Chapter 521 Blessings and Their Effects
Beelzebub, the Lord of the Flies, was no easy prey. His massive wings, like tattered obsidian curtains, beat with a cacophonous fury, creating gusts of wind that threatened to upend my calculated strikes. His multifaceted eyes glowed with sinister intelligence, and his dripping mandibles unleashed torrents of corrosive venom, seeking to corrode my tentacles.
Beelzebub's insectoid limbs moved with uncanny agility, each one a deadly weapon as he evaded my strikes with a grotesque grace. His movements were erratic and unpredictable, just like the chaos that fueled his very being.
I countered his evasive maneuvers with fluid precision, my tentacles coiling and striking in calculated arcs. They moved like serpents, intertwining with one another in an intricate display of combat choreography. The suckers on the ends of my tentacles clamped onto Beelzebub's chitinous armor, leaving a trail of smoking, sizzling marks as they made contact.
Beelzebub's wings buzzed with an ear-splitting drone, that echoed through the surrounding desolation. Using his wings, he attempted to create whirlwinds of darkness to obscure my vision, but I narrowly navigated the obsidian tempest, my bioluminescent skin casting an ethereal glow that pierced the inky abyss.
And then, I muttered a few simple words. "Using this overflowing mana I establish a decoration upon which my soul sits... Contract Creation: Sacrifice."
...
"I'm gonna be honest, kid..." The queen let out a long sigh.
I had just finished my training for the day and was practically sprawled out on the dirt floor like an octopus. Shirtless, sweaty, muscles cramping... I wasn't having the best of times, but these next few words really gave me that extra kick of motivation.
"What is it?" I huffed.
"I have no more to teach you."
My eyes lit up like a pair of glistening suns and my body was invigorated with a newfound sense of freedom. Sure I could leave this palace once and a while, but that was only for missions. Escaping wasn't really an option as she would always send her stupid lackeys to retrieve me... but now I was free. No longer was I chained down to this moist sanctuary of aquatic men and women.
"Well... actually I have one more thing."
As I stood up and let her take my hands, with a deliberate, almost hypnotic motion, she extended her palm, her fingers adorned with rings that glimmered like miniature galaxies. In her palm, a swirling maelstrom of mana, a potent force shimmering with the colors of twilight, danced and swirled. I could only hold my breath.
The first contact was electric, a gentle brush of her fingertips against mine. A tingling sensation rippled up my arm as the mana began to flow, a silken current that felt both delicate and profound. It was as if she was transferring a piece of her very essence into my being.
The mana surged, a torrent of cosmic energy pouring into my hand. At first, it felt like a warm caress, like the comforting touch of a loved one. But as it coursed deeper, it transformed into an exhilarating rush, a whirlwind of power that filled every corner of my being.
Her concealed eyes bore into my soul, and I could sense her intent, pure and unwavering. The mana continued to flow, a river of enchantment that intertwined with my own essence. My body hummed with newfound vitality, and I could feel my senses sharpening, my consciousness expanding.
And then, it happened. The mana coalesced, as if obeying some unspoken command, and manifested itself on my skin. A radiant crown, intricate and ornate, etched itself into my palm. It was as if the very fabric of reality had been rewritten in that instant, leaving me marked with a symbol of authority and power.
The crown tattoo pulsed with an inner light, its design seeming to come to life. It was not a static mark but a living conduit, a channel to the boundless mana that now coursed through me. I could see the energy swirling within the tattoo, intricate patterns of aquatic light weaving themselves through the cracks of my palm.
With a mere thought, I could feel the mana surging through my veins, infusing every cell with its radiant energy. It was as though I had become a vessel, a bridge between the mortal world and the realm of magic.
[You have been blessed by the Mermaid Queen of Mana]
"Blessings are not just titles... but skills that can be used. They are normally passive, but according to the right situation, they can be utilized to maximize your power. They are all pretty unique, and mine is no different."
"So how do I activate it?"
"Just recite the same words as I will right now. Everything will come naturally after that... Using this overflowing mana I establish a decoration upon which my soul sits-"
...
"...Contract Creation: Sacrifice."
Time froze. Everything had been enveloped in a grayscale filter. I couldn't move my body. Thinking was like trying to run through a marsh. And then... just like that, a figure appeared.
It was massless. Shapeless. Formless. Like water, but less? It was hard to describe. It didn't really have a color, yet I could still see it despite its transparency. No, it was more like I could feel its presence as it allowed a string of its formless being to sink into my mind.
"What would you like to sacrifice?" An androgynous voice reverberated within my skull, my brain just barely able to comprehend its buzz of communication.
"Mana. All of it."
"Suggest what you would like in return."
"O' Ruler of Concepts, allow me to exchange my lowly mana with the concept of Gluttony. In addition, as you are taking my mana core with the mana, please allow this lowly one to create a new core from where I can communicate with you... Great Creator of The System." nove.lb)In
"Granted."
...
(Beelzebub POV)
As I, Beelzebub, the embodiment of sin and the master of darkness, observed this unfolding spectacle, my infernal eyes widened in awe and uncertainty. The man before me, now transformed into a monstrous Kraken-like entity of unimaginable power, was a sight to behold. His once-human form had given way to an abyssal entity, and his control over the mana that surrounded him was astounding.
My demonic senses keenly perceived the changes as his transformation deepened. Waves of raw mana coursed through him, and his very essence seemed to surge with newfound energy. It was then that I noticed an intriguing transformation—a subtle yet profound shift in his appearance.
The man's hair, once unremarkable, had now transformed into a regal shade of royal blue. It cascaded down his monstrous form in shimmering strands, a testament to the immense power he now wielded. It was a hue that resonated with the deep mysteries of the cosmos, an enigmatic color that hinted at hidden depths within his being.
But it was his eyes that held the most captivating transformation. His once-human eyes had become two powerful stars, each gleaming with an intensity that threatened to engulf all in their brilliance. They radiated a celestial light that pierced through the darkness like beacons of hope in a world consumed by chaos. It was as if the entire universe had been condensed into those twin orbs, and their gaze held a cosmic power that defied comprehension.
These celestial eyes hinted at something more, something beyond the mere transformation into a Kraken-like entity. They hinted at the properties of gluttony, a desire to consume and absorb everything in their path. But I, Beelzebub, the Prince of Gluttony, could not be certain.
"Black holes devour everything, right? Sucking in everything within its path." The figure spoke in a regal tone, almost as if it was looking down on me. "Well, did you know, stars engulf everything within their path? Black holes draw in, stars just straight up destroy."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Holes suddenly rid my body. Simple as that. Blood hesitated to pour from them as if even they couldn't comprehend the idea that I had been injured so quickly. And when my black goo did begin to flow from each hole, I regenerated so fast that-
Holes rid my body once more. This time, I instinctively began to move, watching the trees behind me disappear as if they had been replaced with air. So, I quickly increased my speed to its utmost max while splitting my body into millions of tiny, flesh-tearing flies. I made sure to create as many as possible, just so that-
All of them were eradicated, engulfed by a heavenly sun that shimmered over the deity's body. All of my being had disappeared. From the marrow of my bones to the veins drawing black goo toward my beating demonic hearts... everything had disappeared, leaving my soul to begin rising upwards.
No... No! No! I can't die like this! I have yet to kill him! I CAN'T FUCKING DIE LIKE THIS! FUCK! NO! SYSTEM! SYSTEM! [COPIED SKILL: PRIMORDIAL SIN OF GLUTTONY]!
