Chapter 153: Frozen

Chapter 153: Frozen

The dagger was poisoned because, of course, it was, and I already feel it affecting my mana. Just barely over 3 minutes in. But that much is fine; it's nothing unexpected.

The problem is that I can't perceive the little green monster that. I don't feel its movement, I don't feel its position or mana no matter how much I try.

So, I do the smart thing.

I let the small green jerk stab me again.

As the dagger pierces my side, I clench my muscles to hold the dagger inside the wound and boost my body to the point where I feel I'm about to tear my muscles.

The small hand lets go of the dagger, jumps backwards, and disappears, even though the [Resonance] covers the entire area and [Redistribution] tries to slow his movement.

To calm myself, I enter a deeper [Focus] and pull out the dagger from my wound.

Venomstrike Mana Dagger (rare) - a short obsidian dagger with a sharp edge. Upon injury, the target experiences mana drain due to a poison effect. Use with caution - dangerous to magic users.

I infuse the dagger with my mana, without thinking, I combine it with [Resonance], and a transparent blade made of mana emanates from the dagger, soon turning from blue to black with glowing red lines reminding me of mana circuits.

[Resonance - lvl 12 > Resonance - lvl 13]

Then the forest far away explodes, and a giant monster takes another step towards me. It's easily as big as an Undead Deer or Undead Bear. This Cinderbear doesn't feel like it barely stepped into two question marks, a bit over level 150. It feels much stronger, closer to level 200.

My side bleeds, and part of my [Focus] continues to control my mana, which is getting harder and harder to manage.

So, I put some distance between us.

I push myself away just in time, and the heatwave sets ablaze the massive area around the bear.

Even as I'm absorbing as much as I can and using it to run away faster, I feel it follow me for a long time.

I continue to stab the dagger into the neck of the smaller Cinderbear, and while doing so, I continue to absorb all the heat the monster generates.

There's no armor around my body, only pieces of mana that are wrapped around two wounds left behind by the Phantom Goblin. The wounds are healing slower than usual.

My clothes are charred and burned in places, and I'm already getting covered in the blood of the monster. I continue to kill while running away from the giant Cinderbear that burns the entire forest as it moves towards me.

Every useless thought leaves my mind, and there's only pure focus on survival and killing.Ñ00v€l--ß1n hosted the premiere release of this chapter.

I move like a wild animal when another invisible stab is aimed at me, this time I feel it. I track the movement of the air close to me, something barely noticeable even in the deep focus I am in.

Yet, I notice it, and before the monster can stab me, I catch its wrist.

I've got you.

The monster cuts off its hand and disappears, and I'm left with a piece of its body in my hand.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 136]

I realize it's not the first one that attacked me, the one that sacrificed its hand to escape.

Another leaf on a tree flutters unnaturally given the wind. I kick the corpse of the goblin I just killed, and it collides with another invisible one approaching me. Before the monster recovers from the surprise, I'm in front of it. My dagger penetrates the top of its skull, embedding itself in its brain.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 142]

I twist the dagger and slash again, cleaving both corpses in two.

Then I [Focus] even more, attuning myself to every sound, every vibration.

The laughter has ceased.

"What happened? It's not funny anymore?" I straighten and step towards a tree. "Go on, laugh." I swing my dagger, and the phantom goblin charging from the right collapses, lifeless and decapitated.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 132]

My mana stretches into the distance, drawing in all available heat. Notifications bombard my mind as I siphon warmth from the surrounding air. Soon, my breath mists in the chill.

I hurl a mana projectile where I detect goblins' breath. It cuts through the monster and its halves tumbling to the ground.

I won't let you hunt me as that one phantom goblin did on the first floor. I refuse to be a prey and listen to your giggle.

Improving efficiency, I pour more mana into my skill, absorbing the area's thermal energy. The surroundings grows colder. Frost decorates leaves, grass, and bark. Each footstep echoes eerily on the frosted terrain.

Yet, no monster dares to approach. No frost is created on another body No warm breath becomes visible in the cold air.

I exert more power, and even I begin to feel the chill but push it aside.

In the end, I stop and turn around. The last phantom goblin stands behind me, nearly touching me. Its body is covered in frost, frozen solid, it's the same one whose arm I severed.

"Oh, I believe this one's yours," I taunt, showing it the dagger and only the goblin's eyes move.

I drive the blade into its heart. The frozen creature shatters upon impact with the ground. Then I stomp on its frozen head, reducing it to icy shards.

I cast one last glance at the remains and turn myself towards the four presences advancing on me. A massive wave of fire hurtles towards me, thawing the frost and igniting the land.

Drawing on that heat, I boost my defenses as new enemies emerge.

[Goblin Shaman - lvl ??]

[Goblin Shaman - lvl 149]

[Goblin Warrior - lvl ??]

[Goblin Warrior - lvl 141]