As the battle began, silence turned into cries and exchanged blows. Alex, preparing to face the leader, quickly leaped between the trees, using his agility to avoid the leader lizard's massive strikes. His dagger gleamed, emitting a venomous aura that paralyzed the lizards for a few moments, but now he needed to be even more cautious.
The leader lizard, with its violet-black scales, attacked with great force and violence. Each strike was incredibly powerful, shaking the ground with every blow. Its long tongues released yellow liquid aimed at Alex, who dodged them swiftly. "Oh, this is definitely no ordinary festival. Could this lizard have trained at the academies?" Alex joked sarcastically, lunging at the lizard, attempting to dodge its powerful strikes.
The leader lizard moved skillfully and cleverly, posing a significant challenge for Alex. He used his probability manipulation ability to increase his chances of both attacking and surviving. He controlled the direction of his strikes, targeting the unprotected parts of the leader lizard. "Alright, it seems I still have some hope here. If I can seize every opportunity, I might be able to take it down."
In a decisive moment, Alex managed to land a critical blow on one of the weak spots in the lizard's metallic armor. "Ah, so there is a weakness after all. I'll need to exploit that!"
But even with this strike, the leader lizard did not retreat. It grew even stronger, launching a swift counterattack, forcing Alex to quickly escape to avoid the blow. "This leader lizard doesn't intend to give up easily. I'll need all my abilities and probability control."
The battle continued fiercely as Alex dodged, jumped, and evaded blows, using his ability to direct his attacks accurately. The forest was filled with screams and noise, with each strike from the leader lizard resonating throughout the area.
As the battle wore on, it became clear that this confrontation would be a significant test of Alex's abilities. "I won't give up now. If I'm going to make it out of this, I'll emerge as a hero, not as a meal for a giant lizard."
Just when Alex thought he was nearing victory, the leader lizard underwent a dramatic change. Suddenly, it entered a frenzy, its red eyes glowing deeper, as if they were torches in the night. Its muscles swelled grotesquely, forming enormous, powerful masses under its skin. The violet-black scales shimmered as though radiating with invisible energy.
Alex, who had been approaching triumph, felt a chill run through his veins as he witnessed the transformation. "Ah, this isn't good. It's turning into something far more terrifying!" he whispered, watching the leader lizard change before his eyes.
The leader now was much faster and stronger. It moved with greater speed than before, and every strike it made was more powerful and violent. Its skin and organs had become tougher, making it appear nearly invincible.
Alex felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he watched this massive transformation. "It seems like it's turned into an unbeatable monster. I need to be careful. This isn't just an ordinary change, but a complete transformation into a terrifying force."
There was no time for hesitation, as the leader lizard began launching devastating attacks. Each movement caused tremors in the ground, and its attacks were strong enough to destroy the trees around it. Alex skillfully dodged the blows, but the lizard's size and strength made the task increasingly difficult. "This lizard shouldn't have reached this level of power. If I'm not quick, this fight will be shorter than I thought."
Alex's emotions fluctuated between dread and determination. "This moment could be the end if I don't find a way to handle this transformation. But I can't give up now. I must use every ounce of my abilities."
Raising his dagger, he prepared to use all his skills and his probability manipulation ability to try to outmaneuver the leader lizard in its new form. "I'll need every bit of strength and every chance to achieve victory. I'll prove that I'm stronger than this monster, no matter what."
As he braced for the leader lizard's new transformation, the battle entered a more intense and tense phase, where every strike and every move could be the deciding factor in determining the outcome of the fight.
The forest was in chaos. Alex, darting quickly between the trees, narrowly avoided the continuous attacks from the leader lizard in its new form. The creature's muscles had swollen, and its power surged to unexpected levels. Each of its strikes carried destructive force, splitting the earth and sending trees flying like lightweight pieces of wood.
Alex, breathing heavily, felt intense pain throughout his body from the forceful blows he had endured. "I never imagined the battle would be this tough. This lizard has become a true monster!" Alex shouted, dodging yet another strike just in time.
As he tried to find a weakness in the leader lizard, it advanced at an astonishing speed, striking with immense force. The tremors from its movements made it difficult for Alex to maintain his balance. "If I can't find a way to gain control of the situation, I won't survive."
Alex attempted to use his poisoned dagger to slow the lizard's movement, but it was difficult to reach exposed areas due to the beast's immense strength and growing speed. "This stupid lizard has strong defenses, and its speed makes it hard to avoid its attacks. But I have to keep fighting."
As Alex continued to aim precise strikes at the lizard's weak points, exhaustion began to overtake him. The pressures of the battle were affecting his ability to concentrate, yet he knew he was close to victory. "I must be nearing the end. If I can just hold out a little longer, I'll be able to defeat it."
Despite the increasing pain in his body, Alex was determined to press on. "I hope it doesn't have another transformation; I can't afford to give up now."
With each attack, he felt the leader lizard weakening. "If I can survive just a bit longer, I'll be able to finish this."
Finally, after a fierce and grueling struggle, Alex managed to strike a decisive blow at a crucial weak spot in the lizard's body. Using all his strength and energy, he launched a final attack, driving his dagger into the lizard's weakest scales. "This is it! I can't back down now."
In a critical strike, the dagger pierced the massive body of the leader lizard, and it let out a painful scream. The creature collapsed to the ground, writhing before it finally went still. The forest returned to silence, though the remnants of chaos hinted at the intensity of the battle.
Alex, covered in wounds and exhaustion, sank to the ground, struggling to catch his breath. "I've made it... but not without a cost. I need to recover and prepare for what's to come."
As he watched the leader lizard fall, he felt a sense of relief despite his exhaustion. Victory was close, but the battle had been filled with pain and challenges. "If I'm going to survive in this world, I'll need all my strength and strategy. But for now, I deserve some rest."
With the cries of the scattered lizards still echoing in the distance, Alex tried to rise, preparing for what lay ahead. The massive body of the leader lizard was dissipating, but the other lizards began to swarm from all sides. Alex, feeling incredibly weak, retreated, trying desperately to avoid the attacks.
Suddenly, everything stopped. The lizards froze in place, and a notification appeared from the virtual reality system.
"Alert: The trial has ended. We hope you enjoyed the test. You will be transported to the department hall in 10 seconds."
Alex, panting heavily, looked around in amazement. "Wait a minute! Was I in a virtual simulation the whole time? How did I forget that this was just a simulation?" he said, leaning on a broken tree branch, laughing bitterly.
"Here I was, fighting like I was in a real war, only to find out I'm just a guest in a virtual reality game. How could I forget this?" he continued with a humorous tone, glancing at the frozen lizards around him. "Maybe I should have remembered that this isn't an action movie, but just a dagger simulation trial."
He took a deep breath, imagining himself as a great hero amidst the chaos, then burst out laughing. "How could I be so stupid? I was on the brink of collapse here, and it turns out I need a break from over-dramatizing the action."
As the countdown to 10 seconds began, Alex reflected on how crazy it was that he believed the situation was real. "Next time, I'll need a reminder that I'm in virtual reality, not in a life-or-death battle. I think I need a break from these intense experiences."
As the countdown ended, Alex felt himself being transported to the department hall, still laughing at himself. "Well, that was an exciting experience. But next time, I'll try to be calmer and less dramatic. "
The moment Alex exited the virtual reality capsule, he was surprised to see the young professor John standing in front of him, smiling as he waited. "Hey, Alex! How was your experience? Did you like the dagger?" John asked with curiosity.
Alex, still catching his breath from the battle, tried to regain his composure as he replied, "Oh, yes, it was an exciting experience. The dagger seems very powerful, and I used it effectively in combat." He was trying to sound natural, though he still felt anxious about the situation.
John, looking intrigued, continued, "I'm glad you liked it. In fact, I was watching the fight from here. Your combat style was interesting, but I noticed something unusual."
Alex, who had been staring at the ground, suddenly felt a wave of tension. "Unusual things? What do you mean?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"Yes, I've noticed you glancing at the tattoo on your arm from time to time. Is there something special about it?" John asked seriously, causing Alex to feel a surge of fear. Alex remembered that his tattoo had been glowing, and that the virtual system didn't show it to others; no one could read the symbols on it.
"Ah, it's nothing important. I was probably just checking on something. The tattoo doesn't affect combat or anything like that," Alex tried to maintain his composure, but he was feeling extremely nervous.
John scrutinized him for a moment before saying, "Well, if that's the case, there's no need to worry. But make sure to return the dagger when you're done with it."
"Of course, I'll do that," Alex replied quickly, feeling relieved that John didn't press further.
As John walked away, Alex realized he needed to be much more careful. "Looks like I need to improve my skills at dodging questions and staying calm under pressure. Next time, I'll be more cautious."
Taking a deep breath, Alex returned to reality with a mix of tension and relief. After making sure the dagger was back in its place, he knew he had to be more vigilant in the future and avoid revealing any unnecessary details about his abilities.
"Next time, I'll need to be smarter. No more strange experiments under watch," he told himself as he left the hall.
While Alex was walking, an unexpected notification appeared on his wrist. He looked at his tattoo and found a message that read:
"You've gained 120 experience points in Probability Manipulation."
Alex was shocked; he knew his tattoo wasn't ordinary, but he never expected to receive such notifications. "So, these points came from the tattoo and not from the virtual reality! Wait, i haven't noticed earlier but how the tattoo enter with me to the virtual reality?" he muttered to himself, trying to process the surprise.
Another notification quickly followed:
"With the increase in experience points in Probability Manipulation, your accuracy in using it will improve. When you reach a certain threshold, you'll level up."
As Alex was deep in thought, he heard the voice of his friend Simon calling out to him. He turned to see Simon approaching, saying, "Alex! Why didn't you wait for me?"
Alex smiled and responded, "Sorry, I was a bit distracted."
Simon asked curiously, "What happened?"
"Nothing important, just a strange notification from my phone…"
The two friends exchanged glances and started walking toward the dormitory. "Alright, but make sure to wait for me next time!" Simon said with a grin.
Alex replied lightly, "I'll try. Let's just focus on getting to the dorm right now."
As they continued walking together, Simon asked with a smile, "Don't you have a big performance test in about a month and a half? How's the preparation going?"
Alex froze for a moment, and his face suddenly showed signs of shock and anxiety. "Oh, actually... I haven't started preparing yet. I've been busy with a lot of other things."
Simon joked, "Since you beat up Tom's group, I don't think the field test will be too hard. Plus, you're good when it comes to theory and writing, right?"
Suddenly, Alex's expression shifted as if he had remembered something important. He put his hand on his head and started pacing in a small circle. His face looked as if he had been struck by lightning, and his eyes widened in realization. "Ah, damn it, I forgot!"
His eyes rolled upward while his hands flailed in the air. Then, he looked at Simon with a comically frustrated face and said, "stupid me , How could I just forget about it?"
To be continued...