After a brief rest, Damon stood up and glanced down at the lifeless Blood Orc. A low chuckle escaped his lips as he flicked his finger, summoning the blood essence from the fallen monster. In an instant, the orc's body withered into a dried husk. The extracted blood essence flowed into Damon, filling him with an exhilarating surge of power. His body grew stronger, his blood purer, and he could sense that his newly created skill would now be far more efficient to use. As he stretched, his muscles emitted a series of satisfying pops, signaling his heightened strength and readiness for whatever came next.
Just as he prepared to move to a new spot, an ominous surge of instinct flared within him—something he had never experienced since arriving in this place. His first reaction was to duck and activate his Blood Art: 1st Level Body Strengthening. But before he could complete the motion, the source of his unease revealed itself, launching a lightning-fast attack. The speed was overwhelming, leaving him no time to activate his ability or evade. All he felt was the searing sensation of something slicing through his neck, followed by his vision spinning 360 degrees.
As his headless body crumpled to its knees, Damon's final thought echoed bitterly:
"Hah! So I died shortly after reincarnating!"
So, he thought—and so did his assailant. But before the shocked attacker's eyes, time seemed to rewind. The fallen head returned to its place as if nothing had happened. Damon, who had been certain of his death, was stunned to find himself unharmed.
*"What the fuck?"*
He couldn't help but be shocked. He had clearly felt the cold grip of death, yet here he was, perfectly fine. He wasn't foolish enough to misunderstand what had just occurred. Clearly, he had underestimated his godly regenerative ability. To think that a decapitated head could reattach itself in less than a second—it was nothing short of abnormal. A blessing in disguise, perhaps, but undeniably broken. With such an overpowered ability, dying wouldn't come easily. Not that he wanted to test it again; the first brush with death was more than enough.
Now, it was time to focus on the enemy. The other party stood frozen, utterly stunned by his unexpected revival. This gave Damon a moment to assess his opponent.
It was a giant Silver Moon wolf. One glance was all it took for Damon to understand—this was an alpha, without a doubt. The situation felt like something ripped straight out of a cliché novel. He had killed a few Silver Moon Wolves earlier, and now, predictably, a larger one had appeared. Naturally, this meant a parent had come seeking revenge.
"So, it's for revenge!" Damon's fury burned brightly. Despite the glaring difference in strength, he felt no intimidation. He would prevail. He would conquer this alpha—and devour it.
Howl!
The Alpha Silver Moon let out a furious howl, its eyes blazing with rage. How dare this vile murderer still be alive after she had clearly killed him? She had decapitated him—how could he possibly stand there unharmed?
This creature was dangerous, far more than she had anticipated. He had to die, not just for the sake of revenge, but for her own survival. This young demon was a threat, one that would inevitably come for her head, just as he had done with the Blood Orc.
Though the Blood Orc was weaker than her, the difference wasn't so vast that it could be toyed with by a mere young demon. She had watched the entire battle from the beginning, from the moment the Blood Orc activated its Berserk skill. She had been certain of its victory, yet it had fallen prey to its own recklessness. And this demon—this young demon—had even created a new skill mid-fight, adapting to his enemy's moves. He was far too dangerous to be left alive.
A suffocating wave of killing intent erupted, so potent that it seemed to warp reality itself. The sky darkened, and the space around them twisted and distorted as if the world was on the brink of Armageddon. Yet, in the face of such overwhelming phenomena, Damon stood unfazed, a wide grin spreading across his face, his white teeth gleaming. Fear was the last thing on his mind. On the contrary, he was exhilarated. Despite the glaring difference in strength, he saw this as an opportunity—a chance to grow stronger. The prospect of pushing his limits and evolving in the heat of battle filled him with anticipation.
Time for a power-up.