Back on the Garden of Eden

Admiral Kaiser had his hands gently resting against the table. A faint sigh left his mouth. “Have I not given you enough in this life?”

Commodore Frank had his head lowered, hands clasped together. His thick-black boots tapped against the floor. “You have given me nothing short of everything, Admiral.”

“And yet you fail me.” Kaiser’s dull voice drummed against the table. “Unable to weed out the rats that live in the basement.”

Frank saluted, his teeth chattered. “I’ll do anything to regain your trust, Admiral.”

“Then,” Kaiser placed a pill capsule on the table. “Take this.”

Frank’s hand trembled as he picked up the capsule, black markings were engraved onto its surface. A pungent stench of oil mixed with tree sap leaked from its thin, membrane-like skin. His eyes drifted to the others sitting on the table. Some of their faces were mixed with glee and scorn, others had no expressions. They simply didn’t care.

Frank nodded towards the Admiral, and swallowed the pill.

“Now, Commodore Arnav will be in charge of the Wild Dog problem. Commodore Frank will be under his command. Any complaints?” Kaiser said.

The trembling of Frank was cut off. He stood there like a motionless statue. “No complaints, Admiral.”

“Commodore Arnav?”

Arnav stood up from his chair with a savage smile. He had freshly polished his pauldrons like a golden mirror. A great axe lay against the table. Its edge was sharp, and the dried red substance coating it was a fine reminder of the lives it had taken.

“It would be a pleasure, Admiral.” Arnav gave a deep salute. His hand pounded against his chest, creating a faint shock wave around the room.

Admiral Kaisar nodded, before turning his head towards Esdeath. “The war of the apostles is soon approaching. Any news of the A class 1st years?”

“We have our eyes on a few of them. One in particular.” Esdeath said.

“Alphonse Khastal?” The admiral tapped his fingers on the table.

“Yes, Admiral.”

“We may not kill him personally.”

“I have everything under control.” Esdeath smiled.

“You always do.” Admiral Kaiser nodded, ”alright that’s it for now. Oh, and Arnav…”

“Yes, Admiral?”

“I expect results.”

“Of course, Admiral.”

***

Alphonse groaned. His insides felt like they had been compressed by a vice. The horned-orc was left with nothing but its large, muscly legs. The explosion obliterated the rest of its body.

I love magic. Alphonse grinned. He walked over to the monster’s legs and began eating. Thanks to the blazing hot temperature, most of the meat was already ready to eat, cooked from the explosion.

[ Chef’s Kiss activated ]

Recipe: Explosion fried oni meat.

Explosion fried oni meat: Well done, you almost killed yourself for a chance at a meal. Now you know what starvation feels like. Get used to it.

Is… It can’t be Gluttony, right? Alphonse wondered. Was it his way of communicating?

Rating C

+20% from set bonus

| 18.2 -> 21.8 strength added

| 12.5 -> 15.0 dexterity added

| 6.9 -> 8.2 intelligence added

Skill extraction in progress…

Give me a skill!

Skill extraction failed.

Shit. Alphonse shook his head.

You have exceeded 200 strength. Your muscles have developed way beyond human capabilities. From this moment on, you will generate aura to power the muscles in your body. Increasing strength by 5% – capable of learning how to control aura.

Alphonse nodded at the announcement. He wasn’t sure what aura was, but it looked like it was something important. Someone would need to be asked. He continued on, further into the cave. The voice urged him forwards. He wasn’t sure if it was gluttony or something else, but he gathered it wouldn’t guide him into certain death. He hoped.

Relying on his dark vision, he could see within the pitch black of the cave. [ Ground Perception ] was on at all times. He knew there were things he couldn’t hear or see. The mental drain was worth it, just in case something burrowed up from the ground or leapt at him from the shadows. He would be ready.

Alphonse wasn’t sure why, but his stomach was already begging for more food. After having just eaten, although it wasn’t a lot, it should have lasted him for a while longer.

Is this how it’s going to be from now on? This perpetual feeling of being hungry, wanting to devour. Alphonse sighed. Life was hard. Is this what beasts felt like?

***

Alphonse stood in front of a large stone door. It looked like it was carved out of the stone wall. The faint sound of glasses being clinked together sounded from within the room.

Sending a kick forward, the door exploded into fragments.

A blood red demon met his eyes. Its body was shrouded in a thick cloud of dust. The demon was holding two glass bottles that currently held a mysterious substance within. With a strange shrill, hissing noise. It threw both of the bottles at Alphonse.

Alphonse was quick to react. He already prepared his cautious mind for any sudden movement. His bloodied hand, already on the door frame, shot ice directly at the bottles. A smashing sound rang inside the room as the bottle shattered in the middle of the room. A ploom of foetid fumes surged within the room. The egg-like smell melted anything that it came into contact with.

Alphonse had an idea. A massive smile formed on his face as he awaited for a notification.

Smiling Man ] +25% magic power >

He commanded the ice to form a ball within the room. And, with a thought, the ball expanded. Thousands of needles formed and then shot out in all directions.

Alphonse laughed. Another ball formed, spitting out an ocean of frigid needles.

Using [ Ground Perception ] the image of the demon transmitted into his mind. It was doing… something. Alphonse wouldn’t give it time to prepare anything. He stepped into the room, activated [ Flicker Steps ] and blasted towards the monster. Alphonse’s cleaver ripped through the air as it slashed through the demon’s neck.

However, the demon flashed a devilish grin. Worms squirmed behind its eyes. A puff of smoke expelled from its neck as it dodged its head to the side. Before the smoke could touch Alphonse’s skin, a thick armour grew from his pores. He could feel an itching sensation, the smoke passed by the thick armoured plates on his face; it burned. The smoke turned into a liquid as he felt his face melting. An impending doom grabbed hold of his heart. Black shadowed teeth appeared as he bit down towards the monster’s face.