I felt sick. Not because I was covered in the blood and gore of the devils I'd just eaten in a magic-controlled frenzy, but because I was full. Yet still, I could still feel that phantom hunger inside me eyeing the last scraps of charred flesh.
I shook myself and left to get away from the 'food' around me. After getting a good distance away, I sat down on the ground and started to meditate, feeling the mana in the air and guiding it inward to restore my reserves while I had the chance.
As I felt the mana slowly refill, I tried sensing the new sparks of magic inside me. One felt like standing next to a fire, but it was a dark heat that seemed to writhe angrily. The next was a muted earth that was calming, but seemed to be waiting for me to let my guard down so that it could try to consume me, or the other magics.
The wind gave off an air of haughtiness, as if nothing else in the world mattered, and that everything was below it. Water was next and was the calmest of all of them; it had depth and seemed to hide something within itself, but for now, it was content staying still and calm. Lightning was the most active, almost vibrating as it moved side to side, ready for anything, as it felt like it might vibrate itself out of energy.
Lava was the most angry, constantly bubbling around and feeling ready to erupt at any moment. Fire didn't make things any better as it seemed to be egging it on as Earth gave its silent approval. Thankfully, Wind and Water were calm enough to provide some semblance of balance within me since I wasn't sure how this devil body would react to too many magic types shoved inside.
The new spells were the most fun, however, as I got up from the ground and made my way towards the direction of the gate to the 4th level.
Fire was simple, one spell wrapped my arm in dark, flaming claws and if I channeled more mana into the spell it formed clawed boots on my feet. Earth was a bit more varied but still only had one function for defense, though a tad aggressive.
The first spell was the full body armour that tanked my speed, but made raw defense, and seemed to boost my physical power. I really looked forward to crushing more devils the way I did to the lightning devil. The next two earth spells were defensive constructs; one was a massive wall that was covered in spikes. It formed a large arched barrier that seemed to absorb damage before falling forward. I still have to see how useful that will be.
The third one was my favorite since it worked so well. It consisted of a massive dome; I'm assuming it had spikes as well. It lasted for a full 30 seconds unless I poured more mana into it, but once it ran out, that's when things got fun. Rather than fall apart due to a lack of fuel, it exploded outwards, using the mana that had hit it as fuel for one large counterattack.
Water was next, and I'd only been able to come up with two spells so far. One was the large 2-meter lance that had a spinning funnel for a spearhead. It functioned like a drill, as it could be thrown or just used like a weapon if I grabbed it before it went too far.
The other water spell was my first offensive AOE spell; it formed a huge wave that rolled and crushed everything in its path. Really useful for crowd control, if I didn't mind them being half-drowned and maybe torn apart by the water.
Wind was next and was the most useful at the moment. The first spell formed massive wings around the nubs that are yet to grow on my back. I'm currently using this spell to get used to it and increase the efficiency as I soar through the air, getting steadily closer to the gate.
The other wind spell is just a tornado, a great AOE spell that should be fun to use when I'm getting swarmed by lots of little creatures. So far, those were the spells I had since I didn't want to experiment too much and end up running out of mana right before having to fight something.
The one thing that worries me, though, is the fact that the only spells I've been able to come up with so far are massive spells that could probably count as finishers in most mages' cases.
'Good luck, future me, you're gonna need it.' I grin ruefully as I land and walk the rest of the way to the gate, feeling the usual spike of mana that pours from it as it discourages devils from getting too close.
'Huh, wonder what was able to scratch it up like that?' I think I spotted several large claw marks on the gate. Something is definitely here if it was able to do this, something strong, since nothing I'd seen so far seems to be able to touch the gates and survive. Even Lilith and Nahamah had to use keys to weaken the mana enough to force the gates open.
Getting closer, I could better see the claw marks on the door; some were smaller than my head, others were larger than my body, which didn't bode well. 'UP!' My senses screamed as I tried to move, but something grabbed me and threw me away from the gate.
My feet carved two shallow trenches for a few meters until I came to a stop and stared at the massive, grotesque devil before me. It's as if nature crammed everything it could into one body and gave it grown hormones. It had several misshapen limbs, claws, and fangs jutted out at odd angles as it glared at me with several sets of hungry eyes.
"What are you?" I mutter as I ready my magic, as the monster gurgles a response, "I . . am . . your doom!" I swore as I dove to the side, it swung an arm at me, but I singed it with a burst of flames as I put distance between us. It snarled at me as snapping sounds rang out, and it shrank until it was around 2.5 meters tall, before it then turned into something that might have been a werewolf.
I didn't have time to get a good look as it rushed me at a much faster speed than before. Wrapping myself in lightning let me barely keep up with it as it tried ripping me open with its claws. Just in case I leveled my magnum and cringed as it did nothing other than agitate it, I holstered the gun, then took to the air and floated above as a new weapon formed in my hands.
The werewolf growled deep in its throat as a silver sword manifested in my hands. I dove, slicing at it, but it moved out of the way and kicked me to the side as I got up to find it had become a bear. I sliced at its claws, but it ignored the blow as it reared up and tried to crush me under its paws.
I'm able to shove it back with a wave of water, just barely enough room for me to get away as the bear chased after me. Taking to the air again, I blasted it with fire, it burned the bear some until it changed forms again, this time a massive salamander that seemed to almost enjoy the flames.
Switching to water, I threw a trio of lances down that slammed into it, but did nothing as it leaped into the air after me. I dove past and sliced into its underscales with my spatha as it shrieked in pain, knocking me aside with its tail.
I jumped to my feet and formed a shield over my head and braced, right on cue, the devil landed and forced it back down as it roared in fury. As it roared, I formed another lance and shoved it up It shrieked again as water stabbed it and went further inside to choke it.
Its claws scraped along the shield as it reached up to claw at its neck, before vomiting out the water that was trying to eat it from inside. I put some more distance between us as I thought about what I could do against it. Earth armor was a no-go since I'd rather not end up in this thing's stomach.
I threw up a hasty earth dome as it crashed down on it as a bear again. The dome shook around me as it tried its best to get in. 'NOT ideal, but I can work with this.' My mind raced as I thought of how to deal with it when the dome exploded outwards.
I immediately summoned a tornado as I flew away, watching as the devil was battered by the remains of the dome. It didn't do anything at all. No damage, not even a chipped claw. 'Well, since brute force won't work, maybe I can sneak past it.'
That is what I found myself doing for the next hour as I tried to sneak past this freak of nature. It wasn't easy, but I was slowly getting closer and closer to the gate when its distorted voice rang out. "Little devil . . . you need key. . . I have it." I swore as I tunneled my way back beyond where it would follow.
It had the key I needed to disable the mana enough to get through the gate, and that meant I HAD to fight it.
Brushing the dirt off of my skin, I glance up at the devil and have to double-take when I see what is there. 'When did this happen?!' I screamed internally as the massive dragon loomed over the gate.
The dragon was easily twice the size of a school bus, and its wings, although small compared to the rest of it, surely were able to lift it off the ground. Seeing its slightly rotund body didn't make me feel any better, since that was most likely muscle, or another thing it could use to crush me.
I then noticed that it was staring at me, as if waiting. I noticed that it seemed to twitch, sporadically, as if something under the skin was trying to find a way out. I shoved that horrid thought aside and sat down. It wasn't going to charge me just yet, so better to wait and let my mana recover before going at it.
Once I was full, I opened with a pair of tornadoes, keeping the dragon grounded as I called upon the magma boiling under the surface. With a shout, I pushed my mana deep into the earth as a massive flaming fist erupted out of the ground, slamming into the dragon's underbelly as it snarled at me.
Not done yet, I sent another fist as I closed the distance and poured more mana into the magma, trying to wrap it around the dragon. It shook itself as the tornadoes started to die down. I just sent another pair as a wave of water crashed into the dragon. It screamed as the water hit the magma, its scales hurting under the rapid temperature change, but still alive.
Getting closer, I called upon the lightning as arcs of electricity surged out of my hands, striking the dragon but doing nothing. It slammed its head into the hardened magma, freeing itself as it clawed its way towards me.
Cursing, I took to the air as I channeled a third of my remaining mana, the dragon froze before lunging up at me, as a lightning bolt slammed into it. I grinned as blood poured off its back, the first wound I'd been able to make so far as it spasmed below me.
Thinking it was done, I dove down while forming a water lance as I shoved it into the wound. The dragon roared as it bucked, knocking me off as I scrambled to my feet. It still wasn't dead, even after the lance!
The fighting continued for another 20 minutes as I tried to wear down the wound it had, but it was playing smart now. Staying mobile and not letting me maneuver around it as much as my mana slowly drained from prolonged fighting.
'I have enough for a weapon, this better work!' I sent one final magma fist, using it to try and strangle the dragon as I formed a crossbow, but with a different kind of bolt. As the dragon wrestled with the magma hand, trying to choke it, I checked on the bolt I'd made. It was normal, other than the empty vial at the tip, which I started to fill with acid as I watched the dragon tear the magma hand to shreds.
"YOU . . DIE . . . NOW!" It roared as another maw opened up on its stomach, revealing another set of gleaming teeth as it charged, enraged that it had been unable to kill me for so long. As it got closer, I finished filling the vial as I brought the crossbow to bear. As the dragon's maw opened wide to swallow me, I fired before forming as thick an armor as I could.
The dragon seemed to ignore the bolt that had just lodged itself in its gullet as it put all its attention into trying to crush me. I just keep pouring more and more mana into the thick earth armour, currently keeping me alive as I feel my limbs strain under the pressure.
It shook its head back and forth as it tried its best to disorient me, but I held on as I kept a strong grip on the teeth trying to rip me apart. I grunted under the effort as I felt it steadily closing its jaws, until it froze. 'YES, IT WORKED!' I thought as the dragon started to cough. I held my breath before pushing as hard as I could.
I didn't have to do much as the dragon released me; it had its own problems to deal with as it started thrashing violently. It churned the earth as its claws flashed, and it tried to scream, but a wet gurgling sound came out instead.
I put more distance between us before sitting down and rapidly absorbing as much ambient mana as I could. The dragon continued to writhe around as it opened its mouth as if gasping for breath, but it only coughed up blood as it clawed at its throat and chest.
I ignored it as I just collected more and more mana, then I started to make the most complex thing yet, a sniper. Knowing I wouldn't be able to make the whole thing at once, I made the general parts that I could put together as a Barrett .50 caliber rifle was slowly put together.
It took a minute as I had to stop and absorb more mana, but the dragon wasn't going anywhere as it slowly grew weaker, but that did nothing to diminish the look of hatred it shot at me.
"FINALLY!" I shouted as the complete thing formed before me. I hefted the rifle, then slowly charged as much lighting mana as I could into the shape of a bullet. Compressing and compressing until it was the right size and shape, then I chambered the round.
Feeling the weapon start to vibrate in my hands, I knew I didn't have long, so I hurried over to the dragon as its baleful eyes tracked me. Leveling the rifle, I braced it and aimed at the skull. Right before I pulled the trigger, the dragon hissed one final thing. "I look forward . . . to haunting you."
I didn't answer as the rifle slammed into my shoulder, almost knocking me over, as I felt the spark of mana light up within me. I sigh as my mana refills slightly, and I look at the dead dragon's corpse in anticipation, 'So much food~'
Hours later . . .
"I HAVE to learn how to control that." I groan as I slowly remove myself from the inside of the dragon's gut. To say I was stuffed would be an understatement, as once my Devouring magic took over, I just kept eating as much dragon flesh as I could.
Upside, I was now firmly a high-class devil. My mana felt hundreds of times bigger and stronger than before. I could probably kill this thing again with less trouble. Downside, I felt like I was about to slip into a food coma at any moment.
I burped and laughed at the echo, before dragging myself up into a sitting position as I got to work skinning the dragon of everything useful. The scales were used to make a decent set of clothes and a cloak. I then pried out the two largest fangs and, using Weapon creation magic, was able to fashion a good pair of swords.
The claws were next, as I took the ones that were the least damaged and made a few daggers and knives. The wings were the interesting part, as I had to be careful not to damage them. There were a few nics, but in the end, I was able to use the wing membrane and a few uneaten sinews, and some smaller bones to stitch together a decent backpack for myself.
It was certainly gruesome, but it gave me room to carry the uneaten meat, and extra weapons and body parts I now had. Satisfied with the haul I'd acquired, I rested for an hour to let my mana refill before taking the key that I'd found and unlocking the gate to the 4th floor.