I Own the Evolution Domain

Blood spills across the ground as the one-sided murder started by the humanoid creatures now turn into a full-blown clash as the Ebony Direwolves began recovering their momentum, returning the fight back into a more neutral state where neither of the two sides is capable of triumphing over the other.

Weapons were shattered, flesh were torn and bones were broken as fight ensues, the humanoids’ high-pitched screaming, mixed with the low yet loud howling of Direwolves something that would’ve made any weaker creature steer clear from the area.

While the two sides continue to clash, injuring and even killing each other with brutal, decisive actions, Novus, who was caught in the middle, couldn’t help but feel a bit of shock as it is only now that he had encountered something like this.

Normally, it would’ve been him fighting against all else that he encounters within the Evolution Domain, meaning that what he is seeing right now is something that is entirely new to him.

It was like the Ebony Direwolves and those gray-skinned humanoid creatures are born as natural enemies.

And such assumption clearly shows, as instead of focusing on him, these two groups fight while acting like he was never in the same area in the first place, as if his presence there is something that none among the battling groups should be concerned of at all.

’This... isn’t this perfect?’ as he continues observing the behavior of both groups, Novus mutters to himself as a smile starts appearing on his lips, excitement starting to well up from the depth of his being as his head brought to him an idea that no one else would’ve attempted otherwise.

Indeed, this young man, seeing this huge battle, intends to play on muddled waters and take kills for himself in the hopes of receiving the same amount of rewards from singlehandedly hunting creatures instead.

’I should prepare myself first before going in, who knows what kind of trouble will I get myself into if either of those two groups notice me?’

Albeit already having an idea on how he could benefit from this encounter between the Ebony Direwolves and what appears to be their natural opponents, Novus still calms himself down to think, formulating strategies in order to make the most out of the fight.

’Let’s try it...’ he added in his mind as he starts backing a bit, the fact that each group are focus on their opponents allowing him to do so smoothly as he vacated the area, yet still keeping just enough distance that he can return again anytime he wants.

Sound of screams, howling and weapons hitting bodies continues to reverberate across the surrounding as he found a safe place among the trees, prompting him to close his eyes as he begins to focus on picking up the flow of mana in the air.

Perhaps it was by virtue of his Sensory Expansion technique allowing his senses to enter a higher, more sensitive and farther range than anyone else, but within just a few moments, he had already found what he is searching for.

Amidst the natural, non-elemental mana and the warm, crimson fire elemental mana that he can usually pick up, he found another trace of an element completely new to him.

Yet despite the foreignness from encountering something new, he couldn’t help but feel like this new element is something that is all too familiar to him, like he had been using it for a long time now.

’Let’s see... just like the fire element...’

Maintaining his focus, he starts gathering more of the new element around his body, bending its nature to his own will as he attempts to make something out of it, feeling all the action, all the reaction and all the changes happening with the element as he continues to control it.

It was a dark, flowing state of mana with presence ephemeral, appearing and disappearing with each passing moment as if it does exist and not at the same time.

And as he wills this mana to coat his entire body, even Novus himself notices that his presence is being diminished with each passing moment, until anyone around him can barely notice his presence at all.

Excitement rushing as he felt like he just created yet another magic circle-less spell similar to his unorthodox fireball, Novus immediately decided to put this new spell to a test, putting pure mana into his legs as he dashes towards the battlefield once more.

His senses expanded as he closes in on the fight, immediately searching for injured targets that he can easily take down.

Even with the loud howls and screams, weapon and flesh clashing with each other and blood flowing from either side of the fight, it doesn’t take long for Novus to finally set his sight on his first target, an Ebony Direwolf, one of the first ones to be incapacitated by the gray humanoids.

Without hesitation, he went in for the kill, dashing and weaving across the battlefield as he closes the distance between his target and himself, and in just a few moments...

The Direwolf squealed as life began being drained away from its debilitated body through a corporeal blade of mana that pierces its neck, blood oozing out of its flesh as mana disperses, alarming no one as it cannot respond against the attack at all.

[Defeated: Ebony Direwolf. Rewards: D Tier Evolution Crystal (5), Wolf Fang (4), Dark Claw (3)]

And with the announcement notifying him of his successful kill, he also notices that his entire being is now revealed for all to see, his stealth seemingly being dispersed the moment he came in contact with the Ebony Direwolf, alarming everyone else around him of his newly revealed presence.

And given that his appearance seems to be all too sudden to everyone around him, he couldn’t help but gather bad attention towards himself, both the gray humanoids and the Ebony Direwolves surrounding his location now staring warily at him, as if they are trying to reason themselves whether to attack him or not.

Amidst the wary stares locking onto his being, Novus remains unbothered, his senses already searching for a new target to hit, all while he directs some of his attention towards reorganizing his previous stealth once more.

Mana flows around his being once more, a mixture of both pure mana and shadow elemental mana wrapping around his being as he reinforces his body, and formed a barrier of shadow around his body for the second time.

The moment that shadow elemental mana formed a thin veil around himself, Novus smiles as he notices his presence falling down to an abysmal level again, allowing him to hide himself so long as he removes his figure from the sight of each clashing side.

After all, it isn’t like he become completely invisible, meaning that despite his reduced presence, all eyes who are gazing at him are still seeing him clear.

It doesn’t take long for him to escape away from their sight however as he leaps up, moving across the branches to leave behind their tracking gaze, moments passing allowing him to reset and restart the hunt once more.

This time however, both the gray humanoids as well as the Ebony Direwolves are already wary of any sneak attack that might hit them in the most unexpected of times.