Chapter 88—True Death
[ Ding!
—{FutureSelf #10}—
—Level: 147
—Race: Demonic Slime {Rare+}
—Class: Demonic Mage {Rare+}
—Tier: 3 ]
"Hmmm... incredible... his demonic force influenced this slime’s power in this timeline," Vael muttered, glancing at the panel.
The ability was his, so he could view it—just like Slime#47.
"Go ahead. Borrow his power," he continued, tempting—his skill still active.
"Shadow of Tomorrow." Current Young Slime used the sealed artifact ability. His deaths—and the deaths of countless fellow slimes, and cattle—flashed through his eyes.
[ Ding! You have gained full combat prowess of FutureSelf #10! ]
The white staircase began to dissolve as every future slime glanced at the current one with bitter eyes.
Soon, all the slimes vanished—and Slime#47 was thrown back into the middle of the fight.
[ Ding! You have reached level 147! ]
[ Ding! You have gained all combat knowledge, fighting style, and combat skills of FutureSelf #10! ]
"Go ahead... show them," Vael urged, a cunning grin carved across his face.
"Demonic Pulse." Slime#47 unleashed true magic without hesitation.
A black magic rune flared as demonic force compressed into a beam and tore toward the tentacle monster.
Gzz!
The octopus monster roared, "Roar!" Black energy flared around it, and the black flames grew stronger. It wrapped itself with its tentacles, forming a barrier around its body.
Boom!
The beam slammed into the shield, and cracks formed quickly.
Whoosh!
The other two monsters flashed near the tentacle monster and poured their energies into the octopus. Their bodies flared with black energy as their dark flesh started to light up with black flames.
The shield held on, boosted by the energy of its fellow unholy creatures.
"Black flames... I thought it was only the octopus’s ability?" Young Slime yelled as the deaths kept flashing through his mind.
"Unholy Flames—one of the common abilities to all sealed artifacts," Vael explained, deliberately stalling.
"How about you use black flames?" he asked, meeting young slime’s dim eyes.
"You can use it via me... a sealed artifact..." the small humanoid said, eyes narrowed. "Go ahead. Use it. Show them what it means to go against you."
Slime#47’s eyes flickered—and Vael tensed. ’No... he’s stabilizing his emotions.’
The small humanoid barked, "Did you forget these three creatures killed all your fellow slimes after your death?"
He’d witnessed a few loops where these three creatures killed Mama Slime, Elder Slime, Little Slime, and other demons in the young slime’s dying vision.
His tone stayed embedded with Bewitching Voice. "Avenge them. Take out your hatred."
"Unholy Flames..." Slime#47 let go.
Black flames surrounded his body under Vael’s cunning smile.
Boom!
The three creatures held against Slime#47’s demonic beam together, but the beam was now empowered by Young Slime’s own Unholy Flames.
Gzz!
Crack!
The shield cracked open. His beam tore through and rushed into the octopus.
It collided—vaporizing the octopus’s three pitch‑black tentacles first—then wiping out the entire creature.
Thud!
A small red tentacle with tiny pitch‑black eyes fell to the ground.
"How dare you desto...ry m...y ve...ss...al..." the sealed artifact yelled as it fell into deep sleep.
"Roar!" The other two creatures screeched, furious at their fallen partner’s vessel’s death.
"Be careful... he somehow got powerful," the spider hissed as it flashed aside to dodge the beam, which shifted direction toward it.
"Idiot, he’s using a sealed artifact!" the fox barked, leaping aside to create distance between itself and Young Slime.
"Demonic Surge, Demonic Flash." Slime#47 used his boost skills, stopping the beam.
Dark energy wrapped his body, and black flames burned over it.
Boom!
He flashed in front of the fox and—
"Demonic Fist."
His fist, wrapped in Unholy Flames, still carrying demonic force, slammed into the fox’s chest.
Boom!
The fox’s body shattered instantly into gore—blood and broken pieces.
Thud!
Two armored heads and two arms fell to the ground.
If Slime#47 had his emotions controlled, he might have paid attention, but now—under Vael’s influence—he was only wrathful and battle‑thirsty.
Boom!
He flashed in front of the spider, which was running away after witnessing Young Slime’s power.
"Demonic Fist."
Bang!
His fist connected with the spider’s head, blowing it into pieces.
Thud!
The spider creature fell to the ground—dead, or so Young Slime thought. But Crack! Its stomach cracked open, and a half‑palm‑sized red spider crawled out. It yelled in a cold alien male voice, "Damn... the fox creature’s vessel is alive... it won’t die until all its extra heads... are destro...yed..."
The spider sealed artifact fell into deep sleep.
"Damn spider... You betrayed me... I have to save my vessel," the fox monster’s sealed artifact roared internally.
Young Slime pivoted and found two fox heads biting onto the ends of armored arms, the limbs sneaking forward on their fingertips.
"You are alive," Slime#47 said in a cold alien voice that would chill anyone.
Just as he was about to catch the fox heads, a shimmering panel flashed in his vision.
[ Ding! Caution! ]
[ Ding! Requesting user to self‑destruct! ]
[ Casting "Black Lightning of Destruction"! ]
"What?" Young Slime recovered a little and stared at the notification.
"Hahaha!" Vael burst out laughing. "No, you won’t succeed... even though I don’t know who you are."
"My Will!" he ordered, taking the cost of skill.
[ Ding! Will -100! ]
[ You have lost all your Will! ]
"Ahhh—" Slime#47 roared as his memories suddenly grew heavy.
"Why am I still alive?" he wondered as something like a hot knife twisted in his core.
His mind fractured under the weight of more than a hundred deaths.
He had relived them before under the Edict of Yesterday, and held on, but now—due to the lack of Will—they crushed him.
Boom!
Dark lightning formed in the sky and tore towards Young Slime.
"No... no, you don’t. This body is mine!" Vael roared—and plunged inside Slime#47.
"As expected... his soul is so condensed," he muttered, glancing at a five‑inch shining white sphere inside Slime#47’s body—within the soul dimension.
He started to absorb Young Slime’s soul with his own five‑inch shining white soul, as his soul fused with the Slime#47’s.
ZZZ!
The black lightning finally struck Slime#47’s body.
[ Ding! You have died! ]
----
In the nothingness...
[ Ding! Caution! Caution! ]
[ Ding! Your soul is getting devoured! ]
[ Please resist! ]
"He is close to true death," a fifteen-meters, tall, transparent, beautiful human female silhouette, with long golden hair, formed in the nothingness, glancing at the unconscious blue jelly blob with pity.
The lady’s facial features are not visible.
End of the Chapter.
End of Arc Ⅱ — Sealed Artifacts.
How was the arc 2? Please do tell...
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