Level Up!

Because I had eaten two prey, this took a little longer than usual.

[Ding!]

[The [Devour] Skill has finished digesting your prey, providing you with Nutrients, Energy and EXP. Your HP and MP has recovered to full.]

[You have received +32,500 EXP and +17,000 Soul EXP and +20 Stat Points]

[Ding!]

[You have levelled up from 27 -> 28]

[EXP: 34,500/35,000 -> 32,000/40,000]

[You have gained +20 Stat Points]

[Your Soul has levelled up from 20 -> 22]

[EXP: 9,000/10,000 -> 3,500/15,000]

[You have gained +20 Stat Points]

'YEEESSSSS!!!!!!' Squealing in my mind at levelling up again after such a long time was really good. The last time I levelled up was nearly, no, over a year ago now.

Excitement took over me as I jumped up and down a little, a gleeful smile could be easily seen spread across my face as I squirmed in joy.

Taking some time to revel in the feeling of levelling up, I eventually calm myself down enough to refocus on other things, things such as using my new stat points.' Now, what to use these 40 points on then?' I though while going over my current stats.

'Hmm, my MP seems a bit low for how high my magic stat is, soo... perhaps 30 into... MP? whilst the remaining 10 into magic? Yeah, why not, my magic seems to be going up quite a bit anyways.'

[Ding!]

[+3,750 MP]

[MP: 25,570/14,950 (+15,620)]

[Ding!]

[+5,000 Magic]

[Magic: 28,500 (+10,000)]

'There! That should boost my magic even further... I still haven't tested any of my newfound strength...'

Sighing I head back inside the cave where I meet with Dorrak.

"Ah, that was fast, finished already?" He asked.

'I have a skill to help with eating.' I replied with letters of fire.

"Oh, neat."

Sitting down around the makeshift campfire again I asked, 'So when are we going to get going and head towards the desert?'

"We can start heading out now if you want, I'm ready to go whenever."

Nodding I said, 'Then let's get going, also I want to test some things out, like my new strength, magic and skills I got recently.'

"That's fine by me, if I can help you with that in any way then feel free to ask, I'll be here to help throughout the whole journey."

'Thanks.'

And like that we set off on our long, and probably gruelling, journey back to the desert, where I'll have to find some place to live.

_

_

_

After some hours of travelling, the two of us encountered what I think was a Stag, which had the lower body of a stag and an upper half much like myself but shorter pointy ears and antlers on his head, he was also completely naked with nothing covering any of himself what so ever. Why do I know what he is despite not living in a forest? That's because this is all knowledge my father taught me before he left, he did his best to train and tech me about the world and its dangers.

"You two! Identify yourselves!" The stag man shouted at us. I looked over at Dorrak, hoping he would know best what to do. Which he did.

Raising his hands up to his chest level and leaving them fully open to show no hostility he said, "We mean no harm, just passing through to get to the desert. My name is Dorrak by the way, and this here is Traytora, do forgive her for not talking as she has lost the ability to speak." He gestured to me when he introduced me and I gave a light smile and bowed forwards slightly to show I also meant no hostility.

The stag stared at us, eyes narrowed, for a while before speaking again, although it was more like he was shouting. "Why are you passing through here?"

Confused at his question I looked over to Dorrak to see he was just as confused as I was.

"I already said that we just wanted to pass through to get to the dessert." Dorrak replied.

"Why the desert?" The stag man continued to ask us questions, which was a little irritating.

"To go home? Why do you even need to know why we're going to the desert." Dorrak asked.

"You are not allowed to ask questions here! I am a Ranger for the nation of Athenelos! And you two will answer me without riposte!" He screamed at us in an annoying and aggravating manner.

I tilt my head as he shouted at us as I didn't know anything he was talking about. Dorrak on the other hand did.

"Never heard of it."

Upon hearing what Dorrak said to the stag man STAGgered backwards a step. I had to hold myself from chuckling at my own little joke that I thought of. Meanwhile the stag man had a look of horror on his face as he stood there, looking at us as if we just killed his family.

"YOU DON'T KNOW OF ATHENELOS?!? WHO EVEN ARE YOU TWO??? YOU CLEARLY COME FROM THE CITY!!! SO WHY DON'T YOU KNOW OF MY GREAT NATION?!?!" He berated us louder than before to the point that my ears were hurting, I also got some flashbacks to the first few days that I was stuck inside that terrifying place, because of him screaming.

Because of the mental backlash of re-experiencing those moments, I snapped and instinctively, raising my left hand out towards him and instantly cast [Fireball] and [Hell Fire] simultaneously at him.

He reeled back for a second before jumping out of the way, but he was a little bit too late as the mass of dark and hellish flames managed to brush past his rear, which was enough to light him ablaze.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!! AAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! YOU DEMON BASTARD!!!!! YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! ATHENELOS WILL AVENGE ME!!!!!! AAAARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!" He screamed out in both pain and fury as he shouted out that his nation of whatever would avenge him, all whilst burning alive.

Soon after he stopped screaming, I realised what I had just done as the high of trauma passed. I started shaking at my own actions and had heavy inconsistent breathing, my eyes were blurring up as well. Then I remembered that Dorrak was there, what would he think of me now? I twisted my head to look at him but he just stared at the scene with a look of complete uninterest, which was good because that helped me calm down a little.

"Hmm?" Realising that I was looking at him, Dorrak turned to look at me and saw the state that I was in with a look of pity. "First time killing?"

I then realised that this was the first time I had actually killed someone, well, killed not because I was hungry or for self-defence at least. I shook my head at his question and responded. In magic fire of course.

'No, I've killed before for two reasons, but this was more because of unpleasant memories being resurfaced.'

"Ah, PTSD, I get it now, instinctual reaction to remove the source that was causing trauma to resurface." He said calmly, explaining my situation perfectly, as if he knew what I was going through.

[Ding!]

[You have received +12,000 EXP and 5 Stat Points]

[Ding!]

[You have levelled up from 28 -> 29]

[EXP: 32,000/40,000 -> 4,000/45,000]

[You have gained +20 Stat Points]

Ah! Right, you get EXP for killing someone, I forgot about that, considering I have only really killed them inside me. Welp, that's another 25 Stat Points I have to spend, like seriously, ever since I was freed it feels like I've just been growing constantly.

"Anyways we should probably dispose of this corpse before someone finds and checks it out, you hungry?" Dorrak asks, bringing me out of my reverie. I nodded in response and went over to the now very well roasted stag and swallowed him whole before once again moving him down to my second stomach.

Though, unlike when I ate those two boarkin, this one touched upon my erogenous zone as it went down and I had to force myself to not get an erection in front of Dorrak, I was still naked after all.

"Are you okay? Eating that didn't do anything did it?" He asked as he looked at my flushed face with worry.

I nodded and replied by telling him, 'Yeah, just got to do some (personal) business, if you wouldn't mind waiting here?' I said all this whilst holding down my ever-growing hardening shaft.

"Ah, that's fine, take all the time you need, I'll be waiting here so don't worry, now go and do your thing before you blow."

Getting the okay from him I quickly dashed into the forests foliage to find a secluded spot to get a release.