—-

The Queen Widow’s lifeless body fell before Apollo as he blankly stared at it. His unfocused gaze didn’t seem to be looking at its body but rather inside it. A shining core with dual colors laid inside its forehead. It was predominately green with a mix of murky purple interspersed throughout. ​​

[Don’t pay attention to that for the moment. You only have one minute left in this state at most. Continue your actions. After all, why fall short of clearing the quest when you’re stepping infinitely closer.]

“Right…murder,” mindlessly uttered Apollo as he pulled a spider leg from the Widow Queen’sorificice. Turning into a blur, he approached the next target. Instantly dealing with it, he continued to dash between the spider beasts. One slash and a few stabs; that’s all it took to slay these beasts at the moment.

Now that their queen was killed. There was disorder to their movements. Not to mention, the way Apollo moved, there was no hope of them coming in contact with him. That would require at least a Middle Stage pure agility Rank 2 Spirit Beast to do so.

Steadily, his experience bar increased as fell into further madness. He didn’t kill, he annihilated. Using the carcasses, in a frenzy, Apollo flung them around the rooms as if they were ragdolls. A continuous stream of notifications moved across his view as he swiped it away.

His actions destroyed multiple upon multiple beast eggs. In fact, his quest’s completion bar was only a sliver from being complete. Sadly, that wasn’t the only thing hanging on by a thread. His consciousness; it was waning. His vision was darkening as well. His surroundings were becoming a blur while his mind was droning.

At this point, he was acting on pure instinct—the desire to become stronger. It was so much so he began to mindlessly mutter a single phrase throughout each kill. Furthermore, his voice was becoming increasingly guttural as if it was the world’s worst pain to talk at this moment.

“I…murder for power…become…ruthless to survive,” Apollo muttered as he splintered the ground with a strong propulsive force. Puncturing another spider beast, he drove it into the wall before kicking off of it and landing on the next target. At this moment, there remained a handful left including the eggs.

[It’s baffling. I’m not sure why but… Even before I lulled his mind, he entered close to this state. It wasn’t done willingly but subconsciously, however, should he harness it properly—with the emotions he possesses, he’ll truly possess the requirements to become the Demon Monarch. Perhaps… perhaps that is why.]

“Arrrrrgghhhhh!” roared Apollo to the sky as his body released an obscure shockwave. However, in exchange, that aura continued to both lacerate and sear the bodies of all the remaining beast. Falling to his knees, his eyes looked vacant and lifeless as his chest continued to heave releasing a white cloudy breath.

[What?! How did he invoke that technique? This is something unusual about this lad. If that’s the case, I’ll spare no efforts in cultivating him. It seems his mind is capable of tapping into things it shouldn’t!]

At the same time, Apollo tried to struggle to his feet. However, his entire body felt like lead as if it wasn’t his to control anymore. It was an inexplicable sensation to him as his rational mind was overpowered at the moment. Continuing to try, his skin turned a reddish color as blood began seeping through his skin.

That wasn’t the end of it. His expression contorted into one caused by a rage-inducing pain. His veins writhed like snakes under his skin as his body swayed. Naturally, he had reached the extent of his capabilities. Committing a massacre of this extent in his fit of rage; that was his current capabilities.

[You have done well lad. Now sleep. I will do my best to ensure your safety.]

Ignoring the notifications due to him being unable to perceive them, Apollo nodded ever so slightly as his body fell forward in the large pool of blue liquid and mutilated bodies. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve been confined to the spot he passed out in. Of course, this wasn’t normal circumstances.

A short while later, his body struggled to get up but he soon did so. But as he stood, the signs of pain were nowhere to be found. Instead, a pair of dignified heterochromatic eyes appeared.

‘Oh? It seems like the basic version of my eyes can appear? I can see them in the distance now. I’ll utilize his body and bring him to that area I discerned earlier,’ he spoke.

Before leaving, Apollo’s body traveled around the area collecting all Essence Cores from the monsters who possessed them. As for the Widow Queen, he paid special attention to that one nearly stripped it bare only leaving a decrepit and bare skeleton.

Walking away, Apollo’s body was soon enshrouded by a shadow. It was obscure and everything it passed seemed to decay the foliage. However, the aura of life didn’t seem to just vanish. Instead, it was funneled elsewhere. Every time this happened, his gait grew steadier; a firm posture returning to his limp body.

‘I can also utilize this ability. Though I must say, it is unfortunate this world is so weak,’ thought Azridan as he possessed Apollo. Weak? If the top people of this world heard his words, they would have without a doubt vomited a mouthful of blood.

Even the Terrors were unable to call this world weak as they were incapable of completely decaying its core and turning this world into one of their own! Hence, why they were limited to their current area of action. It if was like this, then how powerful was the world he came from?

Soon enough, Azridan located the area he wanted to bring Apollo to. After all, when he awakened, the things he was going to teach him would perhaps cause a large disturbance. Therefore, it was best to take precautions by retiring to an area out of the perception of stronger beasts. If he released what he was going to in their presence, there was a chance of them coveting it.

Looking down at Apollo’s arm, then the Vantablack Knife Azridan made some calculations then performed a decisive action. Imbuing the Knife with a small piece of crimson thread. He slashed the entrance of the cave causing it to collapse. That small thread then melded with the rock and shifted properties continuously.

It melted the rock until molten then cooled it until hardened into blackened rock. Afterward, it began possessing a metallic sheen as the integrity of it was reinforced. Deeming it to be of suitable strength and something newcomers wouldn’t be able to deal with even if some of the aurae seeped out, Azridan sat Apollo’s body against the wall.

“The state of his body isn’t horrible due to my actions. However, it’ll take time for his mind to recover. When he awakes, we’ll begin with the procedures. He’ll be one step closer to what he desires.]

Relinquishing control of Apollo’s body, he returned to where his own consciousness resided. As he did so, Apollo muttered two names in his unconscious state—”Fuhrer…Aaron…”

[Hmm? Why did he utter that name? Isn’t it that little boy from his family? Why would he do that? Perhaps… there’s a deeper meaning here.]