Chapter 5 - Prologue 5: Inside

Swish!

The Blade Fish swung it's tail sending a sharp current towards Shoto. He avoided it then released a poisonous gas from his body creating a toxic cloud. The cloud kept growing as Shoto pushed to the max. A bullet of water pierced the poison cloud but missed Shoto and went through the other side nearly hitting the Bright Jellyfish. The hole formed by the water bullet closed up keeping him covered.

Shoto could still see the monsters thanks to the Assistant's kinetic vision. He had to pick and choose fast converting magic particles to make the poison deadlier was draining so he chose the Blade Fish. Shoto charged up a sonic round in each of his fingers and fired them one after another.

The attacks his the Blade Fish but didn't cause any major damage Shoto needed to get closer. Shoto propelled himself towards the Blade Fish still covered by the poison cloud, seeing this the Blade Fish slash the approaching cloud three times but the cloud cloud recovers and then it's tail was hit but not but Shoto's sonic round. One of the Whale Slug's water bullets missed Shoto and hit the Blade Fish's tail breaking it. Shoto took this chance and fired three sonic blasts at the blade fish killing it then used .

Shoto gained the skill from the Blade Fish. Shoto decided to target the Whale Slug next as it kept pestering him with water bullets. The Bridge Jellyfish extended it's tentacles trying to remove Shoto from the poison cloud. The poison didn't seem to harm it but it still kept it's distance only sending in two tentacles it was a careful creature.

Swish! Swish!

Shoto cut the two tentacles buying himself something breathing room. He decided to change his target to the Bridge Jellyfish.

Shoto straightened his right hand forming a long blade with with the water. The blade resembled a katana as Shoto was more comfortable with that, he swung the blade horizontally severing all the Bright Jellyfish's tentacles then swung it vertically splitting the Bright Jellyfish in two stopping it from regenerating.

Shoto activated gaining the skills of the Bright Jellyfish. Now there was one opponent left but before the could engage in combat powerful pressure pulled both him and the Whale Slug closer to the darkness Shoto was trying to avoid.

The poison cloud had been dispersed by the enormous pressure blowing Shoto's cover. The Whale Slug wasted no time firing water bullets, Shoto withstood the same the attack by making the scales on his arms thicker.

Shoto propelled himself upwards with water bullets trailing after him. Shoto moved like a rapid evading the bullet then landed on the Whale Slug. Using his fingers he made a small incision with then stuck his whole hand in the cut and electrocuting it's insides.

The Whale Slug died and was harvested like all previous foe.

Tremble!

The water quaked  from the  intense pressure rising from the deep, air bubbles rushed  from the pitch black abyss.

(You.. smell... like... him) the voice said.

Shoto heard a voice he looked around but couldn't see where the voice was coming from.

{Telepathic wave are being emitted from below} the Assistant said.

Shoto bent his head looking down meeting the gaze of ten giant red eyes he a spec in front of this underwater behemoth.

'Shit'

Shoto tried to blast himself out but is instincts were screaming at him not make impulsive movement his entire existence was being observed by the ten eyed monster.

(Were..is .. he?) the monster asked.

(Who?) Shoto responded.

(The Shape shifter you smell like him were is he?)

The pressure increased with the monster's venomous tone.

(I don't know what your talking about) Shoto didn't answer more than that because did know what was talking about.

The pressure increased pulling Shoto closer to monster. The monster ten eyes blinked at different times as it constipated.

(Useless just food)

Darkness spread around Shoto as terrible stench invaded his nose and then

CLAMP!

Like a large door slamming down Shoto was swallowed whole. Shoto shifted through the monster's body rolling down different tube like structure until

Splat!

Show landed on something squashy Shoto got up filling up his lungs with fresh air. He looked at what he landed on, it appeared to be transparent with a white orb floating inside it.

It was a slime Shoto didn't need the Assistant's augmented reality to tell him. The slime tried to attack Shoto but it received a water bullets the core. The slime melted away like ice cream in the sun.

The gears in Shoto's head began turning a he observed his surroundings. Everything looked inflatable and the oxygen circulating meant that he was in the monster's lungs.

Shoto used on the ground but got deflected by a powerful force, this monster could protect it's insides it seemed.

{Danger Detected}

Shoto looked up seeing three white bird shaped creatures approaching.

"What are the?"

{Those are antibodies the must have detected your attack}

"Shit" Shoto cursed and fired three sonic round blowing them apart. He decided to get a move on before more antibodies came for. Shoto scanned around looking forward a way out then he spotted it.

"Assistant what is that?"

{Judging from visual analysis it looks like plant roots going through the organism}

The plant roots were green and gave off a sinister glow. Shoto used to climb the rubbery inside of this monster before landing on the roots, up close the roots were tangled up Shoto cut a piece of to analyze.

"Assistant"

{Analysis has shown that this is a parasitic plant that's feeding on the organisms mana it will continue to do so until the organism is no more}

"Whoa" Shoto was amazed looking at the peace in his hand he could feel raw mana coursing through it he wanted to keep to study it further but he didn't want to take the risk of this thing attaching itself to him and draining him then the ring flashed sucking up the root peace Shoto had cut off.

"I guess that problem solved, Assistant where would these root lead?"

{Probably to a vital organ like the heart please that is where the mana is coming from} the Assistant said.}

Shoto followed the stream of raw mana which lead him through a sea of burning water which was stomach acid which he withstood with before reaching his destination. The parasitic plant sparked viciously it seemed to be fighting something.

Thump!

Shoto heard the sound of a large heart beat the closet he got, the sparks of mana got more deadly the more he neared to the thumping heart.

When he reached it his eyes were bewildered the heart was wrapped in the roots of the parasitic plant and the green glow was strong. To kill the monster Shoto would have to get passed the root wrapped around the heart. Shoto didn't want do that he wasn't a hardcore player so looking for the next best thing.

Positive the heart a giant glowing sphere rotated sending out vibrations to assist the heat shake off the plant.

"Assistant explain what I'm seeing" Shoto called.

{It's a force core}

Normal the plant would have wrapping itself around the core but since the core wasn't magical it chose the heart which regulated magic.

"I using on the core possible?"

{It is possible would you like to use ?}

"Yeah" Shoto answered.

A massive blue circle manifested before Shoto it had runes, pattern and inscriptions that he didn't understand. Two enormous sickles sprung from the circle hooking themselves into the core. Shoto felt the core trying to repel his special skill. The sickles hooked deeper and pulled the core towards the circle it resisted with all his might but Shoto increase the strength of skill making the circle bigger and the chain sickles stronger.

The core unleashed a violent force but the skill kept pulling until it passed through the circle.

Blood gushed out of Shoto's mouth as the core blast him from inside before being completely harvested.  The internal injuries were healed by the skill Shoto had got not too long ago.

""Hah..hah..hah" Shoto huffed whipping the blood of his mouth but he soon vomiting as influx of mana went through his body reconstructing it. Once it was done Shoto body felt lighter and stronger.

[Congratulations you have gained the magic ability <> and the skill ]

Flash!

The parasitic plant lit up like a Christmas tree with only green lights it had draining most of the mana from the heart. Once the lights died down and the roots loosened something floated of the shriveled heart. Shoto used to how telekinesis and pulled the stranger object to him.

When he touched it the ring on his floated off and fused with the object then morphed into a golden arm guard around his wrist. The golden wristband flash gold transporting Shoto without warning.