Just as Lucas was about to release Rapid Arrow, he suddenly heard a sharp sound whizzing past his ear.
Whoosh!
A chilling gust brushed the back of his neck, making him feel as if an invisible hand had just slid across his spine. His reflexes kicked in immediately as he raised his arm to block by his ear.
Bang!
The next thing he knew, a powerful force sent him flying into a thick tree trunk. The impact left him gasping for air, coughing as his chest tightened. It was then he finally saw his attacker—a yellow-furred cat demon, staring at him with icy, predatory eyes.
The creature wasn't huge, barely reaching Lucas's thigh in height, but its sharp claws and piercing, almond-shaped eyes made it clear this was no ordinary enemy.
It seemed to toy with Lucas, as if enjoying his current state of helplessness.
"This is bad..." Lucas thought, drawing in a deep breath. He now understood why people called the Dark Forest dangerous. If it weren't for his sharp senses, he'd probably have ended up as this demon's snack.
Without hesitation, Lucas summoned Frost Shield, a thin layer of frost encasing him to fend off the next attack.
He quickly shot out a Fire Blast, the flames rushing toward the cat demon. But with a playful grin, the creature effortlessly darted into the dark forest, vanishing like a shadow.
Lucas frowned, thinking, "It's too fast for Fire Blast. Looks like I'll need to rely on Rapid Arrow, but that takes longer to charge. I need to time it right."
The cat demon's agility forced Lucas into deep thought. He realized that some creatures in different dimensions would naturally counter specific skills. His previous overconfidence quickly faded, replaced by a careful, strategic mindset.
"I need to be patient," Lucas told himself, summoning another Frost Shield and preparing for the demon to strike again.
Sure enough, the cat demon couldn't resist. Two of them sprang from the treetops, their claws aiming directly for Lucas's head. One hit would tear him apart if he wasn't quick enough.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
At the very moment their claws hit his shield, Lucas seized the split second they paused, and fired two Rapid Arrows.
The arrows streaked through the air and pierced both cat demons, sending them crashing to the ground, twitching and whimpering in pain.
"It's over," Lucas muttered, finishing off the weakened creatures without mercy.
Ding!
"You have slain two Cat Demons. Your character level has increased to 14."
"Just one more level until I can job change!" Lucas thought excitedly. He knew that at level 15, he could finally transition into a full-fledged mage.
As a future elementalist, he would have to absorb enough magic in specific environments to complete his job change.
Fire mages had to do it in a lava dungeon, ice mages in snowy mountains, and wind and earth mages in stormy or rocky terrains.
With visions of powerful future skills dancing in his mind, Lucas felt his grinding spirit ignite. "I need to clear out this Dark Forest and level up fast."
But just as he was about to continue his slaughter, eerie cat-like cries echoed through the trees. A pack of cat demons emerged from the shadows, moving gracefully like ghostly aristocrats stalking their prey.
"So many cat demons..." Lucas's eyes narrowed, but he didn't panic. Instead, he decided to repeat his earlier tactic.
Whoosh!
Ding! "Cat Demon slain."
Ding! "Two Cat Demons slain."
Ding! "Cat Demon slain."
The system notifications kept coming, but Lucas was too focused on the thrill of leveling up. Whenever the demons became too overwhelming, he unleashed Fire Blast to weaken the pack, then picked off the survivors with Rapid Arrow. Meanwhile, his Frost Shield kept him safe and steady in the chaotic battlefield.
As cat demon after cat demon fell, Lucas grinned to himself. "Being a magic turret feels incredible. And this Mana Surge passive is ridiculously strong."
Lucas stayed immersed in the joy of grinding, his experience points steadily climbing with each kill.
"I'm so close to level 15!" he thought excitedly, already imagining himself wielding powerful elemental magic after his job change.
The eerie cat cries continued as more demons emerged from the darkness, circling him like shadowy nobles in a ballroom.
"More cat demons..." Lucas muttered, but remained calm, ready to repeat his strategy.
Whoosh! "Cat Demon slain."
Ding! "Two Cat Demons slain."
He kept firing Fire Blast to deal massive damage, then finished them off with Rapid Arrow, never letting his guard down.
"I love being a magic turret. This passive skill is way too good," Lucas grinned.