Villain: Ultimate Mutation System in the Alternate World

Chapter 54: Road Trip

As the truck continued its journey down the winding highway, George found himself grappling with conflicting emotions.

He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach since the moment he agreed to help Reign.

After talking to Reign more, his initial impression of him as a reckless and impulsive monster began to change. He couldn't help but wonder what darkness lay behind those shaded eyes.

Lost in thoughts, he barely noticed when Reign spoke, his voice cutting through the silence.

"Stop,"

George slowed down the truck and parked it on the side of the road.

"What's wrong?" he asked, but before he could get an answer, Reign stepped out of the vehicle, his gaze focused on the forest in front of him.

He could only make out the trees along the road, thick with bushes and sloping upwards gently, more like a hill than a small mountain.

'Something is there,' Reign muttered to himself.

Ever since he had evolved into Skull-Fiend, he had become more sensitive to the smell of death. Right now, he could tell that there was a strong scent of malice nearby.

"Wait here, I'll check something out," Reign commanded.

George wasn't much help in combat, so it made sense to just think of him as a personal driver.

Even though George wanted to argue, Reign's serious tone made him think twice.

"I'll wait here, " With a resigned sigh, he nodded silently, understanding the gravity of the situation.

He watched as Reign disappeared into the dense foliage of the forest, his body blending seamlessly with the trees.

Inside .

With calm steps, Reign continued to follow the trail of the ominous scent.

His eyes , searching for any sign of movement or disturbance.

Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of the wind, did not escape his ears.

SWOOOOSH!

He heard the sound of running footsteps approaching from behind him. Judging by the rhythm, he could tell it was coming from something with four legs.

"Mantis Eyes," he muttered, activating his ability to increase his reaction time and widen his field of view.

With heightened senses, he scanned his surroundings.

In the periphery of his vision, Reign spotted a four-legged monster, its form covered by a bush.

There was no mistaking it for a mere animal—the aura of malevolence emanating from it marked it as something far more sinister.

However—

'It's weak,' Reign thought to himself, his enhanced senses allowing him to judge the strength of creatures far weaker than him with ease.

But, the creature was not as smart so it failed to notice the gap in their strength. It dashed towards Reign's back, intending to launch a surprise attack.

"Oh, and it's also slow," Reign chuckled inwardly as he effortlessly dodged the creature's first strike without even looking back.

After failing in its attack, the creature stumbled to the ground, revealing its full body .

It was a large dog, standing as tall as a human, with long, pointed ears resembling those of a Doberman. Its eyes glowed red, its teeth gnashed together, and there were even some drooling bubbles forming.

"Is that a rabid dog?" Reign wondered silently.

"RAWWWR" The dog barked and attack again

"What a stupid mut," Reign muttered sarcastically, shaking his head.

As the dog leaped, he timed his move perfectly, seizing its neck and holding it on a chocked position.

"RAWWWR"

"RAWWWR"

"RAWWWR"

Reign continued to toy with the dog, maintaining his grip on its neck as it struggled.

In a playful manner, he maneuvered around its frantic attempts to break free.

'I'm pretty sure this is not a Blackhound ,'

Reign pondered for a moment, recalling his knowledge of the various creatures he had seen when the system offered him to change race.

As he scrutinized the dog in his grasp, he realized it didn't quite match the description of the Black Hound.

"The Black Hound," he mused, recalling the details he had read before.

The Black Hound was said to be a formidable creature, possessing a sleek, shadowy coat that seemed to absorb light. Its eyes were said to gleam with an otherworldly intensity, and its presence instilled fear in all who crossed its path.

It was rumored to possess supernatural abilities, capable of tracking its prey with uncanny precision and striking with lethal force.

However, the creature in Reign's grasp lacked the distinct features and aura associated with the legendary Black Hound.

It was also too weak to be a blackhound.

[System :Scanning]

'Oh a new ability,'

Reign's smile widened as he saw a new ability given by his system. It was like stumbling upon an unexpected option, adding a pleasant surprise.

[Race: Demonized Doberman]

[The Demonized Doberman is classified as an unranked demon, having undergone a transformation from a regular dog into a demonic entity. Despite their demonic nature, they are relatively weak, with their potential limited to the lower ranks of the demonic hierarchy.]

[System: Would you like to devour Demon Aura to earn skill points ]

[Yes] or [No]

"Yes," Reign quickly answered.

As he spoke, he sensed a peculiar energy emanating from the Doberman, a shimmering dark aura that seemed to pulsate with a mysterious power.

Gradually, the dog began to undergo a transformation, its body shrinking and contorting until it reverted back to its original size and appearance.

[+1 skill Points]

"WOOF WOOF WOOF"

With a playful bark that sounded almost like it was happy, the Doberman began to wag its tail. It even allowed Reign to pat its head, a sign of newfound trust or perhaps gratitude.

"Who's the good dog? Who's the good dog?" Reign playfully exclaimed as he continued to interact with the Doberman.

He found himself genuinely enjoying the company of this pet, remembering that he had always wanted a pet before he was kidnapped in his previous life.

"What should I call you?" he pondered aloud, considering a name befitting both the dog's nature and his own sense of style. He sought something with a cool, commanding presence.

"Wick, I'll call you Wick from now on," Reign declared, giving the Doberman a pat on the belly. It appeared that Wick rather liked the name, responding with a contented wag of his tail.

***

"What is that thing?" George asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. He had expected Reign to return from his mysterious errand with tales of battling demons or ghosts, but instead, he was confronted with the sight of Reign proudly leading a Doberman.

Reign grinned "Surprise! Meet our newest team member."

George blinked, struggling to process the absurdity of the situation. "Our team has a dog now?"

"Two dogs now, to be exact," Reign spoke up with a mischievous tone.

"Two dogs? Where's the other one?" George asked, scanning the place for any sign of a second unexpected canine companion.

"What are you talking about? This dog is called Wick, and the other one is called George," Reign laughed hysterically, enjoying the scene.

George's face contorted in annoyance, a mix of frustration and resignation washing over him. Once again, Reign was poking fun at him, and the worst part was that he had no way to talk back.

He could only let out a gruff huff of indignation, silently lamenting his misfortunes.