In the brown grassy field Kael and the Rat faced each other while a chill wind swept through the air. Distant clashing noises echoed in the background.
"System, provide details about this creature," Kael commanded, his voice wavering. His pulse quickened.
Accepting the task, a transperant holographic scree appeared before him, not covering the beast before him.
Name: Rotfang Rats [Half - Mutated]
Gene: Feral Tier- Rotfang Gene [Half - Mutated]
Element: None
Attributes:-
ATK: 12
SPD: 10
DEF: 8
Skills: Berserk Charge: Increases attack speed and power for a short period.
Skill cards [that can be acquired by killing them]: Berserk Charge [Buff type - Probability of obtaining: 27%]
[System Alert: Host was fasing a mutated Beast. The system suggests the host be careful. It was life-threatening.]
"Ugh, my brain, why didn't I look into that earlier?" Kael attempts to retreat. However as he takes a step back, the rat launches another strike, catching Kael off guard.
He felt the rush of air when the claws brushed past his face. Kael was still catching his breath from the surprise assault. But the rat didn't give him a chance to recover before launching a flurry of attacks.
The rat forced Kael into a defensive stance as he swung the stick vigorously to block the incoming blows.
It was his improved swordsmanship and heightened senses that kept the stick from breaking. But that wasn't enough to save Kael.
"If things continued like this," he thought with a grim expression. "I'm definitely going to die again."
Kael's hand ached with sharp pain; each clash with the beast's attack sent shivers through his arm. "Nice, very nice. Can't even this amplification stop the beast?" he grumbled, frustration threading across his face.
Kael knew he was in a vulnerable position, so he rummaged around for any chance of escape while fending off the incessant attacks of the rat. A few meters away from him stood a cluster of rocks. The sight of the stones stirred up an idea in his head. He made one calculated move after another, though never really out of reach of the rat's swift attacks, as he began to push his way towards the rocks.
Kael tried to make use of the uneven slopes of the cluster of rocks to his advantage in hopes that the rat would not be able to attack him anymore. But even that was not enough.
"Come on, Kael. You gotta use all your power now, or you could die here," he muttered to himself. With a deep breath, he composed his heart, and compressed all his energy at one point, with the hope of sharpening his senses even more.
But tapping into an energy he had never previously used was an admittedly hard thing to do. Still, he refused to lose his resolve. "I won't make another mistake that costs my life," Kael muttered, forcing himself to channel the energy inside of him.
As his veins began to pop out, slightly visible and pulsing, his body turned red, even as wisps of energy from the surroundings started to seep into him.
With his senses amplified, Kael could now anticipate the rat's moves before they even reached him. The clarity was almost startling; he could see every twitch of the rat's muscles, every shift in its stance.
With his newly acquired awareness, Kael moved with precision, skillfully evading the rat's frenzied assaults and responding with rapid, targeted strikes. Each move felt like a dance, a deadly rhythm where every step counted, and Kael was determined to lead.
The rat gradually fell behind due to Kael's maneuvers. Meanwhile, Kael was enhancing his swordsmanship to a new level, aided by this fresh experience.
Just as Kael was about to surpass the rat, a sudden burst of energy erupted from the creature.
[Opponent's Skill: Berserk Charge Activated]
A notification flashed across Kael's vision, causing him to grimace. "Is my luck on vacation or something?" he muttered, frustration boiling up inside him.
The rat was now engulfed in a chaotic aura, its energy swirling wildly around it, making the creature look even more horrific and menacing.
But Kael didn't stop. He seized the moment during the rat's skill activation and sprinted towards the cluster of rocks. "This is my last chance," he thought, pushing himself to reach the top.
The rat, now fully empowered by its skill, immediately gave chase. It charged at Kael with its newfound speed, the burst of chaotic energy catching the attention of the other teenagers battling nearby beasts. Their faces were filled with shock as they witnessed the transformation.
The other rat beasts growled in response but didn't dare approach, sensing the danger from their mutated kin.
Even with its increased speed and power, the uneven slope of the rocks made it difficult for the rat to maneuver effectively. Kael spotted an opening and unleashed a series of rapid strikes with the stick in his hand. Each swing reverberated with a loud noise, drawing even more attention to his fierce battle. Whenever the rat tried to land an attack, Kael's enhanced senses allowed him to evade just in time.
Eventually, the rat's movements became clumsy on the rugged terrain, causing it to stumble and get injured. Seeing his opportunity, Kael concentrated all his strength and energy into his stick and hands.
"Take this, you filthy rat!" With a final, powerful blow, he struck the rat's head, and a loud crack of breaking bones echoed across the field.
The mutated rat that had been standing its ground fell with a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the field, the chaotic energies surrounding it finally dissipating. Seeing the powerful rat slain, the remaining rats didn't dare approach Kael. Instead, they scattered, squealing in panic as they fled the area.
The teenagers, who had paused their battles to watch, stared at Kael and the body of the fallen rat. Their faces were a mix of shock and curiosity, yet none of them approached him. They simply turned away, returning to their own tasks. Before leaving, they carefully extracted crystals from the hearts of the beasts they had slain.
Kael, still catching his breath, clutched the broken stick that had saved his life. "Haa, this is no ordinary stick," he thought with a wry smile, "This was my life saver." Tossing the stick aside, he approached the fallen beast.
Remembering what he had seen the other teenagers do, Kael grabbed a sharp rock from nearby and carefully cut into the rat's chest, searching for its heart. Within moments, he spotted a shiny grey crystal, speckled with dark spots. Without hesitation, he pulled it out and held it in his hand, feeling the power it held.
As he did, a notification appeared before him:
[Feral tier beast - Mutated Rotfang Rat killed]
The beast's body began to glow, its form disintegrating into particles of light that floated upwards. The energy swirled together, coalescing into a card that hovered in the air. Kael watched in amazement, his eyes wide. "Truly fantastic," he muttered, awestruck by the sight.
[Congratulations Host for obtaining geno skill card: Berserk Charge: Increases attack speed and power for a short period.]
Kael's eyes gleamed with excitement as he read the description. "This... this could be the start of something incredible," he whispered to himself, feeling a new surge of determination course through his veins
Kael climbed down from the rocky cluster, clutching the skill card tightly in his hand. His eyes scanned the surroundings, but he found himself completely alone in the grassy field. The sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows across the land and bathing everything in a golden hue.
"I should head back to the dome and test this skill there," Kael thought, feeling the weight of the crystal and the card in his hands. "And I need to prepare better before coming back here. It could have ended very differently today."
With that, he turned towards the direction of the dome, his steps steady but quick. His mind raced with thoughts of what the new skill could mean for him and what challenges might lie ahead. As the twilight deepened, Kael's figure moved purposefully across the field, ready to face whatever came next.