I Can Assimilate Everything Chapter 4: On the Brink of Death! II
Previously on I Can Assimilate Everything...
BOOM!
The impact was so tremendous that every bone in his body felt as if it creaked and was on the verge of shattering.
He felt his back slam against the wide tunnel wall behind him, his mouth snapping open to gasp for air as he felt agony encompassing him!
But what hurt the most were the sharp Evolutius Crystals he clutched, which had dug into his skin, his blood flowing freely from the fresh wounds.
His head was swimming.
His ears were ringing!
He sensed the suffocating threat of death, and in its presence, he felt an overwhelming unwillingness!
He was aware that his actions were foolish.
He knew the odds were slim!
But truly.
He absolutely did not want her to perish.
She was the only one he had left.
When he was at his lowest point, she had been there for him. He wanted to be there for her!
He experienced the searing pain throughout his body and channeled it, focusing his mind as he forced his eyes open to see the scorched Evolutius Beast advancing towards him.
It was injured, just like him.
In its current condition, it might not be able to pursue him if he could just outrun it!
He simply needed to secure the Evolutius Crystals and…
"Huh?"
He stared, bewildered, at his bloodied hands where the Evolutius Crystals had been.
Three of them.
At this precise moment, they were gone.
They had vanished!
…
The faint sliver of hope he possessed dwindled as he gazed at his hands, utterly blank.
They were there, but they were simply…
"GRR!"
The low growl of the scorched Evolutius Beast echoed once more, its hideous, scrotum-like burnt form looming directly before him.
It raised its claw once more, and Achilles looked towards it with a mixture of dread and defiance.
He had thought he didn't fear death.
But when it stood directly before him…
He saw his insignificant life flash through his mind as the Evolutius Beast's claw thundered down, and he couldn't suppress a defiant scream!
"AAH!"
BOOM!
The formidable claw descended.
Achilles squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the intense pain and darkness that would surely follow.
He waited.
He…waited?
The anticipated pain never arrived.
He felt a strain, yes, and he could have sworn he felt a burning sensation coursing through his body, but it wasn't quite…pain?
"…"
He hesitantly opened his eyes again, observing the injured Evolutius Beast retreating and tending to its wounds—even this creature undoubtedly believed him to be deceased.
After all, what ordinary Human could possibly withstand two direct strikes from an Evolutius Beast?
Achilles blinked, a confusing blend of fear and hope swirling within him, with a single thought dominating his mind.
He didn't grasp what had transpired, but if he could seize this opportunity to escape…
His resolve hardened.
He felt the ache of his injured body, and at this moment, even though he knew it would be a feeble exertion and immensely agonizing, he had to move!
Thus, he screamed defiance at his torn muscles.
He screamed at the burning sensation he felt.
He willed them to move!
And…
BOOM!
His form shockingly propelled out from the slight indentation in the wall the Evolutius Beast had created, moving at incredible speed to slam diagonally against the opposite wall!
…
"…"
The Evolutius Beast, which had just begun to lick its wounds, was utterly dumbfounded.
What in the world was that?
Achilles himself was equally stunned!
His wounded body. That sensation of heat. What…?
He couldn't comprehend the events unfolding when suddenly, from the corner of his eye, a flashing blue box of light appeared.
Inside this box, words materialized, growing clearer as he focused on them.
In an instant, they became perfectly legible.
[Achilles Maxwell]
[Assimilation]:: Organic Crystal (Evolutius Crystals) (3%) - Acquired qualities of Regeneration, Energy Conversion, Flexibility, Light Manipulation
[Existence Corruption Value]:: 0%
[Complexity]:: Negligible
…
He stared blankly at the displayed information for a full ten seconds before his mind began to process it.
This…
He checked his body to confirm.
Blood still stained his hands, but the wounds he had suffered…
"Holy shit…"
They were gone.
He touched himself all over.
He felt no pain whatsoever.
He still perceived that burning sensation, and it dawned on him at this moment that it seemed to be a source of newfound strength!
His mind raced as he might not be a prodigy, but he rapidly pieced together what might have just occurred.
The disappearance of the three Evolutius Crystals.
The panel displaying the words [Assimilation] and listing Evolutius Crystals!
He had…absorbed them? Assimilated them?
Had he…awakened?
The burning sensation and the unfolding events felt utterly surreal, yet at this moment, he lacked the luxury of time to ponder it excessively.
An injured Evolutius Beast was close by, and the Advanced Humans he had indirectly stolen from could return at any moment!
He extricated himself from the makeshift crater in the wall, his gaze falling upon the scorched Evolutius Beast that had been watching him in stunned silence but now roared and lunged once more.
But this time…
It didn't seem quite as terrifying.
Even its speed felt manageable to him!
His mind still held the same fear from before, but he endeavored to push it aside.
Given that he had already survived two of this beast's attacks, what was a third one?
A wave of apprehension washed over him, and this time, he retaliated.
As the claw swept horizontally, he brought his right hand down like a heavy hammer, aiming for the head of the scorched Evolutius Beast!
His hand… he could have sworn it was emitting a faint purple luminescence at that precise moment.
The very same purple glow that the Evolutius Crystals radiated.
And once more…
BOOM!
A resounding, forceful impact echoed through the air.
However, it was not Achilles who felt this blow!
His hand, enveloped in that ethereal purple light, had gained incredible speed. It struck the Evolutius Beast's head first, unleashing a tremendous boom as gore and brain matter erupted outwards!
…!
The Evolutius Beast’s descending claw fell limply afterward, while Achilles stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
His hand was slick with the blood of the Evolutius Beast, and he only snapped out of his daze upon noticing the Evolutius Crystals nestled within the shattered skull of the creature.
He eyed them warily before reaching out and retrieving three crystals, just as he had done previously.
Fearing they might vanish and be assimilated into him again, he was relieved when they didn't seem to be automatically absorbed. He carefully pocketed them, then surveyed his surroundings without any further hesitation…
He spun around and bolted back in the direction from which he had come.
He had no desire for more unexpected encounters and wouldn't dare to tempt fate further!