The Demon Monarch System

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Instinctively, Apollo created some distance from his initial position, only to witness as the thin stream of black flames landed on the wall. It melted the wall in a mere instant. Just because he put the wyvern in a precarious position didn't mean that it was helpless. The longer they found, the more its ability to control its essence would return.

In other words, it would continue to become an even more dangerous opponent.The Wyvern looked at him with hateful eyes before spreading its wings and giving it a flap. Turbulent winds uprooted Apollo, slamming him against the wall.

Just as its control was increasing, its wings were becoming operational as well!

Thankfully, he was durable and this strike wasn't capable of finishing him off. Although, this didn't mean he got off scot-free. The winds birthed by its actions were on par with a powerful Rank 2 beast.

Apollo placed his hand on his right side while assessing his injuries. 'At least 3 cracked ribs from just the after winds of its strike. What power…'

Though he suffered damage, the pendant pool of vitality thrummed, sending a constant stream of vitality into his body.

"Ugh…" Apollo groaned as he pulled himself out of the wall with murderous eyes. However, Cynthia placed herself between him and the Wyvern abruptly.

"Hun, don't. Don't confront it head-on. I appreciate you diverting its attention for a moment. As a result, we were able to accomplish that." Cynthia pointed to a gash on the wyvern's chest in which fresh purple blood trickled from it.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

As Apollo gazed at that purple blood his heartbeat accelerated as a rhythmic thumping was heard. Moreover, the healing process of his cracked ribs hastened. It seemed as if this was a small resonance between him and the wyvern. Or more specifically, the pendant and the wyvern.

'What is this feeling? Why do I desire to kill this thing?' Apollo thought himself. The urge to find out the reason overcame Apollo, provoking him to disobey.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to disobey you this one time. I need confirmation!"

Without hesitation, Apollo dashing forward while clenching his open hand into a fist. He then used the principle of the Demonic Massacre Wave to submerge his fist in its aura.

With the help of the Partial Shade Silhouette, he jumped high enough to come face to face with the Wyvern and its wound.

BOOM!

An explosive sound followed his attack, but Apollo was the one to suffer a loss as he flew back from the impact.

However, as he was blown back Apollo received exactly what he sought. Yet and still, this only led to more questions, 'That's odd, just why would it have such a name?'

[Hoh? This feeling… it feels strangely familiar. Almost as if it's linked to…]

"Evil," Apollo uttered. Or, in his unique case, a type of Sin.

「Monster Name: Demonic Earthflame Wyvern

Type: Evolved Variant (Bloodline Beast)

Bloodline: Demonic Dragon

Purity: Trace (Impure)

Element: Fire, Dark, Wind, Metal, and Earth

Cultivation: Rank 3 Spirit Beast

Health: 28,600 (95%)」

'What in the fuck…' Apollo's eyes widened as he glanced at the screen before him. First of all, this thing was a Variant. But not just any type; it was the worst type—A Bloodline Beast!

In other words, not only did it achieve a variant status in retrospect to elemental affinity, but it possessed a bloodline as well! Albeit faint, it was a dragon's bloodline nonetheless.

Additionally, even Azridan was dumbfounded as he misjudged this opponent—horribly so.

[Well, that's quite unsettling. All that damage, and this is all that's been done?]

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Apollo's countenance darkened as his mind traveled to worse case scenarios. He knew for a fact the others weren't privy to the implications of this beast. Everyone felt it was off but Apollo truly understood why. In a word, it could become a catastrophe!

[Fret not, you simply need to take a risk.]

'You don't mean to…'

[Correct. You'll need to become much stronger to stand a chance.]

'Understood,' Apollo nodded before glancing in Cynthia's direction. "Aunty, buy me some time."

"Some time? Just what are you thinking?" Cynthia could hear the dread in his voice as well as the small certainty laced within. As a result, she was skeptical and felt a faint sense of security.  As a result, her eyes shimmered with aspiration.

In response, Apollo just smiled and nodded before retreating and laying a small mountain of the gathered Essence Cores on the ground around his body, "You asked me earlier about these cores, so just watch and see!"

Apollo spread his arms and clenched his fists, causing every core to shattered.

〈System: A large source of experience found. Extracting source now.〉

The experience took on the form of a multicolored cluster of energy that pierced Apollo's body.

"WHAT?! Is he refining Essence Cores with his body? Is he mad? He'll kill himself! He has a death wish," Ashur scowled at his actions. This was unheard of; there had yet to be a human capable of ingesting a beast's core!

"Quiet. Perhaps we are judging his body wrong. It isn't the same as normal people. Maybe there's a chance it has absorbed an ability of the Terrors after suffering from its plague for so long," Cynthia muttered in response. In her eyes, if that was true, then it was a well deserved gift.

Nevertheless, since Apollo asked for time, that's exactly what she would give him. She vanished from her spot and sped towards the Demonic Earthflame Wyver, drawing its attention.

Meanwhile, Apollo's experience meter experienced a spike after absorbing the torrential sum of experience and attributes granted by the cores of numerous Rank 2 beasts! was spiking as the essence from the cores and the ambient Natural Essence melded as one flowed into him.

The first level up happened within moments, since he already possessed a good amount of experience invested into this level.

〈System: Congratulations, you have reached Level 93. 〉

〈System: 0.6 Attributes and 0.7 Stat Points rewarded.〉

Of course, the level ups were far from over as the absorption rate escalated to a terrifying degree.

〈System: Congratulations, you have reached Level 94. 〉

〈System: 0.7 Attributes and 0.7 Stat Points rewarded.〉

〈Experience: 0/500,000〉

'Is there no end to the amount needed?Will these cores even be enough?!' Apollo inwardly scowled as his eyes filled with a fervent desire to devour.

At this point, the cores had dwindled to a tenth of its former number and yet Apollo still hadn't reached Level 95. The alarming requirement for experience was growing at a rapid rate.

In fact, Apollo's crazed gaze soon fell upon the crystalline fruits causing his frown to deepen.

Meanwhile, Cynthia continued to accrue alarming injuries, even provoking Danyul to help as well. It was long before gruesome burns appeared on their bodies whereas Cynthia's Aquatic Valkyrie Boots possessed numerous cracks alongside her haggard experience.

"This Rank 3… why is it so strong? Its attack standard might surpass an early  Zul Commander. No wonder we can barely break through its defense with our current equipment," Cynthia thought while retreating to increase the distance between her and the Wyvern with a solemn expression.

"Perhaps we bit off more than we could chew! We should have bought Rhyne along with us. We need a Zul Commander on this team!" Danyul muttered through clenched teeth.

Defending against the wyvern's claws was a rigorous task.

Nevertheless, leaving now was a moot choice, since they had already invoked the wrath of the beast. All they could do was try their best to first a way to emerge victorious.

Sadly, things took another drastic turn.

"NOOOOOO!!"