Consuming Evo Flesh
His eyes suddenly squinted as he noticed a bar floating above the head of the Evo.
■□□□□□□□□□
"Is that...?" Atrixus moved closer to inspect and waved his hand above the head of the Evo, but it phased through the bar like it wasn't a physical manifestation.
"...It's a health bar," He voiced in realisation.
"I can see its health bar like a hologame. Wow, this is amazing. I truly have become a System Bearer... Although I've never heard of any System Bearer capable of seeing health bars, though," Atrixus held his chin in contemplation.
At that moment, Atrixus suddenly noticed a blinking blue dot in his left line of sight.
As he focused on it, a holographic taskbar appeared.
<([ Kill The Sacred Revilcorn Evo To Level Up ])>
"Hmm? Another feature I am not familiar with? Maybe I didn't study the System Bearers guidebooks well," Atrixus voiced, perplexed.
However, despite his confusion, he was drawn by curiosity. Would he truly level up after killing the Sacred Revilcorn? He needed to know.
The beast was nearly dead either way despite its amazing resilience, and he believed he would just be doing it a favour by freeing it from pain.
Atrixus squatted before the beast and placed his hands on its thick neck region. He tightened his hands around the neck of the Evo, but even after many seconds had passed, the creature was still alive.
Atrixus let go and began panting heavily.
Although he felt more empowered after becoming a System Bearer, it would seem he was still too weak to strangle a Sacred Evo. Despite the creature being nearly dead, he was a level one System Bearer after all.
Atrixus turned to the side and moved towards a piece of rock thrice the size of a human head lying around.
"Here goes nothing," He squatted slightly and planted his palms firmly on the rock sides before mustering all the strength he could gather.
Atrixus pulled up with all his might, and to his astonishment, the rock rose. It was something he was very much incapable of doing in the past, so it no doubt solidified his belief that he had increased in strength.
Atrixus groaned heavily as he took slow steps towards the trapped Revilcorn Evo and finally dropped the rock onto its head.
Bam!
A loud noise rang out upon collision, but before Atrixus could jubilate, the rock rolled backwards onto his left foot.
"Son of a!" He jumped in pain, taking off his shoe instantly.
"Fuu! Fuu! Fuu!" His foot felt squishy for a hot minute before the pain suddenly died down.
Atrixus was surprised by it and attributed it to his new status as a System Bearer. He noticed that there was now a decrease in the health bar of the Evo, which had blood sprinkling from the side of its head.
He moved towards the rock and lifted it once more before dropping it on the creature's head multiple times.
« You Have Killed A Sacred Revilcorn Evo »
Atrixus could hear ringing in his head as holographic panels appeared before him.
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
« You Have Leveled Up »
The panels displayed that he had leveled up seven times and at the bottom was an instruction of sorts...
<([ Consume Sacred Revilcorn Evo Flesh To Gain Points ])>
<([ Consume Sacred Revilcorn Evo Flesh To Gain Points ])>
Despite the clear directive, Atrixus hesitated, his stomach churning not just with hunger but with revulsion at the thought of what he was about to do.
He understood the mechanics behind the system — the consumption of Evo flesh was a means to enhance one's strength and abilities, a crucial step for System Bearers in harnessing the powers of creatures from Shunri Paradise.
Yet, the reality of it, the raw, visceral act of consuming the flesh of a creature he had just slain, was daunting.
There was no means of having it cooked unless he took the entire corpse back to earth to do that. It wasn't an option since the Sacred Revilcorn Evo was too large, being twice the size of a horse.
"Eating raw flesh to become stronger..." Atrixus murmured to himself, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.
However, his thoughts were overshadowed by the pressing need to survive, to adapt, and to meet the challenges that lay ahead.
With a deep breath, Atrixus steeled his resolve and dug his teeth into the warm, raw flesh of the Sacred Revilcorn Evo.
He nearly retched as he chewed a piece of its flesh but necessity drove him, pushing past the barriers of his disgust.
As he swallowed, a surprising realization washed over him — it was far from the repulsive experience he had braced himself for. The meat was tender, imbued with a flavour that was complex and, in its way, satisfying. Hunger, sharpened by his ordeal, took over, driving him to consume more.
With each bite, the system notifications continued to flash before his eyes, a constant reminder of the transformation taking place within him:
« You Have Gained +2 Evo Points »
The sensation was exhilarating; with each point gained, Atrixus felt a surge of power, a tangible increase in his strength and vitality. The notifications became a source of encouragement, spurring him on:
« You Have Gained +1 Evo Points »
« You Have Gained +3 Evo Points »
« You Have Gained +2 Evo Points »
« You Have Gained +4 Evo Points »
Yet, as he consumed about 30% of the creature's flesh, the flow of notifications ceased. No matter how much more he ate, the promised increase in Evo Points did not materialize.
Atrixus realized then that there was a limit to the strength he could draw from the carcass of the Sacred Revilcorn Evo or Evos in general.
It was information that he was initially unaware of.
Just as he stood to his feet, a new notification popped up in his line of sight.
« You Have Achieved Assimilation »
« Revilcorn Ability Gained: Fiery Drill »
¦[ Activate a flaming drill that can pierce through any surface ]¦
Sitting back on his heels, Atrixus pondered the implications of his actions.
The system, with its arcane rules and mysterious depths, held secrets that he had only begun to uncover. The rapid levelling up he had experienced after the creature's death was a phenomenon unheard of without the act of consumption.
"Maybe I should ask someone about this later," Atrixus thought out loud.
<([ Does Bearer Wish To Check Data? ])>
<([ Yes ])> <([ No ])>
His gaze fixed on the holographic panel that materialized before him. The notification, a gateway to understanding the newfound power coursing through his veins, beckoned him with the promise of answers.
With a cautious curiosity, he tapped "yes" on the display, and the panel expanded, revealing a list.
[ System Bearer's Data ]
Name » Atrixus Timothy
Level » 7
Rank » E
Evolution » Nil
Authority » Nil
Evo points » 28
Skills » Nil
Weapons » Nil
Assimilated Transformations » Sacred Revilcorn Fiery Drill
Assimilated Summons » Nil
(Evo points required for first evolution: 100)
The information floated before him in luminescent characters, a digital testament to the change he had undergone.
Yet, for all its clarity, the panel raised more questions than it answered.
"I really did jump seven levels, but this is unheard of. One needs to consume Evos and gain Evo points, which would then be used to level up... and I'm Rank E already?" Atrixus mused aloud, his voice echoing softly in the cavernous expanse.
The term "Sacred Revilcorn Fiery Drill" caught his eye, a label for the extraordinary ability he had acquired through his daring confrontation with the formidable Evo.
He understood the aspect of also using Evo points for evolution and even increasing the strength of Assimilations, but there was another thing new to him on his panel... AUTHORITY.
He had never heard of that before and wondered if it was a new SB term.
"The answers I seek are out there."
The weight of the rocks that sealed him away from the world outside pressed upon him, a physical barrier that mirrored the psychological barriers he had shattered to reach his current point.
"I need to get out of here," he resolved in determination.
With a thought, he activated the Fiery Drill. The transformation was immediate and visceral; his right arm darkened, the skin and bone morphing into a construct of pure power.
Flames encased the drill, casting a fierce glow that illuminated the cave with a flickering light. Atrixus watched, awestruck, as his limb became the embodiment of the Sacred Revilcorn's lethal weapon.
Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was to come.
"Let's see if you can do what you claim you can," he said, addressing the drill as if it were an old companion.
With a determined charge, he propelled himself forward, the drill arm extended towards the wall of rocks that imprisoned him.
Bang!
The collision was a spectacle of destruction and liberation. The Fiery Drill tore through the rock with ferocity, the flames devouring the stone and turning solid barriers into mere whispers of dust.
Atrixus burrowed his way through the walls that held him, pushing forward with immense determination and the indomitable spirit of a System Bearer.
As he breached the final layer of rock, the light of Shunri Paradise spilt into the tunnel he had carved, a beacon guiding him back to the open world.