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Jhon didn't wait. He launched himself off the cliff, the Ancestor's Shadow in one hand and the standard katana in the other, a blur of freefall. Gravity was his ally. He aimed for the Devourer King's back, a higher vantage point and, apparently, a blind spot for the monster's multiple eyes.
The impact was devastating. Jhon landed on the creature's back with the force of a meteor, his boots digging into the chitin. Before the Devourer King could react, Jhon plunged the Ancestor's Shadow Katana into one of its nearest leg joints, a spot his enhanced thermal vision had revealed to be slightly weaker. The black blade, with its pulsing red edge, sliced through the chitin like butter, releasing a jet of dark green, acidic blood.
The monster roared, a wave of sound that vibrated the cave, and shook its body violently, trying to free itself from the intruder. Jhon clung to it, using the sharp claws of his katanas to cling to the monster's carcass. He moved nimbly across the Devourer King's back, dodging the gigantic paws that tried to crush him.
The Devourer King began firing jets of corrosive acid from its dorsal sacs, covering the cave floor and walls with steaming pools that dissolved the rock. Jhon leaped, dodging the jets, using the monster's own anatomy as cover. He advanced toward the head, his primary target.
The fight was brutal. The Devourer King was strong, fast, and relentless. He tried to crush Jhon with his forepaws, or shoot acid, or spit sticky webs that could ensnare him. Jhon responded with a deadly dance of slashes and dodges. His strength and agility, enhanced by the Heart of the Ancient Reaver, were essential. He moved with almost inhuman speed, his katanas ripping through the monster's chitinous armor at every opportunity.
He struck one of the monster's eyes, the Ancestor's Shadow piercing the thick cornea, and the Devourer King let out a scream of excruciating pain. The monster shook its head violently, throwing Jhon against a cave wall. Jhon felt the impact, but his enhanced resilience absorbed most of the shock. He staggered to his feet, unhurt.
The Devourer King, blind in one eye, was in a frenzy. He began crushing the nest of Ravager eggs in his desperation, his self-destructive rage terrifying. Jhon saw his chance. He leaped back toward the monster's head, his katanas working in sync. The Ancestor's Shadow cut through the chitin, opening the way for the standard katana, which pierced deeper.
He aimed for the junction of the neck, the weak spot Loli had detected. With a war cry, Jhon drove both katanas in with all his strength. The Shadow of the Ancestor pierced the marrow, and the Devourer King froze. A gigantic tremor ran through its body, and then, with a final, guttural roar, the monster collapsed to the cave floor, dead.
The silence that followed was even more oppressive than the previous one. The smell of acid and blood lingered, but the crushing pressure emanating from the creature dissipated. Jhon was covered in dark green blood and corrosive secretions, but unharmed. His breathing was labored, and his muscles burned, but the feeling of victory was intoxicating.
Loli, her voice calm, broke the silence. "S-Rank monster down, John. An impressive victory. Now, the drops."
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Jhon approached the colossal body of the Devouring King. The drops glowed with an intense glow, indicating their rarity and power.
Demon's Heart x1 (Legendary): A pulsing, sinister heart, emanating pure demonic energy. Offers the chance for a symbiotic bond with its bearer, granting dark powers and dramatically increasing vitality and endurance.
Jhon looked at the heart. It was even darker than the Ancient Reaver's, with a sinister but undeniably powerful aura. A notification flashed on his HUD: "Want to update?"
Jhon thought for a moment. He'd already experienced biological evolution with the Reaper's heart. This was different. The words "demon" and "symbiotic" set off alarm bells in his mind, but the promise of "dark powers" and "drastically increased vitality and resilience" was tempting. And the only option was to upgrade. There was no "multiply" or "forge."
"Yes," John finally said, his voice firm. "I want to update."
The Demon's Heart pulsed and floated in the air, a black aura enveloping it. It contracted and expanded, its energy growing with each passing second, until it transformed into a viscous, black, semi-liquid substance that shimmered with scarlet veins.
Purified Demon Heart x1 (MYTHIC): The purified and stabilized heart of a Rank S Demon. Can be integrated into the body of a living being, granting a perfect symbiosis that drastically enhances physical attributes, grants dark abilities, and exponentially increases damage resistance. The host will not be corrupted, but its nature will be permanently altered.
Jhon read the description, his eyes fixed on the words "integrated" and "nature will be permanently altered." He felt a chill, but curiosity and the quest for power were stronger.
"Loli, what if I integrate this heart? What happens? Does my race change? What about life expectancy? What does 'nature will be permanently altered' mean?" Jhon asked, his voice full of questions.
Loli, her holographic image floating before her, looked more serious than ever. "John, the integration of a Purified Demon Heart is a process that transcends simple biology. It will rewrite part of your genetic code, merging your essence with that of the demon. Your race... yes, your Race will be altered. You will no longer be purely human."
"Your lifespan will be virtually unlimited as long as your heart continues to beat within you. And 'permanently altered nature' means you'll gain access to abilities humans don't possess, an affinity for dark energies, and a resistance to damage that defies logic. You'll become... something more. You may have subtle physical characteristics that set you apart, but the essence of who you are will remain, John. He won't corrupt your mind, just your body."
Jhon thought. He no longer considered himself purely human since the system had transformed him. This was just the next step. The desire to survive, to protect others, to have the power necessary in this new world, was stronger than any apprehension.
He held out his hand. The Purified Demon Heart floated and moved into his palm, the black, viscous substance coating his skin. There was no pain, only a cold, pulsing sensation that spread through his body. He felt every cell rearrange itself, his bones becoming stronger, his muscles denser. A wave of darkness and primal power washed over him, but he was not overwhelmed. He felt... complete.
Your HUD has updated.
[Purified Demon Heart Integration Completed!]
Race: Human-Demon (First Generation)
Life Expectancy: Unlimited.
Strength: Significant increase.
Agility: Significant increase.
Resistance: Exponential increase.
[Unlocked Skill: Demonic Aura (Active/Passive)]
Demonic Aura (Passive): Emits an imperceptible aura that intimidates lower-ranked creatures and instills fear in ordinary humans.
Demonic Aura (Active): Unleash a wave of dark energy that deals area damage (20 meters) and terrifies enemies. (Moderate energy consumption).
[Unlocked Skill: Arcane Resistance (Passive)]
Arcane Resistance (Passive): Reduces damage taken from attacks based on mystical or shadow energy by 50%.
Jhon could now be considered no longer human. His eyes, reflected in the blade of his katana, seemed to have a deeper glow, almost red at certain angles. A faint, almost imperceptible shade of dark purple appeared in some spots of his skin, as if darkness were permanently tattooed on him, but the change was subtle, almost imperceptible to the naked eye.