The attacks now were more aggressive and concentrated than before, so much that his Hardened Scale skill was cracking under pressure.
"Damn!" Michael cursed. As a Toxic Spit has landed over his naked back, his energy scales broke down and he was vulnerable. Fortunately, hide behind rocks on time or he'll become nothing but melted human.
Hiding behind a rock, Michael grunted in pain. As a large chunk of flesh from his back has fallen off, turning into goo that fall through the ground.
He wanted to give up on fighting these guys, as he already suffered one major injury and he was done for getting more. But it was already too late to give up now, as the entrance/exit he come into was a bit far from him.
He need to at least meet with the acidic rain barrage from the remaining slimes to have the chance of escaping with injuries. And the chances of dying is very high.
So he can only fight his way out. Whether he like it or not.
Sizzle~ Sizzle~
Michael heard the sound of sizzling rocks, slowly coming towards him. It was the slimes acidic attacks that still didn't stop from using. He knows that he needs to change his position if he don't want to feel that pain again.
Gritting his teeth he activated his Hardened Scale skill again, before he lunged forward to seek another cover.
Whish!
Sizzle~
Just before his energy scales broke down, he manage to leap to another cover. Panting, he use his ability on another Mana Core he has just gotten.
[You use your Unique Ability: Devouring on [Mana Core] (Unnatural).]
[Devouring Initiating.....]
[Devouring successful!]
[You gained: Strength 0.5, Agility 0.5, Intelligence 0.5]
[Current Attributes: Strength 2.57, Agility 2.57, Constitution 1.37, Intelligence 3.5, Willpower 3]
Another wave of powerful energy course through him, making him felt a lot stronger.
Taking a sprinting posture, he lunged forward at amazing speed. Now he was a lot faster than before, moving in blurring speeds almost thrice a normal person's sprinting speed.
Now he can evade the slimes toxic rain barrage, but he still in difficult position due to their overwhelming number.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sizzle~ Sizzle~
Michael looks like he was dancing in the rain, moving his body like an erratic person. His speed was fast, and his body is very flexible, capable of doing incredible stunts.
Moments later, he appeared before another unlucky slime. It's Mana Core got pulled out and collapse immediately.
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Toxic Slime] (lvl.5)]
[You gained 16 Experience Points]
Still he was not satisfied, he wants to annihilate all of them.
Whoosh!
Sprinting towards another slime while evading raining acids. He took down another toxic slime, and then another one.
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Toxic Slime] (lvl.6)]
[You gained 64 Experience Points]
[Ding!]
[You leveled up!]
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Toxic Slime] (lvl.3)]
[You gained 8 Experience Points]
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Toxic Slime] (lvl.2)]
[You gained 4 Experience Points]
...
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Toxic Slime] (lvl.3)]
[You gained 8 Experience Points]
[Name: Michael Arsia Vanne
Experience points: 120/200
Level: 1
Rank: Mortal
Unique Ability: Devouring (Legendary) – Can Grow
Attributes: Strength 2.57, Agility 2.57, Constitution 1.37, Intelligence 3.5, Willpower 3
Free Attributes: 2
{Skills}
Passive Skill:
Perseverance(Common), Overload(Common), Multitasking(Common),
Active Skill:
Hardened Scale(Uncommon)]
...
Soon he took down most of the slimes around, using his speed and agility to the fullest, until three was left out of the original 17 Toxic Slime
"Hah!...hah!..." Michael breathed heavily. His eyes staring intently at the last three slimes, as more than a dozen Mana Core lay all over the ground.
The pitiful blub of toxic waste seems to feel their impending doom, that they tried to use their skills again to no use.
They just use their skills to the fullest and and on the verge of emptying their Mana Core, casting another skil is impossible.
"Hah...you lots are done for!" With a tired eyes, while still panting he smiled. His body was littered with multiple acidic burns, from his face down to his feet. If it's not because of his willpower and the surge of adrenaline, he might have lost his consciousness due to pain.
With a swift motion, he pull out their Mana Cores and they all collapsed.
Finally he finished all of his enemies, leaving no one alive. He fall down to the ground, exhausted and battered while clutching onto a Mana Core.
[You use your Unique Ability: Devouring on [Mana Core] (Unnatural).]
[Devouring Initiating.....]
[Devouring successful!]
[You gained: Strength 0.5, Agility 0.5, Intelligence 0.5]
He then proceeded to grab the other core one by one.
[You use your Unique Ability: Devouring on [Mana Core] (Unnatural).]
[Devouring Initiating.....]
[Devouring successful!]
[You gained: Strength 0.5, Agility 0.5, Intelligence 0.5]
...
[You use your Unique Ability: Devouring on [Mana Core] (Unnatural).]
[Devouring successful!]
[You gained: 1.5 Attribute Energy, Slime Regeneration(Uncommon)]
Michael receive continuous powerful energy coursing through him, making feel very strong and energetic. It unfortunate that he was injured so he cannot, fully experience this ecstasy.
After this round of devouring, he learned that his unique ability is not all powerful. It can only devour and gained the attributes that was much higher than him, if it's lower or the same as him, it would turn into Attribute Energy that he still don't know what it can do.
Still he was satisfied, having free attributes and skills is already a blessing. A very large advantage, compared to other Ascendants that can only grind continuously to increase it.
He then called out 'status' from his mind, to check his new found strength.
[Name: Michael Arsia Vanne
Experience points: 143/200
Level: 1
Rank: Mortal
Unique Ability: Devouring (Legendary) – Can Grow
Attribute Energy: 18
Attributes: Strength 5, Agility 5, Constitution 1.37, Intelligence 5, Willpower 3
Free Attributes: 2
{Skills}
Passive Skill:
Perseverance(Common), Overload(Common), Multitasking(Common),
Active Skill:
Hardened Scale(Uncommon), Slime Regeneration(Uncommon)]
Michael's interest was piqued, by the new active skill he got. Just the word "Regeneration" catched his attention, especially when he was badly injured and needs to find a way to heal it, or he'll die slowly if things drag on. So he pressed that option to see it's description.
[Slime Regeneration] (Uncommon)
Type: Active/Support
Cost: 1 mana per 10 seconds
Description: An innate recovery ability unique to slime-type creatures. The user's body continuously repairs itself by reabsorbing lost mass and converting surrounding moisture or organic matter into new tissue. Minor wounds close within seconds, while severe damage gradually restores over time, granting remarkable survivability even after critical injury.
System Notice: Warning! Skill is incompatible for the host. Effect was deemed useless.
•••
The excitement in Michael's eyes vanished instantly, as soon as he reads the System Notice. Now, he needs to crack his head in order to think of a solution for his injuries.
Just before he could close his eyes to take some rest, another panel of information appeared before his eyes.
[System Notice: You can use your attribute energy, to evolve your skills, according to your specifications. Now, you can evolve your [Slime Regeneration] (Uncommon) to [Active Regeneration] (Uncommon),or upgrade its grade to (Rare). With enough attributes energy, you can turn any incompatible skills to suit your own, and even upgrade it]
[Do you want to use 10 Attribute Energy to evolve your [Slime Regeneration] (Uncommon) into [Active Regeneration] (Uncommon)?]
[Yes] [No]
Without hesitation, Michael pressed yes. How could he known, that this 'useless' attribute energy is actually so useful?
–10 Attribute Energy
[Skill evolving....]
[Ding!]
[Evolution Success!]
[Active Regeneration] (Uncommon)
Type: Active / Support
Cost: 1 mana per second
Description: A universal recovery ability that is inherent to some advanced lifeforms. When activated, the user stimulates rapid cellular restoration by converting surrounding organic matter, absorbed biomass, or their own mana into living tissue. Minor wounds mend slowly at first, while deeper or fatal injuries gradually heal over time, granting exceptional endurance and the capacity to recover even from near-death conditions.