Moonlight was, in essence, reflected sunlight. But as soon as the sun slipped past the horizon and the moon climbed into the sky, the flow of Solar Essence ceased. A limitation I needed to remember.
Nothing was a more reliable source of power than the sun, yet even it could not be present at all times. I realized I would face the same problem on cloudy days, or whenever I was forced to remain indoors for long.
Still, the night offered its own advantage. Under moonlight, my vampiric powers grew stronger. My senses sharpened, and my bat transformation lasted longer.
The drawback was steep. Frans' influence—the bloodlust, the arrogance, the hatred—surged with the rise of the moon. The urge to slaughter every elf in the village grew unbearable. My hands itched for a blade; my tongue longed for the taste of blood. I had to leave before those impulses took root.
Fortunately, the dark forest was brimming with creatures—more than enough to satisfy my hunger for violence.
Using my heightened hearing and bat transformation, I began to hunt.
My first unfortunate prey gave themselves away by the thin column of smoke rising through the canopy. A small goblin camp. I swooped in silently, finding them asleep in their tents. I unleashed [Solar Beams], sweeping through the camp like fire through dry grass. When the light faded, ten charred corpses lay scattered among smoldering canvas.
A pack of wolves made the mistake of barking at me as I searched for my next target. Still unsatisfied with how easily the goblins had fallen, I decided to make this one entertaining. I summoned the [Solar Blades] and charged.
The wolves lunged, and I met them head-on. I spun, ducked, and twisted—dodging fangs and claws by inches while cutting through muscle and hide. Blood splattered across my face and clothes. Their cries filled the air, and I felt… alive.
But even that thrill faded too soon. Eight wolves. Not one lasted more than a few moments.
I took flight again, gliding above the canopy. The Dark Forest, untamed and sprawling, teemed with wild beasts and cursed creatures, yet none proved challenging. I began to ignore the lesser ones, unwilling to waste my growing frenzy on weak prey.
Then I found it.
A clearing that looked ordinary at first glance—until my eyes adjusted. The "grass" wasn't grass at all. The green shimmer rippled in waves, and only when one of them shifted did I realize what I was looking at: serpents. Dozens of them, coiled together in a vast living knot. Their scales formed the illusion of a single, breathing carpet.
I perched on a nearby branch for a closer look. The stench hit me like a knife through the skull—rancid, heavy, venomous. They were formidable creatures, but asleep they posed no challenge. I could have wiped them out with a single volley of solar beams.
As if mocking my thought, a hiss erupted from below.
I hadn't noticed the serpent beneath the tree. It struck upward, jaws snapping shut where I'd been perched a moment before. I leapt aside and came down hard, driving a [Solar Blade] straight through its skull. The light faded from its eyes instantly.
Movement caught the edge of my vision—a second serpent, lunging from the coiled mass. It came fast, mouth wide. I summoned [Solar Guard], and the creature crashed into the barrier with bone-rattling force. As it recoiled, I raised my hand and fired a [Solar Beam], burning through its head in a burst of light and smoke.
Leaves rustled behind me. Instinct screamed. I darted forward—just in time for another serpent to strike from behind, bursting through the brush. I was surrounded. This was their territory.
Pain followed. A massive serpent shot up from the clearing and snatched one of the bats from my transformation mid-flight. I was forced back into human form, crashing into the forest floor near their nest.
[Solar Resilience Activated]
[Physical Damage Taken Halved]
[Photosurge Heal Boost Activated]
[Burn Rate Increased to 1 SE per Minute]
My left foot was gone—but not for long. Flesh and bone surged back, reforming within seconds.
I should have been terrified. Losing a limb should have been horrifying. But all fear had been drowned out by exhilaration. Every nerve in my body pulsed with hunger for combat. The frenzy that once belonged to Frans now coursed through me. It was like being in a wild rollercoaster ride.
The serpents gave me no respite. Three diamond-shaped heads slithered into view. I raised both hands and released three quick [Solar Beams]. Each struck true. Three heads fell lifeless.
I sprang to my feet, transformed, and shot above the treetops. From the air, I saw dozens more serpents below, weaving through the clearing, all awake now—all hunting me.
From this height, I could have easily incinerated them one by one. But Frans' nature hated the easy way.
I dove. A storm of bats descending from the dark. Just before impact, I reformed and swung both [Solar Blades], cutting through scaled flesh. The serpents surged around me. I met every strike with radiant steel and shimmering shields—[Solar Guard] flashing between attacks, [Solar Beams] bursting when they came too close.
Every cut, every deflection, every counter burned brighter. When the press became too thick, I burst upward into the air, only to dive again moments later. The rhythm became intoxicating—death and light, blood and fire.
Minutes passed before the last serpent fell. My clothes dripped with serpent blood.
As I caught my breath, I realized something—the serpents hadn't been coiled for no reason. Beneath their mass lay a circular hollow in the ground: a small crevice, dark and deep, perhaps the mouth of a cave.
I rose high above the clearing and began raining [Solar Beams] into the opening, hoping to collapse it—or lure out whatever was inside.
[You have upgraded Solar Beam]
[Casting Time Reduced to 0 Seconds]
I grinned. So, skills could evolve through use. How timely. I intensified the barrage, firing rapidly like a machine gun of light.
The ground trembled. Something stirred. Then, with a thunderous roar, something burst from the shattered opening—surging straight toward me.
Another serpent… yet not quite. It was enormous, its scales glimmering faintly, and on each side of its head were small, torn wings like those of a dragon. Its roar was deafening, shaking the trees.
But the sight failed to intimidate. Both of its eyes were blind. Its wings tattered. Its body riddled with wounds.
It wasn't charging in rage. It was crawling toward me—seeking a mercy blow.