In the dense forest canopy of Vespera Forest, even though it was day, the thick forest canopy hardly made it possible for light to pass through.
The forest floor was an asymmetry of dim light and partial shadows. In this dimly lit and eerie forest, with large hills and caves was a haven for a particular type of Otherworld beast, the Titan Grollith.
However, today it had become a haven for another creature, a dark blood-sucking youth. The entire Vespera Forest was his hunting ground and the preys were the former masters of this place.
Damien was like a cold predator, with his heightened perception, no Otherworld Beast close to him could hide.
Soon he had left behind more than 15 half mummified Corpses of the Titan Grolliths. He could feel his strength growing with every second, subconsciously he licked his lips...remembering the feeling of the sweetness of the warm blood essence as it entered his body.
" Damn it...Blood drain is too addictive " he thought his dark brown eyes flickering with crimson light.
Soon he came to a stop before a hill, all his senses flowed out, and then he smiled slowly.
He could feel the presence of those Grolliths, after absorbing so much of their blood essence, he could even smell their blood from several meters away.
From his perception, he could sense there were at least a dozen Slave-Level Grolliths in the cave on the hill here.
" Time to clear the nest " he muttered, at the same time his figure turned into a blur, dashing into the entrance of the cave.
He silently appeared on the head of one of the Iron Titan Grolliths, his sword raised above him.
With a ruthless motion, he stabbed his sword down, piercing through the skull of the beast. It only had a bit of time to release a pitiful growl, before its eyes turned lifeless.
It fell on the ground with a heavy thud, the other beasts were alarmed and turned towards the source of the disruption, finally noticing the silent intruder.
They released ape-like roars, then charged towards Damien.
Despite the overwhelming number of the approaching beasts, Damien was calm, he pulled out his sword from the corpse of the fallen Iron Titan Grollith.
He arced his knees forward and with a leap, he immediately covered the distance between him and the first grollith. His sword thrust forward piercing right through the forehead of the massive beast.
Without pause he turned around, slashing out again, cutting another beast into two parts. He dodged a claw and then unleashed a vicious kick at the attacking beast.
When the little leg met the huge beast, surprisingly the beast was sent flying like a broken kite and its life and death were unknown.
Another Grollith charged immediately after, its roar shaking the air as it attempted to crush him with a powerful swipe. Damien ducked low, his blade flashing out in a single fluid motion. The Jian sliced cleanly through the beast's exposed neck joint, severing its head from its shoulders.
The head rolled off its neck and landed on the ground gracefully.
From the time he entered the cave till now, it had only been a few seconds, but he had dispatched at least three beasts to go and meet their maker while the fourth's life and death were unknown.
The Iron Titan Grollith hesitated, their eyes filled with fear as they stared at the intruder.
They may not possess intelligence but their instincts were warning them not to go closer to the youth before them.
" I need to deal with them faster...one by one is not helping"
He sighed and sheathed his sword. The Iron Titan Grolliths still circled around him with caution.
Even though the youth had put away his weapon, the dangerous vibe they were feeling from the youth was not gone instead, it was intensifying.
Damien's force energy gushed out, a pale gray light covering his body.
His hands rested calmly on the hilt of his sword.
Some of the Grolliths seemed to have seen danger and tried to run.
Others were still clueless about what was happening, then there was a flash of gray light.
Whether it was the beasts running or the clueless ones... The gray light flashed, covering all of them, when the light faded... It revealed a dark amored youth standing in the sea of corpses.
Blood Drain.
His skill appeared, immediately he felt overwhelming blood essence pour into his body.
There was a another cave ahead.
He could smell the blood essence beckoning to him.
He walked deeply into the cave.
Several minutes passed
Damien stood amidst the dimly lit cave, his dark silhouette framed by the faint crimson glow radiating from his body. The stench of blood filled the cavern, mixing with the primal fear emanating from the remaining Iron Titan Grolliths.
The beasts hesitated, their feral instincts screaming at them to retreat. They had seen how this demonic youth had walked in and started to kill them.
Without warning, he dashed forward, his speed a blur to the naked eye. The nearest Grollith roared and swung its massive claws toward him, the air itself seeming to tremble under the force of the blow. But Damien was faster.
He twisted mid-step, narrowly evading the strike as his sword flashed upward in a brutal arc. The blade sliced cleanly through the Grollith's torso, its massive frame collapsing to the ground with a dull thud.
Another Grollith leaped at him from the side, its claws aimed for his back. Damien, sensing the attack, spun around, his heightened combat perception mapping every movement in his mind. He crouched low, letting the beast's claws swipe harmlessly above his head, and then drove his sword upward with unerring precision.
The blade pierced the beast's underbelly and emerged from its back in a spray of dark ichor. Damien kicked the lifeless body off his sword, his movements fluid and calculated.
The remaining Grolliths faltered, their roars becoming growls of uncertainty. Damien's gaze swept over them, his dark brown eyes flickering with crimson light.
"Too slow," he muttered under his breath, already stepping toward the next group.
Several minutes later, Damien stood amidst the growing pile of corpses, his dark brown eyes flickering with crimson light. The fear radiating from the remaining Titan Grolliths was almost palpable, their roars now replaced by hesitant growls.
"Instincts, huh?" Damien muttered under his breath, his lips curving into a sharp smile. "Too bad for you, I don't give second chances."
Before the remaining Grolliths could decide whether to fight or flee, Damien's figure blurred, vanishing from their sight.
In the next instant, he reappeared behind two of the beasts. His blade arced downward with deadly precision, slicing through both Grolliths in one fluid motion. Their massive bodies crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining beasts scattered, attempting to retreat deeper into the cave, but Damien wasn't about to let them go.
"Running won't save you," he said, his voice low and cold.
With a swift leap, he launched himself into the midst of the retreating Grolliths. His sword moved like a living thing, cutting through iron-hard scales and thick hides with terrifying ease. Blood sprayed across the cave walls, the metallic scent thickening in the air.
Within moments, the last of the Slave-level Grolliths fell, their corpses littering the cavern floor. Damien stood amidst the carnage, his breathing steady despite the ferocity of the battle.
He activated Blood Drain, and the crimson light within his eyes intensified as he absorbed the blood essence of the fallen beasts. The energy coursed through his veins, feeding the dark star within his mana field. His body trembled slightly as the power surged, his muscles tightening with newfound strength.
Just as he finished absorbing the last of the essence, a deep growl echoed from deeper within the cave. The sound was heavier, more resonant, carrying a sense of authority that made the previous Grolliths seem insignificant.
Damien's senses flared as a new presence stepped into his perception—a low Soldier-level Grollith.
It emerged from the shadows, its form far larger and more imposing than the others. Its scales shimmered with a faint metallic sheen, and its golden eyes burned with a glint of intelligence. The beast snarled, baring jagged fangs as it locked its gaze onto Damien.
"Let me see how you compare to the other Soldier - Level Beast I killed ," Damien muttered, a sharp grin spreading across his face.
The Soldier-level Grollith didn't waste time. With a roar that shook the entire cavern, it charged, its massive claws tearing through the stone floor as it closed the distance.
Damien's eyes sharpened, his mind calculating every detail of the beast's movements. Its speed was impressive for its size, but he could see the subtle flaws in its charge—the slightly exposed joints, the predictable trajectory of its claws.
The Grollith swiped at him with a claw large enough to crush boulders. Damien ducked low, his body twisting with perfect timing as the claw passed harmlessly overhead.
Using the momentum of his dodge, Damien pivoted and struck. His blade sliced through the air, aiming for the beast's exposed flank.
But the Soldier-level Grollith was no ordinary opponent. With a surprising burst of speed, it twisted its body, narrowly avoiding the strike. Its tail lashed out in retaliation, aiming to knock Damien off balance.
Anticipating the move, Damien leaped into the air, his body twisting mid-flight to avoid the tail. He landed gracefully a few feet away, his eyes narrowing as he assessed the situation.
"It's faster than I expected," he thought, gripping his sword tightly. "But speed alone won't save it."
The Grollith roared again, this time spewing a cloud of toxic black mist from its mouth. The noxious fumes spread rapidly, filling the cavern and obscuring Damien's vision.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, a flicker of movement.
The Grollith lunged out of the mist, its claws aiming straight for Damien's chest.
But Damien was ready. For a normal person, such a trick was the end but for Damien whose senses had been so high since birth, there was no problem seeing see through the fog.
In the split second before the claws could reach him, he sidestepped, his body moving with inhuman speed. As the beast's momentum carried it forward, Damien struck.
This time, he didn't hold back. Pouring his energy into the Jian, he unleashed a single, devastating slash aimed at the Grollith's neck.
The blade cut through the air like a streak of light, its edge glowing faintly with gray energy. The strike landed with a deafening crack, slicing cleanly through the Grollith's thick scales and severing its head in one motion.
The beast's massive body collapsed with a thunderous crash, the toxic mist dissipating as its life force faded.
Damien stood over the corpse, his sword still glowing faintly as blood dripped from its edge. He exhaled slowly, the adrenaline fading as he sheathed the blade.
"Not bad," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "But not nearly enough."
He didn't think his strength had improved that much without using Blood surge, he had beaten a Soldier- level beast.
Of course it was also because of all the blood essence he had absorbed earlier, his strength had improved so much.
Activating Blood Drain once more, he absorbed the essence of the Soldier-level Grollith. The power flooded into him, sharper and more potent than anything he had felt before. His body trembled as his strength grew.
" I need to clean up the forest as soon as possible "
Authors note :
Hello, guys... Author here I just wanna assure you guys, both new and old readers that there will be more updates, in the course of the week, and the novel is gonna getore exciting for the right reasons and funny for the wrong ones....Just stick around and let that power stones, golden tickets and gifts pour in.
To the new readers, welcome to a growing fam...I hope you enjoy this journey... f**k...I don't wanna get emotional but seeing this family grow is....
ok on a more serious note, I am glad to have you guys.