Triopals
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Chapter 35
🕑 Added 2024-11-29 17:13:20 +0000 UTCBerserker, 25%.
Nathan had just enough strength to leap aside as Lunar Shadow lunged forward, narrowly avoiding a lethal bite.
He rolled once on the ground, his body still sluggish despite pushing his Berserker state to its limit. This was the threshold he'd trained to maintain while keeping his mind clear. Even one percent higher would trigger a complete transformation—a state far from ideal. Monsters could be wild and aggressive, but they could also choose to flee. If Lunar Shadow did that, it could return and finish him off once the berserker rage subsided. Berserker was powerful, but only as a last resort.
Lunar Shadow snorted, its head swaying erratically. Its mind was no longer clear. While this Vermilion Ape's innate ability could be triggered, it was clearly unfamiliar territory. The ape monsters were born and raised with this skill, allowing them to gradually gain control over it. For a different species, the enraged state was a double-edged sword, much like Nathan's Berserker. Moreover, what made Lunar Shadow struggle were [Internal Trauma] and [Bleeding]. One was causing conflict in its mind, while the other was creating pathways for poison to enter its body.
Nathan uncapped his bottle and drained the Blood Essence Wine to replenish his energy. But his body immediately resisted. Only a portion was absorbed—a side effect of the Berserker state. Either he had to transform completely, dispel it to break through his limits, or recover. Even his Titan bloodline couldn't maintain this tension for long. Still, the extra energy was enough. With weary eyes, he roared and leaped forward, launching an uppercut from below.
Lunar Shadow yelped as the hit connected, its focus divided. Fighting through the pain, it stopped its head mid-ascent and brought it crashing down. Its jaw met resistance from two small hands. It channeled what little mana it had recovered to launch two Crescent Moon Slashes, its ethereal tails having vanished, impossible to maintain.
Gritting his teeth through the pain as two slash wounds appeared on his torso after piercing his Qi Armor, Nathan refused to release the monster. Yet the fresh scars forming on his chest and thigh forced him to his knees. This gave the monster the opening to spin, using its body to send him flying.
Lunar Shadow panted heavily, its enraged state accelerating its heartbeat and blood flow, making energy circulate faster. But this also meant the poison was spreading out of control. It howled, snapping at the air in agony. Its vision began to blur, seeing illusions. Instead of this strange snow-covered place, it was wandering in its homeland. Both were forests, but one held familiarity. It saw silver-furred figures approaching, larger and more authoritative than itself, making it feel secure. It could rely on them, could live carelessly under the protection of the previous generation. Then the sound of shifting snow snapped it back to reality, where the human still refused to fall.
Nathan could feel his muscles pulsing, expanding and contracting—signs of instability. With a groan, he locked eyes with the monster. This battle of endurance was far from over for him.
For Lunar Shadow, however, this was indeed the end. Snowflakes began falling sporadically at midnight. The air grew colder while the burning sensation in its body persisted, telling the monster it couldn't maintain this state any longer. To survive, it needed to run.
Using what little clarity remained in its mind, it turned, eyes fixed on the darkness between the trees. If it could avoid the light bombs the human had thrown, it could use Night Walker to escape. This hunt had been a complete failure.
"Nah, you aren't going nowhere," Nathan roared when he saw Lunar Shadow's intentions.
He spread his fingers toward the sky, fighting through the broken bones and pain in his right shoulder.
As soon as Lunar Shadow left the clearing and headed into the forest, boulders and wooden spears rained down like a storm, mixed with packets of Luminous Grazer light bombs. Amidst this barrage, the once-royal monster was no better than a diseased beggar. The strength from its enraged state helped it endure the rocks hammering its body, but its hide wasn't thick enough to stop the razor-sharp spears.
Blood sprayed from the puncture wounds across Lunar Shadow's body. Its fur no longer held any trace of white. Its sleek tails, the source of one of its strongest skills, hung limp and lifeless, unable to rise.
Nathan tilted his body, using his passive skills to give chase.
Lunar Shadow's body instinctively trembled at the sight. It leaped upward, using Moon Step to clear a path. The Vermilion Apes had moved, swinging through trees to maintain their encirclement. A High Vermilion Ape jumped in, both hands raised high to strike. In response, Lunar Shadow bit the red-furred monster in half. With one gulp, it gained a small amount of energy from the flesh and blood, maintaining its escape.
Seeing this, Nathan roared.
"Scarlet!" his hand spread wide, signaling to maintain the encirclement formation, avoiding isolated combat.
However, the tree line seemed to block the red-dotted monster's view. It heard the call but saw no signal. The old strategy continued. Rocks still flew, bombs still exploded, spears still launched, and some still charged in as sacrifices for Lunar Shadow.
"Scatter!" Nathan roared, but his voice was carried away by the snowy wind, not reaching any Vermilion Ape's ears.
Clenching his fists, forcing his body to move, he left an aftershock behind as he leaped through the branches in pursuit.
Lunar Shadow sustained more wounds, its Night Walker skill becoming useless as light spots clung to its fur and skin. The ape monsters showed no sign of letting up. It counted over ten it had killed, yet they remained undaunted.
Boom!
Lunar Shadow turned its head back, seeing a tree fall, a blur passing through in the weak moonlight. It ran faster. But this time, two High Vermilion Apes working together threw a boulder twice their size at it. The wolf monster's vision went dark as its body slammed into the ground. Its right side was mangled, flesh and skin grinding against the boulder's rough surface.
It thrashed from side to side, trying to push the boulder up and stand. The wounds only worsened. One leg trapped under the rock wouldn't respond to its will.
Whoosh!
The wind sound made Lunar Shadow jump, the scent in the air changing. The human was approaching.
With a new surge of strength flooding its body, it roared, slowly standing, shoving the boulder aside. This burst of power was just enough to release a blast strong enough to deflect the incoming projectiles. Its right front leg was twisted at a horrifying angle, bone protruding, parts pulverized. Lunar Shadow paid no attention, turning to flee.
But the Vermilion Apes had blocked its path, leaving only one way—the direction Nathan was approaching from.
Tilting its body, Lunar Shadow used its three functioning legs to charge in a random direction.
The Vermilion Apes threw themselves forward like moths to a flame. They punched, thrust spears, and grabbed at the wolf monster's neck.
They died just as quickly, shattered by a single bite or slash. Blood pooled on the snow and earth.
"Scatter!" Nathan's voice finally reached them.
The ape monsters heard and understood but hesitated, looking toward Scarlet perched on a high branch, waiting for confirmation. Their action was either pitiable or admirable.
Lunar Shadow raised its head, following its enemies' gaze, realizing the one in the tree was their commander.
Before Scarlet could relay Nathan's order, Lunar Shadow made a Moon Step, creating a platform to jump. The speed of a Tier 2 monster, even on the brink of collapse, wasn't something a Tier 1 Phase 6 creature could counter.
Half of Scarlet's body was caught in Lunar Shadow's mouth, spear frozen mid-thrust.
"NO!" Nathan screamed as he arrived.
He was only seconds behind Lunar Shadow, yet things had turned so dire.
Scarlet's upper body fell with a thud from above. Its eyes still couldn't believe what had just happened. As its head rolled down a snow bank toward Nathan, it maintained that puzzled expression. Then, its gaze gradually changed, breaking into the characteristic grin of its species. Never harm your own kind, and sacrifice yourself for the tribe's victory. It believed Nathan would kill Lunar Shadow and avenge it. Thus, both its mission and duty were complete.
Lunar Shadow was drawing back to continue running, now that the Vermilion Apes had scattered, when Nathan surged forward, channeling his rage into a mid-air kick. The wolf monster crashed to the ground, spewing blood mixed with black, foul-smelling liquid. It stood, snorting and spitting out the substances in its mouth, its vision swimming.
Nathan panted heavily, nearly stumbling as he landed. The wound on his right shoulder screamed in protest at his high-intensity movements. Snow fell on his face, sending chills that helped clear his mind somewhat. The Berserker state was gradually dissipating. His body shrank, skin returning to normal, no longer bearing the metallic hardness.
He took unsteady steps toward Lunar Shadow, eyes glancing at Scarlet's remaining body. He carried an inexplicable anger. The monster had truly helped him relax during this tense training period. Having someone to talk to when the training period held nothing but tension really helped a lot. PsiLink wasn't a great place for communication since searching keywords about himself only brought unwanted results. The disparaging comments grew increasingly harsh. When he hadn't been at the sect right after becoming an inner disciple all this time, people started spreading all sorts of rumors. While waiting for the day to show them how he'd developed, he could only focus on Moirath Forest.
The Vermilion Apes had truly eased his gloomy thoughts. They followed, obeyed, and always thought of their leader. Scarlet always understood him, even after losing the Monster Whisperer talent. The monster was no different from an intelligent pet that followed him day after day. Perhaps that's why he felt so irritated. Though weak, their bond was still there. He had thought about bringing it back to Verdant Spire Sect, placing it in the training area, and raising it as a companion. Now, that could only remain an unfulfilled plan.
Lunar Shadow sensed the intense killing intent from its enemy. The desire to kill it had always been there, but suddenly became larger, more threatening. This made it cower, because it didn't know what to do anymore. Its leg was broken, injuries covered its body, and its mind was exhausted. Yet, a sliver of survival instinct forced it forward, baring its magnificent fangs.
Crack!
Nathan wearily slapped it. The monster's strength was no longer as fearsome as before.
Lunar Shadow's head tilted to one side. It ignored the human's insult and attacked again.
Nathan raised both hands, grabbing the monster's fangs.
Lunar Shadow groaned, using its full body strength to push forward. It only managed to remain stationary.
The monster was too large for Nathan to tear its jaw apart. He jumped up, grabbed the upper jaw, then used all his remaining strength to slam its fangs into the ground.
Lunar Shadow breathed rapidly, trying to lift its mouth. Its lower jaw frothed with saliva.
Roaring in anger, Nathan struck down with a thunderous punch. The monster's upper mouth caved in with a deep dent, its jaw muscles unable to move.
The giant wolf lay limp, pain finally breaking through its mental defenses. Its eyes gradually returned to the jet black of night, its fur drooping, returning to its original white. Yet it remained a filthy monster. Its body deflated, looking even thinner than before. Its breathing became erratic.
"This is for Scarlet," Nathan whispered.
He grabbed the monster's misaligned lower jaw. Gritting his teeth, he planted his foot, pushed to one side, and ripped Lunar Shadow's lower jaw apart.
The monster couldn't scream, could only thrash its tongue against the ground. Cold air rushed into its exposed throat. Blood poured out violently. All four legs thrashed in a futile hope. Its broken nose bled, making sniffling sounds. Tears flowed from the unbearable pain.
Nathan stumbled over to Scarlet's remains. He knelt down, using his hands to close the still-open eyes of the monster. Then he pried open its stiff fingers, taking the wooden spear and standing up. This was the spear Scarlet had learned to make under Nathan's guidance, greatly improved in sharpness during its time as a Vermilion Ape Leader. Since then, the ambush attacks of their army had improved significantly.
Gripping the spear tightly, he stood looming over Lunar Shadow. His shadow fell across the monster, blocking the beloved moonlight from its eyes. Its head couldn't move, one eye looking at Nathan in panic, as if begging, yet still carrying hatred.
Without a word, Nathan raised the spear, its point aimed directly at the monster's chest. Lunar Shadow breathed heavily, muscles and bones heaving continuously.
Thunk!
Only a choked sound could be heard, along with a strong exhale from Lunar Shadow.
The wound wasn't deep. The monster's skin was truly thick.
Thunk!
Thunk!
Thunk!
Crack!
The spear shattered into pieces in Nathan's hands. But the sharp tip had penetrated deep into Lunar Shadow. Blood soaked Nathan's entire body. He ignored the pungent smell of poison. His eyes remained locked on the fading black orb of the monster's eye.
Lunar Shadow breathed weakly. After the second thrust, it no longer had the strength to struggle, its body merely twitching with each strike. It only felt hatred for everything as it lay dying. It had been peacefully living its life before being forced here, made into prey for this human. It didn't know that if it grew stronger, Darkan would have released it back to its old home since Nathan certainly couldn't face a Tier 3 monster. If it had known, it would have tried harder, hunted more frantically, broken through faster. But "if" was a word that shouldn't exist in this world. Though Tier 9s maintained order, the law remained—the strong devoured the weak. No exceptions.
The monster's heart slowly ceased its struggle against the embedded spear tip. Its eyes flickered, no longer looking at the human but at the sky where the moon presided. The silver light caressed its skin like a gentle friend, warming and comforting it. The path ahead seemed to beckon with ancestral calls.
Lunar Shadow was an intelligent species. Their pack was immensely powerful. Perhaps its karma with the human before it wasn't yet complete.
With this final thought, the blood-covered wolf monster surrendered, exhaling its last breath.
From within it, a heartbeat defied all natural laws. An invisible howl emerged.
Instantly, an ancient silver insignia bearing the shape of a white wolf's head formed in mid-air, shooting straight into Nathan's chest.
Unlike when the Wood Wraith's soul attacked, the black hole within him didn't activate. Because this mark had no intention to attack or harm him. It simply existed, occupying a space in his soul. A marker for other Lunar Shadows.
Nathan frantically felt his chest. He felt no pain nor mental sluggishness. Exhaling deeply, he tried to calm himself. He would examine this matter later.
A large amount of essence poured into him as Lunar Shadow departed the mortal realm. He had to sit down to cultivate, absorbing the excess that his body couldn't store to avoid waste.
About fifteen minutes later, he stood up, tired but still able to move. He ordered the two remaining High Vermilion Apes to carry Lunar Shadow's corpse. He picked up Scarlet's remaining body. It was time to bring it home.
Dawn was breaking when he and his remaining forces returned to Crimson Lotus Lake. First, he buried Scarlet in the nearby ground where other Vermilion Apes were laid to rest. He smirked. Come to think of it, he was the one who had killed most of these ape monsters. He was more terrifying than Lunar Shadow.
He stared blankly at the freshly dug mound before him, feeling more exhausted than ever before. He was tired in both body and mind. Since falling into Moirath Forest, he hadn't had a moment's rest.
The Vermilion Apes had also finished burying those slain by Lunar Shadow. For them, this was routine. The blood and nutrients of their kin would seep into the soil, continuing to nourish the surrounding land, fertilizing Blood Moss and helping Crimson Lotus mature and seed. Moreover, it was a way of marking territory, preventing other tribes from encroaching.
Nathan returned to Lunar Shadow's corpse lying exposed in the clearing. The rising dawn illuminated the once magnificent and beautiful monster. Now, even its lower jaw had been torn away, looking no better than a nightmare.
The wound on his right shoulder throbbed as he looked at the monster's fangs. The good news was that his medicine and physique had already begun healing, allowing natural movement again.
He pulled the broken spear from Lunar Shadow's chest. Then, using his knife, he made several cuts. Lifting the heart, three times larger than his hand, the warmth made him feel as if he was still in battle. The passion, survival instinct, and desire to grow stronger. Without hesitation, he sank his teeth into the red mass before him. Tangy blood churned in his mouth. Taking another bite, energy reached the bursting point.
Closing his eyes to cultivate, he let the monsters stand guard around him. For the first time since reaching Tier 2, he felt growth as rapid as when he was still in Tier 1. His Phase continuously increased.
Phase 1.3. Phase 1.4. Phase 1.6. Phase 1.8. Phase 2.0.
His body created an explosion around him like a bomb. Muscles, bones, and organs reached new heights. His skin benefited even more, becoming firm and lustrous.
But things didn't stop there. He continued eating the remaining heart.
Phase 2.2. Phase 2.4.
Endlessly, endlessly, until Nathan reached Phase 3.4 did everything finally stop. All the stored essence from before had been exhausted.
He flexed his hand then clenched it, feeling abundantly more powerful. His wounds healed faster through the cultivation process. An added benefit of Physical Cultivation.
The impurities in his body were expelled through his pores, creating a foul odor. This was from the poison he hadn't fully eliminated, as well as the toxins left by the Crimson Lotus. After this phase, he could continue eating more seeds of this precious flower.
Standing up, he immediately used water from the pond to bathe, not daring to dive in for fear of affecting the nutrients supplying the Crimson Lotus.
Once everything was done, it was time to collect items.
After some searching, he retrieved Lunar Shadow's monster core. Unlike the Vermilion Ape Leader's, its core carried a silver light that transformed into darkness, flickering with small stars like the night sky. Its magnificent beauty made Nathan reluctant to use it. Actually, he dared not use it, thinking instead to auction it off and buy other items. A high-quality monster core like Lunar Shadow's would be used more effectively in the hands of experts rather than wasting just the essence like he would. The situation with the Vermilion Ape Leader's core was just due to circumstances.
Besides, he didn't think he would have to face any monster stronger than his current level in Moirath Forest. After all, he had defeated its Lord.
Wait! Defeated its Lord?
He opened his system panel, looking at the quest tab. 'Lord of The Forest' was still incomplete. But Lunar Shadow's corpse was right here, wasn't it? So this monster wasn't even the highest rank in Moirath Forest?
Questions spun in his head. He had thought he would receive rewards and unlock new items in the Shop, yet reality proved otherwise.
Sighing and shaking his head, he no longer anticipated completing this quest. At least there was no penalty. Imagining how carefully he had to prepare to fight Lunar Shadow, he shuddered to think what the Lord of The Forest would require. True, he had his trump card of full Berserker, but the side effects were massive. One of them being that triggering it again would become more difficult. Moreover, if he passed out, this training period would end with Darkan's intervention. Though he had defeated Lunar Shadow, he still wanted to stay in Moirath Forest longer. Get stronger by whatever margin possible. Once he returned, he would be a force, an inner disciple no one dared underestimate. Only then would the path ahead become increasingly feasible.
As he was about to tear apart Lunar Shadow's corpse for cooking and using its fur for clothing, his hand struck something cool and smooth. He rummaged through the monster's internal organs. When he grabbed what felt like a sphere, he pulled it out.
"Holy shit!" he exclaimed.
Now he understood why Darkan had chosen Lunar Shadow as his challenge.
"A freaking skill orb!" he screamed, holding the item up.
To describe him, he had many passive skills but few active ones. Completely opposite to other cultivators. Typically, a cultivator would only cultivate a few passive skills. For example, converting Mana Shield from active to passive upon breaking through to Tier 3. This created a perpetual defense layer. Day by day, practice would make the execution method become part of the brain, like a conditioned reflex. And so, a passive skill would be established. But overall, none were as peculiar as Nathan's. If anyone knew about his system, they would question the logic in how skills were provided.
Nathan caressed the Skill Orb in his hand, proud of what he had achieved. He was eagerly anticipating what skill he would learn.
Just as he was about to sit down and absorb the Skill Orb, every hair on his body stood on end.
Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.
Triggered [Adrenaline Boost]. One credit given.
He jumped up, scanning his surroundings. Then he saw it—a pair of white eyes hidden behind a mist layer. It looked like the Sovereign Wisp at Life Spring. But the feeling it gave was more oppressive, heavier, more dangerous.
I could die, the thought immediately appeared in Nathan's head.
He tilted his body, running straight for the two shields recovered from the battle with Lunar Shadow, while shouting to the Vermilion Apes.
"RUN!"
The red-furred monsters obeyed immediately. Without Scarlet, there was nothing to disrupt the information transmitted to them anymore.
The rustling sounds as they fled through the trees gradually died down, leaving a deathly silence. Those white eyes remained fixed on Nathan.
After a moment's hesitation, he thought about running. This wasn't an existence he could face.
But his foot had barely lifted when the monster appeared right before him.
It roared.
The thunderous sound from the monster carried a frenzied windstorm.
Nathan raised his shields to resist as the pressure pushed him backward.
He heard crisp cracking sounds by his ears.
His shields were being eroded by hidden properties within the roar. Like tiny sharp knives, the roar cut through three layers of shields like a knife through cake.
Small fragments shot back toward Nathan. Panicked, he raised his remaining shield to cover the gap. Yet in the chaos, his skin had already been cut to bleeding. The skin of a Tier 2 Phase 3.4 Physical Cultivation practitioner cut to bleeding!
The second shield, unsurprisingly, was cut into tiny fragments. The invisible blades directly carved into his body.
When the roar passed, Nathan was no different from a blood man. He raised his head in fear to look at the monster that had removed its misty shroud. His ears rang, unable to hear Darkan's transmission.
"Do you want me to intervene, kid? White Ward is not something you can deal with now."
His eyes gradually regained their sharpness. Standing before him was a tiger monster so large it made him fall backward.
The Lord of the Forest had come to restore order.
