SWNOVELS
Chapter 158: Ink Creature
--- Chapter 157 ---
"Tracing..."
"On."
Huo Yuhao sat on the ground, skillfully rubbing his finger against the Fairy King's Canvas. He drew a small nine-tailed fox and added so many details that it looks too realistic, but this is necessary.
The All-Transforming Ink moved according to Huo Yuhao's will, squirming and solidifying itself into a pink nine-tailed fox. It stayed and jumped around for a minute before popping out of existence.
Poof!
[Tracing has leveled up]
[Tracing(C)]
"Good. I can increase the size of the "Tracing." skill now." Huo Yuhao commented while drawing with his finger, creating a group of foxes.
He watched the foxes and was amused by them, recalling Huo Yun'er Divine Fox Form. He picked up the pace and drew countless creatures until his inner energy depleted to 5%.
Taking a short break, Huo Yuhao consumed an "Energy Booster." potion from his inventory. Even though Huo Yuhao doesn't have his Alchemy Skills, he still has his mastery and memory to create things.
And with the medicinal ingredients of this world, it's not hard for Huo Yuhao to create a supplement that aids his growth. Recovering his inner energy quickly, Huo Yuhao returned to the grind and kept using Tracing to a certain level.
Rinse and repeat.
[Name: Tracing
[Type: Passive]
[Grade: C]
[Description: Tracing is the power to mimic everything with All-Transforming Ink. Anything created through Tracing needed a "Deep Impression." within the wielder's mind. The wielder was allowed to add more details and manifested even more powerful things]
Tracing is a powerful ability.
Huo Yuhao won't deny it.
Regardless, Tracing needed a specific level of quality to be triggered. It also required the wielder to possess a deep impression of the subject, like experience getting drawn out.
Huo Yuhao was restricted to a small object with his Tracing proficiency, trying to draw everyone in the homeworld once, and each attempt was a failure. In conclusion, he only has to raise his Tracing to B or A Grade.
[Tracing's proficiency has increased]
[Tracing's proficiency...]
[Tracing's proficiency...]
[Tracing's proficiency...]
[Tracing's proficiency...]
[...]
[...]
Huo Yuhao entered a state of emptiness, staring at the wall mindlessly and moving his hand instinctively. Each stroke caused an inner energy storm in the room and stirred small dust to all corners.
His perception of time becomes very vague, experiences a drown-like condition. He focused all his attention on the art before him.
Twelve hours later, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and skimmed at the abstract drawing on the Fairy King's Canvas with a speechless look. f(r)ee
"Uh..."
"What is this??"
[Ding! Tracing has leveled up]
[Tracing(B-)]
[You have unlocked a way to add intent into your Tracing]
[You have created the first Ink Creature]
[Do you want to store it in Fairy King's Canvas?]
"Ink Creature..." Huo Yuhao has a weird look on his face.
A young deer with curved black horns on each side of its adorable head and fluffy yet cloudy blue fur appeared before Huo Yuhao. It released a meek-sounding squeak, which caused Huo Yuhao to be astonished for a moment.
"Ah..."
"You're a Mythical Qilin."
"Wee~!" The Qilin rubbed its head against Huo Yuhao's thigh.
[Name: None]
[Type: Ink Creature/Mimicked Mythical Qilin]
[Cultivation: 7th Class Beast(high)]
[Description: The Ink Creature, Mythical Qilin is inferior mimicry of youthful Huang Yuna. It possessed the power to manipulate all five fundamental elements and small luck around its creator]
"Can you transform into human form?" Huo Yuhao asked, to which the cloudy-furred beast responded with a shake of its head.
Patting the beast, Huo Yuhao pondered about something and stared at the Fairy King's Canvas.
[Name: Fairy King's Canvas]
[Type: Ancient Artifact]
[Grade: SS+]
[Description: Fairy King's Canvas is an ancient artifact created by the first Ancient Ink Demon: Titania von Valstrax. It increases the effect of All-Transforming Ink by 500% and lowers stamina consumption by 75%]
[1st Effect: Ancient Ink Blood's Strengthening]
[2nd Effect: Sub-Dimension Space]
[3rd Effect: Locked]
[4th Effect: Locked]
[5th Effect: Locked]
[6th Effect: Locked]
"..." Huo Yuhao.
"What do I even expect from that woman?"
"Store, Mythical Qilin." He noticed a blurry white light escape the Fairy King's Canvas and suck the fluffy beast inside.
"Well, here we go." Stretching his finger a little, Huo Yuhao continued to train Tracing till the next day.
...
...
Several days passed after Huo Yuhao accidentally created the young Mythical Qilin with Tracing. It seems that his reminiscence toward Huang Yuna resurfaced more than others.
With rapid succession, he leveled up "Tracing." to a B+ grade and created two more Ink Creatures. A pink-furred fox and purple-haired vampire, having appearances from Huo Yun'er and Scathach, respectively.
And Huo Yuhao met the requirement to meet Titania again.
In the dream-like realm, Huo Yuhao faced Titania. She had this playful grin, staring at him like he was a piece of meat.
"Oh my, you're such a fast learner, Theo~!" Titania commented while trying to butter him up.
Huo Yuhao pushed her away and responded, "Don't you owe me an explanation, Titania? Tracing ability couldn't possibly cause me to explode, no?"
Titania giggled and returned, "Fufu, that's correct. Young Ink Devil. Tracing is an ability based on imagination and memory to manifest through All-Transforming Ink. The lies I told you were to ignite motivation as you only use All-Transforming Ink to create a weapon."
"Truly a shame. You make my noble blood's ability to perform such a lousy result."
"For example..." Titania snapped her finger.
"Ink World."
Huo Yuhao blinked and saw the scenery around him change instantly into a pitch-black realm. He could still see for some reason, despite the murky darkness.
"Heaven Devouring Ink Serpent." Titania's voice echoed in the realm.
BOOM!
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened as a massive serpent with shiny platinum scales appeared out of nowhere, attacking him aggressively.
"Arise-!"
"That won't work here." Titania lazily said. "If you want to escape, you shall only use All-Transforming Ink and Tracing ability until I'm satisfied."
"Be happy, Theomars. You received a one-in-a-million chance to receive my knowledge."
BOOM!
Huo Yuhao created a shield with All-Transforming Ink, parrying the serpent away. However, the force behind this beast is ridiculous.
BAM!
His right arm was "immediately." dislocated upon contact.
"Fuck..." Even with Perfect Control and placement, he still couldn't reduce the impact of Titania's Ink Creature.
Huo Yuhao pulled out Fairy King's Canvas and made Titania amused inside, summoning three Ink Creatures he had made so far.
The Mythical Qilin received Huo Yuhao's order and formed a thick mist with its elemental manipulation. The pink-furred fox releases a mellow mental energy and tries to confuse Titania from locating their locations.
And lastly, the purple-haired vampire jumped at Titania herself to check something.
"Hoho, attacking the caster? Nice decision." Titania laughed, grabbing a handful of ink to create destructive rain. "Still, far from enough to reach me."
Huo Yuhao activated the All-Transforming Ink and began drawing something on the canvas. Titania sometimes attacked him, causing the process to be slower than usual.
The serpent also made Huo Yuhao and his ink creatures change location a few times. He doesn't know how long he stayed in Titania's Ink World.
Maybe a day?
A week?
A year?"
Well, one thing is clear.
He was almost drawn an Ink Creature out of this world.
Titania frowned because intense intent was coming from the mist, making her curious about Huo Yuhao's tactic. "Let's end this... He's not ready to wield the next ability-!" She was about to summon her second servant, but the purple-haired vampire suddenly appeared with a red spear and ambushed her.
"Gae Bolg!" The young vampire threw the red spear with a dangerous amount of killing intent.
Titania squinted her gold eyes and mumbled, "8th Guardian: Sea-Tearing Orca."
SWOOSH!
A whirlpool appeared and bounced the red spear back to the purple-haired vampire.
BOOM!
The vampire exploded into a mist of blood, covering Titania's field of vision. Titania groaned in disgust, telling her guardian to clean the blood away.
"Finish him." She ordered the Heaven Devouring Ink Serpent to stop playing with Huo Yuhao.
BAM!
Huo Yuhao stepped back and witnessed the serpent leaping out from the ground. The fangs were about to reach Huo Yuhao's body, but the Fairy King's Canvas suddenly released a bright white light.
"Come... My old friend." A rare smile cracked on Huo Yuhao's emotionless face. It was a smile filled with nostalgia.
"This is..." Titania somehow could feel the heat in her Ink World. It should be impossible because Ink World is an absolute neutral field, where all Devil Force got nullified to nothing.
Even Huo Yuhao's Ink Creature, who performs elemental mastery, is debuffed by 75% of its full capability.
Gruggle!
The ink around Titania is starting to boil at an alarming rate.
The Temperature is soaring too fast for her to react.
BOOOM!
The Fairy King's Canvas released an intense white light and spewed out a massive creature, rivaling the World Devouring Ink Serpent.
It was a young western dragon with purplish black scales, possessing fierce purple flame around its muscular body.
"Burn this place down, Naga." Huo Yuhao's complexion is pale because drawing young Naga to this world consumed around 90% of his inner energy and stamina.
And this version of Naga basically possessed 5% of the real one could do.
ROAR! contemporary romance
The dragon roared to the black sky, covering the whole world with its purple thunderfire. The Ink World began to melt slowly but surely, leaving Titania speechless.
"Just what kind of creature did he imagine?" Titania tried to maintain her domain. "The Ink World might be weaker because I'm still in this state, but I have never encountered such a ridiculous dragon in my life."
"Even a 10th Class Devil Warrior couldn't defeat such a dragon..."
BOOOOOOOM!!
The whole world exploded into ashes.
"AAAAHHH, Damn it!" Titania blew her finger continuously and pouted because Huo Yuhao could destroy her Ink World. It took one drop of her All-Transforming Ink to make Ink World, but the burning effect still lasted on her finger.
"Phew, Phew~!" She sucked her index finger in annoyance.
"This unfilial inheritor, hmph!"
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and looked around, locating Titania a few meters away. "Send me back, Titania." He said while feeling weak.
"I met the requirement already."
"I know... Shut your eyes for a moment." Titania responded coldly.
"..." Huo Yuhao put on a deadpan expression.
"Don't stare at me like that! Just shut your eyes."
Titania ordered, to which Huo Yuhao complied as he would never return outside with her mood like this.
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes and felt a gentle push on his lips, probing into his mouth gently. He opened his eyes and found Titania kissing him with a reddened face.
"D-Done! Go back now!!" Titania suddenly pushed him away, turning around quickly. She doesn't want Huo Yuhao to see her current state.
"Just said you want to kiss me, you know? What's this cliche tsundere moment?" Huo Yuhao shook his head.
...
...
[Ding! You have awakened Ancient Ink Devil's "Ink Domain." ability]
Huo Yuhao returned and was "abruptly." welcomed with a familiar stone ceiling. "Titania..." He rubbed his lips lightly.
"Unfortunately, this is only a simulation."
"She would be a good friend to everyone in the homeworld."
Stretching his body, Huo Yuhao walked out of the room and yawned as he needed a warm bath. He picked up a recovery potion and drank it on the spot.
"Hmm??"
Huo Yuhao glanced at the roof, feeling two 9th Class Devil Warriors approaching the Black Pearl Castle. "They are here." He whispered in delight.
Mercy and Clara are doing their job flawlessly.
Harmonia and Triana hovered above the Black Pearl Castle, seeing the area with surprised faces.
"Woah, this place... This place is no different than barren land. Monia thought there was grassland around the Black Pearl Castle. What happened here?" Harmonia commented curiously.
Triana nodded and added, "Yes, I'm curious..."
Harmonia shrugged and continued, "Let's find our little brother first, Triana."
"Mm."
"Let's find Theo."