Chapter 39. The Change

Ash awoke the next afternoon feeling refreshed yet hungry. His little raven let out some rejuvenated caws and started to stretch his wings.

Checking his status Ash wanted to know what was different in himself.

Name: Ash

Level. 4

Age: 11

Occupations: Tamer/ Apprentice hunter/Apprentice herbalist

Status: Healthy

Innate skills: Nurture- Beasts grow stronger under your care. Increased link benefits.

Advanced Comprehension: Learn skills and techniques faster with a beast than by yourself.

Skills: [crescent slash- familiar] [flash point-familiar] [Berserk- intro]

{Str: 2.7 Sta: 2.5 Agi: 2.3 Vit: 2.2 Int: 4.0 Spi: 4.5}

Beast: Grim (f rank)

Attributes: Death/Blood

Male

Innate skill:

Battle Fanatic: Fighting becomes unconsciously easier.

Skills: [blood let- familiar] [claw swipe-familiar] [piercing ray- intro] [Necrotic shard- intro] [Berserk- intro] {Str: 2.0 Sta: 1.4 Agi: 2.8 Vit: 1.3 Int: 2.4 Spi: 4.3}

Ash was ecstatic about seeing massive improvements in their stats. It also outlined how weak they really were though. The boys from the Taotie sect were undoubtedly stronger and they were around the same age. In fact, the boys had been nothing but regular members, not even elite members.

"We both got some new skills buddy. It's gonna be training time in a little bit."

Grim expressed excitement and joy because of their clear advancement. The link between the two had grown a bit thicker than before.

"Let's head on out Grim. We are only focusing on fighting some zombies to improve our skills and stats. Let's not go overboard."

Grim let out a caw of acknowledgment and the two left their camp to start finding opponents. It wasn't long before the duo approached a swarm of zombies.

Though they may seem weak and stupid. Zombies were a group that could have insane variations. Usually the weaker ones relied on sound and smell. Some zombies had sight or some type of perception skill, however, this was rarer. Mutations of this monster were disturbing and frequent enough that these creatures were specified as walking disaster even when they were weak. Zombies had a poison in their bodies that was highly infectious, you normally wouldn't turn into a zombie but there were variants that could accomplish that.

Performing a status check on a couple Ash saw their stats.

Beast: Lesser zombie (f- rank)*

Attributes: Death

Innate skill:

Mix match- Able to take limbs and organs from other monsters to grow stronger.

Skills: [Diseased breath] [Infectious claw] [Heavy Twist] ??????

{Str: 4.0 Sta: 2.1 Agi: 1 Vit: 3.0 Int: 0.7 Spi: 0.5}

Beast: Zombie Armadillo (f- rank)*

Attributes: Death/ Earth

Innate skill:

Earthen Grace- Earth related skills do 0.3 more damage.

Skills: [Infectious Bite] [Quicksand] [Burial Bomb] ???????????

{Str: 3.4 Sta: 2.2 Agi: 1.6 Vit: 3.8 Int: 0.7 Spi: 0.4}

It was a crowd of mostly human zombies with some armadillo zombies following behind. Ash warned Grim of some of their traits as the two proceeded to ambush the crowd of zombies. The group of zombies were stronger than the duo but they were stupid, relying entirely on instinct.

Ash commanded Grim to focus on using piercing ray and necrotic shard. He commanded Grim to focus on destroying the head and let him know to pay attention if the corpse moved after destroying the head.

'Alright, lets see how well I can use my blood affinity.'

Ash rushed out and focused on the human zombies. The armadillo ones were closer to the inside of the crowd. Using his blood affinity, a red hue steadily covered his skin as his blood pumped faster. Steadying his breathing Ash rushed forward and Grim flew into the air.

Eight human zombies and two armadillo zombies. Ash rushed forward, his veins pulsing as he slashed forth taking the head off one zombie. Grim took to the air as he used piercing ray on one zombie's head killing it immediately. The crowd of undead reacted immediately.

Ash had one zombie slash at him, instead of dodging Ash defended with his saber.

'I need to see how strong I am utilizing my affinity to increase my bodily functions.'

The claw met saber as Ash was pushed back, an armadillo rolled forth in trying to hit him. Grim was trying to focus on using [Piercing Ray] but he wasn't at the point where he could use the attack in quick succession. After his first kill, Grim switched to using [Necrotic Shard], sharp rhombus shaped bone pieces coated in the aura of death shot at the crowd of zombies.

Grim's attack served merely to do some damage to the group as shards sunk into their flesh. The bodies of the undead only rocking slightly at the hail of bone shards. Rancid blood leaking but it served little to deter the undead. Grim was displeased that his new attack failed to do anything.

'Buddy, don't get mad. The skill is still new and it's the same element as the group we're attacking. It'll naturally be less effective on them. Don't get cocky.'

Ash communicated to Grim while dodging, parrying, and slashing at now two human zombies along with an armadillo. A white energy burst along one end of the link between the two. It quickly spread enveloping the entire thread.

Grim annoyed, listened to his partner and focused on using [Necrotic Shard] to whittle away at the zombie's appendages. One of the undead armadillos used [Toxic Breath] unleashing a concentrated fog of poison. Grim dodged easily while a couple of the zombies would leap in the air to slash at the bird. Intelligence became a factor not easily ignored when looking at Grim easily dodge the zombie's attacks and picking away at them slowly. 

Ash had started to get into the groove of using his blood affinity as he could now easily channel it throughout his body.

'I can feel a slight pain and strain in my body. If I channel my affinity I can pump blood faster through my body, I can increase speed more, but the pain intensifies. I think this is enough, Grim let's end this.'

Ash parried a zombie's claws with finesse and then increased his blood flow. His arm thickening slightly as he swiftly decapitated the zombie. The tail of the armadillo was swinging so hard at him that he could feel the air hitting him. He dropped prone and popped up quickly. His saber swung upwards cutting the arm of the human zombie off before cutting its head off. The armadillo balled up and charged, a dark aura surrounded it's form as it performed [Reckless Charge]. Although Ash could feel the death affinity imbued in the charge, Ash rooted himself.

'Let's finish this in one move.' "Haaaaaaaaa!"

Ash did his best to focus his blood affinity on his saber wielding arm and a red hue flared. It spread to his weapon lightly, though not as deep as his arm. Performing [Crescent slash] his saber moved in a blood-colored arc as the armadillo was cut open. The attack actually pushed the charging beast back as Ash took three steps back. His arm hanging limp.

Grim had at this point disabled three of the human zombies, killed another with [Piercing Ray], and injured the last armadillo. One of the zombies jumped at Grim, he slowly dodged believing the zombie incapable of doing anything until it used [Heavy Twist]. With a bang, Grim hit the floor. In mid air, using [Heavy Twist] the zombie hit Grim with it's long arms.

Mad and slightly injured, Grim tried to fly up only to be hit by the armadillo with [Burial Bomb]. Then an explosion of earth, bone, and death element hit Grim. The armadillo's opened mouth letting off wisps of death element showcasing the power of the attack.

Some of the disabled zombies limped over to the bird only to be met with a roaring Ash. Using berserk Ash brutally hacked them apart and went on to fight the last two zombies.

******************************************************************************************************Coming to, Grim noticed his partner passed out on the ground. Pain enveloped the bird, understanding that he had been knocked unconscious by the opponent's attack.

Steadily flapping his wings in the air, Grim felt both shame and anger at his blunder. His partner laid tired, and pretty roughed up due to the side effect of using [berserk] and having taken some nasty hits.

Landing on his tamer's body Grim shook him for a while before realizing it was useless. He carried him as best he could in his claws back to their camp. A couple of drops along the way but the mission was accomplished, nonetheless.