Chapter 14: Devourer

"Master! Master! I've returned with dinner!" Scarlett cheered with a huge smile printed on her face.

"Great! What is it?!" Liza returns a smile back.

"Poisonous Toad Meat!" Scarlett cheered once again as waves around a five foot toad in the air.

"Really?! We haven't had Poisonous Toad for awhile, where did you find it?" Liza asked excitedly.

"Under a rock hiding," Scarlett responded as started ripping the toad's legs off it's body.

"That's great! What a lucky find," Liza chuckled as she skewered the toad's organs on a sharp stick.

For the last three days, ever after Liza evolution. Both Liza and Scarlett have been closer for as their has grown stronger after clarifying their friendship. The two became more comfortable with one another as they level up and massacre and devour the monsters they encounter.

'Poisonous Toad. I never knew why they are called that, since they are more like frogs than toads. Before I wouldn't even want to touch Poisonous Toad, but now I love eating it.

Is that a goblin thing? Maybe. But I know this for sure, I wouldn't be able to eat poisoned delicacy if wasn't for the help of the 'Iron Stomach' skill and the 'Poison Resistance Skill'. I would surely be dead,'

"It's ready!" Scarlett said while handing over Liza a poison toad skewer.

"Thanks, it smells great," Liza said before taking a bite out of a poison toad leg.

"IRON STOMACH LV 10"

"IRON STOMACH LV 10 HAS TURNED INTO STOMACH OF STELL LV 1"

"GAIN EXTRA SKILL DEVOURER LV 1"

'Devourer? Sounds interesting, but I can probably guess what it does,'

"DEVOURER"

"Whenever you eat another monster, you're will to gain said monster's skills and abilities."

'I knew it...'

"Master! Master! Guess what?" Scarlett said energetically.

"What is it?" Liza responded slightly amused.

"I've max out my Iron Stomach skill and now I have Stomach of Steel!" Scarlett cheered.

"That's great, I'm proud of you," Liza chuckled.

"Not only that but I've also gained an Extra Skill called: Strength Eater. What it does is whenever I eat a high leveled monster my strength, defense and stamina will increase. So the higher level a monster is, the more stronger I'll will become!" Scarlett explained with vigorousness.

"That sounds awesome! I actually gained a similar skill like that called: Devourer. It basically means I can gain the skills and abilities of other monsters if I eat them," Liza smiled, but Scarlett didn't smiled back.

'Did I said something wrong? I hope not,' Liza thought before Scarlett stared at Liza with a determined look in her eyes.

"Master, I have thought up an insane idea. But please hear out!" Scarlett spoke in deep tone of voice which shows she was serious.

"You sound confident of this 'thought' of yours so I allow to lean you my ears," Liza said.

"Okay, you remember the Salamander still blocking the entrance of the labyrinth as we speak?"

Liza nodded, curious of what Scarlett would say next. "Yes, it's the only reason why we're still stuck here,"

"That's right. You told me to not to fight if I didn't fire resistance. But tell me, does have the Salamander has fire resistance?" Scarlett said eagerly.

"Yes, they'll have to. After all, Salamanders usually sleeps in lava pits within the lower levels," Liza answered, slightly confused of why Scarlett would ask such a weird question.

"Master... why don't you use your Devourer Skill and eat the Salamander. That way you can gain fire resistance and then you can beat the the Salamander!" Scarlett cheered in excitement.

Liza froze, thinking through what Scarlett just said. "Scarlett..."

Scarlett gulped, waiting for her master to finish her sentence. "Scarlett you are... A CRAZY DAMN GENIUS!!!"

"I... I am?" Scarlett stuttered in shocked as she heard the word genius.

~AN HOUR LATER~

Both Liza and Scarlett were standing around the area the Salamander calls it's new home. It has become brighter now by the rocks the Salamander rubbed itself against on. Not only that, it has become more hotter. The usual temperature before has skyrocketed, now no monster wanted to live here anymore.

The ones who did adapt to the new environment but unfortunately would eventually get eaten by the Salamander. For any low leveled monster or an inexperienced adventurer, this place is a blazing death trap.

"Will this work?" Scarlett asked nervously as she watches the fire lizard from afar.

"There is only one way to find out," Liza said with building confidence.

The two moved from where they were standing and went to action. Liza position herself near by the Salamander's sight range. Liza took a deep breath as she laughed full out while using the skill Evil Laughter to gain the Salamander's attention. Salamander turns to Liza and started charging straight for her.

Which was perfect, everything was according to the plan. Liza did not move a muscle, with the help of Fear Resistance. Liza was able to hold her ground until the right moment. When the Salamander was thirty meters close, that's when Liza called the single.

"Now!" Liza shouted before Scarlett jumped from behind some rocks.

Liza then ran and as she did, Liza heard blood curdling scream.

~AN HOUR EARLIER~

"Okay, here's the plan. You should attack it while I'll be the bait," Liza explained briefly.

"But Master, wouldn't it be dangerous for you to be bait since you have low defense? I should be bait not you," Scarlett said with extreme worry written across her face.

"Dangerous? This whole ordeal is dangerous in itself. It's true, I may have low defense but I also have low attack as well. So if I did attack the Salamander, I would only put myself in more danger as it is. That's why I'm counting on you Scarlett, if we fail we'll both become that lizard breathes dinner," Liza explained with a serious tone in her voice.

"Got it!" Scarlett responded confident yet frightened.

~PRESENT TIME~

Scarlett jumped out of hiding as she launched her attack. Within a blink of an eye, with one slash. Scarlett skillfully cut off a chunk piece of the fire monster's tongue. Scarlett then skewered the piece with her blade as she ran away with her master's.

The monster screamed in agony, losing focus on Scarlett and Liza. The two didn't stop running until they thought they were in a safe distance.

"Did we just do that..?" Scarlett huffed and puffed in slight shock.

"We did and survive in the process!!!" Liza laughed with joy.

Scarlett started laughing along with her as the two admired their prize they risked their lives for.

"Well... better dig in, don't need to cook it since it's already hot meat," Scarlett exclaimed.

Liza nodded in agreement as held the blade and took big bite out of the Salamander's tongue.

"HOT! HOT! HOT!!!" Liza screamed before choked back the flaming piece of meat.

"YOU NOW GAIN SKILLS OF LABYRINTH SALAMANDER"

'It work! Great! Now all I have to do is wait until fire resistance pops up,'

"GAIN SKILL HEAT RESISTANCE LV 1"

"GAIN SKILL LAVA SPIT LV 1"

"GAIN SKILL HEAT SCRATCH LV 1"

It didn't pop up.

'Wait! Why isn't Fire Resistance showing. Does that mean I have keep eating this Salamander's tongue until it does pop up?! You gonna be kidding me,' Liza already felt her tears evaporating from the mere heat as she began to continue eating.

After Liza finished eating, she felt her body going through some few changes.

"DEVOURER LV 2"

"YOU NOW SHARE SALAMANDER DNA"

"GAIN SALAMANDER SCALES"

"GAIN SALAMANDER CLAWS"

"GAIN SKILL HEAT SENSE LV 1"

"GAIN SKILL BODY TEMPERATURE CONTROL LV 1"

'Wait! What do you mean by 'sharing Salamander DNA'?'

"Uh... Master? You should probably look at yourself right now," Scarlett mumbled.

Liza stared down at her reflection off a puddle and saw some visible changes. Liza had glowing orange scales across her face and her neck down.

She had sharp talons attached her fingers. Liza had bright lava like tongue, it was so long that it could almost reach pass Liza's waist. Liza had a tail that was one meter long.

'I'm really a Salamander... well mostly. To be all honest, I actually find this awesome! I wonder what I can do in this new form,'

"CREATED NEW TITLE SALAMANDER GOBLIN"