The Animagus: From Hunter to Monster-Chapter 85: Engrossed (2)

As the voice echoed in the hall, it had stripped away the air, the fight, the very will from his body.

"You do not belong here."

The words ranged repeatedly in his skull, reverberating like an unholy decree.

Then—

A force ripped through him.

Buji’s body convulsed. His vision flickered as his mind fought to stay conscious. He had felt pain before, had endured wounds in battle, but this—this was something else entirely.

It was as if his own soul was being crushed.

His fingers trembled against the stone floor as he struggled to rise.

"Move!"

But his body refused. Even though he somewhat felt overtaken, he still had that resolve within him.

’It will be only a matter of moments,’ he thought.

A sharp clinking sound reached his ears, the sound of the chains.

They slithered through the air like vipers, wrapping around his arms and legs before he could react.

Snap!

Agony shot through his bones as the chains tightened.

Buji let out a strangled gasp. His body was being restrained, locked in place as if he were nothing more than an insect caught in a web.

’I would have preferred being a captive of Aragon, to this.’

His eyes darted toward the figure—the one controlling the chains. It stood motionless, its presence alone commanded absolute silence.

He looked around and noticed the skeletons remained knelt, as if worshipping this creature.

Buji grit his teeth. "Only a matter of moments," he muttered once again.

He thrashed against the chains, but the more he struggled, the tighter they coiled around him.

"Think. There has to be a way out, right?" the creature mocked at him before letting out a loud laughter.

Buji’s mind raced. His body was still drained from the first fight. He thought he only had to deal with the multitudes of skeleton, but now he was facing something far beyond them.

But he wasn’t dead. Not yet.

At least, the living has the advantage of trying out possibilities.

If this thing had wanted him dead, it would have already killed him. Or, something... Buji thought.

So why was it restraining him instead?

The torches in the hall now flickered weakly, their glow unable to keep up with casting light for illumination of the hall.

The figure took a step forward. The chains shackled, the land tremored.

As all these happened, the skeletons still knelt on the ground.

’What could possibly be the reason?’

As the monster trudged closer, the air itself seemed to tremble under its presence.

It lifted a hand—

The chains tightened even more.

Buji grunted as his vision blurred. His chest burned, his muscles screamed in defiance.

Then, the figure did something unexpected, yet anticipated by Buji all this time..

It spoke again.

"Prove your worth!"

The words sent a shock through Buji’s mind. His happiness seemed to be elated amongst the agony.

"What? Just the moment I’ve been waiting for. The moment has—"

He barely had time to finish his speech before the chains yanked him into the air.

His body lifted off the ground, suspended like a puppet on strings. His limbs throbbed from the pressure, his breathe came in ragged gasps, shallow.

Then, in one brutal motion, the chains slammed him into the ground.

CRASH!

The stone beneath him shattered on impact. A sharp pain shot up his spine. Dust and debris clouded the air.

Buji coughed violently, his vision spinning.

The chance he awaited wasn’t his touch, he had to move.

He tried to push himself up, but before he could, the chains pulled him up again.

Higher this time.

Then—

SLAM!

The ground cracked beneath him once more.

His bones felt like they would snap under the relentless force. His consciousness teetered on the edge.

But then—with a faint voice, he grumbled, "Emberheart Successor."

[Title: Emberheart’s Successor Activated!]

"Sharp."

Something inside him of was awakened.

A flicker. Faint, yet obvious.

A surge of heat spread through his veins, coiling deep within his chest.

Buji gasped, his senses suddenly sharpening. His body wanting to test his movement. He felt he could now move with the speed of 3 x 10^8 metres per second.

His muscles no longer felt as weak as it had. The pain before was, though immense, became bearable. After all, his healing ability did its work. Although, it slow.

He could feel this newly awakened power. It felt to be belonging to him a long time ago, but had been dormant.

His pulse slowed. His breathing came not ragged, but steadied.

He had endured worse, but now, he is out for better not for worst.

The chains pulled him up again—one final time.

Buji’s eyes snapped open.

The moment he felt the pull, he twisted his body, using the pull’s momentum to his advantage.

Instead of allowing himself to be slammed down once again, he yanked against the chains mid-air, altering their trajectory.

The motion sent him spiraling, but this time, he didn’t fall like a weakling. He landed on his feet.

Boom!

His boots skidded against the stone floor as cracks formed beneath him.

For the first time since the fight with this strange creature began, Buji stood tall.

The figure cocked its head slightly, as if amused. And in a way that will amuse onlookers.

Buji exhaled, rolling his shoulders. His body still ached, but the burning sensation in his veins was stronger now.

He clenched his fists.

"Alright. Your turn to make a move."

The figure raised its hand once more, sending dozens of chains shooting forward towards to Buji.

They came from the four-compass directions, twisting and striking like whips.

Buji didn’t flinch.

He waited. Calculated what his next move will be.

Then, in the instant before impact—he moved.

He sidestepped swiftly and sharperly. Like a pivot, he twisted his body, making it easier to weave between the chains, and with precision.

’Not like I will need much effort, anyway, to fight that monster.

The first few shots of chain narrowly missed him.

The next wave came faster.

He crouched, then lunged forward, and ducking his head in a bid to dodging under them.

The skeletons watched with utter shock as to what kind of fluid movement someone they had thought to not be fit used. He was strong against the skeletons, of course, but the creature in front of them was super strong too.

The monster raised its hand once again, stirring them in mid-air to activate power. Some knelt, praying for success.

’I pray so too.’

The creature seemed to want to attack with a different technique. The chains, under its control merged to form one massive spear.

It aimed directly for Buji’s chest as he sent it rolling in reality.

Buji took a slow breath.

"Now or never."

The MC’s Will refueled again.

Instead of dodging the incoming attack, it remained static and—

BOOM!

The impact sent shock through his arms. His muscles burned under the force. The sheer power behind the attack threatened to send him flying—

"That will be nice anyway,"

Ignoring the voice he heard in his mind, he held on.

The chains writhed, trying to break free, the force from Buji’s struggle encouraged that.

His hands trembled, his veins pulsing.

Then, for the first time—he pulled back.

The chains reacted. And Buji grinned.

"I see now. You think I’m just prey, don’t you? Haven’t you heard of the formulated folktale of using baits for attack. And in the end, the baits become the benefactors." Buji smuffed. "I’m blabbing."

He touched his shoulder girdle to be sure his cord was still rounded on him, before clamping unto the chains.

He clenched his grip tighter.

"Let me show you."

The moment the chains recoiled, Buji yanked with everything he had.

The force sent a ripple through the air. The figure’s balance shifted—just slightly, but enough for Buji to see it.

"So, you’re not to heavy to move."

His lips curled into a smirk. "Looks like I’m still in this fight," he muttered.

He widened the palm of his right hand, staring at it for some moments before placing them on the chains.

The creature began to writh in pain as Buji did this. Why?

Buji used his advantage as the Emberheart’s Successor, and the new Magic feature he got to activate heat on the chain.

Moments past, the chain turned orange-red, spreading fast as it circulated the whole chain.

Good enough, he has released himself from the capture of the chain’s grip.

The creature’s glowing eyes flared as it struggled in pain.

The chains, however, snapped back from Buji’s pull, vanishing into the void.

Buji glanced at his palm, it was red, but he felt no pain.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

As if acting on instinct, he hit his palm on the cavern floor.

And—

"Let the fight begin."

"..."