The ancient forest swallowed all sound as Kai Lorr crept through the dense undergrowth. Towering trees blocked out the sun, their gnarled branches creating an eerie canopy overhead. Every snapping twig made Kai tense, his senses on high alert.
'This place reeks of danger,' Kai thought, his eyes scanning the shadows. 'But danger means opportunity.'
This wasn't about playing hero. For Kai, it was a chance to sharpen his skills and deal with a potential threat. The Questseekers Union hadn't given him much to go on, but that was typical. Whatever was lurking in these woods had managed to stay hidden until now. That meant it was either new to the area or dangerously clever.
As Kai ventured deeper into the forest, the air grew colder. A faint stench of decay tickled his nose. His hand found the hilt of his dagger, gripping it tight. Fear wasn't part of Kai's vocabulary, but caution? That was his middle name.
'Something's not right here,' he mused. 'The forest is too quiet. Even the insects are silent.'
Suddenly, a distant sound caught his attention. Metal clashing against something much harder. Then, a desperate cry for help. Kai paused, his mind racing. Rushing in blind wasn't his style. He needed to weigh the risks.
'It could be a trap,' Kai reasoned. 'But if it's not, whatever's causing that commotion could be my target.'
Curiosity got the better of him. Silently, Kai crept towards the commotion. As he neared, the scene unfolded before him like a grim painting.
Two men in leather armor were locked in battle with a monstrous creature. It looked like a massive boar, its shaggy fur seeming to drink in the shadows around it. Gleaming tusks flashed as it charged the men, who were barely holding their ground.
"Watch out!" one man yelled, pulling his companion away from a vicious swipe of the beast's tusks.
Kai's eyes narrowed. He recognized the beast from his studies – a Nightwing. But this one was... wrong. A sinister aura surrounded it, its eyes glowing with hellish red light. Its movements were too fast, too vicious. This thing had been corrupted, twisted into something far deadlier than nature intended.
'A corrupted Nightwing,' Kai thought, his mind working rapidly. *Level 3 Elemental Mastery, at least. This is what I was sent to find.*
The two men were clearly outmatched. Their swords barely scratched the Nightwing's thick hide. With each attack, the beast retaliated brutally, forcing them back. Kai could see their strength fading. It wouldn't be long before the Nightwing overwhelmed them.
"We can't keep this up!" one of the men shouted, his voice strained with exhaustion.
His companion grunted in agreement, narrowly dodging another attack. "We need to retreat!"
That's when it clicked. This corrupted monstrosity had to be his target. The creature he'd been sent to investigate and, if possible, eliminate.
Kai ran the numbers in his head. He was only at Level 1 Elemental Mastery, without fancy techniques or skills. Taking on this beast head-on would be suicide. But Kai had an ace up his sleeve – his Slime Ability. It wasn't flashy, but it could turn the tide if used right.
'I could leave them to die,' Kai considered coldly. 'It would weaken the beast. But no, they're more useful alive. For now.'
The two men were already keeping the Nightwing distracted. If Kai played his cards right, he could use them to weaken the beast before making his move. It wasn't the most heroic plan, but Kai wasn't here to win any popularity contests. He was here to survive and complete his mission.
Decision made, Kai circled the clearing. He moved like a shadow, positioning himself behind the Nightwing. The men's attacks were growing desperate, their strength nearly spent. The beast pressed its advantage, sensing victory was close.
"I can't... I can't keep this up," one of the men gasped, his sword arm trembling with fatigue.
Just as one of the men stumbled, barely dodging a lethal tusk swipe, Kai struck. His arm transformed, becoming a translucent, slimy substance. The goo coated his dagger, giving it corrosive properties that could melt through flesh and bone.
'Now or never,' Kai thought, his heart racing with the thrill of battle.
With deadly precision, Kai launched himself at the Nightwing. He aimed for a weak spot at the base of its neck, where the fur was thinner. His dagger sank deep, the acid immediately going to work.
The Nightwing roared in agony, trying to shake off the weapon. The two men, momentarily stunned by Kai's sudden appearance, quickly rallied.
"By the gods!" one of them exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"
Kai didn't waste breath on a reply. "Strike now!" he commanded, his voice sharp and authoritative.
They seized the opportunity, driving their swords into the beast's side.
Despite their combined efforts, the corrupted Nightwing wasn't going down easy. Its unnatural resilience kept it fighting, lashing out with even greater ferocity. Kai dodged a swipe of its massive claws, his movements fluid and controlled. He couldn't let it regain the upper hand.
'This thing just won't die,' Kai thought, gritting his teeth. 'But everything has a weakness. I just need to find it.'
Kai's mind raced, anticipating the Nightwing's next move. He needed to end this fast before exhaustion set in. In one swift motion, he retrieved his acid-coated dagger and prepared for a final, decisive strike.
"Keep it distracted!" Kai shouted to the men. "I need a clear shot at its heart!"
The men nodded, understanding dawning in their eyes. They redoubled their efforts, attacking from both sides to keep the Nightwing's attention divided.
Seeing an opening, Kai lunged. His dagger plunged deep into the Nightwing's chest, aiming straight for its heart. The creature let out an agonized roar as the acid spread through its body. Its movements grew sluggish, and with a final, shuddering gasp, it collapsed.
Kai stepped back, breathing heavily as he watched the Nightwing's body dissolve into the earth. The battle was over, but he didn't let his guard down. The two men approached cautiously, a mix of relief and exhaustion on their faces.
"Thank you," one of them said, genuine gratitude in his voice. "We'd be dead without your help. I'm Jace, and this is my brother, Kell."
Kai nodded, his expression unreadable. "It was necessary," he replied flatly.
Kell's eyes lingered on the corpse, greed flickering in his gaze. "That thing was corrupted... demonized. Its remains could fetch a good price. We should split it."
Kai's eyes narrowed slightly. He'd seen this before – desperation and greed making people act foolishly. He knew where this was heading, and he didn't like it one bit.
"There's no need to fight," Kai said, his voice calm but carrying a clear warning. "The corpse is valuable, but not worth dying over."
Jace looked uncomfortable, glancing between his brother and Kai. "Kell, maybe we should just be grateful we're alive. This man saved us."
But Kell wasn't backing down. The lure of profit was too strong. He stepped forward, his hand on his sword hilt. "Look, we appreciate the help, but this is our kill too. We deserve our share."
Kai's expression remained neutral, but his mind was already calculating the odds. He didn't want to kill them – there was no benefit to it – but if they forced his hand, he wouldn't hesitate. His survival came first.
'Fools,' Kai thought bitterly. 'Why do they always choose greed over life?'
"You're making a mistake," Kai said quietly, his tone ice-cold. "Walk away now, and you live. Push this, and you won't."
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. The clearing fell silent except for the whisper of leaves. Jace looked terrified, but Kell's face was set with determination.
"Kell, please," Jace pleaded. "It's not worth it. Let's just go."
But greed had won out. With a shout, Kell charged at Kai, sword drawn. Jace, torn between loyalty to his brother and self-preservation, hesitated for a moment before following suit.
'So be it,' Kai thought, a flicker of regret quickly suppressed. 'They made their choice.'
Kai's response was swift and merciless. He sidestepped Kell's attack, his body moving with inhuman fluidity thanks to his Slime Ability. His dagger flashed, slicing through armor and into flesh. Kell's eyes widened in shock, his sword clattering to the ground.
Jace barely had time to react before Kai's free hand transformed into a whip-like tendril, wrapping around his neck and yanking him off balance.
"Wait-" Jace choked out, but it was too late.
In mere seconds, it was over. The two men lay dead at Kai's feet, victims of their own foolishness. Kai looked down at their bodies, his expression unchanged. It was a waste, but they'd left him no choice.
'Unfortunate,' Kai mused, wiping his dagger clean. 'But that's the price of weakness in this world.'
Without a word, Kai turned his attention back to the Nightwing's remains. He wasn't in a hurry. The forest was quiet, and he had time. Crouching down, he prepared to examine the corrupted creature more closely.
As Kai approached the Nightwing's corpse, a strange sensation pulsed through him. It wasn't just a desire—it was an overwhelming urge, a primal instinct demanding that he devour the creature, to erase every trace of its existence. His chest tightened, and his mind seethed with anger, a hatred so deep it felt as though it emanated from the very core of his being.
The feeling was unlike anything he had experienced before. It wasn't just the usual caution he exercised when dealing with enemies; it was something more intense, more visceral. The Nightwing, now lifeless before him, wasn't just another beast—it was an abomination, something that shouldn't exist under the same heavens as him.
Kai frowned, trying to make sense of the powerful emotions surging within him. This was the first time he had encountered a demonized creature, and he had no idea why his body and soul reacted so violently to it. The anger, the hate—it all felt foreign, yet at the same time, disturbingly natural. It was as if this reaction was hardwired into his very being.
For a moment, Kai closed his eyes, focusing inward, trying to trace the source of this feeling. But all he found was more confusion. Why did he feel this way? Was it connected to the strange powers he had awakened? To the slime abilities that now defined him? Or was it something deeper, something tied to the very reason he had been brought to this world?
Despite the lack of answers, one thing was clear—this sensation, this anger—it felt right. As much as it unsettled him, it also felt like a key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding him. The changes within him, the appearance of demonized creatures, and the truth behind his transmigration—somehow, they were all connected. And Kai knew that if he was to survive and grow stronger in this world, he needed to uncover these secrets, no matter the cost.
With a renewed sense of determination, Kai stood over the Nightwing's corpse, his thoughts sharpening into focus. He would find the answers he sought, but first, he would deal with this creature in a way that satisfied the hunger gnawing at his soul.