I Own the Evolution Domain

Losing his footing as he got lifted off the ground, Novus now faces quite the dilemma as he tries his best to think of a way to free himself from the grasp of the Direwolf behind him, blood gradually being drained more and more off his body with each passing moment that he fails to remove the claw piercing through his chest.

[Immortal Energy: 955/1435]

[Immortal Energy: 930/1435]

[Immortal Energy: 905/1435]

’Must stop... bleeding... blood...’

As he struggles to breathe with his lungs being pierced from back to front, words began jumbling themselves in his mind, the amplified pain repeatedly hitting his mind, coupled with the wide wound that digs not only through his flesh, but also through his lungs as well.

Immortal Energy heals, but the ruptured flesh continues to fester, as if there is something within the Direwolves’ claws that made it hard for him to recover.

And while all of these happen, breathing itself gradually turns into quite the challenge as his lungs got flooded with his own blood, threatening his own consciousness to leave his body.

It was the very first time that he had experienced something like this, like his body being plunged into the depth of the ocean where he cannot breathe

Sure, with his talent, he is practically unkillable as each damage he receives can just regenerate, but this time, it is different, like he is eventually being lulled into a deep sleep he will never be able to awaken himself from.

With a single exchange, his body was broken, his mind messed and strength begins leaving.

Yet, amidst all that, his will remains firm, the survival instinct that allowed him to triumph over multiple opponents within the Evolution Domain, opponents whose capabilities he once doesn’t have any idea of, kicking in, his instincts reigning his once dominant logical mind as it screams to him.

’Struggle. Break free. Survive.’

[Immortal Energy: 880/1435]

’Struggle. Break free. Survive.’

[Immortal Energy: 855/1435]

’Struggle. Break free. Survive.’

[Immortal Energy: 830/1435]

Words, both his mind’s and from the system, echoes across his head as he begins finding strength from deep within his being once more, muscles tightening as his conscious returns bit by bit, his body twitching from the pain but refusing to yield to it.

Instead, it fights, it struggles.

Mana began dancing in the air as his will influences his surroundings, his senses tingling as he pushes Sensory Expansion once more, allowing him to see that there are no paths of attack, as if each and every single one of these Direwolves are now completely confident of their triumph over him.

Through the lessons he had learnt during his time hunting within this brutal place, he knew, his greatest chance presents itself in front of him right now, with the Direwolves letting their guards down seeing his current state.

It doesn’t even take a moment for him to create a blade of mana around his right arm, something that would’ve taken him a few seconds if it was when he just began utilizing this technique, the short amount of time given him more than ample opportunity to do what he wants.

[Immortal Energy: 805/1435]

[Immortal Energy: 780/1435]

[Immortal Energy: 755/1435]

Despite still bleeding, he swung his mana enforced arm backwards, clenching his teeth as he voluntarily allows his own shoulder to pop out of its place, ligaments and tendons tearing themselves from the unexpected movement that the human body usually cannot handle.

He endured through the pain, hurting himself severely as his arms swung limp after the attack.

But in exchange, the beast behind him howls in pain as well.

Using Sensory Expansion to pick up what happened behind him, Novus smiles a bit as he saw the deep gash his attack left on the third Direwolf’s limb, something that threatened to cut the entirety of said limb clean had it not been for its sharp instincts warning itself to pull back the moment he attacked.

[Immortal Energy: 730/1435]

[Immortal Energy: 710/1435]

"Huuh... huuh..." taking deep, relaxing breathes to reset himself, he merely stands on his location as he allows his talent, to kick in, the healing being accelerated by Immortal Energy allowing him to return back to his tiptop shape in no time at all, already prepared to trade blows with these beasts once more.

He straightens his posture as he prepared for another wave of attacks coming at him, his stance lowered as he repeats his position once more, shifting his weight on his back foot as he kept Sensory Expansion running at its utmost, his senses being pushed to the limits, waiting for his opponents’ next move.

Once again, they disappeared, only leaving behind paths of attack for him to anticipate their next moves.

’Attack.’

This time however, his instincts long suppressed and reigned in as he continues improving on consciously utilizing his senses more and more, surfaces, as if a nightmare reappearing after a long time.

However, different from a common nightmare, it appears that this nightmare seeks not to destroy, but rather, allow its host to grow much more amidst the struggles and hardships in front of him.

Initially, Novus concluded in his mind that perhaps, it is just because of the threat of these beasts that something he thought he had already surpassed surfaces once more.

However, it is not his body that moves, but his conscious mind that acts according to his subconscious instinct’s advice.

He took a step forward.

Then, he swung down.

Mana gathers around his arm as an azure corporeal blade manifested itself, creating a vertical crescent arc that glows ever-so-shortly before it fades back into nothingness.

"Hah... hah... hah..." with that single slash, every single path of attack aimed at him disappears, allowing him a moment of respite for him to breathe, the faint smile on his lips growing wider as he watches the reaction of the beasts ganging up on him.

They were shocked as they saw the limbs of one of their packmate plopping down on the ground, blood oozing out of the stump where its limbs should’ve been, the faint laughter from their opponent making them realize all the more that it is truly this target who made such debilitating wound.

It was only now that it hits their mind, that whether it is by luck or by their target’s design, one of their own was severely injured from his attack, forcing them to change their evaluation of him from a normal prey to toy with to a target they must quickly deal with.

Low growl sounded as the debilitated DIrewolf seemingly announced something to his companions, prompting them to disappear once more as they prepare to finish what they started.

’Haha... I see... so it’s not stealth at all...’

However, as they disappear, Novus begins to reveal a manic smile, just a moment later transforming into an entertained laugh as he finally realized how they can disappear out of his senses when it is already sharpened to such degree.

’Attack.’

"Found you..."

Taking advantage of this new findings of his, he turned around, that same manic smile still pasted on his face as he made his move, mana wrapping around his arm as he forms a fist that turns into a blur as he sent it in.

And this punch, seemingly born from both his conscious mind and his instincts combined, landed with a loud thud, followed with what he assumes are cracking sounds as his fist continues to drive itself deeper on what he just hit.