As Lucas sprinted through the forest towards his cave, the lizard persisted in its pursuit, launching attacks at him while Lucas dodged and rolled to evade.
In their wake lay nothing but a desolate and ravaged landscape, stripped of vegetation by the relentless assaults of the lizard.
Lucas, gritting his teeth, hurled three rocks backward at the lizard.
Fortunately, the lizard lacked agility or similar skills; otherwise, Lucas might have already perished. Nonetheless, the creature's natural resilience proved formidable.
The rocks struck the lizard's tough hide, barely scratching it, leaving Lucas dumbfounded.
"What the... its skin is too hard!"
The lizard hissed menacingly at Lucas and quickened its pace
. "My attacks aren't working, and it's getting faster. It seems intent on killing me," Lucas muttered anxiously.
Sweat beading on his brow, Lucas realized his own limitations. In his current state, he knew he wouldn't last much longer if the lizard continued its relentless pursuit.
As Lucas pondered his next move, he suddenly heard howls emanating from the right.
"This might be my chance to distract this accursed lizard," he thought, veering towards the source of the sounds in right .
As Lucas ran onward, he was greeted by a verdant expanse of grass where wolves were feasting on their recent kill.
Upon spotting them, Lucas's eyes gleamed with hope. He dashed past the wolves and plunged deeper into the forest without pause.
Confusion briefly clouded the wolves' minds until they witnessed the horror unfolding before them—a colossal lizard emerging from the trees, emitting a deafening screech.
-SCHREEEECH!
Screaming in terror, Lucas hurriedly ascended one of the tallest trees in the vicinity, though the effort left him wounded and bleeding.
-"ugh"
The wolves, torn between Lucas and the lizard, found themselves facing the monstrous threat firsthand as the lizard targeted one of their own.
Driven by fear, the wolves abandoned their pursuit of Lucas, focusing instead on defending themselves against the hostile intruder.
With the wolves preoccupied, Lucas seized the opportunity to continue his escape, determined not to squander his chance at freedom.
The lizard would have not attacked the wolves, but they were too many of them in lizards way She didn't have any option to clearway. She attacked them.
After an arduous hour of relentless running, Lucas finally halted, ensuring that no adversaries lingered behind him.
As he gazed at the darkening sky, signaling the day's end, Lucas let out a weary sigh.
Reflecting on the day's harrowing events, he couldn't help but chuckle at the unexpected turn of events.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined facing such a life-and-death struggle. With resolve burning in his heart, he vowed to return and exact vengeance upon the damnable lizard once he had grown stronger.
==============================
(Inside the cave)
After kindling a small fire with rocks and wood, Lucas settled against the wall to rest.
Rummaging through his backpack, he retrieved two remaining Mana fruits and a single seed.
Recalling the warm sensation coursing through his body when he had consumed the Mana fruit during his escape from the lizard,
Lucas eagerly checked his status,
his expression betraying astonishment at the changes.
=== Status ===
Name : Lucas Reohart
Race : human
Bloodline: ???
Rank : G
Strength: G <<
Agility : G
Stamina : G-<<
Mana :H<<< G-
Luck: F
Charm: G- >>G
[ profession]
Swordsmanship level : 1
[ Skills ]
None
[ Arts ]
None
[Bloodline ability]
????!
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Locus gazed at his status and statistics from the corner of his eyes, shocked to observe an improvement.
His stats had grown; Mana had broken through an entire rank from H to G-. Additionally, his strength had ascended by one minor rank, as had his stamina. However, his bloodline remained dormant.
"Haaaa," he exhaled deeply, his gaze drifting dazedly over the items before him.
"I was expecting something out of the ordinary, but this exceeds expectations."
Upon closer inspection of the Mana fruits, he noted their resemblance to peaches, yet their seeds emitted a yellow glow, clearly distinguishing them from regular peaches.
Taking a deep breath, he focused on the fruits, their yellow seeds igniting his burning desires and wishes.
"Once I consume these items, I will break through every limit. My future will change entirely," he declared with determination. "I will no longer be a good-for-nothing boy, idling in my mother's comfort and achieving nothing. No, I will carve my own path in this world. I refuse to adhere to this predetermined plot."
As he stared at the black-red flower before him, he raised his hand and slowly clenched it.
"It all starts with this flower."
....
While the black-red flower might be considered an affordable item, it doesn't necessarily possess overpowering capabilities. Though it eliminates one's talent limit, it doesn't enhance learning, speed, or intelligence.
In reality, talent remains unchanged. The flower solely eradicates the ceiling on one's potential. For instance, if a person lacking talent consumes this flower, they may grow rapidly. However, without honing these skills through rigorous efforts, they'll easily succumb to someone of equal rank.
Thus, if I lack inherent talent, this flower won't provide substantial benefits beyond boosting my stats to an absurdly strong level without bottlenecking.
Without waiting any longer, I resolved to consume it immediately. With saliva stuck in my throat, I gently opened my mouth and took a small bite of the flower.
Instantly, an overwhelming bitterness enveloped my taste buds, causing disgust as the juices from the flower overloaded inside me, even causing me to lose my senses and forget everything around me.
Shortly after consuming the entire flower, I could feel my body undergoing changes. My eyes became sharper, my mind clearer, and my muscles more defined. I could sense myself growing stronger.
As I glanced at my status and observed my stats changing with every passing second, a wave of euphoria washed over me. It prompted me not to waste a single moment, so I began consuming the remaining Mana fruits before me.
The more I ate, the stronger I felt, with every fiber of my being becoming increasingly robust. It was as though a dam had burst open within me, flooding my veins and body with newfound strength, akin to the force of water unleashed from a dam.
Excruciating would be an understatement to describe the intensity of the sensation coursing through me. It felt as if all my bones and veins had shattered simultaneously, only to start rebuilding themselves.
The last thing I witnessed before succumbing to unconsciousness was the dimming of the cave's illumination.
"I was truly careless this time," I muttered before slipping into darkness.
(After few hours )
I couldn't discern how much time had elapsed since I passed out, but that was inconsequential at the moment. My body felt disjointed, making it challenging to stand. Slowly, I collected myself and reached for my backpack.
From it, I retrieved a water bottle to quench my thirst. Glancing at my wristwatch, I realized only five hours had passed since I lost consciousness. Fortunately, I hadn't been out for days.
If on the unfortunate occasion that I did not manage to wake up prior to the opening of the academy, I would have been in a big trouble
Honestly, I don't care about Academy
my indifference toward the academy stemmed from their perception of me as a low-talent potential student—an expendable soldier destined to perish on the front lines.
Moreover, I aimed to avoid antagonizing the professors, as falling out of favor with them would impede my graduation from the Elden Academy—a fate I desperately sought to avoid.
And that was the last thing I wanted as there was so many things I need to accomplish in the Elden Before I could safely go outside human Domain
Primarily, I needed to partake in several forthcoming events of novel. However, I intended to abstain from these events, fearing they might disrupt the storyline. I preferred to maintain a low profile, akin to a regular extra, within the academy.
Yet, should a butterfly effect occur, altering the narrative, I vowed to rectify it discreetly, without revealing my presence. Despite my aversion to causing disturbances, the future remained uncertain.
I don't want any butterfly effect with my presence but who knows what will happen in future?
I still had some unbalanced Mana in me, so I needed to fix that first. After doing that, I checked my status.
=== Status ===
Name : Lucas Reohart
Race : human
Bloodline: Mythical grade
Rank : G >>>F
Strength: G+ <<
Agility : G >>>F
Stamina : G-<<
Mana :G<<< F-
Luck: F
Charm: G->>>E
[ profession]
Swordsmanship level : 1
[ Skills ]
None
[ Arts ]
None
[Bloodline ability]
Lockdown (Level one ) [Locked]
1-Star Mastery: The Emperor
Description:1-Star The Emperor are initiates just beginning to tap into their old heritage and the elemental powers associated with it.
Abilities: Basic immobilization: Capable of briefly hindering opponents' movements with elemental manifestations , and can also change their attacks trajectory
Limited offensive capabilities: Can launch basic elemental attacks or imbue strikes with elemental energy.
Limitation: Prone to elemental instability and quick mana depletion due to lack of mastery.
Mana Absorption (level one) [Locked]
.1. Novice (1 Star):
• Basic proficiency in mana absorption.
• Can absorb small amounts of mana from the surrounding area.
• Limited range and efficiency.
• Absorbed mana can slightly enhance the user's attacks, but the increase in power is modest
Notification:
🔔 System Notification: Bloodline Options Available! 🔔
You now have the opportunity to choose between two powerful bloodlines:
Mana Absorption: This bloodline grants you the ability to absorb and manipulate mana, enhancing your magical abilities and granting you control over mystical energies.
Lock Down: With this bloodline, you gain enhanced defensive capabilities and the ability to immobilize and control opponents' movements with ease.
Please make your selection, and your chosen bloodline will be unlocked immediately. The remaining option will become available in the future when your body is ready to harness its powers.
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