Free Web NovelChapter 136: Chapter 130: Devour
Zeke, Cass, and Leonel went silent for a moment, exchanging glances as if deciding who would speak first. Finally, Zeke exhaled sharply and said, "Before I tell you that, answer something for me first. How exactly does the Devour Affinity work?"
Damon leaned back slightly, considering the question. After a brief pause, he said, "From what I’ve experienced so far, it has two distinct aspects. The first is a Skill, and the second is its inherent nature."
Leonel’s curiosity piqued. "Elaborate."
Damon nodded. "The Skill: Devour allows me to consume a being completely."
Zeke’s eyes widened. "Holy shit, that’s overpowered as fuck."
Leonel rolled his eyes. "You, of all people, are the last person who should be saying that." Then, turning his attention back to Damon, he added, "I assume the Skill has some limitations."
Damon confirmed with a nod. "There are. First, I can only use it once per Grade. Second, the being I devour must not be more than a Grade higher than me. Third, I have to land the killing blow myself. And even if the body is damaged or incomplete, its blood essence must remain intact—otherwise, the Skill will fail."
Cass, who had been listening intently, finally spoke. "But when you say ’devour completely,’ what do you actually mean?"
Damon exhaled. "Exactly what it sounds like. If the being meets all the conditions, I can use the Skill to consume it. I gain a boost in my stats, and I also acquire the being’s most powerful Innate Skill. And on top of that, it’s a requirement for me to ascend to the next Grade."
Leonel’s gaze sharpened. "And what did you devour in the F Grade?"
Damon hesitated briefly before answering. "An E Grade Troll. I obtained the Skill: Higher Troll’s Regeneration. It’s also the reason why my Vitality and Stamina stats are significantly higher than my other stats."
Leonel’s lips curled into a smirk. "Good choice. A Skill like Higher Troll’s Regeneration will take you far. If you manage to upgrade it to Troll King’s Regeneration, you’ll be a damn near-perfect tank." He then crossed his arms and added, "Now, tell me about the nature of your Affinity."
Damon tilted his head slightly. "Well, I have extremely large mana reserves, and I can absorb mana much faster than others."
Zeke furrowed his brows. "But your MANA Stat isn’t particularly high."
Damon didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he raised his hand and summoned a small wisp of mana. A dense, potent energy radiated from it, far richer than what was normal for someone at his level.
Realization flashed in Zeke’s eyes. "Quality over quantity, huh? Makes sense."
Damon nodded. "Exactly. So, now that I’ve answered your question, can somebody please answer mine?"
Zeke let out a breath and met Damon’s gaze directly. "Damon, listen carefully. There are only two natural Neo-Nephilims in existence. They are Aunt Kat’s children, Zein and Zia. The rest of us, even Cass and me, were turned. Just like Neo-Humans. The others were either Angels or Demons before becoming what they are."
Damon blanked out for a second, his mind struggling to process the information. Then, his eyes widened in shock. "What did you just say!?"
Zeke continued, undeterred by Damon’s reaction. "Cass and I are the Primogenitors of the Neo-Nephilim bloodline. We created it by fusing the Neo-Human, Ash Demon, and Sol Angel bloodlines."
Cass took over. "And we have the ability to turn others into Neo-Nephilims. There are two methods to do it, but both come with significant risks and requirements. That said, you meet at least one of them." ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Zeke interjected, "No, he meets the requirements for both."
Cass frowned. "Bro, he isn’t a fetus."
Zeke smirked. "That doesn’t matter. He can absorb blood essence, right? And Primogenitors’ Blood is just that—highly condensed blood essence. We’re both E Grade, so it should work. If both of us give him our Primogenitors’ Blood and then use Faith to complete the process, we can turn him. He’s already a Saint, which means we can use the second method as well."
Cass shook his head firmly. "No. It’s too dangerous."
Zeke met his eyes without hesitation. "I agree that it’s risky. But it’s also his best shot at breaking free from the shackles holding him back."
Leonel, who had been silent for most of the discussion, cleared his throat. "Guys, did you bother asking Damon if he even wants this? You’re talking about turning him into something entirely different—maybe even something irreversible. Did it occur to you that he should have a say in it?"
Cass and Zeke paused. A brief but heavy silence settled between them.
Then, Cass turned to Damon, his voice softer. "He’s right. We should have at least asked for your opinion first."
Damon took a deep breath. His expression was resolute. "Turn me."
Cass blinked. "What? You haven’t even heard the potential dangers—"
Damon cut him off. "I don’t care. Turn me. And use both methods. If I die, then I die. At least this will be my choice. I’m done living a life that has already been mapped out for me by someone else."
Cass hesitated. "Still—"
This time, Zeke interrupted. "You heard him. He wants this. And so do I. If this were a democracy, I’d say I win. But it isn’t. And I still win."
Cass narrowed his eyes, grabbing Zeke by the shoulder and pulling him aside. He lowered his voice. "This isn’t a game. There’s no winning or losing here. We’re talking about someone’s life, Zeke."
Zeke’s expression darkened, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with something colder. "A life that he’s willing to risk." His voice was lower, edged with something Cass hadn’t heard in a long time. "Cass, you need to understand something. This is war. And wars demand sacrifices. I’ve already lost this war once, and I will not lose it again. No matter what I have to do. No matter who I have to kill. Their lives are inconsequential to me."
He took a step closer, his eyes glinting with intensity. "Make no mistake, I’m not hiding behind some noble cause or pretending it’s for the greater good. It is what it is. Maybe I’m selfish, but you don’t get to tell me what to do. You haven’t lived through war like I have. Not yet."
Cass stared at him, stunned into silence. It had been a long time since Zeke had let his emotions show so openly. He swallowed. "I didn’t know you felt that way."
Zeke exhaled sharply. "I never said anything, and you never asked. Maybe we need to work on our communication skills after all. But that’s a problem for later. Right now, we turn Damon. Using both methods."
Cass closed his eyes for a moment, then let out a resigned sigh. "Fuck it. Let’s do this."
