Going deeper into the Nexus and out of the safe zone only meant one thing: there was a high chance he would encounter the same type of monster that had killed his previous employers.
However, even though he was less experienced, he didn't have time to worry. He came here for one reason only—to earn a new Talent.
The previous kills of Sylvian Sprites had earned him some rewards, but they weren't important since the opportunity to earn much more lay before his eyes. The Sylvian Sprites' Talents were weaker than he had expected.
Since most Sylvian Sprites only had Natural-type Talents, he couldn't imagine using them in martial arts. Although their powers were practical, Physical Talents would still be wiser to obtain.
'Now… now… where are you?'
It wouldn't take long to encounter a Whispering Wood since he already sensed the same ominous feeling that had occurred before his employers were killed. The woods felt alive, with shadows dancing despite the lack of wind.
Every direction seemed foreboding, and one couldn't tell if they were still within the safe zone. Of course, this was technically still part of the safe zone, as rescuers could reach this area without much difficulty. However, the safety typically found where weaker monsters dwelled didn't apply here.
Looking in every direction, a smile crept across his face as, in the distance, he saw one odd-looking tree with a few of its branches swaying in the air.
'That's a Whispering Wood!'
Without any warning, a branch flew in his direction at a speed he couldn't comprehend. Instinctively, he dodged to the side, his body dropping to the ground the second he summoned his strength.
Without waiting for its follow-up attack, he moved back, seeing two branches collide with the ground where he had just been.
Shaking his head with a hiss, he rushed toward the spot where the branches had struck, hoping to touch even a small part of it. But luck wasn't on his side—the branches retracted as if sensing his intention.
'Fuck!' Aiden darted at the Whispering Wood. It still stood in its original position. 'But it won't leave too soon. Its natural instinct is to kill Talented people, so it won't just leave me alone.'
Aiden gritted his teeth, eyes narrowing as the Whispering Wood stood eerily still, its scaled branches twitching as if waiting for his next move. The branches swayed with an unnatural grace, like snakes ready to strike.
'I have to close the gap,' he thought, gripping the hilt of his light sword tighter. Sparks of electricity crackled around his fingers, charging the blade with flickering lightning. He needed to be faster, more precise.
Without a second's hesitation, the Whispering Wood lashed out again—this time, three branches shot toward him like spears. Aiden barely had time to react, diving to the left as one branch grazed his shoulder, the rough wood scraping his jacket.
"Damn it!" he spat, feeling the sting of the near miss.
He rolled to his feet and bolted forward, lightning now surging through his legs, boosting his speed. The ground blurred beneath him as he darted in a zigzag pattern, trying to stay ahead of the creature's deadly reach.
The Whispering Wood's branches snapped in every direction, whipping through the air with terrifying precision, but Aiden was quick. With each swing, he stayed just out of range, his enhanced reflexes keeping him alive. His eyes locked onto its trunk—the core of the creature.
'That's the weak spot. I just need to get close enough…'
A particularly wide branch swung low, aiming for his legs, but Aiden anticipated it. He leaped, vaulting over the attack with a burst of lightning energy. The branch slammed into the ground beneath him, leaving a crater.
In midair, Aiden raised his sword, lightning dancing along its edge. The branches lurched toward him, but he was already in motion. He brought the blade down with all his strength, slicing clean through one of the creature's branches. It cracked with a splintering noise, wood fragments scattering as the limb fell to the ground.
The Whispering Wood recoiled, its branches writhing in fury. But Aiden wasn't done. Before it could recover, he charged forward again, using the momentum to slash at the trunk. His sword cut deep into the wood, electricity surging into the creature, causing it to shake violently.
For a moment, everything stood still. Then, the Whispering Wood let out a low, guttural creak, its branches flailing wildly in pain.
Aiden smirked, panting but determined. "You're not so tough after all."
But the fight wasn't over. Despite its injured state, the Whispering Wood still managed to strike back, and now, a harder branch was exposed from one of the wounds in its trunk.
'What the hell?'
Naturally, he would be worried, but at the same time, he couldn't contain his excitement as he had already achieved his goal. The prompt for his new Talent appeared before his eyes, just as the thicker and stronger branches emerged.
'With Lightning, I can boost my agility with a few improvements. But that still doesn't close the gap—I need a Physical Talent to amplify my martial arts. It doesn't have to be strength-related; anything that can enhance martial arts to a higher level would be helpful.'
[Talent: Physical]
Name: Wooden Scale Protection
Rank: Expert
Steal this talent?
Yes | No
"Of course, that's a Yes!"
The Whispering Wood stretched its thicker branches out from its trunk, targeting Aiden from a distance. Even though he stood there without reacting, the humanoid monster felt a strong sense of satisfaction, already playing out Aiden's death in its mind.
However, just as it was about to strike, the creature suddenly felt a strange churning sensation from its roots to the upper part of its trunk. Twitching involuntarily, confusion spread across its face as it struggled to understand why its body was reacting this way.
Its eyes darted back to where Aiden stood, and from a distance, it could see the grin forming on his face.
As if in disbelief, the Whispering Wood's trunk and limbs twitched endlessly for a few seconds before finally coming to a stop. Though momentarily confused, its goal remained the same—to impale Aiden with its branch.
Screeching, the monster tried to extend its branch again but failed, which deepened the confusion on its face.
"You must be confused, but that's natural. Your Wooden Scale Protection, which you used to extend your branches, won't help you anymore since I have it now! I've seen how you use your Talent, and now, it's mine!"
Surely, if someone awakened this Talent, its potential would be limited to defense, as the name implied. However, Aiden had already seen the possibilities of this Talent, knowing it wouldn't be limited to just defense. There was a chance he could not only protect himself but also launch wooden attacks in the future.
"Farewell." In the blink of an eye, a lightning bolt flashed, and at the same moment, his sword sliced through the weakened trunk of the humanoid monster.
Aiden sensed his level rising, a clear indication that the monster was already dead.
'Hmm…' Summoning his Talent prompt, he couldn't help but smile. His grin widened uncontrollably.
[Aiden Blackwood]
First Talent: Elemental
Name: Lightning Manipulation
Rank: Master
Second Talent: Physical
Name: Wooden Scale Protection
Rank: Expert
'Those branches… they were just wooden scales it created, sharpened by its will.'