~ Baby's Pov ~
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Good news! I haven't died yet. Bad news? I couldn't even put a scratch on this damn thing. Zero. Nada. Not a dent, not a chip—absolutely nothing.
I'd expected the difference between us to be monumental, but this? This wasn't a gap. It was an unscalable cliff, a void I couldn't cross no matter how many tricks I pulled out of my arsenal. Every strike, every maneuver—nothing worked. My attacks didn't even seem to tickle it.
The predator barely acknowledged my efforts, swatting me away like I was an irritating gnat buzzing around its head... Each time it landed a blow, I was sent hurtling across the terrain, crashing into rocks and trees with bone-jarring force. If not for the Armored Skin ability I'd painstakingly acquired, I would've been reduced to a smear on the ground by now...
As I staggered back to my feet for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but laugh bitterly.
"This is just ridiculous," I muttered, wiping a trail of blue-ish blood from my lip. "I'm throwing everything I've got at you, and you're not even breaking a damned sweat!"
The creature turned its glowing yellow eyes toward me, its expression almost bored. It didn't see me as a threat—no, it didn't even see me as prey. I was beneath its notice, an inconvenience it was barely tolerating...
But that only fueled the fire in my chest.
I am not going to die here. Not like this. But, I didn't want to resort to using my possession to win this, but given the situation, I can't really do anything to it. The only reason why I've even survived this long was due to my maneuverability, I was dodging more than I was being hit, sure. But it could only go so far...
I improved my instincts a bit by fighting it—I actually made some progress—but I'm out of options at this point.
"Alright, asshole," I growled, my voice laced with defiance. "Since you think you're so damn tough, try dodging this!"
I hurled a fragment of myself at it.
As expected, it didn't even flinch. Like a moth to a flame, it didn't bother dodging. Why would it? I hadn't managed to land a single attack that could hurt it before, so why would it assume this would be any different?
And of course, it thought exactly that.
But this time, I wasn't aiming to hurt it.
The moment the fragment made contact with its massive body, I felt the familiar pull of Possession starting to take hold. I gritted my teeth and focused, my consciousness diving into the creature's mind like a swimmer plunging into deep, dark waters.
The sheer force of its will hit me like a tidal wave. Its mind wasn't just powerful—it was primal, wild, and chaotic. It fought back viciously, roaring both externally and within its own thoughts as it tried to eject me. My connection wavered, and I stumbled as I dodged its swiping claws in the physical world.
"Damn it!" I hissed, narrowly avoiding another devastating blow. Its attacks came faster now, almost frantic, as if it sensed what I was trying to do.
I kept my distance, weaving and darting through the chaos while pouring every ounce of focus into wresting control of its mind. This was taking longer than I'd expected—far longer. My breathing was ragged, my energy stretched to its limits as I fought on two fronts.
But slowly, I felt cracks forming in its resistance. Its movements became erratic, its roars less coordinated, as my influence began to seep deeper into its mind.
"Come on…" I growled through clenched teeth, digging in with everything I had.
The beast staggered, its massive claws tearing into the ground as it struggled to maintain its balance. It let out a guttural snarl, its yellow eyes flickering for a moment with a strange, silvery hue—my hue.
"Yes!" I shouted, a surge of hope lighting up inside me.
But the battle wasn't over yet.
The creature roared again, a deafening sound that sent shockwaves through the terrain. I faltered for a split second, and it seized the opportunity to lash out, its tail whipping toward me with incredible force.
I barely managed to leap out of the way, but the impact sent me tumbling across the ground, my connection to its mind faltering.
"No, no, no!" I yelled, scrambling to reestablish control.
I couldn't afford to lose this now. I was too far in, and this was my only shot at actually winning.
Steeling myself, I closed my eyes and concentrated harder than ever, pushing past the pain, the fatigue, and the creature's thrashing resistance... Slowly, I felt the balance begin to tip in my favor, but barely.
"RARFGGHGHH!!!!!!"
Its roars turned to growls, then to uneasy silence... Its massive body was beginning to shudder, maybe my influence finally took root in the damn thing.
And then, in a moment of eerie stillness, the creature froze...
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"Phew..."
I opened my eyes, panting heavily, and stared up at the hulking Apex predator. Its glowing yellow eyes were now a deep purple, reflecting my presence.
A purposeful, slow, and triumphant grin spread across my face.
"Yeah baby! Gotcha!"
Without wasting another second, I morphed my entire body, diving fully into the creature. I should have done this from the start—if I had, the process wouldn't have been so grueling. The moment I fused completely, I felt it—a surge of power so immense it nearly overwhelmed me.
My grin widened as the fusion reached 100%. The Apex's mind was primitive, its thoughts disorganized and primal. It couldn't hold a candle to mine. Overwhelming it had been the easy part; now I was in full control.
And this body? It felt so natural. Or maybe I was getting the hang of my ability? Either way, it worked out fine for me.
But... I could feel it... Decades of knowledge flooded my mind, memories of the hunt sharpening my awareness. I could feel its keen senses awakening within me, far sharper than anything I'd experienced before. My enhanced sight cut through the haze of the world like a blade, tracking even the faintest of movements. My sense of smell could pick apart scents for miles, identifying prey, danger, and allies with precision.
Then came the real surprise—something buried deep in its memories.
Other Apex predators.
This one wasn't the only one of its kind. There were more out there, each ruling a different part of this brutal, alien ecosystem. They were spread far and wide, each one with its own strengths and traits. This planet wasn't ruled by a single Apex but by a hierarchy of them.
"Well," I said aloud, my voice reverberating through the beast's massive frame. "Isn't that interesting?"
I flexed one of the creature's claws experimentally, the obsidian blades glinting in the light. My power had grown exponentially—far beyond what I could have achieved in my original form...
But I wasn't done. Not even close.
If there were more Apex predators, that meant more opportunities for me, no? Each one I possessed would make me stronger, more dangerous. And if they were anything like this one, their power would likely be unimaginable.
I don't know why, but I feel my grin turning damn near wicked.
"Time to start my little hunt." But first, my stats!
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Name: Michael Murphey | Baby
Host: Splagus
Height: 84.2 cm → 494.22 cm
Power Level: 38.5 → 956.3
Potential: 7.2 → 18.9
Latent Potential: 8.1 → 20.1
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"HAHA!!!" My voice was loud, deep and primal... Still, I should lay off speaking for a while... But that was nothing compared to the boost in power and potential I had now... But, could this mean that when I completely drain this body, both the potential and latent potential would be mine? It's clear it's not an additive increase...
If so, that would be peachy, but it's a damn shame I don't keep the fused power level, if I did. No, it makes no sense to even hypothesize or think about it. I would only be in this body for a few hours to gain all it's abilities.
Though... I wonder what I'll look like when I do, either way; it's time to head to the south.
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END