V2 Chapter 154

With a displeased snort, Cian’s hand was covered by a black mist, which then turned into a black magic circle—

“Star of Night, Moon of life, sins thy crime, life shall return… bring me death, Dark Spears!”

The glowing magic circle suddenly floated, stopping above where the Manticore was standing before it suddenly expanded, almost covering an entire ten meters.

Woosh. Wooosh. Wooosh.

Stormy wind appeared, and then from with the magic circle, countless sharp black spikes suddenly came out and then, like a rain of spears, it showered from above the Silver Scaled Apes, saving the spot where the Manticore was standing, at the very center of the Magic Circle.

Metallic sounds rang out, along with the cries of pain and fear. However, the dark spears only wounded the Silver Scaled Ape slightly and not even caused a fatal wound. Magic indeed can’t hurt them—

“Stupid Apes!”

With his sword, Cian descended in front of the Manticore who was now staring at Cian, confused and somewhat baffled.

Why is this demon saving me?

“Don’t misunderstand, Beast… but I hate monkeys more than you… I’m gonna kill all of them for trying to steal my food… but you and I are not done yet!” Cian glared at the Manticore with a cold grin. “I’mma kill you after them…”

“…?!”

The Manticore seemed to have understood what Cian was talking as it suddenly stood up, with a fierceness never wavering in its eyes and then turned its back at Cian, facing the Silver Scaled Apes surrounding them. A flash of beaming light appeared in the monster’s eyes and its body started slightly glowing golden.

“…Don’t’ die ‘till I kill you…” Cian smiled savagely as he stomped his feet off the ground, causing the earth to shook and his figure shot towards the group of Silver Scaled Apes.

“ROOOOOOAAAARRR—!!!”

Almost simultaneously, the Manticore also pounced towards the other side and like a wolf that had entered a flock sheep, its fangs and claws started ripping apart the Silver Scaled Apes.

Cian saw that the Manticore was actually cooperating with him, his lips curled into a satisfied smile. Then, suddenly he grabbed a Silver Scaled Ape in front of him, then slapped a nearby Ape.

The slap was casual and didn’t seem to have any power behind it if compared against the physique of the Silver Scaled Ape, however, what made the monster shuddered was that, the moment the slap hit the Silver Scaled Ape’s body, the Silver-scaled Ape actually shot through the gathered monsters like a bowling ball hitting the pins.

If one looks at it from above, they would see that amidst the cluster of silver, there was a long red line amidst the gathered group.

Though this seemed like a killing blow, it was actually not. With the Silver Scaled Ape’s incredible physical attribute and vitality, they immediately recovered from this injury after a few minutes. So, the killing rate of his sword was much better than sending them flying. Even still, with every kick, elbow, punch, and headbutt, the monster shot in the air and just couldn’t come close. Cian made his way towards the besieged Manticore and then aid it by beating up the other Silver Scaled Ape around it.

“… …”

When he arrived in front of it, the Manticore also looks at him.

Black fog enveloped the area around them. The Silver Scaled Apes who tried to attack them immediately jumped back, not daring to go into the black fog, who knows what it was?

The fog covered ten meters of the area, and the plants and trees within it slowly withered, scaring the Apes even more.

“Seems like you saving you is not useless—don’t fight it,” Cian grasped the neck of the Ape he had caught, which seemed bigger than most Silver Scaled Ape and then reached his other hand towards the head of the Manticore. The Manticore step back but Cian glared at it, displeased, “I said don’t fight it! If you fought with those grievous wounds, you might as well die by my hands right now! Do you want it?”

Placing his palm against its forehead, this time the Manticore didn’t fight back. It seemed as if it cannot feel any hostility from Cian and see what he wanted to do. Suddenly at this moment, a terrifying scene occurred as black mist appeared from Cian’s hand and then it expanded, slowly covering the Silver Scaled Ape in his hand.

“By the Gate of the darkness, everything shall turn into nothingness. Life that gives birth, owned by no one, control by no one…”

Cian slowly mumbled.

The Silver Scaled Ape started struggling as if something was choking it, and then it stopped as its skin dried, turning grey, it shrunk.

The black mist crawled through Cian’s left hand towards the Manticore who was stared at Cian in dread and fear, after seeing the Silver Scaled Ape’s condition.

However, it suddenly noticed that it cannot move anymore.

“…come and heed me, I will take you to somewhere you should belong!”

The black mist covered the Manticore’s body.

When the Manticore thought it was going to die, suddenly something bubbled within it, like his blood boiling, it surged through every part of his body, giving his tired and numbed limbs boundless energy. Then, it noticed its grave wounds and injuries slowly healed and recovered in rapid speed.

The Manticore stared at Cian in shock. The latter just smiled arrogantly; “I might not know recovery spells, but draining life is what I’m good at~”

Although not all injuries healed, it still gives the Manticore roughly 30 to 40 percent of its strength back.

Cian saw this and tossed the dried up withered corpse of the Silver Scaled Ape in the side.

What he used was one of the few high-level spells he knows and was good at. [Life Drain]… although this spell drains the life of other people giving it to the user, what Cian did was channel the life force he had plundered from the Silver Scaled Ape towards the Manticore, helping it recover its energy back.

Even Grea Ovsburn cannot do something like this easily, but Cian could. With the use of [Night’s Eye], he can see magic energy and how it flows. And it even gave him magnificent control over it, as if he was born to use magic. This gave him a tremendous advantage among other magic users, making him a Genius that even awed Grea Ovsburn.

He can will magic and control it easily—[Magic Eye] a second Ability he acquired the moment he learned Magic.

Right now, aside from [Soul Eye] where he can drag soul or spirit entities into his Soul Realm to fight them and make them submit, he also had another ability [Magic Eye] which made him able to analyze and understand all magic. It is also possible for him to analyze structures around the bearer and even appraise magical items as long as they possess magic.

The third power awakened by him in these two years of training was the third one: [Precognition], giving him the ability to predict an enemy's movements and helps him avoid any attacks effortlessly. Unlike the other two abilities, this was a battle-oriented ability.

However, as for [Magic Eye] is concerned, it was incomplete. From the information the Eye gave him, he only possesses two Magic Affinities, which is [Death] and [Lightning]. Because of this, he can analyze and record magic from [Death] and [Lightning] system with small to no efforts.

But other elementals such as fire, water, wind, light, earth, and others. Because he has no affinity with them, it was impossible for him to record them and use them. Only if he was able to obtain in the future will he be able to use them and complete his [Magic Eye]!

It would be impossible for other people, with no clear chances of completing it. Magic creatures only possess one or two elemental affinities. Even Demons, innate magic beings themselves are no exception. Even [Dual Affinity] able to possess two elemental affinities can only be seen in one among ten thousand. [Trinity] is one among a million, but even more than that, it’s extremely rare. Not even in history appeared with someone who possesses all elemental affinities.

Hence, able to complete all Elemental Affinities is but a nigh impossible dream.

Normally that is…

Cian was different.

He has [Plunder] ability.

As long as he can eat mages of different elements, he should be able to steal their magic affinities as well!

Cian had tried eating some mages from different races before, which were collected in passing by members of the organization, but perhaps because it was too weak or not, Cian only obtained a bit of flame, water, and earth magic after eating all of those corpses.

If measured by numbers; [Death] affinity gave him 65 Points, [Lightning] Affinity was at 55 Points, [Fire] 15 Points, [Water] 22 Points, and lastly [Earth] 12 Points.

To be able to obtain Elemental Affinity, Elemental Points must reach or exceed 50 Points. With only 15 points in [Fire] Affinity, he cannot even cast strong beginner magic. Though, casting [Ember] and [Torch] was easy. But it has no offensive power whatsoever. It was just as strong as a lighter or small flare.

Looking at the recovered Manticore before him, Cian’s expression somewhat softened. Then, he turned his gaze towards surrounding monsters—even with the dark fog, he can easily see what they are doing with his Eye.

What Cian cast beforehand was [Blanket of Darkness], a high-level magic spell. However, this magic has just too large of an appetite, and the more he expanded the area of attack, the greater the magic energy it consumes. Cian didn’t like using this spell, due to the magic power consumption as well as, it was not really that useful other than scaring and hiding his figure.

Its attack damage can barely be said to be so-so, and even weaker than [Poison Mist]. It just slowly seep away one’s life, but it can be defended easily by a magic barrier. It’s just uneconomical use of magic power!

Cian’s finger traced the surface the blade of his sword, and his eyes gleamed in different colors.

These idiot monkeys! How dare they try to take away my food?! They are asking for death! He couldn’t help but sneer in contempt as he stared at the Silver Scaled Ape that was surrounding the Crimson Blood Tree protectively. If not for the fact that the fruit seemed to have yet to be good for the picking, these idiot monkeys would have collected it already and run away!

“I’m gonna fucking slaughter you all!!”

Cian declared in a cold smile.

Even the Manticore standing behind him couldn’t help but shiver from Cian’s fierce aura. His body was surging with boundless hostility. It was like a black hole, gloomy and dark, filled with the elements of instability. It suddenly regretted provoking this demon… although it still has some grievances and hates towards Cian who had killed its comrades, after seeing the latter's strength, it started to feel somewhat unsettled.

Of course, Manticores didn’t like to display fear, but they are not made of metal or ice—no matter how brave they are, they still feel fear. No wanted to die!

When Cian helped it fight the Silver Scaled Apes, and even help it to recover from its grievous injuries, the Manticore’s anger to Cian somewhat lessened. Furthermore, their current situation, the Manticore hated the Silver Scaled Ape more than it hates Cian.

These damn monkeys had always been like this, attacking them and trying to lord over this forest and taking everything that is good. Because of these, not so small number of their people had been slaughtered by these damn monkeys!

What’s more hateful is that these damn monkeys were not only strong but also smart—they always make peculiar strategies and schemes to kill the Manticores.

Hence, the Manticore didn’t really bother Cian anymore and even its hate at him somewhat reduced by a large amount.

In this world, kill or be killed is the most natural way. No matter where the world is always cruel. One has to either kill or be killed. If you are not strong, you die… if you are weak, you are eaten. Death is not new to them…so Cian killing its comrades didn’t really bother the Manticore that much. This is just the way of the world. Although he felt angry at him, it’s more of an innate rage due to killing the people of its kind.

Humans also have that kind of mindset. Most humans can easily kill their fellow humans in exchange for benefits. However, once other things started killing other humans, such as beasts or monsters, they would then started to feel furious about it and even unite to kill their race’s enemy.

This racial trait—the resonance of species!

Cian cocked his neck and then, suddenly spread the pair of bone wings on his back, flying in the air. His heterochromatic eyes turned into that of a hawk, and translucent black flames started to appear on his bone wings, shoulders, and arms.

His figure flew from the black fog and stop in the air. Looking at the largest Silver Scaled Ape that was standing beside the Crimson Blood Tree and was glaring daggers at him, Cian smiled coldly. Then, he somersaulted in the air and suddenly took a nose dive towards the group of Silver Scaled Apes that was drumming their chest in a provocative manner.

Boom~

Boom~

Kacha~

Kacha~

Cian had a very clever choice with timing. Just when all the apes became mind absent for a brief moment, he already slew the few Silver Scaled Apes that were blocking the front.

Baang!! Cian raised his sword, blocking the Silver Scaled Ape that hammered its two oversized arms towards him. It felt like being hammered by a freaking twelve-wheeler truck. If not for the fact that his [Imagis Realis] was almost nigh indestructible, he feared that his sword would have been crushed into pieces.

Cian gritted his teeth and used his [Herculean Strength] to its fullest and pushed back the Silver Scaled Ape. Then, he clenched his free hand and sent out a punch. His knuckles smashed against the monster’s chest sending it flying away. Then, he swept his leg on the ground, tripping the other Apes that had managed to make their way over, and then lifted his kick upwards, hitting the monster’s jaws, and sending it in the air.

Every punch and kick made by Cian was like large hammers smashing against the Apes.

Only one attack can send an almost three meters tall Silver Scaled Apes flying in the air.

Roooarrr—!!

At this moment, when Cian saw several monsters pouncing at him from every direction, trying to cut off his escape, he sneered. These monkeys are idiots—however, before his absolute defense kicked in, a large monster appeared above him, brandishing its sharp steel-like claws and stinger, smashing and stabbing the Apes, killing them easily before landing beside him.

The Manticore growled as it stood beside Cian. Its three to four-meter tall body was extremely imposing…!

Cian grinned…at least, this bastard is not ungrateful!

Cian and the Manticore—the Silver Scaled Ape started to feel pressured as they took a step back in fear. Their bodies slightly trembling. A Manticore is already a difficult foe, now there was that demon with strange bone wings…

Rooooooaaaarrr—!! Bam! Bam! Bam!

The largest Ape snorted, its blue eyes turning red in rage as it drummed its chest and started walking towards Cian and the Manticore.

“Now, here comes the big monkey~”

Cian walked towards the leader of the Silver Scaled Ape.

Boom… Boom...

The surrounding Silver Scaled Apes saw their leader taking a step forward and their fear immediately vanished in thin air. They then started running together and the ground they ran on shook with every step they take.

Cian growled, raised his sword and plunged into the crowd of Silver Scaled Apes which just doubled in numbers. He charged. He clashed. His sharp sword was swung to the left. And then, it was swept to the right. Over and over again.

The enemies have been swept away one after another, and their bodies were blown away or cut one after another…

Blood spurted like a fountain, dying the ground red as Cian used all his abilities to kill the monsters. Every attack blown away and break all the scales on the Silver Scaled Apes. The monsters tried to overwhelm him with his number, but they cannot as every attack they made were reflected and hurting them instead. Cian’s slender sword suddenly transform into a great sword, grasped by his two hands.

Cutting them apart had been rendered useless by their skills.

Blunt attacks were much better

Unlike the slender sword that can move extremely fast and quick, the heavy sword allowed him to fearlessly sweep in all directions like now, was only the heavy sword!

With this sword, he could easily shatter the monsters scales that could hardly be harmed by any other weapons. At this moment, a large shadow covered Cian and then a loud baaaang!! occurred as a enormous figure dropped from above.

A cloud of dust and dirt blossomed, and the leader of the Silver Scaled Ape could be seen drumming its chest in confidence. However, when it looks down, aside from several Silver Scaled Apes that were crushed by it, there was no sign of that hateful demon…!