Free Web NovelChapter 21: Chapter 21: The Revelation of Symbiosis
The cave fell silent after the Gore-Boar crashed to the ground, its massive body twitched once against the cold stone before going still.
Blood spread slowly beneath the corpse, dark and thick across the damp cave floor.
Qhuin stood on top of the dead Rank C monster while crimson smoke curled around his smaller demonic frame. His claws were buried deep inside the beast’s torn neck. Thin streams of blood floated unnaturally through the air toward his mouth like red threads being pulled by invisible hands.
The timer above his vision continued ticking downward.
[Combat Mode Remaining: 00:14]
The boar’s blood tasted rich.
Far richer than the weak academy beasts.
Warm mana flooded through his body in waves so intense that it almost hurt. His muscles tightened. His senses sharpened again. Every heartbeat inside the cave became loud and clear.
Then the system screen exploded across his vision.
[Ding!]
[Target Consumed: Gore-Boar]
[Rank: C]
[Blood Purity Evaluation: High]
[Blood Energy Gained: +148] freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
[Current Blood Energy: 148 / 500]
Qhuin’s crimson eyes narrowed looking at the energy he got.
The bullies behind the magical barrier had completely stopped talking.
Marcus’s cousin stared at the dead Gore-Boar with pale, shaking eyes. The two hired noble students beside him looked even worse. One of them had fallen backward onto the cave floor.
Nobody understood what they had just witnessed.
A rabbit had killed a Rank C monster in less than a minute.
No. That wasn’t a rabbit, the thing standing on the corpse did not look harmless anymore.
Black smoke drifted from Qhuin’s body like a living shadow. Crimson lines glowed faintly beneath his darkened fur while his narrow red eyes burned in the darkness of the cave.
Then Lina finally moved.
"S-Snowy...?"
Her voice trembled weakly from the corner of the cavern.
She slowly lifted her head from the ground where she had collapsed earlier. Dirt clung to her hair and sleeves. Her blue eyes were wide with shock as she stared at the creature standing atop the Gore-Boar.
Qhuin glanced toward her, for a moment, neither of them moved.
Then her face twitched as pain exploded through Lina’s body.
"Agh—!"
Golden-blue mana burst from her chest without warning.
The entire cave shook violently.
Marcus’s cousin stumbled backward in panic as a massive wave of mana erupted outward from Lina like a storm.
"What the hell?!"
A giant holographic screen suddenly appeared in the darkness above her body.
The cave walls lit up instantly.
[Ding!]
[Hidden Talent Detected]
[SSS-Rank Talent: Infinite Symbiosis]
[Compatibility Confirmed]
[Symbiotic Energy Transfer Initiated]
Qhuin’s eyes widened for the first time since entering the cave.
’The system...Activated her talent?’
Lina gasped for air sharply as mana flooded through her body, she felt like fire was racing through her veins.
The small mana core inside her chest expanded violently. Cracks of blue light spread across her skin while wind exploded around her body.
The cave floor cracked beneath her knees.
The bullies backed away in horror.
"She’s re-awakening!"
"That’s impossible!"
"She’s just a commoner!"
Lina grabbed her chest while breathing heavily.
Everything around her suddenly became clearer.
She could hear dripping water deep inside the cave and she could hear the terrified heartbeats behind the barrier.
She could even see Qhuin clearly through the darkness despite the lack of light, her body felt lighter, faster, and stronger.
"What... is happening to me...?"
The system continued glowing above her.
[Infinite Symbiosis Active]
[50% of absorbed mana redirected to contractor.]
[Contractor mana channels expanding.]
[Physical enhancement synchronized.]
Qhuin stared at the screen silently, So this was the true value of her talent.
’Ridiculous.’
Half of the energy he absorbed automatically flowed into Lina, No wonder the system tied him to her survival.
This girl would become a monster if she stayed connected to him long enough.
Lina slowly lifted her head again.
Her gaze landed on Qhuin’s transformed body, from the crimson eyes to the black smoke surrounding his body then at his blood-covered claws.
Her lips parted slightly.
"S... Snowy?"
Qhuin froze, for a brief second, he wondered if she was finally afraid of him.
Then Lina suddenly crawled toward him in panic.
"You’re hurt!"
Qhuin blinked, she completely ignored the dead Gore-Boar beside him and grabbed his smaller demonic body carefully into her arms.
"You’re bleeding everywhere!"
Most of the blood wasn’t his, but Lina clearly couldn’t tell anymore.
Qhuin stared up at her in disbelief while she frantically checked his paws and ears for injuries.
Even in this form, even after watching him slaughter a Rank C beast. She was still worried about him first.
’Silly human.’ he laughed
One of his long ears twitched automatically when her fingers brushed against it.
Then, to his absolute horror, his body relaxed slightly.
’No.Not now.’
Lina pulled him closer protectively against her chest while tears gathered in her eyes again.
"I thought you were going to die..."
Qhuin immediately tried resisting the softness, unfortunately, his rabbit instincts betrayed him again.
His body melted slightly into her arms before he caught himself.
’Curse this useless body.’
The system timer continued ticking down.
[Combat Mode Remaining: 00:05]
The bullies finally noticed.
Marcus’s cousin pointed shakily toward Qhuin.
"It’s changing back—!"
Crimson smoke exploded around Qhuin’s body again.
His larger demonic frame rapidly shrank, and his sharp claws disappeared.
The sleek dark fur softened instantly into fluffy snow-white fur again.
Within seconds—
A tiny rabbit sat quietly in Lina’s arms, his crimson eyes faded back into harmless ruby-colored rabbit eyes.
The cave became completely silent.
Marcus’s cousin stared blankly.
The two noble students looked like their brains had stopped working entirely.
The terrifying monster from seconds ago, had turned back into a fluffy bunny.
Qhuin slowly lifted one paw and cleaned his face innocently.
Then he let out a tiny squeak.
The entire cave somehow became even more uncomfortable.
