Alex had been flying non-stop for several hours. His objective was clear: find a fire-type monster to refine his skills and strengthen his weapons. But at every turn, he only came across scrawny goblins or emaciated gnolls — all too weak, too useless.
Yet, just as he was beginning to despair, he noticed something. His endurance had increased. He could fly longer, farther, without feeling the same fatigue. A smile crept onto his lips.
"The more blood I drink, the stronger I get… and the more peacefully I'll be able to forge."
Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a silhouette lurking in the shadows of a clearing. A sleek, almost supernatural panther, the size of an adult wolf. Its bluish-gray fur shimmered with electric patterns pulsing like a living heart. Its yellow eyes pierced the darkness, and with each step, sparks crackled beneath its claws.
[Lightning Sylvan Feline – LV 20]
An immediate pressure settled. The beast's fur bristled with electricity. It was licking its chops after tearing apart its prey. Even without contact, Alex could feel its aura… this thing was dangerous.
Then, it vanished in a flash of blue lightning. The low thunder that followed made the air tremble.
Alex tried to flee through the air. But as soon as he flapped his wings — he saw it… right in front of him.
It delivered a powerful swipe with its paw, hurling Alex into a tree.
"What the hell is that?!" he gasped, dazed, trying to stand up.
The creature was right above him. Alex narrowly dodged and launched a spray of acid. But the creature vanished… and the tree behind it took the hit. It began to melt, then collapsed.
The beast reappeared behind Alex and struck him with such force that he was launched into the air.
The creature appeared once more behind him and slammed him violently to the ground, breaking the earth on impact. Alex spat blood and groaned in pain.
"I need to get out of here…" he murmured, activating his Concealment skill.
But his camouflage only hid his body — not his scent.
The beast sensed him.
Alex took flight, but the creature was already above, ready to strike.
A powerful blow sent him crashing down again.
"This beast… it's toying with me before devouring me…" thought Alex, panting.
Then, the creature, still in the air, teleported to the ground, its body crackling with lightning.
Alex understood:
"It can teleport… How the hell am I supposed to win, or even survive?"
The beast charged at high speed.
Alex activated his Static Shock skill.
The creature teleported to the side, dodging the attack.
Alex fired Static Shock again, but the beast dodged once more by teleporting to the other side.
"Shit… I'm at my limit."
The creature bared its fangs and approached.
He fired flaming spikes.
The creature teleported again, this time slightly forward. The spikes crashed into a tree behind it, which instantly burst into flames.
Alex felt the pain surge through him.
Without thinking, he dove into the beast's open jaws, aiming for its heart — just like he had done with the serpent.
He crossed his wings and activated Black Stone Shield. A coat of obsidian armor enveloped his entire body.
He plunged into the creature's body, carving a path toward the cavity near its heart. The dull thumping echoed in his ears, loud as war drums. Just as he opened his jaws to bite into the pulsing heart… the creature vanished in a flash.
A chilling surge of danger filled the air.
It reappeared suddenly above him, eyes blazing with fury.
With a thunderous roar, it brought down its paw with titanic force.
The impact launched Alex violently into the ground, carving a crater beneath him.
But this time, the armor held.
Alex stood up quickly.
"Alright, show me what you've got!" he shouted, ready to fight back.
He activated his Ember Core skill. The obsidian armor began to heat up, glowing red-hot.
The beast landed and charged at him, swinging its paw.
But the moment it made contact with the burning armor, its flesh sizzled.
A sharp hiss filled the air, followed by a scream of pain:
GRAAAAAHHH!!!
The beast staggered back violently, muscles tensed, its paw still smoking.
"Not so easy to eat me now, huh?"
Alex rushed toward it. The creature backed off to avoid the burns, then teleported above him, concentrating lightning in its paw.
Alex hurled blazing spikes.
The creature struck hard — but got hurt on the spikes.
Alex was sent flying to the ground, his armor shattering.
He laughed, picked up his fallen spikes, and declared:
"Now we're fighting on equal footing."
He licked the beast's blood dripping from the spikes.
[Skill: Blood Acquisition – Activated]
You drink the blood of your target…
Skill acquired: LIGHTNING LEAP
Description: Short-distance lightning teleportation
Alex slowly licked his lips, like a predator savoring the scent of blood.
A twisted smile stretched across his face — half madness, half pleasure.
"Now… I'm going to drain you to the very last drop," he whispered in a chilling voice.