The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 68: You have claimed the Emberheart’s core!

Desperation was easily detected by mere looking at Buji’s body movements. Whatever could be eating up his thoughts at the moment was something that will determine if he was going to live, or die after the rough and tough tossle.

He bit his lips in thoughts, and when it seemed he has solved the puzzle he was trying to get at, he raised his index finger, with a glint of hope written all over his face.

Concentration....

"Yes, concentration," he said with excitement. "The correct approach will be to use its current situation against it."

"Righ?" Doubt creeped in. "But, is that not what is used during battles."

He was trying to settle at the analysis to make sure his final attempt on approaching the figure to retrieve that object will be a success. He is on the loose ends, yet, he mustn’t make the rope get looser.

From his fights earlier, he had been able to overcome those beasts only because he used their conditions against them.

When the creatures were slow, he added speed. When they were careless, he became more careful. During their confusions, he let go his own confusion. And when they were physically weak, he tried his possible best to become physically stronger, and otherwise.

Even though he made use of some skills, they were all geared throught the process. And they had helped him to reach this far. Battle just seemed like a counter attacking process between two opponents.

’But, how will this be applicable to this situation,’ His heart raced with the thought, the thought that his life was rapidly diminishing into become soil once more. Although he can easily resurrect afterwards, but being enveloped by that utter darkness—was something else.

He looked around him, observing the domain he was locked up in. He concentrated his mind to see the inner meaning behind what was happening around him, and it seemed he got a clue.

Judging from how the domain walls and its own environment acted towards the emotions of a person, it only meant they were all factors geared at distracting the soul present. The fact was very simple, but would even be rare to find any intelligent being to understand this.

Just like while counter attacking where one uses the attack and appearance of the opponent against him, you need to use the atmosphere of this domain against it, and that will be an easy way to get to that huge statue.

"Yes, that’s it," Buji reclaimed rather comfortably. "If it was noisy, then you need concentration. In the same vain, if it was calm, you had to be a bit noisy. That way, you have passed through."

"And that’s just the helpful fact..."

Buji raised his head to this sudden realization. He didn’t know he has reached closer to the figure and has even placed his hands on the lock. He was only shocked when he noticed a glowing purple light orb.

"Purple!"

Then, the system’s notification appeared with its time limit screen.

[00:00:59! Remaining.]

Buji’s fingers reflexively grasped the purple object immediately. At the contact with this glowing purple orb, it happened.

An overwhelming surge of energy erupted from the small orb, sending waves of violent vibrations throughout the entire domain. His breath caught in his throat as the pulsating forced spread through his arm, creeping like wildfire into his veins, his bones, his very soul.

"The Unknown!" He grunted in pain. "Was this how it happened then? Was this how it felt?

The pressure was unbearable. His whole body felt like he had been dropped into the heart of a collapsing star. It was though his body was being torn apart, yet reforged at the same time.

His muscles tightened, and his skin rippled with an unfamiliar sensation. He felt the mix of heat and cold, pain and pleasure, and even, death and still life.

"Aghh!" he gasped, his knees buckling.

The purple radiance seeped through his skin, his chest, illuminating like a lantern from within.

Every part of his being felt as though he was rewriting itself, evolving, becoming something beyond the limits of his mere existence.

The air around him thickened. The domain itself seemed to resist, with the walls pulsating every instance. The purple aura, the swirling energy that gushed from it expanded, enveloping him like a cocoon.

His fingers twitched against the glowing orb, but he couldn’t let go. Whatever what might have happened is, does it mean he’s undergoing transformation? He seemed to be bound to the new energy around him.

Suddenly, the entire domain shivered.

The erratic atmosphere once again, became silent, as though time itself had paused to have a rethink, or rather, witness this moment. And among this happenings, the screen materialized before Buji’s eyes which were still stuck on the orb.

<Ding!>

.

.

.

But for some reasons, the screen that had appeared vanished. Yet again, it showed its presence again, but his time, it remained.

<Ding!!!>

[You have claimed the Emberheart’s core!]

His breath hitched as the information floated with the screen in air. Consequently, he saw visions—fragmented images of ancient beings, monsters of unfathomable power bowing before a single entity. That entity bore the same energy suegung through his veins now.

The entity was also a monster, but it seemed to be very powerful. Its massive structure, its authoritative exuberance and his aura, all proved the fact. And this entity was a snake, looking more like a dragon-snake.

"It seems to be the King of all Monsters..." he whispered at the realization.

The orb was more than just a power source. Maybe, an inheritance from an era long lost in time. The orb hadn’t merely granted him strength, it was awakening something buried deep within his bloodline, within his race. Something beyond human, something beyond beast.

It was awakening a human that was a beast. A beast that will possess many cores, and hence, become a monster.

’Is this the reason the "Snake" lettering in that SEA book hadn’t given out red colour like the others,’ he thought. ’So, I am that snake? Cause I was still alive.’

The system interrupted.

[Congrats on claiming one among cores!]

[It will only be a matter of time]

’A matter of time? One among cores?’ he thought. ’Does it mean he will have to claim other cores during the process of his quests?’

As a human, he heard heart. Now, he’ve gotten an extra heart. Only difference being that this second heart, was referred to as a core—not belonging to humans.

[The Player has completed his quest: Retrieve the Emberheart’s core!]

[The Player was chosen. He has proven to be the chosen, and should act as the chosen.]

[Level attained: 65/150 before awakening the next class!]

[Congrats! Your reward will be granted shortly.]

Just then, he felt his muscles expanded slightly, yet, his body maintained its normal shape.

The domain began to collapse.

Cracks splintered through the void-like walls, and space itself seemed to distort, unraveling like a mystery being undone. The statue he had maanged so hard to reach trembled before crumbling into dust, its has fulfilled its purpose. The orb, was no longer in existence. It had extinguished all its power and infused most of it into the body of its host—Buji.

Then came darkness.

A split second later, Buji’s eyes snapped open.

The harsh fluorescent lights above, as if affixed in nothingness, nearly blinded him. It was unlike and a stark contrast to the oppressive void of the domain he had been in.

His chest rose and fell rapidly, his heartbeat pounded in his ears. What had happened in there, inside that domain was just... He didn’t want to think about it, he was now in a surrounding which was totally different.

He was in a hospital.

Or, if he was to be more specific, the clinic within the academy. The sterile scent of antiseptics mixed with the faint traces of blood and medicinal herbs. His fingers clenched against the crisp white sheets covering him, and he groggily tried to sit up, only to feel a sharp pang in his temple.

"You’re awake."

The voice was unfamiliar.

He turned his head slightly and found a figure standing near the bedside. The Academy’s nurse? No—his eyes quickly noticed the insignia embroidered on their robes. It was not even a female, it was a man.

"Instructor Hay?"

A soft sigh left the person’s lips before he continued, "You were unconscious for two days. It’s a miracle you are awake at all."

Buji’s thoughts swam through the haze of exhaustion. ’Two days? Had the quest taken that long?’

"But..." He wanted to say that he had been alive the whole time, but knew better not to talk.

If it was what it seemed like, the time factor in that dungeon was different from that of the real world. And, it seemed like the system had done the job. The system must have probably formulated a weak body to make it look like he was present, to avoid suspicion.

Or whatever the case may be, he is not sure. All he knew now was that he succeeded the solo dungeon raid, and is alive here in this clinic.

His gaze dropped to his palm. He flexed his fingers, moves his legs. And now he understood.

The system had all done everything. The sick body the man standing before him talked about, and his finding himself in the clinic instead of outside the dungeon gates.

He was more of exhausted, and needed to rest, but it seemed he won’t be getting any.

"Since you are awake...now..." The man before him said, and paused. "I told you not to involve yourself in that raid until our tutor begin!"

"Instructor Hay?"

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