The claws caused no harm to his mutilated body.
Pus-laden fingers grabbed hold of the humanoid's swaying tail and snapped it in half. A pained howl escaped its lips, and my gaze involuntarily shifted to my own.
[They can die as many times as needed, but by utilizing a variety of skills, they will become much stronger than before.]
[I trust you. Wake me up when the Lower Loss can employ Witchcraft.]
[As you wish.]
The cat swished its fluffy tail, and a flash of blue appeared at its tip.
In the dark expanse, the beginnings of a second field materialized.
I settled into a cross-legged position and retrieved Spirit Stones from my inventory.
Now it was my turn to amass power.
---
After an indeterminate amount of time.
My body burned with fire, my heart turned into molten magma, the energy from the stones surged through my veins, merging with the remnants of Silver Pollen.
I opened my eyes and expelled a blue flame from my mouth.
Cough. Cough.
Slapping my chest, I gazed into the cat's black pupils.
[Congratulations~
You have reached the 3rd level of Dragon Scales.]
I had intended to save my points to increase the level of Witchcraft and enhance my stats, but now all that effort seemed futile.
I would have continued grumbling if it weren't for the epic spectacle unfolding in the adjacent field.
The crimson silhouette barely grazed the ground, leaving behind Dark Threads ablaze with blue flames, while the robust figure with green skin neither extinguished the flames nor shattered the threads with a powerful sound wave.
Achias activated the Dragon Scales and charged towards his opponent, undeterred by the tormenting aerial assault. Garr dug his fingers into the steel flooring, tearing off massive chunks as he prepared to hurl a projectile with precision at the oncoming runner.
The crimson skin parted, revealing the skeletal structure beneath, and the long tail unleashed a barrage of needle-like bone arrows.
Loss clenched his mouth shut and shielded himself with steel to fend off the arrows. With a mighty surge of power, he sent the projectiles flying towards the edge of the field.
Brown eyes flashed with a fiery red hue, their pupils narrowing to the size of a needle.
The crimson silhouette was midway through a left-handed attack when the agile green figure deftly evaded it.
The humanoid suffered the first blow to its right cheek and the second to the crown of its head, spitting out a stream of purple blood. It retaliated by summoning Dark Threads, entwining Garr's legs in an inky black embrace.
Achias aimed to send his opponent flying off the field, but the intervening cat expanded the field's dimensions by an additional 20 meters. The green figure crashed down onto the steel surface, causing the floor to buckle beneath its weight.
[Not ready yet?]
[Just a moment.]
Once again, they were divided into separate camps.
A window materialized above them.
[Achias: Garr:
19 : 37.]
[Wow, I never expected Garr to have defeated Achias so many times.]
I raised my hands to applaud as a spectator, only to be met with silence when the cat scratched its head.
[Those are the number of times they died, not their victories. Ha-ha. Sometimes they died together, especially in berserk mode.]
Still, I applauded, appreciating the effort put into their battles.
[Thank you.]
Without thinking, I spoke these words, and tears welled up in the cat's blue eyes. It wiped away the droplets with its short claws and whispered with trembling lips:
[I even regretted pitting them against each other, thinking about you.]
Asshole.
Wagging my tail, I followed the updated parameters:
[Name: Participant 137.
Race: Humanoid.
Grade: 4 (42/100).
Strength: 3600.
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Dexterity: 4490.
Endurance: 3630.
Magic Resistance: 3530.
Luck: 3.
Mana Perception: 2973.
Intelligence: 3460.
Mental Strength: 2965.
Regeneration: 4950.
Health - 14 900
Skills:
Melee (full-green), Dragon Scales (Level 3), Iron Stomach (middle-red), Bone arrows (full-green), Fiery Threads of the Abyss (Level 1), Ignition (Level 5), Shadow Strike (middle-yellow).]
The Dark Threads of the Abyss evolved to the Fiery Threads of the Abyss (Level 1).
165/200 - to the next level.]
[Race: Lower Loss.
Rank: 0.
Power: 250.
Dexterity: 190.
Endurance: 400.
Magic Resistance: 9.
Luck: 1.
Perception of manna: 12.
Intelligence: 95.
Mental Strength: 12.
Regeneration: 320.
Skills:
Hardy worker (initial-red).
Melee (initial-yellow).
Sound Attack (medium-red).
Witchcraft (level 1).]
Hehe.
I rubbed my palms together and grinned.
The 605th released Garr onto the field. He no longer resembled the monstrous form I was accustomed to seeing. Instead of a mutilated body with elongated limbs and festering ulcers, he now appeared as a tall human figure. His sharp cheekbones bore the scratches of claws, and his green skin was adorned with shining plates on his chest, stomach, and between his legs.
His lengthy legs terminated in large feet with razor-sharp nails.
"Witchcraft."
Garr turned his gaze towards me. He made a deep incision on his wrist, releasing a torrent of black blood.
Initially, it dripped in small droplets, but upon touching the floor, it transformed into a thick fog.
Bony skeletons emerged from within the mist, and human-like figures moved along the perimeter of the dark vapor, unable to cross its fragile boundary.
[Black Magic has birthed a Dark Art. Sorcery finds its roots in Filth.
You can adopt this skill and harness another energy as the primary source, altering its fundamental nature of the skill.]
How intriguing.
[How many skills can I learn at a time?]
[From each Transformation, no more than 9.]
[That's quite a lot...]
[You haven't encountered a better option. It would be wise to save the drops for the right moment. If you absorb the essences of other Players, you may acquire hundreds of rare skills. However, given your luck, I doubt you'll have any Transformation drops left after completing the Arena.]
[So I can still use the drops after the Arena ends?]
[Of course. There are many Elixirs that can only be utilized on the battlefield. However, the rarer ones are usually reserved for critical situations.]
I surveyed the quarter of the field cluttered with skeletons.
With a flick of my tail, I disintegrated most of the bone army into droplets of blood, reclaiming their original essence.
[We have entered the outer territory of the Lands of Punishment. You have approximately 6 hours to learn the skills.]
[Good. Let's get started.]
My consciousness split in two as I opened my "eyes" and perceived the world through the vision of both Transformations.
The windows displaying their respective characteristics merged into one, and I gave the green light to acquire Witchcraft and Sound Attack. The cat, with a pleading look, also handed me the Profession.
I could feel the slender tendrils penetrating every pore, siphoning the energy from my muscles. Runes and symbols pierced my mind, flooding my entire being with new information.
---
I beheld the Dark Space, illuminated by distant stars. Asteroids and cosmic dust floated nearby, while numerous galaxies and vibrant clouds adorned the cosmic expanse with their ethereal beauty.
How breathtaking.
The air was absent in this space, so the 605th surrounded me with a protective barrier. I couldn't perceive any temperature either.
We approached a particular star, its radiance shielded by a mesmerizing multicolored barrier.
The chubby cat delved into the breast pocket of its blue wool and retrieved something resembling a motherboard.
With an electric arc, an elderly man materialized before us, holding a wooden staff. He was enveloped in a warm yellow glow, wearing a flowing white robe.
The old man, with a thick gray beard and a bald head, exuded an aura of wisdom.
With swift movements, he accepted the "document" from the cat's paw. His profound eyes absorbed every detail, and upon flipping the board, he immersed himself in deep contemplation.
After a few minutes, he nodded and sent a bolt of lightning from the tip of his staff towards the multicolored barrier.
A resounding voice echoed through space:
"PARTICIPANT 137 IS SENTENCED TO THE REALM OF CHAOS, PRIMITIVENESS, AND SORROW. WELCOME TO THE INITIAL PUNISHMENT STAGE, "NEMFIS."
I was pulled downward, descending into the billowing white clouds. In the final moments, I locked eyes with the cat's black pupils as it whispered:
[Good luck.]
---
I plunged into the murky swamp, its thick and viscous embrace consuming me up to my waist. With a determined effort, I flapped my wings, struggling to free myself from the suffocating clutches of the mire.
As I ascended, I immediately collided with an unseen barrier, forcefully pushing me back into the sticky soil.
Recalling the system's explanation, I understood the nature of the Nemphis world:
"Primitiveness, chaos, and sadness are the very essence of the Nemphis world. It is a realm where darkness prevails, fueled by the negative emotions of consumed souls. Even you will leave your mark upon this kingdom.
Beware of impulsive actions, for you may find it difficult to distinguish reality from hallucinations. You could even harm yourself in battle, as your own tail may turn against you, and you won't perceive the deceit.
Exercise caution when dealing with the 'inhabitants' of this world. They lack physical forms but possess the favor of Nemfis. They excel in various deceptions, and many Players have met their demise due to their convincing 'practical jokes'...
You will eventually meet the King, and that is when your Punishment shall commence. However, reaching him is the first challenge I cannot provide guidance as I have not traversed this area myself. Only Players are granted access.
Punishment serves as a trial of your abilities. Failure to complete all the tasks within the World will condemn you to perpetual illusions.
It is worth noting that time behaves erratically here, sometimes passing swiftly, and at other times, crawling slowly...
...The terrain is shaped by the perspective and prejudices of the Punished."