Chapter 16 - King of Darkwalkers (Patreon)

Elania's first instinct to bolt was restrained when she realized the group had just been ordered to be ready to throw at her, instead of carrying it through. Whether she would have bolted toward them, or away, wasn't clear to her. A lot of things were muddled in her mind because of the excess Power and the high concentration of Darkwalker essence.

"Glua-Glaa! Glua-Glaa!"

Elania watched the one she subtitled 'Leader' gesture with its spear and shouted at her angrily. At least she thought it was angry. That wasn't clear, but the thing it was trying to communicate was. Leave. Leave now. The threat with the ready spears was implicit.

Elania didn't move. She couldn't. A little rational voice was shouting at her that she should go, that it wasn't a good idea to antagonize them, that she needed friends. She couldn't hear it for the other, shouting with all the loudness of the Power coursing through her that they were going to take her kills, and the Darkwalker essence she hadn't absorbed yet.

The intensity of the Leader's shouting reached a crescendo, and she thought he was about to throw his spear at her first in a mad rage. Ever so slightly, she shifted her stance, so she'd be able to reach him and tear his annoying throat out first.

A larger Mushroohum finally managed to push its way to the front and grabbed the Leader's arm, pulling the raised spear down. An angry exchange began, but Elania was focused on the newcomer. She recognized him; it was Skinner.

He seemed to have some kind of clout to Elania because the others in the military formation seemed to relax and lower their spears as the two in front argued. The exchange seemed to grow in intensity, with the gestures becoming erratic. However, she would never understand the frantic 'GluaGlaa' they seemed to speak.

Elania wasn't sure what she could do other than wait when suddenly a massive roar echoed throughout the cavern. It came from the path Elania had used to reach the village, and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It was easily two heads taller than her, and the dark feline shape was unmistakable. How had it grown so large?

[ ???? - Lesser Demon (S Rank Monster) - Level 87]

'Identify is useless! That's not a demon, its a massive fucking Darkwalker!'

"Glaaa!" erupted from the assembled Mushroohums, and they scattered and ran for the buildings. The massive Demonic Beast was fast approaching, though, seemingly seeking revenge for the deaths of all the smaller Darkwalkers. No one was going to make it back to any sort of safety of the stone buildings.

Unless she slowed it down somehow.

Elania could only think of one thing: to use a [Mana Manipulation] attack. Pulling out her dagger, she began to focus. Somehow the beast sensed the threat immediately, and her eyes widened as it changed the trajectory of its charge straight toward her.

It caused her to panic and released the 'Power' before she had pooled enough of it for a massive attack like earlier, but the light that shot out of the tip of her dagger was still impressive. It was a thin stiletto of 'Power' that seemed to intersect the Demon Darkwalker's chest.

Worse, it had little effect.

Elania finally indicated acceptance to absorb the Darkwalker essences, just seconds before the beast slammed into her. She went flying and then tumbling as she landed on her back. Worse, she didn't manage to get back on her feet before the beast suddenly snapped its jaws around her arm and began to yank her back and forth, easily dislocating her shoulder.

She realized she was screaming while stabbing at her assailant. It was a shallow nick, but it came close to the beast's face, and it let go of her roaring as she fell to the ground.

[Your physical status is degrading.]

She heard and felt her shoulder suddenly pop as it went back into place on its own, and the seeping wounds on her side quickly knitted themselves back together. Except then, the Demon Beast raked her front with a set of massive claws.

It was much worse than the Bone Demon, the massive Darkwalker's claws cutting deep like razor-sharp knives. Her dagger was too short, her javelins used up, and she had no idea where her spear had gone, not that the flimsy wooden weapons would do much good against a monster like this, she realized.

[Power: 320/200]

Despite absorbing the mound of corpses, her ‘Power’ was draining rapidly, and she hadn't even managed to do more than scratch the Darkwalker Demon. A massive claw raked down again, but this time she managed to roll to the side and slash with her dagger, drawing a thin line of blood through the thick fur.

'It's like trying to fight a bear with a butterknife!'

She scrambled away, but pain flared as it caught her leg in a pair of jaws and tossed her again. This time she managed to turn the falling tumble into a dodge-roll, but the assault didn’t stop as it quickly chased after her with a follow-up attack.

"Glua-glaa!"

Elania hadn't realized it, but the fight had led them close to the village, and the nearest building had a dozen Mushroohums atop the roof. They were all brandishing spears before they all aimed and let loose a volley. Straight at her! No, she realized, they were directed at the Darkwalker Demon; she was just where it was going to be when they arrived!

She continued her evasion, and sure enough, the Demon pounced after her... right into a thicket of falling spears. It roared in a fury, now ignoring her, and rushing toward the building in zig-zagging leaps that made further volleys useless. Elania cursed under her breath; it was going to destroy the Mooshrums if it got close to them.

They didn't heal as she did.

She summoned her mana again, preparing for another powered ranged attack. The Darkwalker Demon paused immediately and sniffed the air, before turning and roaring at her just as before. She was prepared for it this time, though, and even as it charged at her, she kept her focus.

Her dagger had long reached the blinding white light from before and surpassed it. It was so much that even her hand began to feel like it was burning just from being near the metal. Still, she kept hold of the Power until the last second, just as the Demon Darkwalker pounced.

The light leaped forward through the rapidly shortening distance between them. The blast was enough to physically lift the Demon back up into the air and send it flying away, trails of smoke and the smell of sizzling skin and burnt fur.

Elania wasn't unhurt herself, as the pain flooded up through her arm. The skin of her hand was knitting itself back together, and that was as nearly as painful as when it had been completely incinerated.

The Darkwalker Demon crashed with a heavy thud, and she thought for a moment that the fight was over, and she'd won. It stood up though and roared, and she felt the blood drain from her face. It was wounded; she could see the massive gouge that when across its chest and continued all the way down its side.

It turned and charged at her again.

[Power: 112/204]

She didn't have nearly enough 'Power' for another blast. She'd used it all on the last one! Looking down at the remains of her ruined dagger Elania felt a sense of defeat. The blade was no longer straight or sharp, but a rounded melted mess. She had no chance against it in close combat, unless...

She stared at the message. She felt a sudden ray of hope, tinted with a hint of fear.

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