As the silver blur got closer, Koda realised that it was in fact, the Echo that he had devoured!
It was somehow still within his soul sea despite being seemingly destroyed.
Apparently it wasn’t destroyed after all.
Stroking the wolf’s head, he noticed two other things floating around his Soul Sea, two floating orbs.
He could see them.
These were his Memories.
He saw the Explosive Grasp and what appeared to be Famine’s Requiem, which was a large, dark meat cleaver with pulsing red veins beneath the blackened metal.
Koda could sense something deep within that he couldn’t yet access.
And so, he ignored it and was pulled out of his Soul Sea by the voice of the Spell.
[Awakening Aspect Ability…] “Here we go…” Koda muttered.
Supreme Aspect or not, his ability could still be useless, he needed something that could aid him in combat.
Sure, utility or healing could be cool too, but he was far more interested in combat.
[Aspect Ability acquired.] [Aspect Ability name: Devour.] “Of course, what does it do!” Koda quickly asked, hurriedly summoning his runes to check out what he could do.
Name : Koda.
True Name : — Rank : Dreamer.
Soul Core : Dormant.
Devoured : [Unhinged Wolf] Koda froze and studied this last line for a moment.
“Devoured?
This is new.
I’m not sure this is standard, perhaps it’s unique to my Aspect?
That’s cool!” But he was confused on why this was here, would it change as he grew stronger?
He had no idea and so he had to just forget about it for the time being.
Memories: [Explosive Grasp], [Famine’s Requiem].
Echoes : — Attributes : [Endless Gut], [Predatory Frame], [Unhinged Maw].
Koda froze again, confused.
“Wait… what?
Did [Strong Gut] change?
And where did [Predatory Frame] come from?
What is this… what happened?” He asked, quickly checking out what these new attributes could do.
[Endless Gut] Attribute Description: [Your body can digest any substance safely.
Toxins, rot, infections and spoiled matter do not affect you.] Koda nodded in approval, not much changed.
It just seemed like a better version of [Strong Gut] so he wasn’t mad.
Then he checked out the other new one.
[Predatory Frame] Attribute Description: [Consumed Matter temporarily enhances your physical capabilities.] “Woah… that’s sick!
Awesome, that’s really good.
Especially if I bite someone’s arm off mid battle, I’d get even stronger!” He grinned.
But he had more important matters to attend to.
His aspect ability.
He continued reading.
Aspect: [Devouring Vessel.] Aspect Rank: Supreme.
Aspect Abilities: [Devour].
Aspect Ability Description: [You can consume any substance.
Your body reduces all that is eaten into nourishment, no matter how vile.
Your teeth can rend and tear through anything of your Rank or lower.] “Huh… I mean, this seems pretty much the same as before.
But now I can get nourishment from what I eat?
Does it heal me?
And my teeth can rend anything of my Rank or lower… is that enhanced by [Unhinged Maw]?
That would be great.” He mused, not particularly mad at his first ability, especially since food was apparently scarce in the dream realm and nightmares, he’d be able to just eat anything.
Rocks, mud, metal or even people.
But then, a new set of runes appeared just below it.
At the same time, The Spell’s voice resounded in the endless black void.
At that exact moment, Koda felt a gut wrenching pain rip through his stomach.
He held his stomach and turned pale.
“What… the fuck.” He coughed as he listened to the Spell.
[All power has a price.] [You have received a Flaw.] [Your Flaw is: Bottomless Hunger.] His eyes widened in horror as he read the runes describing what his flaw did.
Flaw: Bottomless Hunger.
Flaw Description: You are forever starving.
No matter how much you consume, you will never truly feel satiated.
Koda gripped his stomach and growled.
“Well… shit.” He said, staring at the lines describing his flaw.
The spell was usually quite frivolous and expressional with its descriptions.
But this seemed pretty straight to the point.
He grit his teeth, trying to ignore the agonising pain in his stomach.
“So, the spell gives me the potential to eat anything and everything.
But of course now it doesn’t even matter that I can eat anything, because I’ll never feel relieved!
Bastard…” he shook his head in disbelief.
Taking deep breaths, he slowly became able to somewhat ignore it.
Obviously it took all of his focus and he most likely wouldn’t be able to ignore it during battle or while focusing on something else.
Koda grabbed his head.
“How am I supposed to do anything?!” He groaned, but at that moment, the Spell spoke again.
[Wake up, Koda!] The black void spun and disappeared.
Koda opened his eyes with a gasp.
The first thing Koda felt when he got back to the waking world was an endless hunger.
It hit him with such force that he nearly doubled over before he had even fully opened his eyes.
His stomach felt hollow.
Empty.
Wrong.
Every instinct in his body screamed at him to eat something immediately.
Anything!
He needed to eat!
For several seconds, he could only sit there breathing heavily while trying to understand what was happening.
Then he realized he couldn’t see.
Black smoke filled the room.
The dense haze drifted through the air in slow currents, thick enough that the far wall of his bedroom was completely hidden from view.
Koda immediately tensed up.
The memory of the Nightmare was still fresh in his mind.
Was he still there?
His pulse quickened.
Then a familiar voice drifted through the smoke.
“Oh good.
You’re awake.” Koda turned toward the sound.
A tall figure leaned casually against a wall, one boot crossed over the other while a cigar glowed faintly in the darkness.
Master Gabriel!
The older man took a drag before slowly exhaling.
The smoke from his mouth merged seamlessly with the rest of the room.
His turquoise eyes studied Koda for a moment before a grin appeared beneath his scruffy beard.
“Damn.” Koda frowned.
“What?” He asked.
Gabriel pointed lazily.
“Them claws.” Koda blinked.
“My… claws?” He mumbled, looking down at his hands.
“They look badass.” Koda stared at him, secretly agreeing.
For a few seconds neither spoke.
Then Gabriel shrugged.
“What?
Thought you’d appreciate the compliment.” He said before taking another drag of his cigar.
Only then did Koda notice the room wasn’t still.
The smoke wasn’t drifting randomly.
It was moving ever so slowly, ever so deliberately, like it was alive.
A chill ran down his spine.
“Wait… What’s going on?” Gabriel’s grin widened.
He lowered his cowboy hat with a chuckle.
“Funny story.” He said, looking around.
The Master pushed himself away from the wall.
“Some crazy bitch tried to kidnap you or something, lucky you’re paying me top cash or else… I might’ve let you go.” He laughed.
Koda froze.
“…What?” He didn’t think anyone would kidnap him?
Why would they even want to?
He was just a random kid with a decent amount of money.
The older man sighed.
“Yeah.” Gabriel scratched his beard.
“Walked in here like she owned the place.” The smoke shifted.
For the first time, Koda noticed another silhouette standing across the room.
It was a tall woman, standing calmly.
The smoke obscured most of her features, but he could make out the faint gleam of a sword.
His stomach tightened.
Something about her felt dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
As her appearance became easier to see, Koda had to admit she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
She was a woman wearing simple civilian clothes, with a pale scar crossing her otherwise gorgeous face.
Despite the scar, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.
The woman glanced toward him.
Then back toward Gabriel.
“So this is the child?” Her voice was calm, almost disappointed.
“At least he looks the part.” She said as she glanced at his hands and feet.
Gabriel chuckled.
“Kid’s got a name.” “I wasn’t asking you.” She snapped.
The cowboy instantly responded.
“Good, cuz I wasn’t answering.” The grin never leaving his face.
The woman remained silent for several moments.
Then she slowly drew her sword.
The sound of steel leaving its sheath echoed through the room.
For some reason, Koda immediately felt nervous.
Not because of the weapon.
Because of the sound.
The moment the blade emerged, the room seemed to vibrate.
Gabriel’s expression didn’t change.
But Koda noticed him straighten slightly.
The older Master flicked away his cigar.
The glowing ember vanished into the darkness.
“Normally I’d have to babysit the kid while dealing with you.” His turquoise eyes shifted briefly toward Koda.
“Which would’ve been annoying.” Koda frowned.
“Babysit?” “Is that not what I’m being paid for?” He asked, glancing back at Koda briefly.
“That’s not—” Gabriel ignored him.
The grin returned.
Only now Koda understood why.
The smile wasn’t relaxed anymore.
This psycho was excited.
“Thankfully.” Black smoke poured from beneath Gabriel’s boots.
The haze filling the room thickened instantly.
His outline blurred.
Then it partially disappeared.
“Now that you’re awake…” The smoke rolled across the floor like a sentient being.
“…I can stop holding back.” “But I only paid you to protect me during the nightmare!” Koda hurriedly mentioned, extremely worried.
The man glanced back and chuckled.
“This one’s on me.” The woman raised her sword.
A clear ringing sound echoed through the room.
At the same time, Gabriel’s smoke whipped and stirred around him and he clutched the revolver at his hip.
And Koda suddenly realized he was about to witness what a battle between Masters looked like, just moments after entering the world of The Spell.
does Master Gabriel have this in the bag, or will Koda get kidnapped?