Dragon Claw
Lord Emberon tilted his head and narrowed his eyes as he observed the two giant hammer-headed worms that had miraculously regenerated.
He looked slightly surprised for a moment, but then his confident smirk returned.
As the lord of the dungeon, he was familiar with the power of regeneration.
After all, this place is outside his dungeon, so the creatures around should be capable of these ability too. He himself had the ability to heal and regrow his body at will.
The worms, now restored to their twisted forms, resumed their relentless pursuit of Emberon.
He smiled sardonically and muttered to himself, "I'm going to use some ability and waste Mana to deal with these insolent worms."
Ding!
[ The host used the Dragon Claw ability!
[ Ninety percent Anti-healing effect activated! ]
In an instant, his hand underwent a startling transformation. His once-human flesh turned gray and hardened, morphing into draconic, scaly skin.
Emberon's fingers elongated and sharpened into deadly claws that had an otherworldly sheen.
"Calmly," he murmured, with a sense of quiet command in his voice.
A loud ding echoed through the air as the system and Emberon acknowledged the activation of his devastating technique.
The worm that had survived its earlier assault closed in on Emberon, aiming its steel-like head for a fatal strike. But this time, the lord of regeneration stood his ground, unwavering.
He braced himself, his draconic hands poised for the impending clash.
Bang!
The collision was fierce, a clash of forces as Emberon's powerful hand met the worm's unyielding head.
Cracckkss!
The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled beneath them.
Kaboosh!
It was a battle between two formidable adversaries, each refusing to back down.
As the confrontation intensified, a hairline fracture appeared on the worm's head, spreading like a spider's web.
Crackacks!
Emberon tightened his grip, his eyes gleaming with triumph and satisfaction.
Crackackakakaakakacks!
The fracture grew wider, and shards of the worm's head splintered into countless fragments, resembling a shattered pane of glass.
Finally, the worm's head crumbled, reduced to a jagged ruin.
Kachaaks!
It lay motionless at Emberon's feet, defeated and lifeless. The lord of regeneration stood tall, his draconic hands still poised, radiating an aura of dominance that seemed to ignore and made the regeneration of the creature useless too.
Ding!
[ Bipalium King had fallen.
+(X) experience points.
Level 5 ((X)/7,000) ]
Although Lord Emberon won, he felt dissatisfied. The victory seemed empty, lacking the challenging struggle he enjoyed.
"Is my dragon claw ability truly as strong as before, even in my current mortal state?" He wondered with a touch of disappointment in his voice.
The initial excitement and adrenaline faded, leaving a sense of emptiness.
Lord Emberon's face showed his inner turmoil. His usually determined and resolute features now expressed profound disappointment.
His fiery eyes had dimmed.
Looking down at the defeated creature at his feet, Lord Emberon's lips curled with contempt.
The foe was a mere toy in his hands.
Yet, the victory somehow felt hollow, tainted by its ease.
Turning his attention to the second adversary approaching him, Lord Emberon felt a spark of excitement. He longed for a challenge, a chance to test his newfound limitations.
With a swift motion, he launched himself into the fight, relying only on his feet.
Pain shot through him as his foot hit the armored exoskeleton of the Hammerhead Worm.
Lord Emberon's face twisted in agony, but quickly calmed his face as he refused to give up.
"So my mortal body is no match, what about my abilities?"
The pain fueled his determination. However, he knew this approach couldn't last long; he would be defeated soon if he persisted.
Wanting to test his abilities again, Lord Emberon unleashed the power of his dragon claw.
Grawwww!!
The force of his strike was undeniable, like a storm unleashed on the helpless creature.
Kabang!
Kacharrk!
The worm's body crumpled, its shell shattered.
Yet, still, the victory brought him no comfort.
As the dust settled, Lord Emberon's face lost color and energy.
The realization hit him like a chilling wave – "Don't tell me… My abilities were really as strong as before…" he spoke, staring at the air, the system message.
Ding!
[ Bipalium King had fallen.
+(X) experience points.
Level 5 ((X)/7,000) ]
Lord Emberon felt empty for a reason.
Shaking his head, "Doesn't matter, I'll try again,'' he said.
He looked at the system screen, but then the hammer-headed worm he had just killed suddenly transformed along with the other one.
The two cubes were futuristic, with deep cuts on them. They pulsated with magic and had a steel-like color.
As soon as Lord Emberon's eyes landed on them, a notification appeared.
[ Ding!
Capture Cube (?) ]
Emberon was curious, so he touched the floating question mark with his hand.
[ Ding!
The host found a capturing cube.
This cube is designed to capture weakened magical beasts and transport them back to Lord Emberon's dungeon and strengthen the whole dungeon and himself.
It was more effective against creatures below level ten. ]
Seeing all the messages from the system, Lord Emberon furrowed his brow.
"If I capture a lot of these creatures and send them to my dungeon to strengthen them and me as well?" he wondered aloud.
Then he read it again, "So I no longer need to spill more blood, or any human blood?"
He chuckled and, after a few more minutes of confirming it, Lord Emberon nodded.
"Interesting…
"Alright, I'll capture a lot of magical beasts then," he mumbled, searching for more.
Lord Emberon walked confidently but carefully through the dense forest, lit by the moon.
The night air stuck to his skin like a soft covering, and there was a strange quietness that hinted at hidden secrets among the trees.
He searched the underbrush with his sharp eyes, hoping to find even the slightest movement or sign of the magical beasts he was seeking.
However, the forest remained quiet, keeping its inhabitants hidden from his searching gaze.
Lord Emberon felt frustrated as he ventured deeper into the wilderness. He had expected challenges on this journey, but the absence of magical beasts felt unsettling, as if the natural balance had been disturbed.
Before long, fate intervened, almost mocking Lord Emberon's growing unease.
He noticed a glimmer of movement that caught his attention, causing his heart to beat faster with anticipation.
He approached the source, hoping to find a worthy opponent to test his mortal skills.
To his surprise, he didn't find a towering, fearsome creature like the giant double-headed worm he had encountered before. Instead, nestled among a cluster of leaves, he discovered a simple slug.
[ Ding!
The host encountered an unknown creature, would you like to battle? ]
Its slimy body reflected the faint moonlight, and it seemed insignificant compared to what Lord Emberon had imagined.
Yet, a spark of curiosity flickered in his eyes, overshadowed by a nagging doubt that had taken hold in his mind.
Time to test it to this slug!
Without hesitation, he transformed his hand to a dragon claw and attacked the defenseless creature, intending to treat it the same way he had treated the two double-headed worms. But something strange happened as his draconic hand met the slug's flesh.
Like the two hammer headed worms, the slug crumbled into dust under the weight of Lord Emberon's dragon strike.
Sweat began to form on his forehead, and he struggled to catch his breath.
He realized maybe that his powers were far greater than he had expected, and this revelation shook him to his core.
How is going to be able to capture a beast and send it to his dungeon?
"No!" He said, refusing to simply accept this, Lord Emberon regained his composure and raised his draconic hand once again.
He plans to test his abilities once more, driven by his insatiable thirst for knowledge and understanding.
With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, he focused on the next creature he could find, eager to know the strength of his abilities against these creatures.