Chapter 15 - Hunter’s Ascendance (Patreon)

Elania paused slightly as she took in the four beasts suddenly bearing down on her. She should have turned and ran or looked for some sort of high-ground that would give her a defensive advantage.

She didn't.

Instead, she continued her dash forward before suddenly stopping and hurling a javelin at the one in the lead. Somehow she had known precisely where the Darkwalker's next leap was going to have it land, and the length of wood slammed into an eye. It tumbled before skidding sideways to a stop, whining in pain before going still.

Somehow she knew. It was an instinct, an omniscient prescience that somehow came from her absorbing so much Darkwalker essence so quickly.

Elania took off in another charge to meet the second Darkwalker head-on, lunging forward with her spear and managing to impale it through the throat. However, the thrashing animal managed to pull her weapon out of her grip as it lurched away from her.

Without looking, she knew what was about to happen. She pulled out her dagger and spun, raising her shield above her head. The snarl and rage of the Darkwalker pouncing on her from above was lost in the din of combat in the cavern.

It was heavy and landed on her shield, and it dug its front and back claws into the wood even as it tried to pull it apart. Elania slammed her dagger right through the loose weave and into the beasts chest several times before she tossed it and her shield to the side.

A sudden heat flared in the back of her left leg. 'Fuck!'

She tried to spin around, but the beast had a firm grip on the back of her leg and moved with her, claws raking forward to try and do more damage and topple her over.

Two more Darkwalkers had peeled off the main attack on the Mushroohums and were coming for her, and she realized the one she was dealing with was doing its best to try and pin her down for them.

Elania couldn't let that happen. She kicked forward with the leg the beast was trying to attach itself to, and then jumped backward, landing on the ground. Being on the ground with a ferocious beast with massive claws and daggers for teeth wasn't a very smart position to take, and the Darkwalker immediately pounced at her going for her throat.

Just like she had known it would, and she swung just at the right time to intercept it midair and pin it to the ground herself. Steel flashed, and she shoved it right behind an ear and into the beast's skull, forcing it to go still instantly.

[Do you wish to absorb the Darkwalker's Essence? Y/N]

She didn't think about it and just accepted, quickly repeating the process with the other two nearby.

[Your body has dramatically exceeded the limit of its capacity for Power!]

[You are nearing the absolute limits of your body!]

[Due to your high Power, Regeneration is enhanced!]

Elania checked her Power; the overwhelming feeling of being invincible was warring with the fire that burned in her chest and the thick sheen of sweat pouring off her.

[Power: 295/160]

'I need to try something new, or I'm going to burn myself to bits.'

The thought of not absorbing the essence didn't come to her. It was like a drug, that felt good. Better to burn off the extra Power so she could absorb more than let it go to waste.

She drew another javelin and let it fly, impaling the first of the new attackers. The second Darkwalker wasn't far behind, but she went into a crouch with her dagger at the ready. When it leapt at her, she pointed the blade at it and closed her eyes and focused.

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

[You have gained a level in Mana Manipulation!]

Elania felt the heat lessen inside of her as it poured out and into her weapon. Opening her eyes, she confirmed that the tip of the blade was glowing a brilliant white that suddenly surged and then leapt like an arrow at the Darkwalker.

The bolt punched through it like a ballista bolt, not slowing down at all as it left a bloody gaping hole left in the Darkwalker's chest. It continued forward before slamming into the side of a Mushroohum building and exploding into a massive cloud of dust and debris.

The cloud sent Darkwalkers scurrying away and yelping in surprise, and the beleaguered Mushroohums that had been caught outside dragged their wounded companions inside.

[Power: 180/168]

Elania laughed loudly, a mania taking hold as she considered the ridiculousness of the magic attack. As the dust settled, she had to admit it had been undeniably effective at suppressing the beasts locally. However, across the entire area, there were still pockets of Darkwalkers taking down stragglers.

Several more Darkwalkers peeled off from the group, and she moved to meet them. As the group and her dashed toward each other, she realized she had another skill that she had been neglecting to try.

[Demonic Aura(Activated)]

The effect was staggering. Every single Darkwalker in the cavern stopped and howled, and then began to beeline toward Elania. The ones closest to her were smashed out of the air and flattened against the ground like a massive hand had suddenly fallen and slapped them.

That made it incredibly easy for her to go up to each one and stab her dagger into an eye socket as they struggled to move. She quickly absorbed their essence and eyed the rest of the pack rushing her. There were at least twelve.

'They aren't getting flattened as they get closer like these were.'

[Demonic Aura(Deactivated)]

[You cannot activate Demonic Aura for 30 minutes.]

'Dammit. I guess that would have been too easy.'

---

Tre'gat'aru was one of the most experienced hunters and skilled javelin throwers of the Mu'roya tribe. He'd seen countless young shrooms try to mimic him, only to be cut down before they could even complete their first hunt.

The Ralfot and Elnat caves did not prepare them for the harshness of the Darkwalker tunnels.

So he'd been forced to take his current position on the roof of the trade hall, with several thick bundles of spears while the younger warriors tried their best to stop the onslaught of the beasts attacking the village.

Tre'gat'aru had never seen so many beasts come up before. Something must have smoked or burnt them out of the deep tunnels below where they mostly dwelled, but he had no inkling what could have caused such a massive exodus.

Things were looking grim as the large numbers of the beasts slowly picked away at the more inexperienced warriors, even as he did his best to give them support from afar.

He never expected the sudden blast of blinding light to send the Darkwalkers scattering, or that he would recognize the source of the explosion.

It was the demon. The demon with the shape of a human that he had met in the caverns and traded with. The one that was reported to have tried to kill one of the village's Elnats.

Tre'gat'aru watched in awe as the demon sprang forward, thinking nothing of the six Darkwalkers charging at her. She threw her two remaining javelins with deadly accuracy and then spun and danced as the remaining four leapt around her, trying to find room to pounce and claim her, only to find themselves slashed or countered by perfect timing.

Then he shivered as the demon consumed the beast's souls. He felt fear... but also a slight amount of hope as his eyes slowly rose across her previous path and noticed that the bodies of the fallen warriors had not been consumed. She had spared their souls. They would remain to nourish the next generation.

---

Elania's breaths came in great heaves as she leaned on a rock, staring at a plethora of messages whilst surrounded by a mound of corpses.

The sounds of the battle had settled off, but the cavern was far from quiet as "Glau-glaa!" was intermixed with pained cries of the wounded. A few remaining Darkwalkers that still clung to life added their whines and growls to the battlefield.

[Do you wish to absorb the Darkwalker's Essence? Y/N] x16

Elania checked her Power, and it was still dangerously high, although she knew that just by the burn in her chest.

[Power: 340/196]

She didn't know what would happen if she absorbed more, but she still wanted to do so. The draw of more Darkwalker essence called to her.

It was a single message that had her frozen, an inner debate warring inside herself.

[You have achieved maximum Darkwalker Affinity, do you wish to take Darkwalker Transformation? Y/N]

She never hated the [System] more than now. Why didn't it explain to her what Darkwalker Transformation would do to her? Was it permanent? Would she become a Darkwalker? Did it increase her skills?

Would it use some of her Power so she could claim more of the Darkwalker essence she craved?

She was dimly aware of the Mushroohums in the background. A few had taken up watch of her, a safe javelin's distance away, but the rest had set about looking for wounded and recovering their dead. They specifically avoided coming any closer to her unless they had to.

It was better than their first meeting when they chased her for stepping on the Elnat, and with her experience with Skinner, she hoped that after helping them, they'd be friendly.

Before she managed to decide what to do about the offered Transformation, a larger group of the Mushroohums approached. She immediately felt herself bristle, the posture of the new arrivals didn't seem friendly at all, and they all were brandishing spears. Even in her jumped-up state, she'd be hard-pressed to dodge two dozen spears thrown in a volley.

A single large Mushroohum that dwarfed the others pressed its way to the front. Unlike all the others, it was wrapped in a crimson red cloth, which she decided it probably held some authority. Unfortunately, it pointed at her and shouted in the loudest voice she had heard from the Mushroohums.

"GLUA-GLAA!"

The entire formation of Mushroohums raised their arms and aimed their spears, ready to throw at her.