Edge reached out with both arms and then willed Extraction to activate.

  The black chains burst from his wrists like they had been waiting all day for this moment, tearing through the air with zeal. When the living links plunged into the monkey’s chest and dove inside its core, Skill-Eater awoke, stopping his mind from following them.

  He had known it was coming and was ready to plead his case. After all, this was the strongest monster he had defeated yet, and his core had stepped in several times before. By now, Edge was certain that it had something to do with the corruption infesting a monster’s inner world, and he probably would have died without Skill-Eater’s prior intervention.

  While he appreciated the big guy’s protection, he intended to discover what was in there this time around. He knew it was a dangerous decision, perhaps even life-threatening, but he didn’t trust the black chains to pick the best skills for his long-term growth, since they tended to prioritize his immediate needs. However, that wasn’t the only reason why he wanted to peek inside the elite’s inner world.

  By this point in his adventures, Edge had come to believe that unraveling the secrets behind the monsters of Ord was critical to his survival. There was still so much that he didn’t understand. He felt like a pawn in a contest taking place beyond his purview. He needed to elevate his vantage and understand the true stakes of the game.

  He knew that Disruption helped shield him from the taint and was willing to gamble that he had enough to endure the hostile environment, at least for a brief moment.

  He willed his mind into his central chamber and stopped in front of the black door that led to the place where the ravenous lord bound in chains resided. “Unless it will cripple or kill me, let me look inside the monster’s core. I promise not to stay for more than a few seconds. I know that it’s risky, but I need to learn the truth of this world and select skills that will help us conquer the Savage Garden.”

  Standing this close to the origin of his power, Edge could sense Skill-Eater’s reluctance, although he could tell that it was considering his request. Eventually, it agreed, warning him not to linger before drifting back to sleep. Then his consciousness was transmitted through the black chains and into the monster’s inner world.

  The instant that he appeared inside the gorilla’s core, he was assailed by an incredible sense of wrongness. The corruption was so thick that he could see it in the air, shimmering like an oil slick. The toxic miasma surged like a living creature, grinding down his Disruption field and trying to permeate his being.

  He knew in that moment that Skill-Eater’s caution was well-founded. He could only remain for a handful of heartbeats before he suffered irreparable damage, so he went to work fast. He needed to learn whatever he could and pick out the skills that he wanted to steal at the same time.

  Edge was already starting to feel sick and knew that he wouldn’t be able to return. I have to choose three skills ASAP, then get the fuck out before it’s too late.

  As he scanned his surroundings, his eyes widened with astonishment. He found himself touring a landscape that was even more alien than the others he’d visited. I was right. Wherever these lethal life forms hailed from, it wasn’t anywhere on Ord.

  How the monsters had come to this planet and what role the System played in the process were questions for another day. Edge spun in a circle, committing the details to memory while surveying the skills residing in the monkey’s core.

  This shattered land looked like something straight out of a post-apocalyptic thriller. A swollen ruby sun hung low in the sky, casting an abyssal glow across the final days of a faltering world. He cast his gaze across a parched plain of lifeless soil. The entire region was glowing—electric lava flowing out from immense cracks leading all the way down to the mantle.

  It’s not only this world. That sun is dying too. It looks like the planet’s orbit is unstable, and it’s spiraling toward nuclear oblivion. A fresh surge of foulness assailed Edge as he made that observation, threatening to overpower him before ebbing once more. There isn’t time to process or think. Just look, make your choice, and then leave while you still can.

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  Rising from the center of the shattered plain was a petrified tree. Its barren branches stretched thousands of feet toward the sullen crimson sky—a lone sentinel observing the final days of this world. Endless motes of silver ash rained from above, carrying the virulent taint of corruption far and wide.

  This time around, Edge could determine its origin. A titanic volcano was looming in the distance, spewing an endless torrent of molten stone across the horizon. As stunning as this was, it was nothing compared to the shock he felt when he saw the monster. The creature was several orders of magnitude bigger than anything he’d ever heard of—massive enough to make a kaiju feel insecure about its size.

  Standing in the volcano’s crater—bathed in a coruscating aura of molten blaze—was a great, horned giant. He couldn’t make out the details through the lava-lit smoke, but the black chains were certain that the entity was ancient, incomprehensible, and terrible.

  If Edge were really here instead of viewing a representation inside the gorilla’s core, the monster’s mere presence would have obliterated him in the blink of an eye. On that note, let’s get what we came for and then get the hell out of Dodge.

  He forced himself to look away—to focus on nothing besides evaluating which skills he wanted to claim. There were eight that he could see. More might be hiding, but he didn’t have time to worry about that now. He quickly examined each power in turn, getting a sense for what it did before moving onto the next.

  Just like with beasts, he could tell right away that some of the monkey’s powers wouldn’t work for a human—most notably the Rare skills that let it dominate monsters and see through their eyes. They would still serve as fuel for his powers, but he wasn’t about to waste this opportunity when he could hunt lesser prey to accomplish the same end.

  The ape was packing a few combat skills too, but nothing that Edge was drawn to or seemed better than what he already had. By the time that he reached his final option, he was ready to make his choice. Two of the powers he wanted were Rare, which meant that he would have 48 hours while they digested to figure out what to do about his skill-slot situation, and the third was an ideal candidate for his Auxiliary Slot.

  He had been inside the core for less than a subjective minute, but he could already feel the corruption eating through the final layer of his defenses. He gave his chains their orders and then fled the monster’s core.

  Edge was overcome with an exquisite sense of anticipation when he snapped back into his skin—the need to feed flooding every fiber of his being. He had been forced to pick fast, but he was sure that he had made the correct decision.

  To extract a Rare skill, you must sacrifice 2 Mortium.

  Would you like to proceed?

  Shit. I forgot about that part. For a second, Edge thought that he was screwed, but then he realized that some of the stage-two apes had stopped breathing. He didn’t have time to read through his updates, but he had killed enough of them to proceed.

  “Yes. Please hurry. The clock is ticking.”

  The instant that he confirmed the prompt, Mortium was released from his core, infusing the black chains with a ponderous energy that felt chillingly final. Through his bond to the living links, he could sense that a fierce battle was taking place inside the gorilla’s core. Fortunately, the chains were powerful enough to prevail.

  While he waited for them to Extract their prey, Edge wiped the drool from his chin and scanned his surroundings for danger. Skill-Eater’s need to devour was bleeding into his consciousness, but that was alright. It wouldn’t be long until their hunger was sated.

  He had been pondering how he wanted to expand his skillset for some time, especially now that he was drawing near his stage-two evolution. At the moment, he was pleased with his offensive options, although he would always keep an eye out for something special.

  Harden was a solid start as far as defense was concerned, though he would love to pick up a Disruption-enhancing power. Shadow Step and Leap offered considerable mobility, and his other skills provided decent utility.

  But that was only the tip of the iceberg—mere appetizers when compared to the endless banquet that Ord had to offer. There were learning skills and crafting skills. Perceptual skills, informational skills, and countless more besides.

  Fortunately, the monkey had two of a type that Edge was eager to sink his teeth into—especially after witnessing their effects firsthand. At the top of his list were the powers that had strengthened the monkey’s minions, since they would both benefit himself and empower any allies in range.

  For their first target, he had sent the black chains after the aura that created ghostly silver armor—a layer of mana capable of sapping the strength from incoming attacks. He watched on with electric yearning as the black chains pulled the skill out of the elite’s core and then tossed it into his mouth.

  The instant that Edge’s lips closed around it, flavor exploded across his palate. It tasted like gel grew that grew thicker the harder you pushed, with sweet notes that reminded him of maple syrup. It was easy to bring his teeth halfway together, but the closer he came to chomping down, the more resistance he encountered.

  He had to bite with all his strength to break through, at which point the skill avatar faltered and his teeth crashed together hard enough to crack a few molars. He swallowed, smiling as the pureed power slid down his throat and into his core.

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