Becoming an Alpha Male

My eyes were no longer a beastly yellow. They had returned to their natural color.

All my scars but the handprint over my heart had faded.

The last change was that I lost my familia tattoo and gained faded maroon tattoos of my various forms.

A snarling beast resembling a wolf on my stomach.

A resplendent horn with wings on my throat.

A resolute human on my back.

When I saw those tattoos, I knew how Akema knew of this ritual.

"You're an orphan as well, aren't you?" (Nemo)

"As I told you, I've been where you are before." (Akema)

"Thank you for this." (Nemo)

"All I ask is what once was asked of me. If you come across someone needing help like you did, help them." (Akema)

"I swear." (Nemo)

"Before you go. I have a piece of advice: take care that you do not become the very thing that you set out against." (Akema)

"Thank you for your advice, but unfortunately I will become whatever is required of me." (Nemo)

"You know that is not what she would want." (Akema)

"That's the thing about being dead, you don't want anything. Also, the very thing that makes you think she would disapprove is the thing that would lead her to accept me no matter what I have done." (Nemo)

After that I left for the dungeon.

A couple of hours later, I arrived before the alpha kobold boss room.

Before I entered, I had to decide which form to take for this battle.

My human form was the way to go as the other forms had their disadvantages.

<Sub-Authority: Human Form>

'The last remnant of what once was'

The form allows access to weaker versions of other forms' abilities. The form also provides derived abilities from absorbed essences. Currently includes the following:

• Beast: Enhanced Senses and Physical Abilities

• Human: Combat Instinct

• Instrument Golem: Sound and Metal Talent

My beast form would just make me a slightly stronger version of the boss and he would beat me with his experience and numbers.

<Sub-Authority: Beast Form>

'The seed of what will be'

Provides greatly enhanced senses and physical abilities at the cost of being unable to utilize magic.

The instrument golem form would empower my sound magic which is the best form of magic for this battle, but the metal form would slow me down and the alpha can probably tear through my metal form as it is known as the armor breaker.

<Sub-Authority: Instrument Golem Form>

'With my voice, the storm'

Provides a metallic form greatly resistant to all types of damage and a prodigious talent for sound and metal talent.

After I walked through the door, I saw the boss and six closest friends.

The boss's subordinate monsters were kobolds that were a little more muscular and not at all mangy. They were more dangerous than the typical kobold not just because of their better condition, but because they had self-control and were led by the alpha.

While the alpha was a wolf to the typical kobold's dog. It had snow white hair and teeth with corded muscles. The alpha was everything a kobold was but better.

Together they were a well-oiled team and pack. They hunted their prey with efficiency and precision.

The first act of the battle saw the pack fan out around me. I knew that I couldn't allow them to succeed in surrounding me, otherwise this battle would become that much harder.

My response was to use a barrier to separate one of the subordinates and I from the rest of the pack. It was quickly eliminated since it was used to orders and the alpha did not have time to give any. It was a simple pivot dodge to avoid the attempted bite then putting a red light spear through its skull.

The next step was to skewer the pack that was clawing at my barrier. Unluckily, the alpha and three of its subordinates were quick enough to avoid the killing blow. Luckily, none of them were quick enough to avoid any damage.

The alpha had a mild wound on its left arm.

One subordinate had an eye taken out.

One subordinate had a nasty gash on its leg limiting mobility.

The last living subordinate had only a scratch on its forehead.

The good and bad news was that the pack can get angry and that they take pack member death very personally. They got sloppy and rushed at me.

I launched bolts at the four of them.

They were all blinded. A bolt went through all the subordinates' heads and a bolt went through the alpha's right shoulder as it was able to dodge in time.

So now it was just me and the alpha with one arm half crippled and the other one just a second too slow.

As I rushed the alpha that second was widened by my authority time independence. I ducked under the alpha's left arm and took off the alpha's head with a blue energy sword.

<Existence Leveled Up: 1-->2>

<Sub-Authority Enhanced: Beast Form>