Triopals
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Chapter 24
🕑 Added 2024-11-04 16:02:57 +0000 UTCThe Great Spine Wolf, provoked by Lunar Shadow's contemptuous gaze, let out furious growls. It sought higher ground on a rocky outcrop to stand at equal height, as if asserting its worth.
Nathan was torn between fleeing and staying to observe. After all, Lunar Shadow was his ultimate target, and any chance to study and analyze it could only be beneficial.
His mind, ever searching for ways to exploit system skills, led him to discreetly pinch himself. Like [Rebound], [Quick Feet] accepted self-inflicted attacks. The only hindrance was when [Rebound] activated, pushing away his attacking hand. The end result remained unchanged - he would maintain increased leg speed, which combined with other techniques and skills should ensure his escape. He just needed to avoid being overwhelmed like his first encounter with Lunar Shadow.
Decision made, he regulated his breathing, making it rhythmic and silent, focusing intently on the two monsters.
Lunar Shadow snorted disdainfully at the Great Spine Wolf's display. A ruler's position had to be earned, not merely claimed. Leading a pack of scrawny wolves was hardly grounds for such arrogance.
The Great Spine Wolf bristled with rage, evidenced by its bristling fur and the rattling bone spines along its back. Its patience exhausted, it lunged forward, baring razor-sharp fangs aimed at its opponent's throat.
Lunar Shadow remained motionless, watching with calm disdain. As the Great Spine Wolf was about to land, it moved with swift grace to the side, its feet seeming to float in mid-air. It slammed its head into what it considered an inferior creature.
Two successive thuds rang out - one when the Great Spine Wolf was struck, another when it hit the ground, sending dirt and vegetation flying. It sprang back up on all fours, snorting in frustration, treating the previous blow as insignificant. This was merely the beginning; it wouldn't concede so easily. With a howl, it leaped again. This time, instead of using its mouth, it curved its back to point its jagged bone spines forward, spinning mid-air like a saw blade.
The silver-furred creature's black eyes regarded the incoming attack with curiosity rather than fear. Its two tails curved upward, sweeping toward the Great Spine Wolf. Two wind slashes formed, striking the bone-covered back. The attacker, forced to halt mid-air by the impact, straightened its body for landing.
The Great Spine Wolf, once again finding itself looking up at Lunar Shadow, growled in defiance. Realizing it couldn't approach its opponent for close combat, it changed tactics. It lowered its stance, arching its back forward. Clicking sounds emerged. The joints in its spine released white smoke. Immediately, bone spears shot forth, aimed directly at its enemy.
This time, Lunar Shadow was forced to move, jumping back and forth using invisible footholds in the air. Where its feet landed, silver ripples spread out in beautiful patterns. Its body danced with silver fur reflecting moonlight in captivating ways. The only limitation was that these platforms couldn't go higher, remaining at a mid-level height from the ground.
Exploiting this limitation while Lunar Shadow couldn't truly fly away, the Great Spine Wolf lunged forward, its speed far surpassing its initial charge. It successfully sank its fangs into Lunar Shadow's neck. But as it gleefully prepared to wrench its opponent's throat, everything turned to air. There was no neck in its jaws at all. It smacked its lips in confusion, sniffing again before turning around. Lunar Shadow hadn't moved from its original position, its gaze still carrying that same contemptuous look.
The beautiful creature grew increasingly bored, no longer interested in playing. Its silver tails swayed. Unlike before, its fur began to glow with a pure white radiance. When the light reached its peak, it swept two curved arcs through the air, striking the snarling Great Spine Wolf with terrifying speed.
Unable to dodge, the Great Spine Wolf took the full brunt of the attack. The residual force sent it sliding backward. When the two Crescent Moon Slashes ended, its body bore two deep gashes despite using its bone back for defense. One wound on its chest barely missed its vital organs, another on its hind thigh. It whimpered in pain, shocked by Lunar Shadow's damage output. When it tried to move, the two wounds flared with silver light, causing it to howl and collapse. Lunar Shadow's technique wasn't so simple; the Moon Scars it left behind were truly a nightmare for anyone afflicted.
As a Tier 2 monster, the Great Spine Wolf could use mana like a cultivator. It projected energy outward, trying to expel whatever clung to the two slash wounds. This action somewhat reduced the Moon Scar effect, allowing it to move enough to stand.
Suddenly, Lunar Shadow materialized from the darkness, standing majestically above the Great Spine Wolf. Its foot pressed on the enemy's wound, causing the Moon Scar to flare brilliantly once more.
The Great Spine Wolf thrashed, swinging its front limbs to try and claw at the foot pinning it down. But its front legs were sliced by two smaller Crescent Moon Slashes, rendering them useless as blood sprayed out.
Lunar Shadow bared its teeth with a growl. That sound made the Great Spine Wolf cower, whimpering pathetically. With one final desperate will, the gaunt wolf monster twisted its body, attempting to shoot newly grown bone spines from its back. Lunar Shadow snorted in irritation, jaws clamping directly onto its opponent's throat. The Great Spine Wolf convulsed in pain, causing the bone spears to fire randomly.
One spear shot straight at Nathan, causing him to exhale sharply. This drew Lunar Shadow's glance, but at that position, there was no trace of anyone - only a lingering scent it despised.
Lunar Shadow clenched its jaws, ending the Great Spine Wolf's life. Tonight, it would savor the delicacy its prey provided - a monster core.
Nathan ran even faster than during his previous encounter with Lunar Shadow. He wasn't foolish enough to stand there watching how things would end or harboring vain hopes of claiming spoils. He would return tomorrow morning.
Reaching his campsite well past midnight, Nathan collapsed and drank water desperately to steady his nerves. The battle between the two monsters had broadened his knowledge. Their raw strength alone was terrifying, not to mention their speed. The Great Spine Wolf was only slow compared to an aberration like Lunar Shadow but was by no means lacking. Combined with its bone layer functioning as armor, Nathan figured he needed not just superior speed but absolute precision to stand a chance. He would definitely avoid confronting a Great Spine Wolf before reaching Tier 2 in Physical Cultivation. Monsters naturally possessed better physical attributes than normal humans, and with their ability to use mana at Tier 2, they became even more dangerous. Engaging without thorough preparation would be like offering oneself as meat to these creatures.
Lunar Shadow... he pondered.
Tilting his head back, he cursed.
"Master, what were you thinking?"
Of course, no one answered him.
Nathan understood all too well how dangerous Moirath Forest was, and now there was that infuriating Lunar Shadow on top of everything. Not only did it possess stealth abilities and could create illusions, but its attacks were also incredibly troublesome. The monster was truly overwhelming, and Nathan suspected this wasn't even its full capability.
At this thought, he suddenly realized something was amiss. A part of his [Improved Pattern Recognition] skill was working in his subconscious.
Activating his PsiLink screen to function as a desktop, he pulled up all the recorded images from the recent battle. Then, he placed the video from his first encounter with Lunar Shadow alongside for comparison. He couldn't believe his eyes and, hoping his thinking was wrong, let a program he'd just created in PsiLink work with the available data to produce the most accurate figures.
After a moment, the program returned results that made his heart skip a beat.
Theory confirmed after verification: Lunar Shadow has increased in size by 4.47%.
Nathan stared intently at the number on his PsiLink screen, his throat turning dry. 4.47%. Not a huge number, but given the growth rate of monsters in Moirath Forest, this was inconceivable. He skimmed through his old notes - normal monsters needed a full year to increase their size by 1%. Lunar Shadow was developing twenty times faster than that. After all, this forest was just a training ground for disciples Tier 2 and below. At its current rate, Lunar Shadow was on track to evolve into a Tier 3 monster within months.
Once again, he cursed.
"Master, what were you thinking?"
But surely Darkan had his own intentions. Nathan knew his master had a notorious reputation. However, the care he showed when passing down the Berserker legacy had left a different impression. If he had brought Lunar Shadow here for Nathan, then it must have some special significance. A gift paving the way for his future. If Nathan handled this training poorly, then in Darkan's style, this reward would be forfeit. He would rather throw it away than give it to Nathan if he proved unworthy.
This thought restored his spirit. He had thought his own growth rate was fast enough, but clearly it wasn't. Once Lunar Shadow broke through to Tier 3, the game would be over. He wouldn't be able to find enough materials to reach Tier 3 in Physical Cultivation. More importantly, it would disrupt the ecosystem's balance, becoming a thorn in the side of other powers. Darkan might be careless but he was lazy. He would resolve the problem before it caused trouble.
After some training, Nathan rested to recover his spirit. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of doubling his training regimen.
He returned to collect Wood Wraith bark from last night's battlefield and improve it. The image of the Great Spine Wolf lying eviscerated, its core extracted, remained vivid in his mind. He cut the Wood Wraith bark into a proper square shield. Then, he mixed Burrower Herds' shells and gathered crystals with tree sap. He coated the outer layer of the Wood Wraith bark with this mixture, shaping it into spiral patterns with grooves, each channel calculated to direct electrical current in a specific direction. This method both enhanced electrical resistance and dispersed impact force. To be thorough, he crafted the shield in two layers, with another Wood Wraith bark layer separated by an air gap for heat dissipation.
Nathan returned to Storm Peaks after two days of preparation, early in the morning.
The previous Bolt Raven flock welcomed him with deadly lightning-charged dives. The wooden shield immediately proved its worth. After his modifications, electricity struggled to penetrate the defensive layer. Most satisfying was how the ravens got stuck on the shield when they struck too hard. Exploiting this, he slammed one clinging to his shield into the ground. Essence from the corpse immediately flowed into his body.
Pleased with his plan's effectiveness, he advanced without fear. Left hand holding the wooden shield, right hand wielding the Armor Scarab shield, he moved as if strolling through his own backyard. The Bolt Ravens recognized his dangerous presence, changing their attack pattern to focus on his back and the gaps between his two shields. But this wasn't enough to breach the Blood Thirster armor enhanced with Armor Scarab fragments. The aerial monsters screeched in frustration, their beaks nearly cracking as they kept diving at the human.
Nathan, buffed by [Quick Feet], moved swiftly, dancing between the black projectiles trailing electricity. Remembering how he triggered [Rebound] during his desperate fight with Blood Thirster by biting his inner cheek, he successfully activated [Quick Feet]. Thanks to this, even with both hands occupied and unable to flick or pinch himself, he could use the skill without hindrance.
His next obstacle appeared as Cloud Deer rose lazily, snorting in displeasure at the human. The Bolt Ravens received the signal, spreading their formation in the sky as before. Cloud Deer first shot lightning from the electric clouds surrounding its antlers. The Armor Scarab's wing extended, deflecting the lightning bolt diagonally away. Nathan rejoiced as his calculations continued to work smoothly.
Seeing this, Cloud Deer switched to its second attack, gathering electricity to fire at the Bolt Ravens above. A rain of lightning bolts descended after chain lightning activated between the bird monsters.
Nathan raised his Wood Wraith shield to block. He didn't regularly use the Armor Scarab unless certain of the reflection direction because reflected lightning could strengthen the rain of electricity when hitting Bolt Ravens. The lightning rain struck the wooden shield, but thanks to the insulating layers, it only spread across the surface without penetrating to reach Nathan.
He laughed aloud, continuing to move with his makeshift umbrella overhead. The lightning strikes still pressured him like small explosions, but with the spiral coating, force-dispersing grooves, and his current physical condition, it wasn't too problematic. His movement slowed but didn't stop.
Seeing this, Cloud Deer still had energy to split off a lightning bolt toward him. But it was immediately deflected by the Armor Scarab wing. Lightning moved frantically around him, some finding paths to strike his skin. [Living Resistor] was enough to resist this minor stray damage.
Moirath Forest never lacked surprises. Since being invaded, this area of Storm Peaks had received reinforcements. The Thunder Crystal Frog was a treasure of the entire area, its lightning-aspected essence water affecting all monsters here. So when the treasure was targeted, the monsters would seek to protect it. The monsters had prepared for Nathan’s comeback.
The Cloud Deer attacking Nathan gradually depleted its stored mana. Not being a Tier 2 monster, it couldn't store mana in its body to fuel the electric clouds, only resting and recharging from the environment. But it wasn't worried, as two companions had arrived from either side.
Nathan startled at the two Cloud Deers' arrival. Having barely rested from the lightning rain, two new electric charges were fed into the Bolt Ravens. This time, the lightning intensity was stronger, making the wooden shield tremble in his hand. [Rebound] activated more for show than effect. These lightning attacks were classified as mana attacks, with effects as small as fingernails, the reason the skill weren't counted as Rare.
The downward force from above grew increasingly heavy, as if he were carrying a boulder while moving. Worse, the increasing intensity was heating the shield's outer layer, approaching combustible temperatures.
Nathan could stop here and call it a day. He could return later with better preparation. But thinking of Lunar Shadow's continuing development made him grit his teeth, determined to continue.
His steps still moved forward, but each one became more difficult. Heat unable to dissipate from the shield made him sweat. He figured his temporary adhesive was gradually melting, and soon the outer layer would slip off the Wood Wraith bark.
The initial Cloud Deer had finished recharging, clouds around its antlers as thick as before. Seeing electricity arc through the clouds, Nathan had an idea. With [Martial Art Mastery]'s help in quickly familiarizing him with weapons, his two shields served not just defense but also offense.
When the Cloud Deer tried to join in finishing Nathan, he threw the Armor Scarab shield. The shield flew through the air like a surfboard in a perfect arc, precisely hitting the incoming lightning at the right angle. The deflected lightning bolt struck another Cloud Deer directly in the chest. Though immune to electricity, the explosion from the impact made it stagger, interrupting one energy source for the Bolt Ravens.
Not finished, Nathan threw an Armor Scarab fragment he'd used as chest armor. A similar scene played out, with lightning striking the third Cloud Deer. The lightning rain front was disrupted, reducing the power and downward force on the wooden shield. Seeing the distance was just right and the overhead burden lessened, Nathan unleashed his reserved techniques. Using [Amplifying Strike] and [Flowing Strike] to kick off the ground, he launched forward, grabbing the Armor Scarab shield. After securing it, he added [Rebound] to his movement. Two pushing forces created small waves under his feet, propelling him forward like wind. He landed near the closest Cloud Deer, swinging the Armor Scarab wing to decapitate it. Without time to feel the Essence flowing into him, he raised the wooden shield to block attacks from the airborne Bolt Ravens.
Taking a deep breath, he moved to his next target with similar style. The second Cloud Deer fell with a shrill cry, its electricity-filled antlers crackling weakly as the clouds dissipated. Seeing this, the third one fled, abandoning the Bolt Ravens still bombarding from above, which Nathan ignored entirely.
Collecting his chest armor piece, he advanced to the lake's edge. When he arrived, the Bolt Ravens withdrew. This was higher-tier monsters' territory; let them handle this human.
The Thunder Crystal Frog wasn't in its previous position. This time, Nathan had time to take in his surroundings. The lake stretched into the distance, its limits obscured by mist rising from lightning strikes. Around the lake was green vegetation alongside withered trees. Most notable were the Thunder Grapes, an energy-rich fruit popular with Lightning Aspect Cultivators. For Nathan, [Cooking] provided another benefit - brewing wine.
Not forgetting his promise to Orin, he gathered grapes into his newly crafted bag while skirting the lakeshore. After some time, he finally spotted it. A creature with smooth, damp blue skin, croaking contentedly in shallow water.
He dared target the Thunder Crystal Frog because they lacked speed like Cloud Deer and could be caught if one was fast enough. The main issue was its natural guardian. Sure enough, as he approached, a Lightning Strider appeared. The bug-like monster with its long body tilted its tiny eye to warn Nathan. Its four legs stood on the water's surface as if weightless. But Nathan knew better, as he had already sprung forward, striking at the monster with his wooden shield. Shrieking, Lightning Strider used its speed to react, ramming Nathan back with its body. He was knocked back a distance, eyes still fixed on that dim-witted frog. Though it fled, it didn't hide, seemingly confident in Lightning Strider's protection.
Lightning Strider took its first steps, eyes locked onto Nathan. He remained unfazed, having prepared for this and already formulated a battle plan. Not every monster was as exceptional as Lunar Shadow, where all preparation became futile. He was no longer the naive newcomer to Moirath Forest he'd been days ago.
The monster, confident in its attack capabilities, executed Lightning Step. It became a lightning bolt with incredible speed, leaving the water's surface, swinging its front legs toward Nathan. Though hidden underwater before, its legs were now visible, equipped with hidden blades as jagged as Blood Thirster's.
Nathan thrust the Wood Wraith shield forward. The monster immediately crashed into it. Before his eyes, electricity sparked everywhere, arcing from the ground straight at him. The damage wasn't severe, but enough to make his body stiffen. [Living Resistor] prevented the water in his body from evaporating.
Another Lightning Step came; Nathan planted the Armor Scarab shield behind him, leaving only his sides undefended. The monster struck from his left, meeting the hand armor he'd already raised. Its front leg's blade grazed his cheek, leaving a long bloody gash that instantly dried as electricity coursed through it. Squinting through the sizzling and smoke, Nathan flashed a crooked smile at the monster.
It retreated, using a third Lightning Step. Same speed as before. Nathan lowered himself. The attack came from above. The monster seemed unsurprised by Nathan's evasion. It executed its second skill. Lightning Pulse was released. Electric rings burst from the monster's center in an instant. Nathan kicked the Armor Scarab shield upward to block attacks from above while sheltering behind the Wood Wraith shield against frontal assault.
Lightning Pulse didn't stop there. While releasing this technique, the monster transformed the surrounding space into an Electric Field. Once charged, there would be nowhere to hide within the cage. As the strongest conductor in the area, Nathan attracted the lightning the monster emitted. He endured as electricity slipped through joints and gaps in his body. He had calculated this beforehand; with an intensity only slightly higher than his previous skin-burning experience, he could withstand it.
Lightning Strider finished its attack sequence. It looked down at its target. If it had a face for expression, it would surely show disbelief. That damned human was flashing a bright white smile with charred black skin.
"My turn," Nathan growled.
After three consecutive Lightning Steps, the monster needed time to recharge. Lightning Pulse was similar, giving it a recovery period for counterattacks. The monster couldn't comprehend how until now, this combination would have either killed or at least incapacitated even a Tier 2 monster like Great Spine Wolf. Yet this human could still move. And he was moving very fast.
Nathan hurled his shield straight at the monster's head. His throw was so powerful that the shield's edge shattered its jaw, sending it reeling back in a flash of green light, squealing in agony. Smiling proudly at his strength, he leaped up, using the Armor Scarab shield to slash Lightning Strider's underbelly. Foul-smelling blood rained down on his head. The monster stumbled, falling to one side.
Ignoring Lightning Strider, he looked ahead. Mist shrouded the lake like an opaque white curtain, occasionally illuminated by lightning flashes revealing the tiny Crystal Thunder Frog watching its Lightning Strider friend. The small monster only now showed fear, jumping up to swing its lightning-wrapped tongue at Nathan. He laughed loudly, grabbing the red tongue directly. The electricity from the small monster only invigorated his mind. After battling various lightning monsters, he had roughly gauged [Living Resistor]'s electrical resistance. The frog's level wasn't enough.
With a yank, he pulled his coveted target toward himself. The Lightning Strider stirred, watching everything unwillingly. Lightning Step and Lightning Pulse had recharged by absorbing environmental electricity, but it had lost too much blood. With a groan, the monster perished.
Nathan savored the exhilarating sensation as essence flooded into him. He divided some mental focus to cultivate the excess. It wouldn't be very effective, but better than wasting it.
He smiled at the Thunder Crystal Frog, playfully touching its mouth tip affectionately, fondling the crystal sac attached to its back. Of course, he wouldn't kill it. How long would this ecosystem take to produce another Thunder Crystal Frog?
"Bear with it a bit, buddy," he consoled.
Speaking thus, he took out his water bottle, inverting the frog to let essence solution drip from the crystal sac's crack. In just a minute, all the solution had drained. He calculated it would take two sips to finish. Still, that was enough; this low-grade bottle couldn't preserve the solution's quality anyway.
Flipping the frog back over, he tapped its mouth tip again, smiling brightly.
"See you next time, little friend. Bring some friends to play next time, okay?"
Task complete, he tossed it back to its natural habitat. The frog turned its head to look at him, its large round eyes unclear whether expressing gratitude or annoyance at a human taking all its hard-gathered results.
Retrieving his items, Nathan packed up to leave. The high sun indicated it was still early, enough time to return to his campsite. He was too eager to cultivate the essence solution he'd just collected.
Following his familiar path, Nathan relied on the safe route he'd previously mapped on PsiLink without issue.
The sky was tilting toward dusk when he neared the stream. But what awaited him wasn't the familiar features he expected. His sleeping tree had been uprooted, toppled to one side. His usual fireplace was torn apart, wood scattered across the ground. The dirt mounds he'd built for tanning solution were also destroyed. Around them, gutted Ripple Hunters stared at the sky with dead eyes. The sunset's red-orange light painted everything with a deathly hue.
Nathan narrowed his eyes, crouching to hide in a thicket, observing his dwelling. Anger rather than fear welled up inside him. Any monster daring to attack must be high-level, around phase 7 or 8 to dare cross the boundary with Blood Thirster's scent deterrent. This puzzled him as he remembered checking the surroundings. Within a kilometer radius, no such monster existed. Crystal Mauler was closest but preferred Burrower blood to water. Even if it had come here, there was no reason for it to dig everything up like this.
While silently observing to understand what happened, the system notification popped up.
Triggered [Tingling Sense]. One credit given.
The familiar chill ran straight from his feet to his head. Hidden among the bushes at the campsite, a pair of orange eyes lowered from the tree canopy it was hiding in, looking at him. Then came a second pair, a third. Over a dozen pairs.
Without thinking further, he turned and ran.
The pack of Vermilion Apes howled, giving chase.
