The dense canopy of the small forest loomed ahead, casting long shadows in the late afternoon light.
Shawn moved cautiously, every step calculated. The rustling of leaves, and the sound of some animals echoed through the small forest.
Navigating through the woods, Shawn's mind wandered back to the Carters. The fight might look easy, but it's only because of the element of surprise.
He still needs to proceed with caution and not underestimate the dangers.
He had been fortunate so far, but luck could only take him so far. Power coordinating with a well-thought plan is the way to go.
After passing through several trees, he caught sight of two black shadows moving on his right side. He quickly hid behind a tree and peered out to get a better look at the two shadows.
It was actually two medium-sized deer locked in combat. They were clashing with their heads and antlers, each trying to overpower the other.
The sight was unusual, as deer were generally skittish and avoided confrontation. These, however, seemed driven by something more primal, their eyes glinting with an intensity Shawn hadn't seen before.
He use [Appraisal Eye], the skill he got after obtaining origin energy for the first time.
[Level 9 Mutated Deer]
"Mutated, just like the rabbit," he thought, gripping his hatchet tighter. The origin energy coursing through their bodies could be beneficial if he could harness it.
But this was different from fighting a rabbit; these were larger, stronger opponents.
He needed a plan. Engaging both deer head-on could be risky.
He scanned the area, noticing a thick branch lying nearby. Quietly, he picked it up, testing its weight. It was sturdy enough to serve as a makeshift spear or club.
Shawn waited for the right moment. The deer were so focused on each other that they didn't notice him.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped out from behind the tree and hurled the branch at the nearest deer. The branch struck its side, causing it to stumble and break its concentration.
Seizing the opportunity, Shawn charged forward, hatchet raised. He swung at the first deer, the blade biting into its neck. The deer let out a pained cry before falling down.
The second deer, now aware of Shawn's presence, turned to face him, its eyes wild with beastly rage.
Shawn braced himself as the deer charged. He sidestepped at the last moment, swinging his hatchet in a wide arc. The blade connected with the deer's side, but it wasn't enough to bring it down. The deer whirled around, ready to attack again.
Adrenaline surged through Shawn. He could feel the origin energy amplifying his movements, making him faster, stronger. He dodged another charge and struck again, this time aiming for the deer's head. The hatchet found its mark, and the second deer fell to the ground, lifeless.
He was about to relax when he heard a dashing sound behind him. Feeling this, he instinctively steps to the side in order to dodge the incoming threat.
"Swish!"
An antler hit his left arm, sending a jolt of pain through Shawn's arm.
Looking over, it's actually the first deer he's wounded. It had managed to regain its footing and attack him just now. However, the deer is panting heavily, its injury looking serious from his strike earlier.
Noticing its injury, he immediately makes his way to the deer, not minding the pain in his left arm.
He slashed at the deer, aiming for its beck. The deer, however, dodge and his strike landed on its body. The deer let out a cry, blood sipping out of its body.
Wanting to follow up with another attack, he noticed that the hatchet was actually struck in its body.
Choosing to abandon the hatchet, he quickly took out one his knife and stabbed it in its eyes. The knife went directly through its brain, effectively killing the deer this time.
Just like the other times, the white energy orbs were absorbed by him. There is, however, a green orb that dropped out of the deer's body and remained on the ground.
"Huff, huff…"
Breathing heavily, Shawn took a moment to catch his breath. The forest was silent once more, the only sounds of his own labored breathing and the faint rustle of leaves.
[You've successfully killed Level 9 Mutant Deer]
[You've successfully killed Level 9 Mutant Deer]
[You've leveled up to Level 4.]
He knelt beside the fallen deer, feeling the origin energy already starting to seep into him. Even the wound in his left arm is feeling a little better.
The battle was quite arduous for him, especially when there's a gap of seven levels. He didn't expect for the first deer to still possess the ability to fight, considering that his attack is a lethal one.
In fact, his ability to leap through seven levels is already shocking and terrifying. Bear in mind that he still didn't have much experience fighting mutant beasts, this battle being only his second one. There's also the fact that he still didn't have any equipment or skills to use. His way of attacking is just a normal strike using a normal hatchet.
This battle can be considered a fortunate event for him.
He happened to see these two deer fighting each other, and he managed to ambush them. This ambush put him in an advantageous position through the whole clash, allowing him to kill those two deer.
Standing up, Shawn picks up the green orb and then sweeps his eyes toward the other deer.
Seeing that there's no other loot, he vacates the area quickly, not knowing if the pair of deer carcasses might attract other mutant beasts.
Inspecting the surroundings to look for a safe place to find, Shawn finds a dense thicket of bushes nearby, offering both concealment and potential shelter.
Reaching the thicket, Shawn finds a small clearing nestled within its protective embrace. It's not much, but it offers some semblance of safety for the time being.
He takes a seat on the ground, now finding the time to inspect what's inside the light green orb.
[Antler Sword]
[Attack Boost +10]
[Rank - Standard]
[Quality - Fine]
It's actually a sword sheathed in a silver scabbard.
Drawing the sword out of the scabbard, Shawn grasped the sword's handle with his right hand, while his left hand gently tested the sharpness of the blade.
Each side of the blade was honed to a fine edge, causing a slight sting on his fingertips as he touched the tip. The hilt, crafted from metal, featured a detailed design of a deer's head at its center. The sword feels comfortable to hold, fitting snugly in his palm as if it were an extension of his own arm.
Focusing on the sword's [Rank] and [Quality], Shawn fell into deep contemplation.
After the Origin Source enters this world, treasures can be obtained through various means such as defeating mutant beasts, opening treasure chests, and other methods. Each piece is graded by its [Rank] and [Quality].
[Rank] ranges from Common, Standard, Rare, Heroic, Epic, to Legendary. These correspond to the colors white, green, blue, red, orange, and purple, respectively.
Depending on the intensity of the color, the [Quality] of each treasure varies. It can be divided into Ordinary, Fine, Excellent, Exquisite, and Perfect. The intensity can go from pale, light, moderate, deep, to dark, successively.
Considering that the apocalypse has just started, stumbling upon a treasure of such rank and quality proves a stroke of luck for him.
"I finally have a reliable weapon to use while fighting those mutant beasts," he thought.
Returning the sword to its scabbard, he then proceeds his hunt for mutant beasts.
Empowered by his new sword, Shawn's endeavor to hunt mutant beasts progresses with newfound ease. With each encounter, his skill in battling these creatures sharpens, allowing him to make fewer mistakes and navigate the dangers of the hunt with greater proficiency.
*****
[You've successfully killed Level 13 Mutant Fox]
[You've successfully killed Level 11 Mutant Frog]
[You've successfully killed Level 9 Mutant Squirrel]
[You've successfully killed Level 8 Mutant Skunks]
[You've successfully killed Level 18 Giant Lizard]
[You've leveled up to Level 10.]
Shawn literally committed a massacre in this small forest. He killed every mutant beast he saw.
The number of mutant beasts that he killed almost reached the hundreds.
When the casualties reach these numbers, there's bound to be loot that drops.
His loot includes three equipment orbs and one skill scroll.
One is a gauntlet, the second is a robe and the last piece of equipment is a pair of boots.
[Strength Gauntlet]
[Strength Enhancement +20]
[Hand Defense +10]
[Rank - Standard]
[Quality - Exquisite]
This gauntlet comes from the Level 18 Giant Lizard, who also dropped the skill scroll.
That battle was the last one he fought and it brought his level from Level 9 to Level 10.
He just leveled up before that happened so one can imagine the amount of its origin energy.
As great as the benefits might be, the battle is just as dangerous. The defense of that Giant Lizard is sturdy due to its thick scales and sinewy muscles. If it weren't for the added attack boost of the Antler Sword and its sharpness, he would not be able to even pierce its defense.
He can only take advantage of its lack of intelligence to kite it all around the forest so that it will hit every rock and tree on its way.
While doing that, he strikes it every now and then, targeting its eyes and abdomen when he has the chance to deal greater damage.
The lizard was already dazed and hurt from ramming away all obstacles, and with a lethal strike after the lizard opened its mouth to bite him, he was finally able to kill it.
Accounting for all that, he's quite lucky to be able to kill that Giant Lizard.