At those final words, Logan took out a small vial of healing potion and applied it to his own cuts. Within seconds, his superficial wounds began to slowly knit back together under the potion's effect.
Then he turned to Aria.
"Can you fight again?"
Aria shook her head gently, still panting.
"I'm exhausted, and I've nearly drained all my mana."
Logan nodded with a faint smile.
"That's already far better than Berserker mode, which leaves a heavy penalty after use—though that form keeps getting stronger over time."
He paused briefly before letting out a sigh.
"And of course, I forgot to buy mana recovery potions before we left. We'll have to wait here until you recover naturally."
Without wasting any time, Logan placed his hand on the ground. Within seconds, a stone bench slowly emerged from the earth, giving them an improvised resting spot in the heart of the forest.
They both sat down, taking advantage of the much-needed break.
While Aria slowly regained her strength, Logan closed his eyes, using the moment to dive back into complex calculations, training his Calculation stat once again through his mental encyclopedia.
Hours passed in an almost soothing calm.
When the rest was deemed sufficient, both of them stood up, ready to continue their advance.
Deeper into the forest, the dangers quickly became real again.
A new group of Silver Spiders emerged on their path, but this time, Aria immediately applied Logan's advice. Instead of wasting her mana on direct attacks, she used the very nature of her element trapping the monsters inside water bubbles to drown them, then simply slicing apart the few that managed to escape.
In just moments, the once-daunting spiders were neutralized without either of them needing to exhaust themselves further.
Their advance continued, the vegetation growing denser, the light barely filtering through the towering canopy.
Then, they stopped abruptly.
Before them, crawling across the trees and rocks, loomed gigantic centipedes. Their massive bodies bore glossy black and yellow segments, each nearly twice the size of a grown man.
Their long mandibles clicked slowly, like a chilling warning.
Name: (Unspecified) | Race: Giant Centipede | Age: (Unknown) | Profession: (None) | Level: 50
Vitality: 215 | Magic Power: 110 | Attack: 210 | Defense: 250 | Speed: 100 | Endurance: 121 | Agility: 130 | Intelligence: 50 | Physical Strength: 133 | Willpower: 70
Skills: Strangulation, Fish (likely aquatic hunting skill), Acid, Armored Carapace, Crushing Mandibles, Paralytic Venom, Stealthy Crawling, Natural Regeneration, Hunting Vibration, Sticky Secretion, Rapid Molting, Deadly Reach, Slashing Legs
Unique Skills: Queen of the Tunnels, Lord of the Underground, Toxic Heart, Chitinous Adaptation, Subsonic Howl, Toxic Fog
Legendary Skills: (None)
Elements: (None)
Acquired Titles:
Terror of the Tunnels
"These giant centipedes are known to be highly aggressive predators. Beyond that, they aren't too dangerous except when they gather in groups."
Before them, about thirty giant centipedes spread out, forming a writhing mass of black and yellow segments. Then, without any warning, they charged forward in a single collective movement, the deafening screech of countless legs scraping against the ground filling the air.
Aria stayed focused.
Using her agility, she leapt from tree to tree, perfectly using her surroundings to evade the attacks. Their massive mandibles snapped through empty air each time she dodged with precision. Unable to trap them in water bubbles, she exploited every opening, unleashing a dense rain of concentrated water bullets. The projectiles struck hard at the centipedes' segments, gradually cracking their tough exoskeletons. The creatures began to slow down as their natural armor gave way under the repeated assaults.
Then, judging the moment right, Aria once again wrapped her sword in a thick layer of compressed water. Her swirling blade cut through the remaining creatures, slicing their massive bodies with impressive fluidity. Logan, for his part, drilled into precise points of their carapaces multiple times to weaken and finish them off. In the end, the monsters writhed violently for a few moments before letting out their last breath, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
As the day came to an end, they set up camp as usual.
After a simple but nourishing meal, each took their turn on watch. The following days unfolded similarly. Their relentless monster hunting allowed Aria to refine her combat skills even further.
They encountered other D-rank creatures characteristic of this peculiar forest:
Bloodsuckers — giant mosquito-like creatures with multiple wings and thick carapaces.Scarses — enormous beetles with white shells and black bodies, equipped with cutting legs and a deadly long frontal horn.And even green grasshopper-like creatures with black legs, armed with sharp hooks and lethal claws capable of shredding flesh with terrifying precision.
The Circular Forest lived up to its reputation — a paradise for young adventurers seeking to harden themselves, but also a deadly trap for the careless. For while the monsters weren't all high-ranked, the slightest mistake could prove fatal.
After four days of intensive hunting, Logan and Aria were now moving deeper and deeper into the inner zone, where few adventurers dared to venture.
Finally, after long days of walking and fighting, they caught sight of a different kind of light in the distance.
The density of the trees gradually thinned, allowing clearer and more direct sun rays to filter through. The vegetation slowly receded, revealing a vast open area they eventually reached.
They had finally arrived at the center of the Circular Forest.
Before them stretched a gigantic clearing, bathed in the soft golden light of the sun. A strange tranquility reigned here, in total contrast to the dark and oppressive density of the zones they had crossed.
At the heart of this immense space lay a magnificent lake of crystalline waters. Its surface shimmered, sparkling brilliantly under the sunlight, reflecting the clouds and surrounding foliage with an almost unreal purity.
Aria froze for a moment, mesmerized, her eyes sparkling at the sight.
She, who had known only the harshness of her village, the suffering of slavery, and the hostility of battle, now found herself before an almost fairy-tale-like scenery.
Logan, on the other hand, observed the scene with caution. A place of such beauty in the heart of a monster-infested forest could only arouse his suspicion.
***
Meanwhile, far away in the city, a man had just passed through the guild's doors. His stern face and brisk pace indicated he wasn't there for routine business.
***
On-site, Logan and Aria began walking cautiously through the clearing. Curiously, no monsters were in sight.
The ground, covered with thick grass, was so damp in places that it sank slightly under their steps. Some areas even resembled barely perceptible marshes.
Logan, always vigilant, questioned his partner:
"Aria, do you sense anything unusual?"
Aria slightly perked up her ears and sniffed the air discreetly.
"No… I don't smell anything in particular," she replied before glancing at Logan questioningly.
"Me neither. I'm not detecting any movement around."
Aria tilted her head, curious.
"You can detect with your ability too?"
"Yes. I can sense movements over a wide radius, like a radar. Any vibration, any shift in the air, any change in the terrain normally, nothing escapes me."
A joyful smile spread across Aria's lips.
"Can I go to the water's edge?"
Logan watched her for a moment before answering:
"Yes, but be extremely careful."
Excited, Aria skipped happily towards the shore, her light steps brushing the damp grass, fascinated by the lake's purity.
Meanwhile, Logan remained behind, his mind deep in thought:
"A place this calm, without a single predator in an ecosystem ruled by aggressive monsters. Why this silence?"
Logan stood still, arms crossed, eyes scanning the entire clearing.
"According to what I've read, this lake is ancient. No reports mention aquatic monsters here. It's rather a place where surrounding monsters come to drink. Some even establish their territories nearby," he murmured under his breath.
His eyes swept the surroundings again.
"Then why am I detecting nothing? Not a single enemy. Not a single movement."
While Logan pondered, Aria, carefree, knelt happily at the water's edge. Her face beamed with joy. The clear water revealed small silver fish gliding beneath the surface.
A light laugh escaped her as she tried catching them with her bare hands, just as she had done as a child in her village.
At the same time, far away at the guild, a scream echoed.
Blood splattered onto the floor. The man who had entered earlier collapsed in the center of the hall, a gaping wound in his abdomen. Several adventurers rushed to support him.
"Hey! Hang on!"
Marie came running, her eyes widening. When she saw the man's face, she recognized him immediately.
"You…! You're one of the groups of adventurers who disappeared in the Circular Forest! What happened out there?!"
Meanwhile, in the clearing, Logan tightened his focus.
His thoughts raced:
"Multiple adventurer groups missing… Monsters abandoning the area… This silence… not even a bird."
His radar was fully extended, yet so far, he had detected nothing.
"This soaked ground, unusually damp…"
Then suddenly, it all clicked in his mind.
When predators abandon their territories, it's because a bigger predator has appeared. His eyes widened, and his gaze snapped sharply toward Aria, still crouched by the water's edge.
At that very moment, his radar finally picked something up.
A massive movement, slow at first, then rapidly accelerating, coming from deep within the lake.
Back at the guild, Marie listened in horror as the wounded man spoke, her face twisting with dread at his halting words:
"A… a rank B monster… It… it appeared out of nowhere…" he gasped, blood spewing from his lips. "A sea serpent… huge!"
With a titanic crash, the lake's water literally exploded.
An enormous body burst forth in a monstrous whirlpool, sending torrents of water flying in all directions. The sea serpent surged from the depths, revealing its full horror.
Stretching several dozens of meters long, its body was covered in thick white scales, gleaming under the light like living armor. Massive dorsal spines lined its back, and around its head, a wide frill bristling with razor-sharp spines made the creature look even more terrifying.
Its gaping maw opened wide, revealing entire rows of razor-like teeth, ready to crush anything in its path.
Aria, frozen in shock, suddenly found herself face-to-face with this abomination. The beast towered above her, casting its immense shadow over her.
Without giving the slightest moment of respite, the serpent lunged straight at her, jaws open wide. Instinct should have told her to flee, but her body refused to move, paralyzed by fear and surprise.
At the last second, a gust of wind made her stagger—Logan had dashed forward, grabbing her mid-stride.
The next instant, the monster's massive jaws slammed into the ground, pulverizing the impact zone in a violent explosion of earth and rock, throwing up an enormous cloud of dust.
Several meters back, Logan still held Aria in his arms, setting her down after narrowly saving her.
"Get a grip, Aria!" he shouted firmly.
Panting, she felt her heart pounding wildly. Her vision blurred with adrenaline and shock; she blinked several times until her senses returned.
Through the curtain of dust, the serpent's piercing eyes fixed on them again, glowing with a sinister gleam.
"What do we do?!" Aria cried, panicked.
"Analyze!" Logan shouted loudly.
Immediately, the monster's status window appeared before their eyes:
Name: (Unspecified) | Race: Sea Serpent | Age: 1 year | Profession: (None) | Level: 120
Vitality: 700 | Magic Power: 300 | Attack: 300 | Defense: 750 | Speed: 200 | Endurance: 300 | Agility: 189 | Intelligence: 220 | Physical Strength: 744 | Willpower: 400
Skills: Water Ball, Underwater Charge, Crushing Tail, Perfect Aquatic Vision, Aquatic Shockwave, Abyssal Slam, Marine Needle Shot, Protective Bubble, Sonic Howl
Unique Skills: High-Pressure Jets, Torrential Rain, High-Pressure Bullet, Tidal Wave, Whirlpool Trap, Hardened Skin, Inner Storm, Current Awareness, Aquatic Reflex, Regenerating Scales, Absolute Predator, Master of Currents
Legendary Skills: Terrain Shift, Aquatic Blaster, Tectonic Dissolution, Song of the Depths, Ocean's Wrath, Baptism of the Abyss
Element: Water
Acquired Titles:
Abyssal Baby
Logan gritted his teeth as the analysis window flashed before him, revealing the ability Terrain Shift.
"Damn it!" he growled.
A deep, ominous rumble suddenly rolled through the air.
"Crack, BOOM!"
The ground beneath them gave way without warning. The earth collapsed like a colossal trap snapping shut, swallowing trees, rocks, and vegetation in a deafening roar. Torn roots and chunks of soil shot upward as the walls of the forming chasm ripped apart violently.
Above, black storm clouds spiraled into existence. Lightning cracked across the suddenly darkened sky, illuminating the chaos. Within moments, a torrential downpour began, feeding the newly-formed abyss with sheets of water.
The water level rose with terrifying speed, swallowing the devastated landscape. In mere instants, the clearing had transformed into an enormous, water-filled crater, surrounded by sheer, towering rock walls.
The entire scenery had turned into a nightmare a natural arena crafted perfectly for the aquatic predator staring them down.
At the center of this watery hell, Logan and Aria stood precariously atop a massive uprooted tree trunk, bobbing with the turbulent current.
Before them, the sea serpent glided ominously across the water's surface, its massive body occasionally visible beneath the lightning's flashes. Its piercing yellow eyes glowed cold and merciless, the gaze of a king defending his domain.
Logan, never taking his eyes off the creature, addressed Aria with a steady voice:
"Aria… do you remember when I forbade you from using your ice element?"
Standing beside him, her breath ragged but her gaze resolute, Aria answered tensely:
"Yes."
"Forget all that use it. Use everything you have."
Aria inhaled sharply.
Her mana flared to life instantly, surging with a power she had never unleashed before. The temperature around them plummeted violently. Wisps of icy mist rose as her frost aura erupted, swirling fiercely around her body. Her eyes blazed with an almost supernatural blue glow.
At the same time, Logan's own eyes lit up with a deep crimson radiance, arcs of red lightning crackling briefly in the storm-soaked darkness.
The stage was set.
Their final battle in this forest a fight for their very lives was about to begin.
____________
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