Chapter 14: Altered Psyche

Dante was prone on the earth, acutely aware of the perilous predicament he was in. The clash with the wolf had unfolded in an unforeseen manner, inflicting grievous harm upon him. The copious loss of blood was sapping his strength, and he sensed that he was teetering on the brink of unconsciousness.

Although dying here wouldn't signify his demise in the real world, he yearned for triumph to boost his self-esteem. The sole triumph he had secured was the one aided by Elrid in overcoming the dragon.

"Yes... Elrid's help," Dante murmured, his voice weak and strained. He was acutely aware of his desperate need for assistance, yet he found himself stranded in an isolated location with no one to turn to for help. Despite this, he couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope, as though there might be a chance for him to overcome the dire situation he found himself in.

Dante's mind raced as he desperately searched for a way out of his current predicament. With his strength waning and his injuries mounting, he could think of only one possible solution: Elrid's ability to possess him. He stammered out the words, his voice barely above a whisper, "Maybe... maybe he can... do... the possession thingy."

Despite the pain, he was experiencing, Dante clung to the hope that Elrid's ability could somehow save him. He closed his eyes and focused all his energy on reaching out to his companion, willing him to come to his aid.

Despite losing his self-esteem from being repeatedly at the mercy of the golem, he couldn't allow a significantly weaker opponent to treat him the same way and had to ensure a victory by any means necessary.

Before Dante could even ask, Elrid spoke in a harsh tone: ''I cannot assist you this time. There will be no questions asked. I cannot always be there to rescue you from every situation. If you fail to eliminate this wolf, there will be consequences from the system. Not every action brings rewards, and sometimes, there are punishments. The Abyssal Path must not be tarnished with your own weakness and the resulting humiliation.''

As Elrid waited for some form of exchange from Dante, he was taken aback when he glimpsed past Dante's mind and focused on his physical features.

Despite the obvious wound on his chest, the young boy stood tall and held his katana tightly. His aura exuded an icy and ominous energy that left Elrid momentarily in awe before he refocused his thoughts.

Elrid was perplexed, his mind racing with questions. ''Could it be the forbidden art? No, that's impossible. His body is too weak to handle it now, as a mere level 0 being. Then what could it be?'' he pondered, gazing at Dante.

Dante's words interrupted his thoughts. ''I'm sorry for acting like a spoiled child. The greatest swordsman can't rely on handouts to build his legacy. Even if I die, I won't beg for help again. And besides, it's just pain, not real death. I can handle pain,''he said, a bloody grin stretching across his face.

In contrast to his previous realization, where he speculated that receiving various powers may not have been a coincidence, and made a vow to break free from the invisible strings seemingly controlling him,

Dante's current awakening was vastly dissimilar. He had finally grasped the reality of the situation. Prior to this awakening, whenever he had given up hope on awakening an element, he aimed to rely solely on his Unique Meta Traits to fulfill his dreams.

However, after being fortunate enough to encounter various opportunities, he seemed to have forgotten his past struggles and became somewhat entitled.

But now, faced with the truth, he realized that it was only through diligent effort, paired with innate abilities and favorable opportunities, that he could truly shine.

The sound of the flame-like wolf's howl reverberated across the entire dimension, its powerful voice shaking the very fabric of reality. Despite having tricked the human, the wolf regretted not having killed him, and yet the human stood his ground, defying the it's majestic presence.

As the wolf's howl echoed into the distance, it was met with a chorus of responding howls, as a pack of fiery wolves charged forward in unison, spurred on by the call of their leader. Dante could hear their cries from afar, signaling that a fierce battle was about to take place.

''Is that so? A pack leader, huh? Based on what I've seen, this wolf doesn't appear to be the strongest. There must be others that are much stronger. Nevertheless, it doesn't alter the situation.'' Dante murmured to himself while getting ready to defend himself for as long as he could before died.

Out of nowhere, a pack of running wolves emerged from the distance and abruptly joined the ongoing fight beside Dante. They hardly paused before all of them simultaneously pounced at him. With eight fierce jaws wide open and concentrated fiery blasts, aimed directly at Dante, one might have expected him to lose his nerve and impale himself with his katana to flee from the dimension.

Despite the overwhelming odds, Dante did not falter. Instead, a fierce determination ignited within him, and a fiery spirit blazed inside him. As he stood his ground, a dark, smoky aura surrounded his body, extending all the way to the tip of his blade.

In a synchronized move, all the wolves unleashed their fiery burst, directing them towards Dante in a concentrated attack. Dante unsheathed his katana and swung it down with full force towards the blazing ball of fire hurtling towards him. He focused all his energy into the strike, determined to counter the wolves' attack with all his might.

Dante muttered to himself, ''If I can't do this, then I can never progress.''

He entered into a stance, channeling all his focus and energy into his sword. The blade began to emit a dazzling light, which coalesced into a phantasmic form. A majestic Abyss flame dragon appeared, descending from the sky, enveloped in flames and illuminated by the soft moonlight.

The dragon's power was palpable, and it exuded an aura of raw, untamed energy. Dante stood ready, his katana held firmly in his grasp, awaiting the wolves' next move.

As the fiery attack connected with his blade, a significant portion of it was devoured by the Abyss flame dragon. The clash of the fiery blast and the katana strike echoed through the dimension, sending shockwaves throughout the surrounding space.

Stepping back quickly, Dante reversed the attack trajectory and swiped his blade upwards. However, instead of being devoured by the dragon, the flames seemed to creep up the blade of the katana and coat Dante.

The fiery aura surrounded him, intensifying with every passing moment. Despite the danger, Dante remained calm, determined to harness the power of the flames to his advantage.

As Dante continued to manipulate the fiery aura surrounding him, a system message suddenly appeared, hovering in front of him. It read:

[The host has completely merged with the Unique Meta Trait 'Altered Psyche'.]

The message was a clear sign that Dante had reached a new level of power, and that his mind and body were now in perfect sync with each other.

''I hope this works.'' Dante muttered to himself, hoping his efforts would pay off. He skillfully manipulated the fiery aura from the attack, coating himself with its energy.

As he gained a basic control over the aura, it seeped into his pores, revitalizing his body. The weakness he felt from the blood loss and muscle fatigue dissipated, leaving him rejuvenated.

Despite his wounds remaining unhealed and his condition unchanged, Dante felt a surge of seemingly limitless energy coursing through his body.

As Dante jumped on both legs, he felt the surge of energy coursing through his body, with no hesitation in facing the charging wolves that threatened his life. ''This must be how Magnus always feels,'' he thought to himself.

Magnus' Unique Meta Trait enabled him to possess a remarkable ability - the power to convert energy from one form to another. With a normal physical body, this ability could be utilized in an apparently endless loop, allowing Magnus to harness its potential to the fullest.

However, Dante had not yet reached the level of mastery that Magnus had attained with this ability. He still had much to learn and practice before he could harness its full potential like Magnus.

In particular, Dante's physical conditioning and strength were not yet at the level required to fully utilize Magnus' ability to convert energy. He knew that he had to work hard and train diligently to achieve the necessary level of physical fitness to master this ability.

Dante made a bold gesture, raising his hand and signaling the pack of wolves to come at him if they dared. His eyes glinted with fierce determination as he prepared to face them head-on.

CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Inked_Dragon

Hey, guys. I'm a new writer participating in the Spirity Awards 2023 for Webnovel. This novel is my contest entry. English isn't my native language, so kindly excuse any errors. I would greatly appreciate your support for my novel, and I welcome any feedback or corrections you may have. Please don't forget to vote for my novel using your power stones. Thank you!

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