Chapter 142: A Delectable Treasure

He reached Grade 3 Awakened a few hours ago and he still couldn't use the flag post, so it was not counted as surpassing himself.

"Are you going to return to the world of living?"

"No, I'll grind some stats until the skill forcefully revives me."

Neo left the mansion.

He entered the forest.

The place was empty.

He did not find any monsters.

"It was the same last time. Is this place supposed to be always empty?"

Neo doubted it.

Forest of All Beginnings was where the souls appeared after their death in the world of living.

It should've been filled with monsters, Grim Reapers, and souls.

Suddenly, he sensed a monstrous presence.

His heart froze with dread.

The presence was like a giant demon covering the sky.

"It's neither a soul or a monster…

"What is it?"

The presence was dangerous. However, it did not feel 'alive'.

Neo moved towards the presence.

Closing onto it, he climbed the trees and hid in them to scout the surroundings.

"What the fuck?"

Neo doubted the scene before his eyes. Sёarᴄh the Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The forest was crushed as if a giant being stepped on it.

A massive depression formed in the centre of the destroyed region.

Hundreds of monsters surrounded the place.

"The monsters were gathered here."

They were trying to enter the destroyed forest.

The thick aura of death radiating from it killed them as soon as they stepped close.

"These monsters all are different species. Why aren't they fighting amongst themselves?"

It was different from the usual behavior of the monsters.

"Is there something inside that place?"

Neo stretched his senses.

Doing so made him visible to the monsters.

They ignored him and kept trying to enter the destroyed forest.

…!?

Neo stiffened.

After reaching Adept-mastery in Death, he gained Death elemental vision and his senses of Death increased.

He could 'smell' the intoxicating scent of death in the air.

There was a treasure in the center of the destroyed forest.

The monsters wanted it.

There was just one problem.

"That's my blood. There is no way I'll mistake the scent of my own God Blood."

Neo's blood, which was at the center of the flattened forest, was the source of rich aroma of death.

"Everything makes sense now. This was why the forest was empty."

Neo recalled the first day he ventured into the forest.

He washed his blood in a river and ended up attracting a giant monster on par with Exalted Demigods.

"There is no way that monster would've left my blood here.

"It probably ended up fighting something else that wanted my blood and lost some of it here."

Goosebumps rose over his skin.

The forest was flattened as far as he could see.

The presence of death lingering in the area was enough to kill an Awakened Demigod as soon as they went close to it.

If the collateral damage caused the entire landscape to change, Neo shuddered to think how the actual battle would've been.

"I better think twice before bleeding when I'm Underworld."

Neo's curiosity was satisfied.

He understood why the forest was empty.

The monsters were trying to devour his blood that was dropped by the giant monster.

The Grim Reapers were busy handling the aftermath at other places, probably.

"This is a good news.

"I can get back some of my God Blood."

The God Blood he lost to the giant monster never returned to him.

He never cared about it before since he did not lose much.

But now, after the contract with Paimon, he was lacking in God Blood.

Neo needed as much of it as possible.

He jumped down from the tree.

A few monsters turned to look at him.

They stared at Neo for a few seconds before returning their focus to the destroyed forest.

Neo walked to the edge of the region.

He could feel the thick presence of Death prickling his skin.

The presence increased as he continued to go inwards.

He tried to resist the Death.

The number of monsters decreased the closer he walked to the centre.

His skin began to crack.

His eyes turned bloodshot.

The Death was overwhelming.

Neo continued forward.

His mastery of Death was not enough to resist the Death lingering in the surroundings.

Blood trickled out of his wounds.

Neo used Darkness to consume the blood he was losing before anyone sensed it.

His bones creaked.

He felt thousands of needles stabbing into his skin.

Neo's eyes remained firm.

He could feel himself reaching the limit when he reached half way towards the centre.

He used Ocean's Embrace and Aura of Darkness to increase his defences.

His Divine Energy pool was disappearing at a frightening pace.

The strain made him feel his innards were being twisted.

Neo was breathing heavily when he reached the centre.

A tiny drop of golden blood was floating in the air.

Four monsters sat around it, absorbing the aura of Death from the droplet of blood.

'That blood is too strong.'

'Did my God Blood mix with the giant's blood?'

'It's the only reason I can think of for the increase in the purity of the blood.'

Neo placed his hand over Obitus when the monsters turned towards him.

The first one looked like a spider. Its entire body is shrouded in a shifting, shadowy mist, making it difficult to see its true form.

The second monster was quadrupedal beast with crystalline body.

The third monster was a humanoid creature as think as his wrists. It had dark ebony skin, jagged horns and long claws.

Their presence was powerful.

They were as strong as Neo.

'It's clear there are working together.'

'I doubt they want to share the blood with a fourth person, so they'll attack me together.'

The corner of Neo's lips rose.

He could finally fight after eons.

His blood boiled with excitement and his hands itched.

The crystalline monster opened its mouth,

"There is no need for you to fight us."

"…?"

"I don't know which region you belong to, but you must be strong if you can resist the Death at this place.