Venturing past the first region of the Verdant Deepwood, Val found himself crossing the threshold into the second region. 𝑂𝓋𝐥xt.𝑐𝗈𝑚
Here, the vegetation seemed even denser, the silence more profound. A sense of danger permeated the air, heavy and intimidating.
This was the realm of stronger beasts – those that ranged from level 11 to 30.
The second region of the Verdant Deepwood was much more dangerous than the first. Here, the threats were stronger and more deadly, comparable to a group of level 2 to 3 bloodline users. It was a perilous place, especially for level 1 bloodline users like Eliana. Even those who were revered priests or priestesses would find it challenging to survive in this environment.
Val knew that even with his help and protection, the chances of Eliana getting hurt or even losing her life in this region were extremely high. He couldn’t risk that. He didn’t want to lose her as he saw her as a beneficial tool and he also found her appealing – she was his type of woman. This was why he had insisted on her returning to the safety of the station.
‘In this dangerous part of the forest, only someone like me can navigate without fear.’
The Icefang Lynx, his target, was a beast with a power level ranging between 18 to 30. This meant that it resided somewhere in this region. Val roamed the region in search of it.
Not three minutes had passed since Val ventured into the dangerous second region of the Verdant Deepwood when an uncanny sensation tingled at his back. It felt as though an icy gust of wind had managed to pierce through his clothing and brush his bare skin, immediately causing him to raise his guard.
“Trouble has come looking for me,” was the immediate warning his instincts fired off.
With a swift, fluid motion, he spun around and saw a glint of frosty radiance that shot forth from a nearby shrub. At the sight of it, his senses heightened, and a pulse of adrenaline coursed through his veins, causing time to seemingly dilate around him. As a result, his eyes clearly traced the path of the incoming assault.
Whoosh!
The radiant spear of frost cut through the air like a deathly arrow loosed from the bow of a master archer, hurtling towards him with ruthless speed.
Val responded to this peril by tapping into the power of his Whitemore Bloodline. As a result, a surge of power flooded his being, each of his stats increasing by an impressive amount.
[Titan’s Reinforcement has been activated! Your strength, agility, and stamina have increased to 30, 30, and 30.4 points respectively!]
At the same time, he summoned his cursed weapon. The cursed sword was taken out of his pocket dimension, and it manifested within his grip faster than a hawk swooping onto its prey.
[You’ve equipped Aquarius. It has boosted your strength to 34 points and your reflexes to 23 points!]
Reflecting the light of the sun, the cursed sword in Val’s hand shone like a lethal instrument of destruction, ready to bite into anything that threatened its wielder.
Just as the icy spear was about to make contact, Val’s sword swept up in a wide arc.
Clang!
There was a sharp clang, like the sound of a bell being struck, as metal met ice. The spear of frost shattered into countless shards that scattered in all directions, tinkling as they fell on the forest floor. The force of the impact sent a shockwave up Val’s arm, rattling his bones like an earthquake. Despite this, his grip on his sword remained ironclad, his determination unwavering, his stance resolute. He bore the impact like a man, never setting his sword free from his grip even though the skin of the hand he was using to hold the sword cracked, blood leaking out of those cracks.
His determination was unwavering and his stance was clean. In a dangerous situation like this, where he was up against a powerful enemy, he preferred getting injured to losing his only cursed weapon!
Whipping around to face the direction from which the attack had come, he saw a shadowy figure slowly emerging from the cover of the trees.
A beast of breathtaking beauty and clear, raw power emerged from the shadows. Its body, sleek and lithe, moved with a predatory grace that was entrancing. Covered in icy blue fur that glowed faintly in the filtered light of the forest, it shone like a treasure hoard of gleaming sapphires. The creature’s underbelly and muzzle sported white fur, as pristine as untouched snow, contrasting with the vibrant blue. Its most striking features were two elongated fangs that protruded from its upper jaw, razor-sharp and glinting deadly cold.
An intricate pattern was etched into the creature’s icy-blue fur, resembling a crown decorated with many distinct points. It was a unique trait inherent to the Icefang Lynxes; the number of points on their crown indicated their power level. This Icefang Lynx before him bore a crown adorned with 28 sharp points, meaning it was a level 28 beast!
The Icefang Lynx locked its gaze onto Val, and its eyes glowed with an intimidating light. Immediately, it crouched low, its muscles coiling like springs. Val recognised this posture – it was preparing for a powerful leap. Val immediately activated his Blood Devil bloodline skill: Blood Rush.
Suddenly, his heart pulsed with a surge of intense energy. His muscles tightened, his senses heightened, and his agility doubled, soaring to an impressive sixty points. The world around him seemed to slow down.
“Show me what you’ve got, Icefang Lynx!” Val challenged, his voice echoing in the silent woods.
The next moment, the lynx sprung into action. It launched itself at him with such immense speed that its form blurred into an almost indistinguishable streak. The distance that separated them vanished in the blink of an eye, and before he knew it, the lynx’s gaping maw was mere inches away from him.
But Val remained unfazed. Although he was but a hair’s breadth away from death, there was not a hint of panic in his eyes.