"Move away, you mongrel!"
Aengus barely registered the voice before he felt the force. The young man beside the Fire Dragon King had attacked him—not just pushed, but with enough intent to end his life.
Thanks to his quick reflexes, Aengus managed to evade the powerful blow, but the force still shoved him through the gate.
His chance to speak with Aria had been shattered by that Dragon Prince.
---
In the blink of an eye, Aengus found himself standing in a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and rocky boulders. The environment was thick with the scent of nature, and the vegetation seemed untouched by human hands.
He surveyed the area but found no-one near in his vision range. That meant he was all alone. But, that didn't deter him at the slightest.
His gaze fell on the boulder-shaped rocks humming with a faint magical glow on their surfaces. They seemed to pulse with hidden energy, suggesting something valuable inside. Any greedy man would have tried break it as soon as possible.
With a knowing glance, Aengus activated his Appraisal skill. His eyes glowed momentarily, and their information entered his mind.
Then, Aengus approached one of the rocky boulders, acting as naturally as possible. But, his blade behind him was ready to strike.
Swish!
Instantly, the rock knoll came to life, opening its gaping mouth as if trying to swallow Aengus whole.
"Slice!"
Aengus swung his blade, slicing cleanly through the monster's midsection, as though cutting through butter.
[ Appraisal ]
[ Rock Knoll ]
[ Rank: D ]
[ Abilities:
1. Camouflage
2. Stone Skin
With sharpened claws, he met the serpent's massive, gaping mouth head-on.
Boom! Splash!
The serpent's head was shattered into pieces, causing the water to momentarily part, allowing air to rush in. The gap quickly closed again, leaving Aengus with the creature's body.
Without wasting any time, He used Skill Absorption on the Water Serpent.
[ You have gained the passive skill: Water Breathing (C) ]
He needed the skill to remained submerged freely in the water. He didn't absorb anything else, considering the fragile state of his soul.
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A passive skill wouldn't affect him too much, as it's usually linked more to the body than the soul.
As Aengus resumed his swim, he spotted another Water Serpent approaching. This time, instead of engaging it directly, he used Darkness King's Authority to influence the creature, taking control over its mind.
Under his command, the serpent turned and swam away, creating a distraction to lure the attention of the other water monsters. Moments later, Aengus could hear muffled roars, growls, and hissing sounds beneath the water, indicating the chaos he had orchestrated.
After diving for another 20 minutes, Aengus finally broke the water's surface and spotted land ahead.
In mere seconds, he was standing on the shore, glancing back at the long distance he had crossed, the dangerous water monsters and menacing fish still lurking beneath the surface.
Aengus moved through the dense jungle of towering trees, and dense grassy land.
"Hey, leave us alone! We got it first!"
A piercing scream stopped Aengus in his tracks.
Up ahead, he saw a noble-looking girl and her teammate standing against a young man with a vicious scar on his face. The tension between them was palpable.
"Fu*k, are you going to give it up or not? Don't think I won't kill you both. You're barely D-Rank, and you two b**ches have the guts to challenge me?" he sneered arrogantly.
The first girl, holding a glowing white orb, glared at him. "Hmph, we are two, but you're alone. Don't think you'll get away without consequences. Once we're outside, my father will make sure to have his revenge. So, back off lowlife!"
The young man's grin widened, revealing his twisted intentions. "Fuk your background! I don't give a damn about your father. I'll fu*k you both and then kill you, and no one will ever find out."
With a swift motion, he pulled out a small vial of pink liquid and smashed it into his hand.
"Haha... Where will you go now?" he laughed with a perverted smile and malice. "I'll fu*k you two to death."