"Ec—Eclipse! Any time now!" Valeria yelled, glancing over her shoulder, heart pounding as the corrupted slime monster closed the distance behind her.
It oozed forward, its dark, viscous body rolling over rocks and fallen branches, absorbing everything in its path.
"Master Eclipse?!" she shouted again, a note of desperation creeping in.
Still no answer.
Her ponytail whipped as she dashed through the undergrowth, stumbling over roots and splashing through puddles.
She was exhausted. Did he just… leave me? Panic twisted in her gut.
Is he really that heartless? She tried to shake the thought away.
Keep running, she reminded herself, recalling his instructions.
"Run this way, don't look back," he'd said, pointing deeper into the forest.
Half an hour of running, and nothing's happened!
In fact, Eclipse hadn't abandoned her.
Hidden within the shadows of a cluster of trees, he observed her frantic sprint with cold, assessing eyes.
He took a labored breath, his chest heaving as he fought to steady himself.
Pathetic, he thought, wiping the sweat from his brow.
His own weak stamina was a constant reminder that, in this world, he was leagues away from true strength.
But all this running was necessary for them to defeat the slime.
First, Eclipse knew the nature of the slime was not the same as the normal demon.
Corrupted monsters and demons both have crystal inside their body, hiding.
While the demon can move away their weakness in their body voluntarily, a corrupted monster can't.
And second, he had the power to defeat it even if it just a while.
Clutching a small glass vial in his hand, Eclipse stared at the swirling, dark liquid inside: the potion that Valeria had carried, almost unknowingly.
Hopefully this works not killing me.
He glanced at the corrupted slime, noting the wreckage within its translucent body.
Twisted vines, crushed branches, fragments of forest creatures—I knew it, he thought, his heart racing, the Bloodfern.
His final herb for the trial glimmered amidst the slime's putrid form, its vibrant red petals preserved in the monster's murky depths.
Who'd have thought it had it
He turned his gaze to Valeria, who was unknowingly leading the creature toward the exact spot he'd marked out.
The forest thickened there, the trees clustering tightly, forcing the slime to slow.
As she entered the dense thicket, her movements faltered, and she skidded to a halt at the edge of a steep drop-off.
The ground dropped sharply, revealing a rocky ravine below.
"I'm sorry, sisters," she whispered, her voice wavering. "Looks like I won't be the one finding you."
Just as the corrupted slime loomed closer, Eclipse acted.
He uncorked the vial, feeling the dark mana seep out, almost alive with power.
It burned as it slid down his throat, filling his veins with an intense, electric rush.
His muscles tensed, his vision sharpened, and he felt a surge of strength unlike anything he'd known before.
A faint blue screen blinked into view, alerting him to a temporary power-up:
Trait Gained: Shadowblade Mastery
Effect: Skill boost granted by infused dark mana.
Skill: Void Strike – Channels dark mana into a weapon, enhancing its cutting power.
Skill: Intimidating Presence – 10% chance to inflict Fear on enemies within a short radius.
Skill: Blink Step – Perform a lightning-fast movement, striking enemies in quick succession.
(Effect lasts 10 minutes)
This is something...
Valeria stood frozen, staring into the ravine below, the corrupted slime bearing down on her like a dark tide.
She closed her eyes, bracing herself—then felt another dark presence beside her.
Another monster! She thought.
Her eyes flew open as he slipped past her, his movements impossibly fluid.
She barely registered what was happening as he slashed through the air, his knife gleaming with a dark.
With a single, fluid motion, he cut deep into the slime's body.
Its gelatinous form split, its body recoiling as if in pain, revealing the heart—a glistening, purple crystal embedded deep within.
Valeria gasped, taking a shaky step back. "Eclipse… what…?"
He didn't respond, his eyes fixed on the crystal.
The slime reformed quickly, its body surging with fury, but Eclipse remained calm, observing it as it hesitated, almost wary of him.
A faint ripple of dark energy radiated from him, sending a shiver down her spine.
Intimidating Presence had taken effect.
The slime flinched, a tremor coursing through its form.
"Valeria," he called, his voice low but commanding, "distract it!"
"R-Right!" she stammered, raising her hands.
Her palms heated, a spark flaring to life between them.
"Red… Fireball!"
She pushed forward, and a ball of flames shot from her hands, crashing into the slime.
The creature writhed, its gelatinous body convulsing as the flames spread across it, scorching patches of its dark surface.
Eclipse moved with swift precision, waiting for his cooldown.
His new trait granted him temporary mastery over knife techniques and speed.
As the slime flailed, momentarily weakened.
It's off cooldown.
He launched himself at it, Blink Step activating as he closed the distance in an instant.
The corrupted slime sensed the threat too late.
With his blade infused with dark mana, he struck the core directly, feeling the blade sink into the crystal.
A shudder ran through the slime, and it began to splinter.
The crystal cracked, a faint light flickering as the dark mana dissipated within.
A thick, tar-like substance spilled from the creature as the crystal crumbled to ash.
The monster collapsed, dissolving into a dark puddle that seeped into the ground, lifeless at last.
Both he and Valeria staggered back, gasping for breath.
The forest was silent, the remnants of the slime steaming on the ground, leaving a foul stench in the air.
Valeria's gaze flickered over to Eclipse, her chest heaving.
He was faster than she'd thought possible, his strikes precise and relentless, as if he'd been wielding that knife his whole life.
No… it wasn't just speed, she thought. He looked like… a monster.
She took a step back, her heart pounding. For a moment, an icy fear gripped her.
Something in his presence had changed.
Eclipse wiped his hand with across his cheek, his expression unreadable.
He turned to her, raising an eyebrow.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice softer, as if the ferocity of the battle had never happened.
"Y-Yeah," Valeria stammered, her mind racing.
She could still feel a lingering chill, like a shadow pressing in on her thoughts.
She glanced at him, feeling her pulse quicken.
This wasn't admiration; it was something more primal—an instinctual fear.
Intimidating Presence faded.
She felt an immense, sudden relief.
Eclipse tilted his head, studying her.
"We're done here," he said, turning away and scanning the clearing.
Spotting the Bloodfern, he plucked it from the ground, tucking it into his pack.
He felt the power from the potion slowly dissipate, his limbs growing heavier, and a dull ache settling into his muscles.
Valeria watched him, her mind still grappling with what she'd just witnessed.
Who exactly is this guy? Has this been his plan all along? She wondered as she looked around. And his strength, was it actually the potion that I gave or was he hiding it...