The Begotten Fiend

Chapter 18: Fall

I fell to the ground, succumbing to gravity. Even though I didn’t empower my limbs, when I hit the ground, it didn’t hurt that bad.

Am I naturally getting stronger?

Looking up at the remains of the slime, the rainbow forming from its carcass was so beautiful it twinkled. I couldn’t help but smile at my own work.

"Even though violence is such an aggressive act, it can give quite a nice view, wouldn’t you say, Zenith?"

Of course, it didn’t respond my remark, though even I understood it was rhetorical.

"On another note, how did you do that? The thing where you showed me what skill to use." It was weird. Just as I’d given up hope, information filled my head like I’d just gained a skill. It told me what to do in that moment, and how.

[...]

Whatever. All’s well that ends well. "We really do make a good team though, huh, Zenith?"

The silence was sharp, not because I was expecting a response, but because it was short-lived.

[Ready your guard.]

What?

I looked from side to side, searching the source of Zenith’s warning, but there was nothing there. "What are you talking about--"

The beautiful rainbow that shone above me collapsed in on itself--following the random coalescence of blue matter building in the air.

The slime I’d destroyed was regaining its form, reclaiming the bits of itself.

"The hell?" I clenched my fist, preparing myself. I wasn’t going to let it come back. I bent down, tilting my shoulders down. Just as I’d pulled my chest in to build up energy, a sharp stabbing sensation sprouted.

Looking down, blood oozed from the wound I’d received earlier from its attack. "Damn."

I didn’t linger on my gash, I didn’t have time. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

Wait, what the hell?

The slime was already on the ground, zipping towards me at speeds too quick to follow.

And with no limbs no less.

I grit through the pain, sidestepping away from it. The moment the slime touched where I’d just been standing, it unleashed several of its slashes from earlier.

Pushing as much mana as I could into both arms, I stepped into its direction. I’m not going to run here.

Keeping both my fists at my sides, I watched the slashes carefully. When they’d entered arms-length, I did a horizontal sweep with both--flattening my palms to cover as much areas as possible.

As I’d expected, the slashes lost their shape once hit at their center. At the same time, I watched the slime. It didn’t move yet.

This is my chance!

"Gyahhh!" I rushed towards it, urging my legs to use all their power. The entire time, the slime didn’t try to attack me once.

Interesting, but it doesn’t matter. A dead slime is a dead slime.

The ground shook as my heel dug into the dirt. A storm of dirt exploded in the air as I swept the floor with my foot.

The air splattered with blue. My low sweep landed successfully on the slime, turning it again into rain. "Not so tough, huh?"

Again, the slime’s remnants started to move, hauling to a place behind me. "What?" I looked back, and there it was, again on the ground.

And just inches away from me was a big slash.

My entire back screamed. Horrible pain stabbed the edges of my skin that’d been cut by one of the slime’s slashes. Instinctively, I closed my eyes to scream out loud.

That was a big mistake.

I dropped to my knees, reacting to another source of pain. It came from my foot.

"Uggggghhhhhyyaaaa!" It was hot, searing. There was no better way to describe it than a bunch of hot knives clawing their way through your muscle, melting fat, and stabbing skin. I grabbed my leg, pulling my left foot towards me.

It was my worst fear. The wound was so deep that I could see my own fat, wriggling around the bone right at the back of my ankle. I couldn’t flex my ankle back. No, I couldn’t even make it budge.

[’Pain Threshold’ Reached. Numbing Pain.]

Like receiving an angel’s grace, my mind flew from the relief. It gave me mere moments to recollect my thoughts.

There the slime was, flying in the air just above me. A sharp, blue wave flew towards me. "Shit."

Scratching at the dirt with both hands, I rolled away to my left. Dirt flew into my right eye--coming from the ground the slime’s slash hit.

Rubbing my eye, I struggled, pushing myself up from the ground as best I could. The slime was already moving towards me, and I had no refractory period.

"Zenith, hurry up, tell me how to kill this thing!" Slouching from my severed Achilles, I dragged myself away, keeping eye contact with the slime.

[As you have noticed, the being before you does not falter to physical attack.]

I ducked to the ground, narrowly avoiding another slash. Even though it didn’t hurt, I couldn’t feel my left foot anymore. It made getting off the ground that much harder.

"Yeah, yeah! Hurry the hell up with the explanation!" The slime slithered its way to me, jumping into the air to get a clear line of sight.

For a moment, I paused. But I decided that I would no longer resign myself to those weaker than me. I’m definitely not dying to this little ball!

"Push!" With an open palm facing its direction, I got the slime off me--sending it flying several dozen feet.

Using my right side to support my left, I stood up.

"Zenith, now is not the time to stay silent! How do I beat this thing!"

Before I had a chance to breathe, the slime already came within view. Instead of facing me head on, it bolted to the side--where there were only trees.

"What...?"

It was only then that I saw it. A streak of blue filled my vision. It jumped from one tree to my left to another to my right.

Then again, only right to left. Then again, but faster.

Eventually, the number of streaks increased. Its momentum picked up, so much so that I couldn’t even see its body anymore.

The entire area was filled with blurred afterimages of the slime.

I wanted to run, but my slashed ankle meant I could barely walk. I was victim to whatever this slime was about to do.

"Zenith!"

[It is a spiritual being, meaning that it is impervious to physical attacks. To kill one is to destroy its spiritual form, and that is achieved through skills.]

The slime was so fast that I couldn’t see it at all. But as I rolled to my side to hopefully get off the ground, it appeared before me, blitzing through the air so fast that there was a layer of red plasma surrounding it.

And it was headed towards me.

My mind reeled. Time slowed.

I thought a thousand thoughts, each of my death. My body couldn’t move at all. Even my sight was blurred. All that was left was my mind, and the varying degrees of panic I felt.

Damn it, I’m actually going to die here. It’s moving so fast that it’ll blow a hole straight through me.

I tried to will mana to my chest, where the slime was headed. But it didn’t move.

Nothing would listen to me.

Damn it, damn it!

Illias. Lysandra. Father.

They’re the ones who forced me in this situation. I wouldn’t have to be using a beast’s hide as a blanket if it weren’t for them.

I’d have a nice bed if it wasn’t for them.

I’d have Sera--

Seraphine. The look on her face.

Look at me. My life’s flashing before me, and all I can think about is a girl who rejected me. The look of detestation she had as she walked out of that courtroom.

And she was right. I’m undeserving of her attention. I’m the one who screwed it up.

But still--this isn’t over.

If not her, I’ll show the rest of the world that I’m not some magicless loser. I swore that I would burn the entire world down.

And I’m not going to die to some fucking slime. Not in a million years.

If not my mana, there was one thing I could do. If only skills can kill it, then so be it.

’Zenith, for now, give me full access to my mana.’

It didn’t have to say anything, I could already feel the endless power collect and jam me with so much energy that I couldn’t even contain it.

All of this was inside me?

The air around me waned. The dirt beneath me rose.

I’m not going to die here, and most certainly not to a slime.

"Fall." Letting the words leave my mouth just milliseconds before our collision, space itself seemed to bleed into an abysmal black. My power was so great that gravity pulled on the slime like chains. It splattered into the dirt.

Striations filled the atmosphere. My skill, Intimidation, was in full effect.

"You small, pathetic thing. You’re unworthy of even the dirt beneath my heel. Take this as a final redemption." Raising my hand forth, I called it out. "Consume."

Soul flame leapt to eat it up. The slime writhed, but its body was so heavily weighed down that it was, at best, a puddle on the ground.

And that it was, as it finally got consumed by Plunder.

[Foreign soul assimilated into yours. Checking status on skills.]

[Skill successfully foraged! Do you accept?

Yes / No]

I answered yes, feeling knowledge endless knowledge make itself known to me.

[Acquired Basic Skill: Magic Sense]

[Acquired Basic Skill: Regeneration]