NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32. Shadows
"They finally managed to convince me to go to a therapist. Well, more like Lily did all of the job while the Hales were just nodding along. The first visit didn't go bad per se, but I'm not so sure about opening up to some random stranger. I practically made the man fight for every single sentence... Honestly, I'm not too sold on the idea. I am getting better on my own, I don't need a therapist. Unfortunately, I still need to go to another two visits. That's what I promised Lily..."
~ Fourth entry, Leo's Journal
Devour (Epic)
Bread and butter of every creature that rose from the pits of the Void. This evolved version of Consume is why Voidlings are meant to be feared. Now go and devour; this is only the beginning.
Effects:
Grants the ability to consume Essence from your enemy, be it dead or alive. Offers a slight chance to permanently absorb power from fallen foes. You can now replenish your reserves and heal yourself using the devoured Essence.
First Epic ability I see, and it doesn't disappoint. Healing, charging my reserves, and stealing power. Leo rubbed his brow, his eyes still a bit wide. Even if the chance is small, this part alone makes this evolution worth more than anything I had previously seen.
This could be the edge Leo needed, the power to rise above the monsters that stalked the Earth. Hell, even if he only absorbed something once every hundred beasts, it would still be worth it.
The ability to heal and replenish his energy was also a priceless gift. No more resting after each fight just because Leo's reserves couldn't handle another battle. No more constant pain coursing through his body that always begged him to let it rest.
No, with Devour, Leo could eliminate all of those problems. Well, at least to some degree. There is no way that an ability like this doesn't have some drawbacks or limitations.
Or so Leo thought. The System always gave him some warnings regarding the misuse of his abilities. And yet, there was nothing wrong with Devour. Maybe it will only warn me after I acquire it? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case...
Leo sighed, the evolution menu dissolving in front of his eyes. It was tempting, so tempting to evolve right away and claim the power of the Void for himself. But should I?
While the Void evolution easily presented Leo with many advantages, it also had a few drawbacks, at least in his current situation.
Leo had no clue how the process of evolving even worked. It could take hours for all that he knew, and a Nest full of hostile Voidlings wasn't a place to leave himself vulnerable. Of course, Leo could choose an evolution from the menu to see if it gave some kind of warning before proceeding, but he didn't want to risk it.
Apart from that, Leo had two more concerns that were somewhat related. The loss of his humanity and the unavoidable physical change.
He had already lost so much during the last few days, and Leo wasn't too sure how much more he could handle. He kept going because he had to, but was he prepared for another step... No, not a step, but a deep dive into this new reality?
Leo possessed a way out of this, an obvious one. The Risen Human evolution would let him hold onto his dying humanity for a little bit longer. It could even heal his curse, something that even now terrified Leo from time to time.
Yet, could he really take the easy way out?
No, no matter the choice, the Void will always be a part of me, Leo closed his eyes, his hand hovering above his left breast. I can't run away from this, nor do I truly want to. If this is to be my path, then so be it. Just... Just not now. I need a bit more time.
Time to both fully accept the inevitable change and to find the first part of his family. Only a few hours passed since Nikra's shard changed him forever, and Leo wanted at least a few more to get familiar with everything that had happened. Besides, it would be wise to at least check out the second evolution from the original three.
I'm pretty close to reaching the requirements, so there is no harm in waiting a bit. Leo nodded to himself. And it would be nice to find some sane humans before undergoing any physical alterations. Who knows what I will look like after evolving.
Leo hoped the first evolution would keep him at least with a humanoid appearance. Too much change at once didn't seem like the best of ideas. Especially when he already had so much on his shoulders. Getting used to an entirely new body wasn't on Leo's list of priorities for now.
Whatever, Leo slumped against the organic wall. No use in overthinking this. I have a few hours to kill before the sun rises, and I would rather not develop a depression...
Now, let's see. It has been a while since I checked this.
Name: Leonardo Brown
Title: Nikra's Legacy
Evolution Stage: I - Tainted Human
Class: Assassin | LVL. 9
Job: Hunter
Rank: F+
Might Tier I (13) | LB: 15
Grace: Tier I (25) | LB: 11
Vision: Tier I (14) | LB: 6
Mind: Tier I (20) | LB: 0
Soul: Tier I (13) | LB: 9
Ether: 70
Traits: Assassin's Grace (Common), Tainted (Uncommon), True Affinity: Shadow (Rare)
Mutations: Heart of the Void (Beta)
Racial Skills: Universal Linguist (Unique), Identify (Unique), Essence Control (Uncommon), Drain (Uncommon)
General Skills: Dagger Mastery (Common), True Stealth (Uncommon), Vital Strike (Common), Reinforcement (Uncommon), Kiss of Death (Uncommon), Hunter's Pulse (Rare)
Nikra's Legacy. Leo grimaced as the title continued to taunt him. Life was complicated enough even before he had acquired it. Now... Well, now Leo could hardly find the correct words to describe what his life had become.
Before his trip to the Void, his family and Voidlings were all he had to worry about. And now, with this title, Leo probably gained more enemies than he did during his entire life. Hell, he had no clue who those people even were.
And isn't that a disturbing thought…
At least I'm getting more and more from attribute efficiency. Leo thought with a sigh, forcing his attention back to the status. Seven additional points, if I'm counting correctly. Yet, all of them are still in Tier I, even after Grace reached twenty-five. I wonder...
At this point, Leo understood most of the System's inner workings regarding status. However, the meaning of the tiers next to his attributes still escaped him. Neither focusing on them nor Identify helped here. He'd have to wait until one of his attributes finally ascended higher. Maybe then the System might be generous enough to provide Leo with some information.
Wishful thinking, He chuckled quietly as he scanned the status window once again. Only a few days, and it has already changed so much. How will you look after a month? A year?
Shaking his head, Leo dismissed the window and brought up another one. He had almost forgotten about it at this point.
Install: Touch of Carnage (Rare):
An install-type item created as the result of the aftermath of an Essence explosion that intermingled with the souls and blood of multiple Voidlings. The ensuing carnage directed the overflow of Essence towards the formation of the first Install item on Earth.
Limit Break: +6 Might and Vision, +2 Grace.
Passive: First Circle - Blood is the answer (79%).
I guess slaughtering my way through a Rift Passage full of strong Voidlings is one way to quickly fill this up. Leo mused as he tapped the passive a few more times. Still nothing. Well, only one way to find out what it does. Shouldn't take too long to get it full.
Despite Leo's curiosity about the item, he was also a bit hesitant when it came to fulfilling the passive's requirements. 'First Circle' almost screamed that it wasn't the end of the road. If the item required blood in its current state, what could it possibly want in the next stage?
Flesh? Essence? Leo grimaced as a frown spread on his face. I can do the latter, no problem, but flesh? A shudder suddenly ran through his body. Yeah, I should probably leave it for now. Speculations like this never lead to anything good.
As the window faded away, Leo's mind began to wander. So many thoughts occupied his mind, but none remained in focus for longer than a few seconds, not without Leo's permission. Yet, even then, one subject brought back another and then another.
That's what happens when you push all of your problems away, you idiot. Leo sighed, running a hand through his hair. I really need some human company, or I will go insane... For now, I need to do something; anything will do at this point.
He could, of course, head out and pick a fight with some Shadow Tails. Was it wise? Not in the slightest, and Leo would rather not risk any injury before dawn. He had had enough of those already.
Suddenly, the status window flashed before Leo's eyes, and he groaned as the realization hit him. Right, I have just the thing to occupy my time. It seems I'm more tired than I feel, not that I can do much about it. Anyway...
Another menu materialized with Leo's silent command, and he wasted no time selecting the right option. Alright then, let's see what you got for me.
Hunt. Hunt. Extermination. Find the lair of Collectors again. Find and harvest the Core of a Nest. Leo blinked. Huh, a bit more than the last time I checked. I wonder if some of those jobs are available for multiple professions. Probably.
Shrugging, Leo chose the extermination job.
Extermination: Earth
Slay 50 Voidlings. Commissioned by: System. Time Limit: 5 Earth days
Rewards:
5 Ether Flares, Common item related to the User's job
Do you wish to accept?
Rewards are different than before. No idea what the flares are, though. Leo noted, scratching his chin. No harm in finding out, and I will never say no to a free item that might be useful.
Yes. With that simple command, the System once again left Leo alone. Only the muted raging of the beasts reached his ears; for once, Leo was grateful. He might have fallen asleep without the constant noise. Even then, he sat there for minutes, slightly swaying left and right until a single thought pierced through the sound.
Shit, definitely more tired than I feel, Leo shook his head, trying to clear his mind of a fog that threatened to consume him. Focus. What had the Traveler said? Right... 'Think about the element you possess and let it encompass you.'
Leo groaned. This is going to be fun…
At once, Essence surged through his body, spreading the familiar tingling sensation over the skin of his arms. Just like Leo expected, the energy fought his command initially. Thankfully a moment of tug of war resolved the issue for the time being.
Leo tsked. My control is still shit. Gonna need to work on it later... Now, how do I let shadows encompass me? Maybe something similar to the Pulse?
Without any better idea, Leo shut his eyes and filled his mind with visions full of shadows and darkness. He let them drown him, never losing focus of the Essence gathered in his arms.
Let's try it.
A single thought pushed the visions of shadows into the waiting Essence. In unison, every bit of energy splashed against the wave of mental power, and Leo's eyes snapped open as his arms suddenly fell to the ground.
"What the fu..." He murmured when his arms refused to move, no matter how hard he tried. Hell, even the glow of his cursed arm weakened.
My Essence is still there. Leo narrowed his eyes as he poked around the energy. It felt stronger and darker, much darker. Did I just glue myself?
Moving his Essence carefully, Leo watched as the shadow underneath his healthy arm wiggled left and right. Frowning, he gave it a single command.
Separate.
Immediately a shudder ran through Leo's entire body as the weight on his arms disappeared. Slowly, he raised them both and watched with a growing grin as the shadows beneath stayed in the same place, never trying to follow after his limbs.
Alright, now let's try this. With a single tug, Leo's Essence obeyed like an eager dog. It slithered up his body, covering him in a thin layer of shadowy mist, not unlike the one that the creatures of this Nest wielded.
The moment the mist spread to his right arm, Leo gave it another command while pushing more Essence into his affinity. Like before, the fog was eager to please and quickly expanded in his palm.
At this point, Leo's grin almost split his face, yet his gaze still remained glued to the shadow palm. Or rather to the long, semi-transparent blade lying on it.
Interesting.