A distant sound reverberated through the air, jolting Soran from his serene stroll amidst the towering trees at the mountain's base. Previously, he had observed the contrasting landscapes of this location, with one side lush and abundant, while the other appeared barren, with fewer trees. Opting for the path through the verdant side, Soran's curiosity piqued at the origin of the noise. "Is it coming from over there?" he pondered.
Gripping his locked katana tightly in his left hand, Soran quickened his pace. Springing from a massive rock embedded in the earth, he emerged from the lush greenery and cast a retrospective glance at the slightly desolate side of the mountain. The uproarious laughter of monkeys instantly filled his ears, hinting at a fierce battle underway.
"Could that be the area boss? What are they doing here?" Soran muttered, firmly landing on the ground before resuming his sprint. His focus honed in on the numerous red icons peppering the mountainside, indicating the presence of enemies and monsters. Yet, a nagging sense of peculiarity gnawed at him, for this unconventional arrangement of a boss area seemed out of place. "Well, it is a game after all," he mused, questioning his own words rather than stating them outright.
The woman's gown bore the scars of scratches and bites inflicted by the relentless monkeys that managed to get dangerously close. At the tear's edge, a glimpse of tough greaves shielding her shins revealed itself. While her vigilance remained elevated, she remained engrossed in the battle against the simian creatures, oblivious to Soran's presence closing in from behind.
Or so Soran assumed. Having bided his time for the opportune moment to strike, the woman's attention abruptly shifted towards him. Just as his body soared gracefully through the air after a high leap, his legs entangled with an unforeseen obstacle, causing Soran to careen uncontrollably and crash into the ground.
"Whoa, perhaps I should have exercised more caution; she must be a boss-level opponent," a voice emerged from the cloud of dust and scattered gravel, a result of the recent impact. Amidst the clamor, the distinct sound of a sword being unsheathed resonated. Emerging from the hazy aftermath, Soran stepped forth, wearing an assured smile upon his face.
After dispatching the pursuing monkeys with living roots that sprouted from the ground, the woman swiftly redirected her attention to Soran, who advanced eagerly with his sword poised. Extending her hand, the living roots attempted to rapidly ensnare and hinder Soran's progress.
Darting sideways, Soran deftly evaded the initial lunge of the living roots while delivering a powerful slash, cleaving them apart. Anticipating an imminent second attack, he executed a spinning motion mid-air, expertly severing the incoming roots once more.
Landing safely on the sloping ground, Soran grinned in satisfaction. "Lucky for me, low-level bosses," he cheerfully muttered. Despite the sizable distance still separating them, both combatants were aware that a regular sword wouldn't bridge the gap to strike the woman.
Or so the woman believed. Vigilantly cautious of Soran's approach, she believed she had ample time to react. However—
"Shukuchi!"
In an instant, Soran materialized right before her, his sword slashing semi-vertically with blinding speed towards her body. Deepening the wound that marred her gown, the attack visibly vexed the woman, her expression shifting in response to Soran's audacious strike.
"Eh, you can feel anger too?" Soran teased, his grin widening. With the flat blade of his katana menacingly hovering, he deftly flipped it, as if giving a signal. "Issen!"
Valeria was forcefully thrown backward, tumbling down the mountainside slope as a luminous green glow erupted, striking her body.
"Ah, what a waste! Should've gone for a combo instead of that skill," Soran commented, before swiftly giving chase to his fallen adversary.
Perhaps it was a small oversight or a momentary lapse on Soran's part, due to his unfamiliarity with his new body and the new sensation of wielding a katana. Nevertheless, he remained enthusiastic about continuing the fight, deftly utilizing the slope of the mountainside to quickly chase down his opponent.
"Issen!" he declared once again, his sword swinging quickly and easily as the skill refreshed itself almost instantly. The woman quickly distanced herself, narrowly evading Soran's swing. However, rather than be disheartened, Soran's expression only grew more determined, as he positioned his katana from the bottom to the top, releasing a pale blue streak that chased after his adversary who had just finished jumping. "Pulse Blade!"
Once again, her body was forcefully thrust backward, her health bar now a mere shade of yellow. But the battle was far from over. Soran swiftly closed the gap, appearing behind her with his gleaming katana after employing Shukuchi!
"Triple Thrust!"
Three successive thrusts struck true, bringing the woman's health bar perilously close to death. Soran's gratified smile remained, though his facial muscles relaxed as he observed the health bar replenish significantly in a single tick. "W-what?!"
"You lowly creature!" Valeria growled, her vampiric aspect surfacing as her full power manifested. Though Vampire Aspect had no cooldown after use, the side effects from activating it had taken a toll on her, and she needed to regain her consciousness before using the skill again.
Clang! Soran, who was nearly caught off guard, managed to block Valeria's attack with his katana, albeit being pushed backward from the sheer force. "She...got stronger in an instant? I thought I was about to get a rare drop item," he mused, his expression thoughtful.
In a moment of realization, Soran became acutely aware of a significant change in his opponent. Beyond her overwhelming speed and strength, which forced him into a defensive stance, there was a visible transformation in her physical form, distinctively different from the nature she had displayed since the beginning of the fight. Just as he was about to ponder this revelation, or perhaps due to it, Soran found himself pierced by the living roots, which were no longer vibrant green but now pulsated with a deep crimson hue.
As several debuff icons cluttered his field of view, they rapidly faded into a blur. The attack not only drained Soran's health bar, but his mana gauge diminished in a single blow. "What's actually happening?" he questioned, his confusion mounting. Uncertain of where to strike, Soran hastily slashed at the living roots that impaled him before leaping backward, putting some distance between himself and the mysterious woman.
Briefly distracted by the pounding of his heart, which felt as though it had just been resurrected from the dead, Soran began to question his earlier underestimation of his opponent due to her seemingly weak and low-level appearance. It became increasingly clear to him that he was now facing a boss-level opponent.
Directing his gaze ahead, it was those newly crimson eyes that caught his attention. "Are you... a vampire? Have you been the one responsible for the killings all along?" Soran inquired, his voice laced with suspicion and curiosity.