Chapter 3: Chapter 3: The Path of Devouring
Benimaru's power had only begun to grow, but his journey was far from complete. The flames of Blazing Courage still burned brightly within him, but there was a hunger—a desire for more. The world was vast, filled with dangers, strange beings, and opportunities to enhance his abilities. He knew that the only way to push his limits further was to seek out the unknown and devour whatever powerful beings he could find. He would absorb their strength, merging their powers with his own and forging an even stronger version of himself.
His next target was something far more dangerous and elusive than any foe he had faced before—a Finger Bearer, a terrifying and powerful creature born from cursed energy. These beings were rare, born of the darkest corners of the world, and their flesh was known to grant unimaginable power to those who consumed it. The Finger Bearer had the form of a grotesque, hulking figure with elongated arms and fingers, each tipped with claws capable of rending the very fabric of reality itself.
The Encounter
Benimaru's senses were sharp, attuned to every sound, every movement, every shift in the air. He had tracked the Finger Bearer for days, following its cursed trail through ruined cities and barren lands. The creature was a menace, but Benimaru's Blazing Courage drove him forward. He knew this would be a test of his strength—he was not simply hunting to kill, but to absorb, to gain more power.
Finally, he found it—a towering monster, its skin an ashen gray, its glowing eyes piercing the darkness. The Finger Bearer stood amidst the ruins of an ancient temple, the ground around it cracked and scorched as though the very earth itself feared the creature's presence. Its fingers twitched, and Benimaru could feel the cursed energy radiating from it.
Without hesitation, Benimaru summoned his Disaster Flames, the inferno swirling around his body. His flames danced as he stepped forward, the air heating with every step. The Finger Bearer's eyes locked onto him, sensing his power, and with a roar, it lunged, its massive claws slashing through the air.
Benimaru's movements were fluid, his body a blur of motion as he dodged the monstrous strikes. His Demon Brain processed every movement with inhuman speed, and his hands shot forward, igniting the air with his flames. He met the creature's claws with a powerful blast of fire, engulfing the Finger Bearer in a swirl of flames.
But the creature was not so easily defeated. It roared in defiance, its body regenerating even as the flames licked at its skin. It swung its arms wildly, causing the ground to tremble beneath Benimaru's feet. He realized that this creature was far more resilient than any normal enemy, and he could not simply burn it down with brute force. He needed to devour its power.
Benimaru focused, drawing on the full extent of his Blazing Courage, the flames around him flaring higher. He slammed his fist into the Finger Bearer's chest, the fire engulfing its heart. But instead of burning it away, Benimaru allowed the flames to enter the creature's body, drawing the cursed energy into himself.
As the Disaster Flames surged into him, the Finger Bearer let out a blood-curdling scream. Benimaru felt its cursed power course through him, merging with his own. He could feel his body changing, his flames growing hotter and more intense, his senses sharper. The Finger Bearer's energy had merged with his Blazing Courage, making him stronger than ever.
The creature collapsed, now nothing more than a lifeless husk. Benimaru stood over it, panting slightly, but feeling a surge of power within him. He had devoured its cursed energy and absorbed its strength, enhancing his Disaster Flames even further. But there was no time to rest—Benimaru's hunger had not been satisfied. He could sense something else—something even greater.
The Winged Curse Spirit
As Benimaru stood in the aftermath of his victory, he felt a pull, a strange sense of direction. His senses were heightened to the point where he could perceive a powerful, ethereal presence. In the distance, high above the ground, he saw it—an immense, winged Curse Spirit. This spirit was unlike anything he had encountered before, its wings like vast, blackened flames, its form shrouded in an aura of otherworldly energy.
The Curse Spirit hovered in the sky, its wings unfurled like a pair of dark, fiery curtains. Its eyes glowed with a piercing light, and its aura was suffocating, as though the very air around it was cursed.
Benimaru's instincts told him this was an opportunity he could not ignore. If he could devour the Curse Spirit's power, he would become even stronger—he could control flames in ways he had never imagined, and perhaps even gain the ability to create wings of fire, allowing him to soar through the sky like a true god of flames.
He wasted no time. With his enhanced speed, Benimaru leaped into the air, his flames erupting beneath him as he soared toward the Curse Spirit. The spirit noticed him, its wings flapping once and creating a shockwave that sent ripples through the atmosphere. But Benimaru was faster—his body propelled by his Blazing Courage, he cut through the shockwave, dodging the spirit's attempts to strike him down.
He closed the distance, and with a single, powerful punch, he struck the Curse Spirit's chest. The flames of Disaster Flames burst out of his hand, consuming the spirit's body in an inferno. The Curse Spirit screeched, its form beginning to disintegrate as Benimaru absorbed its power. He felt the flames of the spirit burning through his veins, and for the first time, he felt something more than just the fire.
He felt a pair of wings.
The Fire Wings
The transformation was slow at first. His back began to burn with an intense heat, the fire spreading across his shoulder blades. His flames twisted and contorted, and Benimaru felt his body change, his muscles aching as they adjusted to the new form. His Blazing Courage flared, feeding the power of the Curse Spirit and fusing it with his own.
Then, with a mighty roar, Benimaru's back erupted in a burst of fiery energy. Two massive wings made entirely of flames tore through his body, stretching outward in a glorious display of power. The wings were unlike anything he had ever imagined—vast and blazing with an intensity that rivaled the sun itself. They burned hot enough to turn the air around him to ash, and with a single flap, the ground beneath him cracked and trembled.
Benimaru spread his wings wide, feeling the newfound power coursing through him. He could fly. He could control the flames with his wings, directing them with precision. The Disaster Flames swirled around him, making his fire wings even more powerful, as if they were extensions of his very soul. The Curse Spirit's energy had fused perfectly with his own, giving him the ability to take to the skies and unleash destruction from above.
With his fire wings unfurled, Benimaru felt invincible. He could feel the immense power within him, and he knew that this was just the beginning. His journey was far from over, and the world would soon learn to fear the flames of the warrior with wings of fire.