Chapter 8: Not as easy as it seems.
The change in dimension, such as the
air which was thick with the scent of ash and decay, and the distant howls of unseen creatures echoing through the jagged landscape, felt more like a welcoming committee congratulating him in surviving his first summon.
Before he could orient himself, a black system panel flickered into existence before his glowing purple eyes, its surface displaying a single line of text:
[Abyssal Blood Tree Sprout: Lvl 1 Elite unit.]
The words sent a chill through him, before he could digest the info.
The quiet rustle of the vines, subtle as a whisper, that went unnoticed at first, due to their slow and deliberate movements, like predators stalking prey, were then detected by Su Ping.
' Can't I catch a break. I just got birthed less than an hour ago! Why is it so hard to stay alive for one freaking moment?!'
Su Ping's constricted eyes snapped open, his heart lurching as he felt the vines' slick, cold embrace wrapping around his scaled limbs.
' Arrrgh what's happening...'
' Why am I...'
' Suddenly feeling dizzy....'
He felt a sharp sting, followed by a sensation of his blood being drawn from his body.
Panic surged through him, and with a guttural snarl, he mimicked the purple peacocks ability and slashed at the vines with his glowing claws, their purple light flaring as they tore through the writhing tendrils, severing them with a wet snap.
The vines recoiled, oozing a dark, viscous fluid that hissed as it hit the ground, and Su Ping, his balance faltering, tumbled from the tree, his small body rolling across the jagged terrain until he came to a stop, his scales scraped and his breath ragged.
From a safe distance, Su Ping stared in disbelief as the severed vines began to regrow, their ends knitting together like grotesque flesh, the red tendrils writhing like living serpents as they restored themselves to their former length.
The sight was both mesmerizing and horrifying, showing that they really weren't your average plant.
Su Ping, his purple eyes narrowing, felt a pang of envy mixed with desperation.
"If only I could do that, then these injuries wouldn't be aching me this much." he muttered, his voice a low rasp, the words carrying the weight of his battered state and the fleeting hope of survival.
As if in response to his wish, his eyes glowed with a deep, purple-black hue, a power stirring within him, and he felt a warmth spread through his wounds, the shallow cuts from the arena and the fresh scrapes from his fall beginning to close, the scales knitting together like grotesque flesh, just like the Abyssal Blood Tree Sprout.
But halfway through, the sensation faltered, coming to a stop, the healing had drained his mana like water from a cracked vessel, leaving him panting, his body only partially healed, the effort leaving a hollow ache in his chest. But at least he didn't feel as much pain as before.
The Abyssal Blood Tree Sprout, now fully regenerated, lashed out with renewed vigor, its vines whipping through the air with a hiss, their tips gleaming with malicious intent.
' Of course you'd still try to kill me! Ever heard of something called a truce you wicked piece of shit!'
Su Ping leaped back, his claws scrabbling against the rocky ground, narrowly evading the tendrils that struck the earth where he'd stood, leaving deep gouges in the stone.
Adrenaline surged through him, and he turned and ran, his small form darting through the twisted landscape, the air burning in his lungs as he tried to find shelter within this uneven terrain.
Other Abyssal Blood Tree Sprouts loomed in his path, their black branches and red vines stirring as he approached, each one lashing out with tendrils that snapped like whips, their movements eerily synchronized, as if the Abyss itself sought to ensnare him.
Su Ping's agility, honed by instinct and desperation, kept him one step ahead, his body weaving and ducking, the vines grazing his scales but failing to catch him, their frustrated thrashing filling the air with a chorus of rustling fury.
Su Ping let out a sigh of relief, but his celebration was only short lived, because the instant he came to a stop.
He heard the sound of heavy footsteps, which caused the earth to shake.
' There's no way I'd ever forget that sound.' Su Ping gnashed his fangs.
His heart began pounding in his chest as he scrambled behind a pair of jagged rocks, their surfaces cool and rough against his scales.
Crouching low, he peered through a narrow gap, his eyes narrowing as a familiar figure lumbered into view.
The pig demon, its massive, red-fleshed body rippling with muscle, emerged within his line of sight.
its four glowing eyes scanned the surroundings with an eerie focus as if surprised and refusing to believe that nothing was here.
The beast's coarse snout quivered as it sniffed the air, its nostrils flaring, the scent of sulfur and decay rolling off it in waves that made Su Ping's stomach churn.
The pig demon's head swung from side to side, its irritation palpable as it let out a low, guttural grunt, clearly searching for something, perhaps him, and finding only the stale air of the Abyss made it irritated.
Frustrated, it lumbered away, its footsteps fading into the distance, leaving Su Ping's heart racing in the sudden silence.
Cautiously, Su Ping sniffed himself, the faint, strong scent of the Abyssal Blood Tree Sprout's fluids clinging to his scales.
The sticky residue had coated his body like a second skin.
A wave of relief washed over him, and he sent a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens, or whatever passed for them in this crimson-skied hellscape.
He was grateful that the tree's viscous sap had masked his scent, shielding him from the pig demon's pursuit.
The gnawing ache in Su Ping's stomach suddenly became even more audible, sounding like a loud gurgle, gnawing at his insides.