"Huff!"
The battle between Asura and the bear began almost immediately after the two made eye contact.
Fwish! Fwish!
Every strike of the bear with it's claws created a sharp gale of wind that went our way. Despite it's large stature, it's unexpectedly faster than we thought.
For now, Asura started the battle by evading the beast's attacks to test it's battle prowess.
The conclusion?
It's primary attacks started off with it's claws but as soon as it realized the claws alone wouldn't work, it began trying to bite off Asura's neck whenever a chance arises.
It's movements are quick and it's gradually adapting to our evasion patterns which is as simple as darting from side to side. There were even times we almost hit the bucket.
"I'll start attacking now!"
Asura announced in her head. As soon as I recognized her intentions, at my thoughts, a pair of silvery crescent blades formed from her wrists, they resembled sickles used for harvesting wheat.
「Aim for the legs! The best way to deal with big monsters is eliminating their means of escape!」
"As you command!"
Asura infused power into her arms and zapped past the Calamity Bear within a second. This monster is fast, but not as fast as Asura who's slowly surpassing the norm.
Blood bursted out from the legs of the Calamity Bear. At that short amount of time, Asura used the twin sickles on her arms to sever the enemy's calves.
"Groaaaarrr!!"
The bear let out a terrifying cry that sent shivers down my spine.
Asura was concerned about something else.
"My lord... It didn't call for help, did it?"
「I have no idea. Whether it did or did not, we'll still kill this beast one way or another.」
"Yes... Ah-"
Asura was slightly dumbstruck when I remodelled her body without her permission, but she recovered from that rather quickly.
"It's happening again..."
Her arms became strangely pale and her bones bursted out, painfully ripping her arm's skin and flesh apart like paper.
The bones that resurged from her flesh looked more like worms with an iron constitution. But the most disturbing part is that it had mouths at the end.
Just like that, I took control of Asura's hand and stretched it out towards the bear who couldn't move.
"Guruuu..."
It glared at us with fierce eyes as if it would bite our head off once we got closer. So there's no other way but to kill it from a distance like this using such a vile method.
The remodified piranha tentacles made from my host's bones and flesh coiled around the Calamity Bear like a group of snakes, immobilizing it. There was no hope for this monster left and I'm the right judge.
I feel pity for it since it's going to die to become Asura's sustenance but that's how things should proceed, so I can't do anything about it.
In large numbers, atleast thirty piranha tentacles buried themselves deep into the bear's flesh and instantly crippled it's nerves that connects it's brain to the rest of it's body. I wouldn't want my prey retaliating and ripping Asura's organs into pieces when it becomes enraged.
At this point, our prey became a sitting duck waiting to be eaten. It made definite but inaudible cries as it got eaten alive, I was thinking it was a bit too harsh but for some reason, why am I finding a strange pleasure in tormenting our prey?
It's definitely not like me.
When I turned into a parasite, did my mind also shift to being a monster's?
Well, it's not really that important. Whether I'm a monster or a human I don't have a reason to care as long as I'm alive. What's so special in being a human anyway? In the end, I'm still an intelligent creature and that's all humans are good for.
From it's flesh, the blood, the organs, down to it's bones, Asura absorbed it all.
I could feel a peculiar change in Asura's body after that and I'm sure she's feeling it too.
The muscles are tightening, a stinging sensation surged through Asura's body as her muscle fibres tore and contracted to repair itself into something stronger and more durable. It was as if I was going through muscle soreness after an intense workout, except the process finishes and ends faster.
"I feel stronger."
Asura muttered, but it's not just our strength that improved.
Asura gasped and hurriedly pinched her nose in a panic.
"Ashura-sama... My nose!"
I knew she'd say that, I'm in pain too. Numerous types of scents were entering her nostrils and being processed in my nervous system. The sheer amount was unbelievable, it was as if needles were poking my nose, I'm genuinely amazed how a stupid bear is able to sort all these out and differentiate them from one another. It may take me some time to master this new power.
That aside... This superb sense of smell really is something. That bear can withstand all these smell I'm picking up even from a hundred mile range? It's as if I'd die if someone farted a few meters away!
「But it is pretty handy.」
"Ughh..."
「Don't complain Asura. Let's hunt more.」
"Y-Yes!"
And for some reason, I feel like Asura's eyes lit up in fear for what comes next.
「Asura, have you ever smelled a bat before?」
Asura nodded at my question and responded quite skeptically.
"Find the stinkiest place hidden in the forest. That is to say, a cave."
Quietly upset, Asura sorted out her compliance and ran to a certain direction with her head held high to pick up the scents.
As my host came closer to our target destination, the stronger the stench grew. I'm guessing it's the bats' feces that are giving out all these nasty stuff.
"Uh... My lord..."
「What is it?」
"Can we just do it tomorrow..? I just got this new power. I have to get used to it first. I might lose my sense of smell at this rate if I enter such a place..."
In earnest deliberation, maybe she's right. I'm rushing it too far for a kid like her. She's still so young so I can't force her to adapt quickly to something painful.
「Fine... You can go tomorrow.」
"Ashura-sama, I changed my mind. Let's go."
「So quick?!」
"When I thought about being here with you, I thought of what my mom and dad are doing. I have to do it."
I guess that's the case. If I found myself in her situation, I'd push myself too while disregarding my own health. Is this the part where I stop her? No, if I was in her shoes I wouldn't want to be stopped no matter what either.
「Don't cry later when the stench gets too bad.」
"I will not!!"
With no mental restraints or fears holding her back, Asura increased our speed. Jumping into slopes of eroded soil and leaping through gaps of trees. Her speed and skill in parkour was way better than before. Her learning speed is impeccable!
By the time I came to, we were already in the face of a small cavity in a plateau. Hidden by groves of ferns and mushrooms.
Before we decided to go in, I told Asura to eat the mushrooms in the vicinity, specifically only the ones used for making regeneration potions to use as reserves in the case we run out of stamina. I can't help but be cautious, my abilities require large amounts of nutrients from Asura's body, and if I overuse them all, I might risk endangering my host's life which in turn would also possibly kill me.
"Ashura-sama, may I call you master from now on?"
「Why all of a sudden?」
"You're like a teacher to me so I believe it's only appropriate that I address you that way... Or am I getting ahead of myself?"
This young lass really is weird, she's asking me so nonchalantly for something like that. Though that's not the actual problem here, I still can't believe she's still talking in a way that doesn't show her emotion.
「Yeah, whatever suits your taste.」
I don't really mind, I've already grown used to it in my past life so having it here doesn't truly bother me. Rather, it's nostalgic.
Asura nodded her head to show she received it correctly and took her first steps into the dark cave.
Her vision pulsed and slightly illuminated in crimson colors the moment we entered, revealing the rugged and humid interior of the cave we've entered.
Night vision must've been one of the abilities of the monsters we've killed. Honestly, I don't remember which because there was alot but I can do some rough guess.
「See anything conspicuos, Asura?」
"Not yet."
Me neither, my life sensor isn't picking up anything just yet. Perhaps those bats are still deeper inside this cave. Regardless, I still have to remain vigilant.
「Go deeper.」
"Understood."
One thing I've observed while I'm in this place is that it stinks. Smells alot like a rat's corpse except it's all over the place. My sense of smell is amplified so it's alot worse, it wouldn't even be an exaggeration to say I might die from the sheer stink alone.
As we went deeper, the unpleasant smell grew stronger. We walked for almost fifteen minutes going downward yet it's feeling like ages since I've been enduring this nose torture.
I can feel Asura's facial expressions twitch slightly due to the same thing, her situation isn't too different from mine.
The road is rocky and slippery, if it wasn't for Asura's already honed balancing skills she would have tripped alot many times during this hike.
Until finally, we heard it.
"Kwiii! Kwiii!"
I expected devil bats to be nocturnal creatures, so why aren't these ones sleeping yet at midday?
A flock of dark-colored, crimson-eyed bats came zooming in towards us as if they knew we were here. But why in such numbers? Are they running away from something?
The devil bats didn't bother about our unwelcomed presence, they simply prioritized getting away from the deeps of the cave.
「Grab one of those bats, Asura.」
"Understood."
In a flash, Asura wielded her left hand to the side and a devil bat was miraculously caught right in her fists. It's life being rapidly sucked out from it's neck by an expanding parasitic mouth from Asura's palm until it's whole body finally got fully devoured.
「Good simulating skills.」
"Thank you, master."
What are they flying away from, anyway? A stronger monster? That piques my interest. Would I be able to fight and devour it or should I run away too? I'll have to check to find out.
「Asura, would you like to check?」
"Your decision, my lord."
Should I take the risk? Asura might be put in danger, if that happens I'll do everything I can to get ourselves out.
If I do this, I'll be risking the life of Asura. While also risking mine. It's a gamble.
First, I'll confirm one thing to free myself of this reluctance.
「How much do you want to take back your tribe, Asura? I need you to answer a couple of questions.」
"So much. I would pay the price of my life if I have to, just to know they're safe."
「How much do you trust me?」
"If you are to tell me to jump off a cliff, I would do it without fear. My lord, would never abandon his kin."
Ofcourse I wouldn't at all costs, if I let this girl die, I'll die too. And this parasite thing I turned into has an amazingly great desire to be alive and a similarly intense abhorrence to not be alive.
That being said, I'm now guilt-free to know what's in there. Whatever it is, it should be worth something.
With that, we moved forward. I was feeling skeptical while Asura was feeling uneasy. There's something about the deepest parts of this cave that makes it seem so ominous and eerie. As if it's darkness wants to invite us in.
A calm breeze not too strong are coming from those parts and feeling against Asura's skin, making her feel goosebumps.
This cave at this moment feels like a living organism. My parasite instincts are telling me this is just too creepy to be safe so I should run away, but it just makes me more curious if I'm wrong.
Asura proceeded stealthily, descending into the unknown.