack. But Source convinced me otherwise, stating that the chances of me losing control of the volatile energy and backfiring was a high possibility. Of course I could just get Source to manage it, but I did not want to rely on Source too much and gain that level of control by myself. A brief moment of vacillation had cost me the optimal chance to immobilize the creature; it had now retreated safely beyond my effective range.
Just then, the Blade Tiger reared up, akin to a lion readying for battle. Source flashed an urgent warning across my consciousness. I tensed, bracing for impact. Without delay, the creature unleashed an earth-shattering roar, so potent that the ground vibrated, causing debris to jitter in a frenetic dance. Small craters appeared spontaneously, and the forest's trees groaned under the sheer force.
“So that’s Voice Cannon.” The information that Source had fed me the moment the fight began was coming in clutch. The Blade Tiger's roar gradually faded, leaving the immediate area in a state of disarray. But aside from a few tears in my clothing, I remained unscathed.
The Blade Tiger stared at me in shock, confusion etched onto its face. The bewildered beast had probably never had this happen before, after all, it is the apex predator of the area. Not letting the beast recover from its shock, I leaped forward with crazy speed, darting towards the tiger like a bullet. This time, the tiger wasn’t as fortunate. My palm sank into its fur, colliding with its flesh underneath. The Nihilicules invaded the poor tiger’s body, sinking deeper and deeper into its body. The fur where the Nihilicules entered lost its color and turned into a grey hue.
The Blade Tiger's muscular frame spasmed and stiffened as its eyes widened in horror. Its body convulsed violently before it finally met its end. Its eyes glazed over, and it crumpled lifelessly, sending plumes of dust swirling into the air as it hit the ground.
I heaved a sigh of relief. The only reason I won was thanks to my overpowered ability to control Nihility energy, if not for it, the fight would have been almost impossible for me to win. “What’s the point of having magicules if you have nothing to use them on,” I grumbled as I gathered sticks for a campfire.
*The efficiency of skill Predation is contingent upon the freshness of the consumed flesh. Cooking the flesh will dramatically reduce the effect”
“Oh, COME ON. Can’t I at least indulge in some fine cuisine after that intense battle!?” Sobs were beginning to build in my eyes. Taking a person from the modern world and forcing them to eat peasant food, usually barley porridge, was EXTREMELY taxing on their taste buds and mentality.
Unmoved by my plight, Source remained silent. "Dammit," I sighed, lumbering towards the now-deceased Blade Tiger with considerable reluctance.
"Mind handling this?"
*Affirmative*
A luminescent glow flickered in my eyes.
*Crunch*.....
"Ugh, that's never going to sit right with me," I grimaced, wiping away the traces of blood that marred my lips. I was mystified by how Source had managed to cram an entire tiger into my stomach - seriously, where did all that room come from?
I tapped my foot impatiently on the forest floor, arms crossed. "Shouldn’t some skill acquisition notification pop up by now?"
*Skill: Predation was unable to attain the skill after analyzing the organism.*
“Oh, come on!” I gritted my teeth in frustration, “All that work and I don’t even get its skill.” Frustration roiled within me, culminating in an abrupt surge of abdominal discomfort. Without a second thought, I dashed for the nearest foliage, yet again enduring the indignity of , once again reliving the shameful experience of answering nature’s call in an uncivilized setting
“"Source, is this going to be a recurring th-”
*Yes
“Ever-”
*Yes*
Groaning in resignation, I braced myself for the untold agony I knew awaited me.
[Abilities]
Name :Lucian
Race: Demonoid
Skills :
Unique Skill : Nihility
Unique Skill: Covalent
Unique Skill: Source
Extra Skill: Predator's Eyes (All of Creation, Predation, Appraisal Eye, Thought Acceleration, Coercion)
Extra Skill: Magic Sense