The battle had raged for what felt like an eternity, and before Ethan realized it, four grueling hours had passed.
The ground around him was littered with the remains of approximately 400 iron tooth rats—far more than the mission details had indicated. And still, about 30 of these tenacious creatures remained in sight. Ethan was drowning in their numbers.
The dwindling rat population signified that he was nearing the end of this overwhelming task. Despite this, Ethan's strength was waning. The extended combat had drained him.
Each breath was a laborious effort, his chest aching with the exertion. His body bore the evidence of the relentless fight; injuries marred his form where his battle suit had been torn apart. He could feel his blood seeping from numerous wounds, the loss weakening him to the point of dizziness.
"Damn it!" he cursed as an iron tooth rat launched itself at him.
Without wasting any time Ethan swung his sword. The strike was sluggish, lacking its usual force, but it still managed to connect, preventing the rat's horn from goring his stomach.
Amid his fatigue, another rat seized the moment, sinking its bone-crushing teeth into Ethan's right leg. A scream of agony escaped him as he reflexively impaled the rat to the ground, ending its life.
As he was about to dismiss the usual system notification, a glance at the message stopped him.
_._._._._._
[DING! DING!!]
_Your Health Point (HP) has fallen below 20.
_The skill 'Resilient' (Passive) has been activated.
_Your RESILIENCE (RES) has increased by 20 for the next 30 minutes.
_All your stats have been boosted by 5 points for the next 30 minutes.
_._._._._._
The enhancement was instantaneous, invigorating Ethan's battered form. However, the relief was fleeting as another notification appeared.
_._._._._._
_You have sustained a severe injury, resulting in significant bleeding.
_You will lose 1 Health Point (HP) every minute due to bleeding until the injury is treated.
_The duration of the 'Resilient' skill's effects has been halved.
_._._._._._
"Darn it," Ethan muttered, glancing down at his right leg where the rat's bite continued to bleed profusely.
While it wasn't the worst injury he had suffered that day, it bled more than any other, exacerbating his dizziness despite the temporary boost from the 'Resilient' skill.
Ethan raised his eyes to the remaining 30 or so iron tooth rats. Empowered by the skill's enhancement, he knew he could dispatch them within the 15-minute time frame. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to delay.
With renewed urgency and the additional 5 points in AGILITY (AGI) enhancing his speed, Ethan surged toward the cluster of iron tooth rats.
He moved with a swiftness that felt supernatural, cutting through the distance as he prepared to bring an end to the battle.
*Boom*
Ethan's fist shot out, connecting with an iron tooth rat as it leaped toward him. The impact was so severe that it shattered the creature's skull, instantly ending its life. Without missing a beat, he stomped down, crushing the head of another rat against the earth.
His agility was on full display as he swung his sword, cleaving yet another rat into two.
Then, with a swift motion, he repeated the action, bisecting another of the relentless attackers. Each of Ethan's steps was accompanied by the demise of another beast; they were either smashed into the ground, severed in two, or left fatally wounded.
His movements were deceptively simple—swings, punches, stomps—but executed with such speed and skill that it left onlookers marveling at how such rudimentary combat techniques could be so elegantly mastered.
It was the sort of prowess one would expect from a person who had not only undergone rigorous battle training but also refined their abilities through numerous actual combats. Each strike was deliberate, targeted with lethal precision.
Roughly ten minutes passed, and twenty more beasts lay dead. In another three minutes, Ethan sliced through the final iron tooth rat, eradicating the last of the group. He was now surrounded by the corpses of close to 500 iron tooth rats, a testament to the ferocious battle that had unfolded.
Countless injuries marred his body, and he was drenched in a mixture of his blood and that of the beasts he had slain. The earth greedily absorbed the blood spilled upon it, its crimson color unchanged, as if it were used to such offerings.
Completely spent from the ordeal, Ethan's only desire was to collapse into a deep, restful sleep. However, he knew that succumbing to exhaustion was not a wise choice. Pushing through the fatigue, he hastily made his way from the battlefield, eager to put as much distance between himself and the nest as possible.
Ethan hadn't gotten far when a thunderous, enraged roar erupted from the direction of the iron tooth rat nest. The queen had sensed the loss of her warriors and was overcome with fury.
Without looking back or pausing to consider his next move, Ethan quickened his pace.
The adrenaline that had fueled him during the battle had dissipated, and the pain from his numerous injuries began to resurface with a vengeance.
"Damn it," he hissed through gritted teeth, but he didn't let the pain slow his retreat.
He knew all too well that halting now could lead to a fatal encounter with the iron tooth rat queen. In his current condition, he was no match for a corrupted-level beast.
A second, louder roar reverberated through the air, indicating that the queen was close to the cave's entrance.
Realizing the urgency, Ethan pushed himself to move even faster. Eventually, he reached the spot where he had left his bag upon his arrival.
Ducking behind a large rock, Ethan stilled every muscle in his body to avoid detection.
A corrupted-level iron tooth rat possessed far superior sensory abilities compared to the servant-level ones he had just fought. Ethan did not doubt that the queen could easily detect him from a distance if he made the slightest noise.
As Ethan hunkered down, another roar shook the air, louder and closer than before. It seemed the iron tooth rat queen had emerged from the cave.