Leo's heart raced as he woke up from the haunting dream. "What was that?" he whispered, his voice trembling with fear and confusion.
He struggled to gather his thoughts, the chilling memory of the encounter in the dream remaining vivid. His mind felt different, as if a part of him was missing.
Looking around his bed, Leo's eyes fell on the dagger he had purchased the day before, its blade slightly stained with blood. It dawned on him that the way he had slept and kept the dagger could have resulted in the cut on his neck.
However, a cold chill coursed through his body as he unconsciously rubbed his hand, feeling an unnatural coldness. It was as if a part of him had been taken away, leaving a void in his heart that he couldn't describe in mere words.
Attempting to regain control over his emotions, Leo started practicing breathing exercises. Gradually, the cold sensation dissipated, and his vitality returned.
His mind was still racing, trying to make sense of the dream, but all he could remember was the emotionless voice urging him to "Get Stronger."
The voice echoed endlessly in his mind, refusing to fade away.
Another memory surfaced: that of the elusive silhouette that had appeared in his dream. It seemed to be a shadow, appearing and disappearing until its sharp claws mercilessly slashed Leo's neck.
The mere thought of the scene made Leo's breathing restless, his heartbeat like a loud drum, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his back. He hurriedly resumed his breathing exercises until achieving the same calming result as before.
His mind kept going back to those words and the voice that accompanied them. The voice was calm, yet he could sense the underlying intensity behind the phrase "Get Stronger."
Leo's speed was already impressive, but those words hinted that he was still weak. The reason behind the voice was probably related to the Devouring Bloodline.
He wasn't sure if obtaining the Devouring Bloodline was a stroke of luck or someone's intention, but he knew that it wasn't a free gift. Something had to be given in return.
Leo had mentally prepared himself for such a situation, but the pace at which events unfolded still caught him off guard.
"If I want to defeat someone, I need to be strong enough to do so. It was a foolish thought to believe that growth alone would be enough. What if my enemy is already the strongest? What can I do then? Time won't wait for me to catch up," Leo muttered angrily, clenching his fists and leaning forward with determination.
Unbeknownst to Leo, his soul was undergoing a transformation. It radiated a brighter light, fueled by flames of determination and an unwavering will. A new flame of desire for strength was ignited within him.
.
.
In an endless white room, the same voice from before resonated once again, this time carrying emotions like worry, anxiety, and fear. "Sigh. It seems like my intervention worked. I hope he gets stronger, or else I don't know what that abomination will do. At best, he'll kill us; at worst, he'll kill us. sigh. Why can't I find a better best? Well, whatever, only time will tell the result."
.
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Leo's POV
I stood at the edge of the dark forest, haunted by flashbacks of my unsettling dream.
The vision of my lifeless body filled my mind, igniting an unnatural fear within me.
But I was determined to face my fears head-on, which brought me to Monster Domain 400, a forest-type Monster Domain in the Newbie Paradise, teeming with monsters at the [F Realm].
Despite being at the [G Realm] myself, I decided to challenge my limits and skip some minor steps.
The differences between each Realm grew significantly as one progressed, and I was confident in my physical powers, thanks to the various bloodlines coursing through my veins. I knew I could leap a rank and take on [F Realm] monsters.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the forest, trying to control the rapid onslaught of dream flashbacks. With each step, the darkness engulfed me, but I pushed forward with determination.
In the distance, I spotted silhouettes of figures. If not for my prior knowledge of the misshapen monster in my dream, I might have mistaken those silhouettes for a threat. Dismissing those thoughts, I focused on calming my racing heart and delving deeper into the forest to confront my fears.
Suddenly, a monster with a nose as long as a baby elephant lunged at me. I suddenly remebered the monster with tentacles and its cold eyes, but I quickly regained my composure and slashed at its nose. The monster turned out to be merely at [G Realm], making it easy for me to defeat.
I had already acquired the bloodline of this monster before, so I took only its Monster Core and other valuable parts, leaving the rest behind. With that, my hunt began in earnest.
As I ventured deeper into the forest, the monsters grew stronger and more numerous, yet they only challenged me up to [G Realm]. While I was slightly dissatisfied, I used each encounter to hone my skills, collecting cores and discarding other parts to lighten my load. I also drank the blood of unfamiliar monsters to further improve myself.
It seemed that the bloodline improvements had reduced my hunger to a manageable level, allowing me to focus on my journey.
Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed from above. I swiftly stowed away my belongings and looked up, spotting an eagle-like monster half the size of a human body heading straight for me. Its predatory gaze locked onto me, as if I were already its prey.
A smirk crept onto my face – finally, a monster at [F Realm]. My patience had paid off.
The monster's sharp claws aimed for me, and though memories flashed in my mind, I managed to dodge the attack. I noticed a deep, sharp hole on the tree behind me – a testament to the monster's deadly strike.
Unsheathing my dagger, I clashed with the monster's unyielding claws. Its resistance fueled its rage, but I refused to back down. In a burst of anger, the monster flew high into the air, broke one of its claws, and wielded it as a weapon, charging at me with deadly intent.
But I was prepared. Just as the monster closed in, I hurled my dagger at it, forcing it to evade. Capitalizing on the opportunity, I delivered a powerful fist to its lower neck.
The monster was sent flying before collapsing lifelessly on the ground. Its tough, feather-covered skin had left my hand bruised and bloodied.
As I moved towards the fallen monster, the sound of slow clapping resonated in the forest, followed by a hoarse and arrogant voice.
"You sure are smart. To throw your dagger at the last second and use your fist to kill that [F Realm] Monster, I think you are smart. But you became too smart and offended someone; you should not have. So, enjoy your last breath, boy, since you are going to die now."