Chương 56: Not a Day Goes by Without Fighting Something

The group ran as fast as they could, lunging through the ferns and sliding around the trees, but behind them, monkey cries echoed closer and closer as the beasts moved through the jungle, using their multiple legs to launch themselves from tree to tree and even spitting thick webbing, which they then used to swing forward even faster. There was no question that the monkeys were faster and would soon catch up to them.

"Silex, Vesper, cast your barriers. They have almost caught up to us. Don't be afraid of what is about to happen, alright?" he warned as he transformed back into human form and tossed the Devourer puppet to Sprout. Sprout merged with the puppet, this time actually entering its body, becoming one with the large Devourer plant, while Vesper summoned his pack and Silex snapped his maw, ready to crunch some bones.

"Embi, we need you." Maximus summoned the spirit, which floated into the air above them and prepared a few fireballs that orbited it like small, burning stars. Just a couple of minutes later, three groups of monstrous monkeys arrived, each one around three meters tall, their eyes shining red as they screamed and leapt wildly through the canopy.

"NOW!" Maximus shouted and channeled his Centipede blessing. A surge of energy enveloped him as his body crunched and shifted, growing to eight meters in size and morphing into a massive abyssal centipede. His pincers snapped furiously as he released a wide cone of acid, spraying dozens of monkeys before him and drenching them in bone-melting liquid.

"Hahahah, go Max, go. You nasty, glorious thing!" Silex roared as he charged into a nearby group, his maw catching a tangle of legs as he slammed them around, snapping limbs and crushing skulls. The monkeys surrounded him and spat copious amounts of webbing before they started pummeling him.

A massive roar echoed from beneath the concrete-thick strands as Silex's snapping maw shattered the web, and he lunged free, Aqua Jet already surging within his jaws as he opened wide and spun, slicing the surrounding apes clean in half. Above him, Embi spat fireballs, finishing the ones still alive.

Meanwhile, Sprout grabbed one of the monkeys with his massive plant maw and began releasing acid, digesting the thrashing creature, which tore at parts of the puppet, but Sprout poured his increased spirit reserves into it, healing the wounds just as quickly. As the jaws crushed the monkey, he released tentacle-like vines, whipping outward and keeping the others at bay. Vesper and his pack surged into the group that arrived from the north, the ones Sprout had observed eating the snake.

A carnal urge awakened in him as he began his slaughter. The monkeys were faster, but he didn't care, as the ones that avoided his teeth were sniped down with beams of bloody mana, shattering bones and piercing flesh. His pack joined in and brought them down one by one, overwhelming them with sheer numbers and dragging them apart. Maximus, in his centipede form, released thick black smoke, swallowing the rest in darkness as his massive body slithered around them and coiled tightly. Crunch.

The bodies shattered and fell, and dying screams escaped the monkeys' bodies. The few that were still alive screamed and lunged at Maximus, trying to bite through and shatter his shell, but he ignored them and shook them loose, tossing them into the air, only to swat them down with his spiked lower body.

Boom, the last of the monkeys exhaled their final breath, and Maximus's transformation expired, dispersing like black smoke and leaving behind Maximus with bloodshot eyes and black veins slowly fading from his neck and hands. You have defeated: [Weaver Apes Lv. 28] x 34 Talent Points gained: +2 Battle Tokens earned: 900 These rewards seem to become less and less the more we kill beasts of similar levels.

It would seem that we need to kill max-level ones to gain more, he thought as Vesper landed next to him, still swallowing a piece of meat.

"Boss, you don't look that good," he said, concern evident in his voice.

"I am fine, just a bit tired after that transformation. It drains me mentally quite a bit, and unexpectedly so," Maximus admitted. That skill doesn't work like normal skills or even my old magic. This was something stronger, like I tapped into something deeper… darker… He thought, but shook the feeling away for now.

"Max, you smelly bastard. That was amazing!" Silex walked over, laughing loudly.

"Thank you… I suppose. Let's move on. I'll save some of the monkeys for you if you want," Maximus offered.

"Don't bother; they are disgusting. Taste like death!" Silex complained.

"Agreed," Vesper nodded.

"Alright then, let me collect the cores first, and maybe some of this webbing. It does look quite strong, and then we go," Maximus added, pulling out a small kitchen knife that he enhanced with spirit energy. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. While Maximus was cutting up the webbing that didn't solidify and rolling it into rough spools, Sprout sensed something through his connection to nature and started cheering excitedly.

"Found something interesting?" Maximus asked, and Sprout clapped happily in response.

"Give me ten more minutes," Maximus said. Once he had stored everything of use, the group started following Sprout, who ran as fast as he could. They veered to the right, heading southward, and moved for about half an hour until they stopped before a lake surrounded by coconut trees, and in the center of the lake, a large crystal protruded like a small island. Maximus gasped as he activated World Sense.

The lake was full of water numina intertwined with pure liquid mana, and the whole lake was connected to the trees of the region with a web of small underground rivers, almost like a single living organism. Maximus crouched next to the lake's edge and took a sip. His body shook as pure energy passed through him and seeped into his being. He sensed his seed grow slightly larger as it absorbed the excess numina, and the pure mana seeped into his bones. Hmm… again, mana normally passes into me.

He frowned and settled into a meditative position. He closed his eyes and began sensing the mana around him, and with the power of his will, he grabbed a sliver of it, a small ribbon, and pulled it inward toward his heart in an attempt to create his first circle. As soon as he did, the old song began vibrating through his being. Alert: Mana detected within the heart! Danger! Danger! Danger! He expelled the mana from his heart and sighed, defeated. Like it's my first day here… Damn ridiculous.

He sighed again and crouched to take another sip of the water. The water responded the same way, numina flowing into his seed while liquid mana seeped into his bones, flowing cleanly as if guided by unseen rules.

"Everyone, drink this water and let it strengthen you. This is a divine gift!" Maximus said enthusiastically, a spark of excitement breaking through his earlier frustration. Sprout sank his small feet into the ground, which grew into long roots that burrowed into the depths of the lake, feeding his plant-like body as it lightly trembled with absorbed energy, while Embi flew toward the crystal, landing on its tip and beginning to draw in the pure, untainted crystallized mana.

Silex lunged into the lake and started swimming deep, churning the water as he dove greedily, while Vesper summoned his wolves, and together they began drinking, their bodies reflected at the glowing surface.

"Good thinking; they do have physical bodies still!" Maximus said, appreciating Vesper's awareness and quick decision.

"Thank you, Boss." Vesper nodded proudly. Like that, the group of misfits began absorbing mana and numina, each in their own way, steadily strengthening their bodies and deepening the strange power that bound them together.

[Physical Condition: Enhanced Human Vessel (Growing)] Body Traits: Enhanced Human Vessel (E) – Strengthened through reforging the body with spirit energy and cleansing it with pure lunar mana. Increases stamina by 20% and overall physical strength by 25%.

Maximus checked his condition as he noticed the mana water was having some effect on his bones. This description changed again. I do feel far stronger physically than I did when I first arrived here. That's a good sign! He thought, though the trait did not change that much… Then he spent 400 tokens to buy four large barrels, which he tied with vines and tossed into the lake, and once they started sinking, he pulled them into his storage. This will be useful, very much so. He smiled, satisfied.

He then checked the status of his beasts and spirits. [Greater Plant Spirit (D) Level 7] [Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) Level 10] They both gained a few levels. Good, good! Vesper gained a new trait, Agile, probably due to his body growing stronger, and what is this? [Alabaster Crocodile (Mutated) Level 30] Rarity: A (Prior B) Traits: Armored, Water Lord, Unbreakable Will, Stubborn, Cold Resistance, Lesser Poison Resistance, Water Creation What is Water Creation?

Maximus stared and shouted, "Silex, come out; we need to test something!" Silex took his sweet time, but after a few minutes finally surfaced and swam to land. His body was still the same, even the same size, but over his neck and limbs, faint blue lines, almost like veins, flowed and pulsed gently.

"Silex, you increased your rank. Now you are A, just like Vesper," Maximus explained.

"Hah! Naturally, this mighty ruler would never be lower than a pup!" he said confidently.

"But you were all this time," Vesper laughed.

"Silex, you gained a trait: Water Creation. Do you know what that means?" Maximus added.

"Oh, so that's what it's called. Knowledge suddenly flowed into my mind while I was in the depths. Let me try something!" he said and used his Aqua Surge. A large burst of numina surged through him, and a wave rose from his position, slamming toward Vesper, who swiftly avoided it with a smirk.

"Do you see what you did? You actually created water. You don't need a source of water for your skill any longer; you can just produce your own, just like Vesper, who can create blood and control it," Maximus explained, thrilled.

"This will help us greatly. Good job, Silex!"

"Hah! Naturally, what did you expect of the great Silex?" he laughed victoriously.

"Vesper, you also gained increased speed," Maximus added.

"I know; I've felt it already. I avoided his attack with but a thought," Vesper said, smiling.

"And my wolves are sturdier now as well!" he added.

"Well then, I'd also like to get a few pieces of that crystal there. Let me test something while we are at it," Maximus said and activated his Shapeshift, this time a full transformation into a Werecroc. His body grew taller to two and a half meters, his arms and legs bulking up as white scales and claws formed, while his head shifted into that of a white crocodile, almost identical to Silex's.

From his lower back, a large tail sprouted, ripping a hole through his pants, and his armor creaked as if it might crack, forcing him to store everything except his sneakers and pauldrons. Wearing simple ripped cargo pants, shirtless with black armor over his shoulders, he stood there like a true Beastkin. He scanned his body, clenched his fists, and slammed his tail onto the ground.

"Not bad," he muttered, his voice low and primal.

"You are beautiful, boss. It's like I'm staring into a mirror!" Silex said as he admired the humanoid crocodile.

"He can turn into me as well, just so you know!" Vesper cut in.

"Well, he did not, did he?" Silex shot back.

"He has been using my limbs this whole trip!" Vesper argued.

"Enough!" Maximus roared.

"Oh… sorry. I should control myself more. I feel angrier than usual," he said apologetically.

"That's how I feel all the time. It's good for you!" Silex replied.

"The hell it is!" Vesper snarled.

"Don't make me yell again!" Maximus warned, then jumped into the lake and swam toward the massive mana crystal island.