Sanguine Paradise - Chapter 125

∼ Day 80 ∼

‹ Xavier Tal'chor ›

I was annoyed that his corpse wasn't worse much EXP due to his power coming not from his physique and blood, but core. However, at least the system gave EXP based on things like contribution and how hard it was for me to kill him.

"Sigh... that was not worth those meager levels..." I said to myself, regretful that I had to waste such a potentially powerful puppet. But, true to my word, I would bring his head to the beastkin.

But as I began walking, I suddenly fell to my knees. "Bleurgh!" Throwing up a heap of some vicious dark substance, I rolled to the side and collapsed on the ground, staring up into the canopy above with the twin suns' rays caressing my face.

"Goddammit... those flames really fucking hurt..." I muttered, as although I looked and acted fine just before, I was anything but.

-Status!-

That mage had been a lot more troublesome than I initially thought. Even though I had the advantage of being the one to ambush, coupled with the fact that he was already severely drained of mana from whatever it was he was doing to that flower, I still ended up very hurt.

With Lesser Eldritch Vitality, Blood-Born, and Mana Mending, I could continuously restore my flesh that was burnt off, however, I learned that magic had an additional effect when used offensively.

Unlike most other physical attacks, magical ones left residual mana to any wound they touch. Like a festering disease that hindered any healing process, making it just that much harder to heal.

And with this mage being so highly adept in his craft, he was seemingly able to cause his flames to have an even more pronounced effect in that regard.

Actually, the same thing happened to him when I pierced his shoulder, although my method had been slightly different. My claws weren't just physical weapons, but weapons that I've actually rune-carved glyphs into; hence why the mage had suddenly been flayed with six spell formations of Rend from directly inside his own body.

When penetrated, the blades would leave a marked spell formation of Rend that could be activated by me at any time. But consequently, the magic markings placed into his body stopped him from being able to heal himself, or at least affect anyway.

The only way I had to purge the residual magic was to simply flood the wound with my own mana, however, this process was easier said than done. It required a great deal of concentration and focus to make sure I didn't accidentally harm myself with my own magic or make the festering worse.

Sitting up, I began slowly ridding my body from any of the mage's mana. It took me about twenty to thirty minutes before my body was fine again, rapidly healing as usual.

But with the ridding, I was even more drained of mana and stamina now, my healing skills and the process of purifying my body just having taken it all.

Donning a new shirt, I got to my feet and stretched.

"Gah-" I groaned, acclimating my body to practically just having grown a whole new layer of skin. Honestly, if not for my insane pain tolerance, that method of attack I used to finish off the mage where I took his flames head-on would've made me blackout right then and there.

Pulling up the other part of my pending notifications from the fight, I scanned over it.

"Finally..." I muttered, happy to see not one, but two skills that could be advanced instead of just hitting the threshold. But before I began any serious thinking of choosing the best skill advancement for both skills, I needed a clear mind and to return to my tribe before anything else.

With that, I walked over to the mage's decapitated head, I promptly put it into my [Ring of Holding] together with all the other miscellaneous items and corpses I have in there.

And no, I haven't begun gathering corpses for a collection - you sicko.

Well... uh.... it kinda does seem that way... huh...

Anyways, the beast corpses in my ring are for emergency use whenever I need a blood puppet on the go. Since I don't always have access to a large amount of blood to construct them, I've had to resort to carrying around large amounts of blood by slaying beasts and putting them in my ring.

It's not pretty, nor is it glamorous, but it works.

Scanning the surroundings, I took in a deep breath of air.

"It's about time I get back..." I mused to myself.

But before I began making my way back, I turned to the beautiful flower that had been the cause of no small amount of curiosity from my side. Ever since I saw the mage so fervently feed his mana into it, I couldn't help but wonder what it was.

"Maybe it's a natural treasure like my [Crimson Core]?" I wondered.

Approaching it to get a better look, my eyes suddenly widened with horror. Barely having approached within a dozen meters away, about the same distance from where the mage had been sitting, the flower started glowing with such an intensity that it almost blinded me.

However, that was the least of what made me so shocked. Like with other magical entities, I'm was very sensitive to ambient mana and other sources of magic. But as the flower flared, the flaming mana within it roiled with such an intensity that it even made the mage's mana seem like a candle in front of a bonfire.

Barely having time before my instincts took complete control, I used Blink and flashed away from the sudden nova of fire that expanding in every direction, scorching the air.

[You have taken 62 damage]

Being thrown into the water surrounding the island as I felt the heat briefly licking my torso, I watched from underneath the surface of the lake as the whole sky above was consumed by flames. It was so powerful and blistering that it even made the water boil within only a few moments.

Being in boiling hot water wasn't anything harmful to my supernaturally resilient body, but seeing that the flower's flames were this strong terrified me.

Luckily, the flames died down quickly and I returned to the surface of the water, keeping myself afloat as I gazed around at the surrounding.

Surprisingly enough, the greenery of the forest wasn't harmed too much by the flower's sudden outburst since it was far away on the island in a large lake, so only a few trees caught fire. Though, I wasn't worried about a forest fire seeing as this jungle was practically a rain forest.

But other than that, even the island seemed unharmed; almost as if it was used to the flaming energies of the flower. It was very possible that this island had become like it was because it was regularly baptized in the flower's flames or mana.

Not wanting to get anywhere close to that island again though, I swam to the other bank.

"I'm seriously getting sick of fire..." I couldn't help but say, rather exasperated. Getting up from the water, I looked down at my ruined clothes.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." I murmured incredulously. "Is this some kind of sign?"

Well, maybe not ruined clothed but rather just - ruined shirt...

Although my pants had very few burn marks, my shirt was practically gone, mere tatters soaked with water, clinging to my skin.

"Am I no longer allowed to wear shirts?" I asked out loud, almost expecting someone to actually answer me. But there I stood, drenched, topless, and wholly pissed off, waiting for an answer. But none came... obviously.

Shaking my head, I didn't even bother to put on another shirt and simply began my march back to the outskirts of the jungle.

"Xavier Tal'chor, The Cursed to Be Ever Shirtless..." I muttered self-deprecatingly.

***

Arriving at the edge of the ruined greenskin settlement, I was about to unfold my presence to call for Ursa the beastkin, however, the sudden large shadow that enveloped me from behind caused me to stop in my tracks.

"Gah!" I blurted out as I spun on my heels. "You've gotta stop doing that."

Standing there, more than a head taller than me, was the muscular Amazonian beauty, Ursa. She had once again appeared directly behind me without even me noticing, causing chills to run down my spine.

"You've returned empty-handed - I told you were too weak." She said simply, no mocking in her voice, but just as if she was merely stating a fact.

Allowing a shit-eating grin to suffused my face, I extended my hand outwards, palm facing down.

Ursa was initially confused by this gesture, but her eyes widened as the very next second the head of the great orc mage appeared, grasped in my hand by his long black hair.

"As I promised before, I'm a man of my word."

***

Cruising through the sky, I marveled at the beauty of the basin's landscape below. By now, I had already regenerated some mana, so conjuring my shadow wings weren't a problem.

It had gone rather well with Ursa, and it seemed that she would also keep her end of the bargain. However, I still honestly wasn't sure what to do about the odd beastkin. She was obviously an extremely powerful individual, and I definitely wouldn't mind becoming friends or allies with her, but her background was still clouded in mystery.

She was honest to a fault, but she also seemed like she had been here for a long time, completely alone.

It wasn't the time to be pondering about those things, so ridding my thoughts of the odd woman, for now, I made my way down to the mountain pass where my tribe had made temporary camp.

But I had barely dissipated my wings before Mia came storming over to me with a hint of menace in her eyes.

"Ah, sorry for the wait, I was.... caught up with a minor problem - haha..." I tried to laugh it off, worried that I was in trouble. "But no worries, it's all fine now."

"Oh really now?" She said, admonishment clear in her eyes. "You were caught up with a 'minor problem'?"

"Uhhh - I-I..." I stuttered, not sure what to say, fearing my woman's wrath as I had an inkling of what she was mad about.

After having scouted the ruined greenskin settlement and met Ursa, I used my connection with Mia to inform her to stay put and not to worry. Although I couldn't yet speak words through the bond yet, I could convey intent and emotion.

But now with the infuriated small figure of Mia tapping her foot impatiently directly in front of me, I was a bit at a loss for words.

"Without even coming back here, you go headfirst into danger - you stupid Master!"

"Ah - how did you know?" I asked, a bit surprised.

Looking at me like I was an idiot, she pointed out in the distance.

"We could see your fight from here." She said, incredulity in her eyes.

Looking behind myself, I saw the burnt tops of some of the massive trees. Remembering the flashy fight I had just had, I winced.

"Oh..."