The Fogbeast moved with terrifying speed.
Before Josh could react—
CRACK!
A thick arm slammed into him like a tree trunk. His body flew through the air, spinning before slamming into a distant tree. Bark exploded on impact.
He hit the ground hard, groaning in pain.
>
---
⚠️ SYSTEM ALERT
▪️ Vitality Dropping: 47%
▶ Skill Imprint Available
Proceed now?
[ YES ] [ NO ]
Blood dripped from his lip.
Josh's hands trembled as he pressed against the ground to push himself up.
He growled, "Yes... do it."
>
---
▶ Skill Imprint Initialized...
Waiting for unique instinctual action...
Josh slowly rose.
His eyes glowed with a faint, unstable purple energy.
The beast stomped toward him, snarling.
Josh stared into its ember-like eyes again.
Flinch.
It reacted every time it charged. Every time it felt pressure near its face.
That's the key.
Josh clenched his fists, core energy building like thunder inside him.
Then—he ran.
Straight toward it.
The beast roared and lunged.
Josh ducked, channeled his core into a rising fist, and struck upward, the purple energy coiling like lightning around his arm.
BOOM!
The punch connected to the jaw, and for the first time—the beast flew back, stumbling and screeching in pain.
Josh panted.
But it wasn't over.
The Fogbeast rose again.
Its skin cracked.
Its rage louder.
Josh narrowed his eyes. "You want more?"
He pushed off the ground and rushed again, this time sidestepping its claw and jumping into the air with all the force he could muster.
>
---
▶ Combat Acceleration: +6%
▶ Skill Sync Detected
▶ "Fogpiercer" Skill Leveling...
▶ NEW SKILL EVOLUTION UNLOCKED
▶ Unlocking: Void Fist – Phantom Smite
Summons a spiritual projection of user's core form to mimic and amplify impact. Deals high burst damage to armored enemies.
Mid-air, a giant, glowing purple version of Josh's clenched fist formed above him—mirroring his motion.
His real punch landed.
So did the Void Fist.
Together, they struck the beast's core shell—
CRACK!!!
The impact shattered its armor like glass. The fog around it exploded outward in a shockwave.
The Fogbeast let out a final roar.
And then—it shattered into shards of black light.
Silence returned to the forest.
Josh landed, kneeling, breathing hard.
>
---
▶ Fogbeast Eliminated
▶ Core Extracted
▶ System Rewards:
▪️ Strength: +4%
▪️ Combat Technique: +5%
▪️ Core Expansion: Stage 2 Initiated
▪️ New Skill Unlocked: Void Fist – Phantom Smite
▪️ Bonus: Fog Resistance +10%
Josh's hand trembled as he stood.
"Was that... me?"
He looked at his palm, still faintly glowing purple.
And for the first time—he smiled.
"Guess I'm not powerless anymore."
The forest went quiet.
The mist slowly began to clear, the heavy silence broken only by Josh's exhausted breathing. The shattered remains of the Fogbeast littered the ground like obsidian shards—glowing faintly, steaming from the core heat that once powered it.
Josh walked slowly toward the debris, crouched, and picked up a thick piece of the beast's shell.
It was heavier than he expected—dark with streaks of violet, its surface still faintly humming with residual energy.
He held it toward the glowing system interface hovering beside him.
"I don't know what you can do with this," he muttered, "but maybe… something useful."
>
---
▶ Item Submitted: Fogbeast Armor Fragment
Analyzing composition...
▪️ Fogblood Iron
▪️ Elemental Mutation Layer
▪️ Core Scar Residue
▶ Analysis Complete.
▶ New Equipment Trait Unlocked
▪️ Trait Name: Protective Scales
A passive defense boost granted by the Fogbeast's mutated armor layer.
🔹 +10% Resistance to blunt attacks
🔹 +15% Resistance to fog-based or illusion damage
🔹 Partial energy absorption on first hit (Cooldown: 3 mins)
Josh blinked. "That's… actually incredible."
>
---
▶ Apply Trait to Base Form?
[ YES ] [ NO ]
He didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
> ▶ Trait Installed
▶ Appearance Modification Available:
Do you wish to manifest scales physically?
[ YES ] [ NO ]
Josh hesitated. "…Not yet."
The scales shimmered briefly over his skin before fading into him—a hidden defense now woven into his evolving power.
Josh looked ahead as the last of the mist cleared.
"Time to find Kaen…"
"Kaen!!"
Josh's voice echoed uselessly through the mist.
Only silence answered him—just the wind brushing through the trees like a ghost.
---
"Kaen!!"
Josh's voice echoed uselessly through the mist.
Only silence answered him—just the wind brushing through the trees like a ghost.
---
Elsewhere in the forest…
Kaen panted heavily as he stumbled through the dense fog, blades of grass slapping against his legs.
Suddenly—a snarl tore through the silence.
He turned.
Too late.
A beast lunged from the mist, its massive claw slamming him across the chest. He flew through the air, crashing into a thick tree with a sickening thud. Bark split. Blood sprayed.
He groaned, dragging himself up with trembling arms—only to feel the beast's claw lift him effortlessly into the air, then slam him into the ground like a rag doll.
The pain stole his breath.
Blood pooled beneath him.
But his eyes remained open—burning.
"I... I can't die here..." Kaen muttered, his voice cracking. "I want to be strong... strong enough to fight beside him…"
He looked up—and through the mist, he saw it.
A sword.
Old, rusted… but buried near a half-burned skeleton.
He crawled. Reached. Grabbed it.
The beast roared and charged, unfazed.
Kaen rose, sword shaking in his grip.
"I'm not done."
He staggered to his feet and made a shaky stance, grit in his teeth.
He charged.
The sword clashed against the beast's hide—and the impact sent Kaen flying, crashing through a log.
The beast marched toward him, slow and confident. Hungry.
Kaen coughed blood, barely able to move.
The beast raised its claws for the final blow.
Kaen's hand clenched the sword.
Something shifted in his body.
His pupils turned green.
The wind exploded outward.
Lightning—green and furious—split the sky.
The air turned heavy and alive.
His body lifted itself off the ground, surging with energy he didn't understand. The rusted sword ignited in green flames, howling like a storm.
The beast paused, suddenly unsure.
Kaen stood tall.
And in the blink of an eye—he vanished.
SLASH.
He reappeared behind the beast, sword outstretched.
A clean line across the beast's neck.
The head dropped.
Then the body.
Then—
FWOOSH!
Green flames erupted from the corpse, incinerating it like paper in a furnace. Nothing remained but ash on the wind.
Kaen's knees buckled.
He collapsed—face down, unconscious. The sword pulsed faintly beside him.
---
Minutes later...
The mist thinned.
Josh ran through the fading fog, eyes scanning in panic.
"Kaen!!"
He stumbled to a stop.
His eyes widened.
Kaen—unconscious and bleeding, surrounded by a scorched clearing. A strange sword rested beside him, still faintly glowing green.
Josh dropped to his knees beside him.
"Kaen? Hey—wake up, man. What happened here?"
He looked around. There was no beast. Just burned trees and broken earth.
Then he saw the sword—and the green sparks still crackling from Kaen's fingertips.
His eyes narrowed.
Josh stood over Kaen's unconscious body, scanning the area.
There was no sign of the beast.
No blood trail. No tracks. Just scorched ground and a faint green hue lingering in the air.
>
---
▶ SYSTEM MESSAGE
"Healing Protocol Activated"
Insufficient medical supplies. Using magic core conversion to synthesize healing potion.
⚠️ Risk: Core conversion reduces energy pool and future combat potential.
▪️ Proceed with conversion?
[ YES ] [ NO ]
Josh glanced at Kaen's battered body and didn't hesitate.
"Yes. Do it."
> ▶ Conversion in progress...
▶ Potion synthesized.
▶ Administer immediately.
A glowing vial of liquid materialized mid-air.
Josh caught it and tilted Kaen's head up, pouring the potion gently into his mouth.
"C'mon, stay with me."
Kaen didn't stir.
Josh sighed, then threw Kaen over his shoulders, adjusting the weight.
>
---
▶ Quest Countdown: 6 Hours Remaining
▶ Objective: Reach Blightfall's Location
Warning: Midway Rest Forbidden
Stopping will result in brutal system punishment.
▶ Directive: RUN
Josh stared at the floating message. "Wait—WHAAAT?!"
He felt a sharp zap in his leg. The system wasn't joking.
"Urrreeeghhhhhh... Fine! You better thank me for this, Kaen!"
And with Kaen slung over his back, Josh ran.
Through thick forests. Across shallow rivers. Up steep hills. The system buzzed behind his ears like a cruel coach.
He slipped once.
Almost fell twice.
But he never stopped.
Hours passed.
His feet ached. His breath was ragged. His back screamed.
> ▶ Time Remaining: 2 Minutes
▶ Location: Valley of Shattered Echoes
Quest location reached. Objective updated: FIND THE SWORD.
Josh collapsed to his knees just as the terrain opened to reveal a wide valley surrounded by jagged cliffs.
He gently dropped Kaen to the ground.
"HHHHHHHhhhhhh... Finally," Josh wheezed. "I swear… if this sword isn't made of god-metal or something—"
Behind him, Kaen groaned.
His eyes fluttered open.
"...Where am I?"
Josh turned, his face darkening like a thundercloud.
"You… wake up now?! NOW?! After I carried your heavy butt for six hours?! While running?! Non-stop?! While being threatened with system pu