Just before Lucian dashed toward the demonic beast, a system notification appeared before him.
[Quest: Defeat the Advanced tier demonic beast "Venomclaw"
[Reward: Two instant level up]
[Unlock two new skills]
But Lucian didn't even bother to read it as he dashed toward the demonic beast.
A fire ignited around his fists, the familiar heat of [Flame Fist Lvl1] empowering his strikes. Without hesitation, Lucian dashed forward, faster than most human eyes could follow. Venomclaw reacted, slashing with its talons, but Lucian ducked and rolled under the attack. He approached the beast and slammed his flaming fist into its armored scales.
A crackling hiss filled the air as fire met metal-hard hide, but the attack barely scratched the surface. Venomclaw let out a furious roar, spinning around with surprising speed, its long tail swinging toward Lucian like a whip. He leaped back just in time to avoid being struck, but the ground trembled as the tail smashed into the earth where he had stood moments before.
Lucian's eyes narrowed. This would be a battle of endurance. He couldn't afford to make a mistake.
He charged again, instantly closing the distance between him and the demon. A quick jab of his fiery fist connected with Venomclaw's leg, targeting one of the more exposed joints. The beast released a snarl of pain but retaliated faster than Lucian expected. With a sudden lunge, Venomclaw snapped its massive jaws, and this time, Lucian couldn't dodge in time.
Crunch!
"We have to help him, " Selene said. "Wait, he can do this just watch" Commander Draven replied holding her shoulder to prevent her from going.
[You have been by Venom claw, your mana is starting to drain and your hp will start to reduce by one every minute]
Agony tore through Lucian's arm as Venomclaw's teeth sank deep into his flesh, its toxic bite searing through his veins. He grimaced, gritting his teeth as the beast's venom surged into his bloodstream. Almost immediately, he felt its effects—a burning sensation followed by a wave of weakness that began to spread through his body.
But Lucian didn't falter.
With a roar of defiance, he yanked his arm free, flames still flickering weakly around his fist. Venomclaw's poison was taking hold, and with each passing second, he felt his strength slipping away. His limbs grew heavier, and the edges of his vision blurred, but his mind remained sharp. He couldn't give in—not yet.
Venomclaw circled him, its movements slower now, its exposed joint smoking from Lucian's earlier attacks. The beast lunged again, but Lucian rolled out of the way, the pain in his arm flaring as he hit the ground. He forced himself up, sweat beading on his forehead as the poison drained more of his energy.
He knew he didn't have much time. The venom was spreading too fast.
Gathering what remained of his strength, Lucian dashed toward Venomclaw once more. He couldn't rely on defense anymore; he had to finish the fight before the poison overwhelmed him. With every ounce of energy he had left, he channeled fire into his fists and aimed for the same joint he had targeted before.
His [Flame Fist] struck true, hitting the weakened spot on Venomclaw's leg. Flames erupted from the point of impact, searing through the scales and burning the flesh beneath. The beast howled in agony, its leg collapsing beneath it.
Lucian staggered, his vision spinning as the poison's effects intensified. His arm throbbed, the venom pulsing through his veins, but he forced himself to stay focused.
With one last, desperate surge, he gathered the remains of his MP and conjured a [Fireball]. The flames flickered weakly in his palm, but they were enough. Lucian leaped onto Venom Claw's back and slammed the fireball into the beast's neck.
The explosion rocked the clearing, flames engulfing the demon's head and neck. Venomclaw let out one final roar of pain before its body went limp, collapsing beneath the weight of its dead limbs.
Lucian collapsed to one knee, his vision blurring as the venom surged through his veins, sapping the last of his strength. His breaths were shallow, and his body felt like it was on fire, but not from his magic—this was the venom's deadly grip. Darkness threatened to pull him under, but just as his vision dimmed completely, the familiar system notification flashed before his eyes.
[Quest Completed: Defeat the Advanced Tier Demonic Beast "Venomclaw"]
[Reward: Two instant level-ups]
[Two new skills unlocked]
[Stats points:40]
Lucian forced his eyes open, blinking through the haze as he felt a sudden, refreshing surge of energy course through him. While still battered, his body began to stabilize as the system's rewards kicked in. He could feel his strength returning bit by bit, the venom's stranglehold loosening its grip.
The notification flickered again.
[Skill Unlocked: Fire Slash Lvl1]
[Skill Unlocked: Poison Resistance Lvl1]
Lucian's mind latched onto the information, and almost immediately, the effects of the poison seemed to reverse. His breathing steadied, and the burning sensation in his veins dulled. [Poison Resistance Lvl1] had kicked in, allowing his body to fight back against the toxin that had been rapidly spreading. He wasn't fully cured, but the skill was slowing the venom's effects enough for his body to recover.
"Poison won't take me down that easily," he muttered under his breath, standing up slowly as his limbs regained their strength.
He glanced at his status screen, inspecting the new fire skill he'd acquired.
[Fire Slash Lvl1: Lucian channels fiery energy into his hand, slashing through the air with a burning arc of fire that deals both physical and fire damage. The flame arc can strike multiple enemies in close range and ignite them, causing burn damage over time.] [MP cost: 200 per use.]
A smirk tugged at the corner of Lucian's mouth. [Fire Slash] wasn't as simple as his [Flame Fist]—it was more refined, more focused. He imagined it as a burst of raw firepower, capable of dealing significant damage in one precise blow. The thought of combining it with his newly acquired knowledge of Venomclaw's weak points sent a rush of adrenaline through his veins.
As he absorbed the information, a voice called out to him from the edge of the clearing.
"Lucian!" Selene shouted, rushing toward him. She had been watching anxiously from a distance, wanting to jump in but trusting in his strength.
Commander Draven followed behind her at a slower pace, his expression stern but relieved. "You did it. I knew you could."
Lucian gave a slight nod, still catching his breath. "Yeah… just barely." "We have to get back to the town and get you to a physician you were bitten," Galen said.
Lucian took a deep breath, feeling the lingering effects of the poison slowly ebb away. He glanced at Selene, Galen, and Commander Draven, their concern evident.
"I am fine, I am a bit resistant to poison so I am going to be okay. Why don't we get back to our horses and get back to town, I am tired and feeling a bit sleepy" Lucian said as he started to head to where they left their horses.
Are you resistant to poison? How are you resistant to poison? Commander Draven asked. "I don't know, It's just one amazing thing my body can do" Lucian replied lying about it, since he did not want them to know about the system.
"But we still need to get you to a physician, to make sure the venom is completely out of your body," Commander Draven said. "I do know someone good with her healing magic. She stays near the inn we stayed" Lucian said as he climbed his horse and started riding back to town and the rest followed from behind.
Getting close to the inn, Lucian stops by a house. Getting down from his horse and standing in front of the house door with the moonlight casting a soft glow, Lucian raised his hand and knocked gently on the wooden door. The rhythmic creak of the door followed as it swung open, revealing a woman with long, flowing blonde hair and piercing gold eyes. She stood in the doorway, and then a smile appeared on her face. Lucian, she said happily as she hugged him tight. "I came to your house this morning but no one was home. And who are these people?
"Althea, these are my companions, but before I introduce you to them, please heal my wound," Lucian said as he raised his arm, revealing the mark left from the demonic beast's bite.