Chapter 182: Outpost [2]
"Bluargh!!! Cough... Cough... Are you okay?" A few minutes passed after they were given the signal to attack. Gaust was bleeding after his chest was impaled when he used his life to block the gigantic needle from ever hitting his team. This resulted in his current state after he saw that Xiao-Fen wasn’t struck by the needle where he proceeds to ask if he was okay
"Shit!!! Guys, I need a potion!! Hes losing a lot of blood?" Xiao Fen screamed to alert his allies from Gaust’s impending doom, only for him to look back and see his body disappear from his hands. He panicked after his disappearance made him more and more concerned until he saw what was in his front
An entity that has a human-like shape was eating the corpses near his vicinity, he heard of its munching that he misinterpreted as Gaust’s body being devoured. Only for him to freeze from his current location upon seeing the face of the monster. I was none other than Gaust who ate the body of his fallen enemies after he takes off the needle in his chest
"Gaust is that you?," Xiao Fen asked as he walks to his front, where he sees him nod to his question. By the time the meat of his chosen corpse reaches his stomach his body was back in a stable condition. His body was brought back to a form that was less hideous where anyone could identify his face
[System: The skill [Hunger] increases the player’s regeneration upon eating his fill. Whilst the skill [Cannibalism] temporarily increases all of the player’s stats if he commits eating a player. Cannibalism doesn’t technically need the target to be of the same race. As long as the player is registered from the system the skill [Cannibalism] will trigger]
"Im fine... I think you guys were told about my ability before we continued with our mission. Don’t worry I have a better grasp of this curse thats dwelling in my body. You don’t have to be so distant, I won’t bite you as long as I just chose to eat my enemies," After he saved the life of his ally, Gaust leaps towards the frontline where he met the two aces of this combined squadron
A few hours ago
"You called for me??" Before they entered the location where they were ordered to go if they ever want to see Erick’s allies alive. Morris called for one of the newly recruited members who have a lot of growth potential like the rest of his team. A player who’ll become a powerhouse after he grows, the player that originated from this place. Having two small antlers in his head paired with pale white skin, it was none other than Gaust
He entered his room whilst the others were preparing everything they need for their next operation. Though what he thought was a normal chat became an important part of his growth. When he gazes at his master he notices something strange, he had a sickening aura that he felt before the two have ever met. The aura only lingers on those who have been touched by a powerful curse whilst it’s also a sign of death
He takes off his dispatch and revealed his right eye, its power resonating with Gaust’s curse. In response to what Morris had shown, Gaust’s body reacted to his eye and his form quickly shifts to his Wendigo state. What shocked him the most wasn’t the fact that he transformed. It was his master who was suppressing his curse with just a glare once he opens his right eye
"Good... You finally came, as I’d promise I’ll help you with your curse!! But don’t get too excited, this will only be the very first step. To tell you the truth curses are either handled by a priest or a person who knows sealing arts, I’m a player that knows how to seal. There are two curses, ones you can’t repel and those that stick with you as you live and breathe. The bad news is that yours is categorized to be permanent," By the time he heard those words coming from his savior he’s hope seemed to have been lost
Only for his master to flick his forehead and reason with his hopeless disciple
"Ow!! Why did you flick my head?? You just said that my curse is... Is it really curable?" Gaust was unreasonably saddened by this news, but the eyes of his master didn’t change.
"Didn’t I tell you not to get excited? On top of that, you got depressed after you heard the type of your curse!!? Truly I really want to slap some senses out of you, but we’re going to war. I can’t beat you up when we haven’t started our journey, now hear this just because it’s permanent... That doesn’t mean there isn’t a way for you to cope, have you heard about the accursed ones?" Morris said after he gave a scroll to his disciple
"Accursed ones!!? No, I don’t know who they are... Is there a connection between that and my curse!?" After he heard about a way to suppress his curse, Gaust’s behavior started to change for the better. Before the two of them were to continue with their chat, Morris offered him a seat. Gaust quickly responded after he points at the chair in front of his view
"Accursed ones, are the titles given to those who can masterfully wield their curse as if it was a blessing. You might hate your curse but to be able to stand one day without ever being haunted by the curse you need to use it. Build your resistance and instead of being the tool, make it so that you have more willpower to be the user,"
"But you saw it for yourselves... I even remember that time I lost control, you even hold back for my sake. I know for a fact that you augmented the design of your thunder manifestation, instead of damaging my body. You chose to turn that into a taser which stunned me until you placed the seal, how can I cope!!?" Gaust asked him which he only did was point his finger toward his right eye
"At your current strength your weak, that’s the best thing I could say without talking shit about your body. My eye has the power to eat weaker curses than the ones it currently possesses. The process will be painful, aesthetics won’t help since this doesn’t concern your body. It’s more on a spiritual level since your curse is latched onto your soul. I’ll eat a part of your curse but I’ll stop to a level where it still makes you go crazy since we need you to learn how to control its power. What’s your choice? I need to hear it before we enter their central base,"
With Morris’s proposal, Gaust didn’t care a single bit about the pain he’ll receive in the process. No pain wouldn’t be enough when he envisioned himself walking without having to be afraid of his curse
He nods in agreement and Morris quickly used his eye to devour his curse, his body felt like it was being torn. But in return, he can feel that his body was losing a weight that he didn’t even know. It was the curse that was tormenting him for as long as he remembers, and by the time it was all over. He was able to manifest his monstrous form without him losing his control
’Would you look at that, it seems that I easily solved Gaust’s problems with just a glare of my demonic eye. Now that his curse has been weakened for him to have some control over his form I can safely say that he’ll grow even further. I wonder how much he’ll grow once I’ve seen him after I fought against the Bounty Hunter,’
Back to the present
[System: The player Gaust Frizzleight has activated the skill called [Hand to hand combat]. Once activated the player will gain the techniques inside this skill making them able to perform its attacks. However, you must have the body to do the techniques if not handled with care. You might find you’re your body being shattered, instead of being able to use the previously mentioned techniques inside the skill]
"Augmented hand-to-hand combat, mana-reinforced destructive palm!!!" The force that his palm had created couldn’t even be stopped by a high-leveled defense-focused player. Even though it was weakened, the force was equally powerful as Kyo min soo’s seismic punch. An attack that he obtained was said to be feared by the players that sees his stance
Though his level was far below Enigma’s half-breed who’s part human and beast, it was thanks to his race that he was able to fight. Even though they weren’t registered to the system, their rave wasn’t restricted to learning augmentation. This method of increasing one’s power via meditation and without the help of the system proved to be useful. As it was one of the reasons why he was able to control his curse when he suppresses its activation
"You’re not gonna escape with your life!!!?" Now that his free of the weight he once carried on his shoulders as he continues to resist the curse. His mana circle which was once a way to resist his urges became his greatest weapon not only did he reach the first circle. His body became lighter as soon as his circle was used to enhance his physical capabilities. Along with its power to enhance his monstrous form making his power stronger than ever
He pounces on a player and with his manifested claws he shredded its body, whilst his back was then impaled. Compared to Kyo who needs to be careful with using his abilities to not lose his transformation. Gaust was different whenever he loses blood he can gain it once he eats another person’s flesh. He squashed the player that stabbed him in the back and with his monstrous form he bites the player’s head
His attacks were simple to make things worst he hasn’t found a foundation to start his path to the world of martial arts. He used skills that beginners only possess, his fighting prowess wasn’t admirable, to say the least. Without his curse, he would’ve died a thousand times if he ever took a step off the building where he waited for their signal. Though his talents may only have started to grow after he was treated if his curse
"Augmentation arts mana circle full release," Gaust became a monster of a player as soon as he started to control his curse paired with his circle he became a force to be reckoned with. All his life what he wanted was to survive another day, when he inherited the curse from his parents he wanted to die. But the life of his siblings meant everything to him, even if his weak, not even talented nor was he worth being trained
This person had a strong will to survive, no matter what he had to do he’ll do it as long as he survives. Their talents were nothing compared with what he currently has, it was his will. As stupid as it may sound to be heard by the rest of the people. His will was what kept him from ever submitting to his death and apart from his death his will resisted his curse