Becoming a Monster

Chapter 308: Chapter 308: Jasmines’ Temporary Ascension

The moment Jasmine fused with her spirit, her body practically ascended from what she once was. She could feel the pulse of every root, every leaf, every seed hidden in the smallest cracks of the floors and walls. She became someone that was completely one with nature.

It’s been a while since Jasmine had used her ability to fuse with her spirit. The fear of being helpless when the world held danger lurking around every corner wouldn’t allow herself to completely leave herself defenseless.

This time too much depended on her, too many lives depended on her. Even then, she would rather use this ability as a last resort.

Everything changed with the latest piece of loot she received. It felt as if fate itself had intervened when she acquired the staff. It wasn’t just ornamental; it boosted both her magic and spirit by 150 points each. Even for someone like Noah, those numbers would significantly impact his abilities, let alone Jasmine. A 150-point increase amounted to nearly a quarter of her total magical power.

But the stat increase paled in comparison to the ability the staff granted. For ten minutes, as long as she used nature magic, manipulating the plant life around her, the mana cost for controlling, shaping, and empowering vegetation was drawn directly from the world itself, not from her own reserves.

It was an incredible power. However, there was a catch.

To activate the staff’s ability, it had to be tethered to the earth. The moment it was lifted, the connection would sever, and the world would no longer lend her its strength. The ability would then become dormant for nearly twenty-four hours, or until the staff was recharged with pure nature energy.

The staff itself was crafted from the wood of a special tree, one still partially alive. When Jasmine activated its power, she slammed it down. Her eyes flared with vibrant green light as the staff pulsed, and the wood sprouted roots that drilled into the floor, tearing through tile to reach the first source of natural life it could find.

In that moment she was connected to every root, and every vine within that room. Every single plant life was under her full control.

And the room responded.

The very foundation of the mall trembled. Green mass shot up in front of them like a living wall, thickening and growing unbelievably fast. The blades of wind collided with the barrier a heartbeat later, slicing deep, but the cuts were instantly being repaired while the vines continued to strengthen themselves. The magical flora groaned, splintering and cracking under the force of the attack. But as the gust of dangerous wind pelted it, the sounds were slowly being muffled out.

The force behind the gust was now dispersed harmlessly.

Mark, who had braced for the barricade to crumble after the first wave of spells hit blinked blankly towards the vine entagngled wall. Bailey felt utter disbelief at the display, her hands clenching at the disparity between her powers and Jasmines.

Mark didn’t underestimate his sister; he’d always trusted her to hold the line against any threat. That was why he had faith that she could defend against an attack of such magnitude that was clearly cast by more than one person. But even he hadn’t anticipated this.

His disbelief was nothing compared to those on the other side. They all were aware of Jasmine’s identity, which included a basic knowledge of her abilities. But this was different than what they knew.

”It’s Jasmine!” One guard shouted. ”Don’t approach her, she must’ve drained herself building that wall. Attack from range! Fire, everyone, fire! Burn it to the ground! Don’t let them through!”

The moment the voice sounded, gunshots responded first. The bullets embedded themselves into the thick of the wall’s roots, but none pierced through. The roots only twisted tighter, leaving little to no space for a bullet to miraculously get through.

The room began to heat up, flashes of different colors were accumulating. Yet out of the spells, huge balls of flames were being circulated from mages while fire elemental summoners conjured living breathing fire creatures that roared to life.

Though initially surprised by his sister’s display, Mark didn’t believe that she could withstand the next attack solely on her own, not when they were intentionally attacking with her opposing element.

His sword exploded with an aura unlike any other. The thickness of the aura flames expanded nearly a foot around his sword. He was about to step forward, unleashing a wave of energy from his blade to at least intercept the giant fireballs. But then...

The vines that made up the wall instantly erupted outward. Vines that were nearly a foot thick and roots three sizes of that were propelled in different directions that were aimed towards individual spells.

And that wasn’t all. The building shook again. Vines slithered across the floor, walls, and ceiling; not just from Jasmine’s direction but even the ones that filled the room where the guards had taken shelter. They surged toward the attackers to disarm and entrap them, binding their weapons and limbs.

Mark found himself in a daze again as he watched Jasmine intercept fireballs mid-air. The fireballs erupted into miniature explosions, sparks of individual flames scattered upon impact, but none of them were able to break through.

She had focused solely on intercepting the fireballs while allowing the other abilities to still descend into her makeshift wall of nature. Lightning threatened to pierce through the brambles, but the ground wall snuffs out its ability to do so. However, the lightning velocity still set the area impacted ablaze, only for a subtle green energy to seep through the roots, mysteriously dousing the flames.

Despite the potential to intercept the other abilities, Jasmine rejected the notion of always being on the defensive.

With the surrounding plant life, the vines and roots that rested on the floors and on the walls, feet away from the guards, struck.

Jasmine’s hair flared out as she outputted a massive amount of mana to manipulate countless attacks at the same time. Guards were subjected to multiple angles of attacks simultaneously, ankles were twisted and hoisted into the air, those in the air who still attempted to fight back were later seen with individual vines coiled around each of the tangled victims’ limbs.

Others were forcibly snatched onto the ground. Their screams were the worst as the snarling growth threatened to suffocate them from just the sheer volume of tendrils that stretched atop their bodies to tie them down.

And then there were those who attempted to fight back. The quick reflexive warriors, or the agile fighters used their own set of abilities to avoid being trapped. The warriors had abilities to help them cleave through the vines despite their thickness, and the nimble fighters had explosive agility skills to help them avoid being entrapped by multiple angles.

And yet, that wasn’t enough.

The moment one vine was severed, two more sprouted in its place, when those were cut down, the numbers doubled again.

The agile fighters found their footing sabotaged from the dislodging of the mall’s floor, everywhere they stepped was a trap just waiting for them until they made a mistake.

Mages weren’t any better off. Their reflexes weren’t fast enough to react to the sudden ambushes. The few that were lucky enough to not be targeted immediately attempted to defend themselves.

A summoner beckoned forth the head of a dragon that coiled around him, acting as a protective barrier that would incinerate anything that came near.

A moment later, a growth of vines attacked him regardless. The firefly dragon whisked around the summoner’s body engulfing the vines in its flame jaws that completely turned the smaller flames to ashes, while the longer vines burst in flames.

The mans’ plans backfired when the larger vines proceeded to wrap around him.

The vines were still burning!

Though her awareness stretched through the vines, she couldn’t monitor every detail. The plant life was moving as an extension of her will, moving with her intentions but not with her direct control.

It was when screams that were no ordinary screams entered her ears that she realized something wasn’t right. Her intentions weren’t to kill, let alone even to hurt anyone. When her gaze centered on the cries, she witnessed a man fully set ablaze. His face was visibly melting under the fire which temperatures were hotter than ordinary flames.

Jasmine’s breath hitched, her eyes widened in a state of shock and fear. Her hands flinched, trembling as they moved hesitantly, her first reaction was to not only stop the spell, but to also untether the staff from the floor.

But something inside her made her double down. Tears welled in her eyes at the heart wrenching cries that turned into high pitched screeches.

This wasn’t what she wanted. She couldn’t believe that she had taken a human life. But the image of Ailetta killing those humans with no remorse filled her with a resolve to go on. She had to tell herself that it was just one life. If she stops now, then the singular sound of deathly cries would turn into a chorus of hell on earth.

For a moment, Mark truly believed that he didn’t have to do everything. His sister had truly become strong.

But then he heard the sound of hurried steps arriving from the floor above, and with it, his senses picked up that dangerous feeling again.