Arifureta: Dark Lord

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The twin-tailed wolves closed in on Reiji, forming a tight circle that entrapped him, their predatory instincts honed and ready to strike. 

Despite the fact that Reiji's skill, {Dark Lord's Haki}, had diminished effects on these formidable creatures, a subtle sense of intimidation and unease still emanated from them.

Taking center stage, the Alpha wolf unleashed a chilling howl that reverberated through the air, its haunting echo instilling fear in those who heard it. 

The three wolves encircling Reiji growled with malevolent intent, their tails rigidly standing on end, crackling with an ominous surge of electricity. 

It was evident that this was their magic at work. With a bone-chilling roar, the wolves released bolts of lightning, hurtling them toward Reiji with deadly precision. With swift agility, Reiji propelled himself into the air, evading the onslaught of lightning bolts. 

His body contorted in mid-air, hanging upside down as if defying gravity, his eyes never leaving the group of wolves below. He maintained a vigilant gaze, meticulously analyzing their every move. 

Within the confines of the Labyrinth, the creatures lurking were akin to primal animals, governed by their own characteristics, habits, habitats, and rules. Survival was the name of the game in this treacherous realm, where the strong reigned supreme, devouring the weak without remorse. 

Reiji had grown weary of his own weakness, driven by the relentless hunger that gnawed at his very being. To escape its clutches, he knew he had to confront these creatures head-on, to kill and consume them in order to sustain his own existence. 

The desire to live propelled him forward, fueling his determination to grow stronger and eradicate anything that stood in his way. Seizing the opportunity presented by Reiji's aerial maneuver, the Alpha wolf's tail stiffened, becoming a conduit for crackling lightning. 

Its howl reverberated through the air as it unleashed a potent thunderbolt aimed directly at Reiji, its accuracy honed with deadly precision. The intensity of the attack surpassed that of its companions, holding the potential to inflict even greater harm.

With his eyes fixed upon the incoming attack, Reiji swiftly adjusted his posture, contorting his body upright. He cupped his hands together, drawing them close to his side, as he concentrated his mana into a single point. 

Gathering his mana, Reiji channeled it through his hands and concentrated it into a condensed ball of swirling purple and black energy. As the wolf's attack grew nearer, Reiji uttered, "Dark Pulse.” 

Instantly, a swirling beam of malevolent energy, a fusion of ominous purple and black, surged forth in a straight line toward the approaching lightning bolt. The collision of forces erupted in a spectacular display of power. 

The dark pulse collided with the lightning bolt, causing a violent explosion that illuminated the surrounding area. The crackling energy filled the air, momentarily blinding the wolf's vision. When the blinding light faded, they beheld the aftermath.

The remnants of the wolf's attack dissipated into the atmosphere, leaving behind only a lingering trace of electricity in the air. However, Reiji was nowhere to be found. Though the Alpha felt a sense of relief, his instincts still couldn't shake the underlying feeling of wariness.

At that very moment, thick and billowing tendrils of shadowy mist emerged from the ground, gradually engulfing the surroundings in an ethereal shroud. The mist clung to every surface, draping over rocks and structures with eerie grace, casting an enigmatic veil over the area.

Within the swirling mist, faint whispers echoed, their eerie voices carrying an unsettling message that seemed to come from all directions. The whispers twisted and distorted, making it impossible to decipher their origin. 

Meanwhile, the silhouettes of shadowy figures spread and danced amidst the mist, their forms resembling human figures lurking in the darkness.

As the mist thickened, the sound of quick footsteps reverberated through the air. It was as if unseen entities were moving swiftly and stealthily, their presence felt but their forms obscured by the mist. 

The wolves, once fierce and confident, now found themselves disoriented and confused. Their keen senses were compromised by the disorienting whispers and the wafting tendrils of mist. Before, fear could grip their hearts, the Alpha howled from within the mist.  

As the wolves’ key to survival was their cooperation, the members of a pack all shared a peculiar link with each other. It wasn’t as straightforward as telepathy, but they were basically able to tell what the rest of their pack was doing and where they were. 

However, the mist ensnared those caught within its grasp, leaving them disoriented and vulnerable. 

Sounds became muffled as if swallowed by the ethereal void, while the only audible presence was the haunting echo of footsteps and the eerie whispers that whispered into their ears. Hearing footsteps approaching, the wolf's instinct surged, propelling it into high alert. 

Without hesitation, it invoked its magic skill, {Lightning Field}, generating a small area of electrified energy around itself, forming a protective shield. Electricity crackled and danced within the confined space, creating a small terrain.

But the mist persisted, swirling and encroaching upon the wolf's domain. It crept closer, tendrils of darkness extending and weaving through the air. The once-visible steps vanished, consumed by the ethereal mist that brushed against the wolf's fur and obscured its keen eyes. 

The atmosphere grew heavy with an unsettling presence, as if unseen eyes were watching from within the shadowy depths.

The wolf's instincts heightened its senses on high alert. It knew that something malevolent lurked within the mist, something that posed a threat to its very existence. With a low growl, it prepared itself for the impending confrontation, ready to defend itself.

"You seem wary of something," a voice whispered beside the wolf, its breath gently caressing its fur. The wolf froze in place, its body turning rigid like a statue, no longer daring to glance back in fear of the consequences that may befall it should it act rashly.

Slowly, a figure materialized from within the swirling mist, revealing Reiji, now adorned in blood-soaked clothing that clung to his body. A cruel smile adorned his face as he locked his gaze on the wolf and asked, “Would you mind showing what it is?”

With a sense of fear, the wolf hastily retreated, its eyes filled with trepidation, sensing the malevolence emanating from Reiji. As the creature scurried away, Reiji stood in silence, watching with his expression cold and devoid of emotion. 

The swirling mist gradually dissipated, revealing the macabre aftermath. Laid out around the area were the mangled corpses of the wolves, their lifeless bodies twisted in grotesque positions. Blood stained the ground, merging with the earth in a sinister display.

The stillness in the air was palpable, disrupted only by the distant echoes of Reiji's footsteps as he began to walk amongst the carnage. ‘I have plans for him later,’ Reiji thought as he grabbed one of the wolves and threw him over his shoulders. 

Grasping Divinity Stone from the ground, Reiji exhaled with a tinge of annoyance. His negligence had left him with no clear plan for securing a safe place to eat and rest. 

Frustration gnawed at his thoughts as he retraced his steps, heading back towards the cave where he had sought temporary refuge.

Unbeknownst to him, a malevolent presence lurked in the shadows of the corridor, its growls reverberating through the air.

***

After completing his well-crafted dugout, Reiji took the necessary precautions by casting an illusion to deceive any lurking monsters. Additionally, he fortified his surroundings with a conjured earth wall, serving as a defensive measure. 

"Finally, I have some food," Reiji exclaimed with a hint of contentment. Carefully peeling the fur from the animal carcass, he conjured a small flame above his finger to ignite the fur, creating a modest fire for cooking the meat. 

The small hole in the ceiling served as a makeshift chimney, allowing the smoke to escape, while the Divinity Stone continued to generate Ambrosia, replenishing his supply.

Driven by his ravenous hunger, Reiji embarked on a gruesome feast, tearing into the flesh of the fallen beasts. Bathed in the eerie green glow of the crystals, he appeared as a macabre figure, consumed by his insatiable appetite. 

Despite his curses and disdain for the taste, he voraciously devoured the wolf, embodying the primal instincts of the creature he had just slain.

"Gah... tastes like shit!" he spat in frustration, yet his fervor for the meal remained undeterred. His focus was solely on satisfying his gnawing hunger. 

The meat proved tough and sinewy, the fresh blood constricting his throat, but he tore at it relentlessly, swallowing each morsel with a twisted satisfaction. 

It had been two long weeks since he had last tasted the food, and his famished stomach protested against the sudden influx of flesh, resisting its consumption.

Yet, Reiji disregarded his rebellious stomach, unbothered by its protests. He continued to devour the wolf, his appearance growing increasingly feral. To any modern human, his current form would be repulsive and abhorrent. 

The raw and repugnant odor of the meat brought tears to his eyes, but to Reiji, the food provided relief from his excruciating hunger, rendering such minor discomforts inconsequential. The euphoria of the experience surpassed his wildest imagination, and he ate without restraint, hour after hour.

Time slipped away, and still, he persisted in his relentless consumption. Each bite was accompanied by a gulp of Ambrosia, a sacred drink of the Holy Church that, had they known, would have left the priests faint with shock at the barbarity of his meal.

However, as he neared the point of satiation, Reiji began to sense a subtle change occurring within his body. 

"Aaaah! Gah! Agaaaah!" Reiji writhed in excruciating pain as if something was devouring him from within. The torment intensified with each passing moment, driving him to the edge of his sanity.

"Guaaaaaaaah!!! Wh-What's... Gaaaaaaah!!!" The agony was unbearable, surpassing the previous hunger pangs, physical trauma, and psychological trauma he had endured. Prostrate on the ground, he screamed in terror, his body convulsing uncontrollably.

The pain gnawed at him relentlessly, as if attempting to consume him from the inside out. In a desperate attempt to find relief, Reiji crawled towards a bowl of Ambrosia, his trembling hands grasping it and gulping down its contents.

The potent Ambrosia worked its magic, momentarily alleviating the pain. However, before long, the torment returned with even greater intensity. "Hiii... Gugaaaaaah! Why... won't it heal... Gaaaaah!"

With each wave of agony, Reiji felt his body pulsate and throb as if it were transforming into one monstrous entity. The creaking sounds echoing within his own flesh only added to his distress.

Yet, as the Ambrosia's healing properties surged through his veins, his body began to repair itself, temporarily offering respite from the torment. But the relief was short-lived, as the pain soon resurfaced, a cruel cycle that trapped him in a never-ending cycle of suffering.

The healing powers of the Ambrosia, intended to be a boon, had become a curse. Reiji screamed incoherently, repeatedly slamming his head against the unforgiving wall in a futile attempt to escape the unrelenting agony. But the pain showed no mercy, refusing to subside.

Gradually, Reiji's body underwent a transformation, undergoing a metamorphosis induced by relentless pain. The once-black locks of his distinctly Korean hair lost their color, slowly turning a ghostly white. 

His muscles and bones grew, giving him a more toned and formidable appearance. Unbeknownst to him, crimson veins coursed through his body, a testament to the transformed mana within.

This phenomenon of overcompensation, reminiscent of the body's response to muscle training, pushed Reiji's physical limits. Each cycle of destruction and repair forced his body to evolve at an unnatural pace, akin to a rebirth. 

His frail human form was forcibly molded into something stronger, each agonizing scream becoming a herald of his transformation.

Finally, the searing pain receded, leaving Reiji slumped on the ground. His once-dark hair was now a snowy white, and beneath his garments, a mix of amethyst and black veins pulsated with mana's sinister energy, marking the irreversible changes that had taken hold.

Gradually lifting himself from the ground, Reiji flexed his fists, reassuring himself of his survival. With a wry smile, he muttered, "In hindsight, I wasn't supposed to consume monster meat... How foolish of me…”

“But then again, I wouldn't have lasted much longer without food..." Exhaustion weighed heavily upon him, and he couldn't help but display a self-deprecating smile.

His once insatiable hunger had subsided, and the agonizing pain that had plagued his body was now a distant memory. 

For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Reiji experienced a sense of freedom from suffering. Surprisingly, his body felt light and brimming with power.

Despite the mental exhaustion caused by the constant torment, he felt a profound sense of well-being. His gaze shifted to his arm, then down to his stomach, revealing prominently sculpted muscles. Though still lean, his physique appeared more compact and defined.

Moreover, he had undergone a noticeable growth spurt. Standing at an original height of 5'8 ft, he now towered at 6'1 ft.

"What has happened to my body? I feel... different," Reiji pondered aloud. It wasn't merely a physical transformation; there was an unfamiliar sensation permeating his being. 

It was a peculiar blend of warmth and coldness, defying description. When he focused his attention, a mixture of dark and amethyst veins would surface on his arm.

"Interesting," Reiji remarked, his gaze fixated on the enigmatic veins. Retrieving his Status Plate from his pocket, Reiji carefully examined it for any signs of change.

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Recent Status

Name; Reiji Sukehiro — Age: 17 — Male — Level: 9

Job: Dark Lord

Strength: 370

Vitality: 300

Defense: 240

Agility: 370

Magic: 410

Magic Defense: 220

Skills: Language Comprehension, Physical Resistance, Dark Magic Efficiency, Spear Proficiency, Darkness Affinity, Darkness Manipulation, Spell Melding, Increased Mana Recovery, Stealth, [+Image Composition], Necromancy, Shadow Manipulation, Detect Presence, Detect Magic, Dark Lords Haki, [+Mana Manipulation], [+Tri Elemental Affinities], Iron Stomach, Lightning Field.

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The newfound skills and substantial surge in stats were undeniably a pleasant surprise, but it paled in comparison to the gift bestowed upon him by that enigmatic entity.

A gleeful grin spread across Reiji's face as he meticulously examined the information presented before him. 

"{Spell Melding}," he mused, his voice laced with excitement. "What a truly extraordinary gift bestowed upon me."