Chapter 731: Aura
Vaekra's body shook and the bones protruding from her finally receded. The process was slow, and somewhat labored, but without Sylas' threat, she was able to focus on it.
As for the others in the region... she didn't take them serious in the slightest.
When the bones were forced back into her body, her skin shuddered and a slight moan left her lips. She looked toward the skies, the bits and pieces of her ragged beast fur clothing barely holding on.
The feeling of evolution came with euphoria that could hardly be put into words. Sylas had experienced it several times now, and Vaekra was no different.
Slowly, the goosebumps on her body receded and the light of lust in her eyes faded as well. Then, her new form was bared to the world.
Her black hair became an ashen white that matched her skin, her brown eyes becoming a subtle grey color.
A pair of bones curled back and across the top of her head, almost looking like complex braids. Her bone wings had receded into plates that looked like extensions of her shoulder blade.
Bones curved up from her ribs and out from her pelvic bone, covering her decency as she pulled out a new set of beast skin clothing from her spatial device.
The final touches were a lot more subtle. A nose piercing, a pair of Venus piercings for the small of her back, and one in her belly button. They looked no different from sparkling jewels, but no one would ever guess just how deadly they were.
Vaekra took a breath and exhaled slowly, suppressing the turmoil in her heart.
For all their lives, the Dogons chased after this evolutionary state. She was the first to step across that threshold in a very long time... but it was sure that with the Summoning here, maybe her other brothers and sisters scattered across Earth would make the same leap.
'But... why did the system help me?'
She looked up into the skies, feeling apprehension.
Although her thoughts were filled with optimism, she knew that unless one was born as a Blessed Dogon, evolving into one was basically impossible. It was worse than one in a million.
She was certain that she was going to die just now, but something inside of her clicked in a way that didn't make sense.
It seemed that... Sylas was very much correct that his bad luck wasn't a coincidence.
But why the system would harm one deemed "Traitor" by helping another made little sense at all.
Even Vaekra herself didn't understand it. Unless...
Vaekra's gaze flashed. 'Earth's downfall is imminent.'
With a strong stride, her bow in hand, she vanished, appearing before a litter of corpses. In fact, even calling them corpses felt inappropriate. They were more like strewn pieces of flesh and bone, unrecognizable.
The remnants of Second Flame were torn to shreds by the Basilisk King. There was such a large gap between them that there was no suspense at all.
Seeing this scene, Vaekra felt a hint of fear creep into her heart. Had Second Flame not forced Sylas to use the Basilisk King to deal with them, and Sylas had instead turned his beast contract onto her, she would have likely died before the system could even think to interfere. The shadow of Sylas loomed over Vaekra. And for a moment, she wondered if she could win against him even with her large leap in strength. There was something about Sylas that felt... unfathomable.
Almost as though he would always be just as strong as he needed to be to survive.
Vaekra had only just had this thought before an Ancient Will flared in the depths of her soul.
The insecurity and confusion vanished, a dark aura billowing out from her.
Her head snapped in a certain direction, a malevolent pulse radiating. However, that was when something within her shook.
Vaekra frowned, but in the end, she looked away, rushing off into the distance. In a few leaps, she too had vanished from the underground space.
...
Under slowly calmed the rapid beating of his heart. Even after Vaekra's gaze left him, and she turned her back, he still felt as though a venomous predator was eyeing him.
It wasn't until several minutes after she left that he was finally able to regain any semblance of calm.
"Son of a bitch..." he cursed beneath his breath.
A light chuckle came from his side.
"Did you piss your pants?" Sky teased from the side.
Despite her words, the lack of color on her face betrayed her inner heart.
"Luckily that woman took that ridiculous recovery medicine earlier. It must have run out, otherwise I don't think we would survive."
Sky grinned. "But in the end, aren't we the biggest winners?"
Under gave her a sidelong glance. "Did you ever have any doubt? When have I ever made a wrong decision?"
"Do I need to start listing them."
"Hush, woman. If you have so much shit to talk, how about you start helping me pick up all these corpses. How many Genes do you think these government big shots have on them? Think we can get any Unique Genes?"
Under was practically drooling.
"Why are you so focused on the small fry? We don't have time to pick up all these corpses. In case you forgot, there's a damned volcano still erupting. We've gained enough."
As though to prove her point, a boulder of molten rock soared over their heads.
Under looked over to Sky, a wide grin spreading across his face.
"It's never enough."
Sky rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable."
Pat.
Under gave her ass a tight slap. "Let's go! There's wealth lying everywhere!"
Sky shook her head and then obliged. But those that knew her likewise knew that there was something on her person that wasn't usually there.
A backpack.
And if one looked into this backpack, one would find a unique space within.
Deep inside, a reflective crystal that exuded a very familiar aura shimmered.
The aura of the Snail Queen.