The meal of glowing rabbit-like meat and herbs left Yuuto feeling surprisingly refreshed. Despite its odd appearance, the creature had tasted good enough, and more importantly, it had restored some of his strength. With the added effect of the Foraging skill, Yuuto had managed to avoid any poisonous plants, and he felt confident in his ability to forage safely moving forward. The System had once again proved invaluable, but Yuuto knew it wouldn't always be this easy. His quest to survive the day wasn't over, and he had a feeling the challenges ahead would only grow more dangerous.
As he stood up and stretched, a familiar chime rang in his ears, drawing his attention back to the translucent screen that hovered in front of him.
[New Quest Unlocked: First Hunt - Mana Leeches]
Objective: Hunt and eliminate 5 Mana Leeches within the forest. Time remaining: 8 hours.
Reward: 25 EXP, Basic Spell: Arcane Bind
Failure: Increased mana drain over time.
Yuuto winced at the "failure" consequence. Increased mana drain? That sounded like a problem, especially since mana was crucial for casting his spells. He had already experienced the effects of low mana, and he knew how quickly it could leave him vulnerable.
"Mana Leeches, huh? Sounds like a great time," he muttered sarcastically. Still, there wasn't much of a choice. He needed to complete this quest, not just for the experience and spell rewards but also to avoid the consequences of failure. And the new spell, Arcane Bind, sounded like something he could really use in future fights.
He glanced around the forest, his eyes scanning the dense underbrush for any signs of movement. If these "Mana Leeches" were anything like their name suggested, they would be draining his mana, and that made them even more dangerous.
Yuuto gathered his gear—what little of it he had—and prepared himself mentally. His stomach was full, his mana had slightly recovered, and his body felt rested. Now was the time to hunt.
With cautious steps, he moved deeper into the forest, keeping his senses sharp. The soft glow of the surrounding plants cast an eerie light across the ground, making everything seem more mystical yet dangerous at the same time.
He reached out to the Ascendant System, silently willing it to help guide him toward his targets. As if answering his call, the system responded with a faint pulse of light in his vision, directing him toward the north. Yuuto followed the invisible guidance, weaving through the trees as the sounds of the forest grew louder around him.
[Time remaining: 7 hours, 30 minutes.]
The deeper he ventured into the woods, the stranger the environment became. The trees grew taller, their bark twisting into unnatural shapes, and the air felt heavier with mana. Yuuto couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him. His senses were on high alert, every rustle in the bushes making his heart race.
After a few more minutes of walking, he heard a faint, wet slithering sound from the bushes nearby. Yuuto froze, narrowing his eyes as he peered into the undergrowth. There was movement—slow and deliberate. Whatever it was, it was drawing closer.
Suddenly, a leech-like creature emerged from the shadows. It was large, easily the size of a dog, and its slimy, black body shimmered faintly in the dim light. Its mouth was a gaping hole filled with rows of sharp, needle-like teeth, and tendrils of mana swirled around it, pulsing with a sickly green glow.
A Mana Leech.
Yuuto swallowed hard. Gross. It was exactly as disgusting as he'd imagined, but this was no time for hesitation.
The creature slithered toward him, its body undulating as it moved, clearly drawn to the mana radiating from Yuuto's presence. He could feel it—his mana pool draining slowly, as if the leech was already feeding on it from a distance.
"Not happening," Yuuto muttered. He focused his thoughts, calling upon the Mana Bolt spell once more. His hand glowed with faint blue energy as the spell materialized in his palm.
[Mana Bolt: 15 Mana Cost. Mana: 35/50]
He fired the bolt straight at the creature. The spell shot through the air, crackling with energy, and struck the Mana Leech directly in its center. The creature let out a high-pitched screech, writhing in pain as it recoiled from the attack. But it wasn't dead. Not yet.
The leech surged forward, faster than Yuuto expected. It closed the distance between them in a blink, and before he could react, it lunged at him, its gaping mouth aimed at his leg.
Yuuto barely dodged, jumping back just in time to avoid its teeth. His heart pounded in his chest, panic threatening to overwhelm him. He couldn't let this thing touch him—he had a bad feeling about what would happen if it did.
He needed to act fast.
With no time to waste, Yuuto fired another Mana Bolt, this time aiming for the creature's head. The second shot hit its mark, and the Mana Leech screeched again, this time collapsing to the ground as its body dissolved into a cloud of shimmering mana, leaving behind nothing but a faint green mist.
[Mana Leech defeated. 5 EXP gained.]
Yuuto let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. One down, four to go.
His mana pool was now significantly lower, though. Using two Mana Bolts in quick succession had drained him, and he still had four more creatures to kill. He couldn't afford to waste his energy like that again. He would have to be smarter—more efficient.
He continued forward, his senses alert for any sign of the remaining leeches. The forest felt alive with mana, almost oppressive, as if the entire area was teeming with the creatures. After several minutes of walking, the soft, wet slithering sound returned, this time from multiple directions.
Three of them at once.
Yuuto's pulse quickened as he crouched behind a nearby tree, peeking around to see three Mana Leeches emerging from the bushes, their bodies glowing with sickly green energy. They were slowly converging toward his position, drawn to his mana.
He needed to handle this carefully. One-on-one, he could manage, but three at once? That was a different story. He didn't have enough mana to spam Mana Bolts, and his Quick Strike skill wasn't strong enough to take them all down in a direct fight.
"Think, Yuuto. Think," he muttered to himself, scanning the surroundings. His eyes fell on a cluster of thick vines hanging from a nearby tree, and an idea began to form. If I can use the environment…
Quickly, Yuuto grabbed the vines, tying them into a makeshift tripwire between two trees. It was crude, but it would have to do. He needed every advantage he could get.
Once the trap was set, Yuuto carefully stepped out into the open, making just enough noise to draw the attention of the leeches. As expected, they immediately turned toward him, their mouths opening hungrily as they slithered forward at an alarming speed.
Yuuto stood his ground, his heart pounding as they drew closer and closer. When they were just a few feet away, he jumped backward, leading them directly into his trap.
The first Mana Leech hit the tripwire and toppled over itself, writhing on the ground in confusion. The second was caught by the legs, slowing its advance. Only the third remained unimpeded, charging directly at Yuuto with frightening speed.
Now!
He thrust his hand forward, calling on the last of his mana to cast one more Mana Bolt. The spell struck the third leech in the face, knocking it back just as it was about to reach him.
With all three leeches temporarily disabled, Yuuto rushed in with his Quick Strike skill, slashing at their vulnerable spots one by one. The strikes were swift and efficient, taking down the creatures before they could recover.
Finally, the last Mana Leech let out a faint hiss before dissolving into the familiar cloud of mana.
[3 Mana Leeches defeated. 15 EXP gained.]
Yuuto collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. His body was drenched in sweat, and his mana reserves were almost completely depleted. But he had done it. Four down, and one more to go.
[Time remaining: 6 hours.]
He didn't have much time left, but with his mana running low, he couldn't risk rushing into another fight without recovering. Yuuto sat down against a nearby tree, closing his eyes as he focused on restoring his energy.
The System had guided him through these challenges so far, but he knew this was just the beginning. If the creatures in this world were already this dangerous, what would come next?
As he rested, Yuuto couldn't help but feel a growing sense of determination. He wasn't going to let this world beat him. He would survive, grow stronger, and uncover the truth behind the Ascendant System—no matter what it took.
After a few moments, he stood up, ready to hunt down the last Mana Leech.
The day wasn't over yet.