Forest King
After some time Slayer came upon a large herd of nightmares moving through the forest. They were massive lion headed ants with glowing fiery eyes. He started to attack the ants making the swarm. Their numbers were endless as he kept moving through making floating around cutting through all the ants protecting him from any attacks unseen. Before long the herd was dead and he began to absorb their chi collecting above him in a giant ball. He then directed it into his body pushing into his Mind Palace, Soul Core, and his Forge meridians. His chi circuits making his body feel like liquid fire. He could feel his Soul Core elevate in the upper tiers, 'Getting closer to a breakthrough of my core' he thought. He sensed more beastly presences in the forest and pounced at the opportunity. The King could hear roars and the singing of a blade from the forest. The sounds were getting closer and closer. He gripped his bow and made ready to fire an arrow the minute he saw the Slayer in view. 'I will not be another victim of yours! This is my Realm boy!' he thought.
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The Slayer fought more monsters till he finally came to a waterfall deep in the forest. A mass of land in the middle of the pool was a triangular throne. A flaming arrow whizzed past his head. Slayer then jumped into a shadow disappearing and was then behind the throne. He then manifested his odachi Demon's Wrath. The Forest King started to speak, "So you're the new King Slayer sent by the World? Even picked a little nickname on your journey so far, haven't you? Heard the World named you Red Demon before you killed the Light King?" he turned around firing an ice arrow that was slashed from the air shattering into shards.
"So my allies' the Demon King and Light King are gone. Seems you're picking a side in this war?" he asked. He pulled back on an invisible string forming an ice arrow from air. "I was given this crown by the World itself. Today will not be the day it is taken from me! This realm is teeming with life! Here I am the creator of life! Creatures back to their primal selves. Mythical beasts mixed with the Faun! My people were the main ingredient. They finally had a use when they were ravaging this land now they are part of it!" he shouted. Slayer thought about that from his teachings. The Forest King created most of the beasts he saw using alchemy. He used the people that used to live in this forest. The people were called Fauns and the Forest King was the last one. Killing all and taking their soul cores make him truly immortal. And from what he said mixed them with Mythical beasts. Creatures blessed by chi and had Soul Cores. Evolving his healing ability and creating more life to roam the forests he so loved. Life he could be proud of and control. 'He is mad?' Slayer thought.
"I have no sides in your little quarrel. Merely here to end it. Perhaps all of you shouldn't have gotten greedy? Which is why I'm here!" Slayer said as the king then shot arrow after arrow at Slayer who ducked, dodged, and parried each arrow that came at him. He barrel rolled forward getting closer. Shadows then expanded all around the throne and the two opponents. 'Time to use the Demon King's little trick!' He thought as shadow fiends formed from darkness. Fiends had jagged features. Armed with spiked arms and legs. They pounced at the king taking his focus from Slayer and on the shadow fiends. Each arrow was a different element erupting into fireballs to ice shards. He poured all his chi into the bow creating an arrow of light. He then shot the light arrow at the fiends. A large flash erupted blinding him and Slayer that was coming from behind with his odachi raised over his head. He pulled back and used his Mind Palace to keep his senses on high alert. His eyes were closed under his mask as he mentally could see the silhouette of the Forest King form in his mind as waves of chi pulsed out keeping the Slayer focused on his target.
He jumped up and slashed his sword across the back of the Forest King. He screeched in pain and turned trying to hit Slayer with the bow itself only for his opponent to grab his arm pulling it backwards and then impaling him from the back. Forest King fell to his knees as Slayer backed off ready for another attack. Forest King chuckled as the ground started to shake. Vines then erupted up with thorns like barbs coming off them. King rose up to his hooves with a groan. The wounds he sustained were healing rapidly and now using his power of creation he commanded the vines to attack Slayer. He dodged and jumped away from each vine. He was too slow at some point and was bound by the vines.
The vines held him up and the Forest King started to slowly aim his bow creating a black arrow. 'You may possess the element of shadow, but this will still destroy your soul regardless prick!' Forest King thought as he shot the arrow. Slayer thought quickly as the edge of Demon's Wrath started to glow hot it cut through the vines like butter freeing him. He then dropped to the ground before the arrow could land its mark. Slayer hit the ground running and impaled the Forest King only this time the sword erupted in bright orange flame setting the king ablaze. He screamed as Slayer then cut through both forearms in one swing. With the king maimed the bow fell to the ground and the king was now on his knees. The King's body burned up from the inside, killing him quicker than he could heal. Slayer grabbed the mask from the lifeless body bringing it to his face. The demon mask then absorbed it. He then sucked out the King's chi with a glowing hand.
His body felt on fire as his core started to grow making way for a new power. Restructuring his cells, boosting them, evolving his body with the gift to heal. Slayer left the throne area to hide from the monsters coming to aid their king. He climbed to a high tree and was out of sight. He found a snake in the tree and quickly killed it. He then assessed the powers he stole. He manifested the Forest King's deer mask and the bow. He then summoned an arrow pulling the invisible string back. It was a fire arrow he then aimed at the throne that was now surrounded by various monstrosities from the forest. As they looked upon their burning king's body. Slayer sighed as he loosened the pull of the string. Truthfully he felt sorry for them now that he knew the truth of their origin. The arrow and string disappeared leaving only the curved bow. He stared at the craftsmanship; it was black and had a story etched into the sides. Showing a man with a deer mask hunting down dragons, tentacle beasts, shapeless blob and many more. On the grip of the weapon was a seal with four elemental symbols; flame, ice, light, and shadow.
He seemed satisfied with this and the bow and mask disappeared replacing the deer for the Oni mask. He then assessed his body taking a meditative lotus position as he plunged into his Mind Palace. There was a pool of red water around him as he stood on its surface. And in the center of the water was ruins of a fallen fortress. Above was an eclipsed sun. All around the ruin were several floating white orbs. He possessed only three orbs that represented his powers in the beginning. The orbs before were Forge, shadow, and flame. With now light magic, shadow life, and now two more joined them. With the newest two he was at seven abilities. He approached one and it spoke a metallic voice, "Creation". He then approached the next and the voice echoed again, "Body Heal" this one would be the true boon during his coming battles. He seemed satisfied and opened his eyes back to the forest. He sat there for hours meditating before locating the gate to the west to leave the realm.
After some time he was able to make it without being attacked and approached the circle gate. It came to life and smiled, "Seems my advice helped you Slayer. On to the next realm. This next one will be a challenge if they haven't already?" the Gate chuckled as it let Slayer pass through it transporting him to the next realm.