Jon and Shelly heard the creature infront of them speak like it knew about their quest.
Shelly got infront of the carriage and the creature.
"Jon did you tell anyone about the blade?" shell asked, pointing her staff towards the creature that observed her.
"No..I would never" Jon responded.
He also got off the carriage.
[The barrier skill Solid Veil [lvl2] has been activated]
[Your experience with solid veil [lvl2] has increased]
A protective barrier formed around Jon and and the carriage. Shelly stood outside it, facing the creature herself.
"Stay behind the barrier" she orderd.
Jon obliged choosing not to protest.
"I won't hurt if you give me the blade" the creature said, its right arm was outstretched its palm opened indicating it wanted the blade.
"Not happening." Shelly responded,her staff pointing at the creature. Her knees were shaking but she resolved herself to fight.
She was wearing black boots,a brown jacket and a black skirt. Although the forest was chilly she was able to somewhat limit its effects.
"You leave me no choice" the creature stated, before mana started seeping out of its body. The mana was of different colors so it was hard to guess which colour it was.
[The Unique Skill Puncture Claws[lvl3] has been activated]
The creature dashed forward closing the gap between it and Shelly instantly. It's claws came to life in a menacing shine, the beast moved its hand thrusting it towards Shelly's chest.
[A Barrier skill has been activated]
[The barrier skill hexagon barrier[lvl2] has been activated]
[Your experience with hexagon barrier [lvl2] has increased]
Centimeters before making contact, the claws found a dead end. A hexagon shaped barrier appeared infront of Shelly. It was small and limited to just around her chest.
Upon hitting the barrier the creature would find its entire body being blown back after its claws were deflected by the barrier. This caused the creature to lose its footing and stagger backwards for a moment. A moment Shelly was keen on taking advantage of.
[ A unique skill variation of hexagon barrier has been activated]
[Haxagonal barrier catapult [lvl2] has been activated.
[Your experience with Hexagon Barrier has increased]
The barrier infront of Shelly catapulted at insane speeds, it smashed into the creature, pushing it to collide against the trees behind it.
Shelly smiled pleased with her efforts.
"The smaller the barrier the stronger it becomes. My bigger barriers will be broken easily by this thing like it did before. I'll focus on smaller barriers,i just have to predict where its attack will land so i can protect myself then counter attack"
Shelly thought to herself, her eyes looking fiercer than usual.
The creature was on its feet instantly. It's spiky teeth now became visible as it smiled. It was almost like it didn't feel pain.
It dashed forward, again.
[PERMANENT PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION- Leg]
The creature's legs and feet took on a new form as they became furry and its thighs enlarged. It's movement became a blur. It appeared infront of Shelly and it lifted it's hand looking to strike her neck with its claws.
[The barrier skill hexagon barrier [lvl2] has been activated]
[Your experience with hexagon barrier [lvl2] Habs increased]
Shelly's eyes barely kept up and a barrier appeared around her neck.
The creature smiled, its hand stopped mid motion. Its knees connected against Shelly's exposed stomach. This forcefully stole all the air in her lungs and she was sent flying. She broke past her own barrier and her body smashed against Jon and the carriage in a deadly impact. The Mana beasts that pulled the carriage scattered in fear.
This creature was no idiot,it's ability to adjust and adapt was its greatest tool and that was visible for all to see. It saw Jon who was laying on the ground his body crushed by Shelly's weight. The carriage's wooden parts had also fallen on top of him and Shelly. Jon's mouth was leaking blood but Shelly was on a much worse condition.
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She was out cold and her nose and ribs were completely broken. Her legs were scarred further by the debris on top of her.
Jon was at least alive but he couldn't move with all the weight on top of him.
He watched as the creature moved past all the treasure boxes that were scattered on the floor. It was as if it had somesort of compass. It landed infront of Kuro Oni's box.
It smirked before picking up the box.
"No stop!!" Jon said, desperately.
The creature looked at Jon before leaving its words of wisdom.
"I don't like killing when it's not necessary,consider this your luck and turn back next time I won't be so forgiving."
The creature vanished, leaving Jon to wonder about the cost of his failure
[ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FOREST A FEW MINUTES AGO]
Rina stood infront of a strange old man his words rubbed her the wrong way.
"Call me master, kitty girl.." The old man said,before smiling awkwardly.
Rina gritted her teeth her eyes fiery with anger.
"Who are you calling a kitty!!" Rina said, her voice higher showcasing her displeasure .
An aura poured out of her body as her legs and arms became completely covered in fur. Her tail protruded from behind and 4 whiskers were visible on her face. Her hand had paws and claws. Her fur was Grey and her eyes had an orange shading and cat-like pupils.
[Partial Transformation [lvl2] has been activated]
"There it is,stop pretending to be human and show everyone what you really look like. Disgusting filth" the old man said,spitting his saliva after doing so.
Rina didn't say a word she vanished from her position in a fierce dash.
[Unique skill Cat Charge [lvl2] has been activated]
[Your experience with the skill Cat Charge had infrastructure]
"Who the hell are you calling filth!!" Rina shouted.
She appeard Infront of the man her right hand and her claws menacingly looking striking his neck.
[A summoning skill has been activated]
[The Unique skill Call [lvl2] has been activated]
Two figures appeared after a summoning circle became visible on the ground. One of those figures intercepted Rina's attack,her left palm took the brunt of her claws before she retaliated with a kick that sent Rina plummeting to a nearby tree.
As the bright light from the circle disappeared. The two stood tall. The two figures were two beast humans like Rina but unlike her they were not cats they wer wolves.
They had fur around their limbs and neck and even sides of their face. A colla wa visible around both their necks. One was a boy the other a girl.
"You see,this is what your kind is good for, you beast humans make better pets than humans" the old man said, patting his two summons.
"I would love adding you to my collection" he said, with a sadistic smirk.
Rina got back on her feet after her plummet and the look on her eyes was pure disgust.
"Man you humans never,change. For a second I fooled myself believing that you were actually decent. I guess I forgot my hatred." RIna said, her voice oddly calm.
Her movement blured as mana continued to leak from her figure. She instantly appeard from behind the old man before charging from his rear. The old man smirked and just as Rina clenched her fist.
The young beast human boy stood between her and the old men. His arms opened ready to endure the assault that Rina prepared.
When she saw that Rina wavered,her movement slowed down and as she retracted her arm. She felt a heel smash against her head sending her crashing towards the ground. The female beast human had descended from above.
She stood side by side with her male counterpart as she watched the bleeding Rina struggle to move.
"You see!! aren't they great pets? They do what they are told without the slightest hesitation."
The man clapped his handa as he walked towards Rina
"That's what they should do, that's what they were born to do." he smiled,as he towered over Rina.
"I really hate hurting my pets but that's what you get for misbehaving" he said,with a grin on his face.
That's when Rina started to feel a burning sensation from her chest. Her eyes widened and her fur grew rapidly. Her mana released a huge aura that brought an incredible force of wind. So much so the old man and his summons had to leap back to avoid being blown away.
They watched on as Rina's aura go wild and her form slowly change. Her breathing was replaced by that of an animal. Her size grew as she took a crawling position.
Her claws grew larger and by the time her mana died down anyone could tell sometimes had happened. Her fur was completely black it consumed her entire figure.
[The Unique skill Full beast transformation[lvl 4] has been forcefully activated]
What remained staring down at the old man. Wasn't Rina. It was something else entirely. The old man's heart pumped faster as his sweat increased drastically.
Before even realizing she had move,the old man saw the blood of his summons splatter on his face.
The look on his eyes as he saw her two summons fall to the ground headless was something indescribable.
He looked on as he saw the creature infront if him show its fangs. What followed was a loud cry as the creature infront of him tore a major part of his neck. Blood sprayed as the old man screamed in agony. The creature began chewing the flash without a second thought. Before it came for a second bite it would feel a punch land across its face. It was forced backwards as another creature came to save the old man. It was the creature that attacked Shelly and Jon.
"Brak.."The old man was barely able to utter its name. Brak took the old man and devoured him whole.
[PERMANENT PARTIAL TRANSFORMATION-Mouth]
[The Unique Skill Great Cleansing[lvl3] has been activated]
The cat creature infront of Brak moved to get its revenge but what it saw was brak disappearing infront of its eyes. The creature roared In its disappointment upon realizing the enemy had escaped. Its Mana started to die down and its form broke apart. The beast human Rina returned to her regular form.
[The skill full beast transformation [lvl4] has been forcefully deactivated]
[For using the skill for more than 10 seconds 90% of your original mana pool has been lost]
Rina came to and saw the bloodied and headless summons. She saw the blood in her hands and felt the bitter taste of blood in her mouth. She knew she had done something she could never take back.
Tears flowed down her cheeks as she screamed in pain. She smashed her had against the surface as she did.
"I'm sorry,I'm sorry" she repeated these words as she cried unable to control her emotions.
A memory from years ago flashed into her mind.
[8 YEARS AGO]
"No matter how angry you get,never let your hatred consume you. Rina you are human. Don't turn to a monster because of them. My sweet child there's more to life than killing"
a woman spoke to Rina. She was an old lady wearing very dark clothing her appearance was similar to that of a shadow.
"I promise I won't, for you I won't kill anyone" a child Rina responded with the brightest smile on her face.
[PRESENT DAY]
Rina upon remembering that day,cried even harder.
"Forgive me..." was her last words before she lost consciousness, her body rested on the pool of blood she created.
[A FEW MINUTES AGO ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FORST]
Ray stared down a man wearing a red suit. Just from that he knew the man was unusual. The man's eyes made Ray uneasy.
The man smirked before looking at Ray
[A stealth Skill has been activated]
[The Unique skill silent movement [ lvl2] has been activated]
The man's body vanished and his presence followed,it was almost as if he had disappeared completely.
Ray would feel a blade slash him from behind. His skin would be ripped open as a dagger found its mark. He leaped forward before turning to meet the perpetrator.
The old man stood there,as his dagger dripped Ray's blood. He had gotten behind Ray without making a sound.
He licked the tip of his blade as the taste of Ray's blood rejuvenated his taste buds.
"Delicious"
The old man said, looking at Rey with lustful eyes.
"You know the best part about being a magician?" He asked,before answering himself.
"It's the fact that we get to kill and be rewarded for our efforts."he continued to lick the dagger before he spoke again.
"We magicians can do whatever we want under the pretext of a quest. We have absolute freedom"
"That's wrong magicians aren't there to kill they're there to save people" Ray argued,
"But still they kill,do u know the difference between killing a human and mana beast?" he posed the question before answering himself.
"Nothing. It's all the same. I've killed plenty of magicians and I'm sure you've killed plenty of mana beasts as well. That's what magicians use to train after all"
Ray's heart felt heavy as doubt crept into his heart.
"You're wrong....its not the sa.."
The memory of him passing the little mana beasts at the cave came back to him.
He found it hard to continue his sentence.
"Life is life we're both murders" the old man said, before he could speak again, Brak appeard infront of him.
"I've got the box let's go" He said grabbing his shoulder.
"Too bad and I was just starting to have fun..." The old man said before disappearing.
Ray looked to chase after them but his body felt dizzy, his vision became blurry and a second later he was out cold.
He laid there alone in the depths of the forest.