Souls Online: Mythic Ascension-Chapter 99: Heart of the Void

Leo felt like he was going to vomit. The contents of the vial tasted just like how it looked: Absolutely revolting. The liquid...If you call it that, it was like jelly that was bitter, sour, sweet and salty all at the same time. His hand clutched at his throat solely because he felt himself retching in disgust.

Once the disgusting concoction passed his throat, he felt it settle in his stomach unnaturally. His attention towards the unsettling feeling was broken when he felt someone grabbing him by his cloth like armor. Before he could react, Luna's voice cracked through the haze of nausea."

"Leo how can you be so stupid?! Don't you care about your own life?!"

Luna was borderline hysterical as she shook him like he was a ragdoll. He wanted to say something but Luna's inhuman strength made it practically impossible for him to get a word in without potentially biting his tongue.

Horo was the one who came to Leo's rescue as he remarked

"Whatever it is. I don't think it will hurt Leo"

Luna shot him a chilling glare which caused Horo to flinch but he continued regardless

"Arachne said that whatever it was inside that vial would suit Leo best and that if he didn't drink it, that I should."

While Luna's gaze was on Horo, Leo was finally able to speak up as well, his voice hoarse as the contents had seemed to burn his throat while going down as well.

"Sis...Astra and Mors were telling me to do it. I wanted to trust them. They haven't let me down yet.."

Luna shot Leo a withering look as she wasn't convinced. Mors and to a lesser extent Astra had temporarily taken over Leo's body. What benefited them didn't necessarily mean it would benefit him.

"So... What did it taste like?"

Nyx hesitantly joined the conversation as Luna reluctantly let Leo go. Leo grimaced as he replied

"I would rather gargle gravel than drink something like that again."

"That tasty huh? Well would a kiss help wash your pallet~?"

Leo slightly blushed but frowned in response

"I don't see how that would be of any help here..."

"Well obviously it would be a french kiss. With me of course~"

Luna growled fiercely as she hugged Leo whose face had practically gone crimson from the unexpected and blatant forward approach.

"Pyu~!"

"That's right Moku~! Nyx is flirting with death. If she wanted to hit on him, better to do it when Luna isn't looking~!"

"Thanks Lily!"

Nyx and Luna looked towards Lily with different expressions. Luna looked extremely annoyed and slightly betrayed while Nyx looked like she had an epiphany dawn on her thanks to Lily. The two girls spoke words of thanks but the meaning couldn't have been any more different.

"Sis...!"

Sonata looked a bit unnerved as she spoke up to Luna.

"Luna! You're choking Leo!"

Glancing at her brother, Luna realized that she had unconsciously hugged Leo so hard that he was turning Blue. With a startled look crossing her face, she let him go, allowing him to pant for breath.

After what he had just consumed, even the air tasted a bit sweet. He was about to say something when a system notice caught him off guard.

Unfiltered Evolution Fluid has been Consumed.

Accessing Available Traits to Improve. 

Anomaly Detected in Body...

Cross Referencing with Player's Element...

Player's Element is...Void

Cross Referencing with Player's Race.....

Player's Race is...Adaptive Beastfolk 

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Number of Evolution Possibilities.....Infinite.

Randomizing...

Trait Generated. 

Player has Gained: Heart of the Void.

Description: Heart has been Evolved to better handle the power of the Void Element. Pain associated with Elemental Abilities and Skills has been Reduced. Shall Generate Void rich blood which will have increased effects based on the Purity of the Blood. 

Current Purity: 0%

Effects: Body Evolution Stability.

As soon as he read those words, he felt a heavy thump of his heart in his chest. A look of grave concern crossed Leo's face as he concentrated on his own heartbeat. After a few moments, he didn't notice anything in particular but deep down, he felt something had changed.

"What's that look for Boss? Did that mystery drug mess with your head? Are you high? What's being high like?"

Sonata was the first to notice what she could only describe as a vacant stare into the void. It was only with her words that Leo realized he was the only one that could detect this particular screen.

Horo scoffed at Sonata's question.

"No he is not high.... You aren't right?"

Yet he couldn't help but doubt himself. Especially since the contents of that vial were unknown, could be a really intense hallucinogenic.

Yet the one to ease his concern was Arachne.

'It looks like it was a success~'

'What was a success?'

'His Evolution~!'

A chill went down Horo's spine as he realized the contents of that vial were meant to mutate individuals. Horo scowled as he mentally roared back at her

'What the fuck are you talking about?! Why would you want him to undergo a mutation?! Are you trying to turn him into a Monster like me?!'

'Like you? No. It's so the Cub can live.'

Leo blinked, the system screen fading from his view, but the thudding in his chest didn't stop. His heartbeat wasn't just strong, it reverberated like something vast and deep was pulsing beneath his skin.

He didn't realize he'd gone quiet until Sonata tilted her head and broke the silence.

"Uh... boss? You've got that 'I just saw the end of the world' face again. You good?"

Leo looked up, startled out of his thoughts.

"I... I think so. Just..."

He trailed off, pressing a hand to his chest.

"My heart feels weird."

Lily narrowed her eyes.

"Weird how? Like emotional damage weird, or 'I'm gonna sprout a third arm' weird?"

"Lily."

Luna growled, the warning in her voice clear. She stepped closer to Leo, hovering like a storm cloud.

"What did you see?"

Leo hesitated, unsure how to explain something even he didn't fully understand. "I saw a green system notice screen....it said... I got a new trait. Something called Heart of the Void. It's supposed to reduce pain from elemental abilities and—"

he swallowed,

"—it said I'm generating Void-rich blood."

Nyx perked up at that.

"Void-rich blood? Sounds spicy. Does it sparkle?"

"Nyx, now's not the time,"

Luna snapped.

Nyx held up her hands innocently. "What? I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

"You're flirting with death," Lily said in a sing-song voice. "And Luna's right there."

"Pyu~!"

"Exactly, Moku. She's asking for a smiting."

Leo was about to say something when another notice appeared.

The Final Boss of the Kobold Nest Approaches. 

Brace yourself for the descent of Enkiba- The Fang of Flames. 

Everyone felt that the temperature in the cave had increased and it was getting hotter with each passing second. The cave walls began to sweat. Drops sizzled as they hit the stone floor. Air that once felt stale now seared with every inhale.

The cause of the heat soon made itself known. A towering kobold emerged cloaked in smoke as its body was ablaze but unburned, each of its steps scorching the ground beneath it."

The final Boss had arrived.