NOVEL NEXT Chapter 397: Attempting to Tame Abyssal Hound…
A moment later, ten hounds lay in front of him, sprawled on the ground, all twitching and tossing around in torturous pain. Damon crouched low and patted one beast. "I know you guys are all battle hungry. Don't worry. I will give you plenty of opportunities for it. All you have to do is say yes, and the pain will stop."
The ten abyssal hounds writhed in pain. Black ichor bubbled from their jaws, their claws scraping grooves into the broken cobblestones as the poison did its work. Every breath they took sounded like a death rattle.
"Alright. Let's check what the success rate is now. You guys better not disappoint me."
Damon activated the skill again.
[Ding! Attempting to Tame Abyssal Hound…]
[Warning! Abyssal creatures cannot be tamed by ordinary means.]
[Calculating… Affinity Detected.]
[Success Rate: 1%.]
"Hmmm? Again, only 1%? Do I need to increase the dose of the poison?" Damon pondered quietly. He looked at the hounds again, and they instantly started to shiver.
Immediately, another set of notifications appeared.
[Ding! You have successfully tamed Abyssal Hound 1]
[Ding! You have successfully tamed Abyssal Hound 2]
…
…
[Ding! Do you wish to name your tamed beasts?]
Damon decided to ignore the naming for now as he had limited time in this area. On top of that, he still needed to find where Aiden was hiding. There was no way that bastard did not personally check out this spot. He had to be here.
"Let's go. All of you run around and find me shiny things that are lying on the grounds. Also, if you sense poisonous air somewhere, come find me immediately."
While he wouldn't be able to move around in the abyssal zone without making noise, these hounds can easily do his job.
The hounds pricked their ears and scattered at his command, shadows blending into the broken streets as they darted off in every direction. Their sleek forms moved with uncanny silence, paws barely disturbing the dust as they slipped between ruined arches, cracked walls, and piles of ichor-drenched rubble.
Where Damon would have drawn the attention of every lurking abyssal spawn, even in his Stealth mode, the hounds slithered unnoticed, sniffing out traces of poison and anything valuable in every direction.
Damon spotted another pack of Abyssal Fangs in the distance and attempted to tame them using the same method, but this time the system notification announced his insufficient soul strength. It looked like ten level 90ish beasts were his limit at the moment.
Maybe he could have tamed more if he had tamed weaker beasts. Or maybe if he had more beast master skills in his arsenal. It was something to think about later. For now, all he could do was work with what he had.
Damon took a look around the ruined marketplace again and then headed deeper into the abyssal zone one more time.
He was not too keen about this, as many dangerous beings lurked in this area, beings whom even armies of several kingdoms would have trouble dealing with. It was best to leave those beings to them while he fixed his body first.
Even if he wanted to fuck around with Aiden, there was a bottom line he did not want to cross. Self-preservation came first.
Damon cautiously moved about when another wave of abyssal spawn popped up and rushed towards him. He immediately conjured hundreds of blood needles once again.
[Ding! Your proficiency in Blood Manipulation has increased.]
Damon closed the notifications and sent out the swarm of needles with a flick of his hand. They whistled through the air like a crimson storm, piercing eyes, throats, and chests with surgical precision.
The poison alone was not enough, and he once again had to conjure thick, powerful spears to deal with most of them. As for the few who managed to reach him and claw at him, he personally dispatched those.
Several system notifications beeped in front of him, and he could feel the rush of new stats pouring into him.
"Right, I have some new skills too." Damon was actually looking forward to trying out the rare skill [Summon a Fire Sprite].
He wanted to see just what sort of fire sprite he could bond with. This place was a good place to try as well because of the unique environment. Maybe not the best, since a higher fire essence place would be more ideal. Maybe he should try it once he was outside.
He was mulling over this when he remembered there was one more skill he had been excited about. Wyrm's fire breath!
He immediately recalled the moment the wyrm's throat had detonated from within. That overwhelming torrent of black fire, corrupted and violent, had nearly melted him alive, but now that skill belonged to him. His lips curled into a thin smile. It was time to find out just how powerful the skill was.
He focused and activated the skill. A doubt crept into his mind if he would be able to use the skill at all, considering he did not have the draconic bloodline, but the next second, he was proved wrong.
A furnace roared open inside his chest. His veins lit up as if molten lava coursed through them, searing heat pressing against his throat. Damon tilted his head back slightly, bracing himself as the power gathered.
For a heartbeat, he felt like he was the wyrm, his lungs no longer human, his breath no longer mere air, but an abyssal inferno waiting to erupt. Then he exhaled.
A beam of golden red flame surged forth, scorching the ruined stones and blasting through the far end of the plaza. His primordial mana core finally felt the drain, but the result was equally proportionate.
The sheer force of it rattled the shattered buildings, leaving molten cracks gouged deep into the ground. The air itself warped, shimmering under the heat as ash spiraled into the sky. A few abyssal spawn in the path, nowhere to be seen.
When the torrent finally ended, Damon staggered half a step, his throat raw and his chest heaving. He finally knew what sort of an attack worked best in this hellhole!
***
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