Chapter 18: Mole Faced Ape

Michael kicked a gray-skinned corpse in fury.

"Fuck!"

Michael had now killed his fifth Crystalline Bat. Catching them had proved harder than expected. The creatures held a suicidal tendency as their minds clouded with a lust for battle. Even when Michael had subdued them, they would use their racial ability wantonly, forcing Michael to kill them time and time again.

And then there was Fernando, he'd be more useful as a lamp post. The fellow was useless as he couldn't strike the bats even once. He had already fallen under the soul cry effect multiple times and now he still stood there dazedly.

"Aye! Go get me the bat's crystal!"

With Michael's calling, Fernando snapped out of his daze and glumly walked towards the large bat. Its lifeless red eyes seemed to taunt his incapability causing him to snort in displeasure. Things had gone poorly recently as he felt out of place. He could barely act as a porter for Michael when he wasn't stuck in a daze.

He carved into the bat's skull with harshness, in the process dulling the edge. Michael just looked on in disappointment. Ever since that day, Fernando seemed stuck in a permanent quagmire of inadequacy. Michael brainstormed ideas to get him back into a competent, ambitious, state.

"Here."

The blood stained dagger along with some bone chips rested in one palm while the other held the marvelous little crystal. Fernando didn't know the use of the crystal, but he understood the importance that Michael directed towards it, so he too handled it with great care.

Michael received the crystal and placed it into the blue chest; he had now collected five, a miniscule dent on the amount he predicted he would need.

"Alright let's go ahead, we should be able to reach the western region soon."

Michael stepped confidently while Fernando followed closely.

The northern region where they were at was quite large, between the small and large interconnected cavernous system, it was about 150 km in diameter. Beasts like the Dark Vein Serpent, Crystalline Bat, and the Mole Faced Ape were the races that inhabited the region. The western region held Green Horned Dwarves, Small Stone Golems, and Wicked Dream Spiders.

Michael had begun to avoid all beasts, save for the few to replenish his vitality. He didn't want to start any issues in the northern region as he didn't want to implicate the Crystalline Bats. Michael planned to figure out a method to trap and take them on his way out.

About two days later Michael encountered his first unavoidable beast. A beast about 4 meters in length stood on its hind legs and long clawed hands. It posed similar to a silverback gorilla from his previous life. Its face was an ugly abomination. Thirty fleshy pink tentacles formed a star shape, they squirmed around eagerly as its small beady eyes darted around.

Bloodline/Race: Mole Faced Ape (Adult)

Strength: 5.8

Agility: 5.1

Vitality: 5.98

Spiritual Force: 2.48

Racial Ability: Star Dance

{Can magically enhance and elongate its tentacle-like nose projections.}

Its racial ability was an augmentary one, instead of a pure use of spiritual force like the Crystalline Bat.

As soon as Michael looked at its displayed status, he knew he was statistically a match for it. The numerical increase in strength wasn't linear as every increase meant a chasm of a difference. Still, the beast seemed to have sniffed them out and targeted them.

Michael was the first to run towards it, he gripped a bone spear as he dodged a scaled claw. Michael danced around a bit as he dodged all the Mole Faced Ape's swipes. His nerves were strung out as he relied on the Mother Box to predict the large beasts movements.

As soon as Michael saw an opening, he took it. He impaled the sharp spear into its unprotected skin. The spear had only penetrated 5 cm when it broke under the contraction of the beast's abdominal muscles.

This cunning act seemed to have angered the creature as its speed suddenly increased. Michael was just barely able to side step as he was sent flying into the stone wall. Michael was wide eyed as breathed heavily.

"Fuck, no wonder it seemed too easy. It was simply playing with me.'

The intense game of cat and mouse had made him forget the monster's prowess.

"Shit!"

The beast went straight for Fernando, and unlike him, he was unable to dodge as he was sent flying 8 meters into the air. His eyes looked on in fear as he looked into the ape's playful eyes. His body crashed into the stone ground with a sick thud. Ten of his ribs had been broken, along with a shattered scapula. He had also broken several vertebrae rendering his body immobile. The enormous amount of pain was nothing he had ever felt before.

The occasional pain-filled shallow breath was the only proof he was still alive. The vitality in his body was used quickly as his bones began to merge in completion once more. Still, he would be out for the count for the remainder of the fight.

"Fucking shit!"

Michael knew he had to do something or else they would die here, their deaths meaningless, simply for the entertainment and nutrition of an insignificant monster.

He shakily reached for his waist. He held and uncapped the leather pouch. The strong smell of blood wafted out as Michael slightly salivated. He tilted the pouch and drank a mouthful.

The bloody elixir fell into the back of his mouth and was then absorbed by the sigil marked into the back of his neck. It glowed slightly as it absorbed the blood, then it spread the large amount of vitality into the rest of the runic pattern. A heat Michael had never felt before began to rise from every runic implant in his body. Michael quickly capped the pouch and set it aside for safekeeping as the transformation was not over.

His body swelled as his muscles blew like oversaturated balloons. His bones gained a faint red glow and from it, spread like wildfire. Some runes surfaced onto the surface layer of his skin, the ancient tattoo making itself known to the world once more.

Name: Michael Mayor (Augustus Fent)

Strength: 5.84 (4.15)

Agility: 5.4 (3.93)

Vitality: 5.9 (4.29)

Spiritual Force: 1.75

Bloodline/Race: Human

Talent (Soul/Body): 1/3

Profession: Runic Blood Warrior (Apprentice)

Status: Vitality Overload

Michael had become a small giant, his figure towering just over 3 meters. His muscles were bloated and he seemed too full for his height. Michael felt a spasming pain all over his body as his bones creaked in protest. Michael knew that this form wouldn't last long and would have crippling defects so he ran directly at the Mole Faced Ape.

Michael dodged a swift swipe and neared the beast, he grabbed onto and hugged its arm. Then, Michael willed his vitality filled muscles to push to their limit. Muscular fibers began to snap as he forced the arm into an unnatural position.

The Mole Faced Ape couldn't move its disjointed shoulder as it angrily moved aside with its right arm. The ape knew it was in a bad situation so it quickly activated its innate ability. The thirty pink tentacles quickly became 4 meters long while a silvery hue encapsulated them.

Michael moved quickly as he left deep footprints. The tentacles were even swifter than the Mole Faced Ape and its every strike held a metallic likeness. Michael had already had his jaw and left shoulder broken as he zoomed around.

The ape seemed like it could go on for an extensive period of time, but Michael could not, he could feel his muscles beginning to thin out on that potent elixir. Michael reached into his waist and began to throw the bone spears like javelins. Out of the three he threw, only one was able to penetrate into the ape's other shoulder.

Michael felt the energy thinning out even more, he rushed as his calves swelled in splendor. His speed was even faster than before as the energy in the rest of his body was directed to them.

He narrowly avoided ten of the tentacles, and while two had smacked him straight in the ribs, he was able to get into arms reach from the beast. Michael directed all the vitality into his right arm as it swelled to the width of a meter. Michael's hand carried a dagger and its blade, assisted by the tremendous force, was able to completely behead the psychotic creature.

Michael reached his hand into its artery and began to absorb until he couldn't anymore. His mind was barely able to maintain consciousness as he rushed and picked up Fernando and their belongings. His size diminished back into his 2 meter body as he hid behind a rock.

'Mother Box, guide my vitality and heal…'