[A quest has been issued.]
[Quest: First Extraction]
[Description: Extract the origin essence source. As per the surface level analysis, it might contain the ability to escape the ice that threatens you.]
[Reward: New ability related to ash]
[Time Limit: 01:56:59]
'Neat. Also, can you automate this scanning? Like, whenever I'm in contact with or near something, can you scan it automatically and give me these quests? Isn't that standard for systems?'
[As per the information in the database, there's only one system in the celestial expanse.]
'...'
[As per the host's request, from now on, the system will scan for a source automatically.]
'Yeah, do it.'
[Affirmative.]
Lucas could still move his eyelashes, so he closed his eyes and focused. The song outside was a bit annoying, but with his past life experiences in meditation, he quickly regained his calm.
Miro was indeed peculiar creature. They had the ability to digest almost anything, though they would explode after that, but that wouldn't be the case with Lucas.
Most of the time, they had their faces and arms dipped in lava, either eating or drinking magma—not through their mouths, but through their hands. They were too lazy to bother opening their mouths.
Instead, they had magical tattoos on their palms that acted as their primary means of feeding. These totems could teleport the food directly into their stomachs.
'This is where that Devouring Mark comes in. I can move the tattoo anywhere on my body. Truly freaky.'
Lucas felt creeped out with just the thought of devouring the thing touching his arm but he had no choice… he took a few deep breaths and used the skill.
[Devouring Mark]
[-2 Mana.]
He felt a connection with the totem, it felt like a starved child sulking in a corner. It moved lethargically but on reaching its destination, it became excited and started devouring.
Contrary to his expectations, as his sharp imaginary teeth dug into the frozen flesh, it immediately melted, sending a rich and savory taste like the finest roasted meat. The taste was so good it made him crave more with every bite.
[You have devoured a low vitality half dead human.]
[+10 Mana.]
[Extracting the origin essence...]
[Congratulations!]
[You have completed the quest 'First Extraction'.]
[You have acquired the ability "Ash Devil".]
[Description: The body temporarily disintegrates into ash, allowing movement through the air or terrain while evading all physical damage. In this form, physical attacks cannot be used.]
Lucas didn't notice much change in his body as he got the new ability, but since the system had mentioned his soul earlier, he shrugged it off—well, he would have if he could actually move.
'Okay, how much mana will it consume?'
[2 mana per minute.]
'I don't have much mana. So I only have one try to escape from the ice and then from this place.'
He should have been in the ice cave, but instead, he found himself in a room, which meant someone had likely taken him as a trophy. It was best to leave the place as soon as possible.
'Alright then.'
He used his ability for the first time.
[Ash Devil]
[-2 Mana]
Lucas didn't feel the funny or weird sensations he expected, instead he felt a sense of weightlessness, just like when one is floating in a comfortable, warm water.
[Congratulations!]
[You have completed the quest 'Escape From the Ice'.]
[Reward: You're free!]
The constriction around him was no more, and his point of view changed. The whole room seemed to become much bigger in his view.
'Okay, now.' The ash monster wiggled. 'How the hell should I move?'
[Imagine yourself swimming ahead.]
'Let's try it.'
Lucas imagined the whole room filled with water and started kicking his imaginary limbs to propel himself ahead—it worked.
The ash devil slithered forward, its form wiggling in an unsettling manner. It paused and turned to look at the ice, where a grotesque skeleton was trapped.
The skeleton's jaw was half-broken and gaping, as if it had been screaming when it was frozen. Lucas quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to look at the disturbing sight, ignoring how he was the one who just devoured this thing.
The ash devil glanced up at the wooden roof, then scanned the countless drawers around the room, noticing some strange, moving insignia on them.
'I'm guessing that's a lock… or more like a defense mechanism.'
[You are correct.]
'It's better to avoid it then. I wish I could devour whatever is inside though.'
As he continued to move forward, something on the right caught his attention—a mouse, staring at him with confusion.
'What…? Oh, it's also frozen. And there are more animals behind it.'
Another thought appeared in his mind. And he tested it.
His ash body covered the small mice's ice and he used the devour ability.
Lucas used devour to test if he can get the rat trapped inside of the ice. After all, there were many small creatures here and they were basically free source of mana.
But to his pleasant surprise...
5 seconds later...
[You have devoured the purple tail mouse.]
[+1 Mana]
[Mana control attribute has increased by 1 point.]
'What the...?'
[This is the after effect of your innate soul ability and the miro's devour ability.]
The image of himself as the strongest in the world flashed through his mind—surrounded by charming beauties, some grinding against his lap, others feeding him grapes and pressing ripe watermelons against his face.
Soon, a faint red light pulsed through the ash devil, reflecting Lucas's excitement. He moved ahead eagerly, ready to claim his next delicious meal—no, his next set of attribute points.