Before the break of dawn, Cecilia opened her eyes, ready to stand up. Sensing her slight movement, Zane's eyes also opened, and he inquired, "Is it back?"
"Yes," Cecilia confirmed.
Zane paused for a moment, then retrieved the map and indicated a dark red area. "Let's move, but we'll take this path."
"Through the Vicious Snake's Mountain? Are you sure about this?" Cecilia questioned.
"Yes, I don't think we'll be able to shake off whoever is following us. This area here is marked with a warning about the Purple Snake King. If Ascendant Ezio saw fit to add this note, it's likely that it's an Ascendant-level beast."
"Does that mean we should avoid it at all costs?" Cecilia couldn't quite grasp Zane's reasoning.
"Consider this: Have you ever heard the saying 'The best offense is the best defense'?"
"No, but that saying sounds quite contradictory."
Shaking his head, Zane clarified, "Instead of waiting for them to make a move, it's better for us to take the initiative, reshuffle the board, and find openings. Furthermore, if they've followed us this far, then we might not be the greatest threat to that Ascendant Beast. Being mere Awakeners, it might ignore us unless we provoke it."
"Alright, as you say so," Cecilia agreed.
However, in reality, Zane was a little hesitant about this. He thought to himself, 'I am getting frustrated that I can't find any time to hunt beasts with all this running. Whoever's trying to kill us is throwing a wrench into my plans! This forest area should be prime for leveling up. I should be out hunting!'
Name: Zane
Level: Level 11 (Awakened)
Strength: 39
Agility: 38
Perception: 38
Constitution: 35
Mana Capacity: 23
Passive Skills: Swordsmanship (Lvl 2), Archery (Lvl 1), Hand Crafts (Lvl 1), Alchemy (Lvl 2)
Active Skills: Berserk Skill (Lvl 1)
Unallocated Skill Points: 3
Mantra: Blood Berserker Mantra (Complete) (Gold)
Suddenly, when Zane looked at his Mantra, he noticed some changes. 'Wait a minute, when did my mantra change from Zen's Slaughter Mantra to Blood Berserker Mantra?'
'Also, it seems that every time I level up, I receive 10 points for all of my stats.'
Cecilia, noticing Zane staring blankly once again, called out to him, "Zane, let's go!"
Zane thought, 'I will check the changes later.' Then, he called back to Cecilia, who was ready to sprint.
"I am coming!" he shouted.
'But this time, let the hunt begin!'
...
As Zane progressed, he left a trail of dead monster bodies behind him. Previously, he had aimed to avoid leaving an unnecessary trace, but it appeared that approach wasn't effective.
However, this time, he actively sought out monsters while moving in the direction of the Vicious Snake's Mountain.
Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Zane was greeted by various snake-like beasts in the area. Some were crawling, others were hanging from trees, and a few were waiting for unsuspecting prey to fall into their traps.
'No wonder they call this the Vicious Snake's Mountain. Just in this part alone, it seems like there are hundreds of them.'
'Identify'
Vicious Snake
Strength: 3.2
Agility: 5.7
Perception: 2.5
Constitution: 3.2
Mana Capacity: 0
Genetic Skill: Berserk
Skill: Poison Fang
'There is no time to waste,' Zane ran towards the Vicious Snakes, cutting them down one by one with a swift swing of his sword.
Meanwhile, Cecilia refrained from assisting Zane, knowing well of his 'habit' of handling monsters solo. She was aware that if she intervened, Zane would give her a stink eye. Instead, she chose to meditate amidst the battlefield, simultaneously controlling her Aura Blade and activating the Blood Berserker Mantra.
...
After a while, Zane had left behind hundreds and hundreds of snake carcasses. He ventured deeper into the mountains and soon began encountering larger snakes that resembled pythons. These serpents had scales that blended a dark green hue with black, and they stretched to lengths of 40 to 50 feet.
Vicious Snake
Level 15 (Awakened)
Strength: 32
Agility:51
Perception:41
Constitution:35
Mana Capacity:12
Genetic Skill: Viper Strike, Poison Fang, Nature Camouflage
Cecilia opened one of her eyes when she felt the presence of the beast, but then closed it again knowing that it wasn't a threat. On the other hand, Zane wore a vicious smile as he ran towards the large snake, his Blood Berserk skill already activated. The aura of extreme slaughter within his Berserk Skill caused even the large snake to momentarily lose its composure, unsure of what to do.
Zane aimed for the belly area of the snake, his sword met the snake's skin and generated sparks before embedding itself, leaving a sizable gash on its side. A splash of red blood sprayed into the surroundings. The Vicious Snake retaliated with both of its skills, but quickly realized that Zane's speed surpassed its own.
Before it could initiate another attack, another large gash appeared. The snake felt the fear of impending death and slithered rapidly, using its camouflage to blend into the tall grass. However, just as the snake started to vanish, Zane activated his special eye ability, which provided him with information about the snake's location. He swiftly located the hidden serpent and struck it down with a powerful blow to the nape.
Upon its demise, Zane collected various parts of the snake, such as its poison glands, heart for alchemical purposes, and its skin.
Having secured a bountiful harvest, Zane proceeded further into the inner parts of the forest, encountering more Awakened Vicious Snakes. He systematically hunted them down one by one, and when facing groups of two or three, he enlisted Cecilia's assistance.
After two days of relentless hunting, nearly thirty to forty Awakened Vicious Snakes were eradicated.
Gazing toward the core area of the Vicious Mountain, Zane readied himself to sprint forward. However, a sudden grip on his shoulder halted him.
"Zane, don't be too hasty," Cecilia's gentle voice quelled his inner greed.
He paused and nodded in agreement with her advice. Calming himself, he addressed Cecilia, "You're right. Let's take a short break. I believe whoever is following us should be close."