With an ax in his hand and his torn clothes on his body Henry walked into the forest alone. While alone Henry had noticed that the atmosphere in the forest while alone was much different then in a group. Whilst walking with a group you at least feel as if somebody can watch every direction.

“Safety in numbers is truly a powerful thing” Henry mumbled to himself. With the dark forest quickly getting denser and denser around him, a feeling of claustrophobia was clawing at Henry’s psyche but he was able to push it away with strange ease.

After getting to clearing in the forest he went through his list of ideas for claiming land.

First, he tried sticking the flag in the ground, the feeling of anxiety slowly crept in, waiting to hear the almighty voice of the system… and nothing.

Second on the list was saying I claim this in every way imaginable,

“This land is mine!”

“I claim this!”

“My land!”

“Huh, fuck this shit!” Henry was able to keep his calm at almost all times except now. First he was pulled from his normal life, then forced into an awful system. “The demons, the nature god, AHHH!” Henry let out his frustration screaming loud into the wilderness. But, just as quick as he got upset he forced himself to calm down.

Other animals will hear if I scream again, he thought to himself. Henry turned around and saw the beady black eyes of an ape. This ape was just slightly smaller than him with a skinny frame but very clearly defined muscles.

*Gulp*

Henry's fight or flight instincts had completely failed him, his whole body frozen solid as he just stared at this ape. Its glossy fur made it seem like something straight out of a movie as it hung there upside down.

He slowly reached for his waist trying to feel for the rough yet comforting handle of his ax, for now Henry knew he had the slight advantage this ape was still smaller than him and it seems to not have noticed him noticing it. He backed up slowly concentrating on his next action, with the ax now firmly in his palm he used all of his strength to throw it into the apes eye.

“aaHHHHaaH” the ape screamed, the ax had lodged itself deep into its eye, yet not deep enough to to due any brain damage. Henry had known this wouldn't kill the ape but now he believed he held some type of advantage over it.

He threw himself on top of the ape as it was screaming, and as he tried to pull the ax out he came to the stunning realization that it was stuck.

Now ontop of an ape with no weapon in hand Henry knew he was out of luck, and was quickly thrown on his back by the ape. Its toned muscles had no issues picking up Henry and chucking him. Now under the apes weight he could feel himself getting choked by it.

*Cough*

*Cough*

“Not yet” his vision had gone black.

Suddenly Henry is in the passenger seat.

While he is still panicking his body is moving utilizing his powers.

Henry's body began to use the nature around it pushing Henry's power to its limit the vines are growing at an exponential rate. A weird green aura begins to surround Henry and he feels a weird new fondness of his surroundings.

Nature command Low- medium

His desire for Nature had suddenly spiked what Henry thought to be an entire tier. But, thankfully this power was capable of binding the ape down with densely twisted ropes of vine.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Withe ape ties he hoped to regain control over his body, but it continued to move,

Slash

Slash

Slash

Henry was left shocked by the time he had regained some control over his body; he was still slashing, turning the ape into a mess of blood and gore. Without full control still his alternate self reached for the exposed heart of the ape and crushed it with just his hands.

Deep assimilation

New Ability- Hidden ape stealth quiet walk

With the battle over he expects to regain all control of his body, attempting to sigh, nothing comes. Confused, he tries to talk and even attempts to yell, but nothing. Until, his body starts to make a low noise until it gets louder and louder he starts screaming.

“This is all mine! All that the sun touches shall be under my thumb.” Henry visibly cringed at what he had just said, claiming everything under the sun was his but it was all worth it after he saw.

Land Claimed: Pitch Night Forest South

After seeing it worked he thought what took over inside of himself must have been his desire, as back on earth he never felt such emotions before.

From cringing to now elated, Henry was then quickly met with disappointment as he had gained no abilities or traits from this nor any boost to his abilities.

The only thing he gained was

Hidden ape stealth quiet walk

Henry attempted to use his ability but was suddenly hit with a wave of fatigue, his body while it moved had used all of his energy with no regard for the future. Now he had to carry himself back with what little he had, with the only self assurance was his ability to detect all life in the area.

With himself about to pass out Henry did a sweep of an area and sat down. Checking his map for the first time since he had gotten it, he could see two locations in color on the map, this map included features like the path his group walked on, a detailed sketch of the nature god temple alongside where his basecamp is. Henry was very pleased to see this and laid back on a stump of wood. Only to be quickly awoken by the noise of a girl, as she ran up to him he noticed she was from his camp.

Besides her surprising him he came to the grave realization that he couldn't detect people while in his sleep, at least for now.

“Phew, finally I found you, do you know how many people are out there looking for you.”

“Wh-” Henry tried to ask but was quickly cut off.

“Because of that loud scream, none of us could make it out but it was so loud we had to make sure everyone was alright and we noticed you were gone.”

Henry could tell the girl was visibly annoyed, “May I ask why everyone started to search.”

The girl gave him a second look of annoyance “Because you killed the weird nature thingy. Now many of us owe you so we went out looking for you and the longer you sit here the more danger we are in.”

Henry quickly realized he had just been lazing on the ground while talking to this girl and stood up to walk back to the camp.

While they were walking Henry could feel awkward tension, it was impossible for two people walking even in an apocalyptic hell world to not feel awkward.

“So.. Can I ask what your desire is?” Henry asked her, he figured it had to be strong for her to have felt brave enough to just run into the woods alone.

She slowed down her walk and stared at Henry with a deadpan face, “I have the desire to see blood.”

…

She quickly covered her face in embarrassment, she was hoping that if she made it sound cool it wouldn't seem as weird, she was wrong.

Henry didn't laugh and just tried to think of what this desire would give the desiree but couldn't think of anything.

Not noticing Henry wasn't judging her she stammer while explaining herself, “Well you see I, umm Iv always had these weird delusions as a child, not like those crazy people who like killed little animals as children, I still have empathy its just I always loved seeing the color of blood the deep rich red slowly flowing. When I was younger I used to prick my skin to see the color of it, and I would get excited when I saw it in shows. I always thought I was some kind of cool vampire… But I got over all of that as I grew up but it seems this system decided that was still my desire”

Henry nodded he thought to himself he also had a desire he did not associate with.

After a few more minutes of silence, the girl broke and started spewing more information to Henry.

“I also gained this cool or I guess lame title blood baron candidate.”

This info perked Henries interest as it seemed she would gain some nobility in this world down the line.

Gotta keep her around he thought to himself.