Seun-mi Ho moved quickly yet silently along the path leading to the Eastern edge of the Naraheim Forest. The trees around him grew denser, their gnarled branches forming a natural canopy that plunged the forest into near-total darkness. Night was falling, and with it, the nocturnal creatures he was tasked with eliminating began to awaken.
The air was cool, filled with the scent of moss and fallen leaves. Silence reigned, disturbed only by the rustling of trees and the occasional crackle of branches underfoot. Yet, Seun-mi Ho knew that this calm was merely a façade. The shadows lurking in the forest were far more dangerous than their silence suggested.
As he walked, his senses on high alert, he noticed movement to his right. A group of children was playing near the edge of the path, their presence surprising in such a dark forest. Their innocence contrasted with the tension hanging in the air, but it wasn't the first time Seun-mi Ho had encountered children in inappropriate places. The surrounding villages were often populated by settlers or farmers who let their children play at the edge of the woods, unaware of the danger.
He slowed his pace, approaching the group quietly, just enough to overhear their conversation. The children were talking about the nocturnal creatures.
"Do you think they'll come out again tonight?" asked a boy with messy hair, his tone betraying a hint of nervousness.
"Definitely! They say the Night Chiroptes return every night," replied an older girl, her eyes wide with fascination.
"My dad says they attack people with sounds you can't hear, but it makes your head explode if you get too close," added another child, younger, his arms crossed to give himself confidence.
Seun-mi Ho frowned slightly at this. Ultrasounds, then. That explained why the creatures attacked without being seen or heard. Children's rumors, though often exaggerated, were sometimes based on real facts.
"Night Chiroptes...," he murmured to himself. He had never encountered these creatures personally, but the name was not entirely unfamiliar to him. He knew that some nocturnal creatures used high-frequency sounds to disorient or even harm their prey. If these children were right, he would need to prepare to face creatures capable of using sonar techniques to locate their targets and ultrasonic attacks to neutralize them.
"We should go back before it gets too dark," the girl said, glancing at the sky, which was growing darker. The group of children scattered, leaving Seun-mi Ho alone on the edge of the path.
Seun-mi Ho continued on, now more aware of the danger ahead. He had about an hour's walk left before reaching the heart of the area where the creatures had been sighted. As he approached, he felt the air grow heavier, as if the forest itself was holding its breath, waiting for night to fully descend.
He activated his Automatic Detection skill, a passive ability that allowed him to sense nearby hostile presences. A slight tremor in the air indicated that creatures lurked close by, hidden in the shadows. The signals he perceived were faint but numerous enough to confirm that Night Chiroptes were already on the prowl.
"They're here," he murmured, pausing briefly to assess the situation.
The armor he wore, the Shadow Breastplate, began to react to the descending night. Its nighttime camouflage effect activated, making him 50% undetectable as long as he stayed in the shadows. This gave him a significant advantage, but he knew it wouldn't completely protect him. These creatures used ultrasound, not sight, to track their prey.
"Interface, identify these creatures," he requested mentally, summoning his interface to gather more information on the enemies he was about to face.
The interface lit up briefly in front of his eyes, generating a stream of information that he scanned carefully. The creatures were identified quickly.
[Identified Creature]: Night Chiroptes
Level: 16 to 18
Type: Nocturnal flying creature
[Main Abilities]
Echolocation: Uses sound waves to locate targets in darkness. Ignores stealth effects based on vision.
Ultrasonic Screech: Emits high-frequency waves capable of disorienting and injuring enemies within a 20-meter radius. May cause internal bleeding or dizziness.
Nocturnal Speed: Increases flight speed by 30% at night.
[Resistances]
High resistance to physical attacks (20% damage reduction).
Moderate resistance to wind and sound magic.
Vulnerable to intense light and lightning-based attacks.
Rewards:
300 XP per defeated creature.
Chiroptes materials (wings, fangs) for crafting.
Ultrasound Essence (a rare item that can be used to upgrade weapons or armor with sound effects).
Seun-mi Ho smiled slightly as he read the information. These creatures seemed formidable, especially in groups, but he now knew their weaknesses: intense light and lightning-based attacks. Unfortunately, he didn't possess any light-based skills, but he did have summoning and poison abilities, assets he could use to his advantage.
"300 XP per creature, that's a good reward," he thought as he moved forward cautiously. He could gain a decent amount of experience by defeating these creatures, all while proving his worth to the guild.
As he progressed through the forest, Seun-mi Ho felt the hostile presences drawing closer. The Night Chiroptes were approaching. He stopped and crouched in the shadow of a large oak, his Shadow Breastplate effectively concealing him in the darkness. The creatures didn't seem to notice him yet.
A rustling of wings sounded above him. He looked up and saw several dark shapes flying between the branches. Their movements were fast and precise, almost impossible to track in the darkness. But thanks to his Automatic Detection, Seun-mi Ho could sense their position with relative accuracy.
"Now's the time," he murmured, activating his Active Poison skill. His hand glowed with a greenish light as he prepared a lethal attack. The poison he wielded had recently grown more potent, and he knew it could weaken these creatures if the fight dragged on.
Without wasting a moment, he summoned one of his creatures: a Dark Lupus, a fierce beast with incredible agility and the ability to track enemies in shadows. The black wolf appeared in a puff of smoke, its eyes glowing a menacing red.
"Seek," Seun-mi Ho ordered in a low voice.
The wolf dashed through the undergrowth, blending into the shadows as well as its master. The Night Chiroptes began reacting to the movement below them, their wings beating faster as they dove toward the summoned creature.
This was exactly what Seun-mi Ho had been waiting for.
When the first Night Chiroptes swooped toward the wolf, Seun-mi Ho acted swiftly. He activated his Enhanced Shadow Dagger, triggering the Silent Blade effect. The dagger became completely silent, and he moved with deadly speed and precision. In one fluid motion, he threw the dagger at the nearest creature, aiming directly for its wing.
The blade sliced through the air silently and struck its target with surgical precision. The Chiroptes let out a piercing screech, but its cry was muffled by the weapon's effect. It crashed heavily to the ground, unable to fly, its wing severely damaged.
"One down," Seun-mi Ho murmured as he approached to finish it off with a quick strike.
However, the other chiroptes had now noticed the summoned creature, and one of them let out a shrill screech. Ultrasonic waves struck the area, causing the air around Seun-mi Ho and his wolf to vibrate. He felt intense pressure in his skull, but gritted his teeth, quickly activating his Shadow Breastplate's passive effect to deflect some of the waves. The pain was bearable, but he knew that such attacks could become dangerous if he didn't neutralize them quickly.
"It's time to end this," he thought, preparing his next move.
Seun-mi Ho plunged into the fray with deadly precision. His passive intimidation skill was already weakening the creatures, reducing their will to fight as he drew closer. He launched another poisoned strike, hitting one of the chiroptes mid-flight, and his poison began taking effect almost immediately. The creature slowed, its wings flapping erratically as it lost altitude.
The Dark Lupus, meanwhile, leapt from one chiroptes to another, its fangs tearing through the fragile wings of the flying creatures. Seun-mi Ho kept advancing, methodically taking down each enemy that dared approach.
The Night Chiroptes were powerful, but Seun-mi Ho was better prepared. His equipment, skills, and strategy allowed him to maintain the upper hand even in hostile terrain. After several minutes of intense combat, he found himself alone in the clearing, surrounded by the fallen creatures.
"Mission accomplished," he murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Loot
The interface reactivated, displaying his combat rewards.
Rewards]:
6 Night Chiroptes defeated.
1800 XP gained.
Loot: Ultrasound Essence (x3), Chiroptes Wings (x4), Bat Fangs (x2).
Seun-mi Ho looked at the loot with satisfaction before storing the items in his inventory. He had proven his worth, and he could now return to the guild to complete his registration.