The Culling of Man: A litrpg adventure (Peril's Prodigy Book 1) by Craig Kobayashi (ereader android TXT) 📕

cast Repurpose Life Force. In effect, she had killed her own summoned creature to restore 50% of her total HP instantly.

Suddenly, Leviathan sprang to her feet, then turned around and sprinted toward the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean. With her long legs, only three strides were required to cover the distance and she jumped, screaming, off the cliff in a wild dash to escape with her life from a fight that she knew she had lost.

Garath ran to the edge after her and looked over. When he didn't see her flailing toward the water below, Garath figured she must have shifted forms. He backed away from the cliff to watch his combat log while staying alert for any movement in his peripherals.

Begin Combat Log:

[15:36:49.003] Leviathan suffers 87.9 (death) damage from Your Creeping Death(8 stacks) [base 29.3 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:49.651] Leviathan suffers 27 (death) damage from Your Plague [base 9 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:50.003] Leviathan suffers 87.9 (death) damage from Your Creeping Death(8 stacks) [base 29.3 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:50.651] Leviathan suffers 27 (death) damage from Your Plague [base 9 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:51.003] Leviathan suffers 87.9 (death) damage from Your Creeping Death(8 stacks) [base 29.3 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:51.651] Leviathan suffers 27 (death) damage from Your Plague [base 9 (300% for form size: Diminutive)]

[15:36:50.651] You have slain Leviathan. You are awarded 43,500 experience!

End Combat Log.

The story of Leviathan ended there. It was over. Her attempt to gain Health by consuming her Flayer before making a mad dash to escape had ultimately spelled her own demise. Had she stayed in human form, she may have had a chance but the 300% increased damage for whatever diminutive form she had taken after jumping off the cliff was too much for her rapidly diminishing Health to handle. Garath couldn't believe the amount of experience points he was awarded for killing a sapient being and the sense of euphoria pulsing, almost sexually, throughout his body became immediately addictive.

He needed to feel that again.

Chapter 36

A Bright-ish Future

Garath spent the remainder of the warm summer night alone. A gentle breeze sweeping up off the pacific cooled the air and the lapping of waves against the rocks below comforted the Necrologist sitting contemplatively on the cliff that he had ended the life of a child not long before. There were a myriad of reasons for his self-imposed solitude - not the least of which was that, after the euphoria from killing Leviathan had faded, the Necrologist feared that the addiction to murder that had obviously consumed Levi's rational mind would overtake him as well. He drank the Crystillium liquid as soon as the duration of its mind focusing ability faded but he didn't feel like himself. He still needed more power and the urge to feel that euphoria again felt impossible to resist. He wanted it more than he had ever wanted anything before in his life. Without knowing whether he was in complete control of himself, Garath wouldn't risk coming in contact with another human.

Another thing on his mind was the overwhelming anxiety that threatened to overtake him at even the thought of discussing what had just happened with anyone. He had killed a seventeen-year-old girl. Even if she was an insane murderer, it was not something he was proud of and, even moreso, it was definitely not something he wanted to talk about. He did send a group message to everyone simply letting them know the threat had been quelled. In response, he received several messages of thanks and praise. But that only made things worse.

The tiny silver egg in his pocket occupied his thoughts as well, a sliver of excitement and hope lightening his otherwise very dark musings. He decided to plant it right there on the cliff. It was far enough from the HQ building that he wouldn't have to worry about it and yet it was close enough that he could come check on it as often as he liked. But, as he pulled the egg from his pocket and looked down at it in his open palm, something occurred to him - Garath had never planted anything before in his life. The concept was simple enough: dig a hole, put the seed in the hole, then put dirt over the seed and water it. Right? He was sure it couldn't be much more complicated than that, but he accessed the Quest information again to see if it provided any useful tips.

Quest: Water for the Egg

It is clear that your Egg is from another world. To integrate successfully to Earth, its inhabitant requires fresh, spring water. Acquire fresh, spring water, plant the egg, and water it each morning at sunrise for three consecutive days.

Success rewards: unknown

Failure penalty: none

He looked at the egg in his hand again and triggered his Inspect Ability.

You have found a Consecrated Egg. Plant it in nutrient rich soil and water it each morning at sunrise for three consecutive days.

Note: the placement of its planting and the purity of the water provided will affect the creature inside for its entire life, choose well.

The Necrologist bent and probed at the grass between his feet. He ripped out a couple of handfuls and tossed them aside. Then, he scraped at the soft soil in the bare patch of earth he had made until he made it to the damp clay a few inches beneath the surface. He pushed one finger into the soil to make a little groove, took one last look at the egg, then placed it delicately in the hole and gently pulled some dirt over its new resting place. He stood up to take a look at his work, and found himself unhappy with the presentation.

Garath spent the better part of an hour making the area around his planted egg a little more visually attractive - some manual labor to keep his hands busy and his mind off Leviathan was a welcome relief in any case.