Chapter 224: Beast of Gabali
[Deep Hypnosis is retained]
[HOST cannot gain Skin Stars from Dracula as it would cross into the Champion Rank]
[In order to cross into Champion Rank, HOST needs to consume a World Key]
Carter's eyes widened a little bit.
'World Key... The mark of ownership of a world. Without it, I would lose control over the one single world I have, Eldritch Arms.'
The Skin System required him to consume a World Key. Whether this was good or bad, he didn't know.
'What would happen to this World Key?' Carter asked the system. The Skin System was reliable most of the time. But sometimes, it would outright refuse answering the questions.
Usually any questions that related to the creator or origin of the System would be blocked.
But this time, it answered.
[World Key Consumption: Host shall gain the absolute authority of the related world. This ownership cannot be removed unless Host is killed.]
Carter was Pleasanton surprised. World Key was the thing that Primers would try to steal most of the time. The reason was obvious.
But World Key Consumption seemed to negate this weakness.
A glowing black key appeared in Carter's hand.
'Sooner or later, I would need to face this.'
Carter didn't know how to 'absorb' this World Key. But as soon as he thought that, an image appeared in his head.
He followed it.
Carter inserted the Key into his heart and turned it over.
[HOST has consumed Eldritch Arms World Key]
[Eldritch Arms Ownership is permanently engraved into HOST]
[HOST can now cross into Champion Rank]
[Absorbing Dracula's Skin Stars...]
[HOST is now 1 STAR (1/10) Champion]
[HOST can no longer gain Skin Stars from Elite or lower Skins]
[Shadow Apothecary and Ursula LeBeau are lower than Champion Rank. Absorption is negated]
'Heh. So that's why I didn't absorb those skins. The System blocked it because I didn't fulfil the conditions. It didn't even absorb the entirety of Dracula also, only push me to the very first Star Level of Champion Rank.'
Carter moved his body around. He didn't feel much different. But his control over the skin seemed to be more precise somewhat.
'Still have two aspects left. Let's finish that.'
[Wicked Spiritualization is retained]
It was a no-brainer for Ursula. Her enlightenment path was the most important aspect. This time Carter gained the skill without much issue.
As for Shadow Apothecary, he didn't want its new Apothecary Transference or its Intraspecies Animate Transmutation. Those were good abilities for sure. But Carter had his eyes on a different one.
A very minor and ordinary ability.
- Shadow Shift: You may switch position with any of your shadows.
[Shadow Shift is retained]
Shadow Shift. With Apothecary's Shadow Guardian Formation, it kept Frankenstein safe during combat. His shadow couldn't wander away too far anyway so its use was limited.
But Carter had Shadow Force and 10,000 shadows to do his biddings. He could literally spread them anywhere in the world and could still control them. It was much more powerful than Frankenstein's shadow powers.
'I left a shadow back in the Devil Church to watch over the Witch Doll. I wonder...'
Carter activated his Shadow Shift and disappeared from his location. A shadow was now standing in his place.
As for Carter, he emerged within the spring lake that the Witch Doll and Maria were currently in.
They were taking a bath it seemed.
The Witch Doll quickly got up from the shallow lake and knelt. Its body was bare.
Maria also did the same.
"Master!" The two of them said in unison.
Carter observed the Doll. He had to compliment himself for the work he had done on its appearance. Ursula LeBeau really was a piece of art.
"The Church seems to be going well." Carter approached the two of them. His clothes dissipated into thin air.
He was still using the Ghost Clothes of System Ghost and could control them at will.
The goat-horned devil sat down in between the two witches. They lay on their heads on his spread arms like two obedient lovers.
"Of course, Master. I made sure it is to your liking." The Doll acted well, just like himself, to avoid any suspicion from Maria.
"Do you have any order for us, Master?" Maria said.
"Not too much. My shadow discovered a rather weird creature in the rural areas. A gray monsteous creature. Do you know about it?" Carter said.
The Doll shook her head.
Maria tilted her head slightly. She was recalling something.
"A gray creature. The Wolfman has a legend about it."
"Oh? Tell me."
"The Beast of Gabali. A grayish humanoid Undead that is larger than any Wolfmen combined. It feasts on the flesh of the Pure Bloods and could never be satisfied."
"Pure Bloods? Its prey is only the supernatural creatures?"
Maria nodded, "According to the legends, Master. I have never seen it before so I can't guarantee the truth."
"It's alright. I already have a beneficiary working on it."
Maria flushed gently. 'How many beneficiary does Master actually have?'
Satan disappeared shortly after, switching place with the original shadow.
Carter had now learned the extent of Shadow Shift. It was as he expected. With the combined power of Shadow Force, he could literally teleport everywhere. As long as he had a shadow there.
'This can be useful in case I want to teleport to a beneficiary.'
[JOHN COLLINS EQUIPPED]
Carter returned as the scrawny young man. He waited for Maisie to come and kickstarted the series of event.
She would the person to connect the Wolfmen, the Witches, and John Collins to this mysterious beast.
'Gray hair... That beast has gray hair. Primrose has gray hair. I wonder...
Carter never saw that woman transformed the last time he was here. And now, she was nowhere to be found. For some reasons, he had a feeling that they would be connected.
'Let me hope that you won't be that ravaged mindless beast, Primrose.'
Maisie had arrived at the Lanely Ranch. She was not met with kindness.
"You came here to die, Maisie?!" Richard roared. Alongside him were many Wolfmen.
The witches stood aside, watching everything unfolded.
When Carter went outside, they were already at each other's throat.
"You're awake, John?" Dorothy asked.
Carter nodded. "I just woke up. What's happening?"
"The prodigal daughter returned." Beatrice said.