My knee fell to the ground bringing with it the rest of my body. It hurt… it hurt so much. However I could not allow for this to bring me down. Even now I could feel as the worms approached me. Dozens of them deemed me worthy of their attention.
It started almost immediately after I had killed their brethren. The movements under the ground became chaotic. Earthquakes that would have killed lesser beings knocked me from side to side.
I had to stay up though, even as my wound and the earthquakes compounded together to create an environment where I could not move at all. Still I struggled through it all.
I could feel as slowly my reserves were refilled. The way that the ambient aether pooled around me and the worms. I took advantage of that and seconds later I was topped up.
'Target'
The world and myself. I needed to fool not only reality but my very own perception of it.
'Intent'
Through the pain I struggled… everything going black as I focused intently on the healing of my wound. Though that only enhanced the pain, now that my full attention was upon it.
Finally 'Activation'
I let loose the energy that I had hold of and the world changed. A golden flash of light and the wound on my leg was no more. Instead it was filled with muscle and skin that seemed as if nothing had happened to it.
I had no time to celebrate or feel out my leg as the worms popped up from the ground. Massive spires of sand and stone flying in every direction.
I dashed off into the distance, even now I could feel how sluggish my body was. The massive amount of aether that I had used to realize my illusion taking a toll on my stamina. Enough that I wasn't able to fully run away.
Every now and then I would need to flood my muscles with aether to dodge a stone or glob of acid that neared me.
From every direction I was assaulted. Even while running I could find no opening through which I could break them.
'Hah' I sighed to myself, transforming back into my humanoid form. Another chunk of my energy grabbed from my reserves though this time it was smaller than what I had used previously.
In my hands a flash of golden light coalesced into a sword. One as long as I and twice as heavy and sharp as my own claws.
I grunted out in pain at the use of my aether but continued on. A glob of acid flew straight at me but I just dodged. Using all of my strength I dashed towards the closest worm.
SLASH
The body of the worm was slashed by the sword. Blood spurting onto my form as I landed on the worm.
I felt the wind pass me by as globs of acid were spit at me. Though they never reached me as they changed course soon after I had arrived on the back of the worm.
A smile pulled on my lips, breaking the impassive gaze I had.
'I can win… with just this too.'
...
I dodged around the worms, each one of them roaring and trying to kill me. Though none of them even got close.
I used their massive size against them. Before when it was just one attacking me the size was actually a problem but now that it was more they only got in each other's way.
The way that they coordinated was terrible, each of them reaching for every opportunity only to be twisted into each other.
It had been hours since I had killed the first one and they just kept coming l, it was the only reason that I was even slightly worried.
However it wasn't that big of a worry because I could feel as my power grew, as my fifth tail finally started to grow in.
Every time that I killed one I could feel as I adapted towards this world, each and every kill bringing me closer and closer to tier 4.
Not to mention how easy the illusions were getting. If they could even be called illusions anymore.
Every time I made one they would cost less and less energy until right now where it was barely anything to my reserves.
It would take hundreds of small scale casts to run dry my reserves. However that was only small scale, if I wanted to outright kill them or do something equally massive it would still take up a significant amount.
I watched as another horde of worms barreled towards me. Their mouths open as the saw like teeth revved in their mouths.
This time instead of making something that could take them down like a sword or anything else I just created an illusion of myself.
I focused inwardly, my reserves taking a massive drop as I created an exact replica.
In the eyes of the world, everything was the same but this illusion was just that, an illusion.
I smiled, one of relief as I jumped as far away as I could and watched through my illusions eyes as it ran away and cut down those worms.
It allowed for me to rest. I caught my own breath and wiped the sweat from my brows.
I looked down it my hand, the one that had wiped the sweat and saw how wet it was. Slick with sweat.
It was unnatural, I hadn't drank any water nor should the sun have affected me that much.
However I wasn't going ti let this retract from my break. Even if it was uncomfortable under the sun it still best having to run away from those never ending worms.
…
I dodged back through the encirclement of worms.
It had been a couple days? Weeks? Maybe even months since I had started this little chase and dance thing.
In just a moment I could feel as my fifth tail would come in.
It was right there just waiting for me to break through this bottleneck.
I'm on the cusp of gaining my fifth tail. I can feel it.
Not only that but my reserves, they had almost tripled in the time that I had been here. Something that would have taken decades to achieve.
Even now I still sometimes can't believe the progress I had made.
A glob of acid was shot at me but I immediately erased its existence from the world and with it the very worm that had tried to spit it at me.
However even with these maneuvers, the crazy ways in which I had done these I still could not break through that bottleneck but I knew it was coming.
I just needed to do something better, harder, something that would kill me to attempt.
But what, what could I do. It was a question that I had been continually asking myself yet no answer came.
I had already killed them by fooling the world but that was the extent.
Again I dodged out of the way as three more worms popped up and surprisingly coordinated their attack.
It was surprising enough that I felt something pierce my stomach.
A hole where blood dripped out was made.
I focused again and th e injury was erased from existence like nothing had ever been there.
'Nothing… I could erase them' my eyes opened wide at the thought.
Maybe instead of killing one I could try and erase their existence and all around them.
That should be crazy enough right.
I focused again, not caring for the injuries that accumulated in me while I was only idly dodging.
My reserves emptied but I continued on, taking from both the world and my very life.
My eyes scrunched up in pain as I spit out a glob of blood that had accumulated in my mouth.
…
There was nothing but the sand around me, the foothold that I had been using, the worm, had disappeared.
A second passed then another and another.
I laughed, unrestrained. It had worked. No more worms.
I laughed through the pain that my injuries were inflicting, through the feeling of emptiness that emptying my reserves gave me.
It was all overshadowed by the feeling in my back. My fifth tail was growing in, right next to my other four and waving in the wind.
It was a joyous occasion, one I would not ruin with pain.
…
The world turned dark and I felt myself being deposited on ground that was not sand.
My toes curled as I felt the dirt and grass. However I didn't relish in that for long as soon I noticed who was in front of me.
'My lord… my precious lord…' my thoughts were still of the fifth tail I had grown, of how Darwin had done this. My oh so precious lord.
I licked my lips, and stared straight at him. Words of thanks on my mouth.
….
A/N: Don't worry I didn't do the math wrong, there's a reason that the Kitusnes would only have eight tails at tier 1.