Endless Evolution As A Skeleton In A Game-Like World
Chapter 21: [21] Ungrateful

Chapter 21: [21] Ungrateful

Nolan’s eyes widened and he fell to his butt as he watched Soo-jin.

His face was covered with tears and he was shaking all over, a completely useless person, that was what he was.

Soo-jin would have left him to die, that was the right choice.

But...

’I can’t let him die after Ark put so much effort into saving him.’

Maybe there were merits to carrying around baggage? She would ask Ark when, or if he returned.

"Stay here." She growled before she sprinted away.

The moment Soo-hin’s transformation goes undone, she would be unable to move for a few minutes, so she had to take out as many worms as she could.

She raced towards a worm that had just ascended the mountain and slashed at its side, ripping a large chunk of flesh off its face.

’Fifteen seconds!’

Her feet grinded to a halt, sensing chunks of rock flying down the mountain as she bolted in the other direction.

Swish!

Bella launched several blood spikes at another worm, pinning it to the ground. Considering how much blood she had lost, that was probably her last attack.

’Ten second left.’

Soo-jin bulldozed two worms off the mountain, and carved another one up from head down, her claws and fur awash with blood.

In this form, her claws were far stronger, and several times sharper. Slicing through them was like passing a hot knife through butter.

But her stamina was terrible, especially because she was running around the place. Each move strained her, and soon, she found herself breathing heavily through her mouth.

She turned around to face another worm, but she was slower than usual. The worm took advantage of the situation and sunk its teeth into her side.

Soo-jin greeted her teeth, pain flooding her body as its saliva burned into her skin.

But it did not last for long.

Tzzzz!

"Lightning bolt!"

Olivia poured her lightning spell into the monster, frying it on the spot. Then she hurled her glaive at another one, the weapon tearing through its head and bursting out of its back with lighting.

"Are you alright?!"

"Miss Soo-Jin, are you okay?!"

Both Olivia and Bella asked, their voices filled with worry.

Blood gushed out of the nasty wound, the skin marred with burn marks.

"I’ll manage."

’Five second left.’

Without waiting to heal, Soo-jin ran towards two worms that were making their way towards Nolan.

’Isn’t he going to do anything?’ He had screamed about how they needed to murder every single one of them, but now, he just stood there, utterly petrified at the sight of them.

The worm lunged, but Soo-jin intercepted it with her tail, digging it into its sensory organ, while turning to the other worm as the kill notification flashed before her eyes.

Splurt!

The monster spat out acid and Soo-jin tried to evade it, but her own body felt foreign to her, and her side ached with each move. As a result, the acid splashed on her chest and face, causing a howl to tear through her throat.

Barely a second was left.

Her body spasmed, the form threatening to go undone. But Soo-jin stretched out the time, pushing her body to the limit.

She raced through the acid, even as it burned her face, even as her skin melted off—

"You think this is anything?! You think this will stop me?!" Her voice rang through the mountain, filled with feral rage.

Soo-jin had walked through fire her entire life, she knew how it felt to burn, for fire to crawl up your spine, for agonizing pain to flood your body.

She had been burned alive countless times by her own mother, and healed up to restart the process all over.

As a daughter of the Fable family, it was her responsibility to dwell in the depths of hell.

Because only by the passage of flames, the burning away of impurities, could steel be forged.

"Is this pain?!" She screamed as the acid melted her skin, and her side bled profusely.

Then dark laughter boomed out of the depths of her soul.

"This was nothing!"

Snap!

She but down on the worm’s head, its skull crunching as she ripped it away from its body.

And then her transformation fell, Soo-jin falling to her knees alongside Olivia and Bella.

[Soo-jin’s health is at 50%! All stats will be affected!]

For a few long seconds, Soo-jin’s mind was blinded with unimaginable pain. Her bones ached, her muscles felt as though they had been torn apart, and her head throbbed.

She felt the darkness reach for her and she nearly stumbled forward, going unconscious, but managed to stay awake.

Soo-jin blinked and then all of a sudden, Bella shoved a bottle of healing potion onto her lips and tilted her head, making her drink.

She greedily drank the potion, feeling it burn down to her stomach, then winced as her muscles burned.

Although healing potions helped, the process of healing was almost just as painful as the wound itself.

But after a few seconds, the headache softened and she regained awareness of the world around her.

When she opened her eyes, Olivia and Bella were hounding over her, their eyes wide with worry.

They had not even bothered to heal their own wounds, instead they fixed their attention on her.

Soo-jin let out a chuckle. "That was rough."

"Please never do that again, miss!" Bella caustioned. "Transformation should only be done at level ten and above, if you do it before then—"

Soo-jin waved her hand dismissively in the air. She knew the regulations, they had attended the same class after all.

Those whose races allowed them to shift were warned to never do so until they were at a higher level.

By level ten, transforming would be effortless. But at such a low level, she was risking death.

Soo-jin pulled out a healing potion out of her inventory. She had given Ark one, meaning she had only two left.

She glanced at Olivia and Bella. "How many do you guys have left?"

The inventories permitted during the tutorial were limited, at most they were allowed to carry only three potions, and that was if they conserved their storage.

Olivia shook her head, she was out. Bella raised two vials up.

’We need to conserve these potions as much as we can.’ They haven’t even gotten to the boss fight yet...

But when she took note of the wounds the girls had, she shook her head. Conserving the potions would be next to impossible.

Bella in particular was in a terrible state. She had stopped her bleeding with blood manipulation, but there was still a deep wound on both her thighs.

"Bella, can you walk?"

She bit her bottom lip, her face downcast. "No... its teeth got to my bones, I think it took out a few nerves."

"The worm’s blood... Can it heal you?"

Bella shook her head. "It’s not blood, it won’t work."

Soo-jin had expected as much. She poured a little of the potion she had on her face to soothe the burns, then tossed the bottle to Olivia who caught it with wide eyes.

She had used up all of hers already, she never expected Soo-Jin to help her with any.

"T-thank you!"

Soo-jin then she moved towards Bella on her knees, then took one of her potions. "Stay still..."

"Wait, what are you—ngh!" She gasped as Soo-jin poured the potion on her wound.

"But miss Soo-jin! Don’t waste them on me... Y-you aren’t even fully healed—"

She was right, Soo-jin was far okay. But it was just a little pain, it was not like her life was on the line.

"Do you want me to carry you around all day? Stay still..." Her voice was cold, but Bella could not sense any anger in it.

Although Soo-jin almost always put up a cold outward look, Bella had learned to decipher her mood.

"But—" her lips quivered when she met Soo-Jin’s gaze. Then she sighed. "Thank you, Eonni (older sister)..." she muttered in a low tone.

Not only had she saved her life, she was now prioritizing her health as well. Bella was meant to be her aide, and yet she had failed countless times already.

Soo-jin patted her head, a stoic look on her face. "Don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? You’re doing well as it is."

"It’s your potion after all, why would I be mad if I used it on you?"

’Because I am a vampire...’ Bella mused. She had brought those potions because of Soo-jin. Who would have known they would fight enemies that didn’t have blood?

Worst of all, her natural healing was still too slow to catch up.

Soo-jin flicked her forehead when she noticed she was still down.

"Eeek!"

"If you want to make it up to me, then get ready."

She glanced at the edge of the mountain just as a corpse worm climbed up. They had managed to kill the majority of them, but there were a few left.

The battle was not over.

"So, how do your legs feel? Think you can back me up?"

Bella nodded with vigour. "Yes Miss!"

Soo-jin smiled. "Nolan, what about you? Are you all right—"

Blood suddenly splashed on Bella’s face, causing her to freeze in shock.

"Bella, are you okay?" Soo-jin asked, worry creeping into her voice, but the girl seemed unable to speak.

She was staring at Soo-jin, her eyes so wide that it was surrounded by white. Her mouth moved, but no words came out.

"What is it? Where did that blood come fro—"

That was when Soo-jin tasted iron. Something warm slid through her mouth and she reached for it, only to draw back blood.

"Huh?"

She slowly lowered her gaze to stomach, where a spear was protruding so vulgarly out of her abdomen, flesh ripped apart, blood dripping like a faucet.

"EONNI?!!" Bella screamed, finally finding her voice. It was then Olivia noticed what was going on and jumped to her feet, her features filled with fear.

Black spots began to form in Soo-jin’s vision as she fell forward, a small smile on her face.

Dying in the hands of the person she had saved countless times.

"How ironic..." She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she collapsed, blood pooling around her.

Behind her, Nolan twisted the weapon, causing more blood to gush out, a crazed look in his silver eyes as he watched her bleed.

"You killed my brother. It’s only right that I return the favour."

[Soo-jin is at the brink of death]