The Invincible Full-Moon System Chapter 1915: Digestion and Adaptation of Traits

Rex decided to spare Zev, yet not without a price.

It was a cost the Pale Defender readily accepted, his mind already consumed by the gleam of promised rewards.

The knowledge of a method to override the Gardeners’ loyalty was something any Pale Defender would desperately crave. Zev had heard whispers of such a technique before, suspecting that some of the more formidable Pale Defenders were aware of its existence.

Now, he would ascend to their ranks, provided he consented to Rex’s terms.

Their initial encounter had been far from amicable.

Even now, Zev perceived Rex as a greedy, formidable Demigod, treating the God Realm as his personal playground. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny that the boons offered by his encounter with Rex, despite the associated vague sacrifices, were nothing short of astounding.

His rivals were all eliminated.

And now, he had acquired this invaluable method.

In exchange for these acquisitions, Rex stipulated two demands.

The first was a discreet meeting with Zev’s parents, whose power could undoubtedly serve Rex's purposes, and the second was his finest Permit—the most exceptional one in Zev's possession. Rex made these demands tentatively, not expecting much given Zev's youth and inexperience as a Godling.

Yet, he had stumbled upon a treasure.

Zev possessed a Permit, though he would need to retrieve it from his home. It wasn't the one Rex truly desired—the one granting access to the Blood Moon Realm or the Weaver of Time’s domain—but it was a Permit usable in emergencies, capable of creating a portal to Silverstar Genesis.

In Silverstar Genesis, he would be beyond reach, making the Permit an offer he couldn't refuse.

With his dealings with Zev concluded, Rex promptly returned to his chamber and commenced his feast. Among the chosen corpses to devour, he substituted one with the remains of a Pale Defender Zev provided.

Rex consumed the corpses with voracious appetite.

Transforming into his werewolf form, he began to eat, tearing at the flesh with powerful bites, crushing the bones, and absorbing the inherent energy within the remains. His Nigh-divine Adaptation skill immediately activated, meticulously analyzing and integrating the essence of his devoured victims.

A pool of blood began to gather on the hallowed floor.

The system's inventory kept the corpses perfectly preserved, suspended in time, allowing him to devour them in their prime.

His taste buds rejoiced with every brush of blood and flesh, as if signaling Rex—this was his true calling. This was how a werewolf was meant to satisfy its insatiable hunger.

Had it been the previous Rex, before his journey to the Spirit Realm, such an act might have evoked discomfort. Not due to any lingering attachment to his Humanity, for that was long shed—but from shame at being observed in such a state by his progenitors above.

Witnessing their son consume beings like a savage beast would have been agonizing for them.

However, mercifully, they were now looking elsewhere.

Rex had complete autonomy to act as he saw fit, driven by his ultimate objective: to bring Kaiser down.

The opportune moment had arrived for him to retaliate for the suffering inflicted upon him by the Lunirich Gods.

The process of adapting to these corpses proved more time-consuming than anticipated.

Most of the fallen were Demigods, but one corpse—that of a Pale Defender slain by Zev—was, to Rex’s astonishment, an Awakened Demigod. A three-star Awakened Demigod, no less. That level of divinity alone positioned this Pale Defender on par with Kai and Vadyn.

This particular corpse seemed to carry a latent poison.

And given how easily this Pale Defender succumbed to Zev’s trap, he must have been intimately familiar with Zev, perhaps perceiving him as nothing more than a mere brat. Regrettably for him, that 'brat' was under duress, with his life hanging by a thread.

The precipice of life and death possesses the potency to transform even a mere child into a formidable force.

<Notice: The user has successfully assimilated the Residual Traits from the devoured prey!>

<Three viable traits have been identified>

...

<Memory Spirit>

Rank: Divine

Description: Enables the user to summon the spectral essence of a deceased individual—one directly killed by the user. These spectral spirits retain vestiges of their former strength and knowledge, residing in a vacant space within the user's mind until dispelled.

Duration: 7 days

<Spiritual Tainting>

Rank: Divine

Description: Empowers the user to corrupt a target's spirituality, debilitating their power source—and if sufficiently weak, supplanting it with the user's own. By imprinting a spiritual mark directly onto the target's consciousness, the user transforms them into a heretic bound to their command. This subjugation endures as long as the mark persists.

Duration: 1 hour

<Almighty Aura>

Rank: Divine

Description: Allows the user to project a potent, oppressive aura that instantly crushes any being lacking mental defense capabilities within its range. Those who possess such defenses experience a devastating gravitational force that burdens both their physical form and their energies.

Duration: 3 days

...

Rex hadn't anticipated such a rapid assimilation of the traits. He had expected a waiting period of a day or two for his body to adjust to the changes. Perhaps his physique had become more adept at adaptation, or maybe the mysterious influence of the God Realm was at play. Either way, he was delighted by the prospect of triggering these adaptations instantly.

Without a moment's pause, he allowed his body to integrate the new traits.

<Devoured inhabitants: 10 / 10>

<Sudden Quest: Probing the Gods has been completed!>

<Scanning for skills and passive skills obtained within the duration of the Sudden Quest...>

<Notice: There are no skills or passive skills obtained.>

"W-Wait a second!" Rex exclaimed, his body wracked by the powerful sensations as it grappled with three new traits. He realized his mistake; digestion and adaptation were not the same process. "Hold the reward. Claim it only after this is done. After I’ve fully adapted to these traits."

<Affirmative.>

Rex had previously adapted to only one trait at a time. He had never attempted to adapt to three simultaneously, a crucial factor he had overlooked.

A suppressed groan escaped him as he collapsed to the side, his body momentarily beyond his control. Muscles writhed and convulsed beneath his skin like cornered snakes, coiling and uncoiling with a violent, alien rhythm. Bones shifted with sickening, wet pops, reforming to accommodate the simultaneous use of three traits without breaking.

His fur lashed wildly against his back as if caught in a fierce wind, each strand crackling with volatile energy. Rex was no stranger to agonizing transformations; even the simple act of shifting to his beast form was an ordeal few could endure. Yet, this was different. Beyond the physical metamorphosis, his very essence was being invaded. The three traits were being interwoven into his core, thread by burning thread, and his body resisted every stitch.

His formidable regeneration became a double-edged sword as the Nigh-divine Adaptation skill intensified its work. A chilling, searing wrongness coursed through his veins, as though his body and soul were being forced to make space for something entirely foreign. His claws dug into the floor. His jaw clenched shut. A guttural sound, neither a growl nor a scream, escaped through his gritted teeth.

Witnessing him in this state, others would surely be astonished, given his renowned high pain tolerance. However, the process itself wasn't precisely painful. Rex had endured far greater agony; this was a distinct and overwhelming sense of wrongness that was deeply unsettling.

Slowly, agonizingly, the transformation began to subside. The foreign sensation gradually lessened, the overwhelming discomfort dulled, and then faded until it ceased to be uncomfortable. His muscles and bones settled into new configurations, locking into a form that remained his own, yet was undeniably more. As if no ordeal had occurred, Rex sat up, crossed his legs, and entered a meditative state.

"System, claim the reward."

<Affirmative>

Once the traits were fully integrated into Rex's being, the System could finally detect the newly acquired skills. All three were recognized and instantly made permanent, seamlessly woven into him. This integration, however, was more complex than merely removing time limits. As with all skills the System replicated and implanted, these three were meticulously adjusted to suit his unique constitution.

The Memory Spirit skill had been reshaped and merged into the Phantom Pack skill. Now, the spectral spirits he summoned would manifest in his likeness—as wolves, adding a new form to the skill's existing capabilities. Furthermore, these spectral spirits would no longer clutter his mind or burden his thoughts; instead, they settled comfortably within his King Mark, as if it were their intended home. Apart from retaining a fraction of their original power, they also received enhancements, dictated by the King Mark itself.

Little changed for Spiritual Tainting, except its name was updated to Divine Tainting, and the spiritual mark transformed into a heresy mark. An additional effect was appended, granting him the ability to absorb a portion of the target's divinity upon successful marking. The description also mentioned a divinity backlash, but reassured that it would not affect him, alleviating any concern Rex might have had.

As for the Almighty Aura, it proved surprisingly compatible with the Alpha Bearing skill, leading to their fusion into Almighty Bearing. This new skill not only encompassed the effects of Almighty Aura but also weakened the stats of those subjected to it. It caused a significant drop in physical stats for targets with strong minds, and a sharp decrease in energy-based stats for those with robust physiques.

Every single ability acquired was meticulously chosen with the singular objective of vanquishing Kaiser.

Upon his successful infiltration of the Blood Moon Realm, these skills would empower Rex to inflict substantial damage and sow widespread terror at an accelerated rate. Havoc would unfurl like an uncontrollable inferno.

The era of passively enduring attacks was over.

It was now Rex's turn to seize the offensive, and Kaiser would do well to brace himself.

<Notice: Pack members Davina and Lilliana have also been granted the Phantom Pack skill along with the Almighty Aura skill>

Rex's gaze sharpened as this particular notification materialized.

"Davina and Lilliana offered assistance? When did this happen?"

He was aware that any skills or passive abilities obtained through the successful completion of Sudden Quests would be permanent, and additionally bestowed upon pack members who aided in their acquisition. However, he maintained a strong certainty that neither of those two had offered him any direct help.

Both the Spirit Memory skill and the Almighty Aura skill had originated from the Godlings residing within that vault.

Rex had been the sole individual responsible for their demise.

At that precise moment, his eyes widened as a profound realization dawned upon him.

"Bellana..." he murmured inwardly, subsequently massaging his forehead. "So, her cooperation was a result of those two."

Given that the System only accounted for direct assistance, his thoughts immediately gravitated towards Bellana. She had been the one to guide him to the vault, granting him access to the Cavity. This notification implied that the sisters had actively encouraged Bellana to seek him out.

The exact nature of their suggestions remained unknown, but their influence had undeniably smoothed Rex's path in swaying her.

This, he surmised, was the reason behind her furtive glances in his direction.

It wasn't due to any perceived handsomeness on his part, but rather the result of Davina and Lilliana's machinations.

For reasons he couldn't quite articulate, this revelation irked him, yet he dismissed it as inconsequential.

Considering their probable involvement in helping him plunder the Blood Realm, it was certainly beneficial that they had acquired these skills as well. "Let's return," Rex announced, rising to his feet and exiting the chamber. "I have lingered for too long. Our enemies' spies might be growing suspicious."

Rex made his way back to Larta City.

The first light of dawn was breaking by the time he reached his destination.