"Can someone please help me? I'm almost dying, someone?"
I called for help as Primordial Force leaked from my body, while the fact that I was missing my front limbs prevented me from healing.
I looked from side to side, but everyone was too weak to take even a single step.
Everyone's face was white as a sheet of paper, it was almost pitiful…
Except when you're on the verge of a very avoidable death…
"Mayor, where are you, Mayor?"
Once again, I searched for the cause of all this, and to my surprise he was very close to me, pale as a ghost…
It was hard to tell whether he was alive or dead…
'He sure looks more dead than alive…'
Sighing, I raised my aura and let it surge freely against everyone around me to draw attention.
The reaction was immediate.
"How is that demon still alive?"
"Impossible! Even as charcoal he still wants to fight?"
"Shut up and get ready!"
They quickly armed themselves, teeth clenched, expecting another round against Vlad, while I merely sighed.
"Wait… this aura is coming from the tiger's corpse…"
'Corpse? They called me a corpse? Those bastards think I died?!'
"What the hell! He's still alive!" they shouted in surprise as they immediately ran toward me.
Dozens of talismans glowed over my skin as they slowly healed my body.
At last, I sighed in relief as I watched the cultivators treat more and more fallen cultivators, who soon stood back up—many of whom looked like they had already died.
"Where could Euphy be?" I wondered, turning my back on the battlefield.
Calmly, I walked toward the village.
Along the way, more and more crowds celebrated amid shouts and emotional embraces as they prepared for a celebration.
I ignored them as I continued searching for Euphy.
Soon, I lay down beneath a tree while hearing incessant chewing sounds coming from above.
"Did the rat's final bite hurt a lot?" she asked lazily. "Or have you already realized the little rat was too small to be afraid of?"
I laughed along with her.
"He was pretty dangerous and almost killed me," I reflected before continuing. "But like any rat, he was more afraid of me than I was of him."
Euphy burst out laughing.
"I can imagine his face when he found out you could heal yourself and spit flames while still being a Wild," she said, continuing to laugh as I frowned.
"Is that really that rare?"
"To be honest, I think you're the only one who can do that as a Wild. But more than that… those are created abilities, aren't they?"
I nodded. I had created them using my knowledge of Primordial Force in a human body and then adapted them to a Feral body.
"Hahaha, I knew it! That's far too absurd to be true!" Euphy laughed so hard she had to clutch her stomach as tears streamed from her eyes.
"Why?" I asked, not understanding any of this.
"Handling Primordial Force is excessively complicated. Its only common use is simple reinforcement of attacks—something you already do without even realizing it. As for abilities… they're granted, the knowledge is granted, everything is used based on instinct and never consciously, because the mind can't keep up."
"You're exaggerating. It's not that difficult."
"Huh?" Euphy fell from the tree and stared deeply into my eyes. "How can it not be? Simple reinforcement is already hard enough!"
I just snorted and changed the subject.
"Anyway, because of Vlad I got curious about each evolution and their corresponding changes," I said curiously as Euphy grew thoughtful.
"Well… Wilds are common beasts or ones in the process of evolution. Ferocious gain Primordial Force abilities and control over it. Demons gain more abilities and vision, as well as a basically infinite supply of Primordial Force."
Euphy then looked at me with a mischievous smile, waiting for me to be surprised by the last statement.
However, I remained indifferent, clicking my tongue.
"I never asked you this before, Euphy, but do you also hear voices?" I asked sincerely, remembering the system and the goddess's voice, but mainly the experience given by it.
"Voices? Kai, are you hearing voices? Are you going crazy or something?" Euphy covered her mouth in shock as she leaned away from me, eyes wide and trembling. "And what do these voices say? Do they tell you to kill someone? Do they promise something if you do? Oh gods, and I was traveling alone with you… I'm not in danger, am I?"
"Stop it, what nonsense," I snorted before sending an aura arrow at her, which was immediately countered, sending sparks into the air.
"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't resist the joke," she laughed playfully as she moved closer again, her soft body lazily lying over mine.
"Formation, System, Circuit, the voice of god, of gods, of a goddess, of demons, or even the voice of the higher self, for some more egocentric ones. The voice that guides those who desire power—in other words, everyone in this world. It uses countless voices and countless forms, but it always comes down to evolution and power."
"I had the impression that Vlad could see my experience, but in truth what he saw was…"
"Primordial Force… yes, you're right," Euphy added. "Demonic vision allows one to see Primordial Force in the atmosphere. The system tends to call Primordial Force that."
I laughed, trying to understand the implications.
Wilds—basically ninety-nine percent of living beings—produced and released Primordial Force through their pores and openings into the atmosphere.
Ferocious learned to control and use Primordial Force, but mainly to lock it within their own bodies.
Demons mastered control over their own Primordial Force and took control of the Primordial Force released by other living beings in the atmosphere—giving the impression of an infinite energy supply.
Basically: those who had power but didn't know how to use it had their power taken by those who did.
But more than power, Primordial Force was life itself—and even that was stolen by the powerful.
But I wonder, what stops me from opening demonic vision and taking that power for myself? What differentiates me from Demons?
"The system grants knowledge and power that you would already have—just ahead of time, right?" Euphy agreed.
I laughed.
A flame tiger already lived amid flames; the system merely accelerated its adaptation by granting knowledge about Primordial Force and flame-related powers through evolution.
In other words, the possibility always existed—it just wasn't explored due to lack of knowledge.
If I could fill that gap, I could have the same capabilities as a Demon many stages earlier.
And evolution only amplifies every bit of knowledge and power acquired.
"Anyway…" Euphy suddenly said. "Aren't we going to eat at least a pork leg?" She sniffed the scent of seasoned meat in the air.
"Of course," I said as I stood up. "But we won't stay much longer—we're already close to Lightning Tiger, and we don't want to drag this out."
Euphy's smile suddenly faded as she looked at me.
I stood and took a few steps forward before turning around to ask,
"Aren't you coming?"
She took a deep breath before smiling again and standing up.
"Of course—let's enjoy the night as if there were no tomorrow!" she said excitedly.