[Recommendation: Use powers to escape immediate danger only. Terminate evolution before timer expires.]
[Do you accept?]
"Accept!"
Selora yelled in panic, and just then, she felt a bone-crushing grip on her arm.
[Emergency Evolution Beginning. Temporary Abilities unlocked.]
[Shadow-Step Activated]
Selora felt like she was sucked through a vicious whirlhole, and in just a matter of seconds, her surroundings had changed. She was suddenly in an open field. She looked around in confusion, but barely had time to recover from the effects of the shadow step when the creature that had been after her suddenly appeared before her.
She stepped away as she watched it shed it's hood, and her eyes widened at what she saw. This wasn't a normal demon. It was an errand demon. Created by actual demons to carry out various biddings.
And this one looked like something created by a high-ranking demon. The monstrous creature had cracked, grey skin that looked like abandoned cement. It had limbs that were disturbingly too long, and glowing red eyes that oozed malice.
She hadn't seen a creature like this since the demon realm got destroyed. Never did she think a day would come when she would have to fight one. That too in a human body.
A low, snarling growl rumbled from the creature, and Isabel's skin crawled at how unnatural and guttural it sounded.
"How much longer till the evolution completes?!" Selora asked her system out loud in panic, and the panel came up again.
[Temporary Emergency Evolution Complete.Transformation Starting Now]
[Host's Presence Masked From Humans]
Suddenly, white hot pain shot through Selora, and she crumbled to the floor screaming. Her vision went blank, and it felt as though lava had suddenly replaced blood in her veins.
The creature watched in confusion as Isabel's spine arched, bones cracking under the pressure as raw demonic mana now pumped through her veins.
Midnight-black claws extended from her fingertips, curved and wickedly sharp. Her canines elongated into dangerous fangs built for tearing, not smiling.
Two obsidian horns pushed free from her head. Curled and pulsing with an eerie rhythm that the creature couldn't understand. From the base of her spine, beneath her little skirt, a sleek, long tail lashed into the open, with its end sharp and shaped like an arrowhead.
Her eyes glowed poisonous green, with a black slits in the middle, and veins of black webbed under Isabel's fair skin as Selora took full control.
She had just shown forth most of her features, and she was something else entirely. Beautiful, terrifying, and ready to kill.
[Timer Till Mutation Becomes Permanent: 00:05:01]
Selora stood with a devilish smirk as she stared at the creature, which seemed stunned by what it had just witnessed. For some reason, she felt less afraid. The fear she felt just seconds ago was now replaced by something primal. Something vicious. She didn't feel like prey anymore. Now, she felt like a worthy opponent of this thing, and all she wanted was to find out who sent this creature after her.
Another system notification came up, and Selora tilted her head as she read it.
[System Notice: Mana Core Detected Within Host Vessel]
[Mana: 100/100]
[Unlock Basic Combat Skills? Yes/No]
She had no idea that she could use her mana core in Isabel's body. For other girls, she's possessed; she had to train their bodies vigorously for it, but it seemed Isabel's body was indeed made for her.
[Unlock Basic Combat Skills? Yes/No]
The notification popped up, and Selora readied herself as she watched the creature in front of her, which had been studying her.
Yes.
She replied mentally, and the system opened another panel.
[Unlocked: Mana Blade. Cost: 5 Mana]
[Unlocked: Advanced Shadow-Step. Cost: 10 Mana]
[Unlocked: Corruption Pulse. Cost: 20 Mana]
Mana crackled inside Selora's veins, like wild electric currents. She could feel it… power humming at her fingertips, waiting to be unleashed.
The demon in front of her seemed to sense the change as well, as it decided that it had given her enough time to come up with more surprises. It started running towards her.
She raised her hand and called her first weapon. A dark blade of pure, violet energy materialised out of thin air, into her palm, humming with dangerous, dark mana.
The demon lunged at her, but she vanished.
Shadow stepped.
She reappeared behind it, and she could feel her mana drain.
[Mana: 89/100]
Selora swung her blade, and it hissed as it tore through the demon's shoulder, causing black blood to spray.
[Critical Hit Landed!]
The creature shrieked and turned around with deadly speed. It swung its claws towards her, and Selora barely ducked, and beside her, she saw some of her slashed-off hair fall to the ground that could have been her neck.
[Timer: 00:04:15]
The creature moved again, this time faster than Selora could predict or dodge. It slammed into her with its full weight, and Selora was flung into the air at the impact. She crashed into a nearby tree and tumbled to the floor.
Pain exploded through her head and entire body, and she was forced to remember that she was still in a human's fragile body.
"Fuck…" She cursed through gritted teeth as she pushed herself back up, with her vision swimming.
The demon grinned upon sensing her weakness.
"You're not strong enough," it spoke for the first time, and Selora's eyes snapped back to the creature. "Stuck in that body, you'll soon run out of mana, and then I will have you… " The creature added, and Selora wiped saliva from her lip and laughed.
"Yeah?" she panted. "Come try me, freak!" She spat before opening her palm.
She channelled mana into her palm, letting it gather into a pulsing ball of corruption.
[Corruption Pulse Activated.]
Without warning, she hurled it straight at the demon, and it didn't have time to dodge. The pulse struck home with a satisfying explosion. Selora watched the creature stagger, while screeching in pain, and clawing at its face as the corruption ate at it.
[Mana: 59/100]
[Corruption Pulse Successful: Target Defence -20% for 10 seconds!]
The notification rang, and Selora wasted no time. She Shadow-Stepped again
[Mana: 49/100]
She appeared right in front of it, and with arms on autopilot, she drove her blade deep into the creature's now unprotected heart.
It shrieked, swinging wildly, but she moved out of reach.
[Timer: 00:03:22]
[System Notice: Bonus Objective Unlocked — Slay the Demon stalker Within Time Limit!]
[Reward: Sin Core (Enhances Mana and Corruption Abilities)]
Selora's heart thudded as she read the words.
A Sin Core?
If she got enough of that, her evolution would be on a whole different level. She would be able to summon parts of her real form without as much pain and more time.
The demon was staggering now, black blood pouring from its wound… but it wasn't dead yet.
Far from it.
With a sudden roar, it gathered the corruption around it, elongating its claws with crippling darkness.
It was sudden. It was fast. Too fast.
Selora couldn't dodge in time.
The claw slammed into her side, slicing into her skin and sending her skidding across the grass, gasping for air.
White lights danced in her vision, and she struggled to draw air back into Isabel's lungs.
[Warning: Severe Damage Detected. Health Point: 35%.]
Selora coughed, and blood splattered onto the grass. She was wounded badly, but the demon was already charging towards her again.
[New Ability Unlocked: Mana Overload (Temporary Power Surge) Cost: 30 Mana]
[Activate?]
Selora didn't have a choice. It was her only option if she was going to survive this.
"Activate…!" She croaked weakly, and suddenly, mana began to roar inside her like a hurricane.
Her veins glowed faint blue, and her blade resurfaced. Longer now, and crackling viciously.
The demon skidded to a stop, sensing the sudden shift.
Selora threw herself forward, faster than she had ever moved. Fueled by anger and a determination to survive.
The first slash took the creature's left arm clean off.
The second tore a deep gash across its chest.
The third strike, straight through its second heart, which she hadn't noticed beating in its stomach earlier.
The demon howled as it collapsed with black blood pooling into a mini river around it.
[Timer: 00:02:10]
[Target Eliminated!]
[Sin Core Acquired!]
[Mana Capacity Increased: +50]
[Sin Points: +2,500]
[Total Sin Points: 2,700]
Selora staggered, breathing hard, and covered in blood. Both her's and the creatures.
[Timer Halted. Evolution Phase Ending.]
[Mana: 17/150]
[HP: 35%]
[System Notice: Level Up Available After Rest.]
Selora dropped to her knees, trembling. Pain racked through her body, and every muscle screamed.
But she was alive, she'd killed something that was supposed to kill her.
She tilted her head and laughed. Low, tired, but victorious.
For the first time since her arrival on Earth, Selora felt it…
She didn't feel like a helpless prey anymore who had to survive by hiding.
She could fight back… She could fight back and win.
She looked back at the creature as it began to dissipate into dust, and her vision blurred as her fangs, claws, tail, and horns began to retract.
As she struggled to stay awake, a few question kept ringing in her mind.
What was this creature's mission?
Why was it after her?
And who sent it?