...
Everything burned as I launched myself towards the deformed patriarch. The patriarch also with enhanced senses screamed as he forcefully dug a huge chunk of wood from the ground and hurled it towards me.
As I swiped the wood away, the patriarch, who was now three times of his original size greeted me with a gigantic fist. Just by the speed and size of the fist I already knew that even if I purified all of the souls I gathered, the blow would simply turn me into mist and I wasn't keen on finding out if my overlapping regeneration buffs would be able to handle that.
Sacrificing the skill, I got from a purified soul, I casted chains made out of mana into myself, and onto the walls of the tree to slowdown my descent, canceling the skill last millisecond as I shifted my body sidewards through a rotation, barely dodging the large fist.
Ignoring the large amount of flesh missing in my shoulder, I launched myself again towards the deformed monster, only to find another hand already moving towards me.
*fck...*
I cursed, using the intended attack as an alternative move to propel myself forward into a dodge and roll. Desperately making distance. From the now gigantic patriarch, who's body continously formed and deformed, as if about to burst but forcefully hold on by something e tangible. It's shape barely resembling a humanoid, which has its body and limbs alternating between rotten flesh, and wood.
*the dark mana isn't dispersing unlike the others...*
I mumbled as I forced my self not to panic. The leap from fighting elves into this monstrosity was just fucking massive. Adrenaline and the fear of death the only thing keeping me moving.
I gritted my teeth as I circled around the area dodging the gigantic blows, a mix of destruction and flames spread throughout the tree that was now falling apart. The patriarch seemingly oblivious to both my flames that was burning him, as well as his very own base that's now slowly crumbling because of his rampage.
*Fcking old hag!*
Somehow I still felt my anger towards the old soul. Not because of her ideals, and the elves misery no shit if I ever cared about all of that. This was just unfair. How do you expect me to defeat this... Abomination.
I mean yeah the skill and the bloodline I got was OP, even the terrain and place is favored in my end, but how? How the hell are you supposed to defeat this thing.
...
I continued to observe, the rampaging abomination, the titanic level tree has completely fallen by now, and my flames have started reaching who knows where, providing me more stats though lack luster compared to the abomination in front of me.
It was a good thing that the thing didn't gain increased Perception as it's physique enlarged and got stronger. Otherwise I'd already be dead by now. It also must have melted it's brain from forcefully ingesting too much hatred in, what else would you expect. Not that I could handle if the thing casted skills and splinters...
*again that old hag*
I cursed as I again, recalled the source of this horrid empowerment. Knowing that I didn't really have the power to take on the power of that old soul, I redoubled my efforts in finding out the weak points of this abomination that I've been subconsciously dodging for a while now.
One monster a time Bella... One monster at a time.
A phrase Alice used to say, I laughed, almost getting killed by a massive fist as I recalled one time when I was playing MMOs with Alice.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Even back then I always had a love for selecting lots of AOE skills, makes farming alot easier, against bosses however... Not so much. Pretty much the same as the situation right now.
The abomination's regeneration and physique was so high it didn't really matter if I burned it or stomped on it. It would just regen the damage back up. I tried timing my attacks whenever the thing had it's occasional combustion, which dealt a bit more damage, though still not enough for a killing blow, and it's regeneration would only heal it back up. I could feel some power leaking out as it healed though...
But that wasn't really gonna cut it. Though my mana is stable from all the conversion I'm getting, I could already feel my body starting to tire itself out. There has to be something I can do. To defeat this thing.
I mean, it isn't a game yes, I have long come to terms with that. But still, there should be a limit as to how far a mortal can Enhance itself. Even through all this... Hatred it collected...
*ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR*
The patriarch bellowed, clearing all of the dust and debree, revealing my hiding place. Surrounding us, there was still flames, the majority of the forrest as well as the remnants of the giant tree had been pretty much burned, but the flames continued, to scatter. Tirelessly providing me stats and regeneration.
Coughing up a mouth full of blood as I took a direct hit, that I barely survived. Tears fell down on my cheek uncontrollably due to the pain, and even more so, as flesh and bones forcefully knitted back together faster than it got broken.
*fck!*
I'm not sure if it was the pain or the desperation, but I was jolted out of my battle trance as I watched the abomination launch itself towards me.
Only then did I notice the giant ball like wooden objects floating masquerading as parts of the abominations hair. It felt off. All of it didn't make sense. Though it helped the abomination gain a slightly more asthethic grim to it's appearance, seeing those balls float along it's now spread out long hair, gave me a feeling that they had another function towards it's current state.
Then I recalled the convulsions it was having. At first it looked as if the monster was going crazy and attacking everything, but those were the times where the balls would stretch out as if tying up the body tight.
So that it's body wouldn't fall apart... I mumbled to myself as I narrowly dodged a gigantic palm.
'Ah...'
...
Dodging a few more times, I took my time, making sure to stay in a passive-aggressive state, waiting till another combulsion went off. And as if clockwork, again the former patriarch started trashing everywhere, the floating spheres repositioning themselves as if pulling on strings in the monsters body, tightening and forcefully sealing the hatred accumulated by the souls that is fueling the body enhancement.
Before the monster could fully recover however, I appeared behind one of the spears slamming a my knuckle hard channeling both raw strength and my flames. The abomination howled as the sphere cracked and fell apart, just as lines of what looks to be stitches lightened up and burned. The body of the abomination opening spreading Shockwaves of unfiltered hatred knocking me backwards and even snuffing out the flames in it's body and surroundings. The other spheres quickly repositioning themselves forcefully resealing the body of the abomination, again changing it's appearance in the process.
*Three more...*
I mumbled, clearing up a mouthful of blood as I allowed my flames to heal me, again wincing in the pain as we both prepared ourselves for another bout. The abomination was slightly smaller now. Somehow reverting back to a more humanoid state. Rather than focusing on size however, this... Thing... Now had six long hands rather than the normal two, four in front and two from behind.
Again! I shouted in my head, making sure to relight the abomination in flames, the nature of the flame near instantaneous as it only needed contact from the head as well as mana to allow it to spread again.
Four fists again rained down on me, but I was able to get through by sacrificing an arm and a leg. I shouted in anger as the flames, regenerated the missing limbs, the two remaining hands choosing to cover up the spheres I was heading towards, almost making it in time if not for the abomination's Perception not being able to properly control it's gigantic body.
Chunks of it's body fell apart as another explosion of mana released allover again trying to snuffout out my flames, but to no avail, as the surrounding burned once again. The flames seem to be affecting the abomination more now as the majority of the massive chunk of extra flesh and wood was now removed from it's body.
The flame spread more throughly even reaching one of the spheres, melting it, causing another Shockwave of mana, before the last remaining sphere tried to kept everything together but to no avail as it too burned the fell apart.
I maintained distance throughout of it all content on watching the hatred flow outward and get burned by my flames. The patriarch cursed and cursed as transformed back to an almost recognizable shell of his former self, his voice and will seemingly now one with the old hag, as they both suffered and got purified by my flames.
Both of their souls stored and purified. The old hag's artifical soul, even granting a skill charge which I quickly discarded in fear of getting tracked by the being that was deemed to be a threat by NOIM itself.
Finally slumping in the ground as the quest marked it's completion.
...
... ...
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> **[Info] Quest Completed: Burn the practitioners of the tainted.** ...
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...
A quest prompt tried to way in my vision but I swiped it away, sitting back up and inhaling a deep breath as I took in the surrounding sea of flames. Somehow I felt a deep sense of loneliness as I took in the burning surroundings. It was pretty, yes. But that's all there is to it. After that, then nothing.
It had become fuel. A vital part in my battle. Yet, only now did I realize how much had the flame spread. The whole forrest, and even further than that.
Discontinuing the spread of my mana, the flames slowly withered down, till fully extinguished leaving a burnt place devoid of anything but scorched land.
Just by studying the properties of my own mana, I could already tell that it would take a long long while before I manage to fully control these flames.
Maybe that's why NOIM decided to put me in this trial. It would be chaos if I managed to burn down a whole set of players wouldn't it? I'd probably get killed as soon as the crowd's initial shock subsides.
Lack of stamina... Unable to hold my own increase in power... Near uncontrollable flames that literally spreads everywhere...
I sighed, as I shelved all the issues I've encountered so far. Making an important note to stay away from battling near towns as well as in a party in the mean time.
I'll worry about the details later.
Shrugging to myself. I layed back down to the charred ground and decided to take a nap.
...
... ...
To be continued.