Chapter 1201: Devour and Lying
Rex has three Devour chances that he hasn’t used as a previous reward from the System.
He hadn’t gotten the chance to use any of them before.
Particularly—there were no mutated animals that were strong enough for him to want to take any of their skills. Most of them are in the seventh-rank realm and the strongest is only in the eighth-rank realm maximum.
It would be bad for him to devour mindlessly and run out of chances later on the line.
Because of that, he was saving for when the proper mutated animals to devour appeared.
As Rex also had gotten way stronger, in his cursed power—there was also no need for him to obtain any cursed-related skill from the mutated animals around. Creatures with cursed skills are abundant around the city.
It was the Humming Damned Forest, hosting myriad kinds of different cursed creatures.
But with his eternal curse power reaching the ninth epiphany already, there was no need for him to obtain any cursed skill. Additionally, taking the mind path, he practically untouchable defense against cursed energy.
Rex was aiming to gain a cursed-related skill initially, but that was not the case anymore.
Now, with the Second Breath arriving, he has a wide variety of selections.
Compared to when it was still the First Breath, the Second Breath is a buffet for Rex as there are many strong mutated animals around. It was the time for mutated animals to shine—their might on display to the world.
Due to that, Rex gladly observes their abilities and makes his choice.
One that caught his attention was the skill of this leader of the mutated boars.
All of my attacks are flawless—at least for a mutated animal, it should be flawless. I managed to reach its back after making it think that I was attacking other mutated boars. But when the time to launch my sneak attack came, it dodged my attack.
Not even needing to look, this mutated boar dodged my attack.
Knowing that it must be one of its skills, Rex decided to spare it so that he could devour it.
If it’s a foresight ability, then he would be extremely stronger because of it.
He could use that kind of ability, so he’s going to take it.
Striding nonchalantly towards the wounded mutated boar, Rex kicked its side and forced it to fall to the ground with a painful squeal. He pinned it with his foot—before he scanned it using the System to see the skill he wanted to devour.
Reading the open panel, he found the skill that he was looking for.
“Hmm… I guess foresight would be too convenient for me,” Rex mused in disappointment.
As it turns out, the mutated boar’s skill that Rex wanted was not as expected.
It was a passive skill and instead of foresight, the mutated boar’s skill called Second Intuition gave the mutated boar a third eye on the back of its head—and can move in a short distance around the back of its head.
Due to the dense fur, the third eye was covered so Rex didn’t realize it until now.
Rex rubbed his chin in contemplation, and finally, he asked, “System, can it be upgraded?”
<Yes. All skills obtained through Devour are treated the same as any skills from the Shop and they could be upgraded, with the use of Skill Upgrade points. Only Spells—that mandate, the use of natural energy like mana and other forms of energy, except moonlight energy, couldn’t be upgraded>
Upon reading this, Rex nodded firmly as he decided to learn the Second Intuition skill.
Making the decision, he used his hand to touch the mutated boar.
Ignoring the onlookers behind him, he selects the skill he wants and devours the poor animal.
Slowly, the mutated boar’s body began to flare with its greenish energy.
As opposed to the mutated boar itself, controlling the green energy—it was forced out of its insides, and was pulled towards Rex’s hand. Upon touching his hand—the green energy turn colors and became silver instead.
Only then that the mutated boar squeal in pain, struggling to break free.
But Rex’s grip was like iron, unflinching as the devouring process continued.
Following the System’s guidance, the mutated boar began to lose its mass bit by bit—as if its own life force was being consumed by Rex. Gradually, its muscles withered, its skin shriveled—and ultimately, its body dissolved into nothingness.
All of that happened in under a minute, right in front of the other’s eyes.
Each one of the onlookers could see the mutated boar’s light vanquished from its eyes.
Rex erected his back again with a big smile on his face.
<Congratulations! The Second Intuition passive skill has been successfully devoured!>
As that notification appeared—he could feel a numbing sensation, around a spot on his nape, and he could tell instantly that it was his third eye that the Second Intuition gave him. But not to make the others freak out, he decided to face the others and hide the third eye.
Standing stiffly on his spot for a moment, he closed both of his eyes.
It was only then that he could instantly try out his new skill.
Despite having both of his eyes closed, he could still see his back from his third eye.
Everything seemed to be the same, his third eye and his regular eyes had the same vision.
However, to make sure that they were the same—he decided to manipulate his dark element, to shroud his third eye in darkness. He only wanted to make sure. It’s the same, I could see in the dark the same. Just like my normal eyes, the third eye also gained my powers.
Nodding his head firmly, Rex then began his next step.
<Does the user want to upgrade the Second Intuition passive skill for 15 Skill Upgrades?>
Yes, upgrade it.
<Affirmative. Please choose the path of upgrades the user wants to take:>
Following that, Rex was given two options that the Second Intuition could be upgraded into.
One allows his third eye to have stronger intuition—allowing him to sense danger, even if the third eye couldn’t see anything while the other allows the third eye to turn astral, visible only to those who could see the astral plane.
Just like Gistella’s horns in another dimension, the other skill would hide Rex’s third eye.
Hmm… It would be better if I could upgrade to both.
Considering both options, he found that they each have pros and cons of their own.
Increased intuition, would allow him to be more sensitive to attacks from the back, almost as if he has a partial foresight ability that could sense danger on top of his already keen senses—while hiding the third eye would help it avoid being aimed by enemies.
His furs are not as thick as the mutated boar, so his third eye will really stick out.
Both offered defensive capabilities but from different aspects.
However, as he thought of that, a surprising notification came into view.
<Does the user want to pay 40 Skill Upgrades to combine both versions into one?>
Upon seeing this, Rex frowned in confusion, he didn’t know that this feature existed.
Before he could answer, he realized that the others were looking at him weirdly for standing on his spot talking to himself. To make him look more natural, he went over to the carcasses of mutated boars to put them into his inventory.
While doing that, he was checking the notification for the second time.
Another feature from the System Upgrade probably, this is really good.
Despite needing to pack way more Skill Upgrades—Rex didn’t mind, as he had Skill Upgrades to spare. So because of that, and considering the effect of the skill, he decided to pay the 40 Skill Upgrades and upgrade the Second Intuition skill.
It took mere seconds before a notice notified him of the completed process.
<Congratulations on upgrading the Second Intuition skill!> Discover hidden tales at m,v l’e-NovelFull.net
<The Second Intuition skill has been upgraded into Clairvoyance>
<Mix, mix, mix! achievement has been completed!>
<The user has obtained 20 Skill Upgrades and The Basic Book of Combination!>
“Ahh, another item that I need to check out later, great,” Rex smiled wryly—his peaceful time was over, he spent it all on learning the cultivation process of reaching the tenth-rank realm, it would be hard to gain another time like that considering his standing.
Nevertheless, he was grateful that he at least gained 20 Skill Upgrades.
He basically spent 50% less Skill Upgrades thanks to the achievement.
Other than that, his third eye disappeared from his nape while still retaining its function.
As he finished his business with animals, he and the assault team resumed onward.
Earlier when he looked from his third eye, he realized that beyond the water stream, there was a change in terrain that he didn’t realize because of the fighting. Because of that—he climbed Delta again and hastily went to check with his entire team.
Gistella was sitting behind him, also mounting Delta as the two were now on good terms.
But then, she tugged Rex from the back, “I’ve been meaning to ask…”
“Ask away, why do you have to be hesitant? I’ll answer anything,” Rex replied lightly.
Upon hearing this—Gistella gained a boost of confidence and decided to ask, “I was going to ask what kind of power do you have inside of you?” She asked, surprising Rex. “I mean, there is no Werewolf who could do what you did to that mutated boar. I know that you are a unique kind of Werewolf, but that, earlier was weird,”
Having spatial powers like putting the mutated boars’ carcasses away makes sense.
Rex is also an Awakened, and there’s also many artifacts that could do that.
On the other hand, the display Rex did earlier to the leader of the mutated boar was weird.
It was akin to the power of an Undead spell, something that he shouldn’t be able to do.
Not expecting Gistella to ask that question, Rex could only smile wryly inside, he didn’t know whether it was a good idea, to tell Gistella right now—about the System. Aside from the fact that it’s my greatest secret, it’s also something that I still don’t understand. I know that I said that I would tell the others about the System, but I’m not sure.
Something bad might happen if I did that, telling anyone about the System.
Just like the problem with the Fifthborn, there might be some hidden quest, that would come into play, if Rex decided to be open to the others, about the System. Even though it would be best for the others to be aware, he didn’t know the ramifications of doing that.
As of right now, all he knows is that there are other hidden trigger quests lying around.
Only when the requirements were fulfilled would it appear.
The System Relaying Bet Quest was triggered due to the fact that the System acknowledged the Fifthborn as a rival—and also Rex, himself acknowledged him as a rival. So there must be others that were still lying dormant.
Due to that, Rex was hesitant about telling the others about the System.
Even though he wanted to tell the truth, he simply couldn’t afford the risk.
It would be nightmarish if the System suddenly forced him to kill Gistella if she knew.
“No, it’s not an ability of mine,” Rex lied, sighing to himself, as he raised the Golden Imperium Fingerguards on his right hand. “It’s this thing’s ability. I could devour a mutated animal using it and gain the devoured mutated animal’s abilities. Pretty neat, huh…?”
“Must be a very strong item to have an ability like that,” Gistella mused in return.
Rex chuckled in response before averting his gaze ahead again.
Despite his best of trying to lie naturally, he knew that Gistella knew he was lying.
Being very close to each other for quite some time now and even sharing a bond through the pack—it was practically impossible for Rex to lie properly to Gistella. She could feel the air, of lying around him, and that was unavoidable.
At the very least she didn’t press further.
Out of everything, he could at least feel relieved because of that.
Gistella is the most understanding and frankly speaking, gullible, so she wouldn’t press him.
Focusing back ahead, they all arrived at the border of the desolate plain into a rocky terrain.
“I bet the mutated birds ran here after knowing that I’m too strong to be prey…”
Rex smiled, looking at the countless hills on the horizon before him.