Chapter 4 - The Jungle of Illusions

The mist jungle, also called the jungle of illusions is a vast jungle where
most jungle monsters dwell. It is located in the northeast side of Kingdom of
Valdoria. With proper gear, it is easy to farm levels and complete quests
here. But the newbie adventurers avoid going here at early levels. But why
didn’t they take the risk to venture into this jungle? Where they can gain
vast amount of experience to level up?
Because the layout of this jungle is ever changing. Sometimes, it will
change after a day, sometimes it will change after a week and sometimes, it
would take a whole month. The worst part about this is that the layout
might change while the Adventurers inside noticing. So, it is easy to get lost.
Without proper guide in the party or an artifact, even most seasoned
adventurers can get lost and be slowly devoured and killed by the jungle
monster. There are many brave new adventurers who ventured into the
Mist Jungle and still haven’t returned.
There are many rumors about this occurrence. Some says it was cursed.
Some says it was due to the battle between a Trickster and Celestial Spirits.
But the most common one was that Tempir Balas, a colossal beast and the
guardian of this jungle seemed to have angered a powerful mage. In
retaliation, the mage casted a powerful spell using his giant blue staff,
effecting the whole jungle. Since that day, the beast disappeared along with
mage. Only the jungle monsters remained to protect the jungle.
The jungle monsters are classified like this - Basic, Normal, Strong,
Ancient and Boss. The monsters have their own inhabitant and camps. But
since the layout of the jungle is always changing, so does the position of
their inhabitant and camps. You cannot say the chance of a newbie party
encountering an ancient monster just near the entrance is low. And while
basic and normal monsters are harmless as a single monster, but gathered
in horde, they can be lethal.
That’s what Zephyr was about to face right now. A horde of Warpine
Raiders, infamous for their defense and teamwork. They try to fool
inexperienced adventurers with their confusing appearances and ambush
them. But after the previous battles against Strong Jungle Monsters, Zephyr
was prepared this time. He quickly unsheathed the blade and unleashed his
second ability.
[Arc Strike]
Zephyr swung the blade. And from the edge of Uchigatana, a curvy wave
dashed out. The wave traveled with an increasing speed towards the
Warpine Raiders. But they were adapted for such situations. Instead of
retaliating, they stood tall in a V shape, each holding out their shields. When
the wave hits them, some managed to stand their ground but some were
knocked away by it. But the Warpine warriors were helpful toward each
others - some helped the knocked ones to their feet and while five of them
lunged at Zephyr, who was dashing toward them with an incredible speed.
An eager one leaped toward Zephyr, trying to thrust him with its
star-pointed staff. The lance and the blade clashed, creating a metallic
clang. But wielding a rare weapon, Zephyr had a significant advantage, he
quickly deflected the staff and tried to cleave the Warpine into two with an
overhead cut.
Another Warpine quickly intervened and blocked the slash with his
shield. A crack formed on the shield from the impact. It pushed Zephyr back.
Stumbled back, he quickly assessed the situation while sprinting a distance
away from the Warpine Raiders.
He glanced at the Warpine and quickly inspected them.
[Name - Warpine Raider
Level - 15
Type - Normal Jungle Monster
Mana - 300
Abilities - 1 (Active)]
“They also have an active ability? I’d better be careful,” Zephyr thought.
Then, a couple of seeds flew towards Zephyr.
[Swift Step]
Zephyr knew he couldn’t dodge all of it, so he had to use [Swift Step] to
dodge the attack. He noticed a portion of stamina inside him drained. But
the Warpine Raiders were relentless. Noticing his tired mannerism, they
launched themselves at him, all together at once. But Zephyr smiled. [Arc
Strike] is off the cooldown now. Grasping the Uchigatana, he unleashed [Arc
Strike] once again.
The Warpine were in the mid-air and didn’t have a chance to defend
using their renowned shields. And Zephyr was aiming for this. The curve hit
the enemies it intended to hit. Some Warpines fell, while some were blown
away.
With heavy breaths, Zephyr got on one knee. He pinned the Uchigatana
down on the ground as a support to not collapse. Mustering his strength,
Zephyr stood once again to see some Warpine motionless. He thought he
had defeated most of them. But he had yet to level up.
“This curse!” Zephyr cussed. The lingering effect of his curse, [Eyes of
Oblivion]. It was stunting his level growth. Cassandra had warned him
about this.
“The curse might slow down your leveling progress Zephyr. I don’t know
how long it will take for it to go away. My guess is that it will go away after
you obtain a Class”
Her claims were proven to be true. Even after defeating two strong
jungle monsters, he only leveled up once.
 One Warpine lunged again. Zephyr was managed to parry its attack and
swiftly drive his blade into its sturdy trunk, which they consider their chest.
His attacked killed the target. Zephyr then felt a tinging pain behind his
back. Zephyr look back and saw a Warpine Raider holding a staff, poked to
his back. The Warpine tried to drive the spear further into the back, trying
to pierce. Zephyr held the spear tight as the Warpine tried to thrust it.
Zephyr managed to get the spear out of his back but the damage was done.
His head spun around from pain and exhaustion. He tried to focus the
enemy in sight and attacked with a downward slash. The Warpine dodged
the attack and shoved him with the shield.
Zephyr was knocked back. He quickly regained his footing and tried to
counterattack. Another Warpines intervened trying to thrust Zephyr with
their spears. This time, Zephyr was unable to completely fend off their
attacks. The sharp edges of spears grazed Zephyr’s body and blood came
out. The Warpine Raiders are slowly closing in to surround and finish him
off.
Zephyr body is at its limit. It is screaming at him to give in. To just give
up.
But no.
He had already made a promise. And a vow to himself. That was the
thread tethering him between life and death.
Suddenly, he threw the Uchigatana at one enemy suddenly. The risky
move as last resort. It flew toward its target with blinding speed, like an
arrow just escaped from a bowstring. And it hit.
[You have leveled up!]
This voice is much more soothing and beautiful than any melody he had
heard.
In early levels, leveling up in the midst of battle is a blessing. From 1 to
20 levels, by leveling up you get a positive buff that heals all your wounds
and remove your fatigue every time you level up twice.
Regaining his strength, Zephyr slowly stood up. His gamble worked. But
now he had a problem. His blade is still impaled firmly at the dead
Warpine’s face. The Warpine narrowed their yellow eyes in rage at the sight
of their fallen comrade.
There are about eight Warpine left. And one of them looked a little
different than the usual one. At the tip of Warpine’s trunk, there was
verdant crown of two twisted leaves. But Zephyr noticed that, this one has
three of them. He was also the one that was battling with Zephyr before.
Zephyr glanced at him.
“[Inspect]”
[Name - Warpine Captain
Level - 25
Type - Normal Jungle Monster
 Mana - 500
Abilities - 1 (Active) 1 (Passive)]
“So, that’s why it was acting different,” Zephyr thought. The Captain was
more formidable than the others. Zephyr could tell it from its attacks. But
his attacks were nothing compared to the bears.
He turned to his followers and gestured something. At his command,
about 3 Warpine gathered and circled around the body of the deceased
Warpine in which Uchigatana was skewered in.
Zephyr hit a nerve at this sight. They were not giving him a chance to
retrieve his weapon back.
“These damn Warpines sure are cocky,” Zephyr smiled with an annoyed
look.
Two Warpine Raiders charged at him. But Zephyr was quick to dodge. It
was not hard to dodge their attacks once he regained strength. He needs to
figure a solution for this conundrum of fighting without a weapon he is so
familiar with.
Making a retreating sprint, he check his stats.
[Zephyr Barnet : Level 3
Class : ???
Quests Completed : 1
Mana : 50/50
Status : Cursed (1)
Weapon : None
Abilities : 3(Active)]
It is too risky to use [Swift Step] here. The count on his ability tab went
up, meaning he had gained another ability.
[Name - Ripple (Active)
Type - Rare, Basic
Cost - Vitality (Stamina)
Cooldown - 30 Seconds
Level - 1
Description - Disappear into smoke to become ethereal for five seconds
dodging all projectiles. Your speed is increased but you will slowly reveal
yourself after getting nearer to the enemies.]
Zephyr didn’t even waste time to use it. It was a rare ability that would
work insanely in his favor.
[Ripple]
He vanished into a curling wisp of smoke, becoming ethereal. His body
felt lighter and he could see his whole body turning into ghostly white with
a tint of green shade. As his form dispersed, his speed also surged. The
Warpines searched for him in confusion, not knowing where he went. Some
extended their shield and some readied their sharp pointed staffs.
Zephyr slowly sneaked up to where his weapon was on a dead body of
Warpine guarded by three of his comrades. As he get nearer to them he
could feel his form slipping. In careful demeanor, he swiftly pulled out his
Uchigatana. The Warpines realized this and turned back to attack him. But
they were too late.
[Arc Strike]
Zephyr unleashed his offensive ability. The jungle monsters were blown
away by his attacks, losing their composure. And the rest was easy. Utilizing
both [Swift Step] and his swordsmanship, he dealt with them. He could his
attacks becoming even more fluid, more precise and more brutal as he
leveled up. After defeating the twentieth Warpine, he heard a metallic voice
echoed inside his head followed by another.
[ You have completed a quest ‘Against the Odds’ ]
[ You have leveled up! ]
[ Swift Step has leveled up!]
Finally a quest! And [Swift Step] also leveled up.
Just as he was about to check his stats, a seed flew towards his head.
Zephyr tilt his head sideways to dodge it. Instantaneously, two Warpine
Raiders pounced at him. Zephyr easily countered their attacks and finished
them off with a clean vertical cut.
The Warpine Captain, who shot the seed from earlier, only remained.
Holding Uchigatana in one hand, Zephyr slowly walked toward him.
Knowing it couldn’t win against Zephyr in one-on-one, the captain tried to
make a run.
In a blink, the Uchigatana pierced his chest before he could do anything.
Zephyr plunged the blade further into the trunk, killing him.
The battle is finally over. Zephyr check the stats.
[Zephyr Barnet : Level 4
Class : ???
Quests Completed : 2
Mana : 80/80
Status : Cursed (1)
Weapon : Uchigatana
Abilities : 3(Active)]
There is no change rather than his mana. Zephyr quickly check his
quests.
[Completed quests
-Taste of Blood [Reward Unclaimed]
-Against the Odds [Reward Unclaimed]
[You next quest is ???] ]
Zephyr looked at the texts, confused. He haven’t seen the above parts of
his quests before. Every time he check his quests, he only sees [You next
quest is ???].
Then another window popped up.
 [Would you like to claim your reward for the hidden quest ‘Taste of
Blood’?]
That’s what he saw after killing that bloodhound. Eldora explained that
it was completion of this quest that lift his curse. Then how come he didn’t
get its rewards? Why did the screen just appear now?
It is tiring to think about it now.
[Accept] Zephyr muttered.
[ You have gained a new passive ability ‘Taste of Blood’ ]
Then another window popped up.
[Would you like to claim your reward for the class quest ‘Against the
Odds’?]
A class quest! The one he had been waiting for. Now it is evident that he
is making progress in obtaining a class.
[Accept]
[ You have gained a new passive ability ‘Against the Odds’ ]
[Zephyr Barnet : Level 4
Class : ???
Quests Completed : 2
Mana : 80/80
Status : Cursed (1)
Weapon : Uchigatana
Abilities : 3(Active) 2(Passive)]
Now he had five abilities at his arsenal. Before going further into the
forest, he need to be familiar with his new abilities.
[Name - Taste of Blood (Passive)
Type - Legendary, Unique
Cost - None
Cooldown - None
Level - 1
Description - You thirst for blood. With each enemy your weapon strikes,
it drinks deeply, mending your wounds at the cost of deepening your craving.
The more you feed, the more you risk losing yourself.]
A legendary ability?
Zephyr couldn’t believe his eyes. He got a legendary ability and a unique
one at that. If he could claim this earlier, it would be very easy to deal with
the Hellbears. But something about it bugged him. The description is rather
vague compared to his active abilities. It looked like a warning to him. He
had to be careful with it.
Zephyr checked his another passive ability.
[Name - Against the Odds (Passive)
Type - Class, Unique
Cost - None
Cooldown - None
 Level - 1
Description - You are strong when you are alone. When you are not in a
party, the costs of your abilities are reduced. Current bonus 20%]
Hmm…This ability is great for this situation. But if I started working with
other people in the unit, I have to form a party with them. I need to find a
way to use it.
But that comes later. His escapade in this jungle was yet to finish. After
resting for a while, Zephyr continued further into the jungle.
Through his way to inner depth of the jungle, Zephyr noticed the more
he ventured deep, the more mist thickened. He could barely make out
what’s in front of him. Readying his blade in one hand, he was always
sensing for possible threats.
Suddenly, Zephyr looked around and braced the blade in defensive
stance. He heard a rustling sound. Unseen to Zephyr, a pair of yellow
glowing eyes glared him from behind, slowly circling around to strike.
And it pounced.
The wolf-like creature, with a mane like silver flames - leaped with
terrifying ferocity at Zephyr. Although Zephyr was able to hear the sounds
and took out his blade to defend the attack, the wolf’s massive form, a blur
of muscle and wild fury, collided with him. It knocked the air from his lungs
and sent him crashing on the ground. As they tumbled through the damp
ground of the jungle, Zephyr managed to wrestle Uchigatana between them.
The gleaming blade met the beast’s gaping maw, guarding against its bite.
The beast was forcing its bite with intense ferocity. Amidst the struggle,
Zephyr heard a howling and faint footsteps from a distance.
Shit! Another ones are here!
Through the intense struggle, Zephyr managed to kick the wolf away.
The wolf stumbled back. Zephyr stood up quickly to regain his composure.
The wolf snarled at him and regrouped with the two other beast who
arrived at its side. These two beasts look formidable and fearsome but
notably less majestic compared to the first one. They possess a robust build
and fur with more subdued shade. They look smaller than the first beast.
Zephyr concluded that they might be the first wolf’s followers.
Together they raised their head in unison to release a haunting howl.
Upon hearing this eerie melody, Zephyr felt an unfamiliar heaviness that
cloud his senses. Zephyr realized they were using a skill to wear his senses
down.
The wolves once again disappeared into the mist, ready to strike again.
Zephyr was aware of their plan and used [Arc Strike]. But the wolves were
quick to react. Utilizing their nimble bodies and high agility to advantage,
they dodged the curvy wave before lunging at Zephyr.
[Swift Step]
Zephyr had to use it before their attacks hit him and put the skill on 10
seconds cooldown. The wolves then disappeared once again into the mist.
“So, they want to play the stealth game, huh?” Zephyr smirked.
[Ripple]
Zephyr’s body dissipated into smoke, disappearing from his enemies’
sight. He turned invisible once again. In his ethereal form, Zephyr scanned
the surroundings for the wolves. He found them packed together on each
others’ back, looking confused.
[Inspect]
[Name - Alpha Wolf
Level - 25
Type - Normal Jungle Monster
Mana - None
Abilities - 1 (Active) 2 (Passive)]
It was his first time seeing a monster without mana.
So, there were also being like me.
He sneaked up to them. The wolves have the heightened senses. They
will clearly notice his presence as he get closer. He could only finish one of
them. And it is obvious.
Still in ethereal form, Zephyr used [Swift Step]. He swiftly appeared
amidst the wolves. They took notice of Zephyr and tried to attack.
The wolves were fast. But Zephyr was faster. In one swift slash, the
Alpha wolf’s head tumbled into the ground.
The pack leader had died. Zephyr turned to the remaining followers. The
wolves looked at him in horror as series slashes rained down on them.
The wolves died. But Zephyr wanted more. More blood. His mind was
muddled with sudden aggressiveness. He realized it was due to the effect of
his passive ability.
Calm down…Zephyr
Zephyr focused his mind. Gradually, the aggressiveness inside his mind
faded. Taking a deep breath, Zephyr sat down amongst the corpses of the
wolves. He gave a wistful look to two smaller wolves. He killed them in a
brutal way, their bodies were severed into pieces. He was taken over by
bloodlust without even him knowing. He needs to be more careful in the
future. Things would turn ugly if he let his bloodlust take over him easily.
Through the thick veil of mist, Zephyr realized the sun has begun its
descent toward the horizon, transforming the sky into a magnificent canvas
of color. He needed a place to rest for today. Eldora didn’t mention about
how long his expedition would last. He need to rest, he had been fighting
non-stop. Also, he needed to eat. His stomach growled with hunger. Zephyr
looked what’s in front of him.
Yeah, he had to eat the wolves he just killed. He couldn’t bring himself to
eat the two wolves he brutally murdered out of bloodlust. He decided he will
just take the body of Alpha Wolf. He carried the heavy body on his shoulder
and searched for a place to rest.
He didn’t have to search for long. There was an ideal place - a tranquil
clearing nestled by a gentle steam. It is shaded by towering tress draped
with hanging moss. The ground is also carpeted with a thick layer of fallen
leaves, providing a natural cushion for him. There was even a small boulder
with the shades of earthly browns and subtle gray, that he could lean on.
Zephyr rested his back on the boulder and sat down. Although his
wounds were healed, his whole body ached with tiredness. Zephyr needed a
moment of rest before venturing further. He didn’t know how long would
this test would last.
Resting his head on the boulder, he felt like his about to doze off. The
surface of this boulder is not sturdy and robust as one might think. It felt
softer, almost like a mud. Zephyr vision slowly become blurry as tiredness
catching up to him. Just when he is about to doze off, he felt sensation of
something moving.
Zephyr snapped his eyes opened and looked at that direction. The
boulder he had been resting is shaking up. Terrible realization came down
on him. He quickly retreated back as the rock began to stir.
Slowly, with a grinding sound of earth against earth, the stone’s form
shifted. The rock, with the hues of brown and gray, cracks along unseen
seams. These fissures widen, revealing more complex structure beneath.
Limbs that once melded seamlessly with its stony body extended. As it
slowly rose, it features become more distinct - broad shoulders, a powerful
torso and a head with the eyes, if it has them, might seem to glint with an
inner light.
[Inspect] Zephyr glanced at the creature.
[Name - Mud Golem
Level - 20
Type - Normal Jungle Monster
Mana - 200/200
Abilities - 1 (Active) 1 (Passive)]
Zephyr let out an annoyed sigh. He couldn’t seem to catch a break. But
this one is weak compared to the one he had faced before. It should be easy
to deal with.
Without any further action, the golem hurled a boulder at him. Zephyr
already saw what he was about to do and dodged the boulder. Zephyr
quickly blinked near golem’s chest using [Swift Step] and performed a quick
and strong vertical slash. The golem’s body was halved in two in swift
manner. The golem’s massive form crumbles to the ground.
The battle should have been over. Instead, from the rubble of the fallen
titan, two smaller entities began to take shape. The remnants fused, slowly,
each cluster growing and molding into a new form. The two new golems
rose with different characteristics compared to their predecessor. They
possessed a rugged exterior. The reason being their bodies composed of
denser, more compact fragments of original golem.
Zephyr charged at them, intending to finish them before they could take
a full form.
But something is wrong.
Thicker mist enveloped the jungle, as an eerie stillness fell over the
battlefield. Zephyr nervously looked around. The golems were not there,
likely concealed by the veil of thick fog.
Then it happened. Zephyr heard a sound. A sound of someone wailing. An
unsettling sound, that make him want to vomit on spot. The sound
continued incessantly. Zephyr braced his blade and tried to remained calm
and composed. Something circled around him. Something white. Something
cold.
Then a figure emerged from the fog. A ghost-like creature glided toward
Zephyr with a silent chilling grace, its form shimmered with frosty blue
light. The ghost extended its ghostly hands and unleashed a barrage of frost
attacks. Ice crystallized in the air, traveling toward Zephyr. Blocking,
Zephyr feel the icy sensation of the frost attacks.
Amidst the thick fog, Zephyr, who was busy dealing with the attacks
from the ghost, didn’t realize another creature sneaking up on him. Cloaked
in the shroud of darkness, a fell spirit floated near Zephyr with ghastly
menace.
The spirit raised his spectral arms and wrapped them around Zephyr’s
head. Zephyr’s vision become twisted with nightmarish blur. The edges of
his sight frayed, throwing his mind into a terrifying darkness accompanied
with distorted visions. Scenes flickered before Zephyr like frames on film
reel.
A katana met a pair of scythes in vicious clash, each strike scattering
dark force into the air.
A village engulfed in blue flames, the ghostly azure fire ravaging and
consuming everything in path.
Two orbs, green and dark red, slowly drifting each other in tranquil
ballet, before merging into one.
Finally, a figure shrouded in the darkness, beckoning him to come closer.
Emotions muddled inside Zephyr. Sadness. Despair. Fear. Disgust. But,
beside all of these, one remained strong. Strong enough to rule over all of
them.
An Anger. A fuming anger.
Zephyr’s body shook. Not from the cold. Not from the fear.
But from anger.
Enraged, Zephyr swung the blade, unleashing [Arc strike]. His vision
slowly became clearer and returned to normal. The mist around him had
vanished, along with the two mysterious creatures that attacked him. What
happened to them? Did he kill them?
Slowly regaining composure, Zephyr carefully looked around, only to see
two shard golems. From the expressions of their eyes, one could say that
they were terrified. They run. But the blade was faster. Uchigatana moved
in swift motion, slicing both of them.
Zephyr stared blankly at the remnants of the golems. Growing anger
inside him had subsided. Like it was nothing. Running his hand through his
silver hair, he wondered. Just what is happening to him. He wasn’t in the
right mind. Was it because of the jungle? He didn’t need to rest. He needed
to hunt.
Zephyr noticed three shadows casted over him through the dim light of
setting sun. Under the skies, three harpies poised themselves above him.
The one in the middle let out a screech that split the air. Her wings, wide
and imposing, beat with the rhythm of thunder. Beside is what looked like
scouts, two of them. Smaller yet agile, they echoed the leader’s cry with a
high keen screech of its own. Their movements are quick and jittery, darting
back and forth as they surveyed the area. The scouts’ lean form and
twitching wings suggested at their readiness to dive a moment’s notice.
The harpy leader flapped her wings, charging energy from the
surrounding atmosphere. She summoned the lightening to her with a
piercing shriek. A bolt streaked through the skies - a brilliant, blinding flash
raw of energy - homing in on Zephyr.
Zephyr effortlessly rolled away from the point of impact. The ground
was scorched with the sizzle of the remnants. At their leader’s command,
scouts harpies dove at him through the sky, only to be met with the quick
cuts that killed them.
Zephyr saw the harpy leader channeling to cast another lightning. He
unleashed [Arc Strike] at it. Too slow to react, the harpy met her end at
Zephyr’s offensive ability. He turned his back on the dead bodies. They were
weak ones, the basic jungle monsters.
Uchigatana in hand, Zephyr ventured deep. The sun is setting and
darkness is creeping in. His body clearly needed a rest. However, his blade,
his mind, yearned for more. More battles. More blood.
Moving forward, Zephyr encountered another Warpines army, disguising
as trees. This time, he had [Ripple] up his sleeve. He sneaked up on them in
stealth. Unaware of it, the Warpines were dispersed with [Arc Strike]. Once
they scattered, the rest was easy. Using [Swift Step] combined with his
nimble agility, Zephyr finished them, one-by-one. Isolated, the raiders
proved far less formidable then when they stood united.
[ You have leveled up! ]
[ Arc Strike has leveled up! ]
He had leveled up again. He noticed that after getting [Ripple], he hadn’t
gained any more abilities. Instead his abilities leveled up. First, it was
[Swift Step], now it was [Arc Strike].
Zephyr check his stats for possible changes.
[Zephyr Barnet : Level 5
Class : ???
Quests Completed : 2
Mana : 100/100
Status : Cursed (1)
Weapon : Uchigatana
Abilities : 3(Active) 2(Passive)]
Rather than his level and mana, there was no change. Zephyr looked up
at the sky. Soon, there would be only be darkness. Zephyr roamed around
the jungle, a faint moonlight glowing upon him. The sun had finally set.
Zephyr braced himself for any dangers to come. But the Mist Jungle
maintained its unusual eerie stillness. There was no danger, no monster
that lunged at him at night, there were no monsters waiting for him to
ambush. Just him and of course, the mist.
Proceeding further, Zephyr felt an odd feeling. A sense of deja vu. He felt
like he had been to this place before. His body collided with something and
Zephyr quickly get into battle stance. It was something soft and the foul
stench came from it.
The glowing moonlight slowly illuminated the scene, revealing the
lifeless form of orange hellbear. Its beheaded massive body lay sprawled
among the underbrush, the moonlight tracing the contours of its thick fur
and the haunting stillness of its once formidable frame.
Puzzled with uncertainties, Zephyr looked around. It was no doubt the
first place where he battled the orange hellbear. Did he made his way back
to the entrance? Or is the jungle playing tricks on him? At the same time, he
was relieved. It must mean that, he could rest and refill energy at that
verdant pool. Though his mind had been going strong, it was evident that
his body is acting up. More of less, he needed to rest.
As he approached the pool, a vast shadow swept across the moonlit path,
plunging him into sudden darkness. At the same time, a powerful gust of
wind rushed through the forest, stirred by the sudden impact of shadow.
Under the spectral glow of moonlight, an immense creature loomed over
Zephyr. It has massive wings, tattered and veined, spreading wide against
the pale light. It casted an expansive shadow that enveloped the ground
below. Scales, glossy and obsidian-like, shimmered with darkness as it
snaked its serpentine neck forward, baring its teeth in a silent growl. The
dragon’s eyes, deep-set and glowing with a malevolent red light, fixed
intently on Zephyr. The quietness enveloped the night, only broken by the
soft hustle of its wing and occasional snap of its tail.
Zephyr looked at the dragon. Normally, he would be terrified. But right
now, he was thrilled. Thrilled that he could face such monster. The dragon
dove at him without a moment of time wasted, its massive rushing across
the jungle. Zephyr ducked the attack and slit the dragon’s hide.
But its armor was robust and thick. A metallic clang ranged in air. The
dragon once again rose into the skies and circled high above. With a deep
growl, the black dragon inhaled sharply and with a fierce roar that echoed
across the landscape, the dragon hurled a massive fireball. The inferno
surged from its maw, a swirling mass of flames that streaked across the sky
like a meteor. As the fire ball descended, the night is illuminated the night
with blazing intensity. With thunderous impact, the fire ball hit the ground
near Zephyr. The explosion sent a shockwave rippling through the air and
ignited the surrounding area. Flame leaped up and spread rapidly, creating
a ring of fire that trapped Zephyr. Zephyr leaped from the spot using [Swift
Step], and casted [Arc Strike]. The wave traveled to dragon and hit the its
wing. The dragon roared in pain and casted series of fireball at Zephyr. A
barrage of fireballs rained down on him.
Using [Ripple], Zephyr sprinted through the field, trying to dodge all the
meteors that would turn him into ash in an instant. He was thinking of a
way to finish the dragon.
[Name - Black Dragon
Level - 50
Type - Ancient Jungle Monster
Mana - 500/1000
Abilities - 1 (Active) 1 (Passive)]
It was an ancient monster. Although, he had an advantage in speed and
dodge those fireball right now, Zephyr knew it would only be a matter of
time before the fire balls filled the whole field. He is already trapped and
[Swift Step] is still on cooldown. He needed to think of a plan in the ten
second duration of [Ripple]. Zephyr hopefully looked for the healing pool,
nowhere to be seen.
Noticing Zephyr disappearance, the dragon once again descended to the
ground. It lowered it head, sniffing the air. Then it suddenly turned to
Zephyr’s direction and hurled another fireball.
“What the fu-” Zephyr exclaimed. As the dragon got closer, his ethereal
form was dispelled, returning him to his normal form. The fireball traveled
at him at astonishing speed. Zephyr couldn’t evade it completely. The
remnants of fiery blast caught on his tunic, setting alight. Flames licked at
his skin, scorching his flesh. He felt the searing pain of the fire. But he
didn’t have time to stop.
Ignoring the scorching pain that seared his body, Zephyr took a deadly
risk and lunged toward the dragon. His Uchigatana once again met the
dragon’s hide. The blade was unable to penetrate the dense, armored scales.
Frustration mounted as he realized the hide was too sturdy to slash through
the mere force.
 Dragon hissed at Zephyr furiously, thrusting its head up to inspect him.
He took this chance to quickly assess the creature’s anatomy for a
vulnerability. The dragon’s hide, black and impenetrable, shielded almost
every part of its massive body. However, he noticed a less guarded area - its
neck and abdomen, where the scales seemed slightly softer and less densely
layered.
Seeing his chance, Zephyr quickly stabbed the blade toward the dragon’s
neck. Even the neck, the soft part of its body felt like a stone. But it is softer
compared to other parts. The Dragon roared in anger and shook its head
from side to side, trying to shake Zephyr off. Zephyr’s body burned with the
terrible pain from before. The world started spinning about him. Zephyr’s
swung his head, trying shake off the dizziness.
Not now!
The dragon took its flight and soared into the sky. Zephyr held onto his
blade, skewered to the dragon’s neck. As his another hand held onto the
dragon’s skin, the rough, scaled hide threatened to tear his nails. Blood
seeped from Zephyr’s hand. He drove the blade further into the neck,
garnering all of his strength, but to no avail.
Zephyr’s plan didn’t work. But he couldn’t just give up. If he couldn’t
drive the blade further to penetrate, he would swung it sideways to slash its
neck. The dragon thrashed its head violently in pain, to shake Zephyr off.
Slowly increasing strength, Zephyr swung blade, also casting [Arc Strike] in
the process.
Just die you black lizard!
It happened in an instant. The bending wave traveled across the
monster’s neck, severing its head. The black dragon couldn’t even let out its
final scream.
[ You have leveled up! ]
[ You have gained an ultimate ability! ]
The black dragon had died finally. The head fell onto the ground,
followed by its body. With that, Zephyr also fell. His body was in pain. He
found himself too drained to muster any effort to break his fall. His limbs,
heavy and unresponsive from the relentless battles, offered no aid as he
slowly descended to the ground.
In the end, he couldn’t fulfill the promise he made.
“I am sorry, Cass.”
Zephyr closed his eyes.