«You have slain a Grade Five mana beast! +100Exp!»
“That’s the seventieth we’ve dealt with.” Damien’s voice filled the forest space around him as he stood side by side with his summons. They’d once again changed location. Having finished dealing with the Swamp Crocodiles, they’d left the swamp area to hunt for more mana beasts.
Fenrir growled slowly and Damien turned to the wolf. “I know, I know. You guys are slowing down because of me but it’s also worth it.” Damien groaned under the complaint of his summon.
He’d just slayed his seventieth Grade Five mana beast which had given him a total of seven thousand Exp points for his growth.
This had managed to bring him about six levels higher to Level 33 which was another boost in his power levels. He could feel himself getting stronger not just in theory.
He’d put it to practice and it was really true.
“I don’t know why the demons have suddenly become scarce but it happened ever since that earthquake that made these crazy bastards chase me last time.” Damien murmured lazily. “Ugh, now we have to wait for Cerbe to finish eating before we move.”
Damien looked for a moment and then shook his head. “Or not.” He added with a subtle smile.
“Hey, Fenrir, let’s go hunting while Cerbe eats.” Damien didn’t wait for a response as he knew what Fenrir’s response would be.
As he walked into the distance, leaving Cerbe to deal with its meal alone and probably protect itself from other beasts as well, he cleaned his bloodied bone sword on a large tree leaf.
“Join us when you’re done.” Damien left one final command with Ceebe before leaving.
The beast was sure to know where he was located as they were about to go fight. A battle was sure to draw attention consciously or unconsciously.
After walking for a distance, Damien finally decides not to walk again and mounts Fenrir, the beast immediately speeding through the forest as it understood its mission. It was supposed to carry its summoner toward the location for the next hunt.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Fenrir’s footsteps echoed through the forest as it continued the path toward the East as they’d done.
The further east the went during the past few days of their hunting, the stronger the mana beasts they encountered and Damien seemed to like it. Damien had encountered over half of of his total Grade Five mana beasts from their current location and even more than that was the fact that the Grade Six mana beasts outnumbered the Grade Seven around.
Damien, with a proud smile, was pulled to a stop in front to a towering tree. Fenrir seemed to have sensed something past the tree and so it removed to move forward then and there.
Ding!
«You have received a new mission: Survive!»
«Reward: +30 capacity for Magic Essence, +2 on all stats, +1200 Exp»
Damien dismissed the panel almost immediately. He’d read what was on it and now: he needed to know what he was surviving.
Damien had learnt one thing from experience with the system’s missions. They were always related to his survival.
He’d only ever received missions when he was caught up in a situation that could either reward him greatly or kill him. Hence the name of his missions: Survive!
Damien sat atop his wolf, his eyes scanning the area for any anomaly. The only thing he could see were trees. Tall eerie looking trees.
It was quiet but the atmosphere felt heavy for a reason. For a moment, a chill ran down Damien’s spine as he felt the gaze of multiple eyes on him but scarily, he couldn’t see these eyes.
Then the first sign took place.
Snap!
It was a tree branch.
Snap!
Crack!
Another tree branch snapped and cracked. Damien traced the source with both eyes and ears, his eyes identifying it in seconds. It was the tree in front of him.
Damien first thought he’d heard wrongly but then he heard another more eerie sound.
Kakakaka…
Kaka…
Ka!
Fenrir took measured steps back as it heard the sound that sounded like something being twisted.
Ka!
Swooooosh!!
Booom!
In one swift moment, a vine as thick as Damien’s hand lashed toward him from nowhere. Its speed was unnatural, the vine arriving in front of him before he could blink.
“Damn it!” Damien pulled back atop Fenrir, bending backward just in time for the vine to whip past his head.
Booom!
The vine slammed into the trunk of another tree creating an explosive sound.
Kreeeeee!!
A wild screech tore through the forest, the sound almost making Damien’s wars bleed from its frequency.
Kreeeeee!
Another screech echoed in the forest as one by one, the trees around him began to screech horribly.
He covered his ears with his hand as he realised where he’d found himself.
Snap!
Crewaaakk…
One by one, these trees began to detach their roots from the ground. They were readying themselves to attack and Damie could tell.
He’d counted the currently moving trees and there were about three dozen of them. This number of moving trees wasn’t something Damien could face.
Hell! Even a dozen of these things were too much for him currently. Having Fenrir wasn’t going to help the situation in any way.
They were greatly outnumbered. Two to thirty-six. ’If we remain here, we’ll be killed.’ Damien thought as he spotted another tree pulling itself out of the ground.
’I never thought I’d see them this early. Tree demons! Uncle Osbourne has always warned us not to engage them unless we were sure of victory.’ Damien spotted two more trees joining his earlier count and he shook his head. ’I definitely won’t live to leave here if I wait any longer!’
“Fenrir, run!” damien did not hesitate to yell out a retreat command to his summon.
In a single moment, the wolf bolted away, neithe it or its rider looking back.
Swooosh!
Damien could hear the sound of something speeding through the air, heading for him but he dared not look back.
It was then something rang in his mind. These were demons. Tree demons. Trees!