NOVEL WEB [B3]Chapter 148: The Floral Beast's Feast
As Theo grappled with his surprise, several notifications flickered before him.
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has consumed a significant amount of life essence from the Blazing Lion.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom is absorbing a large amount of life Essence.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 2.]
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 10.]
[Alert: Abyssal Eternal Bloom is undergoing evolution.]
[Transformation Complete. Abyssal Eternal Bloom has evolved into a Bronze Grade Beast.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 2.]
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 10.]
[Alert: Abyssal Eternal Bloom is undergoing evolution.]
[Transformation Complete. Abyssal Eternal Bloom has evolved into Silver Grade Beast.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 2.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 3.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 4.]
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Theo was slightly taken aback by these notifications. However, right in front of him, the Abyssal Eternal Bloom was glowing with an emerald light as it underwent a breathtaking transformation.
As the light faded, its new form became visible. The Abyssal Eternal Bloom had grown from a mere 1-foot-tall creature into a four-foot-tall being, now resembling a young girl of Neria’s age. Her head, crowned with strawberry-shaded petals, now featured more petals that cascaded down to her waist like a wave of hair.
As she transformed from a one-foot-tall creature into a four-foot-tall figure, her vibrant lime green body and limbs remained elegantly clothed in attire crafted from flower petals. The ensemble, consisting of a skirt and top, seamlessly expanded and adapted with her transformation. The delicate petal fabric stretched to fit her newly enlarged form perfectly, ensuring her floral attire continued to adorn her body beautifully.
With a contemplative frown, Theo watched as the transformed creature started galloping around the corpses. Its petite, lime-green hands extended in each direction, swallowing everything in her path.
Theo observed silently as the Abyssal Eternal Bloom began cleaning the field of corpses, devouring the smaller beasts one after another as if savoring her favorite food. She skipped over the mightier ones, seemingly saving the most delectable dish for last.
Notifications continued to flash in front of him, informing him of her continuous growth and evolution.
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has consumed a modest amount of life essence from the Sand Beetle.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has consumed a modest amount of life essence from the Vortex Eagle.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom is absorbing a notable amount of life Essence.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 5.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 6.]
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Information about the Abyssal Eternal Bloom flashed in Theo's mind: 'It nurtures itself and thrives, albeit with a peculiar fondness for consuming the life essence of other creatures as snacks.'
"So, the intel was accurate when it mentioned this Floral Beast consumes other creatures as snacks. It keeps growing as it fills its void-like belly, yet she still appears only ten years old..." Theo mused, his eyes glinting with a hint of surprise.
Despite her youthful appearance, the Abyssal Eternal Bloom relentlessly consumed all corpses in her way, her gaping maw stretching wide to engulf numerous beasts simultaneously. She seemed to be cleansing the land with her insatiable appetite.
Theo stood silently for twenty minutes, watching his Guardian Beast as she systematically cleared nearly every trace of the fallen creatures from the field.
More notifications flickered before him as his attention was drawn back to his Guardian Beast, which had started glowing once again after finishing off even the mighty corpses of the Hydra and the Three-Headed Chimera.
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has absorbed a significant amount of life essence from the Spectral Hydra.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has absorbed a significant amount of life essence from the Cerberus Chimera.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom is absorbing a large amount of life Essence.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 10.]
[Alert: Abyssal Eternal Bloom is undergoing evolution.]
[Transformation Complete. Abyssal Eternal Bloom has evolved into a Gold Grade Beast.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 2.]
[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has ascended to Rank 3.]
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[Abyssal Eternal Bloom has advanced to Rank 10.]
[Alert: Abyssal Eternal Bloom cannot transcend its current rank until the absorption limit of your Ring Essence points is lifted.]
[Complete the Class Advancement Quest to unlock further absorption capabilities for both yourself and the Abyssal Eternal Bloom, allowing for evolution and synchronization beyond the current limits.]
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Ignoring the disheartening notifications about the absorption limit, Theo focused on the visible transformation amid her glowing form. She grew a foot taller, now almost five feet tall, giving her the appearance of a teenage girl. The strawberry-shaded petals had transformed into thinner, hair-like strands, further enhancing her humanoid appearance.
Following this evolution, her skin tone lightened to a soft green, reminiscent of a pampered princess’s delicate complexion, untouched by any hardship.
This time, her attire stretched to accommodate her newly grown body, elegantly hugging her slightly protruded bosom and newly defined curves. The transformation highlighted her maturation from a childlike form to that of a teenage girl, mirroring the natural progression of life, yet all within the span of a mystical moment.
As the transformation concluded, the Abyssal Eternal Bloom met Theo's gaze, her lips moving slightly as if whispering into the air.
However, Theo was not close enough to understand her words. Yet, her simple gestures beckoned him to take steps towards the floral beast.
As he approached, she spoke again, this time a bit louder.
"Foo-ood..."
Theo sighed, struggling to understand how she was capable of communicating. He couldn't fathom how the floral beast had learned to mimic human speech. There was no immediate explanation for this puzzle, other than the realization that this creature was far from ordinary.
Seeing that she had already devoured everything in the vicinity, and knowing he had no more beasts to offer, Theo opened her profile to check her updated stats:
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[Name: Abyssal Eternal Bloom]
[Race: Mystic Bloom]
[Elemental Affinity: Abyssal, Nature]
[Sentience: Developing Intelligence]
[Grade: Gold]
[Rank: 10]
[Alert: Massive Amount of Life Essence Accumulated. Absorption Limit Reached.]
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Upon reading that her Sentience had evolved to 'Developing Intelligence,' he murmured, "Hopefully, it's cultivating some brainpower, not just eating power."
Looking back at the innocent-looking floral beast, who had gulped down corpses of mighty beasts, Theo remarked, "If you had listened, you could've done me a great favor by giving me some of those beast cores. After all, you cannot absorb any more life essence..."
The floral beast's eyebrows furrowed as she gazed at him, then slowly tilted her head to the left, a questioning tone in her voice, "Beast cores?"
Theo nodded. She then brought her slender hand to her jaw, appearing as if a diligent student pondering a challenging calculus problem.
Letting her mull over the query, Theo decided it was time to return to Lorian, having been separated for nearly two days. Given that they had been allotted a week to complete the class mission, it was unlikely Lorian had already returned to the academy.
Recalling the green forest location on Lorian’s map that he had studied back in the Crimson Dunes, Theo was certain he needed to head in the northern direction.
As he turned to leave, Theo's eyes caught sight of a mountain-like structure a short distance away. It was the scorched body of a familiar beast.
"Why did she leave it untouched? Can't she digest it?" Theo pondered as he eyed the colossal corpse of the Azure Primordial Terragon—a formidable creature he had encountered earlier in his journey.
The thought of his Deathreaper Scythe and the potential to harvest a beast core from such a powerful creature—one that had instilled fear in all other mighty beasts, guarding the eternal seed and withstanding numerous attacks—ignited a determination within him.
Motivated by the prospect of enhancing his Scythe with the beast core of this formidable creature, Theo quickened his pace towards the Azure Primordial Terragon, resolved to reach it before the Abyssal Eternal Bloom could possibly snatch it for herself.
However, when he came within five meters of the Terragon's corpse, Theo abruptly stopped. His body froze in place, and his expression turned grave. The world around him seemed to fall eerily silent—no crickets chirped, and no birds sang. Time itself appeared to have stopped.
Just then, two large, glinting silver eyes met his, piercing through him completely. The intense gaze locked onto his, making Theo feel as though he was trapped in a room made entirely of ice, the temperature plummeting to minus one hundred degrees, his body bare and utterly exposed to the biting cold.