Chapter 154 - Giant Rat

*snap*

A snap reverberated around the area, sound ways bouncing off the trees and creating echoes throughout the woods. Simultaneously, a dark blue fire burst out of nowhere, engulfing the remaining corpses and swallowing them whole.

*Sigh*

I let out a single sigh while watching the first dissipate while listening to the constant *ding*'s ringing in my ears and appearing in my retinas.

The only one I left alive was the single woman who was holding onto her life by the thread of a string.

A flash of contempt shone within my eyes as I looked at her, however, I did not finish the job. I simply could not be bothered with something that was so much weaker than me. To me, she was just an insect, and if anything, she would be a good way for me to send a message.

"Attack me and you will die"

The message was simple and depending on the person bringing it, it would also be effective. However, looking at how pathetic she was, she probably wouldn't send much of a message. At most, she would give the enemy an idea of my power and maybe allow him to rethink his strategy. At the same time, letting her live was a gamble. while yes she might be useful in the future, chances are that the moment she gives up all the information, she would instantly be eliminated.

"Oh well," I shrugged carelessly and walked away from the sight before sprinting towards my clone.

5 Minutes Later

*Clang* *Boom*

I watched with a stupified expression as the close I had left behind clashed with an advanced ranked beast.

While yes, I might have the power of a Mid-Liquidus stage fighter, I could not say the same about the clone. Evidence of this was presented right in front of my eyes as I watched it getting bashed around like a ragdoll, slowly being destroyed.

"Didn't I tell it to inform me if anything happened" my eye twitched

[Seems like the portion of your soul that you gave it is just as stupid and stubborn as you are] Analysis retorted

'Ouch dude!'

[...]

In the same instant, the clone had its head smashed and splattered onto the floor, turning back into its core elements and leaving nothing but a pool of water (Blood) and smashed dirt (head).

'Tragic, don't you think?'

[I would agree but at the same time, I'd like to inform you that the two children are the next targets who I estimate will die within the next 15-50 seconds depending on the giant rat's mood unless you step in.]

'Ah crap' My eyes widened as I had completely forgotten I probably should be protecting the two shuddering children.

'DO think it would better if I were to save them straight away, or right after just act like their knight in shining armor' I asked

[I literally could not care less]

'Ugh' and in the same breath, I appeared in front of the giant rat and clocked my arm back while surrounding my fist with blue flames. Simultaneously, a flame appeared at the back of the elbow, charging up like a rocket getting ready to shoot into space.

*Boom*

And in the blink of an eye, the one clocked back fist shot forwards at speeds beyond the capabilities of the naked eye, its movement being but a flash of light to everyone but myself. The next second, as if the arm had teleported, it smashed right through the head of the giant rat splattering its brain particles all around the area and leaving nothing but a headless body and an afterimage of my arm before it short forwards.

Before the kids could even relax, the body was engulfed in flames once again and disappeared in the same second, falling victim to my flames of gluttony.

'Might have over done it' My smile twitched as a looked at the scorch march on the ground where not even ashes were left. Right behind the scorch marks were a tunnel of scorched ground, trees, and bush that had opened up a passageway that grew increasingly smaller as it got further away from the area of impact.

"I-Is it d-dead?" Asked the boy as the girl looked at me wearingly while pushing the boy into a tighter hug closer to her chest, as if she was protecting him.

'I feel like she thinks I am more dangerous than the rat' My eyebrow twitched

[I wouldn't be surprised. Less than an hour ago you were thinking of doing to her the same thing you did to that other poor woman... She did not deserve that tsk tsk]

'Weren't you the one who told me to go for her instead?' I roared inside my mind while my expression behind the mask started to become increasingly more agitated.

[Me?! How dare you accuse me of such filth! I am not that kind of person, instead, I was simply telling you the better and much safer option since I could not stop you anyway.]

I could feel as if the robotic voice in my head was grinning smugly at my misfortune, making me promise that if one day it does get a body of its own whether that is in my mind or in real life, I would smash its face in until it starts begging for mercy under the sole of my foot.

Finally, I glanced at the boy who I had deemed as stupid from the moment I had met him and replied "What do you think child? Tell me, do you think those ashes will reanimate themselves to kill you? Oh wait, there are no ashes of the little rat, are there?"

Immediately, the kid started crying making the girl exude a tiny amount s of killing intent before pointing it towards me. However, instead of feeling the killing intent surround me or attack me, I could feel it slowly seeping into my body and disappearing, as if it had tried to fill a bottomless bucket.

'Hmm?' I raised a brow, but in the same moment, another 'ding' came out of nowhere and some text appeared in my vision.

[Would you like to combine the skills -All-consumption- and -Eyes of consumption and redirection-?]