Knowing he was in a tight spot, Lucifer's mind raced with thoughts. Although he was not the most brilliant kid compared to other geniuses, at least he knew the need to think for how he was supposed to get out of the situation. So, he needed to come up with some kind of plan, anything that would help him out of this hellish situation.
But would the unknown creature in front of him give any moment to think? Hell no.
In an instant, like a bolt of lightning, the creature lunged toward him, its movements fluid and curving with an unpredictable grace. When it moved, Lucifer could only catch a glimpse of its shadowy figure.
His instinct was already screaming, telling him to be prepared for it, yet he was unable to discern what would be its next move. Even identifying the monster looming towards him was a challenging task for him.
It knew perfectly well how to utilize the darkness to its best advantage, melding seamlessly within the dense shadows of the forest, which made it into a masterful hunter while Lucifer felt like nothing more than mere prey.
Thus, he felt the weight of impending doom pressing down on his shoulder.
Swash!
The beast charged towards him, its speed caught him off guard just as he was recovering from the effects of his auto-heal ability.
A flash of movement— a Dash of lighting.
The creature preceded the attack, crackling through the air like a spark of lightning.
Bang!
Its massive claw smashed into the tree behind him, shattering it to practically a shower of wooden splinters and bark. Shockwaves of the impact raced throughout the ground, rattling Lucifer to his core.
"Fuck! If I had been one second late, that claw would've torn me apart," he cursed under his breath, realizing the power within that attack.
With his reflexes honed in years of surviving, Lucifer rolled to the right, narrowly missing another blow. It still knocked him back, leaving him blinking in momentary disorientation. And he wasn't nervous, or even scared.
No, on the contrary, an unsettlingly calm wave swept over him, as if clarity had descended amidst the chaos. It was not the beast that scared him—it was the very disquieting calm he managed to maintain in such a perilous situation. He, himself, did not know exactly what the reason behind this oddity of feelings was, but he knew for certain that losing his mind to hysteria would just get him killed.
The impact made a fog of dust, unable to see through here to there. Still, he managed to see through the settling dust cloud generated by the creature's attack.
Two glowing blue eyes were piercing through the haze, radiating with an electrifying spark—as if the eyes were sizing up its prey.
As the contours of the beast became more defined, panic started to curl in his stomach. It seemed to be a wolf—graceful yet chilling—but no normal wolf could held itself with such a nightmarish appearance.
This was a freaking mutant beast, its body reaching up to almost a meter, full of deadly vigor, deformed beyond recognition, indicative of some sinister evolution of monsters, which held some unique type of ability.
[Gained 1 Hatred Point (Malice)]
"Huh?"
Lucifer's confusion deepened, seeing a sudden notification flashing before him. He knew that he would gain hatred points when individuals nearby harbored negative emotions toward him—one point for those within his immediate range and 0.1 for those beyond it.
But who—or what—was this malice emotion from, now? He quickly scanned throughout him but found nothing unusual—just the creature and him, now metamorphosing into a furious blur as it charged at him once more.
"Shit."
Lucifer's instincts screamed asking him to flee and he knew clearly the consequence of engaging head-on with this Earthbinger might lead him to death. So, facing this creature directly would be a totally death wish.
The primal survival instinct surged within him, drowning out any last vestige of rational thought. He turned around and sprinted wherever his legs would tell with adrenaline coursing through him like wildfire.
Ego, can I gain hatred points from all sentient beings with their own will?
He had his suspicions about this strange thing, understanding that it might not just derive from human malice. Yet, uncertainty gnawed at his resolve. Now, with the creature closing in on him, his instincts sharpened, solidifying his theories.
[Yes, you are half right.]
[Warning: Unable to provide a brief explanation about this aspect.]
More than enough.
Lucifer was not the type of person, a one-minded fool, wasting time on something that was hard to comprehend. He had his guesses about the warning aspect of the system, but he didn't delve deeper. He knew that when he became powerful enough, he could seek the truth about this aspect. But right now, that wasn't his goal. Not in this situation, with danger nipping at his heels.
He risked a glance behind him, and his heart sank. The creature was charging toward him, at full speed.
"Mother of your dead son, why the fuck are you so persistent to chase me? Did I accidentally step on your leg?"
Frustration bubbled within him, a volatile mixture of anger and disbelief. Ever since he was given a second chance at life, his luck had taken a nosedive. It felt like he was always stumbling into one disaster after another. Yet, amid the chaos, a strange thrill surged within him. The excitement of the chase was intoxicating, overshadowing his fear.
"AHahaha!" he laughed as the sound reverberated through the forest. "That's it! With a shitty life from the very start, getting bored is the last thing I needed. Let's see how far I'll reach! Where will be my stopping point?"
"Chase me, bitch!" he taunted as adrenaline flooded his veins. "If you want to eat me, then chase me with everything you've got!"
With that, he took off like a madman, a heart filled with amusement. Behind him, the mutated wolf, enraged by his defiance, lunged forward, its powerful legs propelling it through the underbrush. The ground shook beneath its weight, and Lucifer could feel the primal energy radiating from the beast as it closed the distance between them.
As the wolf barreled toward him, Lucifer zigzagged through the trees, twisting and turning in a desperate attempt to evade its grasp.
Realizing that it was being teased and played with, the creature wolf started to fall, deeper into a berserker-like rage. Electric arcs jumped from its fur, and its form began to glow with an intensity that glinted like its power was reaching mid-earthbringer stage.
"Well, well! Haha! Look who's getting mad!" Lucifer laughed out loud, his voice a mixture of exhilaration and defiance. Despite the mounting exhaustion from the intense chase, he didn't care about the weariness that weighed upon him; he was having too much fun to let it bother him.
"Claw of Lightning!" the beast roared, its voice a thunderous growl that reverberated through the forest. In an instant, it unleashed one of its most devastating attacks, a burst of energy that shot toward Lucifer with deadly precision.
Bang!
Lucifer wanted to block the attack, but the sheer force of the impact sent him flying through the air, his body hurtling like a ragdoll, completely at the mercy of fate. He spiraled through the sky, unsure of where he would land.
[Warning: Host in critical situation]
[Warning: Your auto-heal won't be able to heal your body, as the lightning energy has coated the attack.]
[Warning: Blood loss is occurring.]
[To heal your body, 50 hatred points will be consumed.]
[Are you willing?]
[Warning: Blood loss is occurring.]
[To heal your body, 51 hatred points will be consumed.]
"Uhgggh!" he groaned, the world spinning around him.
"Cough! Cough!" Lucifer violently expelled air, blood mingling with his breath as his vision went blank for a moment, darkness threatening to consume him.
Looks like I took the situation quite lightly. Am I dying? he thought, a flicker of panic igniting within him. But then again, I can still hear Ego's voice, steady and unwavering.
"I am willing! Use it! Use it, damn it! It rises 60 points instantly. If I hesitate for even a moment, I might be unable to heal myself."
[Deducted 61 hatred points to heal the host.]
[Remaining hatred points: 102.4]
[Healing in process.]
With that, the wounds on his body began to mend, a warm energy enveloping him, startling the beast that had been watching its prey defy the odds. The mutated wolf, now confused and enraged, could only watch in disbelief as Lucifer's injuries healed before its very eyes. It might have been thinking grimly to itself, 'Shit, I have to hold on a little longer—this prey is slipping away from me with just one step.'
With that thought, the beast turned its massive body, retreating into the dense forest they had just come from, momentarily defeated.
Lucifer's body visibly recovered, and as his vision cleared, he opened his eyes to find himself staring up at a vast blue sky. Fluffy white clouds roamed lazily above, creating a surreal contrast to the chaos he had just experienced. Confusion washed over him until he realized, with a jolt of horror, that the sky seemed to be receding farther away with each passing second.
Panic surged through him as he glanced down, his heart dropping into his stomach. Below him lay the Serene Riverlake, its waters shimmering deceptively under the sunlight, inviting yet perilous.
"Fuck!" he shouted, the realization crashing over him like a wave. He was falling from the edge of the cliff, and time slowed as he plummeted toward the unknown depths below, wondering if he would emerge unscathed or if this would be the end of his reckless adventure.