Beneath the ashes of the knights, a pathetic worm became a pale grey. It's mouth shot out 2 bone fangs. Most frightening was a dark colorless aura radiated out into the area around it where before there was none. The aura was weak but strong enough to be sensed by extremely sensitive [Mana Sense].
Sensed by an ominous aura of the underground as it shifted a little. In response, it's minions shot off to retrieve the new recruit. A devilish smile formed as it went back to sensing
The once grateful worm was pleased at the abundance of food. Followed by an unwavering determination to escape the burning pile of corpses. And now underground, it's mourning the loss of its burnt off tail.
Believing that its circumstances are because of its own idiocy, the worm gave up on its dream to become a human. It knew it couldn't achieve this. Because it's just a worm.
Just a pathetic worm.
But alas, a worm who couldn't resist the scent of blood. The humans burnt most of the bodies to prevent undead to rid the land. But too much effort was used up burning corpses.
...
The assassins wasted too much time on their clean-up operation.
They left the odd arm or leg scattered all over the place. These weren't a threat of animation.
It was time to move on to the next skirmish, near the Stormreach Manor, where 'the item' became a key.
The item.
The scorched face of the high priest coiled in anger as his eye's looked upon the empty chest.
"WHAT!? Where is it??" The high priest snarled.
Flabergasted the junior stuttered, "ahh th-there was a boy we let him go bec..."
"You let him go?!?" the junior coiled in fear. "I'm s-sorry".
"Ruby!! As the senior on this mission you take responsibility. How could this happen??"
Flashing to the fight Ruby recalled the moment when Billy grabbed the chest off the captain. "A boy called Billy must've pickpocketed the chest. We couldn't catch him because of the captain's flames".
Silence followed.
The two assassin's felt as though they were choking despite no aura being channeled.
"No excuses. Take who you need and FIND HIM!!!"
"Hahahha, seems your having trouble, Carlson" Stormbreaker chuckled. The figure approached albeit cautiously this time.
"The only reason you're alive is for leverage over the Stormreach house. As for your comrades..." the rest of the commander's veins pulsed black. They seized up before falling.
Dead.
"Useless"
Stormbreaker's faced paled. "A heart has two sides. Carlson you've lost one of those sides to revenge. And now, truly, no one loves you anymore."
The high priest gave him a look.
"Two sides you say?"
...
Quinn was delighted. A whole arm. Those bastards missed a whole arm. Having a jolly ol' feast while maintaining decent distance from an exit seemed so melancholy. Due to [Fragmentation], it seemed that he lost 0.6 Exp, but it didn't matter now.
Quinn had not only regained the lost amount but also managed to horde enough for more than half a level up. Pulling up his status:
[
Name:Quinn
Species:Fragmented Bloodworm(Lvl:3)
Exp:[6.7/12]
Strength:0.017
Agility:0.01
Vitality:0.024
Intelligence:0.8
Arcane:0
Skills: [Appraisal(Lvl:2)] [Mana Sense(Lvl:1)]
]
Putting the status aside he noticed the presence of something.
The flesh near his proboscis started to jiggle. Simultaneously activating [Appraisal] and [Pheromone detection], he answered his query with a base appraisal.
[Appraisal: Maggot(Growth Stage)]
Digging through the flesh, Quinn found a cavity seemly teeming with maggots.
'illlll Yuckkk. Wait!!! Hahhhahahh... Finally, target practice with Venom'
Quinn's curled up like a snake, ready to pounce. His body was short, so it was nothing special. Just enough to exert all his strength in one pounce.
He missed.
The maggot didn't mind him. It was enjoying its lunch. It knew no fear. No emotion. It literally had no fucks to give. Except for hunger. The inside of a maggot looks like this.
'Eat eat eat eat. Food food food. Eat eat food eat.' <- (Definitely factual)
Quinn didn't know what its existence felt like. Nor did he care. He tried his pounce again. Missed even greater than before. It's almost as if predatorial worms don't pounce. They ambush.
Tying one more time, Quinn managed to hit the flesh just beside the maggot.
'Wait.. Is this runt ignoring me. Nah. My first prey just doesn't give no fucks about me. Imma fuckin kill this baby.'
Quinn just simply opened his mouth, and bit down on the maggot.
[ [Maggot(Growth Stage)] Slain - Exp:1]
Exp:[7.7/12]
It seemed that [Copper fangs] greatly improved his "combat" ability because he finally had a weapon. But more importantly, Quinn's finally killed something.
'Awww yea, that was easy as pie. Imma evolve again in no time.'
Quinn ate the rest of the maggots, which were all Lvl:1 only giving 1 Exp. But it was still progress for Quinn.
He even used [Venom] on one, which killed the maggot in an instant.
Quinn transformed from a dismembered worm to an evil scientist, experimenting all sorts of combinations of skills on the maggots.
'Maggots shouldn't be given any mercy it's their fault for being disgusting'
[ [Maggot(Growth Stage)] Slain - Exp:0.6]
[Level up: Lvl:3 -> Lvl 4]
[Exp:0.4/13]
Quinn had now discovered a new way of gaining Exp. Killing.