Rise of the Devourer

Book 2: Chapter 38 — Astral Projection

Being a projection was a strange thing. It knew it was one, not a real entity, yet at the same time, it was Noah as well. While musing the questions about his own identity, Noah’s projection delivered the final blow to the giant boar that had charged him, before using Celestial Harvest on its corpse.

You’ve harvested [Giant Swamp Boar (Common) - lvl 72].

3 credit points obtained.

The projection walked ahead, lamenting the fact that it could not level up. It would have to merge back to the original before any experience obtained could be applied. The projection continued on its path, not trying to hide his presence whatsoever. The number of monsters in the surroundings had only increased the further he’d walked, with many seeing his level and deciding he was easy prey. It had gladly taken the experience they provided, drinking in happily in the thrill of combat.

Very few had decided to test their luck afterwards. The projection kept his own aura in check, not using it to ward off monsters that may come his way. Perhaps it was the knowledge that he couldn’t truly die, but any inhibitions he originally tended to have regarding his own safety were almost entirely gone now. It was as free as he wanted to be, and could take as many risks as he’d like.

Walking through the forest, the projection spotted another monster hiding nearby in ambush.

[Lurking Vine-eater - lvl 92]

Spotting the giant plant with teeth lining its insides, the projection saw the trap, but continued on its path anyway. As he stepped into the creature’s maw, vines shot forward, grabbing him, as a giant bulbous mouth started to envelop him.

Void mana thrummed in his arms, claws forming in his hands as he slashed through the interiors of the vine rapidly. Green fluid rushed out of the monster, its body being shredded to pieces as Obliterated burned. The projection used Blood Drain to soak in the last remaining ounces of life from the creature as its body collapsed onto the ground.

The projection was about to use celestial harvest, when it stopped. How long had it been since he had fed his Devourer attribute? The projection called its Astral Script, going into the menu.

[Devourer (Basic, Unique/Growth)]

[Progress: 68/100]

You are the Devourer. A primal hungerlurks within you. You yearn to grow, to fight, to consume all that bar your path. Gain increased experience when fighting stronger enemies, but gain decreased experience when fighting weaker foes. Your abilities are enhanced to their maximum potential. Your instincts are sharper, your eyes see further, and your spirit shall remain unwavering.

Increases all Attributes by 5%.

Somewhere along the way, his original had decided to stop feeding into the ability. The projection knew that the original had not even realized that he was doing this. That he was afraid of what an ability like the Devourer meant for him. Or what it would make him. But he knew, didn’t he? Afterall, he did not have the same inhibitions that the original did. It knew, he could tell, the power that could be obtained from this ability.

The projection put its hand on the monster’s corpse, waiting for the prompt to arrive.

Would you like to consume [Lurking Vine-eater - lvl 92]?

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Yes/No?

Yes.

[Devourer] has absorbed [Lurking Vine-eater - lvl 92].

The body of the creature collapsed, its strength now flowing into the Projection. But… something strange happened. The progress bar of Devourer did not move, but instead, the projection felt his mana pool increasing. Not the original’s total mana pool no. His mana pool increased. The difference wasn’t big, but it was significant enough to be noticeable. It had just grown independently of his main body.

Well. This has implications.

The projection looked around itself, now finding a new hunger within him. What else could he eat? What else could he devour?

His senses spread out around him, bringing him all kinds of information. Looking around, he heard faint whispers in the distance, alongside a familiar scent. There were people nearby.

Glancing around himself, the Projection smiled, before making its way through the bushes and foliage in the direction of his target. Moving for around five minutes, he found himself at the edge of the foliage and the beginnings of the swamp. The ground was muddy, water logged above the earth turning the entire environment humid, with a thin layer of mist hanging near the surface.

The projection’s eyes pierced through the mist, hiding in the bushes he listened to the men moving about a camp, tents and other items set all around the area, with the workings of what looked to be some kind of ritual setup.

[Abyssal Cultist - lvl 68]

[Abyssal Cultist - lvl 72]

The projection saw their levels, finding nothing that would be extremely impressive. It continued to search, till its eyes landed on one man, leading the rest of them.

[Abyssal Cultist Chief - ??]

Perfect.

The projection sat with its breath held still, waiting for the chance as it watched the camp continue to move about. The cultists moved in unison, holding beasts tied up in cages that they moved towards the ritual spell. Flasks filled with flood, little orbs and pulsating heart like objects that the projection could not place moved around the camp. It continued to wait, and watch.

The chief walked around, making sure everything was right. As the preparations ended, and the beasts were brought to the center of the ritual, the cultists began to gather in a circle, chanting their rituals. The chief stepped in, chanting its own magic.

“O’ eternal darkness. Endless governor of hunger and night, accept this sacrifice of life, of blood, and heed my command in return.”

The spell circle flared, starting its magic. The projection leapt in action. Using blink he moved behind the chief, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up. The cultists jumped back in panic, their spell fluctuating.

“K-keep the spell going,” the chief spat from the projection’s grip, before he crushed the man’s throat, cutting through it with his claws powered with obliterate. The projection frowned. That’s it? What a disappointment.

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Cultist Chief - lvl 142].

Strength flowed into the projection, bringing up his sour mood at the lack of fight. Turning his eyes towards the cultist, the projection grinned, like a lion looking at its prey and wondering how it should hunt it before it delivered the killing blow.

The cultists stared in shock and horror at the projection, but their chanting did not stop. The projection blinked in front of another its clawed hand piercing through its chest and crushing the man’s heart.

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Cultist - lvl 68].

The man’s face remain frozen in a state of shock and horror as his body dissolved into little motes of light that flowed into the projection, filling it. As the projection waited for the other cultists to run in fear and scatter, their chanting grew more intense, the light coming from the spell circle under his feet growing.

The projection stumbled from the wave of energy. A summon? It did not matter. Blinking forward, it slashed through the next cultist with a powered strike of Obliterate. Netherflames burned through the last two, their bodies rapidly fueling the abyssal fire as the projection consumed them.

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Cultist - lvl 72].

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Cultist - lvl 67].

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Cultist - lvl 78].

Feeling itself almost returned to what its mana should’ve been, the projection looked around. Though the cultists had died, the spell had not faded, still glowing brightly underneath his feet.

The projection waited for the spell to complete, standing over the magic circle, as void mana continued to swirl around it. A dark portal opened in the ground, like reality had been erased from the area, before a giant worm rose from the ground. It’s maw split open in four sections, revealing rows of teeth lining the insides. The creature crawled out of the Abyss, letting out a shriek as it entered reality, hunger radiating outwards from it. The projection watched the creature, nearly thrice his size in length, towering over him, with a giant body.

[Abyssal Greatworm - lvl ??]

It looked at the creature, and understood the hunger it possessed.

“Obey.” The projection commanded, using its will against the worm.

The creature looked down at him, and the projection felt its aura push against the creature, tugging at the workings of the spell.

A shattering roar pushed back his will, breaking his command.

The pact of [Voidborne] has weakened.

You can no longer command creatures of the Void.

The projection read the notification, frowning. Of course, the blessing the original had received. It had been wondering what the impact would be. The creature roared in anger, displeased at the attempt to subjugate it, as it lunged.

With a blink, the projection teleported, dodging the attack with ease. A smile came upon his lips, as it got the fight it had been anticipating all this time.

The worm roared, sinking into the earth as it began to borrow rapidly. The earth shook beneath, as the projection waited. Mana fathered at its hands, flames filling it. The ground burst beneath him as the worm appeared, its maw open, ready to swallow him whole.

Black flames burst from the projection, blasting into the maw of the worm, eating through the lifeforce that tied it to this realm. The creature shrieked, but did not stop as the maw closed around the projection, teeth digging ito its body. Claws formed around the projection’s hand as it swung at the insides. Obliterate and Bleed hummed in a frenzy, each strike coated with Netherflames, sapping more life out of the creature. A burst of bloodflies exploded from the projection, inflincting bleed upon the creature, as dark ooze seeped out of it.

Blood Debt rose from the projection’s aura, forming a blade atop the creature before slamming it into its body with powerful strikes. Claws and teeth continued to bite into the projection, the worm sinking back into the earth without relenting even as it bleed and took damage from the inside out.

Feeling its strength fading, the projection grew worried. If it took too much damage it would dissolve. Reaching into the dimensional pocket, the projection grabbed at its spear. Taking its weapon, it plunged it into the creature’s body. Red Crimson began to seep out, bleeding into the void, even as the void mana ate back at the rot. But the projection did not stop, sinking the blade deeper into the fleshy walls of the creature, it began to use blood drain, pulling the life mana into its spear.

The weapon howled, as void mana began to flow into it, mingling with the crimson rot as the two forces of life and death collided.

Nether flame burst around the projection, now covering the inside of the worm surface as the projection reached out with Devourer, and did something it had not thought possible.

It began to Consume.

The worm shuddered, its body breaking apart as pieces flowed into the projection. With an explosive burst, the creature erupted outwards from the earth, opening its maw to let a final scream at the skies.

The projection reached out once again, once again using Consume upon the creature. The monster broke, the last vestiges of its life fading, as the creature flowed into the projection, healing its injuries and increasing its strength.

[Devourer] has absorbed [Abyssal Greatworm - lvl 217]

[Spear of Crimson End] has ranked up to Uncommon.

The projection panted, stumbling out of the withering husk, yet it felt more powerful than it ever had. But something worrying was happening in his vision.

Experience points obtained.

Error. No soul detected. Astral Script unavailable.

Patching irregularity.

Energy began to rise from inside it, the Astral script now working to eradicate his existence. The projection began to sweat.

New entity created.

Race allocated: Astral Spectre.

Allocating experience.

For creating a new race you’ve gained the title [Progenitor]!

[Astral Spectre] has reached level 8!

Error - Attributes cannot be allocated.

Error report has been logged.

The projection stared at the words in disbelief, mouth hanging open in surprise. He had gained levels?