*screeeeech*
A loud cry filled the cavern.
"Earth Wyrms—" The witch described. "Low-level dragons on the near-bottom of the evolutionary ladder. They have immense endurance and mobility in rocky terrains. They typically use their large tails or sharp teeth as a means of offense, though they could also tackle their opponents with their muscular body."
The witch explained to me, her face serious.
Hmmm… them again
Inspecting the reptilian beasts from a ledge far above them, I find a very familiar sight.
It was the Night Beast's mounts—at least, it looked like them.
They were most likely a different group, separate from the ones that I fought with the Night Beasts.
They had a big reptilian body packed in muscles. They hissed at each other with their snake-like tongues, most likely as a means of communication. Their scales varied in color, most having brown or blue—sometimes even red. They moved around in groups of four or three, always hanging out in their own pack. Most important of all was their number.
There was just too goddamn many of them
The witch creased her forehead, conflicted.
She spoke not a single word as the gears inside of her head turned vigorously.
Then, she spoke.
"We're killing that."
She said informatively, her words unclear to me.
…?
I tilted my head at her vague order.
Which one?
Then, she gave me a determined look, one that spoke volumes of her immense power.
"All of them." She said plainly.
Of course we are
Behind an outcropping of stalagmites, I hid, my mana concealed and breathing low.
A shine irritated my eye from above.
I look at the source, only to find the witch's vague figure waving at me.
Now is NOT the time!
I give her an irritated look, sadly though, she was too faraway to notice my gaze.
I continue to move forward, using the stalagmites as cover.
Once I find the spot the witch instructed me to be in, we would begin our plan.
I kneel down, making myself look as small as possible.
Cold…
I hug my shoulders, the wind chillier than usual.
Before I had set off on my near-suicidal mission, the witch had cast some sort of spell on me, making my body cold.
It did not really bother me that much, except for making me more susceptible to the cold.
「You have obtained the skill 'Cold Resistance' Lv. 4」
Then the chill disappeared, albeit not entirely.
Still, though…
It was an improvement.
With the improvement of my skill's proficiency, the cold became just a little bit more manageable.
Then, I waited.
A pack of Earth Wyrms broke off from the huge clearing.
There were four of them, three brown and one blue.
I focused within myself, making sure that my mana signature was properly concealed.
This much should be fine…
Once again, I was reminded of the difference between me and the witch.
The witch's mastery of mana — and magic in general — was outstanding. Despite her enormous mana pool, she could conceal it just as easily as she would cast any other spell, effectively making her invisible to those that relied on mana for tracking. Not only that, but she was able to cast spells, too. All of this combined made her the perfect assassin.
And then there's me
Meanwhile, I struggled just to keep my mana under control. It was not like they were too powerful or anything, it was just exceedingly difficult for me to conceal them.
It was like shaping water. While it is easy enough once you have your container — like a cup — to put the water in. It is much harder once you get rid of that factor—mana was like that.
The thumping of feet grew louder, signifying that the beasts were near.
I tighten my grip on the blade's hilt.
The beasts got closer, the hiss of their tongues as they felt for the surroundings were practically by my ear.
…
Then, the beasts walked past the stalagmites I was hiding at, their backs faced toward me.
Mana filled the space we were in, and I quickly recognized whose it was.
I quickly went into action.
I let my mana loose, letting it travel in my body freely and strengthening me.
「Skill 'Quick Step' is activating」
With a single step, the beasts were just a few feet away from me.
One of them turned around — the one closest to me — alarmed my presence.
"?!—"
The beast hissed for a split second, trying to warn it's other members.
I let mana travel to my blade, a creeping darkness imbued the edges of the blade, sharpening it.
Then, the beast's head fell.
With a single swing, the imbued blade cut through the beast's tough blue scales and flesh.
*thump*
「You have leveled up」
「A new evolutionary path has been unlocked」
「Your attribute 'Absorption' is activating」
「You have obtained the skill 'Tough Scales' Lv. 1」
「Your attribute 'Assimilation' is activating」
「Skill 'Tough Scales' Lv.1 cannot be assimilated」
「You have lost the skill 'Tough Scales' Lv.1」
The beast's head falls onto the ground.
It was only then did it's other members react, quickly twirling around.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
I quickly dove in, using 「Quick Step」 and 「Reinforcement」 on my legs.
One of the beasts swung it's burly tail.
I jump up and forward, evading the blow and closing in on the beast.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
The beast tried to grab me with it's sharp teeth, too.
I dodge this one too, and drive my blade into the beast's eye.
"—!!"
The beast falls thrashes in anguish.
I quickly pull my blade back.
The beast falls on it's side, not dead but weakened.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Another beast came rushing at me with immense speed.
I try to dodge to the side, but find that my foot had been captured by the earth.
The beast was fast, and in the small amount of time I spent trying — and failing — to get out of the entrapment, it was already upon me.
I activate 「Hardening」.
At the same time, my body instantly felt weaker without 「Reinforcement」 to strengthen it.
The beast claws clashes against my skin, tearing into it and sinking into my flesh.
Despite 「Hardening」 boosting my defensive capabilities, the beast's strength was still too high.
I parry the beast's burly arms.
The beast flew to the side, giving me a little time to free myself.
I disable 「Hardening」 and switch to 「Reinforcement」, focusing mana into my right leg—the one caught by the earth.
「Skill 'Quick Step' is activating」
The earth crumbles beneath my feet, freeing me.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
I leap backwards, a spear of earth soaring where I was just previously in.
The earth spear crashes against the barrier, crumbling in an instant.
The green dome still stood strong.
Following the source of the spell, I find another beast, uninjured, hunkered down with the earth.
Using 「Quick Step」 once more, I close the distance between me and the beast
With a single sweep of my sword, the beast falls to the ground, blood spraying from it's bisected head.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
The injured beast approaches me, it's injured eye crying blood.
The beast roared, and it's remaining companion came at me from the side.
I let more mana travel to my blade, strengthening it even more.
The one-eyed beast approached me first, the second close behind.
I need to make this quick
The beast jumps at me, it's maw wide open.
I slice the beast's cheek, letting blood flow into it'd mouth.
The beast bit into me regardless, it's sharp teeth sinking into my leg.
Blood flowed from my wound, the pain traveling throughout my leg.
「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」
Then the other beast came, it's maw aiming for my head.
I lean to the side, and the beast tried to stop me by biting into me even harder.
I grit my teeth in horrifying pain.
The other beast's strike misses, and I did not miss this chance to plunge my blade into it's large body.
The beast falls ungraciously to the ground, blood falling from it's side like waterfall.
Just one left
The beast bit into me even harder, almost reaching bone.
A scream tore from my throat.
Disabling 「Reinforcement」, I activate 「Hardening」 and pump as much mana as I could to my leg.
The beast fought against me, trying to tear off my leg, but with 「Hardening」 running at full capacity, it's teeth could not dig any deeper.
Though, I still had about a dozen teeth lodged in my leg.
I focused more mana to my sword, letting mana flow through it.
Soon, the sword turns ebony black entirely, not just the edges.
Then, I stab it into the beast's torso.
Blood flowed from where the beast was stabbed, and with that confirmation, I drive the blade even deeper to it's skin.
Soon, the beast was practically spraying blood.
Despite this though, the beast's teeth continued to sink into me slowly.
A couple seconds passed, and the beast's grip lessened.
I quickly took charge and drove my blade in it's jaw, trying to pry it open.
With the beast weakened, it was easy enough to overpower it's bite.
*slam*
The beast fell, limp and lifeless.
「You have leveled up」