Pulkit stood still, gazing at the massive bird circling above him. The shadow it cast seemed to engulf him entirely. His heart pounded in his chest, but this time, unlike before, he clenched his fists tightly and resolved, "I'm not the same person I was when I first encountered you. This time, I will face you head-on."
As the Skyhawk screeched, Pulkit activated his appraisal skill. A translucent screen appeared before his eyes:
Name: None
Race: Skyhawk
Level: 19
Rank: E
Skill: Wind Slash [F-rank]
Skill Description: Generates a sharp gust of air capable of slicing through rock.
A notification popped up:
Congratulations! Appraisal's skill proficiency has reached 100%.Appraisal Skill [F-rank] has evolved into Appraisal Skill [E-rank].
Pulkit smirked. "An upgrade at the perfect time. Let's see what you can really do, Skyhawk." But before he could analyze further, the bird spread its wings wide and launched its Wind Slash.
The attack was so swift that Pulkit barely had time to react. As the gust of wind hurtled toward him, he activated his newly acquired Exoskeleton skill.
The air was filled with the sound of slicing stone as the Wind Slash tore through the area. Dust and debris enveloped Pulkit, and for a moment, everything went silent. When the dust settled, the Skyhawk's sharp eyes caught sight of Pulkit, still standing.
His leather armor was shredded, but he was unharmed. "This skill is worth every ounce of effort I put into that dungeon," Pulkit muttered, his voice calm but laced with determination.
The bird's screech echoed, signaling its rage. It dove toward him, its deadly claws ready to strike. Pulkit, however, was prepared.
During the Skyhawk's initial attack, he had summoned Saber and instructed him to hide and wait for the perfect opportunity.
As the bird closed in, Saber leaped from the shadows and latched onto the Skyhawk's neck with his venomous fangs. The bird let out a blood-curdling screech, thrashing violently to shake off the wolf, but Saber held on, injecting his poison into its bloodstream.
"Good boy, Saber!" Pulkit shouted, seizing the opportunity. He charged forward, his sword glowing faintly with his Magic Sword skill. With precision, he slashed at the bird's underbelly, cutting deep into its flesh. Blood spattered onto the ground, and the Skyhawk's movements became frantic.
The bird, now enraged, unleashed its Wind Slash indiscriminately. Pulkit quickly activated Exoskeleton again, shielding himself, but the surrounding ruins bore the brunt of the attack, crumbling under the force of the skill.
The Skyhawk tried to ascend, desperate to escape, but Saber's claws were now wrapped tightly around its neck. The poison had begun to take effect, and the bird's flight faltered.
"You're not going anywhere!" Pulkit yelled, his voice firm. As the bird plummeted to the ground, Saber released his grip just in time to avoid being crushed.
The Skyhawk hit the earth with a heavy thud, its movements sluggish.
Wasting no time, Pulkit dashed forward and drove his sword into the bird's head. Its body convulsed briefly before going still.
A series of notifications appeared before Pulkit:
Congratulations! You have leveled up to Level 19.
Congratulations! You have received 120 achievement points.
Congratulations! Saber has leveled up to Level 20.
Evolution requirements met. Evolution is now possible.
Pulkit's face lit up as he knelt beside Saber, patting his head. "Good job, buddy. You've earned this." Saber wagged his tail, his eyes glowing with anticipation for what lay ahead.
Turning his attention back to the Skyhawk's corpse, Pulkit said, "Finally, I've become strong enough to defeat you." He activated his Summoner of the Dead skill. A notification appeared:
Skyhawk [E-rank] successfully registered.
The bird's body disintegrated into particles of light before reforming as a spectral entity. Pulkit summoned the bird, and before him stood a majestic Skyhawk, its brown-red feathers gleaming even in its ethereal form.
It was massive, its wingspan stretching over two meters. Pulkit placed a hand on its beak, feeling the cool, smooth surface.
"Your name will be Flappy," he said with a grin. "I played too much Flappy Bird as a kid, so it's only fitting."
Notification: Skyhawk's name has been successfully registered as Flappy.
Pulkit opened Flappy's status panel:
Name: Flappy
Race: Skyhawk
Level: 19
Rank: E
Skill: Wind Slash
Skill Description: Generates a strong gust of wind to attack enemies, capable of slicing through stone.
Pulkit smiled. "You're going to be a great ally, Flappy." As he examined the status, Saber and Flappy suddenly turned their heads toward the same direction, their bodies tense. "What is it?" Pulkit asked, his hand instinctively moving to his sword.
The ground beneath him began to tremble, faint at first but growing stronger. Pulkit's eyes widened as he saw a massive shadow emerge from behind a ruined building. His breath caught in his throat.
As the figure moved into the open, Pulkit's blood ran cold.
It was the white giant snake—the very creature he had encountered before. Its yellow eyes locked onto him, unblinking and predatory.
Pulkit's heart pounded in his chest. Memories of their previous encounter flashed in his mind. The terror he felt back then surged anew, threatening to paralyze him. This was no ordinary beast. Its presence was suffocating, each movement of its colossal body sending ripples of fear through Pulkit.
"No...not again," he whispered, taking a step back. His hands trembled as he tried to steady himself. Saber growled lowly, standing protectively in front of Pulkit, while Flappy flapped its wings, ready to defend.
Pulkit's instincts screamed at him to run. His resolve from earlier wavered as he realized the true magnitude of the danger before him. Fighting this snake wasn't just a battle—it was a death sentence.
"I can't… I won't survive this," he thought, sweat dripping from his brow.
The snake hissed, its forked tongue flicking out menacingly as it began to slither toward them. The ground shook with each movement, and Pulkit's mind raced. He stood frozen, terrified, staring into the glowing yellow eyes of the monstrous snake.