62. A: The Black Status Window

All the pink flowers I saw before were blooming on top of a beast’s head. And probably because of that, the moment the beast died, those flowers started withering too, but... is it because this bear had two heads? Or maybe some other reason? Well, I don’t know, but for whatever reason, this bear here had no flowers blooming on its heads. Instead, it had a single flower blooming just below its two necks and right above its spine. And so as a result, even when the bear was decapitated, the flower didn’t wither.

Instead, its roots flourished. In a single moment, its roots flourished and spread from the beast’s spine where the flower bloomed to its abdomen and even to its limbs, and so...

“It is still moving... Even now with its heads decapitated, it’s still moving.”

Saying such and frowning, I silently stare at the squirming corpse covered in ugly pulsing roots as it crawls in my direction. But seriously...

“... As if an insect squirming and lowering my kill count is not annoying enough...”

“... Here we have an Ugly and Mannerless insect doing just that... And more...”

Saying so, and looking at the ugly thing kneeling in front of me as it slowly tries standing, I really can’t help it. That instinctive disgust I am feeling, or that personal hatred I am experiencing...

“Especially considering that ‘This’ nameless shit is playing the resurrection card... Like seriously? Should I give the protagonist seat to you or what?”

Feeling more annoyed and saying so, I look at the thing in front of me. Nevertheless...

“My personal feeling aside... This... is truly amazing...”

Resurrection, ha? Or is it better called ‘Zombification’ in this case? hmmm, what a curious thing it is... Though speaking of curious things...

“If this is what the pink flower do... then what about the grey walker’s suicidal attacks of before?”

Feeling a chill in my back and saying so, I look once more at the thing no longer resembling a bear in front of me, and then with a darkening face, I... I shiver.

“And to think I thought of it as a marking of some sort...”

How scary... Thinking so and feeling my hair stand, I look once more at the veiny steroid monster bear in front of me growing taller by the second, and then...

Vuuushhh.

And then I casually raise my right hand, with black curse spiraling around it like a drill. As I then punch forward and instantly...

“Kyuu-....”

Booom.

Air and flesh exploding.

... And instantly erase the whole... b-bear?

"...... Ha?... W-weird... H-ha, haha, did the zombified bear acquire i-invisibility or what?”

Feeling cold sweat on my back and stuttering such, I blankly stare at the place where the bear stood just a moment ago, and then... I silently stare at my hand. But hey...

“Isn't this a li~ttle too strong for an Impaler’s Claw?... I mean, with this much power...”

Shouldn’t it be called... I don’t know... Destroyer’s Fist or something? Confusedly thinking so and looking at the curse spinning on my whole arm, I... take a deep breath and calm down.

“Fuuuu... Alright, I have seen nothing...”

Muttering so and turning my back, I quickly throw aside everything I saw and just a reminder but I have Never seen a bear here, okay?

“So... Cough, anyway, what was I doing agai-...”

ZzsSt.

“... Ah, right. I was checking my status, getting rid of the remains, and waiting for my guests...”

Peeking at the flowing mist and black sparks filling the crater and saying so, I quickly clear my mind, and then once again I check my...

“Status.”

And let’s see what this new black status has. But Oh...

-Status :

Black Embryo 38%(Lv3)

Hp: 150 Mp: 300

Atk: 150 Def: 165 Agi: 120

Skills:

Observer - Health lv7 - Great magic power lv1 - Attack lv7 - Defence lv8 - Agility lv5 - Hp auto-recovery lv7 - Regeneration Lv2 - Advanced Physical Mastery lv3 - Advanced Weapon Mastery lv3 - Physical Art lv3 - Weapon Arts Lv3 - Aura Manipulation Lv2 - Acceleration Lv1 -

Primary Colors:

- Serene Solitude(Black)

- Curious Cruelty(Azure)

- Mad Nostalgia(Crimson) -

“Oh... it really feels different...”

Getting momentarily surprised and saying so, I calmly stare at my new status window. But... is it because of the assimilation? It feels like my status and that of the orb-... No, I guess it becomes an embryo now?

“But anyway, it feels like my status and it were... integrated? Mixed? Maybe fused?"

Hmmm... well, I am not sure what the best word is. But that aside, it really changed, ha?... my status... After all, not only was it reorganized, with some skills and stats disappearing, but hell, even a whole new category appeared, you know?

“Ah, but looking at it like this, the things that disappeared were all either skills related to Sp or to the embryo, hmm?”

Though on the other hand, the thing that just appeared, be it that Great Magic Power or even the Primary Colors are all part of the embryo too... And so...

“I guess, I can finally use it comfortably now, right?”

After all, even though it was a skill before, I still couldn’t even use it, you know?

“... Especially considering that to the end, I still hadn’t acquired Curse Manipulation... And so, I was left with no choice but forcefully crack this thing open, you know?”

Thought as a result, that ended up being a little too dangerous, but anyway...

“Now, that I can use the colors freely I guess it’s time to try again.”

Saying so, and glancing at the demonic corpse around me crackling with black lightning in slow motion, I slowly blink my eyes and then...

Fuuuush.

Black wind howling.

And then along with the black lightning intensifying and demonic flesh twisting... at last, the slowed world of Observer restored its speed... And finally, my shackled body found its freedom back, as I then with an excited smile filling my expression stretch my arm forward, release my clenched fist and...

“Black”

... And with eyes gazing at the swirling light, speak.