No matter how much Northern enjoyed looting the cores of these monsters, he couldn't do it for all of them.
Besides the lack of a bag to store them, he couldn't afford to stay any longer.
Who knew how long it would be before another monster, especially Night Terror, appeared?
He recalled how he was caught the last time, right after a war. It was possible that Night Terror had been surveying the area for any survivors.
Northern didn't want to be a victim of the same situation twice.
After burying the pile of soul cores he had looted, Northern covered up the hole and sighed.
It was a strategic location that he was sure he would be able to find again when he returned.
The area, once a green field, was now blackened, soaked in blood, and littered with monster corpses.
Three rocks stood sparsely in the landscape, one smaller than the other two. He didn't need to search for long; he would spot it immediately.
The pile of cores was buried right beside the smallest rock.
After confirming once more that it was relatively safe – well, as safe as one could be in this rift – Northern turned to the rock.
His chains were long enough for him to move his hand freely.
He raised the sword and struck the chain repeatedly, creating a clanging sound that resounded throughout the plain.
It suddenly dawned on him that the noise could potentially attract attention.
Walking while chained was far from ideal, but he had no choice. He had to run as far as he could within the limited time he had.
Northern sprinted across the ground of corpses until he reached a dark forest. He paused for a moment, observing the forest warily.
In this rift, nothing looked auspicious.
He exhaled and continued, this time walking slowly while cautiously scanning his surroundings.
After some time of careful progress, everything seemed calm. Northern felt his shoulders relax as he took the next steps with a smile on his lips.
"The past few days have been hellish, but for once in my entire life since arriving here, I feel at ease."
However, in the next second, as Northern's gaze fell to the ground, his face froze and tensed.
"Crap," he whispered, realizing he had failed to notice the trails of black blood until now.
Northern frowned deeply, unsure of what would happen next. Fear tightened its grip on his chest, squeezing his heart mercilessly.
But he knew he had to keep moving forward.
Even though his heart pounded with trepidation, he had to press on.
If he turned back to find another route, he risked being discovered and taken as a slave, either by Night Terror or the enemy.
One thing he didn't know was whose blood it was. It could be Night Terror's.
Northern sneered at the thought.
"I doubt anything is capable of cutting that abomination."
There were many possible answers to whose blood it could be; it might belong to an ordinary monster that had managed to escape.
There was no way to know for sure. Running away wasn't the right call at the moment.
Northern reassured himself and continued walking, keeping an eye out for the monster's blood.
He walked a few meters without encountering any abominations.
The forest was dark and shadowy, and at times, it seemed like the shadows lurking beneath and between the trees were alive, watching him cautiously.
He glanced backward several times, feeling something slither away with incredible speed.
Finally, his attention was diverted elsewhere. As he walked forward and turned slowly around a corner, a munching sound reached his ears, alerting all his senses.
Northern immediately retreated to the back of a tree and tried to observe from that point.
He moved his head slowly to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead.
He saw a crude creature with bipedal legs and six vicious pairs of eyes, needle-like teeth tearing off a chunk of black flesh from a shadowy creature.
The monster's body was smeared with black blood, and it had open wounds in several areas.
Its ear twitched, causing it to turn its head slightly.
At that moment, Northern quickly averted his gaze but couldn't stop himself from panting heavily.
He recognized the monster. It was the enemy's general that had emerged before.
Had Night Terror dealt with it in the same brutal manner? Northern couldn't decide whether to feel happy or scared, but a faint spark of satisfaction flickered across his face for being right about Night Terror.
The forest whispered with a low rustling, catching Northern's attention.
"Something's approaching," he realized, his senses sharpening as adrenaline surged through him.
Fearing the imminent threat of discovery, Northern opted for preemptive action.
From the depths of a nearby tree trunk, his clone burst forth, a silent sentinel ready for battle. The approaching monster reacted with a snarl, its aggression palpable as it lunged forward with ferocious intent.
With commendable agility, the clone lowered itself, a crude blade slicing through the air to graze the abomination's leg.
The wound, though shallow, elicited a roar of pain as the monster recoiled, its focus momentarily diverted.
Locked in a tense standoff, Northern and the monster exchanged glares brimming with hostility.
Seizing the opportunity created by the distraction, Northern swiftly maneuvered behind the creature, his sword poised for a decisive strike.
The blade arced through the air, aimed for the vulnerable spot at the back of the monster's neck. But before it could find its mark, the creature's reflexes kicked in with startling agility, evading the lethal blow in a fluid motion that belied its massive form.
Surprised by the monster's unexpected maneuver, Northern's eyes widened in realization of its formidable capabilities.
Wheeling around to face him, the monster unleashed a guttural roar, baring rows of razor-sharp teeth as it prepared to attack once more.
With lightning speed, it launched itself forward, claws extended in a deadly onslaught.
Northern dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the savage assault. In a swift counterattack, he unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, targeting the creature's vulnerable limbs and torso.
Yet, despite its wounds, the monster proved to be a formidable adversary, its movements deft and unpredictable as it deflected and evaded Northern's blows with uncanny skill.
As the battle raged on, Northern's mind raced, searching for a strategy to overcome the relentless onslaught. He knew brute force alone wouldn't suffice against such a formidable opponent.
Moreover, the chains encumbering his movements posed a significant obstacle, a vulnerability that would have been exploited by a human opponent.
Desperation mingled with determination as Northern sought a way to turn the tide in his favor.