Over the past fortnight, Gin has meticulously monitored the enigmatic figures, known as the Horrors, who appear to wield authority over this island.
Within a mere week, Gin efficiently amassed sufficient data.
This task proved time-consuming as he meticulously observed the combat tactics of the Horrors. However, in the process, Gin's strategic mind began crafting numerous plans for engaging them in battle.
Now, the moment had arrived, and Gin was prepared to put his plans into action.
Swoosh—!
Charging towards Two Faced, Gin readied his dagger, the creature's gaze fixating on him as it perceived his approach as a challenger to its territory.
"Kreee—!"
Two Faced emitted a sinister giggle, tilting its head slightly as it withdrew its dangling limbs from the massive tree branches. With calculated precision, it leveraged its substantial weight to swiftly descend to the ground.
Thud—!
Swiftly sidestepping the point of impact, the ground quivered as dust clouds billowed and settled. Gin, with no time to relax, instinctively veered to the right, narrowly evading an outstretched arm hurtling towards him.
'If this thing gained consciousness, I'll be damned.'
Soon, a simultaneous attack followed suit.
Gin skillfully evaded a barrage of attacks launched by Two Faced, the creature's elongated limbs slicing through the air with deadly precision.
With a graceful dance of movement, Gin managed to sidestep the relentless onslaught, leaving destruction in its wake as nearby surroundings were effortlessly cleared and halved by the monstrous entity's powerful strikes.
Clank—!
Craftily leading the Horror to believe he was in a precarious position, Gin smoothly withdrew his dagger from its scabbard.
With a swift motion, he also seized the chained dagger, seamlessly transitioning into a display of formless art.
His flawless switching of weapons conveyed a mastery that suggested years of practice, seamlessly transitioning between the blades with expertise that revealed no vulnerabilities or openings in his defense.
'Attack me more.'
Two Faced extended its neck with surprising speed, employing its dual faces to attempt to rend Gin apart. Accompanied by its limbs, the creature sought to overwhelm him.
However, Gin, adapting swiftly to the evolving situation, became increasingly elusive, proving to be a challenging target for the monstrous entity.
As Two Faced lunged forward, attempting to gnaw at him with its dual visages, and unleashed its limbs in pursuit, Gin's adept adjustments made him a moving target that grew progressively difficult to strike. The ebb and flow of their clash showcased Gin's growing mastery over the unfolding combat scenario.
He had already watched how this Horror fought other Horrors. That adds to the fact that Gin can see-through Two-Faced movements as if he were reading a book.
Clank—!
Gin had to commend his idea to switch from daggers to chained ones as he gave him ample movement speed since the chains helped him move from one place to another by throwing it on the sides.
Gin had to commend his idea to switch from daggers to chained daggers.
This tactical adjustment provided him with enhanced mobility, as the chains facilitated swift movement by allowing him to propel himself from one position to another, effectively maneuvering around the battlefield with agility and precision.
Swoosh—!
He kept annoying the Horror, making it think he was some sort of pest that was too elusive to hit.
'Just like that. Use your finishing move.'
"Greeee—!"
Seemingly reaching a threshold, Two-Faced seized nearby fallen trunks, its intentions clear as it lunged forward with a deadly resolve, poised to strike with lethal force.
Entering a frenzied state, the Horror relentlessly hurled trees in rapid succession, creating a chaotic barrage that left Gin bamboozled with those said trees.
However, the tumultuous tantrum turned out to be a calculated diversion by the Horror. It skillfully piled up the trees, shaping them into a makeshift arena that effectively confined Gin, leaving him with limited avenues of escape.
Sporting a smirk on both of its lips, the Horror emitted a thunderous roar, prompting the fur on its body to unfurl and cascade across the entire area it had just transformed.
'Heh,'
Gin watched the surroundings with a cold expression as he commented under his breath.
'So, this is what it's like to be in the inside of this fur. Is that it?'
But it didn't matter to him.
This stage was perfect to try the practice he had been doing, especially trying different kinds of essences he could use.
"You're not coming out?"
Gin focused his gaze in the direction where the Horror's attention was fixed. Despite the creature having a clear line of sight, Gin relied on his heightened senses to pinpoint its location, maintaining a vigilant awareness of the unfolding situation.
"Well, you can stay there all you want."
With a smirk plastered on his face, Gin positioned his right hand precisely at the center of his chest. at the same time, two of his fingertips— his index and middle fingers –- were raised.
He began to conjure a spell.
"Inferno's whispers, curses bind. Wicked flames, dance with spite. Fire's wrath, heed the call."
From a distance, the Horror was struck with awe as it came to the realization that it had inadvertently ensnared itself within the confines of its own domain.
A palpable sense of unease crept over the creature as it detected a subtle yet powerful force emanating from Gin.
"Groar—!"
Instead of attacking Gin, the Horror was smart enough to undo everything he had done by lowering the fur but it was already far too late.
"Ablaze."
Swoosh—!Almost instantly, small black, reddish embers materialized within the Horror's domain, creating an otherworldly atmosphere.
In the blink of an eye, the last vision imprinted in the creature's eyes was its world briefly bathed in a luminous glow, before plunging into an unknown abyss.
A huge fire set ablaze that almost reaches the sky, turning that small area into a pit of black reddish flames.
"Hot…"
Unscathed amidst the inferno he had unleashed, Gin stood unaffected by the flames that enveloped the surroundings. In the epicenter of the conflagration, he remained untouched, a calm presence amidst the fiery chaos he had meticulously orchestrated.
"Ouch, ouch…!"
However, he needed better control as the flames seemed to be reaching out to him which he merely shrugged off.
"My clothes!"
Seeing the flames set their eyes on him, Gin quickly dispelled the spell and waited for the fire to die down.
Unlike some normal fires that keep growing the more they land on objects such as wood, this flame dissipated as it was conjured by Gin.
"Pheww…"
Wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead, Gin set his eyes forward where the medium-grade crystals resided.
With a handful of spectators observing in the vicinity, Gin exuded confidence as he strolled towards the aftermath without a hint of concern.
Arriving in front of the subdued Horror, he calmly settled into a seated position, seamlessly transitioning into a focused meditation, as if the recent fiery display had been a routine exercise for him.
Despite being immersed in meditation, Gin remained acutely aware of his surroundings, his senses finely attuned and readiness to engage in combat undiminished.
The Horrors, on the other hand, displayed peculiar movements, their actions betraying a sense of uncertainty and hesitation after witnessing the formidable wall of fire that had consumed the entire area.
Their actions suggested that just getting inside his area would be suicide, knowing they could burn right in the instant, the same as what happened to the previous Horror.
"Now then…"
Already seeped and refreshed from the crystals by careful meditation, Gin was ready to take another step.
'I have eight other tries. If I decide to stay here, I'll get a forever amount of essence crystals to make a soul core.'
Essence or soul crystals have two types though they are still called that way.
As for what type they were well, they are the crystals that got dug, mined, or excavated also known as harvested crystals. The crystals that weren't dug, mined, or excavated are called grown crystals.
Just like a farm, they raised these crystals and it's up to the lucky person how they used these crystals. Some might stumble over a huge amount while some are happy enough to encounter a hectare of it.
Unlike harvested crystals which make the crystals unable to receive more essence once mined, grown crystals are different as they can garner essence if they are still not dug out.
In the end, one can understand how important these crystals are that even mindless Horrors are using them without knowing why.
And now, I will use this importance for my benefit.
'Small ball.'
Still, in the meditation position, Gin began to think of a way how to create a soul core by using the external essence he got from the essence crystals.
In that pivotal moment, Gin channeled the essences around him, deftly compressing them into a condensed sphere.
With meticulous precision, he shaped this tiny, concentrated ball, gradually expanding it into a larger form, almost as if he were sculpting an object seemingly materializing out of thin air.
"Pheww…"
Focusing for a whole five minutes left Gin calm, knowing he would not run out of essence because he was using the crystal as a catalyst just by touching them, transferring those essences onto his body.
He continued doing it while remembering the lessons the figure taught him.
As the ten-minute mark elapsed, Gin's countenance shifted, and signs of struggle crept into his demeanor. The essence he had harnessed from his surroundings began to wane, and a subtle strain became evident as he grappled with the diminishing resources at his disposal.
'tsk,'
Gin had an annoyed expression on his face as no matter how many times he created his soul core, it kept breaking and cracking up like loose glass.
In the end, he failed.
"Fuck."
He didn't even bother to try once more, knowing he had already taken a bit of his essence to support this nonsensical action.
'Why am I having trouble making this!?'
Letting out a small, tired sigh, Gin looked sideways and saw the hue of the crystals was slowly diminishing. However, he didn't have time to lament if these crystals were ready to use a day later since he had a problem on his own.
Making a soul core.
This task seemed to be the hardest one he had taken in his lifetime. He tried, thought of a lot of ways, and followed everything that the figure taught him but it seemed his now-shit luck had affected his progress too greatly.
Or is it because his understanding, no matter how careful and understanding the figure is, he's not just up to the task?
"Tsk!"
Rising from his seated position, Gin initiated the next phase of his prepared plan. With a determined stride, he set out to execute his strategy, seeking out and engaging two more Horrors with a purposeful intent.
Up until the night, he had successfully killed them all. Yet at the same time, he kept failing to make a single soul core.
Despite a creeping doubt about his competence, Gin refused to let it overshadow his focus. Persistently, he continued to search for innovative strategies, unwavering in his commitment to purge the island of the Horrors that plagued it.
After three days of contemplation and preparation, Gin resumed his hunt, determined to confront the cobblestoned Horror that would make him its challenger.