Rain, noticing the somber shift in the conversation, decided to break the silence. "Well, I should probably get going. Can't get too relaxed, you know."
He stood up from his chair, and Brokr and Oleg offered their goodbyes. Rain only needed fourteen more stat points to reach level five, and he promised himself he'd return here after leveling up.
As Rain exited the camp, he passed by the goblin in full plate armor, who seemed more annoyed than upset about the loss of the hunting party. As Rain walked by, he overheard the goblin grumble something about "useless mountain goblins," giving Rain a knowing glance before riding off on his lizard mount.
Looking back at the camp, Rain couldn't help but think how strange it was that the goblins allowed him in so easily. Sure, he explained his situation, but it didn't really absolve him of guilt—he had still wiped out the hunting party. Maybe it was just a goblin thing.
Rain moved deeper into the forest, Aqua and Cascade trailing close behind, their instincts sharp as they scanned the surroundings for potential prey. He could feel the energy coursing through him—he was close to leveling up, and the promise of new skills was enough to stir an unusual sense of excitement in him.
Letting Aqua and Cascade lead the way, Rain watched as they sniffed around, their eyes gleaming when they finally caught a scent. Without hesitation, the two hydroclaws darted forward, and Rain followed, his steps silent but deliberate. Moments later, they stopped in front of a massive, overgrown Hercules beetle. Its shiny, jet-black carapace was like armor, thick and impenetrable.
Rain sighed inwardly. Beetles were notorious for their durability. Cracking through its defense wasn't going to be easy.
The beetle noticed them quickly, its thick legs digging into the earth as a strange, green energy began swirling around its body. It lowered itself, preparing to charge, the glow intensifying.
Rain's eyes narrowed as he raised his hand. "Water Mirror," he muttered. A shimmering, reflective barrier formed in front of him just as the beetle blasted forward, its massive horn aimed directly at him.
Bolts of water shot forth as the large beetle made contact with Water Mirror. Small cracks formed along the beetle's carapace, and it recoiled, its massive form staggering from the impact. Rain's wings flared open as he leaped backward to create more distance. "Aqua, Cascade—attack it!" he shouted.
The two hydroclaws responded immediately. Multiple bolts of water shot toward the beetle, forcing it to shift its focus. The beetle's body tensed, green energy surging around it as it prepared another charge. But before it could fully take off, Rain darted forward with explosive speed, his staff spinning in his hands. He slammed it into the beetle's side with a forceful strike, shattering a portion of its tough carapace.
The beetle let out a low, grating hiss and spun around, narrowly avoiding Rain's follow-up strike. Its horn swung in a wide arc, aiming to skewer him, but Rain was already airborne, his wings lifting him above the deadly blow.
"Aqua Vortex!" he shouted, summoning swirling torrents of water around his staff. He dove down, bringing the vortex with him, aiming directly at the exposed section of the beetle's carapace.
The beetle, sensing danger, raised its armored body to deflect the blow, but Aqua and Cascade shot forward again, their claws slashing into the already weakened cracks on its shell. The beetle reared up in pain, struggling to maintain its balance, and that was all Rain needed.
With one fluid motion, Rain drove his staff into the gaping hole in the beetle's side, unleashing the full force of the Aqua Vortex into its exposed flesh. Water erupted from within, tearing through the beetle's body as the pressure built up inside it.
The beetle let out one final, violent twitch before collapsing, the green energy flickering and dying as the light left its eyes.
Rain landed gracefully beside the defeated creature, breathing heavily but satisfied. He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at Aqua and Cascade, giving them a nod. "Good work. Let's see what kind of reward this thing has for us."
They barked in acknowledgment and Rain saw the notification appear in his view.
["Grand Forest Beetle Slain. High Rune of Strength awarded. High Rune of Constitution awarded."]
Rain summoned his stats. to see how close he was now.
Name: Rain Forrest
Race: Anurasapien
Current level: 4
Current stat limit: 54/60
Strength: 40
Agility: 58
Dexterity: 54
Constitution: 28
Intelligence: 18
Willpower: 19
Charisma: 2
Skills: Enhanced Healing, Adaptive Defense, Hydrokinetic shield, Torrent Dash, Water Clone, Aqua Vortex, Raging Torrents, Fog cloak, Water mirror, Aqua Star Wings
Talents: Sewing 4, Cleaning 5, Cooking 4, Tenacity 9, Pain Tolerance 9, Blunt weapon proficiency 9, hydrokinesis 9, acrobatics 9, stealth 5, anurasapien pride 8,
Blessing: Intermediate Blessing of Kyma
Rain thought his stats were decent, though his charisma was still only a measly two. Strangely enough, it didn't seem to affect his ability to talk to people or convince them of things, so maybe that was just normal for him.
He glanced at Aqua and Cascade, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "This is the final stretch," he thought. Only six points to go until he reached a new level of strength.
He set off once again, following Aqua and Cascade through the dense forest. As they pressed forward, weaving through the thick mist and underbrush, they stumbled upon two deer-like creatures grazing in a small clearing. These weren't ordinary deer, though—their eyes glowed faintly, and their antlers shimmered with a strange, magical energy.
Rain crouched, analyzing them. "Good targets," he muttered under his breath. They looked less armored than the beetle, but that glowing aura hinted at a potential threat. He knew better than to underestimate anything in this forest.
Without hesitation, he sent a signal to Aqua and Cascade. The hydroclaws split apart, circling the deer from opposite sides, their watery bodies shifting with fluid grace.
Rain summoned his water mirror, preparing for their counterattack. He drew his staff, feeling the familiar weight in his hands, and kept his eyes on the creatures. The moment one of them noticed his presence, its head jerked up, nostrils flaring as it sensed the danger.
It let out a high-pitched screech, its antlers sparking with energy, and the other followed suit. Before Rain could act, both creatures launched blasts of electric energy straight at him. He ducked behind the water mirror just in time. The mirror absorbed the blasts, rippling with energy before reflecting some of it back at the deer.
Aqua and Cascade leapt into action. Aqua shot a high-velocity stream of water at one of the creatures, striking it across its side, while Cascade charged head-on at the other, swiping with razor-sharp watery claws.
Rain dashed forward, his wings extending to give him more mobility. He closed in on the deer Aqua had struck, his staff spinning in his hands as he brought it down hard on the creature's neck. It collapsed instantly, the force shattering bone and severing the magic that had powered its glowing eyes.
The second deer retaliated, sending another surge of electricity toward Cascade, but Rain was faster. With a quick flick of his wrist, he summoned a vortex of water to trap the remaining deer in place. The creature thrashed, trying to escape, but it was too late. Rain thrust his staff forward, combining his strength with Aqua's water bolt. The combined attack pierced straight through the deer's heart, and it crumpled to the ground.
Rain stood still for a moment, catching his breath. His eyes scanned the fallen creatures, and then the familiar notification popped up in his vision.
["Two Storm Stag slain. Greater rune of intelligence awarded Greater Rune of agility awarded."]
["Stat threshold reached. Level five achieved. The body has exceeded its current limits. Initiating forced maturation."]
Rain barely had time to process the message before his vision blurred. A wave of dizziness crashed over him, and his legs buckled beneath him. He struggled to stay upright, but it was futile. His body was shutting down. As his consciousness slipped away, darkness overtook him, and he collapsed to the ground.
Unseen and beyond his awareness, his body began to undergo a drastic transformation. Muscles tightened, bones stretched, and his entire being was reshaped to accommodate his newfound power.