CLINK.
The sound immediately attracted the attention of every single Dark Dragoling.
The sound of a twig breaking.
To them, it seemed as if Pratik was walking towards them.
'He is alive?'
'Seems like Boss failed to take him out.'
'We may get the whole bounty for ourselves if we take him down.'
Those were the whispers spreading among them.
No one seemed to notice that the wounds covering Pratik's body were no longer there.
Moreover...
This wasn't even Pratik.
Haidoro had temporarily taken control of his body.
{H.P here indicates Haidoro controlling Pratik's body during dialogue.}
[H.P]: My, my... Seems like all the scums are enjoying this moment.
He said with a smirk.
His voice was completely different.
Hoarse.
Deep.
And filled with an unsettling sense of amusement.
[H.P]: I have a prop—
Before he could finish, one of the Dark Dragolings attacked him, destroying the nearby trees and the ground beneath them.
The others cheered in excitement.
However, as the dust settled, realization slowly dawned upon them.
The Dark Dragoling who had attacked Pratik was lying dead.
And Haidoro was sitting on his body like a chair.
The Dark Dragolings were stunned.
[H.P]: Where was I again?
He asked himself with a small smile.
The Dark Dragolings immediately began rushing towards the person they believed to be Pratik.
[H.P]: Seems like I'll take this as a welcome.
BOOM!
He disappeared.
'Where are you running, coward?!'
'Come back, you little brat!'
Pratik's body moved fluently through the dense forest.
[H.P]: I feel more powerful in this body.
Haidoro jumped onto a branch and stopped.
[H.P]: Though this vessel is physically inferior, his Dark Energy Reserves are quite strange... Almost limitless.
He looked at his hands.
[H.P]: I might as well test a few tricks.
He activated his Range Shiftling.
[H.P]: Range Shiftling, Pointus Apparatus.
Thousands of vines tore through the ground, targeting the surrounding Dark Dragolings.
Even the trees surrounding Haidoro began twisting and moving like vines within a certain range.
Haidoro jumped back onto the ground.
In one swift motion—
SLASH!
Ten Dark Dragolings were beheaded.
Haidoro laughed.
An evil, twisted laugh.
He was enjoying this massacre to the core of his heart.
'Catch him!'
'Don't let him escape!'
With another burst of speed, Haidoro appeared before their strongest fighter in the blink of an eye.
[H.P]: Space Convergence.
He applied Space Convergence to the path between his leg and the face of the Dark Dragoling standing before him.
The distance between them was reduced exponentially.
The stored potential energy was released the instant his kick landed perfectly on the enemy's face.
BOOM!
The impact completely destroyed the Dark Dragoling's face.
It also obliterated thousands of trees behind him.
[H.P]: How very disappointing.
He said with his evil smile.
Suddenly, a young Dark Dragoling jumped behind Haidoro and formed a few hand signs.
[H.P]: Elemental Control?
He murmured to himself with mild interest.
The earth beneath them expanded like a balloon, carrying both of them higher and higher into the sky.
Then—
POP!
It burst.
A tremendous amount of earth was launched towards Haidoro at an unbelievable speed.
[H.P]: What a pathetic mastery.
Haidoro simply swung his hand.
The entire mass was blown away.
The redirected earth wiped out a considerable portion of the great forest.
Meanwhile, the eldest Dark Dragoling, who had been storing up power, finally released his attack.
Hundreds of meteors descended from the sky above.
These meteors were larger than entire cities.
If they struck the forest, they would surely damage Pratik's body.
Or perhaps...
They could act as a signal.
Haidoro stood there, smirking with Pratik's face.
His hands rested casually inside the pockets of his pants.
As soon as the meteors entered a certain range—
Haidoro took his hands out.
[H.P]: Let me test one more thing.
He said to himself before chanting something under his breath.
A moment later, he opened his eyes.
[H.P]: Divya Dru.
In an instant—
The space occupied by the meteors was erased entirely.
The void left behind swallowed thousands of trees and several Dark Dragolings before stabilizing itself.
Haidoro looked at the destruction with interest.
[H.P]: I see.
He paused.
[H.P]: I can use my powers regardless. However, it seems my output has been reduced massively.
And he was right.
If this were Divya Dru fired from Haidoro's original body, it could have bisected even a celestial body revolving around Kingdom Ka77 after erasing the space occupied by the meteors.
The ability-nullification trait of Divya Dru remained.
However, its secondary trait—
Destruction—was no more.
[H.P]: Seems like I'll have to use the Dark Energy Reserves of this brat whenever I need to use my powers to their fullest.
Haidoro's smile widened.
[H.P]: It's surprising that this brat, despite being a human, has a soul in appropriate condition to keep my soul alive within his body.
His red eyes gleamed.
[H.P]: I will make this body mine.
He said with bright eyes.
Just then—
He sensed something.
His smirk intensified.
Yet he didn't turn around.
It was the leader of the Dark Dragolings.
Enimo.
[Enimo]: What have you done?
[H.P]: Population reduction, I guess.
[Enimo]: You dare mock us.
He paused.
[Enimo]: Why aren't you facing me?
[H.P]: Why should I?
Haidoro's smile widened.
[H.P]: It's not as though you can even hurt me a bit. You are weak, after all.
His red eyes looked genuinely pleased.
[H.P]: An inferior species.
Enimo's expression darkened.
[Enimo]: In that case...
Dark Energy Reserves began coating his entire body.
[Enimo]: You won't make it back alive.
Haidoro finally sensed the enormous pressure coming from Enimo.
The sky darkened beneath his aura.
H.P(thinking): Seems like a worthy opponent.
A small smile appeared on his face.
H.P(thinking): I hope he can even touch me.
The final warrior of the Dark Dragoling Squad stood before the monster wearing Pratik's body.
And for the first time since taking control...
Haidoro seemed genuinely interested.
Can the last warrior of the Dark Dragoling Squad defeat Haidoro?
To be continued...
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