7 Unfinished Business
Derrick arrived at his destination shortly after. He was on the small hill, looking at the gigantic dragon-like creature.
"I've had to prove myself countless times to get here... I've done all the preparations I can"
The map, previously filled with pulsating red dots, now had a sole red point. He had hunted the remaining 235 entities during these few months, tampering his body, abilities and fighting techniques.
The scary part of his present appearance was that he looked more like a warrior than a necromancer. He was like a cold-blooded beast that never lost its prey.
"System, show me my stats and equipment"
[Derrick Tarlin, 16 years old (Body) & 37 years old (Mind) — Human]
[Class : Necromancer]
[Strength : 9.7]
[Agility : 8.0]
[Endurance : 10.3]
[Vitality : 6.7]
[Magic Power : 15]
[Traits : Enhanced Body, Enhanced Vision, Death's Valet, Gluttony]
[Skills : Superior Appraisal, Contract (1/2), Summoning (1/1), Master Craftsman]
He hadn't been as lucky as when he had fought the Dark Furcifer Pardalis, only managing to improve two skills, namely <Appraisal > and <Craftsman >.
<Gluttony > also had its limits, with his growth rapidly slowing down once the monsters' strength became more comparable to his own. Still, it had allowed him to become exponentially stronger very fast.
He had also saved the remaining contract for the creature in front of him, anticipating its unfathomable strength.
[Giant Polyxenida Armor]
[Grade : Unique]
[Defensive Power : 10]
[Abilities : Exoskeleton (When the life of its user is threatened, the armor will strengthen itself by five times its basic stats. Will be destroyed afterward)]
[Description : While killing this Polyxenida millipede, it desperately tried to protect its vulnerable areas, resulting in the evolution of its exoskeleton]
[Corrupted Olm Sword]
[Grade : Unique]
[Attack Power : 12]
[Abilities : Blindness (When striking its opponents, it will temporarily blind them), Oppression (Emits a strong murderous sensation, making weaker enemies cower in fear)]
[Description : This bloodthirsty creature died filled with grievances, infusing its bones with killing intent and one of its skill]
"These are the hardest monsters I've fought so far, which reflects the quality of the equipment... They also left me some nasty scars"
While chuckling, he used <Superior Appraisal> on the opponent in front of him.
[Viper Varanus Komodoensis]
[Strength : 17]
[Agility : 14]
[Endurance : 13]
[Vitality : 13]
[Magic Power : 12]
[Trait : Cold Blood (Allows it to lower its temperature to survive in different climates), Vibration Sensor (Allows it to sense the proximity of opponents), Poisonous Tongue (Allows its tongue to ensnare its opponents, poisoning them to death)]
[Weakness : Temperature Changes, Scales]
"Sure enough, <Superior Appraisal> is still not good enough to get a comprehensive report on my enemy's weaknesses, but it still gave me something to work with"
Derrick sat on the ground and closed his eyes, visualizing his attack plan. While accumulating experience, he had learned to take his time to prevent any unnecessary injuries.
This was his final battle, and it could very well be his last if he messed up.
After a few hours, he finally opened his eyes, got up and rushed to the dragon-like being.
With a plan in mind, it was to finish this episode of his new life.
"Io, go and distract him! I need a couple of seconds to find its weak spot"
*BANG*
His shadow distorted and produced a loud noise, letting out a Nightmare Bat that zipped across the air like an arrow.
Derrick wasn't the only one that had grown stronger during these last few months. He had fed his companion every scrap he got his hands on, making it grow stronger, albeit at a slower pace.
*HISS*
Seeing the large commotion, the now aware and enraged Viper Varanus Komodoensis charged in the direction of Io and jumped to grab him.
Its agility was simply incomparable to their previous opponents.
When realizing of his precarious position, Io suddenly plunged and narrowly avoided the shining claws.
The already angry monster got even more furious. It was being defied and had lost an opportunity to kill a weak invader. A vicious and suffocating gaze covered the entirety of the rocky plain, as if screaming that death was inevitable.
Io was trying his best to avoid the ruthless attacks, but he was slowly losing ground over time. He would be quashed in a few seconds if nothing was done.
Seeing the worsening situation, Derrick gathered all the information he could while filling the blanks in his plan.
Suddenly, his eyes shone.
"COME BACK IO!"
He hurled his command and attracted the attention of the Komodoensis.
Without delay, Io charged towards his master and hid in his shadow once again. Derrick had stopped running and was now sticking out like a sore thumb.
It was time to put everything on the line.
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
He let out a war cry, making his body release adrenaline and raising his senses to the maximum. He was at his peak. The blow-back would be heavy, but he had no choice. He took out the sword from his back and once again charged forward.
After seeing the warrior-like demonstration, the monster let out a deafening roar and charged as well, with its mouth open and its purple tongue swirling. It had been taken for a fool, and any intelligence it had was now shrouded by rage.
When the monster arrived in front of Derrick, it spun around and used its tail to try to swat him like a fly.
The move surprised the necromancer and forced him to jump. He successfully avoided the initial impact, but didn't see that the monster had never stopped its motion and was now back in front of him, resulting in him being a sitting duck.
The monsters' jaw then opened and snapped in his direction, ready to crush him into a fine paste.
"As expected of a strong bastard like you... I guess things never really go according to plan"
While gritting his teeth, he barely managed to dodge the venomous tongue, but unfortunately, being eaten became an inevitability.
His brain was analyzing millions of scenarios, searching for any that'd allow him to survive. The foul and toxic smell started infiltrating his nostrils. He had no more time left.
However, just before disappearing behind the rows of sharp teeth, a slight smile could be seen on his face...
