69 Chimera

"I sadly vaporized the remains of the Mr and Mrs duo by accident... But who cares! I got that weird space demon bloodline, so it's my win."

At this moment in time, Michael could be found traversing through a densly packed sea of trees. Having appeared within his sight after fleeing from the lifless wasteland which had suffered both Andevs judgement, and his own wrath.

"Well, this place is actually rather nice. When was the last time I journeyed through such a rich landscape?"

The forest he had entered was filled with both ancient brisk trees. Holding a profound knowledge within their roots, and a multitude of fresh herbs and flowers around them. Peacefully spread near the nearby trunks within some naturally spawned bushes. Filling the air with a strong fossile stench.

But even as he looked over the wilderness with veneration, Michael did not show it any respect. Always scanning it with his bestial senses in hopes of picking up any passing creatures.

'Damn, why can't I ever find something? Have I become like a natural insect repellent only for animals?'

His face formed into a begrudging frown. Showcasing the discontent with this sudden turn in his progress.

"Let me check Winter's map again..."

However, even with a visible yet light anger, Michael carefully stroked one hand over his index finger. Caressing a set of white runes embeded in the skin, which then emitted a weak silver light as a response. Sending out a rolled up, blue sheet of paper into his beastly hand belonging to the [Czar Beastlord].

"Now, let's see here..."

He flickered it open with one of his dark fingers. Pulling on the fabric with the innate resistance generated whenever one of his nails skimmed past it.

It slowly unfolded before his slit yellow pupils. Displaying it's hidden content with a cooperative response. And on the rough paper, holding the texutre of leather, same in size as a large textbook, laid a clear painting.

It contained one massive brown and green rock. Filling in most of the space available, yet leaving the edges outlined by a blue halo which coiled around it like a serpent. Most likely representing the surrounding sea.

As for the rock, or rather, the shrunken image supposedly representing the human continent, was split up into five portions. Unevenly cut appart with a bunch of haggard lines. Symbolizing the borders set between the pieces of land or as he was told, "territories" .

Meanwhile, the remaining content mostly consisted of several small boxes of text, randomly jumbled across the entire fabric like a dead colony of ants. Naming every single town and village that would appear on ones journey.

"It's a little hard to read. However, with my vision, such minor tasks do not even come close to a challenge."

he kept going over the map like a hawk. Setting his sight on a dark red dot appearing inside the greenest territory, found closest to the blue ring flowing around the outer layer. It symbolizing his own position like a high-tech GPS.

"Just as I expected. Torvel, the place I currently reside within lies closest to the sea. So the further I get to the center, or the other side of the map, the more prosperous the surroundings will get?"

'Should I mabye head out to the coastline and see how the seafood of this world tastes? Nah, let's save that for when I go visit the other continents.'

Torvel was most certainly the less developed part of this world, as most of it was covered in the eternal forest birthed from the remains of Cernunnos. The fallen nature god which Jenkins had told him about. Slaying in battle against an unkown foe.

However, these lingering contemplations about the origin of this rainforest sized landmass did not remain for long. Quickly fading away while he brought up a more pressing set of thoughts.

'I should hit the border to [Nunel] in a couple of days. This time could likely be cut short by turning into a bird of sorts and fly over. But I really want to find some more bloodlines...'

Michael felt sour whenever he thought about the lack of wildlife appearing in his path. Unable to grasp why this curse followed him.

"You know what? It's whatever. On the map, there is supposedly a town not too far away from me. I can just satisfy my curiosity with whatever livestock they got there..."

'Wait, they might have a have a butcher shop! Oh sweet honey and raindbows, this better be good."

Determination filled his every fiber. Charging him up as he settled out to the texbox resting closest to his position.

However, just as he was about to step forward, he stopped. Remembering a crucial detail he almost forgot.

"Dammit! I can't just wander in looking like some noble monster now, can I?"

His thoughts ran at full speed, finding a solution to his unexpected dispute. But they did not last long. For he managed to find a solution rather quickly, giving him an idea for how to proceed.

In an instant, he sent forth a command originating from the combined forces made up of his mind and body. Balancing the opposing forces into his soul, and wielding them togheter as one. Perfectly synchronizing the three.

This was the procedure to activate his [Spirit]. The invisible field covering every organism. Controlling the size and minor details of ones physique. Granting a minor insurance against external influences that had the potential to make cells rapidly multiply or space up, while also protecting the soul by another layer. Shielding it from energy radiation and [Soul attacks] which had the probability to affect it.

Mortals would usually be unable to use the [Spirit] to morph their body, only every managing to increase in size through the help of painful techniques, rigorous exercise of both it and the body, or through the use of physically enhancing spells. As this medium was rather hard to tap into and control by even the most skilled warrior.

The reason it was so painstakingly difficult to freely manipulate was because it did not encompass ones visual ability alone, being directly influenced by [Rule of three]. The mind, the body and the soul. The seperate factors which made up a three dimensional organism. Only being moldable when gaining an acute discipline and power in each of the them.

[A/N: Will go more detailed through the rule of three later in the story.]

However, accessing it was not that hard for a freak like Michael. For his [Spirit] had been pushed and strengthened to an unfathomable degree several times over by now. All thanks to his promptly bursts of physical and spiritual growth. Making it not only easier to detect, but also turning it relatively malleable.

"HAAA!!"

With one, thunderous roar, resounding through the tightly knit woodland like the bellow of a prideful lion, he activated it.Causing the red fur on his body to blacken in color and then smoothen out like a shirt. Swiftly moving over to the next steps the instant he finished. Continuing on as he absorbed parts of his sharp long ears back into his skull and then more well rounded.

The process did not cease even once. Speedily shrinking his body down while grinding his joints togheter. Finally finishing up with a set of grotesque sound emitted from his nails jamming themselves down into his nail roots.

This procedure was definitely excruciatingly painful. But it clearly yielded some promising results. Granting Michael with with his young, average facial features, black hair, and lean muscular frame. All covered up by a compact black layer of loose hide. Sheltering every body part expect the head, hands and feet.

"Wait! My eyes!"

However, despite his efforts, he remembered one thing thatvwas not so easy to tangle with. That being his black viscera and vertically slit pupils. Giving him the look of a possessed psychopath.

"This is taxing work for only a presentable appearence... They better have pizza in this world, or someone's gonna have their bloodline purged!"

Clearly, the agitation left behind by his incapacity to find new sources of power kept affecting his mood. But even so, he exhaled once to calm himself down. Proceeding with a solution for his visual problem.

"System, show me the [chimera] ability description."

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[Chimera: Fuse and manifest the power of all genetic strands and bloodlines which reside within your body. Greatly magnifying your power. Works as both a skill and an innate power.]

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The netrual voice shot into his brain like a sizzling spark generated from a shorting circuit. Imprinting itself in his mind like a stained piece of dried cloth.

"Which bloodline has the most 'human-like' eyes?"

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[The [Recusant Condor] and [Devil badger]'s vicera, iris and pupils hold the closest similarities.]

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[Does host wish for Blue or Orange Irises?]

.

"Just give me blue. I would seem less threatening that way, as humans tend to subconsciously calm down whenever they see that color."

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[Chimera Activated!]

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And with his answer, both eyes morphed. Turning light blue, or a darker azure color. These new set of pearls residing in his sockets not only finished the presentable transformation, but also granted him with a peculiar gaze. It left him with the distant feel of a gentle boy, yet the direct glare of a carnivorous bird.

His vision even seemed to adjust to the change, getting more farsighted and accurate. Allowing him to unexpectedly follow the smallest droplets of moisture crawling down from the surrounding bushes and leaves. Even managing to make out the plants vascular tissue which transported nutrients through its body. Shaped in the form of a spiney set of veins.

The enhanced sense of perception greatly surprised him. Easing his indifferent anger with an evil chuckle born out from the natural satisfaction generated whenever he learned something new.

"Fascinating. But if I remember correctly, there still is one problem. Did Jenkins not once say that I exluded something similar to a beastly aura?"

This last step was the only thing he didn't manage to change. However, it did not bother him much. Just making him grunt a little while twitching his pink cheeks. Inhaling a cluster of fresh air reeking with the hint of a vegetarian grass smoothie. Turning to regain his netrual mood.

"Well, a bunch of trash shouldn't be able to unravel my disguise. Time to go!"

Michael then curled his map into a pillar of fabric while examining the now visible silver ring resting on his finger. Pricking it with one of the knuckles belonging to the other occupied hand. Pulling out the [Vered Panther Robe] Jenkins had got for him when they were still at the Bell academy. Whirling it around his entire frame like a carpet, and letting the black and red cope drape down to his shins. Giving him the look of a traveling pilgrim. Or perhaps a beggar depending on the person's point of view.

Anyhow, as he was now fully equipped to communicate with other people, an exploiting grin eched itself over his moist red lips. Flashing into the surrounding space alongside a mellow chant he nefariously whispered. Gliding out from in between his milky white teeth, and slipping into the atmosphere like an abused kite.

"Innate ability: Sky Stride!"

From within the insides of his body, residing within the nucleus of his cells, and even reaching down to the remote location where his mitochondria layed, the stored DNA of the [Pulsar Deer] flared up. Undeniably stimulated from his will.

As this genetic information was exerted, the very essence of it's structure intuitively integrated into Michael's bloodstream. Branching out through his mutated genome which was constructed by the power fragments previously bound to the fallen origin gods. Merging with it whilst answering his expended desire.

And just then, in the outside world, Michael felt a powder-like substance secrete from his pores. Leaving his skin, and petruding from his body like of visible aura. Manifesting in the form of a translucent blue cloak of fire, and curling around his figure like a giant python. Almost turning him into a poltergeist swallowed by the luster of a holy photogenic light.

The brilliance it defused gave it a similar appearance to stardust. However, it would be more accurate to describe it as a sentient cloud of glitter, warmly embracing his entire figure like a loving mother.

He glared at the twinkling particles with an astonished and thrilled expression. After all, his vision was much better now. Making him more susceptible to the virtuosity released by each lustrous blue grain.

Sadly, Michael did not manage to witness how the radiating dust cloud blended into his predatory blue irises, and imparting him with the presence of an extraterrestrial.

"This is truly magnificent...."

He tried rasing one of his engulfed hands to see how the stardust would react. And to his suprise, it loyally followed every movement made by his limb. Sticking onto it like dried glue. Even sending out a rainbow of blue neon to trail behind. Slowly dispersing like a waterfall of shimmering ash raining down from above. Outshining even the natural rays emitted from the sun.

'Whenever I feel these sparkles of dust dance over me, I gain this feeling of weightlessness. As if my body temporarily severs it's connection to this world's gravitational pull.'

Michael stood there for a couple of seconds. Engraving and adjusting to the aura of freedom now strung to his body.

"Good! Now, time to..."

However, just as he finished adapting to this new foreign state, the silver ring coiled around his left indext finger started to tremble. Shaking like a hut exposed to an earthquake.

"What the hell?!"

He felt the sudden wave of violent vibrations run from the depths of the magical metal and down into his finger. Quaking against the bones of his hand, and threatening to rupture his blood vessels.

Although his body had been greatly enhanced by now, this was a somewhat agonizing to so abruptly be subjected to. Engraving a deep frown on Michael's face, and making him spit out in bewilderment.

"Did I do something?"

However, as he contemplated about wethever he had broken it or not, it suddenly gave of a weak silver light. Evident that something was being retrieved from it.

'Jesus christ.....did I perhaps break it by accident?'

But Michael was only able to watch as the shorting spark of light dissipated. Presenting him with the item that had caused the painful tremors to attack his finger.

"What the hell?!"

Before his figure, hovering over the palm of his hand, stood a mighty and gorgeous rose with petals in the shape of stag antlers. It brimmed with a powerful life force, flowing over Michael's skin like hot water, and empowering the surrounding plant life with it's very presence.

This was the [Horned rose]. Michael had put it in his storage ring after having forcefully burst appart it's previous contianer. Finding no other way to safely transport it other than with this method.

He didn't really know why it acted up, and as so, he just tried to throw it back into the ring. Reaching out to it with one of his hands engulfed by the aura of stardust.

"Sorry, but you'll have to stay there until I find a better place to put you."

But just as he came into contact with the rough, thorny vine of the majestic flower, he was once more left surprised.

The moment he graced it with both his and the glimmering neon flame, the rose innately gave of a shiver. Radiant out a green glow before turning into a flickering golden powder. Entering Michael's body through the tip of his fingers. Being absorbed through his membrane like cold water poured into a dry patch dirt. Synchronizing with the beat of his heart, and integrating with the DNA of the magical deer.

Both appaled by the turn of events, and thrown into an aghast state from the flower's disappearance, Michael was left stare in awe as he was unable to find any logical reason behind what had happened. Going over to carefully examine his body, and starting to look for probable reasons for the flower's reaction.

'Was it mabye due to the Pulsar Deer's innate ability?'

However, despite his thoughts, he could never be completely certain about something he did not have documented evidence of. Leaving him with only some hypotheses to comfort himself with.

"Whatever... I will make sure to look further into this later. There doesn't even seem to be any physical or spiritual changes, so I'll just go."

And with his mind settled, Michael accurately turned his gaze towards a specific direction. Proceeding to tighten the muscles in his legs, and swiftly depart from his current location. Flying off into the horizon like a falling star streaking through the empty void. Unbound by the fabric of space.