Triopals
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Chapter 22
🕑 Added 2024-10-31 16:26:03 +0000 UTCDozing off in midair, Darkan had almost allowed Lunar Shadow to devour his disciple whole. Just as Nathan suspected, the monster was brought to the forest by him as a final test. Fortunately, he regained consciousness just in time to use his aura to intimidate Lunar Shadow into retreating. Otherwise, Nathan would have ended up in its belly by now. Darkan could only curse his disciple's misfortune - of all the areas in the forest, in just the first few days, he had encountered nothing but situations that prevented rest. Nevertheless, he highly valued Nathan's courage to gather materials despite the risks. Thinking back to his own training period, he had hesitated for days without taking action due to fear. His disciple might appear submissive before others, but he remained unaware of just how formidable he truly was.
"You'd better hurry kid," Darkan said with a mischievous smile. "Lunar Shadow won't just stand there and wait. If you hesitate until it grows stronger, you're dead for sure."
Of course, Darkan wouldn't tell his disciple that the Lunar Shadow he brought only partially matched the common descriptions on PsiLink. Letting Nathan know all the details would ruin the fun.
He yawned and went back to sleep, maintaining just a thread of consciousness to monitor Nathan.
Nathan ignored all the guidance about nocturnal predators like Shade Prowlers, Silk Reapers, or Shadow Wasps as he ran for his life from Lunar Shadow's appearance point.
Damn that old master! he cursed.
Fate wasn't too cruel to him today as no additional [Tingling Sense] activations occurred, allowing him to return peacefully to his beloved stream.
When he spotted the campfire remains and gathered firewood, he was overjoyed. Finally, he could replenish his water after emptying his flask and have a peaceful dinner.
There was no need to hunt Ripple Hunters tonight - he had decided to cook Vermilion Ape's Heart Stew. Dropping the monster's hide on the ground, he took the heart, larger than his palm and now cold, to wash it. Then, using a relatively intact shell from a Burrower, he set it over the fire. He added water and some leafy vegetables. While waiting for it to boil, he cut up the main ingredient. Soon after, an enticing aroma wafted through the air. The dish wasn't visually appealing with its thick broth and blackened heart that had been cooked tender. But the taste was quite satisfactory.
Nathan devoured his creation ravenously. He added an item to his to-do list on PsiLink reminding himself to find salt if possible. Not just for flavoring, but also for preservation in case he couldn't hunt anything some days.
After cleaning everything thoroughly, he sat down to cultivate. The essence from the Vermilion Ape was substantial enough, and eating its most nutrient-dense organ meant his reserves were now brimming. Normally, when practicing Physical Cultivation without any Spirit foundation, one could only hunt gradually upward. But Nathan already had cultivation base, plus passive skills, so he could fight above his level. This was similar to playing a game where a level 1 character kills a level 10 monster. Just one kill was enough for a huge jump.
Nathan hadn't advanced in level yet because of [Titan's Descendant]. This skill clearly improved his physical condition. The issue lay precisely in this enhanced physique. It was so superior that it demanded more essence consumption. Comparing Tier 1 of the Titan bloodline with a normal Tier 1, the difference was stark. Even before cultivation, Nathan had dared to compare raw strength with Roran.
But today he learned that his cultivation speed was also enhanced. The essence was almost completely absorbed rather than being expelled. This compensated for the bloodline's sky-high requirements.
He wondered if something similar applied to his Spirit Cultivation path but dismissed the thought immediately. If so, Darkan would have noticed and told him already.
Finishing cultivation, he reached Tier 1 Phase 2.9.
Just one more day and he could breakthrough to Phase 3. He wasn't overly excited because he knew that upon reaching the final phases of Tier 1, he would hit a bottleneck if he only hunted Phase 9 monsters. In other words, to breakthrough faster, he needed to encounter stronger prey at Tier 2. With that thought, his excitement diminished enough to easily fall asleep, preparing for a new day.
The next morning, he spent some time processing the collected hides. The Ripple Hunter's skin had dried sufficiently for the next step.
Nathan gathered wood pieces from nearby Sticky Sap Trees. Classified as monsters but harmless to humans unless one stood still all day letting them shoot their annoying resin. He had marked their location after fumbling around for adhesive to make his flask yesterday. Their bark was perfect for the tanning process.
After grinding the wood pieces and filtering them, he dug small holes to prevent the tanning solution from leaking out. He soaked the hides in it and completed the work. The Sticky Sap Tree's quality meant he only needed to change the solution once daily. As for the Vermilion Ape's hide, it needed to dry and be cleaned first.
The Blood Moss had been ground fine, mixed with some leaves and berries for sweetness. He mostly rolled it into pills and dried them alongside the hide for medicinal use. The remainder he carried with him - in emergencies, he could apply it directly to skin. The effect wouldn't be as potent, but it was acceptable.
Spreading Blood Thirster's blood in a circular line, he hoped it would prevent small animals or monsters from encroaching on his base. With everything finished, it was time to depart.
The next journey headed east. He planned to scout the Storm Peaks area mentioned on PsiLink.
With all necessities from armor to weapons to medicine fully prepared, he moved more confidently and with less hesitation.
Today's talent is whistling.
Taking advantage of the system's rather peculiar skill, he happily whistled since he'd never been able to before.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy onto the ground, highlighting nature's majesty and beauty. If not for all the deadly moving things, Nathan felt he could enjoy this like a leisurely stroll.
His journey was halted when he encountered a pack of Spine Wolves tearing open a Two-horned Boar's belly, devouring it ravenously. Three wolves were chomping away at the boar while three others watched drooling.
Catching Nathan's scent, they turned to bare their fangs in warning. Their appearance was initially fierce with spine bones protruding outward, the vertebrae sharp like sturdy thorns. Spine wolves exemplified the principle of making enemies suffer even in death. Biting them was no easy task either.
The three hungry ones looked at the nearly consumed prey, then back at the moving meat in human form. They hopped back and forth, their guts churning with anticipation. Only when one exhaled sharply did they charge toward Nathan.
Looking around to ensure no Great Spine Wolf was present, Nathan readied two daggers in his hands, shaking his head mockingly.
"You asked for this."
He ducked before the first wolf that leaped at his head, bringing his knife up in an arc toward its belly. The airborne wolf immediately twisted, presenting its sturdy back as a shield. The other two attacked Nathan's direction. He didn't flinch, jumping up to drive both knees into their faces. Hit by the blow, they rolled on the ground, yelping in pain. Nathan's current strength was immense - enough to match Roran without using mana - so one could imagine how shattered the wolves' snouts were. They coughed up teeth including their fangs, showing signs of wanting to retreat.
Nathan denied them permission to retreat, charging forward with his daggers poised to strike. At this moment, the three who had been eating abandoned their meal and leaped into the air to attack him. They aimed their backs and sharp bone spikes at him. He let out a harsh laugh, swiftly deflecting two of them aside. The remaining one he caught in the gap between its vertebrae. The trapped wolf howled, struggling against his grip as its body was stretched taut.
Nathan raised it high then brought the monster down hard against his knee. Its spine snapped with a piercing shriek of pain. He tossed it aside and faced the remaining five. The alpha bared its fangs warily at its opponent. The two with broken muzzles whimpered. Finally, with a toss of its head, the pack attempted to withdraw.
"You haven't asked my permission yet," Nathan suddenly lunged forward. The two daggers in his hands traced twin arcs, and the injured wolves collapsed. The remaining two Spine Wolves bared their fangs and foamed at the mouth, no longer hesitating as they charged at Nathan. Only the alpha fled.
It took just moments for Nathan to finish them. Spine Wolves only reached Phase 2 to Phase 3, so they were relatively weak. He mainly killed them to collect essence. The alpha had likely run off to report to a Great Spine Wolf and seek revenge. Nathan actually looked forward to that happening - except for a few crazy tribal species like the Vermilion Apes, he was ready to face the rest.
Without a bag to carry them in, he only separated the wolves' bones and hid them in a mound of earth, reminding himself to return for them later. Thanks to his experience with the Vermilion Ape yesterday, he was less nauseated this time, though it still took considerable time.
Continuing eastward, he reminded himself not to grow careless.
He only stopped to eat lunch and absorb the gained essence, never pausing otherwise. By early afternoon, the first signs of Storm Peaks appeared. Trees began showing patches of black char, grass remained only as ash, and moss and fungi were all scorched dry. The sky gradually turned gloomy with gray clouds swirling toward the center. The air grew more arid, the surrounding smell acrid and heavy.
Nathan left his water flask at a tree trunk, not wanting it to evaporate from a lightning strike. He slowed his initial pace, switching to more careful and cautious movement.
The ground beneath his feet gradually changed from soft and damp to dry and dusty. The surrounding vegetation progressively lost their colors. Green, purple, and yellow were all replaced by pure black and ashen gray. The closer he got, the more distinct the characteristic burnt smell of lightning became.
When no more branches blocked his view, he could see several bare mountains in the distance. That was where lightning continuously struck, sending thunder that had diminished by the time it reached his position. Storm Peaks was renowned as a natural defense against the monsters living within it. Cultivators rarely ventured here without adequate lightning resistance items. Even with full equipment, the monsters remained troublesome to deal with.
Though quite far away, Nathan could see a dark shape moving inside the cloud masses when lightning flashed, illuminating the entire sky. A Lightning Serpent coiled through the clouds as if enjoying a bath after a hot day, very content and cheerful. Nathan estimated its length at over five hundred meters to leave such an impression against the sky.
He certainly wouldn't dare fight a Storm Serpent. Rumor had it that it wasn't a Forest Lord trapped at Storm Peaks. Furthermore, some information suggested the monster had caught the attention of a high-ranking figure who was raising it here before taking it away, so he had no reason to foolishly seek it out.
What attracted him to this area was the Crystal Frog, or more precisely, its variant - the Thunder Crystal Frog. This monster carried a small crystal sac on its back. This sac functioned to purify and concentrate essence. Living in an environment of lightning, its solution gradually became infused with lightning. Drinking it would help increase affinity with the Lightning Aspect, helping shape the path for Tier 2 later. Nathan was in the early stages, still unaware of his natural Aspect, so the common usage method was quite useless.
The effect he aimed for was for his Physical Cultivation path. This physical cultivation method had no aspects but possessed a good ability to inherit characteristics. According to the Berserker knowledge flowing in his bloodline, if he trained in extreme fire environments, he would gain fire resistance and the ability to burn mana, providing explosive energy in moments. Overcoming ice challenges could reduce inflammation and injuries from overexertion, quite similar to how athletes use ice baths. Similarly, training with lightning would increase resistance to this element, and most notably, it would help him increase speed. The method to quickly increase cultivation speed was to use essence with that specific aspect. Spirit Cultivators would absorb it gradually, while Physical Cultivators would drink large gulps. Without doubt, lightning would devastate from inside out. But it matched the criteria of destruction before reconstruction. Just standing there getting electrocuted or struck by lightning would take forever to show results.
After some contemplation, Nathan felt that with sufficient speed, he could face any monster. Upon receiving [Quick Feet], this intention became set in stone - he only wanted to pursue it, not give up.
He gradually entered Storm Peaks' lightning-attracting zone. Electric arcs appeared randomly, sometimes striking down from the sky, sometimes generated by friction and electrical potential differences somewhere, or created by monsters. He was nervous knowing he would definitely get electrocuted but somehow confident he wouldn't die. The system skill seemed to have instilled this belief in him.
Lost in thought, a lightning bolt - not from the sky but from nearby mineral veins - shot straight at him.
Nathan only saw a flash before everything ended. A numbing sensation made his body convulse, hair standing on end, skin steaming while his eyebrows seemed to be on fire. Patting out the flames, he grinned broadly.
"This is an absolute win," he said excitedly.
Indeed, electricity barely caused him any damage. But before he could venture further, he worried whether [Living Resistor] would interfere with drinking the essence water.
Since he had already come this far, he decided to try anyway. He walked while getting shocked, his form with each lightning strike resembling a cartoon character. An observer would have seen moments when his internal organs lit up, clearly showing bones, organs, and blood vessels inside. Most severe was when a lightning bolt stabbed down from Storm Peaks' clouds. This time, he had to lie flat on the ground to catch his breath. His legs and arms disobeyed commands, twitching up and down continuously, his fingers playing an off-key piano tune. His eyes and mouth became dry. His mind grew hazy, dizzy, and confused. Water in his body, though protected by Berserker skills and [Titan's Descendant], wasn't enough.
While considering whether to turn back, nature chose for him. Another lightning bolt struck exactly where he lay. He lost consciousness for five minutes after that hit.
"Didn't they say lightning never strikes the same place twice?" he muttered, discovering his voice had become so dry and hoarse it was barely recognizable.
Without further hesitation, he returned to where he'd left his water flask, taking a long drink. Fortunately, he had planned ahead and made its capacity quite large, about one and a half liters. With his enhanced physique, carrying it posed no hindrance.
Resting to let his body recover circulation, he once again entered Storm Peaks.
On his second exploration attempt, mainly dealing with underground electricity and charged rocks, the damage wasn't significant, allowing him to approach closer to the lake on the left side of the mountain range where Storm Serpent resided.
Suddenly, a shadow dove from the sky straight into Nathan's chest. The Blood Thirster armor blocked most of the impact force, leaving only an electric current not strong enough to affect his movements.
Looking up, he saw black streaks like tree branches in the distance open their eyes - the electric eyes of Bolt Ravens tilting their heads to examine him.
He raised one foot and they immediately screeched, alerting the whole flock.
He pulled his foot back, and they returned to watching him curiously.
Spending a few seconds calculating the damage from the first Bolt Raven, he figured he could endure several rounds of attacks. The distance to the lake from his current position wasn't too far. At full speed, he could get close to it. With luck, he might even catch a Crystal Frog.
Thinking turned to action as Nathan began kicking at the air, readying his passive skills for combat. He didn't believe these birds could aim with perfect accuracy.
With a motion compressing his body downward, Nathan shot forward by kicking off the ground with both feet. His action created a small explosion, the ground sinking as black dust billowed up.
[Rebound] countered the force of [Amplifying Strike] combined with [Flowing Strikes], launching him forward like a bullet, wind whistling past his ears. He had figured out this movement method after being chased by the Vermilion Apes yesterday. If they met again, they shouldn't expect to catch him.
But the Bolt Ravens were different. They tilted off their branches without needing momentum, already leaving zigzagging trails of electricity in their wake. They dove at Nathan faster than bullets.
Several ravens slammed their beaks into the ground behind Nathan, some overshot to his front. And some completed their mission, striking the human directly. The Blood Thirster armor sparked when meeting the ravens' hardened beaks. The impact force made Nathan stagger, sometimes falling to the ground, becoming a target for the ravens to dive at, raising clouds of dust and smoke. Amidst the chaos, he rose again, utilizing [Quick Feet] to run forward. The Bolt Ravens, having completed their attacks successfully or not, had recharged and attacked again. They took turns targeting Nathan.
[Improved Pattern Recognition] gradually engaged with [Better Vision]. He began observing the Bolt Ravens' actions before they attacked. With a command to PsiLink, he drew the lines they were aiming along. His eyes moved constantly while running backward. As a wave of Bolt Ravens shot toward him, he grinned, jumping up to somersault in mid-air. The ravens with their bright blue electric trails all passed by without hitting him anymore, as if their tiny monster brains had short-circuited, unable to distinguish their target.
The Bolt Ravens, unaware of being mocked, continued charging and diving with their beaks.
Both sides exchanged like this until a new variable entered the equation. A Cloud Deer lying ahead stood up, its white eyes angrily regarding Nathan's intrusion into their territory.
Nathan looked at the two pairs of horns surrounded by electric clouds on the monster's head and shuddered. He chose to dodge to one side and run. When he saw the Cloud Deer not giving chase, he breathed a sigh of relief. Planning to continue taking the detour, a group of Bolt Ravens flew in front of him. They weren't aiming to attack like before - their goal was to block his path. He ordered PsiLink to analyze but found nothing. He hadn't paid to unlock the next section regarding monster coordination capabilities.
Blind as a person walking in darkness, Nathan found himself trapped in a deadly snare. The Cloud Deer tilted its horns forward, two lightning bolts emanating from its clouds. Instead of shooting at Nathan, it fired at the Bolt Ravens that had spread out in the air forming an invisible net. When lightning struck one raven, it opened its mouth to pass the current through to another raven. The chain lightning phenomenon occurred right above Nathan's head.
Well, I'm screwed, he silently screamed.
The network completed in the blink of an eye. When Nathan tried to run faster to escape, the ravens pointed their beaks downward, causing lightning bolts to shoot perpendicular to the ground, creating an electric prison. Then they began flying chaotically, letting electrical currents pass through Nathan. One bolt, two bolts, three bolts, then dozens of bolts brushed past him continuously. Running anywhere was impossible. Any movement met another lightning barrier.
Nathan was trapped getting shocked frantically. His mind went numb, the water he had just drunk immediately evaporating beyond dry. His skin gradually developed black burns, some areas so scorched the flesh was mushy, smelling of cooking fat. His mind didn't black out because the intensity still wasn't enough to knock him out like the lightning bolt from the sky. That only made the endurance process more excruciating. He had overestimated [Living Resistor].
The Cloud Deer also had its limits, eventually exhausting the energy it had accumulated for the day. After all, it was still a Tier 1 monster, without its own core to maintain longer. The Bolt Ravens also tired and returned to perch on branches. The monsters had no idea the human was tougher than a cockroach.
When seeing the monsters stop, Nathan immediately sprang up, running straight toward the lake. The monsters didn't give chase, only watching with their eyes.
Near the lake's edge, he could see a toad-shaped monster breathing on a small rock, below it a pool of clear water. The surrounding vegetation was somewhat green, contrasting with the gray everything else. The lake hadn't been dried up by lightning over time because of underground water veins. Evaporated water was immediately replenished.
Nathan's eyes lit up, his hand reaching forward, ignoring the Crystal Thunder Frog's jagged crystal layer. He could endure the pain of catching one - paying a small price was worth it.
Nature always reminded Nathan at the last moment. Just as he was about to catch the frog, a figure appeared behind the monster with red eyes glaring at Nathan. Seeing the Lightning Strider with its four long legs standing deadly still on the water's surface made Nathan brake hard, change direction, and run back out of Storm Peaks.
He looked back one final time at the Crystal Thunder Frog, inwardly determined to return after making adequate preparations.
Simultaneously, in Vermilion Ape territory.
A group of apes carrying large leaf pouches moved toward the center of their gathering grounds. There, the high-ranking Vermilions who always protected the Crimson Lotus had assembled. They raised their arms hooting angry sounds, pounding the ground to express their fury. Only the one at the center contemplated deeply at the leaf packages being brought before it. Clearly the leader of this Vermilion Ape tribe, all others had to heed its call.
When all leaf pouches had been delivered, the leader let out a fearsome roar. The other apes fell silent, whimpering fearfully.
The leader approached slowly, opening the leaf pouches his subordinates had brought. He opened the first pouch, then the second, third. With each pouch, his breathing grew more rapid, his yellow eyes gradually turning red. Until he opened the final leaf, larger than the others. A Vermilion Ape head rolled out with lifeless eyes and angry brows directed at the leader.
Now, it roared once. Its arms swung down in fury. The subordinates around also cried out in unison and flailed about.
The leader knelt down, picking up the other Vermilion Ape's head. Its mouth twitched as if calling something. The surrounding apes circled while waving sticks or large rocks, demonstrating their will. But whatever they wanted to do required following the leader.
The leader touched the forehead of the Vermilion Ape killed by Nathan. Its eyes suddenly widened as the final images before death were transmitted.
Seeing everything, the leader panted heavily, growing even more enraged. But it still maintained enough control to not transform. If Nathan were here, he would have been terrified to death when its lips twitched once more and a voice emerged.
"Hu...man..." the monster's voice was hoarse, trembling with fury, "...killed...my...son."
As if understanding everything, the Vermilion Apes became even more agitated.
To answer his subordinates, the leader roared, swinging his arm to point in various directions.
By now, the number of Vermilion Apes was far greater than when Nathan scouted as they had been called back. The leader watched three hundred of them disperse, the flames of hatred in his eyes illuminated by the day's final rays of sunlight.
He wanted revenge.
