Chapter 114: Power-Up Part 1
Inside the forest
Reign started by devouring the five hunters, beginning with the one he killed first, the bald hunter who hadn't even had the chance to used his technique before he got brutally murdered like a pig.
As the absorption process commenced, he sensed that devouring Hunters was a wholly different experience compared to consuming humans.
They brimmed with more energy, and with his heightened senses, he discerned the disparity between humans and hunters much more accurately. It was akin to comparing a dollar steak to a premium cut.
[Mutation Option Available ]
>Hawk Bones
>Hawk Talons
'This mutation material is more common than I thought,' Reign mused to himself after recognizing the familiar Breathing Technique.
It was the same one he had absorbed in the forest with Anna.
[System: Host has meet the requirements 2/2 Same Bone Materials]
[Would you like to sacrifice to ?]
A notification rang, catching his attention. He glanced toward the window panel to check what it was about.
'Oh, so now the system is consolidating redundant abilities into one,' Reign thought to himself.
It wasn't a big deal for him; in fact, it would make it much easier for him to track his abilities.
This was similar to what had happened with his Mantis Eyes, where it absorbed the other mutation organs.
In this case Hawk Bones was inferior to Enhance Bones that's why it would be devoured instead.
This was because of his race leaned too much on Bone Control, and other Bone Related skills.
So it was only natural that this was the most dominant part of his body.
"Yes," he answered decisively. There was no way he would pass up on this opportunity.
As soon as he responded, a loading bar appeared in his window.
With each passing moment, the bar progressed until finally, a new mini window popped up.
[Enhance Bones XXV]
His Enhanced Bones finally surpassed the level 20 cap.
While five ranks up might not seem like much, when he began to feel his bones density, he noticed they had actually become 50% tougher.
This was a big improvement, especially considering he already had some durable bones before.
[System: Would you like to Sacrifice Hawk Talon for 1 Skill Points]
'I'm liking this system more and more,' he chuckled to himself, seeing more features now available compared to the Beta Phase.
He first read about the Hawk Talon abilities, but found them neither tempting nor useful.
In fact, his current claws were already thick because it's already part of his bones.
So he decided to sacrifice it, opting instead to gain 1 skill point that he could use later.
Next on his agenda was the Hunter who could bend swords mid-air. He found himself intrigued by the man's flexibility.
He remembered how the sword seemed to change trajectory mid-air, and if not for his quick reaction time and overwhelming power advantage, the fight would have posed a far greater challenge.
Upon reflecting on their battle, Reign figured out that the illusion of the sword bending was not due to any mystical force but rather the man's own body, which moved with a fluidity akin to a whip.
The Hunter's wrist and other joints played an important role in facilitating the illusion that the sword was changing and twisting.
[Mutation Option Available ]
> Serpent Vertebrate
> Serpent Skin
'Ah, just like that Divergent guy,' Reign murmured to himself, remembering about Ben.
He reflected on how he had only acquired the Serpent Eye organ from devouring him, then quickly sacrificing it in favor of the more powerful Mantis Eyes.
He decided to read the information about the two mutation organs.
After discovering that the enhanced flexibility was from the additional Invertebratal cartilage ( Small Bones that Connect Bigger Bones) , similar to those found in snakes, his desire for it increased .
It was true that he could control his bones and reshape them to some extent, but it felt too generalized.
With the Serpent Vertebrate, he would gain more precise control and could make his bones more flexible. It would be foolish to pass up such valuable material.
The price for this one was 2 skill points, so he sold Serpent Skin first, seeing that it held no usefulness for him.
[Purchase Serpent Vertebrate]
Following the mutation, he lifted his arms, combining both Serpent Vertebrate and Bone Control techniques.
The outcome was remarkable; his arm was now more flexible. By enhancing the Intervertebral cartilage, which served as the connection between bones, he extended his reach even further.
CLICK!
CLICK!
CRACK!
As he threw a simple jab, a gust of wind was generated from the impact.
The reason behind it was the extension of his arms due to the cartilage. This sequential extension created a chain reaction, increasing the momentum of the punch every time one part of the arm click and extend.
His hand was now like a spring, building momentum with each click and extension of the arm, all thanks to the cartilage.
"Sweet," Reign grinned, impressed by the improvement the cartilage had brought to his body.
Satisfied with his progress, he moved on to devour the third Hunter.
[Mutation Option Available ]
> Hawk Eye
> Hawk Talon
Reign noticed the reappearance of the Hawk mutation again.
The breathing technique used by the Hunters seemed to be more common than he had initially thought. Perhaps individuals like Dominic, with the Salamander Breathing technique and Jayden with Thunderbird, were a bit rarer.
First, he sacrificed Hawk Eye to enhance his Mantis Eyes, and then he sold the Hawk Talon for skill points.
Mantis Eyes (25%) > (27%)
For the fourth Hunter, Jayden was supposed to be next, but Reign decided to save him for last.
Instead, he went for Arnold.
After absorbing Arnold's body, Reign obtained some mutations organs, but they proved to be useless at his current level. So, he ended up selling them both for 2 skill points.
Next was Amanda.
Similar to the last one, her mutation organs weren't particularly useful to him and even had some conflicting effects. Therefore, he decided to convert them into 2 skill points.
'Finally,' Reign's grin stretched from ear to ear as he surveyed Jayden's charred remains on the ground.
The scent of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air, akin to the aroma of a seared steak.
He slowly raised his hands to touch the corpse and began absorbing it.
The moment he did, consecutive notifications rang out in his head.
[System: Host Consumed Lightning Rune Heart]
[Multiple Rewards]
>+20 skill points
> Lightning Attributes
[Level up + 1]
[Level up + 1]
The amount of experience he gained from Jayden was astronomical, showing just how powerful Jayden's body was .
'Shit, another one ,' he gasped, dropping to the ground as sensations surged through his entire body.
It was as if he were being electrocuted, every part of his body tingling with an electric charge.
And because his body was composed mostly of metallic bones, the electricity coursed through him with much faster, as if he were a conductor.
"ARHHHHHH!" he gritted his teeth, fully aware that enduring this pain would make him much stronger.
"You think this is enough to hurt me?" he started laughing manically, enjoying the pain as it surged through him.