After gaining the skill, he immediately used it without hesitation.
[Active Regeneration–Activated]
As soon as he activated his new skill, he could be a southing energy, coursing through him. His injuries slowly heal, new skin has grown back from the melted parts.
– 1 mana
– 1 mana
– 1 mana
...
– 1 mana
But there's something wrong about this skill. It was draining his mana very fast, so fast that his mana capacity was down to 6 points from 50 in just couple of seconds. Making him extremely tired, not just physically but also mentally.
He can only stop his skill, even do his injuries still were not healed fully. He can only, slowly use this skill again after his mana recovered.
After he stopped using his skill, he finally lost consciousness from exhaustion. He sleep soundlessly on the cave floor.
...
Some time later, he was woken up by a sudden ring of the system. He forced his still battered body to look at the new information. Assuming a meditative position, he scan the system panel.
[Ding!]
[A day has passed! Difficulty increased significantly. Aspirants, good luck!]
Michael frowned when he saw the new information. 'Difficulty increased? So that's means that everything were just the easiest, and from this day on, it would continue to increase?' He cannot help but felt displeased.
Gathering himself up, he forced himself to move, even if his body and mind was begging him to take a rest.
He then exited the cavern chamber he entered into, where he pulled out the Mana Core of dozens of pitiful toxic slimes mercilessly.
After walking a couple distance and entering couple chambers. He finally come back from where he come from, to the entrance of this massive cave filled with couple unknown danger.
There, the mouth of the cave was empty. The people that hide here was gone, leaving nothing behind. The outside was still gloomy and the sky still crimson, with dried reddish earth and air having the smell of blood.
It was still the same barren and unhibited land just like before, except that the usually quiet and eerie and gained Abit of activity.
Not just because of the sudden influx of humans, but the sudden increase of monsters around. With a new variant monster appearing and walking mindlessly around the barren land, while the drilling worm may be drilling underground, searching for its next meal.
[Crimson Ghoul (Lvl. 6)]
Status: Healthy
Rank: Middle Mortal
Existence Grade: Unnatural
Unique Ability: Blood Feast (Rare)
Attributes: Strength 6, Agility 3, Constitution 4, Intelligence 2, Willpower 3
Skill/s: Life Drain (Uncommon), Bone Slash (Uncommon), Night Vision (Uncommon)
Description: Once human, now cursed to hunger endlessly for blood. It hunts in packs beneath moonlight, its claws slicing through flesh with predatory precision.
•••
Michael could see a small group of ghouls, wearing modern clothing some not, gathering not far from him. Their ugly faces, got heightened under the crimson moon glow, snarling as they look for a new prey.
He don't know if these guys were the same people he come on with, when they got transported into this world or not. As they surely looks like they are one, but either way, he doesn't want to be part of their group, being human is still fine for him.
Growl!
Grawl!
As Michael was scanning out for their information, he also got notice by this bunch of carrions. Their instincts are great, that they instantly notice this 'prey' from afar.
Graah!
A group consisting of 13 ghouls was rapidly sprinting towards Michael's position. Their eyes were glinting red, mouth hanged wide – ready to devour, as they approach.
Michael also didn't just stand there idly, he sprinted forward, wanting to meet with this ghouls head on. He was not the average guy yesterday, now he was a real Aspirant, on his was to become a real Ascendant!
His persona and mentality has adapted to his new world, a world of bloodshed and a game annihilating one another.
Using his high agility to his advantage, he appeared before a ghoul that was still sprinting forward. It didn't expect that this prey could run that fast.
But before this ghoul could react, a heavy and powerful punch lunged into its chest, sending him flying for a couple meters.
Graah!
From behind Michael's back, he felt a sharp feeling of danger and he reacted immediately as soon as he felt this sensation, dodging to the side. He knows what this strange feeling was after he fought with those slimes back on the cave, it's just now he can fully use this to his advantage.
From Michael's past position, a sharp protruding bone come to slash him into half. It's a ghoul that using it's skill, [Bone Slash], it's good that he reacted on time or he would say goodbye on this life of his.
"That was close!" Michael breath a sighed of relief, as he lunged towards that ghoul at incredible speed then deliver a roundhouse kick directly at that ghouls rotting head.
Baam!
That ghoul got send meters away by that powerful kick, but before he could breath, he suddenly felt a strange sensation all over his body life, his lifeforce are being drained by something.
Glancing at his sides, he noticed a trail of his energy being sucked by a ghouls that uses it's [Life Drain] skill. And without hesitation he use his knuckles to send this bastard flying a couple meters away.
Still he cannot drop his guard down just yet, their were still more ghouls capaple of unleashing magical skills still ganging up on him. One wrong move and he can say life goodbye.
Swoosh! Baam!
Thwack! Thuds!
Michael move at the battlefield, agilely, dodging crippling attacks at nick of time, while counter attacking at more than a dozen ghouls surrounding him.
His [Hardened Scale] was already used to it's fullest potential, managing to block couple deadly and crippling blows from this ugly ghouls.
In the midst of the heated battle, Michael suddenly gained an insight about what could he possibly do in order to win and defeat this ghouls.
And that's it, while he punching the face of one of the ugly ghouls, he unexpectedly condensed more energy into his hand while using his skill [Hardened Scale] causing more damage and having more penetrating power. Then something clicked inside of him.
"YAH!"
Gathering large amount of mana in his right and, he deliver a powerful blow at a crimson ghoul that was using [Life Drain] skill on him. Then unexpected scene happened....
Squelch!
His right hand pierce through the ghouls body and he unconsciously push out it's rotten heart that was still beating – squirting blood out.
[Ding!]
[You killed a [Crimson Ghoul] (lvl.7)]
[You gained 64 Experience Points]
As he was bewildered at what he just done, the conservative [Bone Slash] Skill was used by three attacking ghoul, slashing his armoured scale back.
As soon as the attacks landed on Michael's back, his energy scales collapse instantly. Leaving a deep cut through his back as he dodge at nick of time.
"Damn! That a reality calling me to focus!" Michael cursed himself as he used his [Active Regeneration] skill. Greenish energy covered his large wound and it immediately started to close by itself, stopping the blood from pouring out uncontrollably.
Learning from his mistakes, he begins his real counter attack. Using his new found innovative use of his skill, he defeated all the remaining ghouls, one by one.
[...]