Free Web NovelChapter 194: A Shadowmancer In Peril (2)
[Skill: <Shadow Heal> has been used. 29 Domination points have been consumed. Remaining points: 348.]
Shinon took a deep breath as soon as his injuries healed. However, he understood that his current skills weren’t enough to defeat the Gnasher.
’As if having explosive strength wasn’t enough, its adaptability makes things even more annoying...’ Shinon thought as he dodged another barrage of attacks from the undead. ’Its Adaptability! That’s it!’
With a rough plan in his mind, Shinon stopped dodging the creature’s attacks and charged towards it instead. The creature’s massive form lunged at him with startling speed, its bone sword in front.
Shinon’s instincts kicked into overdrive. He ducked, twisted, and sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the Necrognasher’s bone-shattering strike. His heart raced as adrenaline flooded his veins, heightening his senses.
<Ability [Shadow Mimic] has been activated!>
<The User’s stats have been boosted for 10 minutes!>
<The User will retain 36 STR points after the skill duration is over.>
<The User will retain 43 AGI points after the skill duration is over.>
<The User will retain 21 DEF points after the skill duration is over.>
<[Adaptabilty] skill has been copied from the Necrognasher!>
Ashton’s eyes turned pitch black as he activated the mimic skill. An electric pulse rushed through his veins, his senses tingling as he absorbed a fraction of the Necrognasher’s stats. It was a risky move, but he hoped it would tip the scales in his favour.
"Fuck... something’s off..." Shinon mumbled through gritted teeth as excruciating pain hit his entire body.
Overwhelming suffering burned into his senses as the Nercogrnasher’s power coursed through him. At that moment, Shinon realised that the very essence of the Necrognasher’s strength was a double-edged sword.
Even if his body was a balloon created to absorb his opponent’s strengths, there was a limit to which the balloon could stretch itself. By using <Shadow Mimic> on the Necrognasher, Shinon had pushed himself to the limit.
The new power was threatening to consume him. Shinon’s body trembled, his vision blurring as he struggled to contain the sheer force he had absorbed.
The pain was searing like a white-hot fire rod had been thrust inside his chest. The intense pain threatened to immobilise him. But Shinon knew he couldn’t afford to remain idle, or else it would be the end of him.
"Goddamnit!" Shinon screamed in pain, clutching his chest, hoping it’ll ease the pain.
Every fibre of his being screamed in protest of absorbing the strange power. Soon his muscles began tensing and contorting against his will. It was as if the Necrognasher’s power was an invisible force churning his insides, a force too potent for Shinon to harness.
Amid his torment, a chilling realisation dawned upon him. The Nercognasher wouldn’t stand still and waste an opportunity like this to get rid of him.
Fighting through the pain, Shinon forced himself to look up and saw the creature standing over him. Its bony sword was parallel to Shinon’s struggling self as Necrognasher leaned on his sword while staring at Shinon’s labour.
However, the moment didn’t last long as Nercognasher stepped back and prepared to hit Shinon with his sword. The Necrognasher, sensing an opportunity, launched another ferocious attack.
Shinon closed his eyes, trying to make peace with his end. But something was off... he expected more pain to come his way, but none did. He opened his eyes, thinking that the Necrognasher wanted to toy with him before ending him for good.
But to Shinon’s astonishment, he was nowhere near the Nercognasher. His body moved on its own accord, reacting with uncanny speed, evading the creature’s strike unnaturally. It was as if his instincts had overtaken him and pushed his body without the mind’s consent.
[Skill absorption has been completed.]
[Passive Skill: <Adaptability> has been transformed into Passive Skill: <Combat Instinct> due to the User’s low level.] ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"So I’m alive because of this skill?" Shinon breathed a sigh of relief as he stared at his shaky arms.
In a twist of fate, the skill that had brought him to his knees was now working in his favour, granting him the ability to predict and evade the Necrognasher’s movements.
Although the <Adaptability> skill was now something different, <Combat Instinct> was a skill more suited to his current abilities and experience.
Shinon smiled while flexing his fingers. The numbness that had consumed his arms was no longer there. In fact, he felt more energetic than ever., ready to take down even the most dangerous foes.
The Necrognasher let out a bone-chilling growl, its eyes narrowing as it prepared to launch another attack. But Shinon was ready; his body continuously responded to the threat before it fully materialised.
It seemed that time slowed as the Necrognasher’s attack descended upon him. Shinon’s body moved on its own, his muscles responding to the <Combat Instinct> skill’s guidance.
In the blink of an eye, Shinon closed the distance between them. The Blade of Chaos whirled through the air, aimed at the Necrognasher’s exposed flank, slicing through the creature’s decaying flesh with a sickening squelch.
However, the strike alone wouldn’t have been effective as the creature would heal itself, thanks to <Adaptability>. Shinon knew it and was already prepared as he retrieved a flaming machete from his inventory, plunging it into the wound to stop the Nercognasher’s healing.
But the battle was far from over. The undead couldn’t feel any pain, and as such, the creature proceeded to strike Shinon.
The bone sword slashed through the air, threatening to cleave Shinon in two. Yet, as the blade neared, Shinon’s body moved independently, guided by the <Combat Instinct> skill. He twisted and ducked, the bone sword whistling past him.
"Oh boy, this is great!"
Now that Shinon no longer had to worry about defending himself, he focused all his efforts on killing the damned creature before him.
At the same time, a strange figure in a lab coat watched him through a surveillance network, taking data of his every move, albeit small or big.
"To think a mere human could challenge our creation... interesting."
