Dylan stepped in just in time, summoning a maze out of nowhere and slamming it onto the beast's hammertail. The creature retreated, screeching in pain.
But suddenly, it charged back at Dylan.
Kyle scoffed as he picked himself up from the ground. He noticed the rest of the team was frozen in fear, with only Dylan daring to challenge the creature.
Angry, Kyle quickly ran away.
"Did he just run away? Useless!" Dylan thought with a hint of disgust on his face as he swung his mace at the ferocious beast.
Unfortunately, he struggled to keep up with its destructive nature, especially through the hammertail.
***
Kyle arrived at a quieter part of the forest, checking for any signs of beasts but finding none. He felt an urge to summon the Dragon but reconsidered.
If he called upon the Dragon and it managed to defeat the beast, what would stop the team from turning on the Dragon? Humans weren't trustworthy; even if the Dragon saved them, they would likely want to kill it for its rarity and potential gain.
He pondered his next move.
Charging head-on at the beast like Dylan had done was not an option - it was quite foolish.
Kyle scanned the area, quickly assessing the environment for anything that could aid him. His eyes landed on a series of fallen branches and rocks scattered around.
"I can use this," he thought, gathering some of the debris to set a trap.
He quickly arranged the branches into a makeshift barricade, hoping to funnel the beast into a specific area.
With the trap set, he made his way back to where the battle was taking place, his heart racing.
Upon arrival, the scene was chaos. Most of the team lay half-dead or struggling to get back on their feet. Dylan was already unconscious, his body sprawled on the ground. Rio had a deep gash in his left side, blood seeping through his fingers as he tried to staunch the flow. The remaining members of the team were clearly overwhelmed, and panic gripped Kyle's chest.
Just then, he saw the beast towering over one of the girls, ready to crush her underfoot. She was badly injured, blood pooling around her.
"No!" Kyle shouted, his voice breaking through the chaos. He seized the beast's attention, its head snapping toward him with a ferocious growl.
Without a second thought, Kyle darted toward Dylan's maze, grabbing it as he sprinted away. The beast, enraged, charged after him, its massive body and tail crashing through the forest. Trees splintered and fell in its wake, branches snapping like twigs as it barreled forward, leaving a trail of destruction.
As Kyle ran, he could feel the ground shake with each step of the creature behind him. He pushed himself harder, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
"Just a little farther!" he urged himself, glancing back to see the beast gaining on him, its jaws snapping dangerously close.
Finally, Kyle reached the trap he had set. He veered sharply, leading the beast into the narrow area surrounded by the barricade. The creature, too focused on him to notice the danger, barreled into the trap, crashing against the makeshift barriers.
With a loud roar, it stumbled, momentarily disoriented. Kyle seized the opportunity, quickly assessing the beast's position.
He remembered what he had learned about such creatures: their weak point was typically their underbelly. Taking a deep breath, he approached cautiously, looking for an opening.
"Sh*t!"
He needed to find a way to exploit that weakness before the beast regained its composure.
As Kyle crouched before the beast, his gaze fell upon a black crystal embedded in its underbelly.
A surge of excitement coursed through him, momentarily pulling him away from the chaos that had just unfolded. A live beast crystal—Grade 7, no less! The thought of such a valuable find sent a thrill through him. He knew it could fetch a staggering price.
Around the crystal, the skin was soft and pliable, almost inviting. Kyle realised that it could be easily pierced with a blunt knife. His focus sharpened; he needed to remove the crystal without damaging it.
He was acutely aware that extracting it would mean the beast's demise, but with the creature now vulnerable, this was the best opportunity he would get.
However, something felt off. The beast should have been rising by now, but it remained pinned down. Glancing at the ground, Kyle noticed it was becoming wet. He looked closer and saw black blood seeping from the beast, indicating it had been stabbed by something sharp enough to pierce its tough hide during the fall.
The creature was weakening, and if it died, the crystal would perish with it, reducing it to mere fragments—worth less than a Grade 1 beast crystal.
Without hesitation, Kyle plunged the maze into the soft skin surrounding the crystal. He felt the resistance give way, and he quickly extracted the crystal.
Then, he dipped his hands into the open wound, performing a crude surgery. Black blood flowed down his arms as he tore through the insides.
Finally, he felt the warm touch of the crystal against his fingers.
With a swift motion, he yanked it out, scattering the dark liquid across the ground and splattering it all over himself. The beast let out a final, pained roar before it weakened and eventually succumbed to death.
In that moment, as Kyle grinned and stared at the glowing crystal in his hands, a translucent screen materialised before him:
[You have slain a Grade 7 beast, Gorgewar.]
[Reward: 200 Exp]
[Level up!]
[Evolution request: Level 2]
[New skill unlocked]
[New item achieved]
Kyle stared at the screen in awe. He had never imagined that even without a specific quest, slaying a beast would yield such rewards. This was the pinnacle of his efforts—leveling up!
Suddenly, another square-shaped blue screen appeared behind the first:
[Would you like to sell the crystal?]
Price: Stats boost + 50 Exp.
"I can sell this as well...?" Kyle murmured, his eyes fixed on the screen.
The stats boost appeared... rather enticing.