The smell of spices hit Kai’s nostrils.
Simon had directed him a little before going out. Kai knew nothing about warming wines. He had drunk alcohol before, but never to savor its flavors.
“Pour the bottles into the pot,” Simon had said, pointing his fingers at the bottles. “Add the spices. They are in that box by the hearth. And don’t bring it to a boil.”
Then he darted off.
What a strange walk! Kai had thought, looking at Simon.
It had been half an hour since they had gone out. The first to come would be Arlen and Shae. Kai knew it. Shae must have got her Elementary Ability by now. There was no doubt about it.
Kai didn’t care. Shae had done nothing to him. Neither was she good to him, nor was she bad. Kai’s morals were twisted beyond sense, but he wouldn’t kill someone whose death wouldn’t be rewarding for him.
Power and Revenge, Kai thought. They are the only reason for me to kill.
The atmosphere made Kai’s mind wander. It was extremely quiet, just short of choking silence.
The wind has come, Kai told himself. It’s time for the butterfly to flap its wings.
The tiniest bubble popped over the calm layer of the wine into the pot, ruining the silence. Kai took off the pot and laid 7 mugs for each of his teammates, including Mr. Beedle.
When he was done pouring the filtered warm wine in mugs, Kai stood up and turned his back to the main door. If anyone were to barge in, which was unlikely, they wouldn't know outright what he was doing.
Kai took a deep breath, remembering the feeling he had experienced in the Shop of Wonders and the basement after being virtually kicked out by the wizard.
The hotness.
The twists and churns, and the rage and defiance.
Those feelings overtook Kai, and he touched his chest with his left hand.
“Come forth,” Kai said, almost in a trance. “Blue-tailed Boa Constrictor.”
His skin became hot suddenly, his blood boiling within him. There was a touch of redness on his face, and swirls of hot red air rose all around him. From afar, Kai’s figure seemed to wave, like the space above fire.
And his eyes turned into narrow slits.
A hiss resounded in Kai’s mind, and an extremely lifelike tattoo of a snake appeared on his right arm. It coiled around there, its mouth reaching Kai’s elbow, and its deep-blue tail ending on the nail of his middle finger. Almost violet, Kai noticed. The color of poison.
And then he concentrated on his Glitch, the Blood Devour. It had gone to hibernation, but the Blood Essence it had devoured could be used whenever he wanted. The Abilities and the Skills were always there with him, for him to be used, for him to kill.
[
Skill Light Neurotoxin Activated.
Time Limit: 30 Seconds
Skill: Light Neurotoxin
Grade: E-
Specification: A toxin found in a rare species of Boa Constrictors. It needs to be injected into the prey’s body for it to be at its deadliest potency. The moment it leaves the serpent’s fangs, it becomes colorless, highly weakening and delaying its effects.
Requirement: MP 10 Points and HP 5 Points (per drop)
You are reading story Multiverse Systems: Demonic Resurrection in the Primordial Tower at novel35.com
Attributes: Not Applicable
Effect: One drop of Light Neurotoxin is enough to kill an Average Adult Contestant in 30 minutes, given the absence of any anti-venom and outside interference. The effects vary in potency as the Contestants’ Stats deviate from average. At its weakest, it can induce dizziness, confusion, hallucination, and rarely, damaged motor function.
]
Kai loved it.
The Light Neurotoxin was nothing compared to the Body-Mind Melting Poison he could use in his previous life. A tenth of a drop of that poison was enough to kill hundreds of ordinary people instantly.
What Kai admired about Light Neurotoxin, given its lowest grade, was the weakened and delayed effect. It was a weak point at a glance. Not for those who know how to use it, Kai told himself.
Suddenly, the colored nail extended, turning into a pointy needle, a fang. The snake tattoo felt wriggling on his arm, slithering on his fiery skin. An abrupt pain shot through Kai’s hand as if someone was sucking out his blood. His eyes blurred for a moment and his MP and HP both decreased simultaneously.
A violet drop of death shimmered against the fire in the hearth, like a polished gem.
Kai held his nail over one mug and dropped it. But even before the drop could make a splash into the wine, it turned colorless. The ensnaring gem lost its preciousness.
Drip!
Kai didn’t wait any longer and used the Skill again. One more drop in a different mug, and he was done.
The tattoo vanished, and then the hotness ran off. His eyes returned to their original shapes, leaving him drunk on the power he had just felt.
So this is an Instantaneous Triggered Skill, Kai thought. Powerful and dangerous indeed.
Click!
The trapdoor opened on his left.
Kai buried his evil grin, which hadn’t left him the entire time, under the mask of his handsome boyish face.
Arlen, a beaming Shae, and Mr. Beedle walked out one after the other. The main door played a rhythmic knock, making Arlen swish his wand at it. Desmond and Sonia walked in, and two carriages could be seen behind them. Before the door could close as they walked in, Simon too appeared from the other side.
In a few minutes, as Simon transferred the details he had found out, Kai brought the tray of mugs to them. Mr. Beedle’s pointy hat had disappeared, and his face was hidden under the shadow of a hood. But Kai could tell it was him from the constant murmurs surrounding him, and the tightly clutched book.
He is truly mad, Kai thought, shaking his head.
“If it isn’t to my taste, boy,” Arlen said, looking at Kai. “You will bathe in this very wine tonight.”
Oh, it is to your taste, Kai laughed inwardly.
Kai handed over a mug one by one to them. Arlen reluctantly nodded, tasting the wine, and Desmond and Sonia laughed. Shae took a small sip, and Mr. Beedle was drinking it like water.
Only Simon waited longer than others. And then he too drank a mouthful, taking in the last sniff.
Kai was the first to drink the wine, but the taste at the tip of his tongue was of something else.
It was the taste of…
Victory!
AN: I am huge fan of Medieval Fantasy and Lovecraftian works. So you may find a touch of George R. R. Martin's and H. P. Lovecraft's writing style in my writing. I have been writing like this to improve my professional writing style. But I am fully aware that not many readers would favor it for webnovels, and may find my writing as described by some readers "trying to look mysterious and cool". I just want to clarify that I have no intention to look cool, or ever was, as I have nothing to gain from it. If you were to read a single chapter of A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), then you will notice these similarities immediately. I hope, in any case, those readers will still continue as it gets better with time. Thank you!