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Chapter 4 - Chapter 4: The First Hunt

Hours passed as Zephyroth trudged deeper into the Forest of Trials. His body ached from the fight, but the strange energy from the Omniarchal Essence seemed to dull the pain.

The forest was alive with movement. Small creatures scurried through the underbrush, their eyes glinting in the moonlight. He encountered lesser beasts—Ash Vultures with razor-sharp talons and Razorback Lizards whose spiked tails left deep gashes in the trees. Each battle was a test of his newfound abilities, pushing him closer to his limits.

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[Ash Vulture defeated. Omni Points gained: 2.]

[Razorback Lizard defeated. Omni Points gained: 3.]

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"Not exactly raking in the points," Zephyroth muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. His stomach growled, reminding him he hadn't eaten since entering the dungeon. He scavenged berries from a nearby bush, grimacing at their bitter taste.

As he rested, the Omniarchal System chimed:

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[Progress: 30% through Forest of Trials. Warning: High-level entity detected nearby.]

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Zephyroth froze. The air grew still, and a low rumble echoed through the trees. Slowly, he turned to see a massive Stoneback Boar emerge from the shadows. Its body was covered in jagged, rock-like armor, and its red eyes glowed with malice. The ground shook with each step it took.

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[Stoneback Boar detected. Threat Level: Moderate. Survival Probability: 42%. Proceed with caution.]

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"Forty-two percent? Great," Zephyroth muttered, gripping his dagger tightly.

The boar charged without warning, its massive frame barreling toward him. Zephyroth barely managed to dive out of the way, the ground where he had stood exploding into a cloud of dirt and debris.

He rolled to his feet, his heart pounding. "Okay, big guy… Let's see what I can do."

The fight was grueling. The boar's armored hide deflected most of his attacks, and its sheer size made it nearly impossible to avoid entirely. Zephyroth's Reactive Reflexes allowed him to dodge its charges and counterattack, but every movement drained his stamina.

As the boar charged again, Zephyroth's mind raced. He noticed a small gap in the armor near its throat—a weak point.

"Come on," he whispered, positioning himself carefully.

The boar roared, charging once more. At the last second, Zephyroth sidestepped and drove his dagger into the gap. The beast thrashed violently, throwing him off, but the damage had been done. Blood poured from the wound as the boar collapsed with a final, guttural roar.

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[Stoneback Boar defeated. Omni Points gained: 10. Level Up! New Ability Unlocked: Minor Reality Distortion.]

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Zephyroth collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His vision blurred as exhaustion took hold, but he couldn't help but smile.

"I did it…" he murmured before falling unconscious.