The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods

< Your understanding of Blood Manipulation has increased; You have achieved C Mastery >

After about an hour of intense practice, Karsha managed to push his mastery of Blood Manipulation to C level. That was as far as he could advance for his first day, but it was enough to gain significant control over the blood. He could now create needles the size of a 4-inch nail. While not the ideal weapon, thousands of blood needles attacking simultaneously could be quite formidable.

His control over the blood had improved rapidly; he could now manipulate blood within a 2-kilometer radius. Despite this progress, he was still a long way from mastering the skill at the B level. However, this gap could be closed with practice, especially if he started using the skill on live targets. He refrained from experimenting on the shadow guards, not wanting to violate their trust.

Although he could sense and feel the blood flowing through the guards, he resisted the urge to manipulate it. He was aware that he could use their blood against them with his [Hemokinesis] ability.

For the [Blood Puppetry] ability, he knew that as his control over blood in live targets improved, achieving mastery would be relatively straightforward, much like [Hemostasis]. As for the [Blood Scrying] ability, he hadn't given it much thought yet. He sensed there was more to that ability, so he planned to focus on it once he had settled everything else.

He then retrieved the consumable blood of Bloodfang and consumed it. Thanks to the tempering of his body on the red planet, the pain typically associated with ingesting the blood of snakes had diminished significantly. He relaxed and let the system process the blood.

After thirty minutes, the process concluded, and he opened his eyes. Wiping the invisible sweat from his forehead, Karsha accessed the description of the item he had received from the Unknown Emperor.

< Eternal Bloom Tiara >

Rank: Spiritual Grade

Type: Soul Artifact

-- A weird gift, I know, but the crown is something I couldn't let time wash away. I know it is rudimentary but keep it safe and if one day you find someone worthy, bestow it to her.

Abilities:

[Everlasting Youth]: Grants eternal beauty and youthfulness to the wearer, slowing the effects of time and preserving their vitality.

[Floral Harmony]: Channels the essence of nature, fostering peace and tranquility within the wearer's heart and mind.

[Renewal Aura]: Radiates a healing aura that soothes physical ailments and restores energy, ensuring the wearer's well-being is always maintained.

[This crown was forged by ancient druids as a symbol of eternal love and devotion. The Eternal Bloom Tiara is said to bond with the wearer's soul, becoming a part of their essence.]

Karsha quickly retrieved the tiara from his inventory. The moment his eyes settled on the magnificent masterpiece in his hands, he felt an immediate and profound sense of clarity. All the stress that had been weighing on him seemed to vanish, replaced by an overwhelming urge to sleep.

For the first time since he had been arrested for the alleged murder of his family, Karsha felt a deep sense of peace.

The tiara was silver, and adorned with sugar-sized diamonds that gave it a radiant glow. Three triangular shapes extended from the front, each featuring a differently colored gem. The first was golden, the second blue, and the third green. Each gem represented a unique ability of the tiara.

Karsha held the tiara for a few minutes, absorbing its calming influence before carefully placing it back into his inventory. He allowed his mind to relax further, then absorbed the Monster Core from Bloodfang. Afterward, he stood up, storing the now-cleaned body of the Overlord in his space ring.

He also stored the three venom sacs that the shadow guards had extracted. With everything packed away, he set off from Crimson Canyon, heading toward Mistwood Marsh, the home of his next target, Mistshroud the Coward. Explore more stories at empire

"Alida, don't go too fast; we still have plenty of time. It's only been three days; we've got another 17 days left to kill," Karsha said, trying to savor the moment of calm he was experiencing thanks to the Eternal Bloom Tiara. He wanted to enjoy the tranquility before the chaos of their next mission began.

Alida slowed down the flying boat, complying with Karsha's request. With the serene influence of the tiara still lingering, Karsha allowed himself to relax, soaking in the peace.

After resting for about an hour, Karsha retrieved the Book of Annihilation and accepted the fifth task.

[ Task Accepted ] [ Mistshroud the Coward, also known as the Ghost Snake. This serpent doesn't boast powerful defenses, but it makes up for that with its ability to remain hidden like a literal ghost. It's always lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Engaging it in one-on-one combat is futile, as the snake is too much of a coward to confront you directly. However, it will eventually make its appearance.

If you have a high tolerance for risk, you can use yourself as bait to draw it out and attack when it shows itself. ]

[Name: Mistshroud ]

[Rank: Tier 7 Terror Mutant]

[Title: The Coward]

[Strength: 10,000]

[Defense: 9,200]

[Stamina: 11,000]

[Health: 18,000]

[Speed: 10,000]

[Attack Power: 9,200 ~ 17,200]

Skills:

[Mist Form]: Mistshroud can dissolve into a misty form, becoming intangible and avoiding physical attacks.

[Chill Touch]: Mistshroud's bite induces a supernatural chill, slowing and eventually freezing its prey.

[Fog of War]: Mistshroud can summon a dense fog that obscures vision and dampens sound, creating an environment of confusion and fear.

[Spectral Haunt]: Mistshroud can project eerie, ghostly apparitions to intimidate and distract its enemies. These apparitions are capable of mimicking sounds and movements, causing confusion and fear among opponents.

==============

Weaknesses:

Mist Generators]: Mistshroud's ability to generate mist comes from specialized organs located near its neck. Disabling these organs can strip it of its primary defense, making it easier to kill.

Soft Underbelly]: Like many serpents, Mistshroud's underbelly is not as well-protected. A deep cut along its belly can be fatal.

===============

Reward: [ Ethereal Bloom ]

[Bonus: Kill it within a day for a hidden reward ]

"Tsk, another annoying snake," Karsha muttered, feeling a pang of disappointment. The prospect of facing another snake without much offensive power was hardly exciting. From what he could gather, Mistshroud was going to be a rather mundane opponent—nothing like the intense battles he craved with the Overlords.

"I guess the title 'Coward' suits it very well," he thought, acknowledging that the snake's nature and abilities made it more of a nuisance than a real challenge. The misty, foggy environment of Mistwood Marsh was ideal for stealthy assassins like Ayarr, but it didn't offer the kind of intense confrontation Karsha was after.

What he needed was a formidable opponent who would push him to use his full attack power, and Mistshroud clearly wasn't going to be that adversary. Despite his discontent, Karsha was determined to complete the task quickly and move on to the remaining Overlords. There were still five more challenges awaiting him, and he was eager to face them.

"Dhaka, come get your Avatar," Karsha called out. The avatar he had obtained from killing Bloodfang had, like the previous two, regressed back to Dark Terror. Despite this, it retained all its skills. While this avatar wasn't as powerful as the one he had given to Tifa, it was still a valuable asset.

Dhaka approached with a happy expression as he accepted the avatar. Karsha had decided to pass it on to the shadow guards, knowing that Dhaka's skills and fighting style would benefit greatly from it. Since Karsha couldn't use the Avatar himself to fight the Overlords, it made sense to give it to his allies.

The only Avatar Karsha has with him now is the one he got from the red planet, which happens to be the strongest one he's obtained so far. He's planning to hold on to it for now. Each shadow guard already has one Avatar, so that's sorted. He still needs to get something special for Xian and Elder June, as he promised.

Since they've become his friends, making sure they're strong enough to fend off his enemies is a top priority. Plus, if he plans to pick up a few more herbs from the Lone Garden, giving Xian a powerful Avatar is a good way to win his favor.

"We're here," Alida announced as they reached the borders of Mistwood Marsh. Even from a distance, the murky, foggy air of the forest was visible, filled with hallucinogenic gases. They'd learned their lesson the last time they were here, so they came prepared this time.

"Inhale this whenever you start seeing double," Karsha instructed, handing out an inhaler-type device to the shadow guards. It's a modern medicine he procured from the system, designed to combat the Illusion of Venom in the forest.

Soon, they clashed with the snakes. Tifa turned the ground to ice, preventing them from sinking into the soft, squishy terrain. Her control over ice was flawless. Karsha watched with a happy smile, feeling lucky to have such talented allies—monsters... Beasts... Snake people, cough*.

"See you guys later," Karsha said, blinking away. This time, he only moved a few meters with each blink. He didn't want to end up in the heart of the snake's territory.

"Hello there, Mr. Coward Snake," Karsha called out, his voice echoing through the dense mist. "I heard you're a fan of hiding. Well, I'd really appreciate it if you'd come out so I can wrap this up quickly."

He took the baiting part of his plan seriously, but he underestimated the snake's level of cowardice. Despite his taunts, the snake remained concealed in the murky shadows.

"I guess the Fire Lord was right about you," Karsha continued, his tone dripping with disdain. "You really are a coward."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Still, there was no sign of the snake emerging.

"He died knowing you didn't have what it takes to avenge him. What a pathetic coward," Karsha pressed on, his voice laced with frustration. This time, he noticed a subtle shift in the surroundings—a faint rustle in the mist.

"Gotcha," Karsha smirked, feeling a surge of satisfaction.

"Death Domain!"

"What the hell" Karsha immediately shouted when the domain appeared