The Game of the Wild

The two undead ants blurred across the ground, racing towards Bayo with tremendous bloodlust in their compound eyes. Behind them, at the anthill, the Queen Ant was returning into a tunnel while the army of MonsterEater ants that were marching towards him earlier began turning back to the anthill.

'Just great! Now I'm considered dead meat by you all? I'll shred you to pieces, I swear.' Bayo cursed after the returning ants.

But that wasn't his main focus.

The First undead ant, the one he just battled with, has leapt over one of the rocks, preparing to leap over the little pool of water he had splashed in.

Bracing himself, Bayo gritted his fangs when suddenly, a quick movement darted across his vision line.

GBAM!

The undead ant somersaulted in the air as it landed unceremoniously on the forest floor. 

What?

In its place now, was a 3 meter long Lizard with triangle markings on its back. Each marking becoming smaller as it transversed down its red glowing tail. Strong limbs with black claws glittered from the lizard's feet giving it an invincible feel.

'Is. That. It. Yasmin?' Bayo queried cautiously.

Around him, the top of the rocks came alive as more lizards crawled forward, creating a kind of battle line on top of the rocks.

'Yes, Bayo. The Fire Breathing Salamanders are known for territorial domination and very aggressive towards intruders.

This might be your own trump card, Bayo.' Yasmin replied, cheering Bayo up.

'Yes, about time.' Bayo gloated, doing his Tippity Tap dance with his paws.

'However, Something perplexes me about the Salamanders. A Salamander, once it hatches is left to fend for itself, thereby reducing the survival rate of hatchlings to adulthood.

With this finding, it is very unusual to see some many adult Salamanders in one place.

More so, if a lot of them survived to adulthood to be this many here, it is unheard of to see Fire Breathing Salamanders sharing same territorial space.

By my analysis, they ought to have destroyed themselves already.'

'Uh... Unique Soul??' Bayo whispered.

'Oh! Yes, that could be just that. Your presence here must have twisted fate to some levels to have this occurrence here.

That leaves me to wonder, if you are capable of manipulating fate or this is just some stroke of luck?'

Beginners Luck, Heh!

'Maybe, Just Luck, Yasmin. After all, I haven't spent up to a day here. At least I think so.

How does this world even work, Yasmin?'

Yasmin kept silent for a while. But he could feel it, the curious attention this soul genie was giving him as if he were one of a kind.

'Yasmin!' 

'Uh... Yes! I would suggest you take advantage of the situation to amass sufficient bloodline genetics of the Fire breathing Salamander for now.'

Ah!

Yes... Evolution.

Pulling his focus outwards, He notes the rising heat in the atmosphere as the Salamander, The one he saw making the first hit, ducked its head, avoiding the undead mandibles snap of the ant. 

The Salamander darted to the side now, moving in circular motion around the ant, it's eyes watching for an opening.

The Undead Ant followed still, turning about, trying to match the Salamander motion. Just then, it's opponent dived forward and the Undead ant seized the moment, lunging forward with a vicious bite.

SNAP!

The Salamander quickly jumped out of range. But it was not quick enough as the mandible scraped its face, leaving a gaping wound in front.

Enraged, the Salamander bellowed, smoke puffing out from its truth. 

'Yes, show me the true might of the Fire Breathing Salamander!' Bayo jumped, earning curious glances from the other Salamanders on the rocks.

'Uh... Hi' He wagged his tail.

Wait...

'Why does it seem like that Sparring Salamander's markings are getting brighter with each circling it makes around the ant?' Bayo mused.

'Bayo, There is a Salamander within the reach of your paws. Dealing quick damage to it now will not only help you absorb but also help you heal.

Your soul is beginning to undergo soul decline.' Yasmin interrupted.

Soul decline? 

Is that like soul death? 

Whatever that meant, he didn't want to find out. Let the battling opponents battle while I sneak on Bloodlines.

Hehehehe...

Taking a quick look, Bayo spotted a Salamander, barely one meter long crawling past him.

Swiftly, he flung his paw on it, gripping it in place while the other paw ripped off the head.

'God!

That... was ... cold.' Bayo berated himself.

Was he turning into a cold hearted creature that he would kill a Salamander that was innocently going about its business.

'Bloodline Detected... Absorbing Blood...'

'Bloodline detected. Absorbing Bl...'

'Bloodline detected. Absorbing...'

'Bloodline detected. Absorbing bloodline. You have gained sufficient bloodline genetics for evolution into Fire Breathing Salamander. 

Evolution cannot take place now as host's soul is undergoing soul decline. 

What? 

Calming himself now, Bayo looked at his paws, trembling. He only killed that small Salamander but something took over him, making him smash through other unsuspecting Salamander.

With panicked breathing, Bayo struggled to right himself, straining to see the now ending battle of the Fire Salamander as it puffed its neck, even as familiar heaviness over took him, weighing him down to the ground.

Eat! Bayo!! Eat!!!

The air heated up suddenly and a ball of fire escaped the Salamander's throat, incinerating the undead ant at once. Just then, the other undead ant reached for its tail, chomping hard on it.

MUNCH!

MUNCHI!!

MUNCH!!!

Bayo's paws stuffed his mouth with juicy but disgusting Salamander as he crunched, bone and flesh in continuous bites.

Slowly, the heaviness began to lift, allowing him make more sense of his environment.

Already, the Salamander had been thrown off the ground by its new contender. 

The new undead ant closed the distance for the kill when another Salamander darted off the rock, spearing the thorax of the new contender into smithereens.

Gah!

That was...

Epic!

As if sensing his wonder, Yasmin spoke.

'From my analysis, the Salamander had infused kinetic energy into its claws giving it the powerful edge it attacked with.'

'That pretty much sums it. Now to get out before the Salamanders notice me eating them.' 

Suddenly, an ominous feeling of being watched descended on Bayo. He felt his head spin as dizziness hit him.

Damn! 

Must everything have to be so pressurizing in this place?

Without thinking, Bayo's limbs blurred in quick succession, taking him farther from the pool, into the outer forest.

Better safe than sorry. 

Bayo raced across a pathway, leaping over large tree roots and vines that littered the way. Above him, a flap of wings in the air sounded off, followed by a Roar from behind.

The bushes rustled as a bear like creature shoved its muzzle out, watching as Bayo ran off.

Bellowing a challenge, the bear like creature took off , its heavy feet slamming tremendously into the ground as it trailed, saliva dripping sideways from its mouth.

Just Great!

Who said I was playing Catch me if you can?

Cursing, Bayo doubled his speed. So far, he had been able to regenerate some energy from eating those Salamanders.

However dashing like this was depleting that energy again.

And now, he just couldn't stop. Not when a bear was on his case.

Gah! Must you be this stupid bear? What if I was being chased by something bigger.

GROWLLLL? 

'Uh... that's a funny growl.' Bayo noted, pausing his dash just enough to peek behind. 

Three claw like fingers ripped into the heavy mass of the bear, lifting it weightlessly towards a fang endowed beak.

'Holy Moly! Boy, Run!'

CRUNCH! CRUNCH!! CRUNCH!!!

The beak crunched the bear like creature into bear paste. In horror, Bayo watched the lump of Masticated bear paste traveling down the throat of the new creature.

Noting the creature, he observed that it had bird like head with bat like wings and a thin abdomen with limbs of an elephant.

Immediately, a familiar tingling began in the back of his head as he watched the creature belch.

He felt, drawn to it.

But

No way in hell was he going to draw to that machine of death.

'Yasmin, what is this feeling that I feel towards that?'

' I feel it too. That. Creature. There..'

'Yasmin, speak.' Bayo cried out

'That creature is a fellow Ascender. Ascender number three. I am proud of him, going as powerful as this already in the pursuit of the perfect form for His Wor...'

'Yasmin, shut up! Scan!' Bayo trembled, his frame heaving visibly.

—- —

Specie: Sky Gargolye -Ascender 

Soul Status: Elite

Energy: 13, 956/21,000

Law: Law of Pride

The Sky Gargolye is an arrogant creature of darkness that will stop at nothing until it subdued its rivals. Known for their immense understanding of the Law of Pride in enhancement of its physical features, this creature can grow as far as Omega Class making them a choice biological weapon of mass destruction by the demon kind

——-

'His energy rating is in thousands while I am just managing myself with less than 20 points of energy?

Damn!

And what damn, ''tis Law of Pride eh. You don't suggest I say hi?' Bayo asked tentatively.

'Well, i would suggest you run.' Yasmin spoke as the Gargolye screeched, opening its beak as a super sonic sound wave ripped against Bayo, stunning him for several seconds.

'Yep. Pretty much arrogant.' Bayo whimpered before falling into a heap.