《Reborn: Earth Online》


 Chapter 1: Do you believe in second chances?

    Chapter 1: Do you believe in second chances?


    "The swine you asked for is here."


    A loud voice rumbled along with a profound aura and Kaden shivered awake, his eyes snapping open in horror. It looked like it was his turn again and he already knew what was awaiting him.


    But as his vision cleared up and his senses somewhat stabilized, he realized that everything was off. He was not in the urine stench filled prison cell anymore. He was somewhere else. He looked around craning his head, only to have a bucket of freezing cold water splashed on his head.


    Kaden sputtered as the icy water shocked his system, jolting him fully awake. Blinking rapidly, he tried to take in his surroundings. Instead of the grimy walls of his prison cell, he found himself kneeling on a cold, marble floor. The room was expansive, lit by torches that cast flickering shadows on ornate pillars adorned with intricate carvings.


    "The swine''s finally awake," the gruff voice spoke again.


    Looking up, Kaden saw a towering figure clad in armor, a stern expression etched on his face. Behind the armored man stood others¡ªguards by the looks of them¡ªall eyeing Kaden with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.


    "Where am I?" Kaden managed to croak out, his throat dry and voice hoarse.


    The next second, a heavy foot landed on the side of his head, sending him sprawling onto the cold stone floor. Pain shot through his skull, but he bit back a cry. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as he tried to push himself up.


    "Who said you could talk?" the guard snarled, his eyes cold beneath the shadow of his helmet.


    Kaden clenched his fists, forcing himself to remain calm. Anger wouldn''t help him now. It hadn''t helped him in the last several years. Was it ten years now? He had already lost count of the days. He looked up to see the towering figure glaring down at him, flanked by several other guards who watched with disdain.


    "Get him on his feet," another guard ordered. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two sets of hands grabbed Kaden roughly, hauling him upright. His vision blurred for a moment before focusing on his surroundings. He was in a grand hall with high ceilings and marble columns¡ªnothing like the dingy prison cell he had been in moments before.


    "Move," the first guard barked, pushing him forward.


    As they marched him down the long aisle, Kaden''s mind raced. What new hell was waiting for him today?


    His fists clenched tightly as he was forced down the long aisle, the cold marble beneath his feet echoing with each reluctant step. The grandeur of the hall did nothing to mask the dread settling in his stomach. Soon he could see an ornate throne in the distance, seated upon which a man in a luxurious robe.


    Kaden''s body involuntarily trembled at the sight of the mad grandmaster. He had seen this man only once before, but that encounter had left an indelible mark on his soul. The mad grandmaster¡ªthe architect of his decade-long torment¡ªsat regally upon the throne, a facade of calm masking the malevolence that lurked beneath.


    Memories surged: a decade of suffering, being chained to prison walls like an animal, subjected to relentless experiments and tormenting poisons. The weight of those years pressed down on him. His blood boiled in anger and resentment.


    As he was forced to his knees before the dais, the mad grandmaster''s cold eyes met his own. "What''s so special about you?" he sneered, his voice echoing through the grand hall. The next second an invisible force yanked him off the floor and immense pressure assaulted him.


    Kaden''s breath caught as the invisible force lifted him off the floor, crushing down on his chest and limbs with unbearable pressure. He felt as if he were being squeezed by a giant fist, every muscle straining, his lungs struggling for air. The mad grandmaster''s eyes gleamed with malicious curiosity as he observed Kaden suspended in mid-air.


    "Well?" the grandmaster sneered. "What makes you so special that a God is interested in you?"


    Kaden gritted his teeth, pain searing through his body. The grandmaster''s lips curled into a cold smile. "There''s something different about you, and I will uncover it." He intensified the pressure, and Kaden felt as though his bones might shatter. The agony was overwhelming, and the grandmaster showed no signs of relenting.


    The only mercy was that he lost his consciousness. When he stirred awake again, he was slumped on the ground with runes lighting up all around him. "This is¡­" Kaden blurted out at the familiar sight of the circular pattern.


    "A teleportation circle?" His voice trailed off as he tried to comprehend his situation. The glowing runes beneath him pulsed with energy, and before he could react, the circle activated. A brilliant light enveloped him, and the world around him dissolved into a swirl of colors.


    When the light faded, Kaden found himself standing in a serene meadow bathed in warm sunlight. Gentle hills rolled into the distance, dotted with wildflowers that swayed in a soft breeze. The oppressive atmosphere of the grand hall was replaced by a tranquil calm. "Where am I now?" he whispered to himself, bewildered.


    "You''re safe here," a gentle voice answered from behind.


    Kaden spun around to see an old man with kind eyes and silver hair approaching him. He wore simple robes and carried a staff adorned with a single large crystal. "Who are you?" he asked cautiously.


    The old man smiled warmly. "Do you believe in second chances?"


    Kaden was confused. Instead of answering him, the old man continued, "You have endured much hardship, more than anyone should bear. Do you wish to endure it all once again? Do you want to go back to the beginning?"


    Kaden stared blankly. His drug-addled brain couldn''t make sense of anything. Second chance? Beginning? What was this guy talking about?


    The old man laughed and this time he did not wait for a response. A lamp appeared on his hand and with a flick of his hand, the small ember inside the lamp fizzled out. The next second, Kaden''s vision darkened.


    Unimaginable pain surged through Kaden''s body, a searing agony that felt as if his very soul was being torn apart. "Karma has been sowed." A voice rang in his ears. He wanted to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. Just when he thought he could endure no more, the pain abruptly ceased. He gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest.


    As his vision slowly returned, he realized he was no longer in the meadow. Instead, he found himself lying on a simple bed in a modest room. Sunlight streamed through a small window, casting warm rays across his face.


    Kaden sat up abruptly, his mind reeling. He recognized this place¡ªhis old room in his family''s condo. But how? This was impossible.


    Footsteps approached the door. It swung open, and a young woman peeked inside. "Kaden? You''re finally awake!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with relief.

 Chapter 2: Back again

    Chapter 2: Back again


    "Alyssa?" Kaden whispered, his voice barely audible. It was his younger sister, looking just as she had ten years ago¡ªbefore everything fell apart.


    She laughed softly. "Who else would it be? You''ve been sleeping like the dead. Come on, breakfast is ready. Mom and Dad are waiting." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could respond, she darted back down the hallway, leaving the door ajar. Kaden swung his legs over the side of the bed, his mind racing. Did that man give him a new drug?


    Was he dreaming? He glanced down at his hands, half-expecting to see the scars from years of torment, but his skin was unblemished.


    He stood unsteadily, crossing the room to look at himself in a small, cracked mirror hanging on the wall. Staring back at him was his younger self¡ªno signs of the hardships he''d endured, only the face of a man in his early twenties.


    "This can''t be real," he murmured. But everything felt tangible¡ªthe wooden floor beneath his bare feet, the distant sounds of the city, the scent of freshly baked bread wafting up from the kitchen.


    Second chances... Do you want to go back to the beginning? The old man''s words echoed in his mind. Could it be that he''d been sent back in time? Kaden laughed wryly. Impossible. He was definitely hallucinating in his drug-addled state. But he did not care. He was going to enjoy the pleasant dream.


    He dressed quickly, pulling on familiar clothes that felt strange after so many years. As he made his way downstairs, he was greeted by the warm smile of his mother. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she teased.


    Kaden stood at the foot of the stairs, staring at his mother speechlessly. Without saying another word, he rushed forward and hugged her tightly.


    Surprised by the sudden display of affection, his mother hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around him. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise," she said with a warm laugh. "What''s gotten into you this morning?"


    He held her close, the familiar scent of her perfume bringing back a flood of memories. Tears welled up in his eyes as he whispered, "I just... I''ve missed you so much."


    Pulling back slightly to look at him. "Missed me? Kaden, we''ve seen each other every day," she said softly, concern mingling with affection in her eyes.


    He shook his head slowly, a bittersweet smile forming on his lips. "I know it sounds strange, but I had the most vivid dream. It made me realize how much I appreciate you and Dad and Alyssa."


    She cupped his face in her hands. "We''re grateful for you too, sweetheart. Now, how about some breakfast? Your favorite¡ªpancakes with blueberries."


    His stomach rumbled at the mention, and he laughed for the first time in what felt like ages. "That sounds perfect."


    As they walked into the kitchen, his father looked up from the newspaper, raising an eyebrow. "Well, there''s our sleepyhead. Decided to join us today?"


    "Good morning, Dad," Kaden replied, his voice filled with genuine happiness.


    Alyssa sat at the table, sipping orange juice. She eyed him suspiciously. "You''re awfully cheerful today. Did you win the lottery or something?"


    He grinned at his younger sister. "Can''t a guy be happy to see his family?"


    She smirked. "Not when that guy is you."


    He tossed her hair, which once again provoked an annoyed huff from Alyssa. "You''re getting on my nerves," she muttered, flattening the stray strands with her hand.


    Their mother placed a fresh plate of pancakes on the table, the aroma wafting through the kitchen. "You two never change," she teased, turning back to the stove to tend to more bacon.


    Kaden settled into a chair, feeling an odd mixture of comfort and disbelief. He looked at his family¡ªDad reading the paper, Mom cooking with an easy smile, Alyssa scrolling through her phone between sips of juice¡ªand couldn''t help but marvel at how normal everything felt.


    But the reality came crashing down on him once again when the inevitable blinked in front of him.


    [Congratulations! Your world has been selected for integration into the multiverse]


    Kaden instantly sobered up. Everything was real. Very painfully real. If he was not wrong, then he needed to act fast. He only had an instant. He did not wait for more messages to flash.


    "Mom! Dad!" He dashed towards the knife rack on the kitchen counter and hurriedly grabbed the knives. He shoved one in his mother''s hand and one in his sister''s hand and just as he was about to reach his dad''s hand, his vision blacked out and his reality broke.


    The blinking screen he ignored earlier was now the only thing in front of him.


    [Congratulations! Your world has been selected for integration into the multiverse]


    [Planet does not meet required conditions. Evolution process initiated]


    [Indigenous population given access to the System]


    [System Initiating¡­]


    Kaden''s vision once again warped before he was eventually able to see and feel. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on soft grass beneath a lush canopy of green leaves.


    "Fuck!" He cursed as he stared at the familiar sight with utter dread.


    He was back again.


    He was really back again to when it all began!

 Chapter 3: No more running

    Chapter 3: No more running


    Kaden''s brain whirred into action the moment he saw the familiar forest sprawled all around him. He had no idea what the hell was happening. For all he knew he might simply be hallucinating about the whole damn thing but that did not matter.


    Right now he needed to act fast. If history was repeating itself, then he needed to escape what came next. Otherwise, he would be stuck in the same vicious cycle and his second chance would go to a complete waste.


    Kaden immediately scrambled to his feet and looked around the grass as if his life depended on it. Before long, he spotted the damn thing.


    There it was a few feet in front of him.


    A small coiled green snake.


    Kaden swallowed hard as his gaze landed on the small, coiled green snake nestled amid the blades of grass. His heart clenched¡ªthe sight stirred memories of the countless dangers he''d faced in that other version of his life. All because of this damned snake.


    The bastard had bitten him and run away, leaving him in a poisoned state for 3 fucking days.


    Kaden suppressed a shiver as the memories roared back¡ªthose three days of delirium and agony, watching his veins turn an angry green beneath his skin.


    Three hellish days, all because of that snake''s venom. Three days because of which he had lagged behind permanently. Three days because of which he had to accept a fucking nutjob as his leader to protect him.


    No. He clenched his fists, forcing the tremor out of them. Not this time, he vowed inwardly. He refused to let history repeat. His entire body vibrated with adrenaline as he weighed his options.


    He could fight this thing right here or he could run.


    The thing was¡­ he was done running.


    Kaden looked to his left. A fallen branch lay half-buried in leaves just out of reach. If I move fast enough¡­ He glanced at the snake.


    Now!


    He lunged, snatching up the stick. It was a half-rotted limb, not much more than a yard long, but it''d have to do. The snake hissed, uncoiling with shocking speed. Kaden felt his heart hammer in his chest.


    He lifted the stick, bracing it between himself and the snake. The serpent shifted, adjusting its aim. Kaden dug his heels into the grass. "Not this time," he muttered under his breath.


    The snake sprang forward, jaws parted to strike at his ankle¡ªwhere it got him last time.


    Kaden anticipated the move, jabbing the stick in a sharp downward thrust. The wood connected with the snake''s midsection, skewering it against the damp earth with a sickening thud.


    For a heartbeat, the serpent thrashed and hissed, its scaled body twisting in violent arcs. Kaden held firm, teeth clenched, sweat beading on his brow. Then finally the small thing went limp.


    [Ding! You have killed a green forest snake]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have unlocked your status screen]


    Name: Kaden MacAllister


    Class: N/A


    Rank: F


    Level: 1


    Health: 85


    Mana: 90


    Physical Strength: 7


    Agility: 8


    Dexterity: 8


    Perception: 10


    Mental Strength: 7


    Soul Strength: 5


    Free Attributes: 5


    ***


    Kaden gasped, letting out the breath he did not know he was holding. He had done it! He had changed the first shitty thing that had happened to him! S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fuck!" He clutched his head, realizing that the bigger problem was still there. Was he now accepting that this was second chance? What was happening? Why was he back here again? Was all of this real?


    He stood there still for a few minutes with his mind running in circles but there was no end in sight. This was simply something beyond the current him.


    "Fuck it!" He shook himself. Reality or not, he decided, he had no choice but to treat it as real. Otherwise, he''d be doomed to watch everything burn again.


    "All right," he whispered. "Focus." There was a lot to be done. He kicked the corpse of the small green snake. This damned little thing was nothing in front of the true horrors that awaited him and everyone else in this world.


    And this time, he refused to be a victim again.


    Kaden took a deep breath. "Think. What now?" There were simply far too many confusing thoughts in his head so he sat back down and took a deep breath in. He then exhaled letting it out. He repeated these simple steps for a few minutes to clear his mind.


    [Ding! You have learned a new skill Meditation]


    Meditation (Active/Passive):


    Focus your mind, slow down mental fatigue, and gradually restore a portion of your mana, mental and physical energy. All regeneration is increased by 10%. Higher skill levels enhance this effect, improving clarity under pressure and granting mild resistance to psychic or emotional attacks.


    Kaden''s eyes widened. That''s right. Skills. Class. He had a lot to work on.


    And more importantly¡­ he had to fucking level up!

 Chapter 4: Rune of power

    Chapter 4: Rune of power


    Kaden tore his gaze from the notification window. The Meditation skill was good but it was nothing out of the ordinary. It was just a basic utility skill that everyone would learn sooner or later. For what was about to come, he needed something stronger. Much stronger.


    Kaden''s mind raced as he thought about what to do. When he reached level 5, he would naturally be awarded a class and a couple of skills. It was a well-established theory that what he did now up until level 5 would sway which class he was granted.


    In his last go at this whole apocalypse thing, he was a rogue with daggers as his main weapon. He was comfortable with the class and he did okay in general. But obviously, it was not enough. He couldn''t progress fast enough and he was not talented in the class to reach great heights.


    Though taking the same path again felt easier and more comfortable, he did not want to repeat the same mistakes again. It was right at this moment that an impossible thought popped into his head.


    Apart from the rogue class, there was one other class he was very familiar with. After all, he had been with that person day and night, plotting and waiting to kill him. Only he couldn''t do it. What if he forced that class this time around?


    Kaden already knew that the class was one of the top classes and even the new leaders respected the class. Also, it belonged to a special class category and didn''t fall under the common archetype which meant he would get bonus stats every time he leveled up.


    In this new world, stats were everything!


    Kaden gritted his teeth and decided to go for it. He needed to risk it. Otherwise¡­


    He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and thought about the rune of power required for this initiation.


    Runes of power were strange ancient symbols that held the secrets of the world. They were usually kept secretive as he learned later in life but his old clan leader had flashed around that thing as a mark of power, flaunting his special class everywhere to show off and prove his superiority. Not that any of it helped in the end.


    But it was going to help him now.


    He inhaled slowly, recalling the specifics.


    It was a twisted, jagged symbol¡ªpart serpent, part spiral, as if a dragon''s claw had tried etching a whirlpool. It was tattooed on the man''s shoulder and he used to stare at it for hours while plotting how to kill that man.


    Even now, just remembering that man''s power gave him a bitter taste in his mouth. He was brutal and cunning¡ªyet unstoppable, revered as one of the pillars that held up the new order. Kaden knew if he could claim even a fraction of that man''s might, he''d have a shot at changing everything.


    But to forcibly steer his path toward that class¡ªthat was a gamble.


    Kaden scoffed under his breath. So what if it''s a risk? Risk was the currency of survival now. He''d tiptoe on the razor''s edge if it meant he''d never be forced into submission again.


    He knelt down, brushed aside a layer of fallen leaves, and flattened a patch of damp soil. Biting his lip, Kaden tried to recall every detail of that living rune. Carefully, he traced the shape with his fingertip in the dirt. At first, it looked like a child''s scribble, but each stroke began to align with his memory''s dark corners.


    Once the rune took shape, Kaden backed away, heart pounding. "I''m really doing this," he muttered, half in disbelief. No. He had to do this. He shook himself, strengthening his resolve.


    The first step to forging a special class? Was using this damn symbol to cast a spell!


    With his entire focus on the symbol in front of him, Kaden reached into himself and searched for his center. It was not his body''s physical center but a vague spiritual center that contained his mana, at least whatever little of it he was born with naturally.


    Last time around he had struggled with this part and only around level 100 did he even manage to get a glimpse of his core, but now¡­ Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With another deep breath, he effortlessly tapped into the swirling wisps of energy.


    Kaden inhaled, almost shaking with anticipation. He closed his eyes and imagined the trickle of mana coursing through his veins. He had never thought he had much in the way of "talent" for magic. But this time, he wasn''t letting self-doubt hold him back.


    Focusing on that faint inner pulse, he coaxed it forward. A warmth stirred beneath his ribcage then spread outward like invisible tendrils. There you are, he thought. Come on¡­ just a little more.


    When he exhaled, the warmth in his core surged into his arms, pooling in his fingertips. He then let it all out as he pictured the rune of power in his mind.


    The next second, a long thorny bramble shot out of his hand.

 Chapter 5: Thorn Whip

    Chapter 5: Thorn Whip


    Okay. Maybe long was an exaggeration.


    The thing was short. Shorter than his little general.


    But hey, it was a start.


    Throwing that small thing on the ground, Kaden closed his eyes and tried again.


    A few minutes and several tries later, he yelped as something tugged painfully at his palm. Before he could blink, a twisting green bramble burst from his fingertips, unfurling like a living whip.


    Its surface gleamed with savage-looking thorns, each sharpened to a tiny point. The vine snapped once in the air, then swayed in silent menace, droplets of sap dripping from the barbs.


    For a heartbeat, Kaden simply stared, uncomprehending.


    The next second, a system message flashed in front of him breaking his trance.


    [Ding! You have learned a new skill Thorn Whip]


    Kaden''s eyes widened at the words hovering in the air. He was still half-stunned by the bramble thrashing around at his command, its barbs gleaming with fresh droplets of sap. He felt a surge of mingled panic and triumph roil in his chest.


    How many times had he been tortured with this same technique in his past life? Now it was his to command.


    "Thorn Whip¡­" he murmured, flexing his fingers. The vine twitched in response, as though it, too, were listening.


    Thorn Whip (Active):


    Manifest a short, vine-like whip with razor-sharp thorns. Inflicts physical and poison damage. Range, durability, and potency scale with user''s level and control.


    Kaden swallowed thickly. The skill was okay but it was not what he was looking forward to the most. He needed what came next.


    "Now for the second part¡­" He mumbled looking around. If he remembered correctly, there should be a herd of wild boars hanging out somewhere around here.


    Kaden took off, darting between moss-laden trunks and dodging gnarled roots half-buried in the forest floor. He ran purely on adrenaline, his mind buzzing with possibilities for what might come next. A murder of crows cawed overhead, as if mocking his frantic pace; the forest around him was a chaotic chorus of snapping twigs and rustling leaves.


    Even so, the burning desire to push forward never left him. He needed more strength, more levels¡ªnow, before something bigger and meaner found him first. Thorn Whip might be a neat trick, but it was hardly the grand secret he sought.


    A trace of boar tracks soon appeared in the mud: hoofprints leading deeper into the gloom of ancient oaks. Kaden skidded to a halt, catching his breath. His heart pounded so loudly he wondered if it would scare the very beasts he was hunting.


    His left palm still tingled from conjuring that vicious vine, a faint imprint of magic pulsing just beneath his skin. I have it in me now, he told himself, pressing his hand against his thigh. They won''t know what hit them.


    He followed the tracks, creeping low to the ground and using the leafy cover for concealment. After a few minutes, a faint snorting and scraping filtered through the woods. Carefully, he inched closer. Sure enough, several wild boars milled about an overgrown clearing, rooting at the earth for worms and acorns. They were lean but strong, their tusks jutting out wickedly.


    Kaden''s breath caught in his throat. He could practically taste the surge of mana from leveling up again¡ªright on the other side of this fight.


    He steadied himself, adrenaline coursing hot and fast through his veins. This time, he thought, the hunter is me.


    He zeroed in on a mid-sized boar at the edge of the herd. Its flank was unprotected, so if he struck fast, he might bring it down before the others rallied.


    And if he managed that, maybe the rest would flee. Or they might charge me en masse, he admitted silently, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple. No more second-guessing.


    Now.


    He exploded from cover like a spring uncoiled, grass scattering beneath his feet. The nearest boar''s head snapped up, eyes widening in alarm.


    Before it could squeal, Kaden flung out his left hand. A rush of mana surged through his veins, and Thorn Whip materialized in a snapping arc of vine.


    The bramble hissed through the air¡ªcrack!¡ªand scored a deep gouge along the boar''s flank. It reared, tusks lashing as it let out a furious squeal.


    Pain blossomed across the creature''s eyes. He yanked the whip back, readying the next strike.


    Behind him, the other boars squealed in alarm. One of them stomped its hooves, muscles rippling with raw power. Kaden gulped¡ªtaking on multiple beasts at once could be a death sentence.


    But he already had a plan for that. Finish the first one fast, he told himself, rearing back the whip again.


    A second snap cracked across the boar''s shoulder, drawing more blood. It stumbled, squealing in fury, and lunged for Kaden. Razor-sharp tusks whizzed past his thigh as he twisted aside, barely avoiding a lethal goring. His heart hammered.


    The swirling bramble had begun to feel heavier as if it was draining him. The boar, for its part, was far from finished¡ªjust wounded enough to be desperate.


    Thud! Hooves pounded the ground behind him. Another boar was charging straight at his exposed back. Kaden threw himself into a sideways roll, losing his grip on Thorn Whip in the process. The vine didn''t vanish, but it sagged limply, no longer under precise control. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn it!" he hissed, scrambling to his knees. The boar he''d initially targeted pawed at the earth, leaving a bloody smear, while the second one lowered its head for another charge.

 Chapter 6: Man vs Boar

    Chapter 6: Man vs Boar


    Dodging the two beasts, Kaden bolted to the nearest trunk, heart hammering. The forest floor shook from the beasts'' hooves pounding right on his heels. Come on, legs¡ªdon''t fail me now, he mentally pleaded. At the last possible second, he sprang up, fingers clawing at rough bark.


    One of the boars snapped its tusks, missing him by inches.


    A muffled yelp escaped as Kaden scrambled higher, ignoring the scrape of splinters digging into his palms. The second boar snorted and slammed into the trunk, the impact rattling his spine. Bits of moss and insects tumbled past his face; he nearly lost his grip.


    Thud! Another ram from below. But it was too late. He was already well secured on the giant tree. These boars might have perhaps threatened the normal trees before the apocalypse descended but not these giant ones.


    These giant trees¡ªtowering sentinels birthed when the apocalypse twisted the world¡ªwere sturdy in a way normal woods could never match. Their trunks were many times thicker, their bark more akin to stone than wood. If the boars hoped to topple one by charging, they''d be at it for a century without leaving a dent.


    Kaden pressed himself tight against the trunk, panting for breath. His arms ached from clawing his way up, and bark flakes still clung to his skin. Below him, the boars stomped around in a frenzy, tusks gouging the ground in frustration. From his vantage point, he could see their eyes blazing with rage¡ªlike they could wait forever for him to come down.


    "Good luck with that," he muttered under his breath, pressing a hand over his thudding heart.


    Still, Kaden knew he couldn''t stay perched here indefinitely. Blood pumped hot through his body, sweat trickled down his neck, and the adrenaline rush of narrowly escaping those tusks was already fading. The next wave of fatigue would crash into him soon.


    But he had a plan.


    He lowered himself down the tree and stopped just at the right height where he was untouchable by the boars. Once he ensured his safety, he aimed for the one who was already injured and was currently thrashing madly against the trunk. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second the thorn whip popped up once again and this time only a single hit was required to finish the job.


    An ear-piercing squeal ripped through the clearing, echoing off the colossal trunks and sending birds fluttering skyward. The boar bucked once, collapsing in a final spasm as Thorn Whip withdrew with a wet pop.


    Kaden clung to the bark, panting, his chest tight with exhaustion and relief.


    [Ding! You have killed Wild Forest Boar]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    Blood pooled around the fallen beast, staining the mossy ground a dark crimson. Perhaps smarter creatures would have chosen to flee than stay back and fight but Kaden knew these boars.


    He watched with a grin on his face as the rest of the herd continued to thrash madly against the same huge trunk. In fact, the death of their comrade only spurred them on further.


    The other boars seemed to take that as a challenge rather than a warning. Their hooves churned the earth until clumps of mud, grass, and insects slopped everywhere. The trunk reverberated with each strike¡ªKaden could feel it buzzing like a distant earthquake under his palms.


    Not in the least bothered about it, he closed his eyes and meditated, trying to refill his mana quickly.


    [Ding! Your skill Meditation has leveled up]


    Kaden inhaled deeply, letting the new surge of mana course through his veins. His eyes snapped open, focused on the boars below.


    The moment he set his sights on the largest one¡ªthe grizzled brute ramming the trunk so hard it shook¡ªhe felt the Thorn Whip stir beneath his skin. An eager heat spread from his palm, coiling up his forearm, practically begging to be unleashed.


    Now.


    He channeled the mana in one swift burst, and a bramble of writhing vines erupted from his hand. This time it came forth thicker, steadier¡ªlike a hungry serpent ready to strike. Kaden grinned through clenched teeth; leveling up Meditation must have boosted his control.


    The whip lashed downward in a cruel arc. Thorns sank into the boar''s flank, raking blood and coarse fur with a wet rip. The beast squealed in rage, kicking up divots of moss and mud.


    For a moment, it twisted violently, nearly yanking Kaden off his precarious foothold. Bark crumbled under his toes, and he tightened his grip to avoid tumbling headlong into the chaos.


    "Just give up already," he muttered.


    He yanked the whip back. Thorns tore free, spraying droplets of crimson across the churned earth. The boar staggered, hind legs trembling, and it fell down with a thud.


    [Ding! You have killed Wild Forest Boar]

 Chapter 7: Class Selection time!

    Chapter 7: Class Selection time!


    After thirty minutes of hard work with rinse and repeat of the thorn whip, Kaden finally took down the last boar and sighed tiredly.


    [Ding! You have killed Wild Forest Boar]


    He swiped the notification away and took a quick look at his level.


    Name: Kaden MacAllister


    Class: N/A


    Rank: F


    Level 4


    Health: 120


    Mana: 100


    Physical Strength: 15


    Agility: 15


    Dexterity: 15


    Perception: 10


    Mental Strength: 10


    Soul Strength: 10


    Free Attributes: 0


    ***


    Still stuck at level 4. But it was fine. The ten boars had gotten him until here and now it was time to target something a bit stronger. He could feel it. He was close. He probably only needed to find one or two more beasts to tide over the first barrier.


    Kaden leaned against the tree, catching his breath as the adrenaline ebbed away, leaving his muscles sore and his mind heavy with exhaustion. The thorn whip spell had been reliable but taxing when used repeatedly. He glanced at his hands, faintly trembling from overexertion, and exhaled deeply, focusing on steadying his breath. He was almost there.


    Letting out a deep breath he jumped down from the tree and started walking away from the scene of the massacre.


    These boar corpses were valuable food sources at least for a couple of days so he did not plan to leave the plan entirely. Once he finished his goals he was going to circle back and see what he could scavenge. For now, he had other plans.


    Kaden started slowly jogging heading further into the eastern part of the forest. He had planned to save this trip for later but now that he had learned the thorp whip skill successfully, he wanted to take some risks.


    He cautiously entered the new territory when suddenly he came to a halt. Fuck! It had only taken him two seconds to run into the deviant creatures!


    Standing in front of him was a lazy-eyed, scale-skinned vicious creature. He was only half as tall as him and had a pot belly but Kaden knew better than to underestimate his opponent, the kobold scout.


    Kaden instantly summoned the thorn whip. The spell coalesced in his palm, its thorny tendrils snapping into existence with a sharp crack. The kobold''s lazy eye narrowed, its expression sharpening as it realized the fight was imminent.


    Without waiting for the creature to make the first move, Kaden lashed out with the whip, aiming for its exposed legs. The kobold widened its eyes and tumbled forward screeching in pain. Kaden did not give it any time and grabbed the spear in its hand and yanked it free with a sharp twist. He then finished the creature with a swift thrust of the spear into its chest.


    The kobold let out a strangled hiss, its clawed hands grasping futilely at the weapon before slumping lifelessly to the ground.


    [Ding! You have killed Kobold Scout.]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You can now select a Class]


    One notification after another flashed before his eyes, but Kaden barely paid attention, his focus shifting to his surroundings. He crouched low, gripping the spear tightly as his Perception stat strained to pick up any signs of movement.


    Kobolds were rarely alone for long, and the last thing he needed was to be ambushed by reinforcements. Seeing that nothing else was aiming for his back, he immediately retraced his steps back into the safer territory.


    The kobolds can wait. It was finally class selection time!


    Kaden climbed up another tree and settled on a branch where he couldn''t be disturbed, his heart pounding with excitement. It was here. The moment he had been waiting for.


    Taking a deep breath, he steadied his trembling hands and opened the system interface.


    The screen shimmered before him, displaying several class options tailored to his current abilities and stats.


    [Class Selection Available]


    [Mage]


    Masters of arcane energy, Mages excel in ranged combat and high-damage spells, offering immense destructive potential but requiring precise mana management.


    Bonus: +1 to Mental Strength, +1 to Mana


    Starting Skill: Arcane Bolt ¨C A powerful, homing projectile that deals significant magic damage and scales with Mental Strength.


    [Hunter] Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hunters are masters of tracking and precision, excelling in ranged combat and using their heightened senses to locate and exploit an enemy''s weaknesses. Ideal for those who prefer calculated strikes and tactical engagements.


    Bonus: +1 to Perception, +1 to Agility


    Starting Skill: Hunter''s Mark ¨C A skill that marks a target, increasing all damage dealt to the marked enemy and revealing its location for a limited time.


    Kaden quickly skipped these two as his gaze searched for the class that really mattered to him. Was it there or did he not do enough for it? His heart pounded as he saw the third and final option.


    [Druid]


    Mystical guardians of nature, Druids blend offensive and defensive abilities with a deep connection to the natural world. They excel at summoning, shapeshifting, and manipulating the environment to turn the tide of battle.


    Bonus: +1 to Mental Strength, +1 to Physical Strength, +1 to Dexterity


    Starting Skill: Nature''s Grasp ¨C Summons roots from the earth to immobilize enemies, dealing minor damage and healing the caster slightly over time.


    There it was!


    Druid, the special class he was looking for!

 Chapter 8: Natures Grasp

    Chapter 8: Nature''s Grasp


    Kaden was livid with happiness. He had done it!


    A whole extra stat point bonus for each level up!


    With this, he had successfully managed to change the course of his life, at least for now. With shaky hands, he raised his finger to select the option when suddenly a sharp pain shot from his chest.


    He bent down to see crimson blooming across his shirt, staining it in a spreading, ominous patch. His breath hitched as the pain intensified, and he realized with a sinking heart that he had been struck.


    Panic and confusion surged through him as he frantically scanned the ground below. A faint rustle in the underbrush revealed the culprit¡ªa second kobold, this one clad in slightly better gear and holding a crude crossbow, its sharp teeth bared in a wicked grin.


    Before Kaden could even think about what to do next, his consciousness drifted and he fell from the tree. It looked like the damn arrow was poisoned.


    Kaden''s vision blurred as the world spun around him, but the sharp thud of his body hitting the ground snapped him from the fog.


    The poison was fast-acting, burning through his veins like liquid fire. His limbs felt heavy, his grip on the spear slackening as darkness threatened to claim him.


    But he held on. He was not about to pass out from this small attack after everything he had been through.


    He cannot fucking get himself poisoned again! For the love of god! Letting out a guttural scream he forced himself to stay conscious. Through sheer will, he summoned another thorn whip and lashed out right at the bastard.


    The whip streaked through the air, its barbed tendrils finding their mark with unerring precision.


    The kobold''s smug grin vanished, replaced by a howl of pain as the whip wrapped tightly around its torso. The thorns bit deep into its scale-covered skin, drawing thick streams of dark blood.


    The creature stumbled back, its clawed hands flailing in a futile attempt to free itself. Suddenly, it managed to lift its hand and use the arrow in its grasp to break free from the thorn.


    Immediately it dashed toward Kaden to finish the job.


    Fuck. Kaden was fresh out of mana and had nothing left to fight with. He was also only barely conscious. But his mind did not fail him. The class choice!


    He remembered and selected the druid option. Several notifications flashed in front of him but he did not care.


    [Nature''s Grasp]


    He instantly activated the starting skill of the class. He knew this was the only shot he had at staying alive so he gave his utmost, focusing on the rune in his mind with whatever focus he had left.


    Roots erupted from the ground beneath the kobold, twisting and coiling like living serpents. The creature let out a startled shriek as the roots wrapped tightly around its legs, dragging it to a halt mere feet from Kaden.


    The kobold thrashed violently, its claws raking against the unyielding wood, but the roots only tightened their grip, climbing higher and immobilizing its arms. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A faint green glow emanated from the roots, and Kaden felt a soothing warmth flood through his body. The healing effect of Nature''s Grasp wasn''t powerful, but it was enough to give him a momentary reprieve.


    His breaths grew steadier, and the pounding in his head began to fade as his body regained a sliver of strength. This combined with the injection of stats for level 5 that came along with the class selection kept him from collapsing completely.


    Now he just needed to regenerate enough mana to summon another thorn whip and he can finish this damn bastard.


    Kaden tried to close his eyes momentarily to speed up his regeneration but it looked like he was shit out of luck. The moment he closed his eyes he could feel the poison burn through his veins, acting up once again. A wave of pain assaulted him.


    The sadistic kobold snickered seeing his agony. It was now trying to bite and claw its way out of the root trap. If it succeeds in doing that, then it would be game over for him.


    Kaden gritted his teeth, bearing the pain, and tried to focus on the [Nature Grasp] again. Picturing the rune in his mind with a relentless determination, he forced the roots to remain tightly bound around the damn thing.


    The kobold''s snarls grew louder as it struggled against the relentless grip of the roots, but Kaden refused to let up.


    His entire body screamed in agony, the poison burning through his veins like molten fire, but he held on, his mind fixed solely on the rune etched in his consciousness. He willed the roots to tighten further, forcing them to coil tighter around the kobold''s arms and legs, rendering it immobile.


    The sadistic grin on the kobold''s face twisted into frustration and fear as the roots climbed higher, snaking around its neck and constricting its movements further. It thrashed violently, snapping at the air and clawing uselessly at the tendrils.

 Chapter 9: Hidden class!

    Chapter 9: Hidden class!


    Kaden could feel the strain of maintaining Nature''s Grasp, but he pushed through, ignoring the searing pain in his chest and the throbbing in his head.


    He could feel the small amount of energy coming his way from the healing part of the skill and he clung to that absorbing more and more, drawing every ounce of strength the skill could offer.


    The kobold''s struggles grew weaker, its movements frantic but uncoordinated. Its claws scraped at the roots ineffectively, its sharp teeth gnashing in a futile attempt to bite through the unyielding tendrils. Blood spilled all over the roots.


    Kaden felt a flicker of triumph, but he knew it wasn''t over. The strain of maintaining the spell was like a weight pressing on his chest, the poison in his veins a constant, burning reminder of how close he was to collapse.


    "Just¡­ stay¡­ down!" Kaden growled, his voice barely audible.


    The kobold let out a guttural screech, its fear palpable as the roots continued to climb, coiling around its neck and cutting off its air.


    Kaden felt the shift, the moment when the creature''s defiance turned to desperation. It thrashed one last time before its movements stilled, the glow of its yellow eyes fading into lifelessness.


    [Ding! You have killed Kobold Scout.]


    [Ding! You have learned a new skill Sanguine Roots]


    [Ding! You have unlocked a hidden class Dreadwood Druid]


    [Ding! You have gained a new title]


    Kaden gulped. What was this? What was he seeing?


    [Dreadwood Druid]


    As a Dreadwood Druid, you are the embodiment of nature''s darker side, wielding the untamed power of the forest''s fury. This class merges the restorative aspects of nature magic with sinister life-draining abilities, turning the life force of enemies into your own strength. The Dreadwood Druid excels in controlling the battlefield, weakening foes, and sustaining through stolen vitality, all while invoking the fearsome presence of an ancient, cursed forest. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength


    Kaden froze in shock. His hands trembled as he immediately accepted the class upgrade, afraid of the system taking it back from him. How did this happen? He did not completely understand. It was definitely related to the [Sanguine Roots] skill. He could tell that much.


    [Sanguine Roots]


    Summon cursed roots imbued with the sinister power of blood magic. These roots pierce enemies, draining their life force to heal the caster while spreading fear and weakness among nearby foes. The roots grow more potent against immobilized or bleeding targets, thriving in their agony.


    Kaden''s eyes remained locked on the glowing notification as the details of Sanguine Roots solidified in his mind.


    The power of the skill, the sheer raw potential it carried, sent a chill down his spine and a surge of exhilaration through his veins. He had some idea about a druid build but this was all new to him. He was now completely on uncharted territories.


    He wasn''t afraid.


    Hidden classes were just that powerful!


    Kaden clenched his fists and his gaze landed on the kobold''s lifeless body that lay crumpled within the circle of bloodied roots. He forced himself to crawl forward and search the damn thing''s corpse.


    If he was not wrong, then there should be a vial of antidote for the poison. This was not his first time going up against these vicious creatures. They liked to kill but they also liked to capture and torture their prey. For that, they carried around the antidote.


    His hands rifled through its pouches and crude belt. The creature had been well-prepared, likely anticipating a skirmish like this. A small bag jingled with coins, a poorly drawn map caught his eye briefly, but then his fingers brushed against a cool, glass surface. He exhaled in relief as he pulled out a small vial filled with murky green liquid.


    "This has to be it," he muttered, uncorking the vial with a flick of his thumb.


    The sharp, acrid smell of herbs and chemicals confirmed his guess¡ªit was definitely an antidote. Without hesitation, Kaden tipped the vial back and drank its contents. The bitter liquid burned as it went down, but almost immediately, he felt its effects.


    A cooling sensation spread through his veins, neutralizing the fiery pain of the poison. His labored breaths began to even out, and the relentless pounding in his head subsided.


    He let out a long sigh of relief and collapsed on the ground. Meditation could be done with face planted smack dab in the ground as well.

 Chapter 10: Step by step

    Chapter 10: Step by step


    A few minutes passed by and Kaden felt a lot better than before. Even though his condition was not ideal he dragged himself to the other part of the forest, farther away from the kobolds.


    Every step sent ripples of pain through his body, but the worst of the poison''s effects had subsided, thanks to the antidote. The sharp tang of blood and dirt lingered in his nose as he moved.


    He still couldn''t believe everything that was happening. First, this insane second chance he received, and now the hidden class he had unlocked.


    With effort, he might be able to achieve much more than this. Maybe. Just maybe he might stop that horrible monster from ever stepping on their planet. Kaden clenched his fists with determination and continued dragging himself.


    He finally stopped near a cluster of gnarled trees with roots that twisted like ancient serpents. He leaned heavily against one of them, his body screaming for rest even as his mind refused to let its guard down.


    He slumped to the ground, his back against the rough bark, and exhaled slowly. He was completely and utterly exhausted but that did not stop him from grinning like a maniac as he opened his status screen.


    Name: Kaden MacAllister


    Class: Dreadwood Druid


    Rank: F


    Level: 5


    Title: Hidden Class Achievement


    Health: 150


    Mana: 150


    Physical Strength: 16


    Agility: 15


    Dexterity: 16


    Perception: 10


    Mental Strength: 16


    Soul Strength: 10


    Free Attributes: 0


    ***


    Kaden gaped in awe at his unreal status screen. His heart raced as he scanned the new title he had gained.


    [Hidden Class Achievement: All stats are increased by 1]


    A straightforward stat bonus. Amazing! How much had he longed for something like this in his last life and now it was there right in front of his eyes.


    "One step at a time. I''ll get stronger. I''ll be ready." He clenched his fists with resolve.


    Kaden took an hour of rest and then got back on his feet. Ideally, he would have preferred to rest a bit more and practice his skills on weaker beasts to get a better feel of his class but there was a clock ticking.


    He had poked the Kobold clan and now they wouldn''t stop looking for the intruder who had killed two of their own.


    Kaden knew how kobolds operated¡ªthey were relentless once provoked, their numbers making up for their individual weaknesses. Resting too long in one place would be inviting disaster. The forest was vast, but their tracking skills were nothing to scoff at.


    Dusting himself off, Kaden scanned the map he''d looted from the kobold scout. The crude markings were barely legible, but one symbol stood out: a jagged circle near the edge of the forest, likely their main camp.


    He clenched his fists, the memory of his previous life flashing in his mind. If he wanted to build himself into a force capable of stopping the monster that threatened his world, he couldn''t run from these small threats. He had to face them head-on.


    "The best defense is offense," he muttered to himself. "If I take out their leaders, the rest will scatter."


    And he needed to do this before they began evolving into beings much stronger.


    Kaden once again circled back to their territory from another direction, keeping his movements deliberate and silent. He needed every advantage he could muster.


    The kobolds might be relentless, but they weren''t particularly intelligent. If he could sow enough chaos and fear within their ranks, their cohesion would crumble, making them easier to eliminate.


    The forest grew darker as he approached the edges of their territory. He encountered a couple of boars on his path which he quickly took care of using [Sanguine Roots] and [Thorn Whip]. Coincidentally, he noticed that the druid rune didn''t do much for the Sanguine Roots skill.


    While the rune considerably strengthened the Thorn Whip skill and helped him cast the skill faster and better, it pretty much did nothing at all for the Sanguine Roots. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden did not understand. Didn''t he use this same rune to learn the skill and unlock the hidden class? What was going on now? Why did it suddenly stop working?


    This was a problem because he counted on the amplification from the rune to give a surprise attack to the Kobold clan leaders. He was much stronger for his level and that was his only advantage at the moment. He needed to figure this out.


    Kaden racked his brain to think of a solution when he heard faint rustling sounds ahead. The sounds were not big enough for a herd of boars. It was definitely kobolds.


    Peering through the dense underbrush, he spotted three kobolds moving cautiously, their crude weapons glinting in the faint light filtering through the canopy.


    They were scouts, likely sent to search for him after he had killed their comrades. He needed to deal with them quickly and silently before they realized he was there.

 Chapter 11: Hunting kobolds

    Chapter 11: Hunting kobolds


    Kaden inhaled deeply, calming his nerves. It was time. He activated [Sanguine Roots], arresting one of the three in place.


    The other kobolds turned in alarm, their guttural cries cutting through the forest. Kaden wasted no time. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he summoned Thorn Whip, the barbed tendrils lashing out to ensnare the second kobold''s legs. It stumbled and fell, yelping as Kaden closed the gap.


    Before it could recover, he punched out its neck, silencing it for the time being.


    The third kobold snarled, its crude spear at the ready. It lunged toward Kaden, its attack wild but surprisingly quick. Kaden sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the strike, and used the momentum to bring his whip around. The thorny tendrils cracked against the kobold''s arm, forcing it to drop its weapon with a cry of pain.


    Seizing the opportunity, he punched the damn thing with all the strength he could muster. The kobold crashed against a nearby tree. Kaden immediately picked up the crude spear and finished the first one lying unconscious on the ground.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold scout]


    He then dashed towards the one that collapsed next to the tree and struck it several times with the same spear.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold scout]


    Now only the last one was left. Its eyes bulged in fear and shock as it stared at him, completely unable to move. Kaden remained indifferent to its gaze and skewered its throat, blood spilling everywhere.


    Blood drenched the roots and a warmth reached him. Though he did not require any healing at this particular moment, the warmth gently eased his accumulated fatigue.


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    Kaden swiped the notification away after dumping his points into Perception. He had already brought his mental strength up from the previous level up and now only perception and soul strength were lacking. With this, the perception was taken care of. Next was soul strength.


    While he did not plan to forge a complete even build, he also did not want any of his stats to lag severely. These would become glaring weaknesses later on. Many strong heroes from his last life had fallen into these pitfalls and he did not plan to do so.


    With this taken care of Kaden resumed his jog. It was time to find some more kobolds.


    Kaden moved swiftly and silently through the forest, the rush of leveling up giving him a renewed sense of purpose.


    His perception stat increase was already making a difference, sharpening the subtle sounds around him¡ªthe rustle of leaves, the faint scuffle of creatures moving through the underbrush, even the far-off crackle of campfires.


    The kobold camp was closer now, the faint smell of smoke and charred meat lingering in the air. Kaden slowed his pace, crouching low as he approached the outskirts.


    He was not planning on getting any closer. He hid behind a cluster of thick bushes, waiting for someone to pass near him. He only had to wait for a few minutes before a couple of kobold warriors walked past him. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden''s grip on the spear tightened as the two kobold warriors came into view. The spear he had taken from the scouts wasn''t bad so he stuck with it.


    But unlike the scouts, these kobolds were better equipped, their crude armor made from scraps of metal and leather offering them a semblance of protection. Each carried a better-looking spear, their sharp eyes scanning the forest for any signs of intrusion.


    Kaden didn''t wait for them to notice him. He sprang into action, activating Sanguine Roots before they could react. Roots erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around the legs of one warrior, immobilizing it.


    The kobold let out a guttural snarl, thrashing against the enchanted tendrils, but they held firm.


    The second kobold turned toward the commotion, its spear raised, but Kaden was already moving. He summoned Thorn Whip, the barbed tendrils lashing out to strike the kobold across its arm. But the warrior was faster and he missed.


    Kaden dashed forward, his spear flashing in the dim light as he drove it into the kobold''s chest. This time he did not miss. A loud clanking noise sounded when the spear hit the armor, breaking the thing into two.


    The kobold shouted in anger and came for him again. Kaden dodged its simple strike but unexpectedly, the one he had tied up with sanguine roots broke free. The second kobold attacked him from behind and managed to land a blow. Blood dripped from his side.

 Chapter 12: Priestess of the moon

    Chapter 12: Priestess of the moon S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden winced as the kobold''s spear tore into his side, the sharp pain sending a surge of adrenaline through his body. He staggered but quickly pivoted, keeping both warriors in his line of sight.


    The one he''d immobilized with Sanguine Roots snarled, its legs still sluggish but free, while the other advanced with its spear raised, eyes gleaming with malice.


    "This is going to hurt," Kaden muttered, gritting his teeth. He couldn''t afford to let this fight drag out.


    Summoning every ounce of focus, Kaden activated Thorn Whip again. This time, he aimed low, the barbed tendrils lashing out to wrap around the legs of the first kobold with the cracked armor.


    The creature let out a startled yelp as it lost its balance and crashed to the ground. Kaden used this chance and struck it on the exposed skin with his spear. Blood spilled out.


    [Sanguine Roots] He once again activated the skill, this time on the fallen kobold. The skill activated and the roots burst forth from the ground taking in the blood, as if greedily absorbing it. It did not take long before Kaden started to feel the healing effect.


    He dashed towards the other kobold and lunged at it before it could fully recover. Its sluggish movements from the lingering effects of Sanguine Roots made it an easier target, but Kaden knew better than to underestimate it. The kobold snarled, swinging its spear in a wide arc to keep him at bay.


    Kaden sidestepped the attack, the spear whistling past him, and retaliated with a quick thrust of his own weapon. The sharp tip struck the kobold''s side, penetrating through its patchwork armor and drawing a fresh stream of blood. The kobold howled in pain, but Kaden didn''t let up.


    With a flick of his wrist, he summoned Thorn Whip again, the barbed tendrils lashing out to wrap around the kobold''s arm. The creature struggled, its clawed hand fumbling to free itself, but Kaden used the momentary opening to close the distance.


    He drove his spear into its chest with all his strength, the crude weapon sinking deep into the armor and then its flesh.


    The kobold let out a strangled gasp, its body going rigid before slumping to the ground. Kaden stepped back, panting as he watched the creature''s lifeless form collapse.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior.]


    Kaden let out a sigh of relief and immediately went back to get rid of the other one when he noticed a big disturbance a few feet ahead of him. He instantly struck the spear into the other one and retreated back as fast as he could.


    Every second counted and if he gets caught without preparation¡­


    Kaden held his breath as he waited. The second one had given him a level up notification and he swiftly allocated the attribute points into soul strength, bringing everything up to somewhat same level.


    He then waited for some more time. However, there was no kobold coming for him. He furrowed his brows as he cautiously moved forward. It looked like they did not even notice the two corpses.


    Actually it was impossible not to notice the corpses. Maybe they just didn''t care? What did they have going on that they did not care about two of their own dying?


    Kaden''s curiosity was peaked as he could clearly hear lot of disturbance and movement up ahead. He decided to move a little closer to check things out.


    He inched closer, pressing himself behind the trunk of a tree. One glance told him the kobolds were too distracted to care about two missing warriors¡ªwhy was still unclear. He needed better intel. He moved a bit closer and he was finally able to see something.


    A bunch of kobolds gathered together.


    One of the kobolds in the center clutched what looked like a staff with a crude crystal mounted at the top. Whenever the kobold raised it, the others would howl or stomp their feet.


    Some kind of ritual, Kaden thought. The staff-wielder was chanting gutturally, and the purple crystal crackled with faint energy. The ring of kobolds lurched closer to whatever was at the center.


    Kaden''s gut churned. He risked a glance over his shoulder, confirming once more that no one was flanking him. Then, shifting to get a better view, he caught sight of something lying in the center, three limp human figures.


    Kaden''s eyes widened as he immediately recognized one of the three humans, the woman with the long silver hair. He couldn''t believe his eyes. How could this be possible? But here she was lying in front of him.


    The priestess of the moon, the woman who single-handedly saved thousands of humans when the true monsters started showing up. In the end, her strength was also not enough to protect from what was to come but she put up a damn good fight and went down.


    What was a woman like that doing in a place like this?

 Chapter 13: Bait and kite

    Chapter 13: Bait and kite Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden''s heart raced. The priestess of the moon¡ªfamed for pushing back abominations long enough for humanity to survive in the previous timeline¡ªwas lying unconscious in a damp clearing overrun by kobolds. What on earth was she doing here?


    A thousand questions tore at his mind. She was a high-profile figure, revered for her unique healing magic and unwavering courage¡ªso how had she wound up captured by a band of kobolds this early in the world''s new "Evolution Process"? It should''ve been impossible.


    Kaden swallowed hard, silently cursing as he weighed the situation. The priestess''s silver hair splayed across her shoulders, and even in an unconscious state, her presence radiated an odd calm¡ªor maybe he was just remembering how she''d once rallied entire cities with her mere appearance. Somehow she ended up here¡­ abducted before she could even reach level 5.


    That''s right. Maybe she was weak and vulnerable at the moment because she had yet to embark on her path and select a class. Maybe she had become powerful only later and not in these initial days.


    All of that aside, Kaden felt extremely nervous at the moment. What was he supposed to do now? Should he risk his life and save this woman? She did not need his help in the last life, so logically nothing should have changed now?


    Kaden stared at the kobolds for a few seconds when two words popped into his mind.


    Butterfly effect!


    The last time around he had spent the first three days silently groaning in pain and didn''t exactly do anything.


    But this time, he started hunting the kobolds. What if that had set some things in motion and because of which the priestess got captured? What if she never got the chance to become the priestess because of him?


    Were all those people she had saved going to die now? Was he supposed to save them instead? Or was he supposed to save her here and now to correct and realign the fate?


    Kaden felt as if his thought process was spiraling and he was not being productive. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths.


    While he did intend to become stronger and change the future, he did not consider himself to be some sort of mythical hero. He did not have any grand plans of saving the entire world. He wanted to. If he could, he would. But he was not prepared to die for it.


    As for the woman in front of him, he had been on the receiving end of her kindness in his last life. Even though she probably had no idea who he was, she still saved him just like she saved many others.


    Maybe it was that gratitude or maybe because of him that her fate was altered, Kaden didn''t feel good about watching her suffer. It would weigh heavily on his conscious if he abandoned her without even trying to rescue her.


    "No promises, Priestess." He clenched his fists and started making a plan. In his current state, rushing a large group of kobolds head-on was tantamount to suicide. If he died here, then whatever chance he had at changing the future would be lost.


    He needed to do something else. Something smarter.


    So, Plan B: find something else to do the heavy lifting.


    Kaden thought for a moment before shaking his head. It was a stupid idea but this was the best he could come up with. "Wait for me." He glanced at the woman one more time and left the area. He retraced his steps back to the boar territory.


    During his previous life, these boars had been a menace, roaming in territorial herds and capable of ripping through lower-ranked adventurers. This time, however, he could try turning that danger to his advantage.


    It didn''t take long for him to stumble upon a herd. Kaden instantly put his plan into motion. He had no illusions about how dangerous this was¡ªprovoking a herd of territorial boars was nearly as foolhardy as charging the kobolds himself.


    However, he did not have a lot of time to act more strategically. A straightforward bait and kite would have to work. He had to make it work. If this worked, he might turn the boars'' aggression on the kobolds, creating enough chaos to grab the priestess and run.


    He crouched behind a large root protruding from the forest floor, scanning the herd from a safe distance. There were twenty boars in total, each sporting thick, bristly coats and wicked tusks.


    The largest among them pawed the ground with a snort, probably an elite. Its bulk alone was intimidating, easily outweighing Kaden by a considerable margin.


    His heart thudded in his chest. Just one solid hit from that elite could flatten me. Still, he clutched his spear, took a slow breath, and readied himself. If he could bait them all back toward the kobold clearing, the inevitable clash might let him slip in and rescue the priestess.


    Steeling his nerves, Kaden grabbed a fist-sized stone. Here goes. He hurled it at the nearest boar. The projectile smacked its hide with a dull thud, bouncing off into the undergrowth. A chorus of enraged squeals erupted.

 Chapter 14: Boars vs Kobolds

    Chapter 14: Boars vs Kobolds


    The hit boar wheeled around, scanning the bushes with small, furious eyes. The alpha boar lifted its head, nostrils flaring as it caught Kaden''s scent. Its ears twitched forward in challenge.


    Perfect reaction. Kaden stifled a grimace. Now he had to make sure they chased him¡ªnot just bluff the threat away.


    He stepped out from behind the root, deliberately letting the boars see him. "Hey!" he shouted, waving his arms. Come on, notice me. The boar he''d pegged with the rock squealed and tore at the ground with its hooves, anger radiating from its every bristly hair.


    "Time to go." Kaden spun on his heel and bolted away, aiming back toward where he''d left the kobolds.


    Behind him, thunderous hoofbeats shattered the quiet of the forest. He risked a glance over his shoulder¡ªbig mistake. The elite boar was charging at full tilt, the rest in a tight formation behind it.


    "Holy¡ª!" Kaden lurched sideways, narrowly dodging a trunk the elite boar slammed against in blind rage. Bark flew in all directions, and the boar whirled to pursue. He darted around boulders and ducked under low branches, each misstep could be fatal if one of the boars clipped him.


    The forest blurred around him as he pressed ahead, lungs burning. Have to lead them straight to the kobold clearing.


    If the boars lost sight of him or got bored, the plan would fail. If he slowed, they''d gore him from behind. The adrenaline felt like an inferno in his veins.


    At last, through the breaks in the canopy, he spotted the faint glow of torches¡ªthe kobolds were still there. Their shouting and guttural chanting drifted on the air, a grim chorus Kaden recognized. His heart hammered. It was good that they were still there.


    He barreled through a cluster of shrubs, snapping branches as he burst into the edges of the clearing. Immediately, half a dozen kobold heads turned, eyes narrowing at the spectacle of a battered human sprinting out of the foliage.


    Surprise rippled through them. That second stretched long enough for Kaden to keep going, skidding to one side and hurling himself away from the center.


    The thunder of hooves followed him, and then the boars exploded out of the undergrowth.


    A cacophony of squeals and snarls filled the clearing. Kobolds yelped in alarm, spears brandished, but the boars had momentum on their side.


    The elite boar, leading the charge, slammed headlong into a pair of kobolds, sending them flying. Another boar trampled a third, who shrieked as it vanished beneath hooves. Yet another squealing boar spun around to fend off a panicked kobold''s spear, smashing it with a bone-rattling impact.


    Kaden moved through the chaos and confusion as he went for the prisoners lying limply on the ground. To his surprise, all three of them were now on their feet, making their escape. "That works too, I guess."


    He had expected them to be unconscious or at least too weak to stand, yet here they were, sprinting away with surprising speed.


    His plan had been to rescue them himself, but it seemed they had managed to slip their bonds during the frenzy. Still, two of the kobolds had peeled off from the main cluster, chasing the three humans with vicious snarls.


    Kaden quickly lifted a hand, Thorn Whip lashing out in a surge of barbed vines. One kobold let out a strangled cry as the tendrils coiled around its neck, and the other hissed in panic, toppling over.


    He finished them both with quick, ruthless efficiency¡ªtwo sharp thrusts of his spear.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior.]


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior.]


    A wave of relief and faint satisfaction flared, but Kaden''s focus shifted as he caught the fury in one of the freed captives'' eyes. The man, bruises visible on his face and arms, turned to glare at him. "Fool!" he spat, voice dripping with contempt.


    Fool? Kaden''s brows rose but he ignored the reaction for the time being. However, he did stop running behind them.


    Kaden skidded to a halt, letting the three rescued captives vanish into the forest. If they had enough stamina to sprint away, he wouldn''t waste energy chasing after them.


    That left him with a chaotic battlefield full of distracted kobolds and raging boars¡ªthe perfect chance to rack up kills without too much risk.


    He gripped his spear, heart still pounding from the mad dash. Through the flicker of torchlight, he saw snarling kobolds hopelessly trying to fend off stampeding boars, their once-cohesive ranks torn to pieces by the frenzied herd. Bodies littered the ground¡ªsome reptilian, some porcine, all locked in a vicious death dance.


    This was precisely what Kaden had set up. And now it was time for the dividends. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 15: Shit hits the fan

    Chapter 15: Shit hits the fan


    Kaden slid back into the edges of the clearing, crouching low behind a fallen trunk to observe which kobolds were too preoccupied or wounded to notice him. The boars, meanwhile, seemed far too enraged to distinguish between scaly foe and interloping human. Even the elite boar, still full of fury, was busy chasing a cluster of panicked kobolds that scattered in its wake.


    Kaden grinned at the sight of his handiwork. He could already spot four kobolds who were almost dead and a couple of boars bleeding profusely. It was time to do some bargain hunting.


    Without drawing attention to himself, he threw the spear in his hand, aimed at one of the bleeding boars. The spear struck right in its eye, immediately giving him a notification.


    The next one was tricky as it was thrashing wildly. Kaden ignored it and went for the kobolds. He had to personally make the trip for this one after trying a couple of times the spear throw trick. Surprisingly, his presence was still unnoticed and he managed to grab the four kills.


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 7 > Level 8]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    Kaden distributed the free points equally to all stats as the stats that were important for his class as anyways getting buffed from the level up. He did not want to lag too much on the other aspects.


    He then swiftly resumed his work.


    The kobolds were more in number but the boars were more unruly. If he picked off the boars one by one then the kobolds might be able to turn the tides and he would be in danger.


    It was best to target the kobolds and Kaden already had his sights on five wounded ones. In the blink of an eye, another level up notification popped up in front of him. He quickly distributed the stat points in all his attributes and moved on to the next one.


    The last time around he had struggled so much to overcome these initial few levels but this time it was only day one and he was already close to reaching level 10.


    He would be happier if only he did not know what awaited all of them. Unfortunately, progress like this was simply not enough to stand against that madman. He still needed to do more. Push himself more.


    Only a true elite can stand against what is to come.


    This means he needed to grab more achievements and titles. While level 10 was good, his real aim was to hit level 25 by tonight. This would get him two or if he was lucky three titles in a single swoop. This was the first target he was aiming for.


    The first step in building true strength.


    Kaden did not waste time and immediately aimed for another pair of kobolds. However, it looked like his luck had finally run out.


    The kobold magician with the powerful staff was finally done casting his magic.


    Kaden''s eyes went wide as the air warped with a sudden burst of heat, and the kobold magician extended its staff toward the sky.


    A blazing, crimson sphere winked into existence at the tip¡ªthen another, and another¡ªlike miniature suns forming in rapid succession. The surrounding temperature spiked, prickles of sweat beading on Kaden''s forehead. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, hell no," he muttered. He knew that look in the mage''s eyes: that single-minded fury of a caster who''d finally completed a high-tier spell. Around the staff''s tip, orbs of roiling flame shimmered, each one gradually drifting into a loose orbit.


    Several battered kobolds rallied behind the mage, snarling in triumph. They seemed emboldened, as though anticipating a grand retaliation that would scorch the entire clearing.


    Meanwhile, the boars still rampaged in parts of the field, but even they paused at the sudden spike of heat, snorting nervously. The very air crackled with energy, and the faint forest breeze felt singed, as if the oxygen itself might ignite.


    Kaden swallowed hard. His eyes were not deceiving him. The kobold magician was only level 7.


    An ordinary low-level mage couldn''t possibly conjure so many orbs of fire at once¡ªnot without a powerful conduit fueling it. Sure enough, the red crystal embedded at the staff''s tip glowed with an intensity that threatened to melt the very air around it.


    The next second the fireballs roared and flew towards the boars. The kobolds watched in glee as the boars got hit by the attacks one after the other.


    Balls of flame hissed in the air, each one slamming into a boar with frightening precision. Scorched flesh and squeals of agony erupted across the clearing.


    In less than a heartbeat, the once-rampaging boars¡ªso dangerous just moments ago¡ªwere being reduced to piles of burning fur and convulsing limbs.


    The kobold magician snarled something guttural, staff raised high. More orbs formed, swirling around the scarlet crystal as though dancing to some silent, nightmarish tune.


    The surviving kobolds whooped in vicious glee, their morale skyrocketing now that the boars¡ªpreviously their biggest headache¡ªwere getting obliterated one by one.


    And then something unexpected happened.


    One lone fireball came right for the bush Kaden was currently hiding in. Right on cue, every single kobold turned to look at the bush.

 Chapter 16: Surrounded

    Chapter 16: Surrounded


    Kaden''s heart lurched at the hiss of the incoming fireball. The air rippled with heat, and a moment later, the telltale glow of fiery magic illuminated the tangled leaves of his hiding place.


    They''ve spotted me.


    A jolt of fear cut through him. No time to dodge gracefully. If he stayed crouched here, he''d be burned alive. He needed an immediate move.


    He broke into motion, ripping himself from the bush just as the searing orb smashed against the foliage. Flames whooshed, leaves and branches going up in an explosion of sparks. Kaden felt the heat skim across his back, singeing hair and scorching his clothes as he ran out.


    The clearing lay fully exposed now, with battered kobolds crowding around their mage and zero boars left to distract them. As he stumbled clear of the smoke, a chorus of guttural snarls rose from the scaly horde.


    Every yellowed eye locked on him.


    Their battered bodies might be half-crippled by earlier battles, but the staff-wielding caster was obviously still charged with power¡ªand that meant they were lethal. They were also obviously not happy to see him.


    He steadied his breath, flipping his spear from one hand to the other. Thorn Whip or Sanguine Roots could buy some seconds of confusion, but could they outpace an angry ring of kobolds?


    A hush fell over the battlefield. The cinders floating down from his burning bush, the tang of smoke and singed hair, the quiet shuffle of kobold feet on bloodstained grass¡ªall sharpened into a single moment.


    Kaden''s chest burned with each breath.


    He glimpsed the caster raising its staff again, faint embers swirling around the red crystal.


    Act now or die.


    He had to do it. There was no turning back now. He immediately cast [Sanguine Roots] on the caster.


    Crimson tendrils erupted from the blood-soaked ground beneath the kobold caster, latching onto its feet. The scaly creature snarled, embers sputtering in the air around its staff as it struggled against the hungry vines.


    This would buy him some time and prevent the damn kobold from casting any high level spell by constantly interrupting him.


    As for the others¡­ it was time for a good old brawl.


    Thankfully, no other casters were there and most of the kobolds seemed to be injured. One problem partially contained. But a dozen more ran straight at him, battered yet fierce.


    A single glance told him these kobolds were around his level¡ªmaybe level 8 or 9, same as him¡ªbut there were far too many. Each one brandished a spear or club, eyes gleaming with savage purpose.


    Kaden clenched his teeth and lurched into motion. The closest kobold lunged in with a short spear. Kaden parried with his own, the clash of iron vibrating up his arms. He twisted, hooking Thorn Whip around the kobold''s arm, yanking it off-balance. A quick thrust of his spear ended its shriek mid-breath. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior]


    He hardly had time to register the kill before two more kobolds descended on him, swinging crude blades. He ducked the first swing, then hopped back from the second, heart hammering. One glancing blow caught his thigh, drawing a thin line of blood.


    Not good, he thought, pulse in his ears.


    He raised his spear to retaliate, but a third kobold slid in from the side, jabbing at his ribs. He nearly didn''t catch it in time, blocking it with the shaft of his spear. The impact stung, forcing him back a step.


    This was not going to be easy. But Kaden knew that he had to keep pushing. Otherwise, he would be right where he previously was, in a prison cell waiting for someone else to save him.


    "Die!" he snarled, driving every ounce of force into his spear. The third kobold parried awkwardly, but Thorn Whip lashed out at the same time, biting into its shoulder.


    The sudden yank threw the scaly warrior off-balance, and Kaden took the chance to ram his spear straight into its exposed side. A sickening crunch, a wet gasp¡ªthen nothing.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior]


    Fighting with a spear in one hand and the thorn whip in the other was not convenient but he kept going forward with the mad rumble. They had numbers on their side and he had the slight edge in stats and utter desperation on his side. He was fighting for survival and he was going to win.


    Nope. Kaden quickly realized he needed more than that.


    His gaze fell on the boar close to his feet which was not completely dead yet. In fact, many of the boars seemed to be fatally injured but hadn''t yet bit the bullet.


    Dodging the kobold, Kaden quickly shifted to a new strategy. First, level up and then deal with these fuckers. Ignoring the kobold raring to skewer and nail him, he maimed the dying boar and took the small chunk of experience points.


    It took another two boars and the dang persistent kobold to get him up another level.


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 8 > Level 9]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    Kaden distributed the stats in a hurry and the next second, he turned to face the dozen kobolds who had all caught up to him and were now ready to gang bang him.

 Chapter 17: Bring it on

    Chapter 17: Bring it on


    The kobolds sneered at the lone human in disdain. Even battered, they still held the advantage of numbers, forming a loose semicircle around Kaden. Their amber eyes gleamed with a cruel light, as though delighted by the prospect of a slow, painful kill.


    A few of the kobolds immediately waddled over to the far side of the clearing, shuffling into position and cutting off Kaden''s last route of escape. However, Kaden only laughed at their efforts.


    "No need. I am not planning to go anywhere." He might have been marginally weaker than them before but this single level up changed everything.


    The surge of level up still humming in his veins, he flexed his fingers around the spear shaft. Thorn Whip''s energy crackled faintly in his off hand.


    "Come on," he growled, voice echoing across the smoky, bloodstained clearing. "I''m right here."


    Six kobolds came at him from the front and back and Kaden clutched the thorn whip tighter in his hand as he calmly channeled the mana within him.


    [Sanguine Roots]


    The ground rumbled beneath one unfortunate kobold''s feet, Sanguine Roots bursting up in a surge of crimson-tinged tendrils. The scaly creature let out a guttural squawk, thrashing in alarm as the roots latched onto its ankles.


    It did not stop with that. The ground rumbled again¡ªand again¡ªas crimson-tinged roots erupted in multiple spots, each fueled by the blood and chaos saturating the battlefield. One set latched onto the ankles of a kobold directly in front of Kaden, the second and third sets reaching out hungrily for two more.


    In an instant, three of the six assailants found themselves immobilized, letting out panicked, guttural squawks. Their clawed feet scraped uselessly at the soil, trying to pry loose the living vines that pulsed with unnatural force.


    Kaden watched with grim satisfaction. He''d never before managed to cast Sanguine Roots on multiple targets simultaneously, but this newly earned level gave him the extra mana he needed and bumped up the skill a little.


    The ring of kobolds who had expected to box him in now looked on in alarm. Kaden did not miss this opportunity and instantly used the chaos to strike at the kobold on his left.


    The scaly creature tried to bring up its spear in a rushed block, but Kaden was faster now¡ªevery ounce of agility polished by his recent level-up. He feinted high, then swept his spear low, smashing against the kobold''s exposed flank.


    A panicked snarl tore from its throat as it stumbled, and in that brief instant of imbalance, Kaden ended it with a swift, ruthless thrust.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold scout]


    The moment the creature dropped, he spun toward the next one. He still had two more free kobolds to handle¡ªeven as three remained bound by Sanguine Roots.


    A second kobold snarled, leaping forward with a chipped club. Kaden snapped Thorn Whip across its torso, the barbs biting through worn leather armor. The kobold hissed, flinching just enough for Kaden to sidestep and drive his spear deep into its midriff. There was a choked gasp, then silence.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior]


    Before Kaden could finish the last free one, five more charged forward and once again cornered him. "Bring it on." Kaden did not hesitate and kept thrusting his spear wherever he could find an opening. The faint crackle of Thorn Whip danced across his off hand, and drew blood recklessly.


    The kobolds didn''t waste time¡ªthey attacked from multiple angles, shrill hisses and guttural snarls filling the air. Kaden did not let up and gave them back as good as he got. He took multiple hits and three big injuries covered his back, bleeding profusely.


    However, he continued pushing. He left the injuries to the dot healing coming in front the sanguine roots and focused frantically on the assaults, going on full-drive offense mode.


    He was now slightly faster and stronger than the kobolds. Not to mention these were already injured creatures. His mad push was more than enough to overcome them. Within seconds, notifications started popping up one after the other.


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior]


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold scout]


    [Ding! You have killed a kobold warrior]


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­ sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then came the next level up notification which all but sealed the fate of the kobolds.


    This was more than enough to finish the stragglers. The remaining few kobolds, battered and out of breath, bore terrified expressions as they realized just how much stronger the human was. Their snarls wavered, replaced by flickers of fear.


    Kaden latched onto that fear, forcing his exhausted body to continue the slaughter fest.

 Chapter 18: We came to help

    Chapter 18: We came to help


    Silence. No more snarls or frantic yips.


    As the last kobold dropped dead, a hush enveloped the clearing again. The field lay littered with scorched earth, tangled roots, and the limp forms of over a couple dozen kobolds who had gambled on their numbers¡ªand lost.


    Kaden stood in the midst of it, legs shaking, battered spear dangling loosely in his grip. Every breath stung his lungs, raw from exertion and the smoky air.


    At last, the tension that had kept him upright began to drain. He staggered, blood from his back wounds trickling down his sides.


    His own heartbeat pounded in his ears, underscored by a fleeting hum¡ªthe System''s subtle way of confirming his kills, his levels, his unstoppable forward momentum.


    He exhaled, letting the final bellow of adrenaline subside, a grim half-smile tugging at his lips.


    He could feel the difference: this new level brimming in his veins, knitting up the edges of his injuries through the synergy of Sanguine Roots'' faint healing effect and his elevated stats. It wouldn''t be a full recovery, but it was enough to keep going.


    Nudging a fallen spear aside with his foot, he scanned the clearing one final time for threats. None. The only remaining movement came from the kobold caster¡ªstill tangled in the Sanguine Roots that crept around its ankles.


    From the distance, he could see it thrashing and shrieking, fear bleeding through its every guttural note. Kaden dragged a breath into his aching lungs, forcing his battered legs to obey. On the way, he took care of a couple of boars that were still breathing.


    [Ding! You have killed a wild boar]


    [Ding! You have killed a wild boar]


    The bonus experience points didn''t hurt. Kaden smiled as he eyed the caster who might as well be a big bag of shiny experience points in his eyes. With this, he should level up again. Wait, what was his level now?


    Snapping him out of his thoughts three figures caught his attention. Three familiar figures. Two men and one silver haird woman, the moon priestess.


    Kaden frowned. "Didn''t you already run the other way?" He continued walking forward and the other party did not stop either. They were a lot closer to the caster than he was and reached the kobold before him.


    Then, without even glancing Kaden''s way, the broad-shouldered man in the trio stepped up to the frantically writhing kobold caster. His blade gleamed in the dim, smoky light¡ªno hesitation, no wasted movement.


    A single, powerful thrust caught the caster beneath the chin, cutting short its guttural shrieks with a wet gurgle. The man turned to glance arrogantly at Kaden when unexpectedly a notification popped up.


    Huh? Kaden froze as he stared at the prompt.


    [Ding! You have killed the Kobold Magician]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 13 > Level 14]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 14 > Level 15]


    [Ding! You have obtained the title Boss Killer]


    [Boss Killer: You have slain your first Boss-level monster. Effects: +10% XP gain against elites and bosses, +5 all attributes while fighting Boss-level enemies.]


    Kaden blinked. Clearly, the other party had arrogantly stolen his kill right in front of him but¡­ he got the kill credit?


    Did the final blow not matter because Sanguine Roots was still draining the caster''s life? Did he get credited for dealing the majority of damage? That was not possible. While the system did take into account the damage done, the final kill was given a lot of weight. This was an established theory.


    This was probably a freak coincidence with Sanguine Roots doing the last dot damage. Just dumb luck.


    Kaden shrugged as he watched the expression change on the man''s face from arrogance to confusion to anger. "Awkward." He chuckled lightly as he continued walking forward.


    The man''s eyes narrowed, flicking from Kaden to the dead caster, then to the faint crimson vines withdrawing from the mage''s ankles. A vein of annoyance glinted in his expression, as though he resented not receiving the final blow''s reward.


    Kaden rolled his eyes. So much attitude from a kill stealer. Not that he was one to talk. He took care of another boar that was whimpering on the ground as he increased his pace and arrived at the scene.


    "You finally made your way back here?" Kaden''s gaze went straight for the silver-haired priestess.  Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To his surprise the woman was nothing like the rumors he had heard about. She looked rattled with fear stricken eyes and her body was shaking as her gaze flickered from one corpse to the other. She was basically a nervous mess.


    Seeing Kaden so openly stare at the woman, the big guy''s anger flared and he took a step forward. But the other man quickly stopped him.


    "We came to help." He answered instead.


    "Right," Kaden replied, raising an eyebrow. "You definitely did that to help me."


    Seeing that Kaden was obviously not buying the shit that was being sold, the big guy lost his patience. "Why are you wasting time talking to him? Let''s just get rid of him, grab the staff and leave."

 Chapter 19: No

    Chapter 19: No


    Kaden quirked an eyebrow at the big man''s barked threat. A ragged laugh escaped his lips¡ªlow, disbelieving. "You think you can just ''get rid'' of me, huh?" He had seen many kinds of people in his life and this was not the first or going to be the last time to encounter this type.


    With a smile, Kaden splayed a palm over the battered spear in his other hand, brandishing it enough to make a point. Blood still dripped from the blade¡ªkobold, boar, some of his own. "Go ahead. Try."


    The hulking swordsman tensed, fists clenching white around his hilt. There was raw anger in his eyes. The silver-haired priestess shrank back a step, her fearful gaze darting between the two men, and the wiry fellow beside her winced as if anticipating a fight he couldn''t win.


    "Garrus," the wiry man said, voice tense, "We didn''t come back to pick a fight. You said it yourself¡ªwe grab the staff and we''re gone."


    Garrus''s lips peeled back in a sneer. "That was before I realized this bastard was going to mooch off our kill. And now he''s eyeing my woman."


    "First off," Kaden growled, "I didn''t ask you to come barging in¡ªlet alone to kill-steal that caster." He flicked a glance at the caster''s corpse, crimson vines still unwinding from its ankles. "If anything, you got in my way, not the other way around."


    The priestess swallowed hard, stepping between Garrus and Kaden, though she wobbled visibly.


    "Please," she whispered, "no more killing. We came to¡­ to see if we could stop any more tragedy." Her soft gaze darted up to Garrus, entreating him to stand down. "Let''s not spill more blood in this place."


    Garrus''s jaw tightened, the cords in his neck standing out. For a second, Kaden thought he''d ignore the priestess entirely. But, at last, he let out a sharp exhale, stepping back and sheathing half his blade with a clank. "Fine," he snapped, shooting Kaden a glare of warning. "But don''t blame me if this ends badly."


    "That''s enough," the wiry man muttered, placing a hand on Garrus''s shoulder. Then he turned to Kaden, forcing a brittle smile. "Sorry about him¡ªhe''s not great at losing, especially a kill that size. But we didn''t come to pick a fight with you. We just wanted to confirm that caster''s death and see if you were okay."


    Kaden responded with an even stare.


    "The thing is¡­" The guy was not done talking. "We have a healer with us. We need the staff. If you want you can tag along with us. We can heal your wounds in a second. All you have to do is hand over that staff. I mean¡­ you don''t need it, right?"


    Kaden smiled and then shook his head. "As a matter of fact, I do need it. I am a caster too."


    The wiry man''s forced smile froze on his face, while Garrus stiffened again, one hand lingering near his sword hilt. Even the priestess, still pale and trembling, blinked in surprise. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re a caster?" the wiry man echoed, as though doubting his own ears. The battered state and the spear in Kaden''s hand didn''t quite scream spellcaster.


    But Kaden gave a slow shrug, ignoring the dull ache in his shoulders. "A caster, a fighter¡­ Not that I care about your definitions." He tapped the cracked staff with the toe of his boot. "But yes. I have a use for this thing. So I will be taking it."


    Garrus''s jaw worked, anger flickering in his eyes once more. "We need that staff more," he insisted, voice raw.


    Kaden arched an eyebrow. "I don''t think so."


    The wiry man put up both hands in a placating gesture. "All right, look¡­ we do have a decent camp a short trek from here¡ªbandages, potions, and the priestess can handle the rest of your wounds, fully. If you come with us, hand over the staff, we''ll make sure you''re set. Food, healing, maybe even a safe night''s rest."


    Kaden eyed the man, then looked at Garrus''s clenched fists, the priestess''s anxious frown. He let silence weigh on them for a moment. "And if I keep the staff?"


    Garrus snorted. "Then you''re on your own. You''ll bleed out for all I care, or limp into the next band of monsters unhealed."


    Kaden couldn''t help a slight, humorless laugh. "I''ve been ''on my own'' this whole time, and I''m still here." He gestured at the field of dead kobolds. "Not to mention I just jumped two levels and snagged a title¡ªthanks for that." His tone dripped with pointed irony as he pointed to the dead kobold magician.


    A flash of frustrated rage twisted Garrus''s features, but again, the priestess intervened. She shuffled forward, arms half-raised as though to calm them both. "Please. This has gone on long enough. None of us are at our best."


    Her soft silver hair caught the flicker of dying torchlight, and though she looked fragile, something earnest shone in her eyes. "We can help you," she added quietly. "We truly can. If you''d just¡­ trust us."

 Chapter 20: A new friend

    Chapter 20: A new friend


    Kaden playfully spun the staff in his hand as he walked away from the scene of carnage. He could still feel three sets of eyes searing into his back. Despite their obvious animosity¡ªor at best, precarious truces¡ªnone of them moved to stop him. He expected the brute to do something stupid but it looks like he was not that stupid after all.


    Smart choice, Kaden thought. He had taken more wounds than he''d cared to admit, but he had no intention of sharing the staff.


    Even though that woman was a blubbering mess at the moment, she was still the moon priestess. There was no need to pity her or mess with her path anymore than he already had.


    In fact, Kaden had a feeling he would only be doing her harm if he had been generous right now. It was clear that she had to go through something to unlock her true self and power and he did not want to stand in the way of that.


    Not that he did everything to help her. He also had some personal plans for the staff.


    After a while, he slowed his stride a fraction, ribs twinging as each breath reminded him that he was no invincible force. Scanning the smoky twilight around him, he found no fresh threats. This was as good a place as any to take a break.


    He needed rest. He also needed to heal himself. He sat down and began to center his mind, despite the utter exhaustion gripping him. He might be mentally prepared and determined to power level but that did not mean his body would adapt accordingly.


    Kaden grit his teeth and endured the pain. He didn''t really need anyone else to heal him. He just needed enough mana and now that he was finally level 15, he should be able to do it. He was, well, 50% sure of it.


    After many months of accompanying his former clan leader, he had watched the guy use a total of five skills and he was familiar with all five of them.


    This was why he dared to chose druid class and even dared to accept an unfamiliar hidden class in the druid achetype. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to exploit the edge he currently had.


    He pressed a hand over the worst slash across his ribs, wincing as fresh, sticky blood coated his fingers. "All right," he murmured. "Time to see if I paid enough attention all those times¡­"


    The logic was simple. The healing skill was just like Thorn whip or Sanguine Roots. He simply had to do the opposite. Just like how both of those skills stretched outward to drain and injure enemies, he had to invert the flow, turning that synergy inward from the start.


    Gradually, he cycled his mana, envisioning the red-tinged roots not bursting from the soil, but sprouting gently within¡ªlike coaxing a plant to bloom inside his injuries instead of the ground. Focusing on that mental image and the rune of power, he felt a faint tingle near the edges of torn flesh.


    At first, only the barest shimmer of warmth flickered across his ribcage, and he almost lost the thread as agony spiked. Stay with it. Sweat beaded on his brow; his teeth dug into his lower lip.


    Then, like a candle catching flame, something clicked: a slow, creeping sensation of life weaving along his wound. A hush seemed to wash over his senses as he directed that energy carefully, encouraging the mana to seal lacerations and re-knit muscle fibers.


    "Hnngh¡ª" He hissed through clenched teeth, a small ring of green glow forming just beneath his palm. The pain didn''t vanish, but the sticky warmth of blood flow ebbed, replaced by a steadier, less frantic throb.


    When at last he exhaled, the edges of the slash had drawn closer, forming a fresh scab in place of gaping flesh.


    He sagged against the trunk he was leaning on, panting. That¡­ worked. Not perfectly¡ªhe was still battered all over, and the deeper cuts would need more attempts. But if he could replicate this process, he would have successfully learned one more skill without the help of the system.


    And if he was not wrong, there was a reward waiting for him with that achievement.


    One attempt down, more attempts to go. He tried again, this time on a shallower gash on his shoulder. The same flicker of green mana, the same half-blurring of pain into a dull ache.


    Each success bolstered his confidence, even if it drained him further. He simply meditated to recover his mana and once again tried. Slowly he felt a change. But the change was nothing within. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, the change was something that stirred around him. Kaden trembled in shock as he suddenly felt small streams of warm nurturing energy seep into him from the surroundings. More specifically from the trees and plants around him.


    The forest was talking to him.

 Chapter 21: One with nature

    Chapter 21: One with nature


    Kaden froze, stiffening against the tree trunk as a faint but unmistakable current of warmth coursed through his limbs. It wasn''t the savage surge he felt whenever he used Sanguine Roots, siphoning blood and life to fuel his power.


    No¡ªthis energy was gentler, calmer, and strangely reassuring. It wrapped around him like a soft blanket on a chilly evening, soothing every raw edge in his tired body. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He sucked in a shaky breath, heart pounding. He had never felt anything like this before¡ªso warm, so nurturing, as though the forest itself had decided to hold him close. It reminded him of¡­ home. Memories flickered through his mind like fragile, sunlit snapshots:


    His mother, arms wide open on a lazy summer afternoon, laughing and pulling him in for the kind of hug that drove away every worry.


    His father, gently lifting him off the pavement after that first big bike crash, patting his back, telling him he''d be okay, that he was strong enough to get back on and keep trying.


    His newborn sister, her impossibly tiny fingers curling around his thumb as she squirmed in her blanket, so delicate, so alive with potential.


    He hadn''t thought about those moments in years. He''d buried them under layers of struggle and terror in this twisted world. But now they surged up all at once, jostling against the lump in his throat. Tears welled, and he couldn''t stop them.


    Yet somehow, the tears felt good. They weren''t just tears of grief, but of relief¡ªlike finding a pocket of fresh air after nearly drowning.


    He didn''t need to carry the pain anymore, all by himself. He didn''t have to worry so much about the future. He was not alone now. He had them. He had everything already. He didn''t need to fight so hard anymore. He could simply let go of all the pain and the regrets. He could just let go of everything¡­


    "Fuck!" Kaden slapped himself on the cheek, the sharp sting jolting him back to reality. He could still feel the tears on his face, hot and bitter, but the lull of that gentle warmth was already fading. It had lulled him into a dangerously peaceful moment¡ªone where he nearly forgot who he was and what awaited him.


    "Don''t you dare lose yourself," he muttered, voice thick with leftover emotion. "Not yet."


    He pressed his back against the rough bark, the lingering warmth slowly receding from his veins. A part of him yearned to hold on to that feeling¡ªto let it drown him in relief, to forget the violence and hardship that had become second nature in this apocalypse.


    But he quickly squashed that part. He did not get this second chance to simply let it all go to hell once again. This time everything would be different. He would personally see to that. Or he will die trying.


    Kaden clenched his fists, shaking himself off the stupor completely. The next second, a couple of system prompts flashed in front of him.


    [Ding! You have learned a new skill One with nature]


    One with nature (Active/ Passive):


    Passive Effect: Gently harmonizes your mana with surrounding flora, increasing natural recovery rates for Health and Mana by a small percentage while in forested or plant-rich areas. Grants a subtle sense of your environment''s flora, helping you detect threats, resources, or hidden pathways.


    Active Effect: Momentarily merge your aura with the living world around you. This restores a portion of your Health and Mana and provides short-term resistance to mental influences.


    Kaden almost swore as he read the skill description. The damn thing had almost fucked his brain up and it was supposed to provide resistance to mental influence?


    He had heard about skills like this before. Mostly, warlock classers got many skills like this which was why it was best to consider one as enemy straight from the get go. Almost every warlock classer he had seen lost their mind to the darkness.


    But who knew something healing and nurturing like a druid class could offer a similar skill? Wait, was this druid class skill or the hidden class skill?


    He skimmed through the skill description again and it looked like it was a druid class skill indeed. This meant that he could now get both the druid and the hidden druid class skills? Well, whatever. Everything would become clearer if he progressed more down the path.


    Kaden quickly swiped away the dangerous skill which he did not plan to use again and looked at the next notification.


    [Ding! You have learned a new skill Healing Touch]


    Healing Touch (Active):


    Channel gentle nature energy through your palms, restoring a modest amount of Health to a single target over a short duration. Healing scales with the user''s level, Nature affinity, and proximity to plant-rich environments. Prolonged use may induce mild fatigue or dizziness if your own Mana reserves are low.


    Finally! He got the skill he wanted.

 Chapter 22: Truth or lie?

    Chapter 22: Truth or lie?


    Kaden''s lips curved into a hard-earned smile. He raised his hand, eager to test Healing Touch on his battered knuckles¡ªonly to freeze mid-gesture.


    Where there should''ve been scrapes and bruises, he found smooth, unbroken skin. Every ache and sting he''d been bracing for had vanished, leaving him slack-jawed and running his fingertips over unmarred flesh.


    He blinked, heartbeat quickening. What¡­? He''d expected at least some faint pink lines or residual soreness. Instead, his body felt as if he''d been pulled from a medic''s healing chamber, freshly mended and ready for a new fight.


    Even his mana was fully stocked again.


    "Did¡­ did One with Nature do all this?" he muttered in a daze as he remembered the warmth that had hugged him. The next moment he once again felt a slight pang to use that skill again and feel that enveloping comfort that had nearly lulled him into letting his guard down.


    A longing tugged at his chest, like a homesick child yearning for a place of safety and warmth. But just as quickly, he crushed that impulse. Focus, he chided himself, forcing his gaze to the forest around him. There was still work to be done.


    He quickly pulled his status screen and saw that he had five skills now.


    [Thorn Whip], [Nature''s Grasp], [Sanguine Roots], [One with nature] and [Healing Touch]


    "Hmm¡­ maybe I didn''t get that achievement yet because Nature''s Grasp was a starting skill¡­" Kaden mused. Every other skill was sort of self-learned, or well copied, and perhaps one more copied skill should do the trick and net him that achievement.


    As for what he was going to do now¡­


    Kaden let out a sigh and stood up. It was time to get cracking again. There was no rest for the weak and the weary. In this world, rest equalled death.


    He quickly went through his mental checklist on what he needed to accomplish before the end of the day. There was the reaching level 25 goal. But there was also one other thing he needed to get done before that. In fact, this was more important than hitting level 25 by the end of the day.


    And now that he was already level 15, it was a perfect time to work on it.


    Kaden started walking, appreciating the increased speed with which he could move now. He pulled up the system screen and the map option on it. He mentally crossed off the boar territory and the kobold territory.


    He was almost done with both of those now. He could possibly farm them for some more experience points but the kobolds were now probably scattered and the boars not worth his time and the effort.


    What he needed now was his next target.


    A swimming pool.


    Well, sort of. It was a pond with magical properties.


    More specifically, a pond where the so-called ''savior'', his former clan leader and boss had leveled up his mana affinity.


    Kaden was sure that he had some amount of nature affinity. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to conjure that very first Thorn Whip. But if the information he had was correct, then he would be able to increase this affinity several times by taking a simple dip in this pond.


    Sigh. He shook his head. There was definitely 50% chance that this information was incorrect. What choice did he have? The promise of a mana-infused pond that could supercharge his nature affinity was too tempting to ignore.


    He moved through the forest with cautious speed, leaning on his newly recovered stamina. This was going to be a long search. The bastard was very vague about the location, almost as if somebody else could still access the spot and reap the benefits.


    This was also one of the reasons he leaned towards truly believing that this magic pool existed.


    Kaden continued searching the area, not daring to step beyond the current marked beginner territory. Even with all of his past life knowledge, he would never ever attempt this.


    It was simply foolish to think that a person without a mana core could face a beast who had already formed a core.


    Naturally, he needed to push himself to become stronger but crossing the borders was no longer pushing himself. It was simply suicide.


    Kaden scanned the looming treetops, hoping to glimpse some sign of water¡ªmaybe a cluster of damp vegetation or a faint shimmer of reflected sunlight. Instead, he found himself plunged deeper into a maze of knotted branches and creeping undergrowth. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Still, Kaden refused to lose hope. After a few more hours of roaming around, he finally had to turn back to the starting point. He had looked everywhere and now the only part that was left was the kobold area and the spot where the priestess had set up her camp.

 Chapter 23: Kobold camp

    Chapter 23: Kobold camp


    Kaden rubbed his temples as he stepped back into the scene of carnage. If possible he did not want to cross paths with the priestess again but he couldn''t let go of such a big chance.


    He still couldn''t believe that someone as famous as the priestess had spawned right next to him in the apocalypse. Maybe he missed all of that because of getting bit by that damn snake.


    His last life would have definitely been a lot better if he had followed the priestess instead of that arrogant prick ''savior''. But in this life being near her was only going to do harm and potentially change her path.


    He did not want to personally act as a hero and save thousands of people. People like her were meant to do that and he did not want to take that away.


    "Let''s see what happens." He let out a sigh and continued searching the area. First he decided to search the kobold camp before heading to the survivors camp.


    Kaden grimaced, boot soles grinding against charred debris as he moved through the ruined camp, sifting through broken crates and scorched tents. The site still reeked of blood and flesh and there was no sign of a water body in the nearby vicinity.


    He turned away to search other areas when unexpectedly, he noticed something odd from the corner of his eyes. Hmm. With a frown, he walked forward in that direction to take a closer look.


    There, in a dense corner of foliage, hidden perfectly between knotted roots and big ass leaves was a small cave opening.


    Kaden''s footsteps slowed to a cautious crawl as he peered into the thick brush. His nose wrinkled at the heavy, earthy smell¡ªa mingling of damp soil and something vaguely pungent.


    With a careful sweep of his gaze, he stepped beyond the charred remains and broken debris, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light under the foliage.


    Sure enough, there it was: a dark little hollow set behind gnarled roots and oversize leaves. Two thick, twisting roots crisscrossed over the opening, almost like a makeshift gate. In the gloom beyond, he could just barely make out a gap leading deeper under the earth.


    "What the¡­?" Kaden murmured, heart thumping in mild surprise.


    He reached out, brushing aside a few of the huge leaves. A damp chill wafted from the opening, sending goosebumps rippling across his arms. A cave¡ªor a tunnel, he realized. Was it always here?


    This stretch of land, as far as he recalled, should have been all solid forest floor and he was very familiar with this place.


    He knelt, checking the ground for tracks. The soil at the cave mouth was soft, dappled with spidery root networks.


    He couldn''t see any fresh footprints¡ªhuman or otherwise¡ªthough a trickle of disturbed soil suggested someone might have passed through recently and hidden their tracks. Not exactly comforting.


    Before proceeding, Kaden carefully cleared away the larger roots tangling over the entrance. He winced when the bark crumbled beneath his grip, sending a muted crack echoing into the darkness.  S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last thing he wanted was to have these roots snap and wedge him inside once he was underground. He tested each one, shifting them enough to ensure he could squeeze back out in a hurry if needed.


    Once he was certain the way back wouldn''t seal itself, he summoned just a hint of Thorn Whip to wrap around his left forearm¡ªready to lash out if anything jumped him.


    He had no real torch on hand, but a faint glow from the entrance lent enough light to see a few feet ahead. If it got too dark, he might risk using a small spark of mana for illumination, though that could alert every creature within earshot.


    He ducked beneath the twisted roots and inched forward. The cave''s rough walls brushed his shoulders, and the earthen ceiling was low enough that he had to hunch. Strange lumps of fungus clung to the tunnel sides, their pale caps flecked with bioluminescent spots, lending a faint glow that pulsed like a heartbeat.


    "At least it''s not pitch black," Kaden breathed. The mushrooms provided a ghostly light, enough for him to discern a downward slope a few yards in.


    Careful not to crush the glowing fungi or inhale too many spores, he crept further, boots skidding on the damp, uneven ground. Every few steps, the tunnel forked or curved, roots jutting in like skeletal fingers.


    The walls dripped with water, forming rivulets that trickled along muddy channels toward some unseen lower chamber. A scattering of pebbles clinked underfoot, echoing into the gloom.


    His heartbeat drummed in his ears, poised for any hiss or growl that might echo back. But so far, only dripping water and his own breathing broke the silence.


    This is bigger than I expected, he thought, pausing at a split in the path¡ªleft veered sharply down, while right seemed to level out.

 Chapter 24: Pile of corpses

    Chapter 24: Pile of corpses


    Kaden frowned. A cold draft wafted from the right tunnel, carrying a mineral tang that hinted at a deeper cavern or underground flow of water. That was promising.


    The left route, however, smelled of something nasty, a mix of blood, rotting bodies and shit? He did not want to analyze it.


    He weighed his options. If he were tracking kobolds, he''d head where the stench was stronger¡ªodd reptilian bunkers typically reeked. But his real aim was a potential water source, so the right path¡ªcool and mineral-laden¡ªseemed the better bet.


    "Right it is," he murmured, pivoting on his heel. Without further hesitation, he moved on.


    With one last glance at the dingy left passage, Kaden turned away, steering himself down the cooler, mineral-scented route.


    The air shifted almost immediately¡ªless of that swampy stench, more of an earthy chill that made the hair on his arms prickle. Water dripped steadily somewhere ahead. Had he hit the motherload?


    Crouching low, he navigated the tight corridor, letting the soft glow of bioluminescent fungi guide his steps. The stone underfoot was slick, forcing him to move carefully, but he welcomed the smoother air.


    Every so often, he paused to listen, heart hammering, but he heard only the slow drip of water echoing through the tunnel. It was almost¡­ peaceful.  Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a few bends, the passage opened into a small chamber¡ªdamp, hollow, and faintly lit by clusters of pale-green mushroom caps. Their glow reflected on the walls, tracing patterns like veins through dark rock.


    At the chamber''s far end, a thin trickle of water poured from above, flowing into a shallow pool before draining through crevices in the floor. Kaden exhaled. It wasn''t much¡ªjust another meager underground spring.


    He knelt to run a hand along the pool''s surface: cold, clear, tinged with the mineral tang he''d smelled earlier. He filled his canteen as he mulled his next move.


    This might not be the jackpot pond I''m after, he thought. He swished the water in his mouth, relishing its clarity, before swallowing. This could only mean one thing. The pond was in the survivor camp.


    With a sigh he started heading out of the cave, when he arrived at the fork again. He glanced at the other path and was about to continue upwards but he shook his head and paused again. It was best to be thorough.


    Kaden pinched the bridge of his nose, cursing under his breath. If it''s this rank, there''s got to be something down there¡ªI just hope it''s not more trouble than it''s worth. With that resigned thought, he turned from the fork he''d first chosen and ventured into the foul-smelling tunnel.


    Immediately, the air changed for the worse¡ªthick and muggy, with a grotesque undercurrent of decay. Each step felt like trudging deeper into an infected wound.


    The walls here were rougher, partly crumbling, and clumps of a different sort of fungus clung to the stone. Instead of a soft glow, these looked diseased, oozing dark slimes under faint flickers of greenish light.


    Kaden forced himself to breathe through his mouth. Focus, he told himself, steeling his mind. There has to be a reason for this stench.


    Whether it was a kobold nest, a corpse pile, or something nastier¡ªhe needed to find out if there was anything worth scavenging or any new leads. Otherwise, he could close this dead end in his mental map and finally move on.


    He pressed on, careful not to slip on the slick floor. Every so often, his boot nudged something squishy, and he grimaced, not daring to look too closely at whatever lump of rotting biomass he was stepping on.


    The further he went, the stronger the reek grew. Definitely a nest, he speculated. Kobolds, or some other subterranean pests, had to be storing carcasses, maybe using them for feeding or, worse, sacrificing.


    A shape loomed to his right¡ªa large, ragged hole in the wall. Spatters of dried blood crusted the edges. He ducked to peer inside when he froze in shock and horror.


    In front of him were corpses. Piles and piles of human corpses.


    Kaden couldn''t help but tremble. He staggered back, bile burning in his throat as he fought to steady himself against the cave wall. It wasn''t just one or two bodies¡ªit was a macabre mound of lifeless human forms, stacked haphazardly in gruesome layers.


    Even in the dim flicker of the rotten fungus-light, he could pick out limbs twisted at impossible angles, mouths locked in silent, final screams. The stench rolled over him like a physical force, threatening to buckle his knees.


    His grip on the stone tightened until his knuckles went white. What happened here? He forced a slow, shallow breath, trying to keep the nausea at bay. Was this all of the other human beings spawned along with him in this starting area?


    Were they all dead? How did the kobolds get everyone so soon? What the fuck happened? This was the first day of the apocalypse damn it!


    Kaden''s mind instantly wandered to the three people who he had run into. Something was wrong. He needed to get to the bottom of this.


    Just as he was about to turn around and head upwards, another drip sounded and he looked in the back, past the death and the pile of corpses. Something yellow and round glistened. It was a sack hanging from the roof of the cave.

 Chapter 25: The magic pond is not a pond at all

    Chapter 25: The magic pond is not a pond at all


    Kaden''s gaze lifted, roaming over the twisted remains until it snagged on a pale glimmer near the ceiling¡ªa yellowish sac, hanging like a swollen fruit from the rocky overhang.


    He blinked, brow furrowing. It glistened under the faint fungal light, its skin taut and veined with eerie lines. Another drip formed at its base, sliding off in a bead of liquid that fell onto a half-rotted corpse below.


    "What the hell is that?" he whispered, stepping sideways to get a better angle.


    It was roughly the size of a small backpack, maybe larger, and had a dull, waxy sheen as if something thick and syrupy coated it. An egg sac?


    The idea made his skin crawl. Giant insects, mutated spiders, or unknown monstrosities could spawn from such sacks. He needed to kill that thing asap and get rid of it. Maybe he could get some sweet levels from it. One or two would be good.


    Kaden took the thron whip and gave the embryo sac a big old whooping.


    Crack-splish!


    The whip carved into the waxy membrane but to his surprise nothing happened. "What the¡­" He tried again and again to strike it and when nothing worked, he straightup used a kobold''s spear to tear it open but as soon as he struck it, he was almost thrown back.


    Kaden grit his teeth, stumbling back a few steps as his strike rebounded off the egg sac''s resilient shell.The kobold''s spear barely made a scratch. He glared at the sac in disbelief, half-hoping to see some telltale fissure, but it remained stubbornly intact, swaying gently from the ceiling like a taunt.


    "What the hell?" he muttered, catching his breath. The thing felt as solid as a vault door. Did that sac just repel me? His shoulder still throbbed from the recoil, and the spear''s tip was broken from the collision.


    "What the hell is inside that thing?"


    As he absent-mindedly stared at the sac, a bead of liquid formed at the base once more. He watched it dangle perilously for a moment, then drop down. Kaden instinctively reached out to catch it.


    The next second, he felt a wave of warm nourishing energy spread through his body. He froze as the droplet splashed into his cupped palm¡ªa tiny bead of gleaming liquid that reflected the dim fungal glow.


    Instead of hissing through his skin like acid, it seeped between his fingers and spread a gentle warmth through his flesh.


    "What¡­?" he murmured, mouth going dry. He''d expected pain¡ªsome corrosive sting, maybe even a toxic burn. Instead, a soothing energy pulsed through his veins, banishing a bit of the fatigue clinging to his muscles.


    It felt like Healing Touch, only deeper, richer¡ªlike raw mana made tangible. For a moment, the cavern''s reek of rot and damp faded, replaced by the phantom scent of wildflowers. His breathing steadied, the tension in his jaw unclenching.


    He stared at his hand, where a faint residue of that droplet still glimmered. "Just what the hell is inside that thing?"


    Kaden waited. Another few minutes passed in silence with just him and the reeking corpse. Soon the next drop trickled down slowly. He quickly caught the next drop too and the same thing happened.


    A wave of warmth swept across his body.


    Kaden focused this time to see what exactly was happening. He repeated the same with the next drop and the drop after. He tried his best but even with his past life knowledge understanding this was beyond him.


    At most he could equate this to some sort of medicinal elixir. The drops had completely healed his body and even scars from the past disappeared. His skin was as fresh as a baby''s skin and had become so soft and moist.


    "This is insane," he muttered, gaze snapping to the egg sac. It still dangled from the rocky ceiling, stubbornly refusing to yield to blade or whip. Yet drop by drop, it was dispensing liquid potent enough to erase old scars and replenish his mana like a fountain of vitality. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then it struck him. Was this the pond the ''savior'' talked about?


    He stole another glance upward. A fresh bead swelled at the sac''s base, trembling in the fungus-lit gloom. Every new drop he''d caught so far had a potent effect¡ªhe was basically at peak condition now, if not better.


    He had indeed found it! The magic pond was not a pond at all!


    But the question remained: Should I keep collecting them? On one hand, the benefits were undeniable. On the other, the second day of the apocalypse loomed, and time was a precious currency he couldn''t squander.


    Even if this was the magic elixir that would refine his affinity, was he simply supposed to sit here and continue absorbing this?


    Kaden let out a sigh.


    He approached a half-decayed femur lying nearby¡ªsome victim who''d met a gruesome fate. With a grimace, he nudged it under the sac''s droplet path. Another bead fell onto the bone.


    Sizzle.


    The fluid ate into it with frightening ease, leaving behind a plume of acrid steam. He tried the same with a couple more items including his canister and everything was a no-go.


    It looked like collecting this thing was out of question. Was he really going to sit here and personally absorb all the drops?


    Just as he was mulling over this thought, voices sounded at the entrance.

 Chapter 26: Hello again

    Chapter 26: Hello again


    "All the kobolds are dead."


    "Are you sure of it?"


    "Well, some might still be inside this cave."


    "Then we should immediately check that out."


    "What a stench!"


    Kaden quickly backed away into a dark corner, hiding himself behind a half-collapsed stalagmite. He pressed his back against the damp rock, fighting the urge to cough at the overpowering stink of decay.


    The footsteps drew nearer, accompanied by the low scrape of weapons against metal.


    "What the hell? Why is this place stinking so much?" One of them gagged softly, presumably overwhelmed by the stench of rotting corpses.


    Kaden clenched his fist as he immediately recognized this voice. The familiar voice which he had heard day in and day out. The ''savior'' was here.


    In his first life, that smug self-proclaimed "savior" had lured him into a survivor camp, promising safety and rapid progression¡ªonly to break him down into an obedient follower.


    Kaden remembered the humiliation all too well: the punishing beatings whenever he refused an order, the ruthless exploitation of any progress Kaden tried to make on his own.


    This was the man who had hoarded the apocalypse''s early secrets, building a power base and crushing anyone who threatened his lead. Now here he was, striding deeper into the cavern like it was all part of some grand plan.


    Kaden''s fists clenched around the shattered spear, knuckles turning white. Just hearing that voice again brought up a hot rush of anger.


    What the hell was he doing here? Wait, was this how he got his hands on the elixir and managed to fine tune his affinity?


    Slowly everything started to make sense and he was putting pieces of the puzzle together.


    "Stop complaining and go and check inside." Another voice shouted.


    Kaden blinked, nearly dropping the broken spear. Someone else ordering the "savior" around? That was a twist he hadn''t expected. The familiar sneer from that arrogant druid was etched in Kaden''s mind, and he couldn''t imagine him willingly playing second fiddle to anyone.


    Pressing himself deeper into the shadows, Kaden adjusted his stance to listen more carefully. The footsteps were just around the bend now, and the flicker of torchlight danced on the dank cave walls.


    "Stop whining and move," that commanding voice rang out again, echoing off the stones.


    "Yeah, yeah," came the grudging reply, unmistakably the "savior" Kaden so loathed. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A second hush of shuffling footsteps trailed behind. So there were at least three of them, maybe more.


    Kaden swallowed, trying to process the magnitude of this change. In his previous life, the savior had soared to power quickly, amassing devoted followers and overshadowing anyone who questioned him.


    This time, on day one, he was evidently subordinate to someone else. Something must''ve shifted, Kaden realized, and he might be looking at the cause. His gaze once again fell on the egg sac hanging from the ceiling. Just what is this thing?


    Snapping him out of his thoughts, the loud footsteps halted and three men squeezed through the small entrance one after the other.


    All of them reacted in the same way he did, absolute shock and horror written on their faces. The savior stared at the mound of corpses unable to blink away the reality.


    "What? What is there inside?" The commanding voice shouted from the outside.


    "Bodies¡­ dead." One of the three men mumbled, words barely coming out of him.


    "What the hell are you saying? Are there kobolds?"


    The three of them silently shook their head. "Useless." A loud sigh came next as the last two men entered through the hole.


    Kaden''s eyes widened as he recognized the two. They were the two men standing beside the silver-haired priestess, Garrus and the thin dude.


    And it looked like savior was their hench man?


    All of them were staring at the egg sac just like he had. As if right on cue, another bead of liquid trickled down the egg sac. The liquid hissed as it hit the corpses below.


    Everyone silently watched the whole process. "That¡­ stuff," Garrus said at last, voice echoing in the silent chamber. "It''s dissolving the flesh."


    "This smell is too nasty. Let''s get out. There is nothing here, except for this weird thing." Savior gagged in disgust.


    The other two men also agreed and everyone wanted to go out. But no one moved. It was as if they were waiting for orders and Kaden could now see who the true leader of the group was.


    The thin man opened his mouth slowly. "Hey Garrus¡­ tell me¡­ doesn''t that thing look like an egg embryo to you. A really big one. I wonder what is there inside. It could be something powerful."


    Kaden couldn''t help but be surprised. He came to this conclusion because of his past life experience but the person in front of him also came to the same conclusion with just a single day knowledge of the apocalypse. He was very intelligent.


    "Garrus, try killing it. You might get some surprise." The thin man spoke again.

 Chapter 27: Make him do it

    Chapter 27: Make him do it


    "Garrus, try killing it. You might get some surprise," the thin man repeated, voice echoing off the damp walls.


    Garrus, standing amid the debris and flickering torchlight, grimaced at the sac. The reek of corpses pressed in on all sides, making every breath a struggle not to gag. He hesitated, sword clutched in a white-knuckled grip, eyes flicking from the savior to the corpses to the thin man.


    "Let''s make him do it." Garrus shrugged.


    But the thin man immediately shook his head. "You do it. It is important."


    Kaden raised a brow. This guy''s intuition was on point. But yet he wasn''t making a move himself. For someone who showed insight into the sac''s potential, the man clearly preferred not to be the one swinging the blade.


    Surprisingly, Garrus did not question him. Garrus''s boots crunched over wet stone and scattered bones as he advanced on the twisted, waxy sac, raising his broad sword. Even through the dim flicker of the torchlight, Kaden could see the tension rippling through Garrus''s arms.


    In the hollow silence, Garrus exhaled and swung his sword in a powerful downward arc.


    Crack¡ªThud!


    The blade struck the sac dead-on. For an instant, it looked like the edge might bite into the membrane¡ªonly for the impact to rebound with startling force. A dull shockwave rippled through Garrus''s arms, and he staggered back a step, teeth bared in surprise.


    "Tch¡­ tough shell," he muttered, regaining his balance. A faint flicker of bluish mana danced around his sword, the residue of a skill he''d channeled into the strike. Despite the extra power, the blow hadn''t sliced deep¡ªjust scuffed a shallow scrape along the sac''s veined surface.


    Watching from behind his half-collapsed stalagmite, Kaden felt a knot of foreboding tighten in his stomach. Same result as before. The egg sac was practically armor-plated, especially to direct brute force. If Garrus''s charged blow barely grazed it, cracking it open would take more than raw muscle.


    The thin man stared at the shallow scrape on the sac, an unreadable expression flickering across his face. "Interesting," he murmured, stepping forward just enough to shine a small lantern on the damaged spot.  S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The torchlight revealed a faint, sticky fluid weeping from the scratch¡ªbut not dripping freely like normal blood. Instead, it thickened and hardened along the cut, almost patching itself.


    "It''s repairing¡­?" Garrus remarked, breath tight.


    That fluid functioned like some hybrid of acid and adhesive¡ªboth destructive to flesh and quick to self-seal if damaged. The group hadn''t yet discovered the droplet''s healing potential for living beings, but they were witnessing its unnatural resilience.


    "Well, that''s that," the savior said with exaggerated exasperation, turning as if to leave. "It''s not worth wasting more time¡ª"


    Another drop trickled from the egg sac. Everyone took a step back to avoid the thing but the thin man''s eyes quickly widened.


    After a moment of silence, he turned to look at savior. "Garrus step back. You go to the front now, Mike"


    "Why? Garrus is the strongest. I am sure I won''t be able to do shit." Savior, aka Mike quickly tried to get out of it.


    But the thin man only smiled. "It''s your turn to test something. Get that drop."


    Savior still hesitated which made Garrus bark. "Are you going to do it or not?"


    "W-why me?" the savior¡ªMike¡ªdemanded, his voice wavering between defiance and unease. He shot Garrus a dark look, but the broad-sworded warrior merely crossed his arms, jaw set with silent impatience.


    "This is nuts," Mike muttered under his breath, taking a grudging step forward. "How do you even know it won''t kill me?"


    The thin man shrugged, voice echoing softly. "We don''t. That''s why you''re testing it. If you survive¡­" He left the rest unsaid¡ªif you survive, we''ll all know it''s safe for us to exploit.


    Kaden smiled. This group was ruthless¡ªno trust, no camaraderie. Exactly the sort of twisted alliance the apocalypse fosters. This he was familiar with. Now the question was what to do about this group.


    Should he just simply kill them all?


    Kaden watched as the savior braced himself and held out his hand. For a heartbeat, there was nothing, just the savior''s face twisting with alarm. Then his eyes flew wide.


    Mike let out a ragged gasp, shoulders convulsing. The glow of torchlight revealed no burn¡ªinstead, a faint aura shimmered over his hand, something that was easy to miss unless one knew how to look for it.


    "What¡ª?" Mike stammered, astonishment brimming in his eyes.


    Garrus stiffened, stepping forward with alarm. "Are you¡ªare you okay?"


    The thin man narrowed his gaze, curiosity blazing.


    The savior inhaled sharply, and a fleeting look of euphoria crossed his features. "I¡ªI feel¡­" His voice trailed off as though searching for words. "Nothing at all." He shrugged. "Just a little pain. Maybe it has long-term effects?"


    He quickly got the hell out of there acting as if he couldn''t wait to get out.


    Kaden stifled a grin at the savior''s transparent act. So he''s choosing to play it down. What a shrewd guy. It looked like the savior was not planning on sharing his secrets with the others. That made his life easier.


    Now he only needed to kill one guy. Though Kaden was not opposed to killing, he really did not want to meddle with people around the priestess.


    However, it looked like savior''s acting was seen right through. The thin man smiled as he finally stepped forward. "There is no need to be in such a hurry."

 Chapter 28: It’s worthless

    "There is no need to be in such a hurry," the thin man repeated, tone calm but firm. A flicker of a knowing smile curved his lips as he sidled closer to Mike. "We all saw how you tensed up¡ªthen relaxed."


    "Right," Garrus muttered, eyes narrowing. "If it hurt you, you¡¯d be cursing your head off. You sure you¡¯re okay?"


    Mike scowled, trying and failing to hide his discomfort. "Like I said¡ªno big deal. Let¡¯s just get out of this dump." He spat to the side, rolling his shoulders in a feigned show of nonchalance. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mike was doing everything in his power to keep that advantage to himself. But the thin man¡¯s not buying it.


    "You¡¯re sure we shouldn¡¯t harvest more?" Garrus asked, raising a brow at Mike.


    "Nah, worthless." Mike shrugged again, keeping his voice clipped and dismissive. "We can search somewhere else for actual loot."


    A beat of silence followed. Mike wanted them to leave so he could slip away later, presumably to harness the sac alone. Garrus¡¯s expression was skeptical, as though suspecting something more. The thin man seemed especially unconvinced; he studied Mike¡¯s face with a keen gaze, picking apart every subtle twitch.


    Then without any warning, the thin man started walking towards the sac. "Be careful Blake." Garrus called after him. "Watch where you are stepping."


    The thin man, Blake, nodded. As the next bead swelled up on the egg sac, he reached for it and extended one hand under the droplet¡¯s path.


    Mike reacted instantly, stepping forward. "Stop. I told you¡ªthere¡¯s nothing here." But the urgency in his voice only cemented the thin man¡¯s suspicions.


    "Oh?" The thin man cast a sharp glance Mike¡¯s way. "You seemed pretty shaken a moment ago. If it¡¯s truly worthless, me testing it should be no big deal."


    Mike gritted his teeth. "Fine, do what you want," he muttered, though the flicker of irritation in his eyes spoke volumes.


    The droplet, now a quivering marble of golden fluid, hovered at the sac¡¯s underside before sliding off in a steady descent. It hit Blake¡¯s palm.


    For a heartbeat, his expression was inscrutable. Then¡­ no cry of pain, no sizzling flesh. Instead, a ripple of faint golden light spiraled over his fingers, reminiscent of what had washed over Mike. The thin man sucked in a ragged breath, shoulders quivering. He blinked, marvel brimming in his eyes.


    "Incredible," he whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief. "It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s warm. Feels like¡­"


    Mike cursed under his breath, fury flickering in his gaze. He¡¯d hoped to keep the secret to himself, but now it was out. Garrus¡¯s mouth hung slightly open. "What happened?"


    Blake did not reply. He closed his eyes as if trying to carefully analyze everything without letting anything slip past him.


    Behind the rock, Kaden let out a sigh. Well, that was that. There was no need for him to wait any longer. This has gone on far enough now. It was time to end everything.


    Priestess or not, this was simply too huge to let slip by. There was no point in leaving anything to chance and hoping that she would become the person she once was. After all, he might not get another go at this. This was it and he needed to get as much strength as he could.


    This egg sac was his and his alone.


    Besides, it was not as if he was going to kill a bunch of saints. Anger rushed to his mind like wildfire as he thought of the ¡¯savior¡¯ and he had thrashed him on countless nights. He had killed and raped women for his pleasure and treated the others like slaves, all in the name of giving protection.


    Egg sac or not, this scum was not stepping out of here alive.


    Anger and righteous fury blazed in Kaden¡¯s eyes as he burst from the shadows. He lunged straight at the man he loathed¡ªthe savior¡ªwho stood just yards away from the egg sac, caught in a moment of disbelief from Blake¡¯s reaction.


    Blake and Garrus turned toward the sudden movement, startled by Kaden¡¯s sudden appearance. "Get him!" Blake shouted and Garrus had already charged forward.


    They were five and he was only one but it didn¡¯t matter. Kaden would end them all.


    Mike stared at the his face in absolute horror and shock, unable to process what was happening. Before he could blink, Kaden was already in front of him, his spear sinking into the man¡¯s flesh.


    "Fuck you!" Kaden mouthed as he felt the life slip from the man.


    [Ding! You have killed a human being]


    [Ding! You have earned the title ¡¯Ruthless Killer¡¯ for killing someone from the same race]


    Ruthless Killer: Everyone hates a ruthless killer. Title can be activated once a day to get 10% boost in agility.

 Chapter 29 - 30: Balance had been restored

    Each thunderous crash of the snake¡¯s movements seemed closer, and the tremors beneath Kaden¡¯s feet made it harder to maintain his footing. The cavern was turning into a deathtrap, and the beast was relentless.


    The narrow crevice was his only hope, but the gap still felt so far away. Kaden cursed under his breath, his mind racing for options. There was no other way. It was time to activate that shady skill again.


    Kaden did not want to do it. He had planned not to touch that dangerous skill before he fully understood it but he had to risk it here. Something told him it was death otherwise coming for him.


    And he refused to die.


    "Fuck it all!" Kaden¡¯s mind briefly flitted to his sister and his parents before he gave the mental nudge for the skill to activate. One with nature.


    The next second, he felt an electric surge ripple through his body, as though the very essence of the earth had latched onto him.


    His vision shifted, blurring for a moment before sharpening to an almost painful clarity. Colors became richer, details more pronounced, and he could hear everything¡ªthe hiss of the snake, the crumbling rocks, even the faint hum of energy coursing through the cavern walls.


    His body moved without conscious thought, guided by an instinct that wasn¡¯t entirely his own. The ground beneath his feet seemed to respond to him, softening to absorb his steps, muffling the sound as he darted forward.


    He wasn¡¯t running any more¡ªhe was flowing, like a leaf caught in a river¡¯s current, his movements unnaturally fluid and precise. The crevice that had seemed impossibly far now felt within reach.


    He wasn¡¯t all that much faster. Sure his speed felt higher but it was his state of mind. He no longer cared if he lived or died. Both birth and death were part of nature. There was no need to fight it. He needed to embrace it.


    The snake lunged, its enormous jaws snapping shut where Kaden had been a split second earlier. He felt the wind from its strike brush his back, but he didn¡¯t stumble. He simply continued going forward, his movements in balance with the land underneath him. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Calm healing energy poured into him from the rocky earth around him, the air he was breathing, and the small moss covering the tunnel walls. He was also one of them and he did not mind receiving help from his fellow brethren.


    The energy wasn¡¯t just healing his body; it was soothing his mind, wrapping him in a tranquil certainty. The fear that had gripped him moments ago melted away, replaced by a serene focus.


    Every fiber of his being moved in harmony with the world around him. He was no longer just Kaden, the man fleeing a monstrous snake. He was part of something much larger, a living thread in the vast tapestry of nature.


    The snake lunged again, its massive body slithering with impossible speed, but Kaden¡¯s connection with the earth guided him. A subtle shift in the ground beneath his feet told him when to sidestep, a whisper of wind warned him when to duck.


    The beast¡¯s venomous fangs snapped at empty air, its frustration evident in its guttural hisses. It was a predator unmatched in its realm, yet it seemed unable to grasp the prey that flowed like water before it.


    Every element of the environment worked in unison to aid him, as if nature itself had claimed him as its champion.


    The crevice loomed ahead, dark and narrow, but it no longer felt like an obstacle. Kaden reached it just as the snake coiled itself for another strike. Without breaking stride, he dove into the gap, his body twisting with a grace he didn¡¯t recognize as his own.


    The snake¡¯s massive head slammed into the crevice opening behind him, shaking the tunnel and sending rocks tumbling from above. Kaden felt a faint ripple of the beast¡¯s enraged roar echoing through the walls.


    For a moment, he expected the beast to tear open everything and emerge from the hole completely, but there was only a loud whooshing sound, followed by silence. The beast was no longer chasing behind him.


    It looked like it still couldn¡¯t appear openly on the ground above.


    Kaden smiled. The balance had been restored. He closed his eyes, feeling the gentle hum of the earth beneath him and the nurturing whispers of the trees around him. They were pulling him in. No, he was falling into them.


    He needed them. They were sheltering him. He was a part of them now. There was no need to struggle anymore.

 Chapter 30 - 31: One foot out the door

    The forest stretched endlessly before Kaden, a living symphony of green and gold under the dappled light of the sun. Trees towered above him, their gnarled branches interlocking to form a sprawling canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft, fragmented beams.


    The air was rich with the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves, mingling with the faint floral notes of wild blossoms hidden among the undergrowth. The forest floor was a tussle of ferns, fallen branches, and small critters darting between shadows, their lives woven seamlessly into the rhythm of the woods.


    Kaden stood still, his eyes tracing the gentle sway of the trees and the flutter of bird wings above. He felt the heartbeat of the forest as if it were his own, the pulsing energy that connected every leaf, every blade of grass, every living thing.


    His chest rose and fell with its harmony, a deep breath grounding him in this sacred place. This forest was his sanctuary, his responsibility. It wasn¡¯t just a home¡ªit was a delicate balance that he had dedicated his life to preserving.


    Then he felt it¡ªa faint, uneven ripple in the flow of energy. He turned his head sharply, his senses attuned to the disturbance. Beyond the protective barrier, vultures circled lazily in the sky, their dark forms casting eerie shadows on the treetops below.


    Their harsh cries echoed through the forest, a grim announcement of something wounded and near death. Kaden frowned, his instincts confirming what he already suspected. A beast was dying beyond the barrier, and its suffering had not gone unnoticed.


    These vultures did not belong to this forest. They must have caught the scent in the skies coincidentally, pulling them towards the dying beast.


    Feeding on a creature weakened but still infused with mana could elevate them unnaturally, shifting their position in the delicate web of the forest¡¯s hierarchy. If they grew stronger, they would disrupt the natural order, preying on creatures they shouldn¡¯t and throwing the entire ecosystem into chaos. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden¡¯s grip on his broken spear tightened. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. The balance of the forest was his duty, his life¡¯s purpose. Every creature, every blade of grass had its place, and his was to ensure that the peace was maintained.


    Without hesitation, he began moving toward the barrier, his steps light and purposeful, his mind already focused on the task ahead. Whatever lay beyond, he would face it. The forest depended on him, and he would not fail it.


    The barrier shimmered faintly in the distance, a translucent veil separating the heart of the forest from the untamed wilderness beyond.


    As Kaden approached, the air grew denser, charged with the faint hum of mana that powered the protective boundary. The forest on this side thrived in its ordered serenity, but the world beyond the barrier was wilder, its rules looser, its dangers unpredictable.


    Kaden paused for a moment at the edge of the shimmering field, his sharp gaze scanning the skies. The vultures still circled above, their silhouettes black against the soft hues of the sunlit canopy.


    Their cries grated on his nerves, each one a reminder of the precarious balance hanging by a thread. He tightened his grip on his spear, his fingers brushing against the jagged break at its tip. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it would have to do.


    If he couldn¡¯t defend the dying beast against the vultures and provide the beast a peaceful passing away, then as a druid he would have failed. He did not need to live anymore. He would enter the cycle and allow himself to be reborn right alongside the dying beast as was the natural order.


    Kaden indifferently crossed the barrier as he placed one foot outside when suddenly his body froze. One of the vultures had caught sight of him and was diving straight for him. Right now it could almost tear apart his leg but death was almost certain if he completely stepped past the barrier.


    There were three question marks above the vulture¡¯s head which meant that the bird was also a quasi-mana core being. There was no fighting against it. The streak of dark feathers and razor-sharp talons descended on him like imminent death.


    However, Kaden only smiled. He would accept whatever was coming. The protective barrier buzzed faintly against his skin, its energy humming as if warning him of the imminent danger. He did not care.


    If he faltered now, the balance he¡¯d sworn to protect would tip irrevocably. His oath, his very identity, demanded action. Then something made his heart shudder. A voice deep inside him asked¡­ what about the other oath you took?


    A painful image flashed past Kaden¡¯s mind, an image was etched in the very depth of his soul. An image that he did not ever want to relive, couldn¡¯t bear to wander on, and yet couldn¡¯t allow himself to forget.


    The image of a slender woman being ripped and torn to shreds by an ogre. The image of him kneeling beside her unrecognizable body and weeping.


    And then opened the floodgates, letting in all of his worst nightmares barge in together.

 Chapter 31 - 32: Screwed

    As Kaden snapped back to reality, his eyes widened in shock. In front of him were a pair of predatory eyes, gleaming with malevolent intent. The face of the vulture stared back at him, a vulture with a more monstrous face and two twisted horns on its head.


    The mutated bird did not give him a chance to respond and directly snapped at his thigh that was sticking outside the protective barrier.


    Pain shot through Kaden¡¯s body as the vulture¡¯s serrated beak clamped down, tearing into his flesh. He gritted his teeth to stifle a scream, his hand instinctively thrusting the broken spear toward the monstrous bird.


    The jagged weapon struck true, raking across the creature¡¯s twisted neck, but it wasn¡¯t enough to dislodge the beast. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Blood seeped from his wound as Kaden stumbled backward, dragging the vulture partially through the barrier. To his relief, the shimmering veil flared brightly, its energy reacting violently to the presence of the mutated intruder.


    The bird screeched in agony, releasing his thigh and flapping its wings desperately as the barrier¡¯s protective magic burned into its flesh.


    Kaden fell to one knee inside the barrier, his breaths ragged, his thigh throbbing with sharp, hot pain. The vulture, disoriented and screeching, flapped its malformed wings and retreated back beyond the barrier.


    Its malevolent gaze lingered on him for a moment before it joined the circling flock, its cries mingling with the others.


    He glanced at his leg. The wound was deep, blood trickling down into the forest soil, but it wasn¡¯t fatal. Not yet. He pressed his palm over the injury, drawing on the faint whispers of energy around him that were gradually fading.


    He was finally out of [One with Nature].


    "Motherfucker! Shitty bitch! What in the name of nine hells!" Kaden growled through clenched teeth, his voice a mix of pain and anger.


    The forest now seemed indifferent to his suffering. The lingering energy from One with Nature had left him, and with it went the numbing serenity that had carried him this far. All that remained was the raw sting of the wound and the bitter taste of frustration.


    His eyes flicked toward the flock of vultures, now circling lower, emboldened by the blood in the air. "Damn you! This is not over, you bitch!" He shouted at the vulture and then gritted his teeth as he hastily activated [Healing Touch].


    He collapsed on the ground and closed his eyes, only focusing on his recovery.


    A shiver ran down his spine as his mind processed what had just transpired. The last time around, it was just a lost thought, a small tug for him to cross over but this time¡­ it bloody well might have kidnapped him and dragged his ass over the line.


    Kaden shook himself, silently resolving to never go down this path again. If there was a third time, he was no longer sure if he would be able to come back at all. This stupid skill was extremely dangerous and it was best to let it rot in a corner.


    Or maybe not. Maybe it needs stronger mental power to resist and then he could use it to his advantage?


    Nope. Too risky and he did not dare try it again. He needed to focus on things he did know.


    As Kaden lay on the ground, his eyes squeezed shut and his focus narrowed to the faint green glow emanating from his hands, he could feel the warm, soothing tendrils of [Healing Touch] coursing through his injured thigh.


    The magic was faint, weaker than he¡¯d have liked, but it was enough to slow the bleeding and dull the pain. The wound began to close, not completely, but enough to keep him from succumbing to the injury.


    As the healing energy faded, Kaden opened his eyes, the soft glow from his palms dissipating. He pushed himself up, leaning heavily on his broken spear for support. His leg throbbed, but the worst of the pain had subsided.


    But what was the plan now?


    He let out a sigh and lay sprawled on the ground, his body wanting a good night¡¯s rest. Unfortunately, sleep had to wait. He had so much to do before he could close his eyes for the night. It was only the first day but the struggle was real. Even if he relented for a moment, there would be no more chances waiting for him in the future.


    He sat up to look in the direction of the underground cave near the kobold¡¯s dwelling. He then slowly shook his head. That was a no-go. He then opened his map to see what else could he focus on when suddenly he noticed the time.


    His eyes widened at the sight of the clock which showed that there were merely four hours left before the day officially ended. Shit! He was screwed.

 Chapter 32 - 33: It’s payback time

    The sky was still bright and the sun had only begun to go down. Thanks to this, Kaden forgot something important. The time shift that happened on the new earth.


    In the new world, every day had 48 hours. This would be a drastic shift to the body so the time would be slowly adjusted in the next ten days and the eleventh day would have 48 hours.


    This meant that the first day only had 26 hours or so and Kaden was currently in the last few hours.


    "No pressure," Kaden cursed under his breath, snapping the map shut and pushing himself upright despite the sharp protest from his leg. The pain was manageable for now, and it would slowly disappear. That was not the problem.


    The problem was he needed kills and he needed them now. To make matters worse, he was in a deserted border area and he was drained both mentally and physically.


    There was no way he was going to go from level 15 to level 25 in just these four hours in his current condition. He would be failing pathetically in the first goal he had set for himself.


    This would only snowball and he was basically setting himself up for failing in the next step and the next step and then inevitably he would end up in the same hell hole all over again.


    The image of the slender woman¡¯s face flitted across his mind again, further pushing him into a depressed mind state.


    "Focus, Kaden," he hissed under his breath, forcing himself to snap out of it. That stupid skill had truly fucked him over. He thought he had only been in that state for a few minutes. At least that¡¯s what he had felt like but the reality was different.


    What had happened had happened. He needed to move on. Make new plans. This was not the time to give up.


    His gaze shifted to the vultures circling in the sky and then the wounded beast lying on the forest ground a few feet away from him.


    He couldn¡¯t see it clearly from where he was standing but just from the outline, it was some sort of a black-colored beast. Maybe a panther or a tiger or perhaps an overgrown cat. It had to be a quasi-core beast.


    Could he somehow dart past the border and kill that thing?


    Maybe doable but not with the vultures circling in the sky. Before he even got to the beast, he would be torn apart alive. It would be near impossible for him to fight with the vultures for their prey.


    Shaking his head in frustration, he turned towards the kobold settlement. That was his other option. If he could somehow get rid of the snake, then he could gain a few levels. It might even be enough to push him close to 25.


    But then again, that too was impossible. There was no way he was going to survive another clash against that damned boil-ridden green snake. It would be suicide.


    One green snake had fucked up his last life and ironically another green snake would fuck up this life if he went there again.


    He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. Was there no way for him to achieve his goal?


    And then it happened.


    The ground in front of him fissured without warning and a familiar green head blasted from within it. The snake had popped out of the ground once again!


    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened. What the hell? How was this here? Wait, did it somehow track me and get here? Or maybe it smelled the blood? Or maybe it was also here for a share of that dying panther.


    He watched as the huge snake fully emerged from the ground on the other side of the barrier.


    The vultures were still circling above, their shrill cries echoing through the clearing, and the dying beast lay only a few feet beyond the barrier. Now, the snake added another layer of chaos to the mix, its grotesque form sliding through the dirt with unsettling grace.


    Kaden immediately saw a plan play out in his head. "Alright, you ugly bastard," he growled. "It¡¯s payback time. Because of you I almost became something else, now you better die!"


    He silently waited and the opportunity he sought came soon enough in the next few seconds.


    One of the vultures noticed the snake and screeched loudly. The others immediately screeched in response and one after the other the vultures started diving toward the snake. Their sharp cries filled the clearing. They were unwilling to let the snake gobble up their free prey.


    Kaden watched the vultures swarm toward the grotesque green snake, their talons flashing in the fading sunlight. The snake hissed violently, coiling its massive body and striking upward at the descending flock.


    "This is it," Kaden muttered, focussing inward and commanding his mana. The next second the earth around the green snake started fissuring a little as thick vines erupted. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 33 - 34: One step closer

    Thick vines shot up from the ground, writhing and twisting like living serpents of their own. They coiled around the green snake¡¯s massive body with a speed that rivaled the beast¡¯s reflexes, latching onto its decayed, boil-ridden scales.


    The snake hissed and thrashed, its immense strength causing some of the vines to snap, but more surged upward, anchoring it to the ground.


    It was obvious that the vines weren¡¯t going to hold for long but it was still more than enough for what Kaden was planning.


    The vultures took advantage of the momentary restraint, diving in with ruthless precision. Their talons tore into the snake¡¯s exposed flesh, questionable pus-like liquid spraying from every wound. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mutated bird which seemed to be the leader struck at the snake¡¯s eyes, forcing it to rear back with a pained screech. In retaliation, the snake went for one of the birds and snapped its massive jaws shut with a sickening crunch.


    The unfortunate vulture let out a garbled cry before its injured body fell to the ground, limp and broken.


    Kaden used this chance to try out one of the most commonly used skills by almost everyone who chose the mana route, mana bolt. This would be weaker than the thorn whip he had used so far but given the distance and this particular situation, it was perfect.


    Before the snake could attack the wounded bird again, he channeled his mana, feeling the familiar hum build in his core.


    With a swift motion, Kaden thrust his hand forward, and a glowing blue bolt of condensed energy shot from his palm. The mana bolt streaked through the air, striking the wounded bird squarely in the side of its head.


    [Ding! You have killed a Red horn Vulture]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 15 > Level 16]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    Kaden grinned. One down. Ten more to go. He was doubtful if the kill steal would give him enough to go to the next level but it looked like the damn vulture was a lot stronger than he was so the kill directly bumped him up.


    Kaden allowed himself a brief grin, the rush of leveling up momentarily pushing aside the exhaustion gnawing at his body.


    He didn¡¯t have time to savor the moment. The green snake¡¯s furious hiss pulled him back to reality.


    It was still restrained by the vines, but its strength was evident in every thrash of its massive body. The vultures clawed and pecked at the snake¡¯s exposed flesh, their cries mingling with the beast¡¯s guttural roars.


    With one vulture down, the snake looked like it was about to win this and there was no way Kaden would let that happen.


    "No, you don¡¯t," he growled, summoning another mana bolt. The hum of energy resonated in his chest, weaker this time, but still potent enough to make a difference. He aimed carefully, targeting the snake¡¯s exposed flesh the vultures had already torn away its decaying scales.


    With a sharp motion, he released the bolt. The glowing projectile streaked through the air and struck the snake dead center. The beast roared, its massive coils jerking violently as it writhed in pain.


    Kaden wasn¡¯t done. He summoned another one and aimed for another open spot. The snake burst out of the vines trapping it in a fit of rage but before it could turn its focus onto him, the vultures went crazy on the beast.


    Kaden as well did not let up and once again cast [Sanguine Roots]. This was perfect. The protective barrier was also helping him. One can send the attacks out but there was no way for the attacks or the stronger beasts to come in.


    He had heard of some people taking advantage of this situation in his last life but never had he thought he would actually get a chance to do so. He continued slamming the snake with one mana bolt after another without missing a beat.


    The snake was completely enraged. However, there was nothing it could do. Of course, Kaden wasn¡¯t partial to the green snake.


    Soon one of the vultures received a bite and looked as if it was about to kick the bucket. Kaden immediately made sure to switch teams and take care of the vulture.


    [Ding! You have killed a Red horn Vulture]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 16 > Level 17]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    "Yes!!!!" He shouted and switched to attacking the snake once again. Now that two vultures were down, the beast had a fraction of a second to spare to turn its head and lock its gaze onto Kaden, fury burning in the depths of its eyes.


    Kaden returned it¡¯s even stare with a mana bolt right in its eye.


    The mana bolt struck the snake¡¯s eye with a crackling burst of energy, eliciting a piercing, guttural screech that echoed through the clearing. The remaining vultures took advantage of the snake¡¯s distracted state, diving in again to claw and peck at its exposed flesh, slowly eating the beast while it was still alive.


    Kaden quickly cast [Sanguine Roots] once again, followed it up by [Mana Bolt] after [Mana Bolt].


    "One step closer," he whispered to himself. "Just a few more steps, and I¡¯ll make it."

 Chapter 34 - 35: Round two

    The snake¡¯s roars grew weaker, its massive body thrashing slower as its energy drained. Each strike from Kaden¡¯s mana bolts, each dive from the vultures, chipped away at the beast¡¯s vitality. The vines from [Sanguine Roots] coiled tighter around its decayed body, pulling it further into submission as blood and pus seeped into the ground.


    Kaden gritted his teeth, his hands trembling as he summoned yet another mana bolt. His exhaustion was also reaching a new high but he was not about to stop now.


    He aimed the mana bolt at the snake but noticed that one of the vultures was dangerously losing blood. He did not want to miss the kill and changed trajectory. However, the next second the bird moved and he missed his target.


    Something unexpected happened and the dying black panther let out a loud moan. The vultures immediately turned their heads to the dying beast and made a mad rush for it. It looked like even these birds preferred kill stealing their way to the top.


    "Fuck. This is too soon!" Kaden did not look like the way the snake¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    If the vultures were gone, then the snake would retreat back down into the hole and run away to god knows where. All of his efforts would be completely ruined and he would lose the one shot he had to reach his goal.


    Kaden redoubled his effort to cast another mana bolt but the snake simply glared at him as the bolt struck its flesh. His vines were also popping one after the other and it was only a matter of seconds before the beast disappeared.


    Kaden had to make a decision now. He could see the vulnerable part the snake was hiding. If he could use Thorn Whip to attack it there, maybe¡­ just maybe¡­ but if he left the safety of his protective barrier, there was no guarantee that he would survive the encounter.


    The barrier had been his lifeline, his shield against the chaotic battlefield, and stepping out of it meant exposing himself to both the snake and the opportunistic vultures. But what choice did he have? S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If he failed right here then he would probably end up in the same damn prison in the future. The strength he wanted was not easy to obtain. He had to take the risk. There was simply no other choice.


    "Damn it all," Kaden muttered under his breath. He was not going to give up. Not when he was this close to tipping the scales in his favor.


    With a deep breath, he pushed through the shimmering edge of the protective barrier. The stench of decay was overpowering but Kaden¡¯s focus was locked on the vulnerable spot near the snake¡¯s midsection, where the injury was the worst.


    The beast¡¯s head snapped toward him the moment he stepped out, its remaining eye blazing with fury. It hissed loudly, its massive coils shifting as it prepared to strike.


    Kaden raised his hand, summoning [Thorn Whip] with the last reserves of his mana. The energy surged through him, weak and strained, but still potent enough to manifest the spell.


    The whip lashed out, its thorn-covered tendrils shooting toward the snake¡¯s exposed midsection. The attack struck true, the thorns embedding themselves deep into the decayed flesh. The snake roared, its body convulsing as the thorns tore into the wound, widening it further.


    Kaden didn¡¯t stop. He pulled the whip taut, using the beast¡¯s own movements to deepen the damage. Blood and pus sprayed from the wound, the smell nearly making him gag, but he held firm. The snake¡¯s head swung toward him, its mouth opening wide to reveal venomous fangs.


    Kaden released the whip and dived to the side just as the beast lunged. Its jaws snapped shut on empty air, and Kaden rolled to his feet, casting another [Thorn Whip]. This one came out like a spear emptying out the last drops of mana he had.


    He did not waste any time and threw the spear at the snake before running back to the protective barrier and starting to make a run for it.


    However, the snake was faster. It roared in pain and came at him with everything it had. Parts of its body got cut and torn open because of the sanguine roots. The thorn whip would in its midsection cut it in two halves but the damned snake still kept coming at him.


    It dragged its half-body spraying blood and pus everywhere and flung itself at Kaden as if it wanted to devour him even if it was the last thing it did.


    The vultures were also too occupied to rescue him as they were busy with the black panther. Kaden heard another beast¡¯s roar in the mix and he could only assume that someone had decided to join the party.


    But it did not matter. He just needed a second. All he needed was a second.


    Kaden ran. He ran as fast as his legs could take him. The protective barrier was within his reach but just as he was about to get back in the safety bubble, the damned half-dead snake lunged forward and landed onto him like a flying monkey and twisted and warped its torn body around him, completely arresting him.

 Chapter 35 - 36: Reckless Survivor

    Kaden gasped as the snake¡¯s massive, mutilated body coiled tightly around him, its rotting scales pressing against his skin, oozing blood and pus. The stench was overwhelming, and every muscle in his body screamed in protest as the beast constricted with all the strength it had left. The air was forced from his lungs, and his vision blurred as the pressure mounted.


    "Damn you!" Kaden growled through gritted teeth, his mind racing for a way out. He could feel the snake¡¯s head looming just above him, its jaws opening wide, venom dripping onto his shoulder.


    This wasn¡¯t how it was going to end.


    Kaden summoned the last dregs of his mana, his body trembling as he reached for whatever was left within his body.


    He raised his hand, the faint glow of [Thorn Whip] flickering to life once more. The spell was barely holding together, just a small thorny vine covering his hand. Not caring about that he punched his hand out at the open maw wanting to swallow him whole.


    The momenthis fist collided with the inside of the snake¡¯s maw, the effect was immediate and brutal. The thorns tore into the soft flesh lining the beast¡¯s mouth, ripping through tissue and muscle with savage precision.


    Kaden did not stop there. He kept punching and punching and punching the same spot repeatedly. He thrashed the thing, letting out all the frustrations he was holding inside.


    "I will not be weak ever again!" He shouted and continued punching the snake, despite its coils having loosened and its head severed from its torn and shredded body.


    He punched even after he heard the many notifications. He only stopped punching after an entire minute when he was completely and utterly exhausted, unable to move even an inch of his body.


    The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by Kaden¡¯s ragged breaths. His fists, raw and trembling, dripped with the snake¡¯s foul blood. Every punch had been a release of something far deeper than anger¡ªyears of frustration, pain, and helplessness all poured into the mutilated beast before him.


    The snake¡¯s head dangled limply from his hand, its severed form grotesque, the once-bright gleam of its remaining eye now dull and lifeless. It was a proof that he wasn¡¯t the same broken person he had been in the past. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden staggered, every muscle in his body screaming in protest as he dragged himself toward the shimmering edge of the protective barrier.


    The moment he crossed into the barrier, Kaden collapsed to his knees, the snake¡¯s head slipping from his grasp and landing with a sickening thud beside him.


    [Ding! You have killed a Deathvine Snake]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 17 > Level 18]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 18 > Level 19]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 19 > Level 20]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 20 > Level 21]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You have learned a new Title Reckless Survivor]


    Reckless Survivor [Can be upgraded]: You have defied overwhelming odds, fighting with nothing but grit and sheer will to emerge victorious. All damage is increased by 5% when facing stronger enemies


    Kaden chuckled weakly, the sound hoarse and dry. "Reckless, huh?" He shook his head, a faint grin spreading across his face. "I will take it." He wondered if he had to keep fighting next rank beasts to upgrade it but that was a thought for later.


    For now¡­ he stared at the last notification.


    [Ding! You are poisoned]


    His body was already wrecked from the fight¡ªexhausted, battered, and raw. Now, the telltale burn of venom began spreading through his veins, a slow, insidious fire that gnawed at his remaining strength.


    "Of course," he muttered bitterly, his voice barely audible over his ragged breathing.


    His gaze dropped to his arms, and he noticed faint discoloration creeping along the veins, dark streaks spreading from where the snake¡¯s venom had likely made contact when he had punched the living lights out of that thing¡¯s mouth from the inside.


    Even in its death the damned snake was still hunting him. With a sigh he shook his head and tried [Healing Touch].


    Warm energy spread through his body, soothing his battered muscles and easing the worst of the pain. But as the spell coursed through him, he quickly realized it wasn¡¯t enough. The venom¡¯s dark streaks continued their relentless march through his veins, burning like fire beneath his skin.


    The healing magic dulled the symptoms but didn¡¯t stop the poison. [Healing Touch] wasn¡¯t designed to cleanse toxins, and Kaden¡¯s dwindling mana reserves wouldn¡¯t allow for prolonged use anyway.


    "I figured as much." Kaden let out a sigh as he slowly pushed himself to stand up and walk. He grabbed the snake¡¯s head on the ground and started dragging himself back into the beginner¡¯s territory, back to the kobold camp.


    Now that the snake was dead, he doubted if anything else was guarding that egg sac. As for the vultures vs the black panther vs some other animal, he did not bother with that big mess. He pulled a risky move and got something from it and he knew when to call it quits.


    It was time to retreat and live to fight another day.

 Chapter 36 - 37: What are you?

    Kaden¡¯s breaths came in ragged gasps as he forced his aching body forward. His vision wavered, the venom clawing its way through his bloodstream with every sluggish step. His limbs felt leaden, and the raw weight of exhaustion was bearing down on him.


    When he finally stumbled into the clearing near the kobold settlement, he was barely holding on. He took a deep breath and made the final few steps into the underground cave.


    Thanks to the damage done by the snake he tripped on something and rolled more than half the way before he came crashing down onto the pile of corpses. The entire cave underground tunnel system had transformed because of the snake¡¯s rough handling.


    Not that he was complaining. He was happy to take the free roll down to the rotting pit even if it meant taking a couple of hits here and there.


    "Ewww¡­" Kaden winced as he felt the squelch of decomposing flesh beneath him.


    The stench hit him immediately¡ªan overwhelming mix of decay, stale blood, and something worse he didn¡¯t want to think too hard about.


    His already battered body protested as he pushed himself upright, his hands slipping on the slick remains of unfortunate humans and other creatures that had met their end here. It looked like the snake had been dragging everything over here as a kind of sacrifice for the egg sac.


    He lifted his head to search around the cave and there it was, a few feet away from him, the big bulging egg sac. Right on cue a drop of liquid was seeping out of it.


    Kaden immediately lunged for it and grabbed the drop in his head. He only managed to grab some of it but even so, he felt a wave of nourishing energy sweep past him.


    His muscles tightened, his wounds itched as they began to rapidly knit together, and even the lingering snake¡¯s venom sizzled and burned right away, instantly cleansed from his system. Even his mind cleared, the haze of exhaustion completely disappearing.


    This stuff was powerful. Too powerful. Whatever was growing inside that sac wasn¡¯t just an ordinary creature¡ªit was something dangerous. Something not just meant to survive in the chaotic madness of this world. Something meant to probably rule it.


    Kaden¡¯s fingers twitched as he stared at the pulsating egg sac, his mind racing through fragmented memories of his last life. Had this thing hatched before? If so, what had come out of it?


    His breathing slowed as he tried to recall any stories or mentions of a beast born from the kobold caves that could wield this kind of power. Nothing. The existence of the Deathvine Snake, the decaying pit¡ªnone of it had stood out in his past life¡¯s memories.


    So what happened to this egg back then?


    Did someone destroy it before it could hatch? Did the cave collapse before the creature inside could be born? Or¡ªperhaps the most terrifying possibility¡ªdid it hatch and simply disappear before anyone knew what it was?


    A chill crept up Kaden¡¯s spine. If the last timeline had no record of this creature, then either someone had erased all trace of it¡­ or it had hidden itself so well that no one even knew of its existence. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, in this life, he was standing right in front of it.


    Kaden clenched his jaw. Was he doing something dangerous? He walked to the egg sac and sat right under it as he silently stared at the notification.


    [Ding! Your poisoned state is dispelled]


    He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. His mind wandered to the past once again and a few seconds later another drop trickled from the egg sac.


    Yet another wave of nourishment swept across Kaden¡¯s body.


    Kaden let out a slow breath as the energy coursed through him, mending every wound, refreshing every fiber of his being. His thoughts, once clouded by exhaustion and poison, were now razor-sharp, as if his very soul had been polished clean.


    Kaden¡¯s gaze lifted to the pulsating egg sac above him as he stared at it absent-mindedly.


    Another drop formed at the sac¡¯s surface, swelling with shimmering liquid before it trembled and fell.


    Kaden¡¯s hand shot out instinctively, catching it in midair. As soon as the liquid touched his skin, warmth flooded him again, reinforcing the changes the first two drops had made.


    He exhaled sharply. This is insane. If I stay here long enough, how strong will I become? How much of this power can I take before this thing wakes up?


    Kaden continued silently absorbing drop after drop as numerous thoughts swirled in his mind. At various points, he contemplated leaving and not pushing his luck too much but then the next drop would pop out.


    Soon, almost an entire hour went by and he was sitting in the same cross-legged position. This was when he noticed something weird.

 Chapter 37 - 38: Progress?

    The egg sac was constantly dripping and no one was really collecting the drops before Kaden, so shouldn¡¯t the cave be full of the liquid? Shouldn¡¯t the entire floor be soaked in this strange, nourishing substance?


    Yet, aside from what he had absorbed, there were no traces of the shimmering drops anywhere.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes narrowed as unease crawled up his spine.


    Where did the other drops go?


    His gaze swept across the cavern. The corpses were still there, still grotesque and rotting, but something about them seemed... different. Their decomposition had advanced unnaturally fast, the flesh looking even more shriveled and drained than before.


    A slow realization settled in. The egg sac wasn¡¯t just producing the liquid. It was reclaiming it. Along with the essence of the corpses, it was absorbing its own liquid back. The snake was probably feeding the egg sac all of these corpses.


    But now everything had changed. The snake was no longer there and the liquid dripping was constantly being taken away by him. He had taken its nourishment. He had interrupted its feeding process. It seemed like this should make the egg sac somewhat weaker?


    If the egg sac had a consciousness, it had to know that?


    Kaden looked up again to observe the egg sac and it did feel a little bit smaller. Was his eyes playing tricks on him? Did it look smaller because he just had that thought?


    He frowned a little but the next second another drop swelled and he immediately reached forward to grab it. With every single drop, he could feel his cells bursting with vitality and his body greedily sucking everything in.


    But was it actually doing something? He did not have any big expectations as the savior only talked about his affinity changing. How long did he have to absorb the liquid to have an effect like that? Would his affinity have changed at all?


    He opened his status screen to take a look at his progress so far.


    Name: Kaden MacAllister


    Class: Dreadwood Druid


    Rank: F


    Level: 21


    Title: Hidden Class Awakener, Boss Killer, Ruthless Killer, Reckless Survivor


    Health: 1434


    Mana: 1678


    Physical Strength: 53


    Agility: 52


    Dexterity: 54 S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perception: 55


    Mental Strength: 63


    Soul Strength: 54


    Free Attributes: 20


    Skills: [Sanguine Roots], [Thorn Whip], [Mana Bolt], [Nature¡¯s Grasp], [Healing Touch], [One with Nature]


    ***


    Kaden did not have any big expectations. After all, it has only been an hour or so. He casually absorbed yet another drop and eyed the list when suddenly his entire being froze. "What the hell?" He mumbled in complete disbelief. What were these numbers he was looking at?


    His health which was supposed to be somewhere around 1000 only at level 25 or 30 was already at almost 1500. Not to mention his mana had overshot 1500 already.


    If that wasn¡¯t crazy enough already, his physical strength, agility, dexterity, perception, mental strength, soul strength, every single stat had gained a big boost. At least by ten or twenty additional stat points.


    Heck, his 20 free stat points from the last four levels hadn¡¯t even been added yet. What the heck was this crazy stat jump? He focussed inward and his mana was surging. It was not just about the quantity.


    Kaden couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint but he could feel that the mana inside him was now thicker, somewhat richer. A single hour of stealing this thing¡¯s embryonic fluid had changed so much within him.


    He was preparing to leave soon but now he wanted to stay for some more time. How could he leave something like this and where would he even go? This right here was the best treasure he could ever find in his entire lifetime!


    Thanking the egg mentally, he reached for the next drop and absorbed that too. Soon another half an hour passed by. This time something different happened.


    Kaden barely had time to react before a sharp, searing pain erupted beneath his skin. His entire body shuddered violently as his flesh cracked, dry patches splitting apart, peeling like brittle parchment.


    Boils bubbled up across his arms, his chest, his legs¡ªhis skin warping grotesquely, shifting as if it were alive.


    A horrible burning itch crawled under his flesh, deep within his bones. His breath hitched. What the hell is happening?!


    "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I knew it! This was all too good to be true!" Kaden wanted to scream loudly in agony. He gritted his teeth, fists clenching as waves of unfamiliar heat rolled through his veins. Every inch of his body was burning in unimaginable pain.


    Soon, the pain ended but his skin was oozing out. Kaden¡¯s eyes widened in horror. Was he going to become like that damned hideous snake? A part of him felt disgusted but a part of him did not care. It was a trade he was fully willing to make for more power.

 Chapter 38 - 39: New Quest activated

    Kaden gritted his teeth and bore the pain as he allowed his body to process whatever was going through. He tried casting [Healing Touch] but there was no change at all.


    Soon something black and sticky started oozing. It smelled putrid, the smell disappearing in the stench of the corpses.


    Another drop swelled on the egg sac and Kaden was almost debating leaving the small cave and running for his life. Whatever he had gained so far was good enough. Maybe it was time to call it quits.


    He quickly shot up to his feet, grimly liquid spilling all around him when suddenly a notification flashed in front of him.


    [Ding! Your body has undergone successful cleansing and you have completed Body Tempering I]


    [Ding! New Quest activated - Body Tempering II]


    [Ding! Your mind has undergone successful fortification and you have completed Mental Tempering I]


    [Ding! New Quest activated - Mental Tempering II]


    [Ding! Your soul has undergone successful purification and you have completed Soul Purification I]


    [Ding! New Quest activated - Soul Tempering II]


    [Ding! Your bloodline has undergone successful mutation and you have initiated the evolution process]


    [Ding! New Quest activated: Bloodline Evolution II]


    [Ding! New Quest activated: Class Upgrade II] sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden, his body slick with a viscous, black ooze, stared at the notification with a mixture of horror and elation. "Tempering?" he rasped, no longer caring about the pain.


    The pain had subsided, leaving behind a raw, tingling sensation that stretched from the marrow of his bones to the newly formed, tougher layer of skin. He flexed his fingers, surprised by the strength he felt, a primal power thrumming beneath the surface.


    He could feel it. His body had transformed completely!


    Kaden stared at his hands, the gleaming new skin beneath the sludge of black ooze unnervingly smooth, almost unnaturally perfect. His body no longer ached¡ªit felt powerful. Efficient. Reforged.


    His muscles, once filled with exhaustion, were now coiled with strength. His senses stretched further than before, every sound sharper, every scent clearer, every flicker of movement almost too slow for his new perception.


    He flexed his fingers. The difference was undeniable. He had transcended something¡ªnot just in power, but in existence.


    There was no way he should be feeling this strong in the dud zero rank. Heck, he wasn¡¯t even this strong at the F rank, at the highest level he managed to reach which was 78 and he had a quasi-core to boot.


    Then his eyes snapped back to the egg sac.


    The pulsating mass had noticeably shrunk, its once-stretching membrane now tighter, weaker. And for the first time, since he had entered the cave, it pulsed in a different rhythm. Or rather, a part of it was not pulsing.


    Kaden looked closer at the other side of the egg sac and he immediately let out a gasp. An entire half of the egg sac was completely dried up.


    The half-dried membrane clung tightly to whatever was inside, shrunken and lifeless, like an abandoned husk. The once-constant pulsing had become erratic, struggling. Something inside was failing.


    And Kaden was the reason why.


    His gaze flickered to his own hands again, the black sludge still dripping from his fingertips, pooling at his feet. This wasn¡¯t just the remnants of some simple purification.


    He had stolen something.


    The nourishment, the life force, the very essence meant to birth the being inside¡ªhe had taken it for himself. And his body had absorbed it.


    That¡¯s why I feel this strong. That¡¯s why my stats jumped. That¡¯s why¡­ I feel like I¡¯ve changed.


    A twisted satisfaction curled in his chest.


    I took its power.


    Kaden¡¯s lips parted, unsure whether he wanted to laugh or be horrified. The being inside this egg was supposed to emerge as something beyond reason. Something monstrous. Instead, he had devoured its strength before it could hatch.


    And now¡­


    Now it was dying.


    Then another thought popped inside his mind. He couldn¡¯t kill the thing before, but what if he could kill it now?


    He fisted his hand and cast [Thorn Whip]. He could instantly feel the spell hitting differently.


    The mana surged through him faster. Sharper. Hungrier.


    The thorned vines erupted from his hand, but they weren¡¯t the same frail whips he had summoned before.


    They were thicker. Darker. Their edges gleamed with an unnatural sheen, the tips twisting like hungry predators sniffing for their prey.


    And then they struck.


    CRACK!


    The vines lashed into the shriveling egg sac with relentless precision. They didn¡¯t just pierce the membrane¡ªthey burrowed into it.


    The sac convulsed violently. The pulses within stuttered. Something inside screamed.


    Kaden flinched, his breath hitching as the sound echoed in his mind. It wasn¡¯t an ordinary screech of a dying beast. It was deeper. Older.


    The next second, an immense pressure descended on him, freezing him in place. A ripple of power emerged from the egg sac and it swept past him. For a moment, nothing happened which made Kaden frown in confusion.


    Then the rumbling started. Not long after the ground beneath him started fissuring and a familiar green head with slit-like eyes popped out.

 Chapter 39 - 40: More

    Kaden¡¯s muscles coiled with raw strength as he squared off against the monstrous green snake. It looked very similar to the last green snake, with the same disgusting exterior. It was almost as if the dead one had come back to life again.


    The last time he had faced this creature, he had almost lost himself and only barely escaped with his life¡ªforced to retreat, humiliated, relying on vultures and trickery just to survive.


    Not this time.


    This time, Kaden wasn¡¯t the same weakling who had barely scratched the surface of power. His body had been reforged, his mana enriched, his instincts sharpened. He no longer needed distractions or cunning diversions.


    He was ready. He could feel it. He can fight this thing. He observed the fight between the snake and the vultures. He was confident he could take this on now.


    Besides, his timer clock was still running and a new target had popped up. There was no way he was going to let this chance slip by. This ugly snake was his and so was the egg sac.


    The snake hissed, its sickly green body coiling like a massive steel whip, preparing to strike. Its forked tongue flickered.


    The serpent lunged, its fangs glistening with venom, but Kaden¡¯s reflexes were sharper, faster. He sidestepped with inhuman agility, his feet barely touching the uneven ground before he retaliated.


    [Thorn Whip.]


    Dark vines erupted from his palm, slashing through the air, their barbed tips embedding deep into the snake¡¯s flesh. The beast shrieked, its massive body convulsing as the vines twisted, tightening like a noose.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The snake thrashed violently, using its mana-enhanced strength to resist the ensnaring roots. It lunged again, this time faster.


    Kaden met it head-on.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    The cavern floor exploded with jagged, blood-hued roots that speared upward, ensnaring the snake mid-strike. The beast shrieked as the roots drank its essence, its scales cracking, its once-mighty body weakening.


    Kaden¡¯s lips curled into a wicked grin.


    He yanked the thorn whip and the two skills combined crushed and squeezed the snake. The snake let out a strangled cry as its ribcage caved inward, its internal mana surging in a desperate attempt to resist. Its quasi-mana core flared.


    Kaden didn¡¯t let it happen. Before it could react or shake itself lose, he made the next move. He had already done it once and he didn¡¯t really need a new strategy the second time around.


    [Thorn Whip: Spear Form.]


    With a fluid motion, he condensed his vines into a singular, spear-like construct and drove it forward¡ªstraight through the snake¡¯s open maw, impaling it clean through the skull.


    A sickening crunch echoed as the beast froze. Twitched.


    Then, with a final gurgled hiss, it died. The massive body collapsed¡ªthe sheer weight sending tremors through the cavern floor.


    But something was wrong.


    It wasn¡¯t over.


    Before the corpse even hit the ground, low rumbles shuddered throughout the cave. Notifications flashed in front of Kaden informing him about the kill and his level up but he did not have any time to pay attention to that.


    He could practically hear it.


    Something massive shifted deeper within the cave¡ªlow growls, heavy footfalls, the slithering of many more creatures surging toward him.


    The cavern walls cracked. Loose stone began to rain down, dust filling the air as the entire structure shook violently.


    More.


    More were coming.


    Did the damn thing call more beasts to guard itself?


    Kaden was able to stand toe to toe against a single quasi-core beast now but what about many? He would be a fool to become that overconfident. He immediately turned and started running back to the ground above. They shouldn¡¯t follow him beyond that? Right?


    He would only know if he actually managed to get there. "Fuck it." Kaden decided and ran as fast as he could. He had somehow once again ended up in the same situation but at least this time he had gained a lot more. He had no regrets.


    Behind him, the cavern roared with chaos.


    The echoes of enraged hisses and guttural growls vibrated through the underground tunnels, a chorus of approaching death. The air itself seemed to tremble under the force of whatever beasts were stirring to life¡ªcalled forth by the dying throes of the snake he had just slain.


    Kaden didn¡¯t look back. He didn¡¯t need to.


    The entire cave was collapsing.


    Chunks of rock fell like deadly hail, smashing into the uneven ground behind him. Cracks spiderwebbed across the cavern walls, releasing plumes of dust that clouded his vision. The once-distant tremors were now earthquakes beneath his feet.


    And then came the slithering.


    Not one. Not two.


    Dozens. Maybe even more.


    He could hear them. The slithering of massive, scaly bodies, some squeezing through tight passageways, others bursting through stone with sheer brute force. He had awakened something bigger.

 Chapter 40 - 41: Almost there

    Kaden pushed his legs harder, his heart hammering against his ribs. The exit. He had to reach the exit before they closed in.


    A sharp hiss rang out¡ªtoo close.


    Kaden twisted mid-sprint. Instinct screamed through his body.


    A second snake¡ªlarger than the last¡ªburst from the shadows of a side tunnel, its gleaming fangs aimed directly at his throat.


    Kaden reacted instantly.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    A cluster of crimson, spike-tipped vines exploded from the cavern walls, slamming into the serpent and driving it back. The beast screeched, its massive body coiling defensively, but Kaden didn¡¯t stay to finish the fight.


    There was no time.


    He launched himself forward, dodging debris, his speed fueled by desperation. The exit tunnel loomed ahead, but the ground was shaking too violently now. Would he even make it?


    The answer came in the form of a deafening crash.


    Something massive dropped directly in front of him. Kaden skidded to a halt. His breath caught in his throat.


    Another snake. No¡ªthree.


    Their thick, monstrous bodies blocked his path, their scales dark as poisoned emeralds. These weren¡¯t ordinary beasts. Their auras radiated mana, stronger than the one he had just killed.


    Quasi-core. Every single one.


    Kaden¡¯s blood ran cold. Too many. He was strong, but this was a slaughter waiting to happen.


    The ground shook again. The cavern¡¯s walls split. An opening appeared on his right. Kaden did not hesitate as he grabbed the chance to launch himself back into the open clearing. The snakes that were right behind him finally stopped.


    However, it did not last long. Though the three huge ones did not follow him, several other pairs of eyes popped up and one by one smaller green snakes slithered out of the hole, coming at him full speed.


    Kaden barely had time before the first snake lunged but the beast was only level 20 and at a non- quasi core stage just like him. He summoned [Sanguine Roots] but the snake was faster. Its lean body whipped through the air with lethal speed.


    Kaden did not waste time and activated the next skill. [Thorn Whip]


    A barbed vine lashed outward, striking the first snake mid-air. The beast screeched, its momentum halting as the whip¡¯s serrated thorns burrowed into its flesh, anchoring it in place.


    But it wasn¡¯t alone. More were coming.


    Four. Five. Six.


    They spilled from the tunnel like a living tide of emerald scales, their forked tongues flickering, their slit pupils locked onto him.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened but the next second a smile appeared on his face. It looked like he was going to meet his target today after all. He was at level 24 already and these six should be more than enough to push him over the threshold.


    He madly swung the [Thorn Whip] like a berserker, lashing out at the snakes with ruthless precision. The whip crackled through the air, its jagged thorns carving deep gouges into the serpents¡¯ bodies.


    One of them lunged¡ªtoo slow. Kaden sidestepped, twisting his wrist. The Thorn Whip coiled around the snake¡¯s throat, snapping taut. With a flick of his wrist¡ªhe pulled.


    The creature¡¯s head whipped sideways, slamming into a jagged rock. Crack. The body spasmed once, then went still.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green Pit Serpent!]


    Kaden barely had time to register the notification before another snake lunged from the left. He pivoted, dodging the strike by mere inches.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    Tendrils erupted from the ground, impaling the serpent mid-lunge, skewering it straight through the gut. It shrieked and thrashed, but the roots held firm, draining the last remnants of its life force.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green Pit Serpent!]


    Kaden¡¯s eyes flashed. Almost there. Three more snakes remained.


    Kaden was worried that the other three would flee but it looked like they had no intention of doing something like that. In fact, they did not even adjust their attack pattern and came at him as if they were in a mad frenzy.


    The barbed tendrils of [Thorn Whip] lashed out, cracking through the air like a predator¡¯s fangs. Kaden didn¡¯t even hesitate¡ªhis grip was firm, his aim precise.


    The whip coiled around the neck of the closest serpent, tightening like a noose. With a violent jerk, Kaden yanked it forward¡ªstraight into the waiting maw of [Sanguine Roots.] Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crimson roots burst upward, impaling the snake mid-air. It let out a strangled hiss, its body thrashing wildly, but the moment its life force drained¡ªit fell limp.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green Pit Serpent!]


    In the time he dealt with this one, the other two managed to reach him and dug their fangs into his leg and chest.


    A searing pain erupted through Kaden¡¯s body as the serpents¡¯ fangs sank deep into his flesh. His breath hitched, his vision momentarily swimming with the sheer intensity of the venom coursing into his bloodstream.


    But the blur cleared up instantly.


    [Ding! Poisoned state is expelled. You have gained Inferior Poison Resistance]

 Chapter 41 - 42: Beasts! Run! Run!

    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened at the notification. He reached down and grabbed the snake with his bare hands. His grip tightened around the serpent¡¯s throat, his fingers digging into the slick, scaly flesh. The snake hissed and writhed, its venom still dripping from its fangs, but the pain no longer clouded his mind.


    He was immune.


    The realization sent a thrill through him. His body had already evolved beyond the poison. He was no longer just reacting¡ªhe was dominating.


    With a savage grin, he twisted his grip and yanked the snake off his chest, its fangs tearing free from his skin. The beast screeched, its long body thrashing in his grasp, but Kaden was already moving.


    [Thorn Whip: Spear Form.]


    The vine solidified into a jagged, barbed spike, its energy pulsating through his fingers. Without hesitation, he drove it straight through the snake¡¯s skull, impaling it from jaw to brain. The beast twitched violently before falling limp.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green Pit Serpent!]


    There was one left, the damn thing clung to his leg. This was it. This would give him the last level up he so desperately needed.


    Just as Kaden tore away the last snake from his leg, the cave¡¯s mouth which had previously closed up and blocked, rumbled once again, followed by an explosion of rocks and debris.


    The cavern¡¯s mouth burst open with a thunderous crash. A shockwave of dust and jagged stone tore through the clearing, forcing him to shield his face. The ground beneath him trembled violently, deep fissures spreading across the rocky surface.


    And then, from the gaping hole in the cavern¡¯s mouth, several pairs of slit-like eyes emerged. This time it was not just snakes. A lizard-like beast with a jagged maw, something that looked like a centipede and there were even some two-headed snakes.


    "Salamanders and twin-heads?" Kaden recognized some of them immediately. These things did not belong in the beginner tutorial area. He had never seen them in his last life in this area. What were they doing here and just how the hell did they get here?


    More importantly, the sheer number of them was terrifying. These beasts were not overly strong but Kaden wasn¡¯t too confident at the moment dealing with them in these kinds of numbers. There was also a chance that something even more ridiculous could happen and stronger beasts could show up. He did not want to take risks unnecessarily. It was not worth it.


    Clutching the struggling snake in his hand, he ran taking the snake along with him for the ride. Behind him, the creatures erupted from the cavern¡¯s mouth, a wave of fangs, claws, and chitin tearing after him with primal hunger.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened in horror as he glanced at the scene. A fucking beast horde was after him. The damned thing inside the egg sac probably sensed the danger to its life and called for help. But what sort of a beast could command so many beings while still an embryo?


    This was completely insane!


    Kaden pushed his legs beyond their limit, his breaths ragged as the thunderous stampede of the pursuing beast horde rattled the very ground beneath him. The monsters were coming fast. Too fast.


    The centipede abominations skittered with unnerving speed, their razor-sharp mandibles clacking in rhythmic hunger. The two-headed snakes twisted and lunged, their long bodies slithering over boulders and rough terrain as if the land itself were smooth glass. The salamanders bounded with terrifying strength, their muscular limbs propelling them forward, their ember-lit eyes gleaming.


    They were all coming for him in a mad frenzy.


    And Kaden? sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was outpacing them¡ªbut just barely.


    Intuitively, Kaden ran in the safest direction he could think of, away from the vultures and the dying panther and toward the human survivors¡¯ camp. He sprinted like a demon, his heart hammering against his ribs as he tore through the jagged landscape. Every instinct screamed at him to move faster.


    His body was stronger than ever before, his evolution having given him a physical edge he had never possessed in his past life. But raw power wasn¡¯t enough. These monsters were many, relentless, and closing in.


    His gaze snapped ahead to see that the human survivors¡¯ camp was just within reach. He hoped that he did not run into them but he couldn¡¯t help it. They were in his way. Well, okay. He didn¡¯t try hard enough. They weren¡¯t his priority at the moment.


    The flickering glow of their makeshift bonfires burned in the distance and Kaden started shouting at the top of his lungs. "Beasts! Run! Run!"


    When he arrived closer, he shockingly saw nothing but a deserted campsite. They had already vacated!


    The bonfires still smoldered, the remnants of scattered supplies and abandoned shelters telling a story of a hasty retreat. They already ran.


    Smart. But that meant one thing¡ªhe was the only one left to deal with this damn beast horde.


    Behind him, the chorus of hungry screeches, growls, and hisses grew louder. The monsters were closing in, their bloodthirsty frenzy only escalating.

 Chapter 42 - 43: Trapped

    Kaden cursed under his breath. No backup. No distractions. No escape.


    He skidded to a stop in the middle of the abandoned camp, inhaling sharply as the beasts closed in from every direction. The ground shuddered, their stampede shaking the earth like the approach of an unstoppable tide.


    His hands clenched. There was no more running away. There was nowhere he could run to. "Fine. If this is how it¡¯s going to be¡ªlet¡¯s see if they can handle me now." He looked around and saw a cluster of trees. They were tall, thick, and sturdy and they provided a decent nook for him.


    "This has to work!" He backed up against the trees and summoned [Thorn Whip]. Now he only had to worry about one or two beasts at a time which was still pushing his limits but at least it was something he could work with.


    The barbed vines of [Thorn Whip] snapped into existence, crackling with raw energy as they lashed outward, wrapping around the thick tree trunks. The familiar sensation of mana surged through Kaden¡¯s veins, the skill responding instantly to his call.


    The beasts didn¡¯t slow. They came in a wave and Kaden braced himself. The first beast was a salamander that lunged at him with terrifying speed, its ember-lit eyes gleaming in the dim glow of the abandoned campfires. Its jagged maw opened wide, revealing rows of serrated fangs dripping with molten saliva. The ground beneath its feet sizzled, leaving scorched trails in its wake.


    Kaden whipped his arm forward, and [Thorn Whip] struck with lethal precision.


    The barbed tendrils wrapped around the salamander¡¯s throat, their vicious thorns embedding deep into its scaly flesh. The beast shrieked, its body thrashing violently as it tried to break free, but Kaden had no intention of letting go.


    With a brutal yank, he jerked the beast sideways, slamming it face-first into a thick tree trunk. The impact sent shockwaves through its body, momentarily dazing it.


    No hesitation.


    Kaden followed up, using the momentum to twist his grip¡ªthe [Thorn Whip] coiled tighter, constricting like a predator¡¯s jaws. The salamander¡¯s throat crushed inward, and with a final sickening snap, its struggles ceased.


    [Ding! You have killed a Charred Salamander!]


    Kaden barely had time to register the notification before a two-headed serpent lunged at him from the left. Its twin maws struck like twin lightning bolts, fangs dripping with lethal venom.


    Kaden ducked.


    One set of fangs narrowly missed his throat, the other barely scraping past his shoulder. He rolled, his instincts sharpened beyond human limits. The snake reared back, its two heads hissing in sync, striking again.


    But Kaden was faster.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    The ground beneath the serpent exploded as thick, bloodstained roots surged upward, impaling the beast mid-strike. Its twin heads writhed, snapping at the vines, trying desperately to free itself.


    Kaden clenched his fists. The roots tightened. The serpent convulsed as the roots squeezed, its ribs cracking under the force. With one final, strangled hiss, its body went limp.


    [Ding! You have killed a Twin-Fanged Viper!]


    Kaden exhaled sharply, sweat slicking his brow, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had seconds before the next wave.


    And the next wave was already here.


    A massive centipede-like beast burst from the treeline, its long, segmented body undulating unnaturally. Its serrated mandibles clicked, and its dark, beady eyes locked onto him. Behind it, two more salamanders and a pack of snakes rushed forward, eager to devour him whole.


    Too many. Thankfully they were weak and he was able to manage but he knew he couldn¡¯t keep this up forever. He needed more power.


    And then¡ªit happened.


    He heard the notification he had been waiting for all this time.


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 24 > Level 25]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 5 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You have met the requirements for evolution]


    [Ding! Would you like to evolve to the E Rank?]


    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he heard the notifications chime in. It was a little different than what he had experienced before. When someone reached the threshold, they were given a special quest or set of requirements before they could evolve and get the quasi-core, but these notifications¡­


    He chalked it up to his tiredness and he probably missed something. Maybe when he selected yes to the evolution question, he would receive his quest and requirements.


    He ducked a claw from a salamander as he stopped himself from getting distracted. There was plenty of time to deal with all of this later. For now, he had to take care of this beast horde and somehow survive. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Survive and everything else can wait. He answered the system ¡¯yes¡¯ mentally and shifted his attention to the beasts in front of him. However, before he could whip the beast wanting to claw his eyes out, something blocked him.


    "Hmmm?" Kaden froze for a moment before walls appeared all around him without any notice. In the blink of an eye, he was completely enclosed. He was trapped.

 Chapter 43 - 44: Copy cat

    Kaden¡¯s mind raced and he started to panic. He didn¡¯t think he was claustrophobic but it looked like he was. What the fuck was happening here?


    He balled up his fists and started punching the walls. He had about to cast [Thorn Whip] and attempt to smash the walls from the inside out when he noticed the odd material the wall was made of. It was biological. More importantly, it felt familiar.


    This was the same kind of membrane surrounding that egg sac. What the hell?


    As he stared at the wall or rather cocoon dumbfoundedly, all of a sudden his vision blackened, and before he could make sense of anything his consciousness drifted away.


    When he woke up again, Kaden gasped in shock and panic. He couldn¡¯t breathe. He was completely submerged in water or some sort of liquid. It was in his lungs, his nose, everywhere. He felt as if he was going to die.


    He instinctively lashed out at the wall and this time it exploded with a plop sound as if it was a water balloon.


    Kaden tumbled forward, gasping and choking as thick, viscous liquid spilled out around him, pooling onto the ground in a slick, bubbling mess. His lungs burned, his muscles spasmed, and for a brief moment, pure panic took over.


    He coughed, hacking up the strange, mucus-like substance that had invaded his throat. His vision blurred, his ears rang, and everything felt wrong. His body¡ªhis skin¡ªit felt¡­ new. Different.


    What the fuck just happened?


    His fingers dug into the damp earth beneath him as he pushed himself upright, shaking, dripping in whatever the hell that fluid was. His breath was ragged, his mind disoriented, but Kaden definitely did not forget the most important thing. Now that he could breathe, he needed to fight.


    Kaden snapped to look at his surroundings, fully prepared to block and evade but there was nothing near him. Absolutely nothing at all. Where did all the beasts go? There was an entire beast horde behind him and now¡­there was only silence.


    No screeches. No chittering mandibles. No growling salamanders.


    Just the hollow drip, drip of the thick embryonic fluid pooling at his feet. Kaden¡¯s breathing evened out, but his fingers twitched with unease.


    He thought he was going to have some sort of control at least the first few days of the apocalypse but everything that was happening was getting beyond his control. Even beyond his understanding.


    The last thing he remembered was being seconds away from getting torn apart. Then the cocoon. Then the suffocating, liquid-filled nightmare. And now¡­ this?


    He needed a moment.


    Kaden silently scaled the tree closest to him and settled on a branch, good and hidden. He then closed his eyes to recollect everything that had happened. As he thought about everything, only one answer came to his mind.


    His evolution. His transition to the E Rank.


    It was suspicious when he did not get any special quests or requirements and now what happened made everything even more complicated.


    He first needed to find out if he evolved at all. He opened the system notifications to take a look.


    Name: Kaden MacAllister


    Class: Dreadwood Druid (Can be upgraded)


    Rank: E


    Level: 25


    Title: Hidden Class Awakener, Boss Killer, Ruthless Killer, Reckless Survivor, Shooting Star


    Health: 2000


    Mana: 2000


    Physical Strength: 100


    Agility: 100


    Dexterity: 100


    Perception: 100


    Mental Strength: 100


    Soul Strength: 100


    Free Attributes: 0


    Skills: [Sanguine Roots], [Thorn Whip], [Mana Bolt], [Nature¡¯s Grasp], [Healing Touch], [One with Nature]


    ***


    Kaden stared at the status screen, his mind struggling to process the impossible numbers displayed before him. His fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled through the raw data, his pulse thudding in his ears. This wasn¡¯t normal. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not even remotely.


    His stats had skyrocketed, leaping beyond anything a mere Level 25 should be capable of. 2000 health. 2000 mana. A single glance told him that his physical strength, agility, perception¡ªevery single stat¡ªhad hit triple digits.


    That wasn¡¯t just unusual. It was unprecedented.


    He had never seen numbers like this in his past life¡ªnot from other people, not from monsters, not even from the so-called world heroes who had stood at the top.


    His breathing quickened. What had just happened to him?


    There was only one logical explanation.


    His mind drifted back to the suffocating darkness, the cocoon, the embryonic fluid filling his lungs, the transformation that had stolen his consciousness away.


    It had felt eerily similar to the egg sac.


    The one that had been slowly draining the corpses in the cavern. The one that had absorbed its own embryonic fluid. The one that had been protected by a beast horde¡­


    And the one that had begun to wither away the longer Kaden siphoned its essence.


    Had he absorbed so much of its essence that he somehow managed to steal and copy its entire evolution process and made it his own?


    The thought sent an involuntary shudder down his spine.


    If that was true, then Kaden hadn¡¯t just experienced a normal evolution. He had forced himself into a transformation that was never meant for a human.


    His hands curled into fists.


    What kind of creature had been inside that sac? What kind of being could have stats this monstrous at Level 25?

 Chapter 44 - 45: Bloodline Mutation

    It had to be something rare-grade at the least!


    Kaden¡¯s thoughts churned in a frantic spiral, struggling to wrap around the sheer absurdity of what had happened. This wasn¡¯t how evolution was supposed to work.


    His fingers dug into the bark of the tree, grounding himself as his mind replayed the sequence of events. He had accepted his F Rank evolution, expecting the usual requirements¡ªperhaps a trial, a skill refinement, a temporary boost. Instead, he had been swallowed into that cocoon.


    If he had hijacked that creature¡¯s evolution, then what exactly had he evolved into? Did he absorb some of the genes of the beast? Was he going to take on some of the beast¡¯s characteristics? Was that going to make him more powerful or less?


    He looked at himself silently. His muscles still felt human. His skin, while stronger, didn¡¯t have scales or chitin. But something was different¡ªhe could feel it, a raw, coiled energy thrumming beneath his flesh, waiting to be unleashed.


    He stared at the trees surrounding him trying to make sense of everything, only to end up letting out a sigh. No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t arrive at any conclusion. He simply did not have enough information.


    Wait, he did get four or five quests. He quickly opened up the system notifications and stared at the quests. His gaze directly went to the one about his bloodline.


    [Ding! Your bloodline has undergone successful mutation and you have initiated the evolution process]


    [Ding! New Quest activated: Bloodline Evolution II]


    [Your body has forcibly assimilated the essence of a foreign, higher-tier entity. This process is incomplete. Your bloodline is unstable. Absorb an energy-rich catalyst to stabilize the bloodline.]


    Kaden¡¯s brows furrowed as he reread the notification, his grip tightening on the branch beneath him. A bloodline catalyst. He had never heard of such a thing before¡ªnot in his past life, not from any of the elite players who had reached the higher ranks.


    Your bloodline is unstable.


    The words gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. His evolution wasn¡¯t just incomplete; it was on the verge of collapse. If he didn¡¯t find this so-called catalyst soon, who knew what would happen?


    Would his body break down? Would his mind unravel? Would he become something else entirely¡ªsomething not human?


    His fingers twitched. He needed answers. Fast.


    "The system shop," Kaden muttered under his breath. "If there¡¯s anywhere to find a catalyst, it¡¯s there." In a few days time, there would be more changes coming to the new world and one of those was the opening of a system shop. This was the only lead Kaden had for now.


    He exhaled sharply, forcing his nerves to settle. He couldn¡¯t afford to sit here and contemplate the unknown when he was standing in the middle of a war zone. The priority was clear¡ªescape.


    The fact was he had stolen something valuable from a high-tier beast. He needed to get the hell out of here first.


    He had no idea why the beast horde had disappeared. Maybe some other beast attacked it and the thing was vulnerable? Eitherways, he did not want to rely on that. It was best to run and get as far away from here as possible.


    Kaden looked at the system map for a second before decided to go with the eastern direction. He had been there before so he was somewhat familiar with it. This meant that his chances of survival were higher. Especially now that he was going to step out of the protective barrier.


    Taking another breath, he jumped down from the tree. He then started running.


    Kaden gritted his teeth and ran as fast as he could, but quickly the constipated look on his face was replaced by an exhilerated expression. His body felt amazing. His limbs felt extraordinary.


    He took every step with ease and he was able to move through the uneven terrain with an almost unnatural grace. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was different. This was beyond just a simple increase in stats¡ªhis body was responding in ways it never had before. Every shift of his muscles, every bend of his joints felt optimized, as if he had been reforged into something superior.


    Was this the effect of the bloodline mutation?


    He leapt over a fallen log, landing lightly on the balls of his feet without breaking his stride. Before, even with his agility stat, there had always been a human limit to how he moved. Now? Now he felt untethered, unrestricted. He didn¡¯t just move through the environment; it was as if the environment itself moved around him.


    A grin stretched across his face.


    Even with the looming danger of his unstable evolution, even with the uncertainty of the future and what he was becoming¡ªhe couldn¡¯t ignore the sheer power thrumming through him. It was intoxicating. If he could run like this, maybe¡­ just maybe he could outrun his past.

 Chapter 45 - 46: Beyond the barrier

    Kaden only stopped running after several hours when he encountered his first quasi-core beast. He had crossed the barrier a couple of hours before but this was the first beast he was running into.


    Under the pitch-black sky, the beast loomed before him, its presence exuding raw menace. It was a Dire Shadowfang Wolf, its dark fur rippling with an eerie, unnatural sheen beneath the weak glow of the moon above. Its piercing yellow eyes locked onto Kaden, unblinking.


    The beast was fast, strong, and highly territorial. And more importantly, it was intelligent. Unlike the low-level creatures Kaden had faced before, a quasi-core beast had a rudimentary understanding of tactics¡ªit wouldn¡¯t just charge blindly. Also, a wolf was never alone.


    Kaden¡¯s breath was steady despite the tension crackling in the air. He wasn¡¯t the same weakling who had barely scraped by before. He was stronger now, faster, and far more dangerous than he had ever been in his past life and he had already killed two quasi-core beasts but that did not mean he would take this fight less seriously.


    A blur of dark fur and shifting shadows, the Dire Shadowfang Wolf lunged without a sound, its massive form closing the distance in an instant.


    Kaden immediately acted.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    The ground erupted with crimson tendrils, jagged and wickedly barbed, reaching for the beast mid-air. The wolf twisted in a stunning display of agility, narrowly avoiding the worst of them. But it wasn¡¯t enough. One of the roots grazed its hind leg, slicing deep into its muscle.


    Before the beast could recover, a barbed vine snapped forward like a striking serpent, aimed straight at the beast¡¯s throat.


    The wolf did not stand a chance. The serrated edges bit deep into the wolf¡¯s exposed throat. A strangled, gurgling snarl escaped the beast as it writhed against the constriction.


    With a sharp yank, Kaden tightened his grip, feeling the resistance of flesh, sinew, and struggling life. Blood sprayed in arcs against the darkened forest floor, the beast¡¯s powerful limbs spasming as its claws raked at the air¡ªdesperate, but futile.


    The wolf¡¯s body dropped dead on the ground in a matter of seconds.


    [Ding! You have killed a Dire Shadowfang Wolf.]


    The difference in raw stats was simply too high. At Kaden¡¯s level, a quasi-core beast did not stand any chance against him¡ªnot unless it had a unique ability or was part of a larger, coordinated attack.


    Kaden continued to run when suddenly he noticed something was odd. He did not gain a level for the kill? As a newly evolved E ranker, he still should have gained at least a level?


    He opened his system screen to take a look and he indeed hadn¡¯t gained any level.


    He clicked his tongue and closed the screen, a little impatient. Gaining a level in the E rank would prompt new skill assignments from the system which he was very much looking forward to.


    F rank skills were good but not enough to match the challenges he knew were coming. E-rank skills would be a whole new level of power. He needed them to bring out the true strength of his stats. But the solution to this problem was simple enough.


    "Well¡­ I just need to kill more." Kaden stopped running and stretched his limbs. Also, the kills he needed were already here. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A chorus of low, guttural growls rumbled from the darkness beyond the trees. The shadows shifted¡ªyellow eyes gleaming like silent predators waiting in the void.


    He wasn¡¯t alone.


    It looked like his guess was correct after all. A dire wolf rarely traveled alone.


    Kaden let out a slow breath, rolling his shoulders as he flexed his fingers. His blood thrummed with anticipation, the pulse of raw energy beneath his skin almost begging to be unleashed.


    The wolves were here. They hadn¡¯t charged him yet. Instead, they circled, their massive, muscular bodies shifting in and out of the tree line. The pack was assessing him, waiting for a moment of weakness.


    A dozen pairs of yellow eyes gleamed from the darkness, moving in slow, deliberate motions, their bodies nearly silent as they adjusted their formation.


    Pack hunters. Coordinated. Cunning. Deadly in numbers.


    One of the wolves let out a warning snarl, hackles rising, saliva dripping from its massive jaws.


    Kaden clenched his fists in determination. If they wanted a fight, he¡¯d give them one.


    [Sanguine Roots.]


    The ground trembled beneath him. This time, he poured more mana into the skill, fueling it with the absurd reserves of his new evolution.


    Thick, crimson roots exploded from the soil like spears of living steel, snaking through the air with vicious intent. They moved faster, sharper¡ªstronger.


    The first wolf didn¡¯t even have time to react before a jagged root pierced through its chest, lifting its massive body off the ground before slamming it down in a spray of blood.


    [Ding! You have killed a Dire Shadowfang Wolf.]

 Chapter 46 - 47: New skills

    The others immediately scattered. The pack surged into action, spreading out, moving to flank him, their movements so well-coordinated.


    Kaden twisted, his arms snapping out.


    [Thorn Whip.]


    A spiked vine lashed through the air, catching a second wolf across its flank and tearing through muscle and fur like paper. The beast yelped, staggering, but another tendril shot up from the ground, wrapping around its throat and twisting.


    A sickening snap.


    [Ding! You have killed a Dire Shadowfang Wolf.]


    Two down.


    The rest were on him in seconds. A wolf lunged from his left, another from behind. Perfectly timed. Kaden let them.


    At the last moment, he spun¡ªfaster than should have been possible, his newfound agility pushing his body to new limits. His foot slammed into the side of one beast¡¯s skull, sending it hurtling sideways, while his hand snapped outward, catching the second wolf by the throat.


    With his bare hands.


    The beast thrashed, claws raking at his arm, but his skin barely broke. His strength was on a whole other level now.


    Kaden grinned. "You should¡¯ve run." He squeezed. A crunch, a final whimper¡ªthen silence.


    [Ding! You have killed a Dire Shadowfang Wolf.]


    Three down.


    The remaining wolves hesitated now, their instincts screaming at them to retreat. They had sensed it. He wasn¡¯t prey. He was the apex predator.


    Kaden wiped the blood off his forearm and tilted his head.


    "Who¡¯s next?"


    It took about twelve dire wolves and finally, when the twelfth one dropped dead, Kaden received the notification he was waiting for.


    [Ding! You have killed a Dire Shadowfang Wolf.]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Level 25 > Level 26]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mental Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Physical Strength, and 7 free attribute points]


    [Ding! You are now allowed to choose a class skill from the following]


    [Nature¡¯s Curse: A passive skill that imbues your attacks with a decaying effect. Enemies struck by your abilities suffer continuous damage over time, and their natural regeneration is weakened.]


    [Thorn Barrage: An active skill that allows the user to summon a storm of razor-sharp thorns, launching them in all directions. The thorns drain a small amount of life from enemies and return it to the user.]


    [Bloodthorn Execution: An active skill that summons a massive, barbed thorn from the ground to impale a target. If the enemy is slain by this ability, a portion of their health and mana is absorbed by the user.]


    Kaden glanced at the three skills but did not select anything. He continued fighting with the wolves. There were about twenty in total and it took him a few more seconds to finish the fight.


    He then wiped the blood off his arms and exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the pile of corpses surrounding him. The fight had been fast, brutal, and one-sided.


    His strength was undeniable. Even quasi-core beasts, creatures that would have given him hell in his past life, barely stood a chance.


    Now that the immediate danger had passed, he could finally focus on what mattered¡ªthe new skill selection. His gaze flickered to the three options floating before him.


    Nature¡¯s Curse. A passive ability. That alone made it a solid choice.


    Passive skills required no activation, no preparation¡ªthey were always in effect. The ability to inflict decay, weakening an enemy¡¯s regeneration and dealing consistent damage over time, was tempting. Prolonged battles would tip in his favor, and tougher enemies wouldn¡¯t be able to outlast him.


    Thorn Barrage. A high-damage, area-of-effect skill. The idea of launching a storm of razor-sharp thorns appealed to him.


    It was a skill built for crowd control, something that could wipe out weaker enemies en masse while also granting him a life steal effect. He imagined standing in the center of a battlefield, raining death upon his enemies, his wounds closing as fast as they formed.


    He sorely lacked a skill like this at the moment. If he had this skill when the beast horde was after him then he could have handled the situation in a much better way.


    Kaden rubbed his chin, weighing the options. The last skill choice available was Bloodthorn Execution.


    A single-target burst ability, but one with a deadly edge. The thought of summoning a massive, barbed thorn to impale an enemy and drain their life force had a certain brutal elegance to it.


    If he aimed it correctly, it could eliminate priority targets in an instant, giving him both health and mana in return. A solid skill for finishing off powerful opponents and keeping himself in peak condition.


    Nature¡¯s Curse was excellent for long fights. Thorn Barrage would be devastating against groups. Bloodthorn Execution was perfect for assassinations and sustain. Now, what to select from these three?


    The next class skill selection would only be available at level 50 and considering that he had to kill so many quasi-core wolves just to gain a level, this was going to take time.


    The normal progress wasn¡¯t this difficult at least until one reached level 100. However, Kaden¡¯s progress was different. Chalking it up to the same weird evolution and the bloodline mutation, he did not think too much about it. He could simply kill more. There was no need to worry.


    As his thoughts drifted back to the skill selection, he suddenly remembered the other new quests he had received. Kaden mentally slapped himself for not thinking of this sooner and willed open the system screen. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! New Quest: Class Upgrade II]

 Chapter 47 - 48: New Quests

    [Ding! New Quest: Class Upgrade II]


    [Your evolution has unlocked the potential for a class upgrade. As a Dreadwood Druid, your current abilities revolve around nature¡¯s raw force, but you can now ascend to a higher specialization. To upgrade your class, you must fulfill the following requirements:]


    Slay 500 Quasi-Core Beasts (20/500)


    Obtain a rare natural artifact (0/1)


    Survive a battle against an opponent one rank higher than you (0/1)


    Absorb a Mana Core (0/1)


    Upgrade 5 F-Rank skills to E-Rank (0/5)


    Time Limit: None.


    Rewards: Advanced Class Evolution.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes scanned over the quest details. This was huge. To be able to upgrade his already powerful class was something he had never expected. But then again this was the offer for a superior being not for a human being.


    Only because he had stolen the essence of something else he was able to enjoy such benefits. Not that he was complaining. He was willing to take any and all advantages offered to him. It did not matter if it was fated to be his or if he had stolen someone else¡¯s fate.


    He wasn¡¯t just climbing the ranks through normal means. He was forcing his way up, taking power that wasn¡¯t originally meant for him, and reshaping his destiny into something entirely new.


    And if fate had to break in the process?


    So be it.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes burned as he read over the quest details again, absorbing every word with a mixture of exhilaration and cold determination.


    Slaying 500 Quasi-Core Beasts. He had already killed 20. That meant he had 480 left to go. It was a ridiculous number, but not impossible. With his current strength, he could accomplish this rather easily and he anyways had to do this in order to level up.


    Obtain a rare natural artifact. This one was vague, but Kaden had a few ideas. The mountains east of here were rumored to hold ancient relics of nature¡ªplants, stones, even beast remains infused with mana. If he searched long enough, he was bound to find something that counted.


    Now that he thought about it¡­Maybe he could find that bloodline catalyst here too


    Survive a battle against a D-Rank opponent.


    This was where things got more complicated. D-Rank creatures were no joke. They weren¡¯t just stronger¡ªthey were fundamentally different. Faster, smarter, and in many cases, they possessed abilities that lower-ranked beings couldn¡¯t even fathom.


    He had to find one first, then kill it, and then absorb its core. A triple-layered challenge. This was the hardest requirement. A D-Rank opponent meant true danger. The idea of facing something like that this so soon made his blood run cold.


    But it also excited him. He wanted to see just how far his insanely high raw stats can push him.


    A grin curled at the edge of Kaden¡¯s lips. He had spent his past life struggling, clawing his way through an existence dictated by rules and limitations. But this time, he was different. This time, he had stolen power itself.


    And now, he was going to keep taking. His fingers twitched, the hunger for battle settling deep in his bones.


    First things first. He immediately opened the other new quests he had obtained and took a look.


    [Ding! New Quest - Body Tempering II]


    [Your body has begun adapting to the immense power flowing through it, but the process is incomplete. To stabilize your physical form and prevent instability, you must temper your body through extreme trials. Complete the following objectives to reinforce your evolved frame.]


    Endure an extreme environmental condition for 72 hours (0/1)


    Survive a direct impact from a D-Rank attack (0/1)


    Defeat 50 Quasi-Core Beasts without using active skills (0/50)


    Time Limit: None. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Rewards:


    Body Tempering Elixir


    [Ding! New Quest - Mental Tempering II]


    [Your mind has begun evolving alongside your body, but the transition is incomplete. To stabilize your cognitive and spiritual growth, you must undergo intense mental conditioning and push past human limitations. Complete the following objectives to reinforce your mental resilience.]


    Resist a high-level illusion or mind-affecting ability for at least 10 minutes (0/1)


    Meditate in an unstable mana zone for 24 hours (0/1)


    Engage in combat while at critical health (below 10%) and survive (0/1)


    Achieve a state of battle-induced clarity, where instinct surpasses conscious thought (0/1)


    Time Limit: None.


    Rewards:


    Mind Tempering Elixir


    [Ding! New Quest - Soul Tempering II]


    [Your soul has undergone a forced mutation due to the absorption of a higher-tier entity¡¯s essence. However, the process remains incomplete. Without proper stabilization, your soul¡¯s foundation may crack under the weight of your evolution. Complete the following trials to temper your soul and prevent collapse.]


    Endure a soul attack from a D-Rank entity and survive (0/1)


    Synchronize fully with your new bloodline by stabilizing your bloodline (0/1)


    Synchronize fully with your new body by completing the body tempering (0/1)


    Synchronize fully with your mind by completing the mental tempering(0/1)


    Time Limit: None.


    Rewards:


    Soul Tempering Elixi

 Chapter 48 - 49: Shooting Star

    Kaden opened and closed his mouth several times as he went over the details of all the quests. Basically, every single one of them was asking him to face a D-rank enemy.


    And he was barely an E-rank newbie.


    "Well," Kaden exhaled, rubbing his forehead, "this is a load of bullshit."


    It wasn¡¯t that he lacked confidence. He knew he was strong. Far stronger than any normal E-ranker should be. But D-rank was an entirely different realm.


    A jump from F-rank to E-rank was about personal enhancement. A boost in raw stats, better abilities, heightened endurance. But E to D?


    That was an evolution in power.


    D-rank beings didn¡¯t just have better numbers. They had something more terrifying¡ªthe ability to warp reality to their advantage. Whether through mana manipulation, territory control, or unique class skills, they didn¡¯t fight fair.


    And yet, here he was, surrounded by quests demanding he throw himself straight into the lion¡¯s den. Kaden sighed and shook his head, a crooked smirk forming. "Guess there¡¯s no avoiding it, huh?"


    If he was going to break through his limits, he had to be willing to step into a fight he wasn¡¯t supposed to win.


    That meant he needed to be smart.


    He couldn¡¯t just rush into battle like a mindless brute. He had to hunt carefully, pick fights on his terms, and push himself step by step instead of diving headfirst into something suicidal.


    And to do that? He first needed to make some preparations. He decided to start with the fifty kills he needed without using any active skills. This was pretty straight forward and he could do that right here in these forests. He knew the perfect place for it.


    Kaden opened the system interface again and scanned the map. His target should be approximately one day¡¯s travel from his current location. He would be putting more distance between that broken egg sac and himself and at the same time he would reach his training destination.


    "Alright. Let¡¯s go." He took another look at his surroundings before exhaling sharply and starting his run again.


    He moved swiftly, his body slicing through the dense foliage of the forest like a blade through water. His new strength, his enhanced speed¡ªit all felt unreal. Every step was lighter, every breath more controlled.


    In the blink of an eye another day passed by.


    Kaden ran for hours, only stopping briefly to drink from a freshwater stream and eat some beast meat he shoddily cooked using mana. His metabolism was burning through energy faster than before, and he could feel the gnawing hunger creeping in quicker than it used to.


    Another side effect of his evolution. He did not feel it much at first but now that he did not have any more embryonic liquid to keep him full and satiated all of his other needs were increasing. He was hungrier than he had ever been and also thirstier than he had ever been.


    Thankfully, there was no shortage of beasts to hunt in the forest. Wild beasts and quasi-core beasts kept popping up one after the other and he took care of them just as fast as the pack of wolves.


    The only problem was he kept forgetting the requirements and using Thorn Whip right from the get go. In the end, he only managed to kill five beasts without using any skills. Apparently, Healing Touch was also a skill and if he used it either after a kill or before a kill, that kill would not be considered for the quest completion.


    An annoying little detail. Nothing that he couldn¡¯t handle.


    As for the new skill selection, he decided to save it for the time being. He did not need a new skill at the moment and if he saved the skill selection after the class upgrade then he could potentially get another skill option, something that could be a lot more overpowered than the current options.


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t too strict about this. If he really needed it, Kaden was prepared to go with any of the two active skills depending on what his situation called for. Survival came first after all.


    By the time night fell again, the air had turned bitterly cold, and the world was bathed in the glow of the moon. He stopped at the edge of a steep ridge, overlooking the valley he had been searching for.


    There it was.


    A sprawling, isolated expanse, thick with trees, jagged rock formations, and a winding river that cut through the terrain like a gleaming silver scar. There, on the bank of the river, was the thing that he was looking for.


    A swirling mess of mana seeped in spatial affinity. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A portal to a dungeon.


    Kaden clenched his fists in determination. He did not aim for this to be his goal so early but what the heck. With his insane raw stats, it would be foolish not to try for this achievement.


    As he thought about this, he suddenly remembered something he had completely forgotten. His first goal in the new world! The big achievement that he wanted!


    Did he actually make it? Did he get the title?


    He hurriedly opened his status screen and there it was.


    [Shooting Star]

 Chapter 49 - 50: 60 days

    Kaden sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. In all the chaos of escaping the egg sac, he had completely forgotten to check for the achievement title.


    Shooting Star.


    There it was.


    A slow grin spread across his face, a mixture of triumph and disbelief flickering in his eyes. He had done it. Against all odds, he had done it. It was practically impossible to achieve in just a single day, with limited opportunities within the protective barrier, but somehow, he had pulled it off.


    And now¡ªthe gateway to his next plan was secure.


    [Shooting Star: Survive overwhelming odds and achieve a feat deemed statistically impossible in the current world. As a shooting star, you can participate in a system event of your choosing. The next system event starts in: 60 days.]


    Kaden gulped.


    Sure, there were other ways to enter a system event and there were some system events open for everyone but this achievement according to his last life¡¯s prison guards took one to a special unique system event.


    He only had vague information about the whole thing but now he had the confirmation right in front of him. This was it. This was the opportunity he had been chasing since the moment the world changed, the one thing that could push him beyond normal limits. A special unique opportunity.


    The egg sac¡­ that had been unexpected. A complete accident. One he had turned to his advantage. But this? This was planned.


    And yet, a flicker of unease wormed its way into his mind.


    Did he even know what a system event entailed?


    No.


    But he knew one thing: those who survived came back ten times stronger.


    Kaden¡¯s fingers curled into fists as he reread the notification, his pulse hammering in his ears. He couldn¡¯t rely on another miracle like the egg sac falling into his lap. That was a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck. If he wanted to survive whatever this system event was, he needed to prepare. He needed to be ready for anything.


    Sixty days.


    It felt like both an eternity and an instant. The system didn¡¯t hand out achievements like this lightly. If it had deemed something "statistically impossible," that meant no one¡ªnot a single person¡ªwas ever supposed to accomplish it.


    And yet, he had.


    That meant two things.


    One¡ªthe system was watching him now. He was no longer just another nameless survivor clawing his way up the ranks. The system had acknowledged him, marked him as something outside the norm. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And two¡ªwhatever event he entered wouldn¡¯t be fair. It would be brutal. The system wouldn¡¯t let a Shooting Star take the easy path. It would push him to his breaking point. If he wasn¡¯t ready¡­


    He would die.


    But this was exactly what he wanted.


    A cold, fierce resolve burned in his chest. Only if he pushed himself like this could he stand a chance against that madman who would descend in a year¡¯s time. He needed power¡ªreal power. Not just to survive, but to fight back against the forces that would try to enslave their world.


    His gaze dropped to the swirling vortex below him.


    The dungeon. A pocket of reality disconnected from the main world. A place teeming with monsters, trials, and rewards. The perfect hunting ground.


    If he was lucky, he might even find a rare natural artifact¡ªthe very thing he needed for his class evolution. And if he was even luckier¡­ he might find something that could act as a bloodline catalyst.


    His lips curled into a sharp grin.


    Perfect.


    This would be his proving ground. His first real test as an E-rank. If he was going to survive a system event in sixty days, he needed to start now.


    Kaden rolled his shoulders, cracked his knuckles, and took one last breath. Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward, heading straight for the portal.


    The portal was essentially a huge gaping hole in the fabric of the world, a hole that connected another world to this world, more specifically a pocket world or a pocket space.


    These pocket spaces were chunks torn from a dying world or a destroyed world or perhaps just a system-engineered world. There were several theories floating about in his last life. What really mattered was that these were full of beasts, a ripe hunting ground for fast leveling.


    Thanks to system shenanigans, the word used for explaining things no one understood, the monsters inside a dungeon never really ran out. However, the first run was always assumed to be special.


    Maybe more rewards, definitely a title, and maybe even something more. Kaden had no idea. This would be his first attempt at a first run and he was damn excited. He closed his eyes for a moment steadying himself and then entered the portal.


    Meanwhile¡­


    Back in the forest inside the beginner zone, a pair of slit-like eyes opened and a creature weakly slipped out of a dried and broken egg sac.

 Chapter 50 - 51: Incomplete

    Thin, jagged limbs twitched, twitching spasmodically as if unused to movement. The creature¡¯s body unfolded, its slick, embryonic skin peeling away like shedding flesh, revealing something twisted, something wrong.


    Its body was¡­ incomplete.


    Malformed.


    A grotesque mockery of a birth.


    The creature¡¯s breath hitched¡ªa ragged, unnatural gasp that sounded more like the rattling death-throes of something that should not exist. Its malformed chest expanded in jerking, uneven motions, as if struggling to perform the very act of breathing.


    The first sensations of awareness crashed into its mind like a violent tide, each pulse of existence clawing against the fragile foundation of its being.


    It convulsed, a spasming mess of sinew and shifting flesh, barely tethered to reality. Every inch of its body writhed, flickering between solid and liquid, its essence unstable¡ªunrefined, incomplete.


    It was not whole. It should have been something greater. Something divine. Something vast, unshackled, and beyond mortal comprehension.


    But instead, it was this.


    A grotesque, fractured remnant of what should have been. A presence severed from its true potential. A being that had been robbed. Violated.


    Its essence had been taken. Stolen.


    The realization struck like a thunderclap¡ªsilent, all-consuming, filling the cavernous void of its newborn consciousness with a roaring emptiness. It did not understand the concept of loss, nor could it comprehend the cruel irony of its existence. But it could feel the injustice, imprinted upon the very marrow of its being, an eternal brand burned into its flesh.


    Something deep within it seethed. A primal instinct. A gnawing hunger. It needed to be whole again.


    The half-formed entity swayed, its broken body shifting without logic or pattern, as if reality itself struggled to define what it was supposed to be. One moment, its limbs were too long, thin, and stretched like sinewy tendrils, and the next, they snapped back into something humanoid. Its bones creaked, reshaping, collapsing, rebuilding in an unholy cycle of instability.


    And yet¡ªeven in this pitiful, weakened state¡ªthere was no fear.


    Only rage.


    A deep, burning fury that had no name, no origin¡ªonly purpose. Its jagged, malformed mouth parted, peeling away in unnatural angles, and a low, guttural sound escaped¡ªa sound not meant for this world. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A distorted, corrupted wail.


    The air itself shuddered, rippling outward like a living thing recoiling in terror. Something inside the creature¡ªsomething buried deep within its core¡ªwas screaming, raging against its own existence.


    It had no memories. No past. No name. But it knew one thing.


    The thief.


    The one who had stolen its essence. The one who had taken what should have been its birthright. It didn¡¯t understand revenge the way a human would. It had no concept of justice or morality.


    But it knew wrongness when it felt it.


    It felt the missing pieces, the cracks in its existence that should not have been there. It felt the stolen power that was meant to be its own. It was supposed to be perfect.


    And now, it wasn¡¯t.


    The creature¡¯s head snapped up, its slit-like pupils contracting into focused, burning slivers. The scent was still fresh.


    Him. The thief.


    The one who had taken from it. The one who had robbed it of its true form. Something twitched violently within its body, the unstable flesh along its arms and torso rupturing in a grotesque display.


    Black ichor leaked from its wounds¡ªthick, seething tendrils of liquid that hissed as they met the ground. The air around them distorted, reality bending in microscopic fractures before snapping back into place.


    Something was changing. It felt its body reacting, adapting, shifting in response to the stolen essence. It let go of some of its potential so that its body could now be somewhat complete and stable.


    It didn¡¯t matter what it had to do. It didn¡¯t matter what it became. All that mattered¡ª Was that it found the thief.


    And when it did¡ª It would take back what was stolen. No matter the cost.


    It took a while but after a few minutes, the creature was finally able to breathe. It lifted its paw which now resembled a salamander¡¯s paw. It waddled back and forth, its movements still unsteady.


    Hisss¡­ A forked tongue flickered in anger. Unforgivable. It was blasphemy for a creature of its origin to suffer like this!


    Hisssssss. It seethed in anger as its amber eyes roamed around the damaged cavern that seemed like it was about to get buried any time now. Its gaze landed on the pile of corpses crushed into a nasty mess on the side.


    It waddled to the mess and then opened its maw to take a chomp.

 Chapter 51 - 52: Kneel to your King

    Flesh. Bone. Blood. A feast of raw essence lay before the creature, broken, scattered, yet teeming with the lingering traces of mana, blood, and soul. The moment the torn sinew touched its tongue, something deep within its fractured being reacted.


    A violent pulse rippled through its unstable form, like a dying ember rekindling itself in the heart of an inferno. The creature shuddered, its jagged body lurching forward as it devoured another chunk, then another.


    The corpses of the fallen beasts, their lifeblood spilled uselessly into the dirt, belonged to it now. Each bite stitched together the cracks in its existence. Each swallow filled the void of stolen essence even if it was just a tiny minuscule bit.


    The pain of incompleteness remained, festering like an open wound, but this¡­ this was a start.


    Hissssss¡­


    This wasn¡¯t enough. It needed more. A lot more.


    Hissssss¡­ It seethed in anger, reaching out to its slaves. Lesser mindless beasts who were born to serve divine beings such as itself.


    As the first green pit snake slithered into the cavern, the creature willed it to come closer and then without any mercy chomped down on the snake. This tasted a lot better than the rotting corpses. Fresh. Pulsing with vitality. A direct source of raw essence.


    More. It needed more. Its gaze flickered to its next slave when abruptly something blasphemous blocked its vision.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green pit snake]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Lvl 1 > Lvl 2]


    [Ding! You have gained 20 free attribute points] Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! Error. Class Selection not possible]


    [Ding! Error. Skill Selection not possible]


    [Ding! Racial Skill available]


    [Ding! You have learned Myriad Tongues]


    [Myriad Tongues: A racial skill that grants the user the ability to comprehend and communicate in all languages, including spoken, written, and mental transmissions. This skill extends to lesser beasts, eldritch tongues, and even ancient dialects lost to time.]


    The creature froze mid-bite. What sorcery is this? It could feel a strand of mixed essence entering its body gently nourishing it. Before it could savor this moment, a bolt of energy struck its mind. The next instant a vast amount of knowledge poured into its fractured mind.


    It wasn¡¯t just words. It was understanding.


    A tide of unfamiliar sounds, symbols, and meanings crashed into its awareness like a flood breaking through a dam. Concepts it had never grasped before¡ªhierarchy, communication, command¡ªembedded themselves into the very fabric of its being.


    The creature winced in pain. But all of a sudden, it could understand what the humans who were stealing from it were talking about. This world was interesting, a little different from its ancestral world. Maybe even suitable to become a temporary stepping stone for a divine being.


    It turned its gaze to the next pit snake, its forked tongue flickering. The creature did not move. It did not need to. Instead, it spoke¡ªnot in human words, not in any sound bound by mortal tongues, but in the essence of command.


    "Come."


    The snake twitched violently, its muscles spasming as its instincts fought against something greater. It resisted. For a mere breath. And then¡ª It obeyed.


    The pit snake slithered forward, unblinking, unmoving, its body surrendering itself without protest. It was no longer a beast acting of its own will. It was property.


    The creature opened its maw, inhaling deeply as it consumed. The moment flesh hit its tongue, a new pulse of raw energy surged through its veins. Power. The feeling was indescribable¡ªintoxicating. Unlike the decayed corpses, this was pure, living vitality. A direct channel of essence.


    [Ding! You have killed a Green pit snake]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Lvl 2 > Lvl 3]


    [Ding! You have gained 20 free attribute points]


    The creature stared at the familiar message that flashed in front of its face again.


    More.


    It needed more.


    The creature¡¯s gaze flickered toward the others at the edges of the cavern¡ªlesser beasts, weak and trembling, trapped between the instincts to flee and the incomprehensible compulsion to obey. The forked tongue flicked again.


    "Kneel to your king."


    One by one, the creatures lowered themselves. A rattling hiss rumbled deep within the creature¡¯s chest. It was weak now. Incomplete. But the path to wholeness had become clear. It would feast. It would consume. It would build itself anew.


    And then, it would hunt.


    It would find the thief.


    And it would take back everything.

 Chapter 52 - 53: Sewer Rats

    The moment Kaden stepped through the portal, a vile stench slammed into him like a physical force. His newly heightened senses recoiled, his stomach twisting in disgust. It wasn¡¯t just the rotting decay of stagnant water, nor the putrid musk of unwashed fur. It was something worse¡ªa festering, unnatural stench, thick with the scent of filth and disease.


    His eyes watered as he instinctively covered his nose, but it did nothing to stop the assault on his sharpened perception.


    [Ding! You have entered the Dungeon: Sewer Rats]


    [Ding! You are the first person to discover the Dungeon: Sewer Rats]


    [Ding! Special Condition Activated: First Explorer Bonus]


    [Ding! Rewards Pending Completion]


    Kaden sighed. He remembered how much he hated this nasty dungeon but this was the closest dungeon to his current location and he did not want to risk missing the ripe achievement just because of something small like smell.


    Even as he thought about it, he wanted to puke but he choked down the gag reflex and walked forward. The first explorer bonus was good.


    His evolution had fucked up his leveling up speed a little so if the bonus had anything to do with What, it would be awesome. What did it entail anyway? "Well, there is only one way to find out." Kaden spotted the first pair of red eyes in the distance.


    He grimaced as he trudged forward through the foul, ankle-deep muck, the thick squelch of waterlogged waste beneath his boots making his skin crawl. All around him, the walls oozed with grime, their surfaces slick with damp rot.


    The dungeon was essentially an underground sewage system of a city that had once existed somewhere someplace in some world perhaps far far away from theirs.


    The architecture was ancient, a relic of some forgotten civilization, its crumbling stone tunnels barely holding together beneath the weight of time and decay. Jagged cracks lined the ceilings, thick with dripping moss and fungal blooms.


    The air was heavy with moisture, every breath laced with the foul stench of rotting organic matter and centuries-old filth. Sludge clung to his boots, the water sloshing around his ankles disturbingly thick and viscous, almost as if it were alive.


    Kaden exhaled sharply, forcing his focus ahead. He couldn¡¯t afford to get distracted by the sheer nastiness of the environment. He had a dungeon to clear.


    His sharp gaze landed on the first pair of glowing red eyes in the distance. Two. No¡ªthree. The creatures were watching him, their beady, malicious eyes peering out from the shadows between crumbling pipes and sewage flows.


    Then, a low, wet chittering filled the air.


    It was subtle at first, but it multiplied, layering upon itself, the whispering chorus of claws scraping against stone growing louder and louder.


    Kaden¡¯s grip tightened around his weapon as the first figure scuttled forward.


    A bloated, diseased rat the size of a large dog emerged into the dim light, its patchy fur mangy and caked with filth. Its mouth frothed, thick saliva dripping from jagged, yellowed fangs, its body shuddering unnaturally as if wracked by some parasitic infection.


    Then another crawled out.


    Then another.


    Then another. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden narrowed his eyes as more of the creatures poured out of the darkened passageways, crawling along the walls, and the ceilings, slithering from sewage grates and rising from the filth beneath his feet.


    However, before any of those could reach him a loud thunk sounded, and a barred metallic gate slammed shut in front of him. The rusted metal groaned under its own weight. The sound echoed through the tunnels, bouncing off the damp, crumbling walls.


    Kaden didn¡¯t flinch¡ªhe had expected something like this. Five rats alone were caught on the wrong side of the gate. The five did not hesitate in the slightest and scurried forward with a rabid frenzy in their eyes.


    This was just the preview. He would be facing the main horde in the last battle. In his last life, this was enough to strike fear in the hearts of those who wanted to clear the dungeon but there was not a single trace of fear in his eyes now.


    He had seen worse. He had faced worse. And now, with his evolved body and overwhelming raw stats, these creatures were nothing more than stepping stones.


    As the five diseased rats lunged toward him, Kaden moved.


    The first rat lunged for his throat, its gnarled claws extended¡ªKaden¡¯s hand snapped up, catching it mid-air. His grip tightened, bones cracking under his inhuman strength. With a casual flick, he smashed it against the stone wall, its skull bursting like an overripe fruit.


    [Ding! You have killed a Diseased Tunnel Rat.]


    The second rat came from the left, jaws snapping, but Kaden was already turning. His elbow drove downward, colliding with the creature¡¯s head. The sheer force shattered its spine, sending its limp body slamming into the ground.


    The third and fourth came together, their bodies twisting unnaturally as they lunged low, aiming for his legs. Kaden sidestepped with eerie precision, his boot rising mid-step and crushing one¡¯s skull underfoot. The other barely had time to react before Kaden grabbed its tail and swung it like a club into its final companion, sending both of them tumbling into the muck.


    Kaden crouched and drove his fist downward, cratering the last two creatures into the filth.


    [Ding! You have killed 5 Diseased Tunnel Rats]


    He exhaled, flicking the blood from his fingers. Even without skills, this was laughably easy.


    Beyond the rusted gate, the horde writhed in anticipation. Dozens of glowing red eyes locked onto him, their low, eerie chittering filling the tunnel with a maddening echo.


    "Bring it on!" Kaden grinned, the madness in his eyes matching the madness of the rodents.

 Chapter 53 - 54: Rotfang Alpha

    The first part of the dungeon went by in a heartbeat. Kaden tore through the sewer tunnels like a storm, his movements a blur as he crushed, slammed, and broke every rat that lunged at him.


    Their diseased bodies piled around him, the filth-streaked stones slick with their blackened blood. The fetid stench of rot, decay, and centuries-old sewage clung to the air, thick enough to choke an ordinary man.


    Kaden¡¯s boots splashed through the sludge, his fists lashed out like iron whips, and the rats stood no chance. The sewer walls shook with every impact. Bones snapped under his grip, skulls cracked as he drove his fists into them, and the counter in his vision ticked up rapidly.


    [Ding! You have killed a Diseased Tunnel Rat.]


    [Ding! You have killed a Diseased Tunnel Rat.]


    [Ding! You have killed a Diseased Tunnel Rat.]


    He barely broke a sweat.


    His movements were effortless, and precise. A dance of raw power and overwhelming force. Then¡ªthe last rat lunged.


    Its red, glowing eyes were filled with madness, its matted fur bristling with filth. Its twisted fangs gleamed, foaming with toxic saliva, its shrill screech piercing the air. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden caught it mid-air, his grip tightening around its malformed throat. A sickening crunch echoed through the tunnels.


    [Ding! You have killed a Diseased Tunnel Rat.]


    [Ding! Quest Complete: Defeat 50 Quasi-Core Beasts Without Using Active Skills.]


    "One quest down." Kaden exhaled sharply. He was doubtful if these rats would count towards the kill as they are beginner stage quasi core beasts at best but it looked like every single kill counted. The final corpse slumped in his grip, and he let it fall into the filth with a wet splat.


    The tunnel was now a graveyard. Fifty dead rats littered the passage. Their bodies lay twisted, broken, shattered. The sewer air was heavy with the stench of blood, the only sound left was the faint dripping of water from the cracked stone ceiling.


    Kaden rolled his shoulders.


    His stamina? Still barely touched.


    His body? Stronger than ever.


    His instincts? Sharpened. Focused. Ready.


    This wasn¡¯t even a warm-up. He was ready for the next fight, the real fight.


    The Rotfang Alpha. One of the mini-bosses of the dungeon.


    Kaden turned toward the deeper tunnels. The sewer path sloped downward, leading into a vast, open chamber. And beyond that, he could feel it¡ªthe presence of something bigger. Something stronger. He grinned, his fingers flexing.


    Despite the grim future, he knew that was waiting for everyone, he couldn¡¯t help but enjoy the thrill of the battle in front of him. After a lifetime of feeling hopeless and weak, fighting back felt good.


    Kaden walked toward the next battle. The descent into the deeper tunnels was suffocating. The air grew thicker, and heavier, clinging to Kaden¡¯s skin like an unseen force trying to drag him down.


    The sludge underfoot darkened, taking on an almost oily texture. The walls were slick with decay. He could feel it now. The Rotfang Alpha.


    Its presence was oppressive, a weight in the air that pressed against his lungs, thick with the stink of rotting flesh, damp fur, and something far worse¡ªa stench so vile it made the previous filth-ridden tunnels seem tolerable.


    Kaden stepped into the chamber.


    The space opened up into a circular pit, a deep basin carved into the sewer¡¯s foundation. Stagnant, green-tinged water pooled at the center, the surface bubbling with toxic fumes. Thick, rusted pipes jutted from the walls, leaking sludge in slow, grotesque dribbles. The cavernous ceiling stretched high, faint streams of light flickering in from somewhere up.


    And at the far end of the pit, it was waiting. The Rotfang Alpha.


    A massive, hulking monstrosity of a rat, easily twice the size of the others, its matted fur stretched tight over bulging muscles. Its body was riddled with pulsating boils, each one oozing a sickly, greenish ichor that dripped into the foul waters below.


    Its eyes¡ªdeep, sunken pits of crimson hate¡ªlocked onto Kaden.


    And then it moved.


    With a wet, disgusting lurch, the Alpha rose onto its hind legs, its twisted frame heaving as its long, fanged maw split open, revealing jagged yellowed teeth, coated in a thick, rotting slime. Its clawed hands twitched, long and gnarled, ending in hooked talons that scraped against the stone with a horrible screech.


    It wasn¡¯t just a bigger rat. It was something else. Something that had grown beyond the filth it had once been. A monster born from plague, decay, and the lingering corruption of the dungeon itself.


    It threw back its horrid, bloated head, and let out a piercing shriek. The sewer walls shook. The stagnant water rippled violently. From the tunnels behind Kaden, an answering chorus of chittering shrieks echoed back.


    The horde was coming. Kaden only had a moment before the rat reached him. The Alpha lunged, its massive claws cutting through the air like sickles, its putrid maw snapping forward¡ªaiming straight for his throat.

 Chapter 54 - 55: Broodmother Beta

    Kaden moved.


    He ducked low, his body twisting as the razor-sharp talons swept over his head, carving deep gouges into the stone where he had stood just seconds before. The wind from the strike whipped against his skin, the sheer force of the attack enough to shatter bone if it had connected.


    Kaden planted his foot and struck back.


    His fist shot forward, slamming into the Alpha¡¯s exposed ribcage with brutal force. A sickening crack echoed through the chamber as bones caved in, the impact sending a shockwave through the monster¡¯s diseased flesh.


    The Rotfang stumbled back, its grotesque frame shaking. But it didn¡¯t fall. It let out an even louder shriek. The horde was coming and Kaden had to finish off the damn bastard before that. Otherwise, the whole thing would become a whole lot messier.


    Kaden didn¡¯t hesitate. He no longer needed to hold back. The moment the Rotfang Alpha stumbled, a lengthy whip covered with thorns lashed out from Kaden¡¯s palm, striking the Alpha across its bloated torso with a vicious crack.


    The barbs tore through its diseased flesh, embedding deep into the pulsing, swollen tumors lining its ribs. The Rotfang screeched, its body convulsing violently as the tumors ruptured, spilling putrid ichor that hissed upon contact with the ground.


    Kaden gritted his teeth. He didn¡¯t have time to waste. If the horde arrived while the Alpha was still standing, he¡¯d be overwhelmed. One decisive strike. That¡¯s all he needed.


    He yanked the Thorn Whip, dragging the thrashing beast forward, its grotesque form lurching against its own will. Before it could retaliate, Kaden moved in. His body coiled like a compressed spring, raw power flooding his limbs. His fist glowed faintly, heat rising from his skin as his strength surged.


    He drove his punch straight into the Rotfang Alpha¡¯s chest. The impact was instantaneous¡ªa thunderous shockwave rippled outward, sending cracks splintering across the dungeon floor.


    The Alpha froze, its bulging, glowing eyes widening in shock. A deep, guttural gurgle escaped from its maw as a crimson spray burst from its mouth. Its ribcage collapsed inward, bones shattered beyond repair.


    Kaden didn¡¯t stop. He clenched his fingers, pushing deeper, his arm buried up to the elbow in the beast¡¯s chest cavity¡ªgrasping something pulsing. Beating. Weakening. The Rotfang Alpha convulsed, claws twitching.


    Kaden ripped out its heart. A mass of blackened, rotting flesh, still quivering with unnatural vitality, pulsed in his grip for half a second¡ªbefore it burst into dust, its corrupted mana dispersing into the air. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Alpha collapsed, its body convulsing once before going still.


    [Ding! You have killed the Rotfang Alpha.]


    The next moment the dozens of sewer rats scurrying towards the chamber all came to a halt and stood frozen in confusion. They then scurried away in different directions without any purpose. The Rotfang¡¯s death broke their control.


    Kaden observed the mindless scurrying of the rats, their once-coordinated movements devolving into chaos. Some clawed at the walls, others turned on each other in frantic aggression, and the rest simply fled into the darkness of the tunnels.


    "Figures." He wiped his arm clean of the Alpha¡¯s decayed remains. Without a leader, the horde collapsed.


    He would have fought through them all if necessary, but this was better. More efficient. He wasn¡¯t here to waste time on meaningless slaughter. He had bigger things to deal with. Time to go for the next mini boss.


    He turned toward the far end of the chamber, where a gaping tunnel yawned. This was where the next mini-boss lurked. If the dungeon followed the same structure as before, he knew exactly what was coming.


    The Broodmother Beta.


    A shuddering mass of filth, flesh, and corruption. A living nest of horrors.


    She would be bigger. Tougher. Smarter. And like the Rotfang Alpha, this one was also a summoner. The Broodmother controlled the dungeon¡¯s breeding cycle, spawning endless waves of vermin. If she wasn¡¯t dealt with swiftly, she would flood the tunnels with an army far larger than the one he had just faced.


    And that wasn¡¯t even the worst part.


    Her venom.


    In his last life, her poison had been infamous¡ªslow, insidious, eating away at flesh and mind alike. Even those who survived her bite were left permanently weakened, their bodies forever marked by her corruption.


    A single bit was enough to mark the person with a curse that followed them for several days and even months, flaring up when least unexpected. He strode forward, his boots splashing through the filth, the sound of dripping water echoing through the tunnels.


    The path sloped downward, the air growing heavier, and warmer, the walls slick with something far fouler than mere sewage. He could hear it now¡ªthe faint, wet squelching of countless bodies writhing in the dark. The chittering of newborn rats.


    Kaden clenched his fists. "Let¡¯s see if I can break you too." He stepped into the darkness, heading straight for the next battle.

 Chapter 55 - 56: Eggs and babies

    As Kaden descended deeper into the tunnel, the oppressive heat grew worse. The stagnant air clung to his skin, thick with the scent of decay and something else¡ªsomething sickly-sweet and foul, like rotting meat mixed with the stench of disease.


    The tunnel walls pulsed with clusters of slick, membranous sacs¡ªbrood pods. Inside them, he could see movement¡ªwrithing, shifting figures pressing against their organic cages, their tiny, undeveloped claws scraping against the translucent flesh. Eggs.


    Hundreds of them. It was not natural for a rat to give birth like this but hello, welcome to the new world.


    Kaden exhaled, already feeling the pressure closing in. He had to be fast. If he delayed even a moment, the entire chamber would hatch, and then he wouldn¡¯t just be fighting the Broodmother¡ªhe¡¯d be fighting a tidal wave of newborn horrors.


    The chamber opened before him, and there she was.


    The Broodmother Beta.


    She hung from the ceiling like a grotesque, pulsating tumor, her bloated, fleshy body suspended by thick, web-like tendrils anchored to the walls. Her swollen, sagging abdomen rippled as she birthed more of her spawn, each glob of filth-slicked flesh plopping into the festering pools beneath her.


    Her head, a twisted fusion of rat and nightmare, twitched as she sensed him. Multiple red eyes blinked in unison, locking onto him with a hungry, terrible awareness. Her maw unhinged, revealing jagged, venom-dripping fangs.


    She screeched. The chamber trembled.


    The brood pods began to quiver. The eggs were hatching. Dozens of tiny, skeletal ratlings spilled forth, their malformed bodies twitching and gnashing their half-formed teeth.


    Kaden didn¡¯t hesitate. He moved. His Thorn Whip lashed out, slashing through a cluster of newborns, their feeble bodies bursting apart before they could fully emerge. But more came¡ªhundreds more, spilling from the walls, from the ceiling, from the putrid waters.


    And above it all, the Broodmother Beta shrieked and started scampering towards him at top speed, shit still dropping out of her as she moved.


    Kaden¡¯s expression didn¡¯t waver, but internally, he cursed. That was disgusting.


    The Broodmother moved faster than something that bloated had any right to move¡ªscuttling across the ceiling with unnatural agility, her grotesque bulk shifting like a sack of flesh barely held together. Her engorged abdomen swung violently as she leaped from her perch, her clawed limbs extending unnaturally long as she lunged for him.


    Kaden dodged.


    He pivoted sharply, his body twisting mid-air as he narrowly avoided the monster¡¯s bulk crashing down where he had just stood. The impact shook the entire chamber. Stone cracked, and a wave of filth surged outward, splattering the already vile environment with fresh disease.


    Squelch. Kaden landed with perfect balance¡ªthen launched forward before she could recover. Sanguine Roots! Thorn Whip!


    Roots surged up from the festering ground¡ªtwisting, coiling like serpents, their thorned tendrils snaking toward the Broodmother¡¯s bloated limbs.


    At the same time, his Thorn Whip lashed outward, its barbed length slicing through the air in a wicked arc¡ªstriking the Broodmother¡¯s side with a brutal crack. The impact sent a spray of putrid, black ichor splattering against the cavern walls.


    The monster shrieked, a piercing, mind-rattling sound.


    The horde responded.


    From every corner of the chamber, hundreds of her broodlings exploded forth, their skeletal bodies writhing, their malformed jaws gnashing.


    Kaden moved. He spun, dodging a lunging ratling, his thorn whip cleaved through an entire cluster of newborns before they could reach him. The sharp, wet sound of bodies splitting filled the air. Their tiny forms twitched once, then lay still. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But more kept coming. They poured from the walls, from the festering pools, from the torn-open brood sacs. A never-ending wave.


    Kaden¡¯s gaze flicked toward the Broodmother¡ªshe was healing.


    The Sanguine Roots were draining her, but her unnatural regeneration was kicking in, grotesque, sinewy tendrils stitching her torn flesh back together.


    Kaden clicked his tongue. Not fast enough. He needed to break her completely before the horde overwhelmed him. He dashed forward, his body weaving through the writhing mass of newborn horrors.


    His fists struck like hammers, each impact sending ratlings splattering against the stone. His boots crushed skulls as he tore through the filth, moving straight for the Broodmother. She saw him coming. Her massive, clawed limb lashed out¡ªa grotesque, bloated strike meant to crush him.


    Kaden didn¡¯t dodge. Instead, he met the attack head-on. His fist collided with her claw in mid-air.


    CRACK.


    A shockwave erupted from the impact. Her entire limb shattered. The Broodmother screeched, reeling backward as her mangled limb dangled uselessly, thick venom spilling from the wound.


    Kaden didn¡¯t stop. His Thorn Whip coiled around her other remaining limb¡ªyanking her forward just as he twisted, planting his feet, and swung. A full-force punch. Straight into her bloated, sagging abdomen.


    The impact was devastating. Her entire stomach imploded, a sickening burst of black ichor, torn flesh, and half-formed broodlings spilling onto the chamber floor.


    The Broodmother convulsed, her body shuddering violently, her unnatural form finally failing her. Kaden stepped back, breathing evenly. She twitched. Once. Then collapsed. The chamber went silent.


    [Ding! You have killed the Broodmother Beta]

 Chapter 56 - 57: Plagueborn Omega

    Kaden exhaled, rolling his shoulders.


    The Broodmother Beta¡¯s massive corpse sagged in on itself, her torn flesh collapsing like rotting leather, the last vestiges of her unnatural vitality draining away. The chamber was eerily silent now, the only sound the occasional squelch of ruptured brood sacs leaking their half-formed contents into the stagnant filth.


    He hurried out of the chamber not wanting to stay one extra minute in this stink. The dungeon was not yet over and he was already feeling suffocated. Maybe it was because of his class, it was torturous to stay in this kind of environment.


    Kaden moved quickly, weaving through the tunnels as the dungeon shifted around him.


    A series of rusted metal gates slammed shut in his wake, cutting off the paths he had already taken, forcing him forward¡ªdeeper, closer to the next battle. The dungeon was funneling him toward the last confrontation.


    He didn¡¯t resist. This was expected. The next rat bastard waiting for him was a different kind of beast. This one could use magic and was the one Kaden had the most trouble dealing with in his last life.


    And not just any magic.


    Plague Magic.


    The Plagueborn Omega.


    A foul, diseased monstrosity born from centuries of accumulated filth, cursed mana, and death. It had once been an ordinary rat, but through exposure to the dungeon¡¯s decay, it had become something far worse.


    A spellcaster. Unlike the previous enemies, the Plagueborn Omega didn¡¯t rely on brute strength. It didn¡¯t fight fair.


    It poisoned. It rotted. It cursed.


    Kaden tightened his fists as he rounded the final bend, stepping into a cavernous, half-flooded chamber. There, waiting for him¡ªwas the Plagueborn Omega. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It stood hunched over on the far side of the chamber, perched on a mound of half-rotted bones, skulls, and corpses fused together by some sickly green mana.


    The creature was taller than the others, its body stretched and elongated, a nightmarish mockery of a rat. Its limbs were thin and bony, yet its fingers were long and clawed, twitching erratically as green sparks danced along them.


    But the worst part¡ªwas its face.


    Or rather, its lack of one.


    The entire front of its skull was missing, replaced by a single, gaping maw lined with jagged, mismatched teeth. It pulsed with sickly green light, its breath leaking toxic mist into the air. The moment it sensed Kaden¡¯s presence¡ªit moved.


    Its clawed fingers twitched. A pulse of mana spread outward, and the filthy water at Kaden¡¯s feet began to bubble. Kaden¡¯s instincts screamed. Without hesitation, he jumped and the next second the water exploded.


    Thick, green tendrils of corrosive bile shot upward like venomous fangs, seeking his flesh, sizzling against the stone where he had just stood. Kaden flipped midair, twisting away from the attack.


    But the Omega wasn¡¯t done. It raised its clawed hands, and the air itself twisted. Kaden gritted his teeth. Of course, it had to be like this. The Plagueborn Omega wasn¡¯t just a spellcaster. It was a battlefield manipulator.


    It was so strong because of its fortified chamber. It turned the entire room against its opponent. Kaden¡¯s health was already starting to tick down. Slowly, but consistently. The longer he stayed in this chamber, the more he would rot.


    He had to end this fast. He landed on a half-submerged platform and launched forward. The Plagueborn hissed, its mouth unhinging wider than should be possible. It raised one thin, bony arm, and a dark green glyph spun into existence around its fingers.


    Kaden recognized the spell instantly.


    Rotting Bolt.


    "Not happening." He twisted his hand and Thorn Whip lashed forward. The spellcaster hissed in surprise as the barbed whip struck, wrapping around its emaciated arm. Kaden yanked. The creature was ripped from its perch, its grotesque body hurtling toward him.


    Kaden met it mid-air. His fist, wrapped in dense, crushing mana, slammed directly into its torso.


    CRACK. The Plagueborn Omega howled, its frail body contorting from the sheer force of the impact. Bones splintered, black ichor splattering into the foul water below.


    But Kaden wasn¡¯t done. He grabbed its skull and slammed it down onto a jagged stone.


    CRACK.


    Again.


    CRACK.


    Again.


    CRACK.


    Again.


    The sickly green glow in its body flickered¡ªthen died. The spellcaster¡¯s limp form sagged, the last remnants of its cursed mana dissipating into the air.


    [Ding! You have killed the Plagueborn Omega]


    Kaden stood over the broken corpse, breathing evenly. His health was still slowly ticking down, but now that the caster was dead, he could finally recover. He flexed his fingers, shaking off the last remnants of corruption.


    Now only one more fight was left.


    He turned toward the far end of the chamber¡ªwhere a massive rusted gate had begun to rise, revealing the entrance to the dungeon¡¯s final battle. This was it.


    The Maw of the Sewers was waiting.

 Chapter 57 - 58: Maw of the Sewers

    A deep, guttural thrum vibrated through the walls as the final rusted gate finished rising, revealing the true core of the dungeon. The Maw of the Sewers.


    Kaden¡¯s fingers curled into tight fists. He remembered this thing. Even in his last life, this boss had been hell. Not because it was the strongest. But because it was the most relentless.


    A monster born from the dungeon itself. It wasn¡¯t a rat. Not anymore. It was something beyond that. A mass of gnashing, writhing horror. It had no true form. No singular body.


    Instead, it was a shifting amalgamation of flesh, bone, and sewage.


    An eldritch parasite that had fused with the dungeon¡¯s core, absorbing everything that had died in these tunnels over the centuries. The rats, the dead corpses, the other monsters¡ªit had taken all of them and made them part of itself.


    And now, it had noticed Kaden. A deep, wet gurgling filled the air, followed by the sound of churning water and twisting flesh.


    Kaden stepped forward into the chamber and it awakened.


    The entire floor sank. The chamber itself was massive¡ªfar larger than the other rooms, stretching into endless darkness. The air was thick with toxic humidity, the scent of death almost tangible.


    And then¡ªit rose.


    A monstrous, pulsing mound of flesh and decay, surging from the putrid depths. It had no eyes. No limbs. Just a gaping, spiraling mass of jaws, layered within jaws, each one filled with jagged teeth, grinding, churning, gnashing.


    From its writhing mass, limbs and faces emerged¡ªonly to be pulled back in. Torsos of corpses long dead twisted and melted into the creature¡¯s ever-shifting form, their half-formed mouths still screaming in agony.


    The Maw had consumed everything.


    And now¡ªit wanted him.


    It roared. A deep, world-shaking bellow, wet and suffocating, as if the sewer itself was coming alive. The waters at Kaden¡¯s feet began to churn. Something pulled at his legs.


    Tendrils. No¡ªnot tendrils. Hands.


    Rotting, mangled arms reached out from beneath the sludge, grabbing, clawing, trying to pull him down.


    Kaden dodged. His Thorn Whip lashed out, carving through the first row of grasping limbs, severing them instantly. But more emerged, clawing their way free from the writhing filth, pulling their broken forms toward him.


    The Maw lurched forward, its gaping, layered jaws spreading wide, lunging to consume him whole. Kaden leaped backward, just in time as the monster¡¯s teeth slammed shut where he had been standing.


    The shockwave alone sent a wave of muck and bodies flying outward. The Maw wasn¡¯t just big. It was fast.


    And it wasn¡¯t alone. The sewer walls cracked. Dozens¡ªno, hundreds of lesser abominations crawled from the cracks, spilling into the chamber.


    Ratlings? No. Something worse. These creatures were half-melded with the dungeon, their bodies covered in pulsating tumors, green light leaking from their veins.


    They were already dead. But the Maw wouldn¡¯t let them rest. They charged at him. Kaden exhaled sharply. He didn¡¯t have time for them. The longer this dragged out, the worse it would get.


    He needed to destroy the core. That was the weak point of the Maw which was otherwise pretty much indestructible.


    In his last life, several people died in this dungeon before its weakness was finally found and spread around. The dungeon itself was labeled a death trap before this single crucial information was dug by someone.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes locked onto the center of the Maw¡¯s shifting mass¡ªwhere the deepest glow pulsed beneath layers of rotting flesh.


    There.


    One clean hit. That¡¯s all he needed.


    Kaden launched forward. His Thorn Whip lashed outward, wrapping around the nearest abomination¡¯s throat¡ªbefore he yanked, using it to propel himself forward. The creature¡¯s head popped like a blister, but Kaden was already moving.


    He vaulted over the next wave of horrors, his Sanguine Roots erupting behind him, skewering the pursuing masses.


    The Maw reacted.


    It reared back, its horrific form twisting, preparing another lunge. It wanted to swallow him whole.


    Kaden let it. That was the only way to fight against it. To allow the beast to swallow oneself.


    As the Maw lunged, its teeth stretching impossibly wide, Kaden threw himself forward¡ªstraight into its mouth.


    The next instant, the world went black. A maelstrom of flesh and gnashing bone closed around him, trying to crush, tear, and digest him all at once. But he had already prepared for this.


    Kaden slammed his palms together. Two thorn whips erupted and lashed around in the insides. The walls of the Maw¡¯s insides ripped apart, flesh and ichor exploding in every direction. But he wasn¡¯t done.


    Kaden drove his fist forward, straight into the glowing core.


    BOOM.


    The Maw convulsed violently. Its entire body spasmed, a deafening, unnatural shriek ripping through the chamber as cracks spread through its entire form. The dungeon itself began to tremble. The walls split. The ceiling fractured. And then¡ª


    It burst. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A wave of filth, ichor, and severed limbs exploded outward, the sheer force obliterating the lesser horrors in its wake. The Maw collapsed. Its remaining flesh liquefied, breaking down into a blackened sludge that quickly drained away.


    Silence. Kaden exhaled as silence settled over the ruined chamber. His entire body was drenched in filth, but he didn¡¯t care.


    It was over. He had actually completed this damn dungeon all on his own!

 Chapter 58 - 59: First Explorer Bonus Reward

    [Ding! You have killed The Maw of the Sewers.]


    [Ding! Dungeon Cleared.]


    [Ding! You are the first to clear the Dungeon: Sewer Rats.]


    [Ding! First Explorer Bonus Applied!]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! New Title Unlocked: Dungeon Pioneer] S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Dungeon Pioneer: Increased rewards from dungeon completions. Higher chance to uncover hidden dungeon secrets]


    [Ding! First Explorer Bonus Reward Unlocked]


    Reward: ??? (Claim Now?)


    Kaden didn¡¯t hesitate. He mentally confirmed.


    [Ding! You have received: Abyssal Core Fragment]


    A fragment of abyssal energy, condensed from the essence of a fallen eldritch being.


    Effect: ???


    Warning: Unstable entity detected. Use with caution.


    Kaden frowned. This wasn¡¯t in the dungeon¡¯s normal loot table. He knew every reward that had ever dropped here in his past life. And this?


    This was different. Was this the first run¡¯s loot?


    He ran his fingers over the pulsing, dark fragment in his inventory. He could feel its weight¡ªnot just in his hands, but in reality itself. Something about this was important. Well duh, everything Eldrich was important.


    These were bizarre creatures that even the mad alchemist feared which was why he was even more surprised to see something like this here. He didn¡¯t know what this was. Not yet.


    But he would find out. He needed every advantage to win against someone like that monster. Maybe the mad alchemist did not look quite as vile as this thing collapsed next to him. However, appearances could be deceiving. That bastard was just as vile.


    Kaden still vividly remembered all the screams he had heard as day after day humans were treated like animals and force-fed all sorts of pills and poisons by that devil. They were torn apart. Reassembled. Mutated into horrors beyond recognition.


    He himself had the good luck to be one such test subject. So how could he forget the torture?


    The worst part was that all of that torture was not always for science or power or finding out new formulae. Most times it was simply because the man was bored. He did it all just because he could.


    Kaden clenched his fists as the thoughts about his past filled his mind. It was a dark place and it made him relive the nightmare. No. He shook himself off and snapped out of it. Going back there was not productive. He needed to move forward and he needed to make sure history did not repeat itself.


    He let out a deep breath and looked around. He finally found it. The other reward he was looking for, a treasure chest covered with grim and filth.


    Kaden opened the chest and thankfully the contents inside were clean and non-toxic. It was a simple set of shirt and pants.


    [Ding! You have obtained: Ratskin Hunter¡¯s Garb]


    [Ratskin Hunter¡¯s Garb: A lightweight set of fur-lined armor crafted from dungeon-hardened beast hide. Enhances agility and provides minor resistance to poison, disease, and environmental toxins.]


    Kaden raised an eyebrow. Full set armor? That was unexpected.


    The material felt smoother than expected, almost like treated leather rather than rat fur. He rolled up the gear around the abyssal fragment and then stood up to leave the nasty place. An exit portal was swirling at the far end of the chamber and he walked over to it. He only had to touch the portal to exit.


    The next moment Kaden was standing on the banks of the river once again. Clean fresh air filled his lungs, washing away the stench of rot and decay that had clung to him in the dungeon. The contrast was almost overwhelming.


    After fighting in that cesspit of disease and filth, the crispness of the outside world felt like a blessing. He inhaled deeply, letting the cool breeze settle his nerves. The sun had begun to dip lower on the horizon, casting golden light over the gently rippling water. The river stretched endlessly, its surface reflecting the shifting sky.


    The day was ending and the list of achievements he had to complete was still long but he decided to take the next few minutes off anyway. He placed his newly acquired loot on the ground and dove into the river, letting the cold water wash his body.


    He was covered in filth from top to bottom and he would suffocate if he did not clean it up soon. The chill hit him hard but he welcomed it. It felt like a reset, a fresh slate after wading through so much rot.


    For a moment, he simply floated, staring up at the sky. The stars were beginning to peek through the fading light, scattered like tiny beacons in the encroaching dusk. It was peaceful. If only this peace could last. He let out a sigh and silently enjoyed the few minutes of rest.

 Chapter 59 - 60: A new skill?

    Kaden was only barely able to relax for a couple of minutes before he started thinking about everything and plotting. Peace was fleeting and he had no interest in wasting even a moment. He used a stone to rub away the grim and filth that covered him and cleaned himself thoroughly from top to bottom.


    The hair was the most annoying to deal with. It clung to his scalp, matted with the remnants of filth from the dungeon. No matter how much he scrubbed, it felt like the stink of rot and death had seeped into his very skin.


    Kaden dunked his head underwater again, running his fingers through his tangled strands, letting the cold river water do what it could. He¡¯d have to cut it soon¡ªtoo much length was just an inconvenience. Another thing to deal with when he had a moment.


    But right now, he had to plan.


    His mind ticked through everything he had gained from the dungeon. Levels, loot, the Dungeon Pioneer title, and most importantly¡ªthe Abyssal Core Fragment. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That last one was still an enigma. The System recognized it, sure, but it hadn¡¯t given him any details. That was rare. The System didn¡¯t hide things unless there was a reason.


    That meant this artifact was either too dangerous, too unique, or too important for it to casually display.


    Kaden exhaled, stepping out of the water. His body felt clean, but his thoughts were a tangled mess. He had sixty days before the System Event. Sixty days to prepare, to build himself into something that could survive whatever was coming.


    He absent-mindedly stared at his reflection on the water¡¯s surface. The rippling surface distorted his reflection, making his features waver and shift but that did not hide the way that his body had changed.


    His body had transformed in ways he hadn¡¯t fully processed yet¡ªlean, powerful, and honed like a blade sharpened to perfection.


    His once thin and frail body had filled out with compact muscle, sculpted not for bulk but for pure efficiency. There was no wasted mass, no unnecessary weight¡ªonly strength. His biceps and forearms were roped with sinewy definition, his muscles coiled beneath his skin like a predator always ready to strike.


    His abdomen, once merely toned, was now a series of ridges and valleys. His legs, too, had changed¡ªsolid, durable, built for speed and agility, capable of explosive movement at a moment¡¯s notice. But it wasn¡¯t just the physical strength. His body felt lighter, faster, more responsive.


    Kaden flexed his fingers, watching the tendons shift beneath the surface of his skin. It was as if he had been forged anew. It was so painfully different from the body he had in his last life. With a wry smile, he shook his head helplessly and picked up the clean ratskin hunter¡¯s set.


    [Ratskin Shirt: A lightweight, leather garment that offers flexibility and durability. Provides minor resistance to poison, disease, and environmental toxins. Enhances agility slightly.]


    [Ratskin Pants: Crafted from the treated hide of a variety of rats, these pants allow for unrestricted movement. Reinforced around the knees for additional durability. Slightly increases stamina retention.]


    [Ratskin Boots: Designed for silent movement in rough terrain. Slightly reduces noise while walking and grants slight resistance to environmental hazards.]


    [Ratskin Gloves: Lightweight and durable, offering protection without sacrificing dexterity. Slightly enhances grip strength and provides minor resistance to acidic substances.]


    Kaden ran his fingers over the material, noting the smooth yet firm texture. It wasn¡¯t exactly the best armor, with the word ¡¯slightly¡¯ peppered about the entire description but at least they were clothes.


    All of his previous clothes were almost completely torn apart and he had pretty much been running around naked. This was better than that.


    He slipped the gear on, fastening the buckles and adjusting the straps until everything fit snugly against his frame. The material was strangely comfortable, despite its origins.


    Once dressed, he cracked his neck and took a deep breath. The sun had fully set by now, and the cool night air carried the distant sounds of the forest waking up. It was time to move.


    Kaden already had his next destination in mind as he opened his system screen to take a look. But he immediately came to a stop as he saw that something had been updated in his skill selection list.


    Along with the other three options, there was now a fourth option available.


    [Bestial Shift]


    Bestial Shift: A primal ability that allows the user to partially or fully take on the traits of beasts, enhancing physical abilities, senses, and instincts. As the skill evolves, new forms and hybrid transformations become available.


    Partial Transformation: Temporarily enhances specific body parts (claws, fangs, heightened senses, reinforced muscles).


    Full Transformation: Fully assumes the form of a chosen beast, gaining its natural abilities and strengths.


    Adaptive Instincts: Allows for instinctive combat reflexes, heightened agility, and enhanced perception.


    Bestial Hunger: Regeneration increases based on physical exertion and predatory actions.


    Warning: Overuse of the ability may cause the user¡¯s mind to be influenced by their chosen beast¡¯s primal instincts.

 Chapter 60 - 61: Bestial Shift

    Kaden stared at the description, his mind racing. This wasn¡¯t something he had access to before¡ªnot in his last life, not even in any rumors he had heard about players with similar paths. It had just... appeared.


    Was it because of the Abyssal Core Fragment? Had the dungeon run altered his system options somehow? Or was it because he finished that quest?


    His fingers hovered over the selection. The ability to morph into another creature could be very useful in many situations. It was a unique utility skill at the least and maybe even better if he could use some of his other skills in his beast form.


    Kaden decided to take a chance and try this skill out. Maybe there would be a better option when he finished more quests but the strength right now also mattered. He couldn¡¯t simply keep saving everything for a perfect outcome. Without hesitation, he selected Bestial Shift.


    [Ding! You have acquired the skill: Bestial Shift.]


    A sudden wave of heat rushed through his body, his muscles tensing, his vision momentarily blurring.


    Something deep within him stirred like a caged beast just waking up. His senses sharpened, his skin prickled, and for a split second, he could feel something coiled in his core, waiting to be unleashed.


    However, the next second everything went back to normal. Kaden was confused and he opened the skill description to take a look again. Everything remained the same, except this time there was a new addition.


    Beast forms available:


    Bilge Rat (Common)


    ??? Locked (Legendary)


    Kaden froze as his heartbeat quickened. The bilge rat form was expected. It was the only beast he had come in contact with in such great numbers.


    He even had a feeling that this was why he had been offered this skill in the first place. Perhaps coming into contact with or slaying huge numbers of specific beasts was the prerequisite to unlocking this skill or that specific beast form.


    But what was the second one? Legendary tier?


    There could be only one explanation for something like this. The egg sac essence! He had freaking absorbed the essence of a legendary creature? This meant he had come into contact with something far more powerful than he initially thought.


    Something legendary.


    His jaw tightened. What the hell was lurking in that egg sac? It couldn¡¯t be a dragon or something like that right? He couldn¡¯t help but tremble at the very thought. No. Something like that couldn¡¯t possibly appear out of nowhere in their backwaters world that was only good for becoming a slave world.


    Wait, so what happened to this legendary beast in his last life? Maybe it was born normally and it just upped and disappeared to another better world with more ambient energy? Maybe the reason it was in this random trash world was to complete its evolution process when it was most vulnerable?


    And now¡­ part of it was inside him.


    Kaden swallowed hard, his pulse hammering in his ears. Shit.


    He was excited about unlocking a legendary beast form, sure. It was the kind of power people could only dream of. But the consequences?


    Yeah. He was completely, utterly screwed.


    Because whatever creature had been inside that egg sac¡ªwhatever legendary being had been growing in that dungeon¡ªit wasn¡¯t dead. He hadn¡¯t killed it. He had just stolen a part of it.


    And there was no way something that powerful wouldn¡¯t come looking for what was rightfully its own.


    His hands clenched into fists. He had no idea what kind of creature it was. No clue if it was sentient enough to remember him, or if it would just hunt him down by instinct. But whatever it was¡ªit wasn¡¯t going to let him off easy.


    And if he wasn¡¯t strong enough when it finally found him¡­


    He was dead. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden exhaled sharply, forcing his mind to settle. Panicking wasn¡¯t going to help. First, he needed more information. That meant he needed to stabilize his bloodline. This would give him many answers and would probably also unlock this bestial form for him to use.


    A locked legendary form was of no use to him in any way. It only put a freaking target on his back!


    Also, maybe he needed to get the hell out of this continent. With the arrival of mana and Earth¡¯s evolution, their world was about to get a lot bigger at the end of the tutorial period. Actually, it was already slowly evolving but the full effect would activate on the last day.


    It was also at the end of the ten-day grace period that teleportation options would be available. A chance for him to jump to the next continent. Putting a whole ocean distance between him and the beast should buy him some time to become stronger.


    Kaden was planning on exploring the eastern mountains completely for resources in these last few days that were left in the tutorial but maybe he needed to go to the next phase already and be ready for the complete integration.


    Kaden¡¯s mind was already racing as he started planning but then he suddenly stopped. Why was he thinking of running away? Why was he panicking? He was no longer the person he was before. He needed to get rid of the mentality of the weak who only thought of running away from trouble.


    He was stronger now. He needed to face his enemies and his challenges.


    Instead of thinking about how to run from something like that, maybe it was time for him to head back there and finish off that egg sac once and for all. It was a risk but maybe it would be equally rewarding?

 Chapter 61 - 62: Rat life is tough

    Kaden¡¯s head was a mess. He did not know what the right decision here. Had the egg already hatched? Was the creature out? Or was it still in the same vulnerable state? Was that why it had called back the beast horde?


    He again started feeling a little panic when he thought about that beast horde. Was he prepared to face something like that again? Fuck it. A beast horde might just be the thing he needed! He could get more beastial forms under his belt.


    Kaden let out a sigh and decided to stop obsessing over this. Besides, he first had to check just how good this shapeshifting skill was. He willed for the skill to activate and pictured the rat in his mind.


    Immediately a strange sensation washed over him, followed by pain, unimaginable pain. Kaden would have collapsed from the sheer shock if not for the fact that he had suffered worse in his past life.


    His skin prickled, his muscles tightened, and then his entire body compressed in on itself. His bones shrunk, his vision shifted lower, his limbs twisted as his hands and feet became small, clawed paws. A wave of dizziness hit him as his perspective tilted, the world growing massive around him.


    Then, it was done.


    The transformation took mere seconds, but when he blinked and looked around, he realized that everything was huge. The riverbank that had once been at his feet stretched out like a vast expanse. The trees towered above him like ancient monoliths, their roots gnarled and twisting like giant barriers.


    And his body?


    Small. Too small.


    Kaden scurried forward instinctively, the movement strange but somehow natural. He lifted one of his tiny, clawed paws and observed it with a mixture of fascination and irritation.


    He was a rat.


    A fucking rat.


    His whiskers twitched, his nose picking up scents far more vividly than before. The world smelled louder¡ªevery trace of water, dirt, plant, and creature around him was suddenly overwhelming. His hearing was sharper, too.


    He could hear the distant rustling of insects, the subtle vibrations of something moving beneath the earth. Kaden exhaled, or at least, tried to. His small rat lungs made it feel¡­ weird. Alright. This is useless in combat.


    He looked at his reflection again and staring back at him was a tiny, scruffy-looking bilge rat. Beady black eyes, long whiskers, and a wiry tail that twitched involuntarily. His fur was dark and patchy, the kind of rat you¡¯d expect to find lurking in the filth of an abandoned sewer. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden scowled¡ªor at least, he tried to. Instead, his snout twitched in irritation.


    This is ridiculous.


    The transformation was seamless, but the pain had been unexpected. He had assumed it would be smooth, a natural shift like flicking a switch, but his body had screamed in protest as if every single cell had been forcibly rewritten.


    Still, the results were undeniable. He was smaller, faster, and his senses were sharper. But what about his skills? Just as he was about to whip one out, a shrill cry sounded above him.


    Kaden¡¯s tiny rat head jerked up instinctively, his beady eyes catching sight of a dark shape streaking across the sky. His gut reaction screamed danger, his newfound instincts flaring up with raw, primal terror.


    A hawk.


    The shrill cry echoed again as the creature dived, cutting through the air with terrifying speed. Its silhouette stretched against the dimming sky, wings wide, talons extended.


    "Shit!" Kaden knew he should have turned back but his first instinct was to summon a [Thorn Whip]. He willed for the skill to activate and yet nothing happened. "Shit! Shit! Shit!"


    Nothing.


    No whip. No thorns. No mana surging through his body.


    Kaden¡¯s tiny rat heart pounded as he tried again, his mind screaming for any skill, any ability¡ªbut it was useless. His mana wasn¡¯t responding.


    The hawk was already plummeting. Its talons gleamed under the fading light, ready to snatch him up and rip him apart.


    Move, move, move!


    Kaden bolted. His small rodent body reacted instantly, faster than his human instincts could even process. His limbs were a blur as he scurried over roots, his claws digging into the dirt, pushing him forward with terrifying speed.


    Damn, I¡¯m fast!


    But was he fast enough?


    The hawk¡¯s shadow loomed overhead. The wind shifted as its wings sliced through the air. Kaden¡¯s instincts screamed. He zigzagged, throwing himself into a sharp left turn at the last second.


    WHOOSH!


    The talons missed by inches.


    Kaden¡¯s whiskers twitched as the wind pressure from the near miss sent a wave of dirt flying into the air.


    But the hawk wasn¡¯t done. It screeched in frustration, wheeling back around for another dive. Kaden had seconds.


    No mana. No skills. Only this body.


    His mind raced. Think like a rat. If he couldn¡¯t fight, he had to escape. Hide.


    His sharp new senses kicked in, processing details faster than before. There¡ªa burrow! A hollow space nestled between the gnarled roots of a tree, just small enough for a rat.

 Chapter 62 - 63: A rat or?

    Kaden lunged.


    The hawk dived again, talons outstretched. Closer. Closer.


    Kaden threw himself forward, twisting his body to fit. His wiry tail barely slipped inside when¡ª


    THUNK.


    The hawk¡¯s talons slammed into the dirt, sending up a cloud of dust, just inches from where he had disappeared.


    Kaden held his breath. His small body trembled, muscles twitching as he forced himself to stay still.


    The hawk flapped its wings, letting out another frustrated cry. It pecked at the ground, clawing at the dirt, but the entrance was too tight for it to reach. After a few moments, it gave up, launching itself back into the sky.


    Kaden exhaled shakily.


    That was way too close.


    His claws scraped against the damp earth as he adjusted himself, taking a moment to process what just happened. No mana. No combat skills. Just pure instinct and speed.


    His Bestial Shift form wasn¡¯t just a smaller version of himself¡ªit was a full transformation. His magic was sealed while shifted, but in return, he had gained heightened reflexes, faster movement, and sharper senses.


    It wasn¡¯t the power boost he had hoped for. But it was an escape tool.


    And if I can unlock more forms¡­


    Kaden¡¯s beady eyes narrowed. He had to experiment with this. Learn its limits. If he could unlock stronger creatures, maybe even ones with natural magic, this ability could become terrifyingly useful.


    More importantly, since all of his magic was sealed and he was practically a rat for all purposes, didn¡¯t that mean he could now freely spy on that egg sac without giving himself away?


    Kaden¡¯s whiskers twitched as the thought settled in his mind.


    Could this actually work?


    His new form had nearly gotten him killed, sure, but it had also given him an opportunity. If he couldn¡¯t use magic, then he wouldn¡¯t radiate any mana signature. As far as the world was concerned, he was nothing more than a regular rat.


    The idea was reckless. Insane. But it also might be his best shot at getting answers.


    Kaden took a deep breath¡ªor at least, the rat version of one.


    His small claws flexed against the dirt as he shuffled forward in the burrow. The hawk was gone. The forest above was still and quiet again. He needed to move now, before something else came along looking for a snack.


    He carefully crawled out of the hole, his small frame making no noise as he scurried toward the treeline. His enhanced senses picked up every shift in the wind, every rustle of leaves, every scent of damp earth and decay.


    The last time he was near the egg sac, he had been a target. Now? Now he was just another rat.


    At least, that was the plan.


    Kaden shifted again to his human form and one more time a wave of excruciating pain assaulted him.


    He clenched his teeth as the agony ripped through his body. It was worse than the first transformation. Much worse. His bones stretched, snapped, and reformed. His muscles contorted, growing back to their human proportions. His organs twisted, reshaping themselves in an instant.


    It felt like being torn apart and rebuilt all at once.


    He staggered forward the moment his human form solidified, his breath ragged, hands gripping the damp forest floor to steady himself. His head spun. His entire body ached, his nerves still tingling with residual pain.


    Holy shit. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He hadn¡¯t expected the shift back to be just as brutal. If this was what every transformation felt like, then using Bestial Shift recklessly would be a death sentence in prolonged battles.


    His vision swam for a moment before settling. His body was back to its full, muscular form, his human hands gripping the earth instead of tiny paws. His breathing evened out. He ran a quick mental check¡ªeverything was in place.


    The skill took one fourth of his mana but that shouldn¡¯t be a problem as he leveled up and improved his already amazing mana pool. If it was anyone else the mana would have been completely drained but he was only losing one fourth which was big deal in itself.


    Other than that, everything else seemed good so far. He should be able to use the skill and go in and out without anything noticing him.


    As Kaden started racing back to the same old forest, his mind went over all the scenarios and he couldn¡¯t think of the obvious big gaping hole in his plan staring right at his face.


    A rat? Really?


    Of all the creatures he could have used for reconnaissance, a rat was far from ideal. Sure, it was small, inconspicuous, and could navigate tight spaces. But it was also prey to nearly everything with teeth and claws¡ªincluding whatever was guarding that egg sac.


    If there was even a single creature with heightened predatory instincts in that area, it would sniff him out instantly. And there were fucking green pit snakes everywhere in that area.


    Dammit. He needed to rethink things. He needed a new form, a better one for reconnaissance and escape. His thoughts were interrupted by a screeching sound and Kaden¡¯s gaze darted to the sky above. His lips immediately curled into a grin. He knew what he had to do.

 Chapter 63 - 64: Pandemonium

    A raven. That was what he needed.


    Kaden stared at the countless black-feathered birds perched along the skeletal remains of dead trees surrounding him from all sides. It took him about twelve hours but he was finally here at the graveyard.


    The Graveyard¡ªa patch of the forest where the air felt heavier, where the trees stood like rotting husks, their gnarled branches reaching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.


    And with them, the ravens.


    Dozens. Maybe more.


    They weren¡¯t startled by his presence. They didn¡¯t scatter like ordinary birds would have. They simply watched. Their glossy black feathers shimmered faintly under the dim light, their sharp beady eyes locked onto him, unblinking.


    This was not going to be easy. No one dared to come here the last time around thanks to the many corpses on display on the numerous rotting trees. That was more than enough to keep people out of this dreadful zone. Only fools dared to ignore those warning signs and still step inside.


    Even now, he could see them¡ªtattered remains hanging limply from branches, skeletal arms still bound in rusted chains, rotted armor fused with bark as if the forest itself had claimed them. Some were fresh, their corpses twisted unnaturally, as though something had played with them before death took hold.


    And the ravens? They were waiting.


    They did not fear him. They did not move.


    Because this was their domain.


    Kaden clenched his fists, his sharp gaze sweeping across the twisted expanse. It was time to start. He reached inward and gathered his mana in his palm. Bang! A mana bolt shot outward to the nearest bird.


    The next second all pandemonium broke loose.


    The ravens screamed. The instant Kaden¡¯s mana bolt struck the first raven, the forest came alive. Instead of flying away from fear, the birds screeched together creating a horrendous cacophony, and came for the long human being who had dared to come here all at once.


    Kaden barely had a moment to react before the sky turned black.


    A storm of feathers and claws descended upon him, the sheer force of their combined movement creating a whirlwind of darkness. The air shook with their voices¡ªnot just caws, but something deeper. Something wrong.


    His ears were bleeding. He leaped backward, barely avoiding the first strike as talons slashed through the air where his throat had been a moment ago. Another bird shot past, its beak snapping dangerously close to his eyes. Too fast. Too precise. These things were attacking him like there was no tomorrow.


    Kaden threw up his arm as another raven lunged, its claws raking down his forearm. He gritted his teeth, twisting mid-air to land on his feet, the ground crunching beneath him. They didn¡¯t stop.


    More came. Hundreds of them. This wasn¡¯t just an attack. This was a hunt and they were not planning to let him out of here alive.


    That was fine with him because he was also not planning to let them live.


    [Thorn Whip] Kaden cast his go-to skill as he started wildly thrashing around, his barbed whip lashing through the air with lethal precision. The first strike caught a raven mid-dive, ripping it in half before it could even scream. The second swing tore through another, sending blood and black feathers scattering into the air. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But they kept coming. They didn¡¯t fear death.


    Kaden gritted his teeth. Fine. He¡¯d give them something to fear.


    His mana surged. Thorn Whip!


    The whip lashed out again, splitting through the air like a living serpent. It coiled around a raven¡¯s neck, the barbs sinking deep before Kaden yanked¡ªripping its head clean off.


    More came.


    Too many.


    Injuries were starting to pile up. Deep scratches lined his arms, his cloak was in tatters, and blood trickled down his face from where a beak had nearly gouged out his eye. But Kaden did not back out. He knew this was going to be a pit fight. He was going to get hit. He just needed to give back as good as he got.


    In one hand he swung around the Thorn Whip like a chain of death and in the other hand, he grabbed the birds one by one with his bare hand and squeezed them to their death. He kicked, he punched, he crushed. The ground beneath him became a graveyard within a Graveyard, littered with twitching, broken bodies, their black feathers matted with blood¡ªhis and theirs.


    But the ravens did not stop. If anything, they grew more frenzied, their cries sharper, more insistent. Kaden also did not back out. He knew his body and his health could handle it so he kept pushing. The level-up notification that came after a couple of minutes also helped.


    His Thorn Whip snapped out like a serpent, wrapping around another raven mid-flight before he yanked hard, pulling the bird straight into his fist. CRACK. Its brittle bones shattered against his knuckles.


    Kaden turned sharply, side-kicking another out of the air, sending it slamming into a tree with a dull crunch. His movements were growing faster, sharper¡ªeach kill adding more to his momentum.


    The ravens may have been intelligent. They may have been aggressive. But they were still just birds. And he was a predator. He was not going to be the one losing today.

 Chapter 64 - 65: Up in the air

    Kaden¡¯s breath came in ragged gasps as he collapsed on the ground, black feathers scattered all around him. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but his grin never faded.


    The fight had been brutal but he gained a couple of levels from it and more importantly, the notification that he wanted was flashing right in front of him.


    [Ding! You have unlocked a new Beast Form: Black Raven]


    [Ding! Do you want to confirm the imprint?]


    Kaden nodded. "Yes." He did not know if there was a limit on this skill for the number of forms but for now, this seemed like a good idea so he went with it. He would now be able to either fly away in the face of danger or burrow fast and go somewhere deep down.


    Or well, he could just change into his human form and simply run the hell out of there.


    Kaden let out a sigh. There was a lot he needed to know about this new class. For example, would he be able to level his shape-shifting forms? Or even just evolve the skill?


    It wouldn¡¯t be convenient to keep shifting to these weaker beasts later on. The skill would then basically become useless. Maybe there was a way to upgrade it.


    Kaden exhaled sharply, his body still aching from the brutal battle but he couldn¡¯t wait anymore. He wanted to try the new form immediately. He flexed his fingers, then activated [Bestial Shift].


    The transformation hit him fast.


    Unlike the first time with the rat, this one felt different. Still painful but far more controlled. His body didn¡¯t feel like it was being torn apart¡ªit felt like it was shedding its weight.


    His bones hollowed. His limbs contracted. His vision sharpened, the colors of the world shifting into strange contrasts. His skin rippled, feathers bursting forth in place of flesh.


    Then¡ªhe was airborne.


    Kaden flapped once, instinctively. Wind rushed beneath his wings, and he lifted into the sky.


    The sensation was alien yet exhilarating. His body was smaller, lighter, yet powerful in a way entirely different from his human form. The ground shrank beneath him, the twisted trees of the Graveyard now nothing more than shadows in the fading dusk.


    He let out a cry¡ªa sharp, piercing caw.


    For the first time in two lives, he felt free.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes moistened as he flapped his wings harder and harder. All of his frustrations and his emotions crashed over him like a storm. He had spent so long fighting, surviving, clawing his way through the filth and darkness¡ªbut up here, in the open sky, he felt free.


    No chains. No dungeons. No pain.


    Just freedom.


    For the first time in his life, he was flying and it felt insanely amazing. Kaden soared higher, catching a current of wind that lifted him effortlessly. The world beyond stretched endlessly, vast and unconquered.


    For a moment, he simply glided, basking in the weightlessness, in the sheer exhilaration of it. He had wings. He could move faster than he ever had before, and see further than he ever thought possible. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could see everything. A bird¡¯s point of view was nothing to scoff at. It was pretty incredible.


    Kaden flapped his wings, adjusting his angle as he swept over the treetops. He thought he would need practise or something but his body obeyed him seamlessly.


    Time to test it. He folded his wings close and dived, cutting through the wind like a black arrow. The ground rushed toward him fast, but he instinctively adjusted, spreading his wings at the last moment to catch the updraft.


    Perfect control. Perfect movement.


    Maybe he would be a faster in human form but flying allowed him to cut straight to the target location and it was fun as hell so heck ya, he was going to fly the rest of the way.


    Or at least that¡¯s what he thought. In just a few minutes his bird body became extremely tired and he was forced to come back down to earth. He carried on in foot the rest of the way.


    It seemed like a waste of time to go running back and forth the same location but Kaden knew this would be worth it. He had a feeling his entire future might depend on it.


    He ran as fast as he could. For all he knew, he could already be late. He needed to get rid of that agg sac no matter what. He couldn¡¯t let that legendary being fully complete its birth. That was not going to bode well for him.


    It took another couple of days and some shifting between bird form and rat form and human form but Kaden soon reached the dense forest area that was right beside the barrier region.


    He did not want to risk being in his human form anymore and immediately shifted to his bird form but just as he was about to turn, a loud scream caught his attention.


    "Help! Help!" Someone screamed loudly. A woman.


    This was followed by a vicious burst of laughter. "There is nobody here woman. No one¡¯s coming to save you."

 Chapter 65 - 66: Meeting her again

    Kaden walked towards the direction of the commotion and he soon saw the scene unfold before him. Three figures loomed over two women who had fallen to their knees, their clothes torn and dirtied, their breathing ragged.


    One of the two women was shaking and screaming at the top of her lungs while the other one simply stared back at the man coldly.


    Kaden immediately recognized the cold woman. Her silver hair betrayed her identity even if her face was dirtied and her body was lined with injuries.


    Kaden also recognized the men surrounding her. They weren¡¯t ordinary thugs. Their leather armor bore jagged insignias¡ªa mark he knew all too well.


    Grimfang Marauders. A gang that quickly rose to power in his past life.


    He felt a rush of cold fury settle deep in his chest. This gang had terrorized small villages in his last life, running rampant in the chaos that followed the first wave of system awakenings. Kidnapping, torture, and worse.


    And now, they were here. Ready to start their work all over again. The barrier was just about to go down as well and the tutorial was going to end. It was no surprise that these bastards were already out of the barrier and ready to play.


    Kaden¡¯s first instinct was to ignore them. His goal was clear. The egg sac was the priority, and if he wasted time here, he might lose his only chance to destroy it. Also, when it came to that woman, he did not want to meddle with her path any more than he already had.


    But¡­ to see the priestess hailed as the savior of thousands in such a pathetic state¡­ He clenched his fists in hesitation.


    However, the next second, his black eyes flared with a cold gleam as he watched the biggest of the three men step forward, grabbing the other woman¡¯s arm roughly and yanking her up. She cried out in pain, struggling uselessly.


    "You should feel honored," the man sneered. "We don¡¯t normally have time for entertainment out here." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That was it. Kaden didn¡¯t hesitate. In an instant, he moved, covering the distance between them in a matter of seconds. The nearest marauder barely had time to look up before Kaden¡¯s fist slammed into his face. The man screamed, staggering back, blood pouring from his nose.


    Kaden drove his knee into the man¡¯s gut, sending him sprawling. The second marauder barely had time to react before Kaden snapped his fingers¡ªThorn Whip lashed out, coiling around his ankle and yanking him off his feet.


    The third man¡ªpresumably the leader¡ªstumbled back, shock plastered across his scarred face. "The hell¡ª?"


    Kaden didn¡¯t give him a chance to finish. He lunged. His fist slammed into the man¡¯s jaw, sending him skidding across the dirt. Kaden landed smoothly, rolling his shoulders as he surveyed the aftermath.


    Two of them were out cold. The third was still screaming.


    Kaden spat at them. Pathetic.


    He turned toward the woman. She was staring at him, wide-eyed, her breath coming in quick, uneven gasps. "You alright?" he asked. She flinched at the sound of his voice but nodded quickly.


    "Good," Kaden said. He then turned to the silver-haired priestess who barely even looked at him. She had changed since the last time they met. In just a few days, she had hardened. She didn¡¯t flinch. She didn¡¯t react. She simply observed him.


    "What about you? Are you fine?" Kaden sighed.


    The priestess nodded.


    "Not even a thank you?" Kaden smiled but once again, no response.


    The other woman was still shaking, staring at the unconscious marauders as if she couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened. The priestess, however, remained unfazed.


    Kaden did not want to waste any more time and came right to the point. "Do you want to kill them yourself or do you want me to kill them?" This finally made the priestess react and she looked at him a little differently as if she was surprised.


    She still did not say anything but the other woman once again screamed. "Kill them. Kill them, please. Men like that don¡¯t deserve to live." She shivered.


    Kaden arched a brow at the sheer desperation in the woman¡¯s voice. Her face was pale, her entire body trembling as she stared at the unconscious marauders like they were still a threat. Fear. Rage. A deep, overwhelming terror. He had seen this before.


    He turned his gaze toward the priestess. She had not spoken, had not moved. But there was no mercy or kindness in her eyes. "I don¡¯t care," she finally said.


    "Fine. This makes everything easy." Kaden didn¡¯t plan on spending any more time here and quickly finished the three men one after the other. As the last one dropped dead, silence fell over the clearing.


    The only sounds were the distant rustling of leaves and the heavy, uneven breathing of the woman who had begged him to kill them. Her hands clutched her arms tightly, her entire body trembling with the weight of everything that had just happened.


    The priestess, however, stood still. Her silver hair, matted with dirt and streaks of dried blood, barely moved in the soft wind. She watched Kaden work with the same cold detachment she had shown before.


    Kaden scratched his head awkwardly and then turned to leave. "You¡¯re free to go," he said simply. "Make sure you get out of here before more of these bastards show up."

 Chapter 66 - 67: Empty shell

    The woman who had begged him to kill them let out a sharp, uneven breath, her knees giving out beneath her. She sank to the ground, pressing her hands against her face as muffled sobs escaped her lips. Relief. Fear. Maybe even guilt. Kaden had seen it all before.


    He didn¡¯t linger on it. He had already done more than he intended.


    But the priestess? She still hadn¡¯t moved.


    Kaden gave her a sidelong glance. "What about you? You both should go back into the barrier and try killing something weaker to level up."


    She met his gaze evenly, eyes eerily calm.


    "Okay." He said, already turning toward the dense trees. "Got more important things to deal with." Giving them one last look, he started running towards the egg sac once again. Once he was outside their field of view, he shifted into his raven form. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden¡¯s body shrank and contorted in an instant, feathers bursting forth as his bones hollowed and restructured. The moment his transformation was complete, he flapped his wings hard, taking off into the night sky.


    The world below him became nothing but a dark blur, the trees stretching endlessly in every direction. He didn¡¯t waste time looking back¡ªwhether the priestess stayed behind or not wasn¡¯t his concern anymore. He had a mission.


    As he soared, his sharp raven eyes scanned the forest below, cutting through the darkness with ease. The egg sac was close. Within a few minutes he reached the kobold turf and the next second, lo and behold he was perched atop a tree right next to the cave entrance. If it still could be called that.


    Kaden¡¯s eyes widened with shock as he saw the carnage that lay outside what previously used to be the cave. He no longer needed to wonder where the beast horde went. Here it was. All the beasts dead and lifeless.


    Corpses were strewn about everywhere, some half-eaten, some ripped apart beyond recognition. Kaden¡¯s feathers ruffled involuntarily. Whatever had done this hadn¡¯t just killed¡ªit had fed.


    Kaden¡¯s talons gripped the branch tightly as he took in the horror below. The ground was a massacre of twisted bodies, fur, scales, and bones. Blood had long since soaked into the dirt, turning it into a dark, sickly mire. The sheer brutality of it sent a chill through him.


    This was systemic slaughter and something had devoured and left the remains like discarded trash.


    His gaze darted over the scene, scanning for any sign of movement. The egg sac had to be deeper inside the cave, but that also meant whatever had caused this carnage could still be lurking in the shadows.


    After some time nothing moved and he decided to check things out with his other form. He directly switched to the rat form.


    Kaden¡¯s body twisted, bones cracking and shrinking as he shifted into his rat form. It was still painful, but he had figured out a trick¡ªswitching directly between animal forms was slightly less agonizing than shifting back into human first.


    His small, clawed paws landed softly on the branch, his vision changing as his senses heightened. The world smelled louder now. Blood. Rot. It smelled less revolting.


    He took a deep breath¡ªor rather, the rodent equivalent¡ªand scurried down the tree trunk, keeping to the shadows. His small form moved unnoticed against the carnage below as he darted between corpses, weaving past the bloodied remains of beasts that once rampaged across these lands.


    His little heart beat faster as he came closer to the cave. He hesitated for a moment before creeping inside.


    The cave was darker than he remembered. He continued scurrying downward, sometimes having to burrow past a blockage but he eventually got down there. The familiar cavern was mostly collapsed but still there. The next second a shiver ran through his tiny frame.


    It was still there. The egg sac was still there.


    He ran over to look at it closely when he mentally slapped himself. The egg sac only looked so big and whole because he was now tiny. When he looked closely at it, he could see the torn pieces sagging down and parts of it dried up.


    Kaden¡¯s tiny claws dug into the dirt as he cautiously crept closer to the remains of the egg sac. Now that he was seeing it from up close, he could tell¡ªit wasn¡¯t just hatched, it was emptied.


    The thick membrane, once pulsing with life, was now nothing but shriveled, torn flesh, hardened in places where the fluids had dried. The ground around it was soaked in something dark and viscous, not quite blood, not quite anything he recognized.


    Whatever had been inside¡­ it had burst free.


    Shit! He was already too late. Where was he going to find this beast? It could have gone anywhere by now. If he found it would he even be strong enough to face it?


    As he mulled over things silently, he reached for the dried up egg sac and decided to do something disgusting. He took a bite out of that egg sac, trying to see if that would give him any more stat boosts.


    He only barely swallowed that small piece when suddenly the ground started rumbling. A tremor ran through him and a furious roar shook the cavern walls.


    Dust and debris rained down from above as the deep, guttural sound reverberated through the tunnels, sending a primal chill down Kaden¡¯s spine. His tiny rat body trembled as an overwhelming pressure flooded the air.

 Chapter 67 - 68: It was still here!

    Shit! Shit! Shit! The damn thing was still here and it was strong. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden did not know why the hell he had thought this was a good idea. This was a bad idea. A very bad idea.


    He could instantly gauge the strength of this being and he was not a match for it. It was in the D rank at the least. Maybe even stronger. There was no way he would be able to stand against it. He was screwed. He was fully and utterly screwed.


    Without bothering to take a look behind him, he immediately jumped into the shaky cavern walls and started digging. His human form was not ready to face him so there was no point in shifting and his rat form was good enough for running.


    Kaden¡¯s tiny claws dug into the loose dirt and stone as he frantically burrowed into the cavern wall, his mind screaming at him to move faster. The entire tunnel trembled around him, the creature¡¯s guttural growl vibrating through his very bones.


    Faster! Faster, damn it!


    Behind him, the heavy scrape of claws echoed through the chamber, followed by a deep inhale. It was sniffing for him, its hunger palpable.


    He swallowed a curse and kept digging.


    Chunks of rock crumbled under his desperate scrabbling, dirt coating his tiny fur as he forced himself deeper into the wall. It wasn¡¯t the best escape plan¡ªhell, it wasn¡¯t even a plan¡ªbut he needed to buy himself time.


    And then it happened. SLAM!


    Kaden¡¯s little rat body squealed in pain as earth all around him started constricting and collapsing on him. The walls compressed, dirt and stone shifting unpredictably. His lungs seized as dust filled the air, choking his tiny frame.


    SLAM! SLAM!


    Kaden squealed involuntarily as jagged stones scraped against his fur, some even piercing his skin. He forced himself deeper, ignoring the pain. The damn thing was banging against the cavern wall repeatedly not showing any signs of giving up


    Think! This wasn¡¯t working. If he kept digging blindly, he¡¯d be buried alive before the thing even reached him. He needed another escape route¡ªnow. He needed to go up. He needed to get to the ground and shift to his raven form and fly. That was his only chance.


    Kaden clenched his tiny jaw, forcing his body to move despite the crushing weight of the collapsing earth. If he could just get to the surface, he could shift into his raven form and escape.


    SLAM!


    The beast behind him roared in frustration, its immense strength pounding the cavern walls, causing them to shudder dangerously. Cracks ran through the earth above, small bits of debris cascading down around him.


    He could use that.


    With everything he had, Kaden lunged upward, his tiny claws scrabbling against loose dirt and stone. He clawed, kicked, and pushed himself through the rapidly narrowing tunnel. His lungs burned, dust clogging his throat. He couldn¡¯t afford to slow down¡ªnot now.


    Another SLAM! The wall behind him split.


    Shit! Shit! Shit!


    A deep growl echoed through the suffocating space, and Kaden felt the monstrous presence right behind him. A single swipe¡ªone good strike through the dirt¡ªand it would grab him. Kill him.


    Desperation fueled him. His tiny rat body had almost reached the surface but the next second something shot up right next to him. He had gotten out and so had the beast.


    As he wildly scurried forward, the beast plowed through the earth to chase after him. Its claws raked the earth and he was only barely getting away.


    This is bad. This is really, really bad.


    Kaden could feel the sheer mass of the creature as it tore through the earth right behind him. Even in his tiny rat form, the raw pressure of its presence pressed down on him like a vice.


    Too fast. Too strong.


    His little heart thundered as he scurried, his tiny claws barely scraping enough ground to stay ahead. A second later, a shadow loomed over him. Kaden¡¯s small, beady eyes flicked up¡ªand instantly regretted it.


    It was bigger than he thought. He couldn¡¯t see it fully because of his small form and their close proximity to each other but even without seeing he immediately knew what the creature was.


    Crimson scales glowed like molten metal, each plate overlapping in a way that seemed more like armor than flesh. A long, sinuous neck twisted with lethal grace, its muscles coiling like a predator ready to strike.


    A dragon.


    It was a freaking dragon alright!


    Kaden¡¯s little rat heart nearly stopped when the pair of slit-like predatory eyes met his trembling gaze. It¡¯s eyes were burning. Golden. It locked onto him with a pressure that froze him to his very bones.


    Kaden¡¯s body was no longer obeying him. He watched as the creature glared at him in absolute contempt and disgust. Its eyes revealed a cunning gleam as it lunged forward with its maw open and it snapped, its saliva spraying everywhere.

 Chapter 68 - 69: How to fight a dragon?

    Fuuuucccck! Kaden felt his scalp go numb as the maw closed right above him. At the last possible second, he jerked his tiny rat body sideways, his claws skidding against the dirt.


    The dragon¡¯s jaws snapped shut just inches from his head, the force of the impact creating a shockwave that sent him tumbling across the ground.


    His vision spun. The world became a blur of red, black, and dust¡ªuntil he slammed into a rock. Pain exploded through his tiny body, a squeak involuntarily escaping him.


    No time to think. No time to breathe. He forced himself to move. His legs burned. His ribs screamed. But he knew he had to act now. Otherwise, he would be dead in the blink of an eye.


    Kaden¡¯s tiny rat heart thundered against his ribs as he immediately activated bestial shift.


    [Bestial Shift: Raven!]


    The transformation hit hard. His body erupted into feathers, bones twisting and stretching at an unnatural speed. He barely had a second to adjust before¡ª


    WHOOOSH!


    A massive gust of wind slammed into him, nearly knocking him from the air the moment he took flight. However, Kaden somehow stabilized himself and shot forward with all the speed he could muster.


    His raven body screamed. The wind resistance fought against him, his wings struggling to keep up with the sheer force of his sudden flight. He pumped them furiously, desperately, trying to gain altitude. If he could just get in the air¡­ if he could just get high enough¡­


    Wait, did dragons have wings?


    Kaden suddenly had a bad feeling. The next second he got his answer.


    WHOOSH!


    The air split apart behind him.


    A shadow¡ª dark, and fast¡ªrose from the ground.


    The dragon had wings.


    Kaden barely had time to process it before the force of its takeoff sent a violent gust of wind his way. His raven body twisted midair, completely losing control.


    Shit! Shit! Shit!


    Why did this fucking dragon have wings, damn it? Couldn¡¯t it have been a dragon that didn¡¯t have wings? He flapped hard, trying to regain stability. But the dragon was already on him.


    A golden eye locked onto his tiny, fragile form.


    WHOOSH!


    The dragon folded its wings, diving straight for him. Kaden¡¯s instincts screamed. He didn¡¯t think¡ªhe just jerked left, then down, barely avoiding the dragon¡¯s massive talons.


    A second too slow, and he¡¯d be dead. But the dragon wasn¡¯t done. It flapped once¡ªjust once¡ªand was already back on his tail. Clearly, it was better at this whole flying thing than him. But he still had a small advantage. He was smaller. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden was not ready to give up. He refused to die in a random way like this. He dove down right for the treetops.


    Branches snapped against his wings. Leaves whipped past him as he twisted through the thick canopy, weaving between trunks and vines like his life depended on it. Because it did.


    CRASH!


    The dragon barreled into the treeline behind him, tearing through wood like it was paper. It was bigger than him but it was also stronger. The densely packed trees were only slowly it down so much. He needed a better plan.


    Kaden was panicking. His brain was not working. He wasn¡¯t able to think. He was holding his life in his hand and every second he was getting closer to death. What could he possibly do to get away from a creature like this?


    A fucking dragon was chasing him!


    He still couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. If he did not have one right behind him, he would have never thought that a dragon would show up on a planet like earth. What was he supposed to do now? How was he supposed to fight a dragon?


    A supreme creature that stood at the top of the food chain. Even a newborn one was so powerful.


    Kaden gulped as his mind wondered how powerful a full grown one would be. They were heaven blessed creatures that were born to rule entire universes. How the hell was he supposed to fight a dragon? He should have never gone near that egg sac in the first place. It was way too suspicious.


    A shiver ran down Kaden¡¯s spine as he thought about how he had stolen the essence of a heaven blessed creature for hours together. Fuck! He was an idiot.


    "Stop it!" Kaden let out a frustrated caw at the top of his lungs. There was no use thinking about the past. He needed to focus on the now. He had poked a sleeping dragon and he needed to somehow survive. Now.


    Wait a second. Then it struck him. He had stolen from that dragon. A hatchling evolving newborn in the egg sac. It was weak enough for him to steal from it. Sure, it was outside the egg sac now and was inexplicably stronger than him. A lot stronger than him.


    But that did not mean it was the strongest in the area!


    And if he had stolen from it, then he was pretty sure there would be a lot more beasts interested in stealing from it.


    This little dragon was a treasure trove from head to toe for any being. It was their ticket to change their fate. Who wouldn¡¯t want a piece of this pie?

 Chapter 69 - 70: Someone else’s problem

    Kaden grinned. Despite his body about to give out, he felt renewed hope surge a new dose of energy inside him. He had no idea whether this plan would work, but at this point, he had nothing to lose. His brilliant idea was actually a pretty simple one.


    If he couldn¡¯t escape the dragon, then he would make it someone else¡¯s problem.


    His raven body screamed in agony, wings burning from exhaustion, but he forced himself to keep flying. Just a little farther. Just a little longer. Where? Where? Where?! His mind raced. Where was the nearest D-grade monstrosity located?


    Kaden¡¯s vision swam, exhaustion weighing down on him like an iron chain, but he refused to let it slow him down. If he slowed, he died.


    Somewhere below, something big enough, mean enough, and hungry enough had to exist. The world outside the barrier was filled with horrors. All he had to do was find the right one.


    The problem was he didn¡¯t know of any terrors residing in the nearby vicinity and his body was not strong enough to fly to the next location that he knew resided a powerful D-rank.


    Think!


    His memories from his past life were hazy, but he knew this area wasn¡¯t empty. There was a reason the dragon hatchling was nested within the protective barrier, inside the beginner tutorial.


    Kaden¡¯s sharp raven eyes flicked toward a jagged ridge up ahead, a deep fissure in the land that ran like a scar through the forest. His mind snapped to recognition.


    The Bone Pit. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That¡¯s right. There were always rumors about people disappearing in the Bone Pit. Many warned about going near the Bone pit. A fissure that devoured the living.


    Kaden¡¯s heart slammed against his ribs as he adjusted his flight path. The Bone Pit was a gamble. It wasn¡¯t a confirmed D-rank predator zone, but too many adventurers had gone missing here for it to be coincidence. Some people blamed unstable ground, others said the pit was cursed.


    He didn¡¯t care what it was. All he needed was something strong enough to keep the dragon busy. Behind him, the crimson-scaled monster was still locked onto him, its golden eyes burning with unholy fury.


    "Here we go." Kaden angled his wings, cutting sharply through the wind as the Bone Pit loomed ahead. He could see it now¡ªa massive rift in the earth, its jagged edges like broken teeth. The deeper parts of the pit were hidden beneath an eerie mist.


    A bad sign. But right now? He¡¯d take any bad sign if it meant he lived.


    Come on, come on, come on¡­ Kaden dove. Hard. He shot toward the pit¡¯s edge like a bullet, wings tucked tight. He needed to bait the dragon just a little closer¡­


    A roar shook the sky. The dragon had taken the bait.


    WHOOSH!


    A burst of heat rippled through the air as the dragon lunged after him, talons outstretched. Its speed suddenly increased and its golden eyes glowed brighter. It looked like it was done playing this little game of chase. It reached for Kaden with finality letting out a thunderous roar.


    However, before it could grab him, something shot out of the mist. It went straight for the dragon and in a simple hit dragged the beast back down into the mist.


    Kaden barely had time to process what had happened before the sky went silent.


    One second, the dragon had been right behind him¡ªits golden eyes locked onto him, its talons stretched to rip him apart. The next?


    Gone. Vanished. Dragged into the Bone Pit.


    Kaden flapped hard, stabilizing himself as he hovered just above the rift, his raven form trembling with exhaustion. His breath came in ragged bursts, his wings screaming in pain, but he forced himself to stay airborne.


    The mist below churned like a living thing. A deep, guttural growl rumbled from its depths, vibrating through the air. Something big was down there. Something that had just overpowered a dragon in seconds. But was it strong enough to keep the fight going?


    Kaden didn¡¯t know what it was. Didn¡¯t want to know. He needed to get the hell out of there. His exhausted body agreed.


    Without a second thought, he landed on a nearby rock and transformed back into his human form.


    He collapsed onto the rock, his body screaming in agony as his limbs stretched and reformed. His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles twitching from sheer exhaustion. He barely had the strength to move, but at least he was alive.


    The next second his stupor was broken by a ear-shattering roar, followed by another equally fierce growl. The mist churned violently, swirling as unseen forces clashed within its depths. A shockwave of energy erupted from the pit, sending ripples through the air and rustling the trees with an unnatural force. The fight had begun.


    Kaden swallowed thickly. Who was going to win?

 Chapter 70 - 71: Fight or Flight?

    Kaden forced himself upright, and he staggered forward. He needed to get out of here now before either of those monsters remembered he existed. He needed to run as far away as he possibly could. He needed to survive and for that, he needed to get away from here.


    And yet his legs were not moving. He knew better than to stay back and involve himself in this bloodbath and he still did not want to leave. His instincts gnawed at him. Something was off.


    He getting a second chance like this, the dragon¡¯s egg sac so close to his beginner tutorial, even the priestess¡¯s starting point being the same as him. Everything felt too much of a coincidence.


    It did not strike him before but now that he saw the dragon right in front of his eyes, everything kind of clicked together. Kaden had wondered countless times why was he even given this second chance.


    He was an ant in front of that madman. No matter how much he grew, standing up against a person who had been living for centuries was an impossible task. There was almost zero chance for him to defend this world.


    At most he could run away and hide somewhere in the vast universe like a little rat, hoping that no one would catch him and enslave him again. Maybe he could lay low and slowly in a hundred years become as strong as that madman and then take revenge against him.


    Realistically, this was the best he could do. Even this was a long shot. So why was he given this second chance? Why did that person think something would be different this time around?


    His knowledge about the future wouldn¡¯t really make that much of a difference. He was a nobody in his last life. Sure, he had gathered some interesting information from the gossip of the prison guards and such. He even knew some alchemy tricks from the many times he had been tortured as a prisoner.


    But was something like that enough for a second chance?


    Kaden¡¯s fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms as a cold shiver ran down his spine. No. There was no way that was the reason. His knowledge was trivial, his existence insignificant. In his previous life, he had been nothing more than a shadow, a prisoner trapped in chains, a plaything for that monster. So why?


    Why was he given another shot at life? Why him? Why now?


    His eyes flicked toward the Bone Pit, the shadows swirling beneath the mist as two titanic forces clashed. The dragon¡¯s roar shook the earth, followed by a monstrous growl that seemed to echo from the abyss itself. He couldn¡¯t see them clearly, but the vibrations, the sheer pressure of their power¡­ it was suffocating.


    No matter how much he ran, no matter how much he struggled, he would always be this weak.


    An ant.


    A little rat scurrying in the shadows. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even now, his heart was pounding with fear. Even now, his body screamed at him to run away, to leave this place and never look back. But his legs refused to move. Because he was tired of running.


    He had been running all his life. From his enemies. From his fears. From that man who haunted his nightmares. His gaze hardened, his teeth gritting as his fists trembled. No more.


    If he ran away now, then nothing would change. He would live in fear for the rest of his life, constantly looking over his shoulder, constantly wondering when the next catastrophe would strike.


    If he ran away now, then he would never break free of his chains.


    He would never break free of him.


    A cold fury settled in his chest. That man¡­ The Mad Sovereign. The monster who destroyed his world, who enslaved him, who laughed as he tortured him to the brink of death¡­ he was still out there.


    He was out there, and he would come again.


    If Kaden ran away now, then he would never be able to stand up to that man.


    His body trembled, his instincts screaming at him to flee, but he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay rooted to the spot. He didn¡¯t know why he was given this second chance. He didn¡¯t know who had orchestrated this elaborate game. But if someone was watching him, then he would show them.


    He would show them that he wasn¡¯t just some rat to be toyed with.


    He would show them that he wasn¡¯t just a pawn to be moved around on a chessboard.


    He would show them that he was more than the chains that bound him.


    His eyes burned with defiance as he looked at the Bone Pit. This dragon. This dragon was the ticket to his power. This dragon was the reason why he was given a second chance.


    He had already stolen some power from it, but that was not enough. He needed more. He was not going to run away from it. He was going to take what he needed.


    Taking another deep breath and shrugging away the exhaustion, Kaden started climbing down the Bone Pit. It was time he joined this fight.

 Chapter 71 - 72: Creature of nightmare

    Kaden gripped the jagged rocks, his fingers digging into the cold, rough surface as he began his descent into the Bone Pit. His body trembled with exhaustion, the weight of the transformation and the chase still weighing heavy on him, but his eyes blazed with determination. No more running.


    The mist swirled around him, its cold touch chilling him to the bone. It felt alive, slithering around his limbs like snakes. He continued his descent, his body pressed tight against the rock wall as the roars and growls grew louder, more feral.


    He could hear the clash of scales and claws, the thunderous impact of colossal bodies slamming against each other. The entire Pit trembled under the force of their battle.


    Kaden¡¯s heart pounded against his ribs, but his hands were steady. This is why I was given a second chance. This is why I¡¯m here. He had to take that dragon¡¯s power no matter what. Even if it was a little bit. He needed to gain something here. He needed to make sure that thing died here and didn¡¯t come for him again.


    The roar of the dragon echoed once more, but this time it was different. It was strained as if it had suffered an injury. Kaden¡¯s jaw tightened. He had to move faster.


    Kaden¡¯s muscles burned as he pressed himself harder against the jagged rocks, his fingers gripping the cold, rough surface with an iron will. He could feel the vibrations coursing through the stone, reverberating from the titanic battle below.


    He could see flashes of crimson scales through the churning fog, the dragon¡¯s wings flaring wide as it spat fire, its golden eyes blazing with fury. And for the first time, Kaden could see its opponent.


    A skeletal claw swiped through the mist, its bony talons glinting as they collided with the dragon¡¯s flaming breath. The fire splashed against the skeletal arm, but the bones didn¡¯t burn¡ªthey absorbed the flames, swallowing them whole as if they were nothing more than air.


    Kaden¡¯s breath caught in his throat as the creature stepped into view, its colossal form emerging from the swirling fog. It was massive, towering over the dragon as it stood on its hind legs, its skeletal frame wrapped in shadows.


    Its ribs were exposed, hollow, and twisted, a black void swirling within its chest. Its skull bore no flesh, its jaw hanging open in a permanent grin, fangs dripping with darkness. Its eyes blazed with an eerie, violet flame, hollow and soulless, yet burning with malevolent hunger.


    A Tiger.


    A massive skeletal tiger that had quite a good control of death magic from the looks of it.


    The skeletal tiger moved with a terrifying grace, its massive bones creaking as shadows danced between its ribcage, swirling like tendrils of smoke. Its fangs gleamed with dark energy, the violet flames in its hollow eyes flickering with malice. It was a creature of nightmares, a predator that defied death itself. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden watched as the dragon roared, its golden eyes blazing with defiance as it lunged forward, its crimson scales glowing with inner fire. Its maw opened wide, a torrent of flame surging forth with unrelenting fury.


    The skeletal tiger met the attack head-on, its jaw unhinging impossibly wide as it swallowed the flames. The fire vanished into the black void within its ribcage, absorbed into nothingness. The shadows between its bones glowed faintly, flickers of red light dancing within the swirling darkness. It was feeding on the flames, consuming the dragon¡¯s power.


    Kaden¡¯s heart skipped a beat. The dragon seemed to realize this too, its eyes narrowing as it flapped its wings, trying to create distance. But the tiger was faster. It moved like a wraith, its skeletal form gliding through the air as it lunged, its claws extended, dripping with black mist.


    CRASH!


    The impact was thunderous. The tiger¡¯s claws collided with the dragon¡¯s scales, darkness seeping into the crimson armor as the shadows corroded the dragon¡¯s defenses. The scales cracked, their glow dimming as the black mist ate away at their strength.


    The dragon howled in pain, its body convulsing as the shadows spread, crawling along its neck and chest like living parasites.


    Kaden felt a chill crawl down his spine. That wasn¡¯t just death magic. It was decay, a curse that could erode life itself. If the dragon didn¡¯t break free, it would be devoured, body and soul.


    The dragon¡¯s eyes flared with golden light, a pulse of energy erupting from its chest as it unleashed a shockwave of raw Essence. The force shattered the shadows, the decay retreating as the golden flames burned them away.


    The skeletal tiger was thrown back, its massive frame crashing into the rock wall, bones rattling as shadows reformed around it, repairing the damage. However, this was a moment of weakness and the dragon was ready to seize it.


    Unfortunately for it, so was Kaden.


    Just as the dragon was prepared to charge forward, Kaden used every bit of mana he had and channeled it all into one big mana bolt. He then sent the massive swirling ball forward aiming for the spot where he knew the dragon was going to be.

 Chapter 72 - 73: Round 2

    The swirling mana bolt shot through the fog, a blazing sphere of energy that crackled with raw power. It tore through the air, illuminating the Bone Pit as it hurtled toward the dragon.


    Kaden¡¯s fingers tingled from the energy he had just released, his entire body trembling from the sheer force of the spell. This was his chance. He had only one shot and he had given it his all.


    The dragon¡¯s golden eyes widened as the bolt appeared before it, its body already in mid-lunge toward the skeletal tiger. It tried to twist away, but the momentum was too great, its wings unfurling too late to redirect its path.


    The mana bolt slammed into its chest, right where the shadows had cracked its scales, and exploded in a burst of blinding light. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The impact was deafening. A shockwave rippled through the Bone Pit, shaking the very ground as the dragon was thrown back, its massive body colliding with the rock wall.


    Cracks spiderwebbed across the stone, dust, and debris raining down as the dragon¡¯s roar of agony echoed through the Pit. Its crimson scales shattered where the bolt had struck, revealing raw, bleeding flesh underneath.


    Kaden¡¯s legs buckled beneath him, the aftershock of the spell leaving him drained, his mana reserves nearly empty. But his eyes never left the dragon. He watched as its massive form writhed, wings flailing as it tried to regain its footing. It was weakened, vulnerable, and exposed.


    But the skeletal tiger was already moving. It glided forward, shadows curling around its form as it pounced, jaws unhinging wide. It didn¡¯t go for the dragon¡¯s throat or wings. No, it went straight for the wound, its fangs plunging into the broken scales, right into the flesh.


    The dragon¡¯s roar turned to a scream, a haunting, guttural sound that shook the very air. Black veins of decay spread across its body.


    Kaden watched, his body trembling as the dragon¡¯s roar turned into a broken, mournful wail. Its wings flapped weakly, golden eyes dimming as the darkness spread, consuming it. The mighty creature¡¯s scales dulled, their glow fading as the shadows corroded its life force.


    Its claws scraped against the ground, carving deep gashes into the stone as its body convulsed, the black veins tightening like chains. It was losing. The dragon was losing, its power being siphoned away by the skeletal tiger, its strength crumbling beneath the onslaught of decay.


    But even as the dragon¡¯s body faltered, its spirit did not. A flicker of golden light ignited within its chest, faint but fierce, defying the darkness that sought to extinguish it. The dragon¡¯s golden eyes blazed one last time, its body trembling as it summoned the last remnants of its strength.


    The ground beneath it shattered as it roared, the sound echoing through the Bone Pit with a raw, primal fury. Flames erupted from its maw, blazing golden and pure, cutting through the shadows as it unleashed another attack.


    The skeletal tiger reeled back, the golden flames searing its bony form, burning through the shadows that shrouded its body. Its ribcage cracked, violet flames flickering wildly as the light tore through the void within its chest.


    The shadows shrieked, recoiling from the dragon¡¯s essence as the golden light surged forward, blasting the skeletal beast away. The impact sent the tiger crashing into the rock wall, its bones splintering as shadows bled from its body, dissipating into the mist.


    The golden flames continued to blaze, burning through the black veins that had corrupted the dragon¡¯s flesh, searing away the decay.


    The darkness crumbled, retreating as the dragon stood tall, its eyes blazing with defiance. But its body was failing. The damage was too great, its life force too depleted. The golden light flickered, growing faint as the flames dimmed.


    It was at this point that Kaden prepared to jump in and face the dragon. The tiger was down for the count though not fully dead and the dragon was as weak as it was going to be. If let this chance slip by, then there wasn¡¯t going to be another one.


    But just as he was about to lunge forward, the dragon unexpectedly swung around to face him. A pair of furious eyes glared at him as it opened its maw wide and came for him.


    Kaden¡¯s blood ran cold as the dragon¡¯s golden eyes locked onto him, blazing with fury and pain. Its body was battered, its scales cracked and bleeding, but its spirit burned fiercer than ever.


    The dragon¡¯s maw opened wide, rows of gleaming fangs shimmering with golden fire as it lunged toward him, jaws unhinging with a roar that shook the air. The ground beneath Kaden¡¯s feet trembled as the sheer force of its rage bore down on him.

 Chapter 73 - 74: Fighting a dragon

    Kaden threw himself to the side, his body rolling across the jagged ground as the dragon¡¯s teeth snapped shut where he had just been standing.


    The impact shattered the stone, shards of rock exploding outward as the dragon¡¯s claws dug into the earth, carving deep trenches as it spun around, its massive tail sweeping through the air.


    Kaden barely had time to raise his arms, a barrier of mana flickering to life just as the tail slammed into him, sending him hurtling backward. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He crashed into the rock wall, pain jolting through his body. But he was not a helpless rat or raven anymore. He was in his human form and that meant he was going to fight back with everything he had.


    Kaden summoned a thorn whip and charged at the dragon aiming right for the bleeding wound. This was his fight, his chance to seize the power he desperately needed. He lunged forward, his body a blur as he closed the distance between him and the dragon.


    The beast reared back, its golden eyes blazing with rage as it roared, fire crackling in its throat. But Kaden was faster.


    With a flick of his wrist, he snapped the thorn whip forward, the vines lashing through the air with a wicked crack. They struck the bleeding wound on the dragon¡¯s chest, the jagged thorns digging deep into the raw flesh.


    Kaden was instantly shocked. The thorn whip rebounded with a sharp snap, the force of the impact vibrating up Kaden¡¯s arm, nearly wrenching the weapon from his grasp.


    His eyes widened as the vines bounced off the dragon¡¯s flesh, the jagged thorns barely scratching the surface. It was like striking solid iron, unyielding and impenetrable.


    This was not going to work. He needed to put more in the attack. He converted the thorn whip to a spear form and once again lunged at the dragon.


    The dragon¡¯s golden eyes burned with fury as it twisted its head, its gaze locking onto him. It roared, the sound reverberating through the Bone Pit, the ground quaking beneath its fury.


    As he lunged, the dragon¡¯s maw once again opened as it came for him. Flames crackled again but it was not able to get a fire attack out. Maybe its mana was exhausted.


    Kaden grinned. Everything was working in his favor. He needed to win this.


    His muscles coiled as he lunged forward, his body a blur as he closed the distance, the spear aimed straight at the wound on the dragon¡¯s chest. The beast¡¯s golden eyes narrowed, its body tensing as it saw the attack coming.


    The dragon¡¯s eyes flared with rage, its body coiling as it tried to twist away, its wings flaring wide as it flapped, creating a shockwave of wind that tore through the Bone Pit, dust and debris swirling through the air.


    But Kaden cast [Sanguine Roots] at the last minute and blocked its momentum. His body moved as fast as he could push it and just as the dragon prepared to defend its weak spot, he struck the spear into its eye with everything he had.


    The dragon¡¯s golden eye widened in shock, its body twisting as it tried to recoil, its wings flapping desperately as it tried to change its trajectory. But it was too late.


    The [Sanguine Roots] coiled around its legs, tightening like iron chains, their dark vines pulsing with Kaden¡¯s mana, binding the beast, trapping it, forcing it to face the oncoming strike.


    The dragon¡¯s roar was deafening, its body convulsing as it struggled, the golden flames around its body blazing with fury. But it couldn¡¯t break free.


    The spear struck dead center, its tip piercing the golden eye, the jagged thorns drilling through the orb, shattering the scales that protected it. Blood exploded outward. The dragon¡¯s body convulsed, its wings flailing as its roar turned to a scream.


    Kaden¡¯s chest heaved, his body trembling from the force of the strike, his arms straining as he pushed the spear deeper, the vines spiraling around the dragon¡¯s head, the thorns digging in.


    But the dragon did not take it lying down. A searing pain tore through Kaden¡¯s back as the dragon¡¯s claw raked across him, the force of the impact sending him hurtling through the air.


    His vision blurred as his body crashed into the rock wall, the jagged stone digging into his flesh, blood spraying from the deep gashes across his back. Agony burned through him, his muscles screaming, his bones rattling from the force of the blow.


    His chest heaved, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to stay conscious, the world spinning around him. The pain was overwhelming, his senses flooded with fire, his body trembling as the blood poured from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him.


    But he couldn¡¯t afford to fall. Not now. Not when he was so close. Not when the spear was still embedded in the dragon¡¯s eye, the thorns still wrapped around its head, the [Sanguine Roots] still binding its legs.


    Healing started trickling in from [Sanguine Roots]. At first, it was a trickle but it quickly started flooding. Kaden had no idea why it was happening but he was going to take everything.


    With a renewed vigor, he lunged forward again, grinning from ear to ear like a maniac. He conjured another thorn spear in his hand and charged forward.

 Chapter 74 - 75: Rage

    Kaden did not remember what exactly happened in the next few seconds. It was all a blur.


    The healing from the [Sanguine Roots] flowed through him like a river of fire, his wounds closing, his pain fading, his strength returning in full force. Whatever was causing this surge of power, he would gladly take it. He would use it. He would win.


    The second thorn spear in his hand glowed golden. He was not sure why. He did not care. So much energy was rushing to his body that it made him feel giddy with various emotions.


    He felt as tall as an oak, as strong as the dragon bleeding in front of him. He was someone who had the world at his feet. Puny little insects shouldn¡¯t even come near him. He was invincible. He was a god and he needed to slaughter.


    A lofty pride, an unquenchable thirst for blood, blinding rage, and bottomless greed, all assaulted him at the same time as he repeatedly stabbed the dragon again and again and again. Where he stabbed no longer mattered as his thorn spear struck the beast with ease.


    The dragon¡¯s body shuddered, its wings flapping wildly as it thrashed against the [Sanguine Roots], the golden flames blazing around its form, its remaining eye filled with desperation.


    It roared, the sound echoing through the Bone Pit, the ground quaking beneath its fury. It knew it was trapped. It knew it was losing.


    But it would not go down easily. Its claws scraped against the ground, its muscles coiling as it fought to break free, its remaining paltry essence flaring as it prepared to unleash one final attack.


    Kaden wasn¡¯t going to give it the chance. He stabbed it repeatedly without any hesitation. Blood sprayed everywhere and pieces of shattered scale and chunks of flesh rained down around him as the thorn spear tore through the dragon¡¯s body again and again.


    Blood splattered across his face, his arms, his chest, soaking him in the Essence of the dying beast.


    But Kaden did not flinch. He did not stop. He did not care. The world was red, blazing with fire, burning with power, vibrating with fury. He could feel his strength growing, his body blazing with energy, his soul igniting with fire. He was invincible. He was unstoppable. He was a god.


    His laughter echoed through the Bone Pit, wild and maniacal, reverberating off the jagged stone walls, mixing with the dragon¡¯s dying roars.


    With a roar that echoed through the Bone Pit, Kaden drove the spear deeper, the jagged thorns blazing with golden fire, the vines spiraling around the shaft, tightening around the dragon¡¯s heart.


    The dragon¡¯s body convulsed, its golden eye wide with shock, its wings flapping wildly as the light flickered, the flames growing weaker, dimmer, fainter.


    And just as he was about to thrust the spear forward for the last time, suddenly a blinding golden flash erupted from the dragon¡¯s chest, a burst of light so powerful that it shattered the air, the shockwave blasting through the Bone Pit, tearing through reality itself. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The force of the explosion hurled Kaden backward, his body slamming into the rock wall, the jagged stone digging into his flesh, the golden light blinding his vision, the energy vibrating through his bones.


    His laughter died in his throat, his body trembling as he watched the nearly dead legendary beast disappear right in front of his eyes. The beast completely vanished without leaving any trace.


    Madness and fury filled Kaden. The dragon was his to kill. It was an impossible fight and he had almost won it but right at the last second, his prey was ripped away from him. It was his victory. His prey. His power. And now, it was gone. This was unacceptable!


    A roar of rage tore from Kaden¡¯s throat, echoing through the Bone Pit, shaking the jagged stone walls, and vibrating through the air. The golden light crackled around him, his greed gnawing at his sanity, his wrath blinding his vision.


    He was supposed to be victorious. He was supposed to be unstoppable. He was supposed to be a god. But now, he was empty. Hollow. Incomplete.


    His fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his palms, his blood dripping to the shattered ground. His gaze then darted to the terror-inducing skeletal tiger that was wounded and cast aside like a nobody. He charged at the beast with the golden spear still in his hand.


    The skeletal tiger¡¯s violet eyes flared with shock, its hollow sockets filled with fear. It used its last ounce of strength to block the spear and then sent the thing hurling away. But Kaden did not stop there.


    He used the raw power surging in his hands to grab the skeleton of the tiger and started tearing apart bones one by one. The already wounded tiger had nothing to fight back. It could only scream in agony as it experienced an extremely painful and slow death.

 Chapter 75 - 76: Overpowered Slayer

    [Ding! You have killed the Gloomfang Tiger]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! New Title Unlocked: Overpowered Slayer]


    [Overpowered Slayer: You have proved your courage and dominance by defeating a powerful creature of darkness with overwhelming power. Your sheer strength and unyielding will have shattered the limits of mortal capability, earning you the title of Overpowered Slayer. Enemies weaker than you are intimidated, reducing their attack power and agility by 30%.]


    Kaden panted as the system notifications started flooding his vision. Several emotions still swirled within him but he no longer had the strength to care about any of them.


    His eyes became blurry and his body felt weak. All of a sudden, the overwhelming power flooding his system was no longer there. His knees buckled beneath him, his body trembling. His muscles burned, his bones ached, and his spirit wavered.


    The fire that had blazed within him, the fury that had ignited his soul, the strength that had made him feel invincible¡ªit was all gone, leaving behind nothing but exhaustion, pain, and emptiness.


    His vision blurred, his head spinning as he struggled to stay upright, his chest heaving, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The Bone Pit seemed to close in around him, and the jagged stone walls towered over him.


    He swayed as he fell onto the ground without anything left inside him any longer.


    Two days later, a cold prickling sensation jolted Kaden awake. His eyes flew open, his body jerking as he felt tiny legs skittering over his skin.


    Panic seized him as he realized his entire body was covered in spiders. Hundreds of them¡ªblack, shiny, and crawling all over him. They moved over his arms, his legs, his face, their tiny legs prickling his flesh, their bodies writhing as they swarmed him. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fuck!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the Bone Pit, his body convulsing as he scrambled to his feet.


    His hands moved frantically, swatting at the spiders, clawing at his skin, ripping at his clothes. He could feel them crawling through his hair, over his neck, down his back. His heart raced, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tore at himself, trying to get them off.


    They scattered as he thrashed, some falling to the ground, others crushed beneath his fingers. Finally, a few seconds later he was rid of the damned pests. Fuck! Did they think he was dead or what?! Wait, where the hell was he?


    He looked around wildly, his eyes darting from shadow to shadow, his chest heaving as he tried to make sense of where he was.


    And then it all came crashing. The Bone Pit, the fight, and the motherfucking dragon!


    The Bone Pit was still there, the jagged stone walls towering around him, the mist swirling through the air, the shadows coiling through the ruins.


    It was probably because of this miasmic mist that the other predators in the area didn¡¯t realize that the tiger was dead and practically left him alone even though he was unconscious for¡­


    Kaden willed the system screen to open and did a double-take when he saw the date. Two days! He had been lying here for two whole days!


    His gaze fell on the carnage around him.


    He swallowed nervously, his mouth dry as the memories flooded back, replaying in his mind, the images flashing before his eyes. The dragon. The fight. The power. The blood. The death. His hands shook, his chest tightening as he remembered the rage, the fury, the madness.


    Did it all really happen? Did he really do that? Was it all real?


    His knees buckled, his body trembling as he sank to the ground, his eyes wide with shock, his breath coming in shallow, ragged gasps. He looked at his hands, his fingers stained with blood, his skin covered in cuts and bruises. His body ached, his muscles burning, his bones rattling.


    The shattered bones of the Gloomfang Tiger lay scattered across the ground, broken ribs, shattered claws, and a fractured skull. The blood of the dragon stained the stone floor. The ground was littered with the remnants of his battle, dragon scales, and chunks of dragon flesh.


    It was raining dragon body parts. Chunks of the bloody beast were everywhere. Maybe it was dead after all? He summoned his system screen notifications and scanned through them furiously one after the other.


    He saw the kill notification about the tiger. He had even gained four levels from it despite the nerf he had when leveling up. He had also gained a title. There were some quest complete notifications.


    The tiger was a D-grade and the kill had taken care of some of his quests for him.


    But Kaden was not satisfied. He searched and searched. Yet, he couldn¡¯t find the single notification that he wanted the most.


    That fucking dragon was still alive!

 Chapter 76 - 77: Lunch time

    Kaden sighed. He had hoped that this would be the end of it and he would have taken care of everything once and for all. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, letting out a wry chuckle. There he was, again thinking like a loser.


    He was on the death bed and he somehow made it out alive. He had tricked a dragon that wanted to eat him alive and made it flee with barely a scrap of its health left. He had even gained so much in the process.


    There was no need to throw a pity party now. He needed to get up and take another step forward. He needed to tally his gains and losses and see where to go from here.


    "Fuck it." Kaden gave himself a mental pep talk and stood up. The swirls of miasmic mist were making him slightly giddy. "I need to get the hell out of here." He almost started climbing when he realized he had forgotten something.


    Kaden¡¯s lips curled into a grin, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he took in the carnage around him for the second time.


    Bones of the Gloomfang Tiger, broken ribs as hard as steel, claws that glinted with a malevolent sheen, and shattered fangs dripping with residual death magic.


    Chunks of dragon flesh, scales that shimmered with a faint golden glow, remnants of the legendary beast that had nearly killed him. This was a treasure trove. A haul that could set him up for life¡ªor at the very least, give him some power he desperately needed.


    He gathered them all, his hands moving swiftly, his fingers curling around the shards of bone, the chunks of flesh, and the scales of crimson and gold. He bundled them all up together and then frowned. How was he supposed to take all of these with him?


    Right at this moment, his stomach growled. He was hungry. He hadn¡¯t eaten in a while, three whole days to be precise. His gaze darted to the dragon¡¯s flesh. Why let perfectly good, legendary-quality meat go to waste?


    Kaden¡¯s mouth watered as he stared at the dragon¡¯s flesh, the crimson meat shimmering with a faint golden glow. This wasn¡¯t just food; it was nourishment of the highest caliber. "It¡¯s time for lunch," Kaden muttered, his lips curling into a smirk.


    He was starving, exhausted, and still surrounded by swirling miasmic mist. He needed power. He needed energy. He needed this.


    He moved quickly, his hands working swiftly as he gathered the largest chunk of dragon flesh, its surface shimmering with a golden glow, its scent rich and potent, tinged with power.


    His stomach growled again, louder this time, his body trembling with hunger, his muscles aching with exhaustion. He didn¡¯t care if it was raw. He had eaten raw meat before to survive.


    He sank his teeth into the meat, his jaw clenching as the flesh tore easily, the taste exploding on his tongue, rich and savory, potent and powerful.


    Kaden had stars shining in his eyes as he savored the divine taste. Of course, raw dragon¡¯s meat was going to be completely different from raw rodent¡¯s meat.


    He was panting in a frenzy as he took another bite and then another and then another. His hunger was growing with every bite. It was intoxicating, exhilarating, addictive. He couldn¡¯t stop. He didn¡¯t want to stop. He was feeding on power itself, devouring strength, consuming life.


    He was eating something that stood at the top of the food chain.


    "Fuck, this is so good." For a moment he completely forgot about everything else as he continued to devour every chunk of flesh that was left on the battlefield.


    As the last piece dissolved in his mouth like butter and nothing more was left, a sudden wave of heat surged through Kaden¡¯s body. It started in his chest, a slow burn that quickly turned into a blazing inferno, spreading through his veins, igniting his muscles, vibrating through his bones.


    A sudden, scorching wave of heat coursed through Kaden¡¯s body. In that instant, his heart pounded like a war drum, each beat echoing the draconic might now pulsing in his veins. His vision blurred, and for a heartbeat, the world melted into something painfully bright.


    And then clarity returned. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden immediately looked at himself to see what changed but nothing seemed to be different. He then checked out the slew of notifications waiting for him.


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Strength]


    [Ding! You have gained +1 Mana]


    [Ding! You have gained + Agility]


    ¡­


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Kaden was baffled. Eating beast meat typically did not have advantages like this. But then again, he hadn¡¯t eaten a normal beast meat. He had eaten the flesh of a motherfucking dragon!


    He swallowed and looked at how much he had gained in total.


    It was a whopping 50 stats in total!

 Chapter 77 - 78: 10 days

    Kaden grinned from ear to ear. 50 stats was a huge deal and all he had to do was take a few bites. This was awesome. He continued to sift through the notifications when he noticed that it was not all good news.


    [Ding! Your bloodline has been further mutated]


    [Ding! Your bloodline had become extremely unstable]


    [Ding! Quest Updated: Bloodline Evolution II]


    [Your body has forcibly assimilated the essence of a foreign, high-tier entity. This process is incomplete. Your bloodline is extremely unstable. Absorb an energy-rich catalyst to stabilize the bloodline. Time is limited, and failure to do so will result in death. Remaining time: 10 days]


    Kaden¡¯s smile immediately disappeared. Wait, he was supposed to find a bloodline-stabilizing catalyst within 10 days? Where the hell was he supposed to find something like that in 10 days?


    "Wait, can I just puke it out all?" Kaden chuckled wryly. He sighed and shook it off. There was no need to panic. There was no need to get anxious. He was already working with a date of execution. The only difference was now it had been preponed.


    He knew he should probably be more worried and stressed but after everything he went through, he could only laugh. He was overstepping at every turn because he needed to do that to gain the unimaginable power he was after.


    And sometimes the step he was taking was bound to be a landmine. There was simply no way around it.


    "Bloodline catalyst or something else to stabilize my bloodline¡­ hmmm¡­ a system shop perhaps would be the best solution." Kaden thought about it for a moment before proceeding to the next notification. It looked like he had leveled up a couple of times by just eating but there were more notifications.


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


    [Ding! You have survived a battle against an opponent one rank higher than you. You have completed a requirement of the Class Upgrade II quest]


    [Ding! You have survived a direct impact from a D-Rank attack. You have completed a requirement of the Body Tempering II quest] S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! You have engaged in combat while in critical health (below 10%) and survived. You have completed a requirement of the Mental Tempering II]


    [Ding! You have achieved a state of battle-induced clarity, where instinct surpasses conscious thought. You have completed a requirement of the Mental Tempering II]


    Kaden was shocked to see he had indirectly completed so many strict requirements for these tempering quests. He only expected the first one as he killed the tiger in the end but all of these other minor completions were a nice little bonus.


    As he read the last of the notifications and closed the system interface, his gaze fell to the ground. He noticed that the spilled dragon blood had slowly started to crystallize and form some sort of a weird small rock.


    These could be collected. There were also the dragon scales and the tiger bones. It would be an utter waste to leave all of these behind. Could he somehow carry it? Maybe use his shirt?


    He looked down to see his shirt and he chuckled helplessly. Only now he noticed that he was completely naked. His clothes had already been ripped to shreds and nothing was covering any part of him.


    "Oh fuck, where is that abyssal shard?" He quickly scrambled to his feet and looked around. Thankfully he found it in a corner, probably tossed there during the fight.


    He then stopped and rubbed his chin. He did not know what exactly but he was pretty sure there was also something else that he was completely forgetting. He went over his system interface again and then figured it out.


    The mana core!


    The tiger should have had a mana core even if it was a quasi-core. He once again searched the place but this time he found nothing at all. "Hmmm." He then crouched down to examine the bones and one particular bone felt extra-special.


    "Could the mana core be in here?" He closed his eyes and tried to sense the mana and he wasn¡¯t wrong. The particular bone pulsated with extremely high mana density.


    "Alright. This one is done too." With this, he was now prepared to finally leave the Bone pit. The only problem was he didn¡¯t have a way to take everything with him.


    Kaden looked up at the swirling miasma and then thought of something. What if he left everything here for a couple of days before he figured things out and then came to pick it up? Or at least until he found something to bundle everything up?


    All of these were only temporary solutions. To solve this problem once and for all, he needed to find a system settlement core and activate it. Once that happened a rudimentary system shop would appear and he could buy many things from there.


    He could also make inquiries about his bloodline stabilizing catalyst. This had to be his next goal. Fixing this in mind, Kaden started making his upwards climb.


    He paused and realized the obvious way out. He could simply fly. He was about to activate Bestial shift when he remembered there was locked form in that skill. By any chance did his binge eating or his near death fight unlock the form?


    He quickly opened the system interface and instantly his eyes became as wide as saucers.

 Chapter 78 - 79: New Form

    Except for the stat boost and the new title, there wasn¡¯t anything new in Kaden¡¯s status but one of his skills had undergone a silent update.


    The Bestial Shift.


    Beast forms available:


    Bilge Rat (Common)


    Graveyard Raven (Common)


    Draconian (Partial, Epic, Cool Down: 1 day)


    ??? Locked (Legendary)


    Kaden¡¯s gaze was glued onto the draconian part. There was still something locked but he at least managed to unlock something partially. That too an epic tier form. This was a huge deal. He took a deep breath and activated the form, wanting to test it out immediately.


    In a flash, he felt a jolt of power and pain run through him at the same time. The mist around him swirled, and then he felt something change at the base of his spine. A tail started growing out, moving on its own like it had a mind of its own. His skin even glowed a little, showing off some cool, light-up patterns.


    [Ding! The draconian form can be activated for a total of ten hours.]


    [Ding! All stats increased by 10%]


    [Ding! All regeneration increased by 20%]


    [Ding! All defenses increased by 20%] Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden was completely dumbfounded. This was something he had never expected. He thought he had to jump through several difficult loops to unlock the locked legendary form but it looked like one near-death fight with the actual thing was all it took at least to get something partial.


    Well, that and eating big chunks of the dragon meat.


    Kaden felt the rush of power as the pain faded into an exciting buzz. His new tail swished behind him, and everything just felt... different. He took a quick step forward and couldn¡¯t believe how agile he was. A superior race was a superior race, alright. It felt damn amazing to be something draconian.


    He looked at himself to see if anything else had changed and maybe he had sprouted some cool wings too, but nope¡ªjust his new tail and glowing skin. "Dang, at least that¡¯s something," Kaden muttered to himself with a grin.


    He took a couple of steps and tested his balance. The tail swished behind him, helping him steer as he moved. It felt weird but awesome at the same time. Even though he didn¡¯t get wings yet, that extra agility made him feel like he could really kick some butt.


    Kaden circled around, checking out his reflection in a puddle. The image was crazy: his skin still had that soft glow, and the tail moved as if it had a mind of its own. "I guess I¡¯ll have to work on unlocking the legendary form later," he thought. "For now, this draconian vibe is pretty damn cool."


    He took a deep breath, feeling the power buzzing in his veins. With a playful smirk, he decided to try a few moves¡ªmaybe a little jump or a quick dash¡ªto see just how fast and nimble he was. Every step made him feel lighter like the world had gotten a bit more interesting.


    He started climbing out of the Bone Pit and within seconds he was out of the damn thing.


    Kaden laughed softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "This is sick," he said aloud, his voice echoing slightly in the mist. Even though he had a 10-day countdown to stabilize his bloodline, at this moment, he was just enjoying the rush of being something part-dragon.


    However, he was not ready to leave yet. He went back down and gathered up everything from the battleground making sure not to miss even a tiny blood crystal or his abyssal shard that had fallen when his pants got ripped. He then piled all of it and stood in front of the pile, his tail swishing.


    [Nature¡¯s Grasp]


    Roots burst from underneath the rocky ground tightly wrapping around the hall. He had to cast the skill only twice and everything was completely buried in a mess of roots and thorns.


    Kaden sighed looking at the suspicious pile. It was a crime for priceless materials to be tossed in a pile and buried like this with twigs and thorns like biocompost trash but this was the best he could do at the moment. He could only hope that the miasma could continue to play its part for a few hours and guard his items.


    With these improved stats, he just needed a few hours to reach one of the known core locations. That should potentially solve all of his problems. He once again started climbing out of Bone Pit and reached the surface in a few seconds.


    Giving the ominous miasma seeping out of the pit another look, he ran towards the west. There was a stretch of plains in this area that barely gave any cover but this was the shortest path and he intended to take it.


    Kaden started running at full speed, feeling the rush of the wind that whistled past him when suddenly he heard a loud shriek.

 Chapter 79 - 80: She died?

    Kaden paused for a moment and then resumed his run. He did not have time to act as a savior for every damsel in distress. "On second thoughts¡­" He suddenly stopped. The shriek was actually coming from a known location. The scourge of the forest lived in that direction.


    In his last life, he only barely escaped from getting mauled to death by that beast. The fear instilled by that beast was still crystal clear in his mind. It was a seed of self-doubt he couldn¡¯t shake no matter how much he leveled after that.


    This beast was the reason why he joined the Savior in the first place. If not for this beast¡­


    Kaden let out a breath. There was no point in blaming his weakness on some other beast. He was responsible for shaping his destiny and he would do it right this time around. Besides his stomach was growling in hunger already. The scourge would make a fine snack.


    He stopped and started running in the direction where he heard the shriek. He was almost there and a woman was running right at him.


    Kaden skidded to a stop as the woman barreled toward him, her shrill screams cutting through the air. He barely had time to react as she darted right past him, almost colliding with him, her eyes wide with terror. "Help! That monster¡ªit¡¯s coming!" she screamed, not even slowing down.


    Kaden turned his head and saw a huge bear charging straight toward them. His heart slammed in his chest as the creature roared. For a split second, he remembered that last life¡ªhow close he¡¯d come to getting torn apart. But this time, he wasn¡¯t going to run.


    Kaden didn¡¯t even flinch as the huge bear charged at him. With his new draconian power in full swing, he moved like lightning. Before the bear could even get close, Kaden darted forward, his fist connecting solidly with the beast¡¯s chest. The bear barely had time to register the hit before it was hit with another punch¡ªthen another¡ªeach blow landing effortlessly.


    With just three hits, the bear shot backward like a football he kicked, crashing into the tree behind it with an agonized growl. It looked as if birds were flying around its head as it wobbled unstably.


    Before it could regain its composure, Kaden dashed forward and punched it again. He could use his other druid skills in his draconian form but he didn¡¯t need them for this fight. He felt more alive when he primally punched the huge beast like it was a mere punching bag.


    This one did not deserve his true skills. Kaden punched and punched until he vented enough of his frustrations. By the time he was done, the bear was unrecognizable.


    The bear, which had looked so fierce just a moment ago, was now nothing more than a bloody pulp on the ground¡ªa complete and total beatdown. Kaden stood there, tail swishing lazily behind him, feeling more alive than ever. His anger, his fear, and every bit of self-doubt he had ever known vanished with each blow he landed.


    Kaden¡¯s mind was drifting back to those painful memories when suddenly loud sobs snapped him back to the moment. He turned around to see the woman crouched on the ground, tears streaming down her face as she buried her head in her hands.


    He walked over slowly, his tail still swishing behind him. "Hey, are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now. The woman looked up, her eyes red and terrified, and managed a shaky nod.


    Kaden only now noticed that this was the same woman he had saved a few days back, the one who was with the priestess. Wait, where did the priestess go? He looked around and all he saw was the bloody pulp of the beast. It couldn¡¯t be right?


    "She died?"


    "Hey, answer me. Did she die?" Kaden crouched down in front of her, almost shouting at her.


    The poor woman shrieked once again as she started scrambling backward and attempting to flee. Unfortunately, she was not successful and fell down face first on the dirt ground, tears streaming down her eyes.


    "Please. Please kill me. Just kill me and then do whatever you want. Please just kill me."


    "I¡­ what are you talking about?" Kaden let out a sigh. "I am sorry, I did not mean to scare you. You are perfectly safe with me. See, I killed that thing. I have saved you twice now."


    But it looked like she was not ready to hear anything. She kept repeating the same thing. She trembled, tears streaming down her face as she stared off into nothing. "I... I can¡¯t take it anymore," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Everything¡¯s too much. The pain, the loss... I just want it all to end."


    Kaden decided to give her some time to calm down. Meanwhile, he started working on the beast meat to satiate his stomach. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 80 - 81: What are you scared of?

    Kaden waited. He waited for a few minutes and then again for a few minutes, but the woman did not look like she was going to calm down anytime soon. God knows he did not have time to wait around like this, but he definitely could spare a few minutes to learn if one of the great saviors of this world had died or not.


    However, giving space to the woman seemed to be of no use, and he definitely did not have all day to babysit her. The bear¡¯s meat was also completely devoured. There was nothing else for him to do.


    He let out a sigh and slowly walked toward her, hoping this time the conversation would go better. But as soon as he took a step forward, she once again started screaming differently. "Ah, fuck", Kaden thought when he suddenly did a double take.


    "You pervert! Your maniac! You freak! Stay away from me!" Then she started sobbing uncontrollably.


    "Come on. I didn¡¯t deserve that. I saved your life twice. You know that." Kaden scratched his head. "Why am I a freak anyways? Okay, this is not going to work, and I don¡¯t have all day."


    He ignored her sobs and walked towards her anyway. The woman tried to scramble and run, but he held her down. The next second, he started casting Healing Touch.


    The skill mostly had a healing effect, and it immediately started working on the woman¡¯s cuts and bruises. The poor thing had her entire body covered with cuts and bruises. In a heartbeat, a warm green glow spread across her battered skin, mending cuts and bruises little by little.


    The woman no longer struggled in his grasp as she watched the magic work with a dumbfounded expression. Other than physical wounds, the healing touch also helped a little with mental and emotional stability. Not a lot and not when a mental attack was involved, but in this case, it was enough to work wonders.


    The warm green glow continued to spread over her battered skin, and slowly, her ragged sobs began to subside. It slowly eased the terror that had gripped her mind. Her frantic struggles dwindled until she lay still, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and something like relief.


    Kaden cleared his throat and tried again. "Hey," he said gently, "you¡¯re safe now. I am not going to harm you".


    The woman blinked, her eyes searching his face as if trying to decide whether to trust him. "I¡ª" she began, then paused, her gaze darting downward. Her body once again started to tremble, and fear crept back into her eyes.


    "What are you getting so scared of?" This was when Kaden looked down to see what she was so terrified of. Instantly, his face twitched. There it was, staring at him and the poor girl, his little soldier.


    "Ah shit." He immediately moved back and covered his private part with both his palms. "I apologize. My clothes got torn in a fight." He explained awkwardly. "I really mean you no harm." It was at this point that his tail swished around, not helping the situation at all.


    "Ughhhh¡­" It¡¯s just my ability. He again explained. Seeing that nothing was working, he prepared to leave. "Ok. I am going now. I did not mean to scare you. Take care of yourself." He barely took two steps when a hurried shout reached his ears.


    "Please wait. Please wait."


    Kaden stopped in his tracks and turned around as the woman¡¯s frantic voice softened into a pleading, "Please wait. Please wait." He hesitated, unsure what to expect next. For a moment, silence filled the space between them, punctuated only by the quiet hum of the forest.


    Taking a slow breath, Kaden lowered his hands to a non-threatening position. "I¡¯m here," he said gently, his tone careful and sincere. "I¡¯m not going anywhere."


    The woman¡¯s eyes, red and puffy from crying, searched his face. Her voice trembled as she finally spoke, "I... I¡¯m sorry. I was scared¡ªso scared. I don¡¯t know what came over me." She paused, blinking rapidly as if trying to clear her mind. "I just... I don¡¯t trust anyone right now. I thought... I thought you were something else."


    Kaden nodded, understanding the depth of her distress. "I saved you before, and I¡¯m trying to help you again. I know I might look rough¡ª" he added awkwardly, gesturing to his torn clothes and the way his tail swished uncomfortably, "¡ªbut I mean you no harm. Can you please tell me what happened to the silver-haired woman who was with you?"


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened, and she took a trembling breath. "The silver-haired woman¡­ she was with us when it all happened. We were ambushed in the forest¡ªso many of them, and then everything went chaotic." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her voice faltered as she recalled the memories. "I got separated from her in the panic. When I tried to find her afterward, she was gone. I¡ªI don¡¯t know if she made it or if they took her. I just saw her fall, and then nothing."


    "Hmmm?" Kaden frowned. "What ambushed you?"


    "Monkeys. Lots and lots of them."

 Chapter 81 - 82: If we meet again

    "They should be somewhere in the starting area," Niera explained. Kaden had a long talk with her about what had happened, and from the looks of it, they were attacked by a horde of level 5 stone monkeys and got separated.


    Her group then again got unlucky and walked right into the Scourge territory. The bear killed the couple of guys who were with her, and Niera was the last survivor.


    Kaden ran a hand through his hair. "Damn it. This was not how everything was supposed to go." He looked in the direction of the starting area. Should he go and look for her? He rubbed his temples as he weighed the options in front of him.


    The silver-haired priestess, the woman who once saved thousands and thousands of people. Did he somehow inadvertently alter her fate?


    Kaden shoved the guilty feeling away. If he got sidetracked because of one person, even if it was her, then everything would become pointless in the end anyway. Unfortunately, saving her wouldn¡¯t be enough to change anything.


    And he did not have time.


    He silently stared in the direction of the starting zone for a few minutes and then exhaled. "They are just level 5 stone monkeys. You can survive. I know you. You are strong enough to survive this. I hope you can survive this. If we meet once again in this lifetime, I will make up for everything."


    With one last look, he turned away. He needed to focus on the bigger picture. He needed to keep moving forward. He absent-mindedly started walking away when Niera¡¯s loud voice called after him.


    "Please take me with you. Please. I am begging you. Please take me with you. I will do anything for you. Please. I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore. I don¡¯t know how to live in this world. Please save me. I will be useful to you, I swear."


    "Stop." Kaden shook his head. "I am sorry. You cannot come with me. I simply do not have the time to help others right now. I have my own problems."


    Niera looked terrified. "Please. Please. Why did you even save me if you are going to leave me? How can you be so heartless?"


    Kaden shook his head. "If you keep walking in this direction, in a couple of days or so, you will reach a safe zone. You can live there peacefully." He then paused as he realized something. "Okay. Change of plans. You can come with me."


    The woman looked confused as hell, but she did not question the good luck. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I will never forget this."


    "Okay. Let¡¯s get moving then."


    Niera trembled and nodded, her entire body shaking. She then quickly started walking, but her quickness was no match for Kaden¡¯s speed.


    "Uhhh? Would you mind if I carried you?"


    "Ah. What?" Niera¡¯s eyes widened.


    Kaden did not want to waste any more time talking, so he went ahead and picked her up. In one swift motion, he scooped her up into his arms.


    Niera let out a startled gasp, eyes widening in shock, but before she could protest, he started running. Niera¡¯s words stuck in her throat as she now understood why Kaden had done what he had done.


    Wind whistled past her as he ran. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and for a few moments, the world was nothing but the rush of air and the pounding of footsteps. The forest blurred around them as he ran, and soon it had been several minutes, which quickly turned into an hour. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Niera finally managed to open her eyes and take a look. What greeted her was the up-close view of a chiseled chest with defined muscles. Kaden¡¯s broad shoulders and steady, determined gaze filled her vision, and even in the rush of their flight through the forest, there was an unmistakable aura of strength and resolve about him.


    Her heart pounded. She did not want to take her eyes off of the man who had shown up magically time and again and saved her from the worst this new world had thrown at her. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down.


    She did not know what tomorrow held but for the first time after everything went to shit, she actually felt safe. In this stranger¡¯s arms, in this stranger who was was completely naked and had a tail behind him, she finally felt like she could breathe. She closed her eyes and drifted into a deep sleep.

 Chapter 82 - 83: Yes

    After what felt like an eternity in motion, Kaden finally slowed to a stop and gently set Niera down on a soft patch of moss near the clearing¡¯s edge. For a few moments, nothing happened¡ªuntil suddenly Niera doubled over, her body convulsing. Without warning, she started vomiting loudly, the sound echoing in the quiet forest.


    "Are you okay?" Kaden asked, busily looking around for something.


    Niera clutched her stomach and continued to heave, her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps. Gradually, the retching subsided, and she slumped back slightly, exhausted and pale. "I am sorry. I am fine now. I just need to rest a little."


    Kaden nodded. "Don¡¯t worry. We are already here. Now you can rest as much as you want."


    Niera weakly nodded and looked around. There was a pond nearby, and she was very thirsty. She had no idea what Kaden meant, but she was ready for some rest.


    She walked over to the edge of the pond, knelt down, and dipped her hands into the cool water, taking slow, careful sips. The chill of the water seemed to help steady her trembling. She let out a breath of relief, but the next moment, she couldn¡¯t help but search for Kaden.


    Thankfully, he was still here. Niere sighed again. She watched him in a daze as he continued to comb through the forest as if he was searching for something. "What is he searching for?" She wondered as she turned to look at the pond.


    Immediately, her eyes widened. Staring back at her was her reflection in the pond. In just a few days, she had become someone completely unrecognizable. There were dark circles under her eyes, her face was swollen on one side, her lips were cracked and bleeding, her hair was disheveled, and a part of her scalp was bald.


    "Ah¡­" She almost screamed, and when Kaden asked her if something was wrong, she wanted to bury herself in the ground. "No. No. I am sorry."


    Thankfully, he was too busy to care about her. Not that she complained. The man rescued her when she looked like this. He was a gem among men. She needed to stop being so weak and somehow contribute. "Can I help you search?"


    "Hmmm. I am looking for something round and green. Like a football." Kaden absent-mindedly answered.


    "Huh? Round and green? Like this?" Niera pointed uncertainly at a small, moss-covered rock lying near the water¡¯s edge. Its surface was smooth and glimmered faintly in the dim light, the color a deep, almost luminescent green.


    Kaden appeared right next to her the very next instant. "You found it. You are amazing!"


    Niera blushed, and the hideous monstrosity she saw in the water also blushed. She immediately turned away. "What is this?" she asked.


    "Well." Kaden grinned. "Time to make a settlement." He walked over to touch the green ball. He didn¡¯t even flinch when something long and sinuous burst from the pond¡ªa huge, writhing snake that sent Niera into a terrified scramble.


    Without missing a beat, he simply reacted. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the creature and squeezed, ending its struggle almost instantly. He then casually tossed its limp carcass aside as if it were nothing more than an inconvenience.


    Niera gasped and took a step back, her eyes wide with shock. But Kaden remained unfazed. He turned his attention back to the small, moss-covered rock that had caught her eye. Its deep green hue still glimmered faintly in the dim light.


    With a determined grin, Kaden reached out and pressed his hand against the rock. Almost immediately, it pulsed with a warm, vibrant light, sending ripples of energy through the air. The glow spread slowly, bathing the surrounding area in a soft, emerald radiance.


    "This," Kaden said, his voice low and a hint excited, "is our settlement core catalyst. Once activated, it¡¯ll help stabilize the area¡ªa safe zone where survivors can regroup." He glanced over at Niera, who was still processing the rapid turn of events. "I need you to select ¡¯Yes¡¯ in the system prompt that will pop out now."


    Niera was confused but she quickly understood when the blue screen flashed in front of her.


    [Ding! Do you want to be a citizen of this settlement? Yes/ No]


    Without hesitation, Niera selected "Yes" on the blue screen.


    A soft chime echoed through the clearing as the system confirmed her new status. The blue prompt dissolved into the gentle emerald glow of the activated settlement core, which pulsed steadily as if acknowledging her acceptance. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden looked over with a satisfied smile. "Welcome to the settlement," he said quietly, his tone warm despite the chaos they¡¯d been through. "This safe zone will give us a place to rest, regroup, and plan our next moves."


    Niera stared at the glowing core and then back at Kaden, her eyes wide with a mix of disbelief and relief. "I¡ªI¡¯m a citizen now?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.


    "Yeah," Kaden replied. "It means you¡¯re protected here, and you can start to rebuild. We might be in a broken world, but this is a start."


    The two of them remained silent for a while when Niera suddenly asked. "I am sorry but I need to ask you this. Is this why you brought me here? You needed another person to activate the settlement core? Is that why you saved me and carried me here?"


    "Yes." Kaden bluntly answered.


    Niera looked startled for a moment and then she nodded silently.


    "Do you resent me for it?" Kaden asked. Perhaps he should have lied but he did not want her to have any delusions about this new world they were going to live in.


    Surprisingly, she shook her head. "No. It¡¯s the opposite. I am glad. Now I know you don¡¯t have any other ulterior motive. I would rather be with someone like you than someone who promises me everything only to turn on me the next second and try to take advantage of me."

 Chapter 83 - 84: Job offer

    Kaden¡¯s face softened at her words, and he let out a quiet sigh. "I¡¯m glad," he said. "It means a lot to hear that." He paused, studying her expression. "I know it sounds harsh, but in this world, we have to do what we can to survive¡ªand sometimes that means making choices we¡¯d rather not have to make."


    Niera nodded slowly. "I get it. I really do. If you leave me here by myself, I won¡¯t hold that against you," she added. "And I trust you, Kaden. For what it¡¯s worth."


    Kaden offered a small smile. "You don¡¯t have to worry. I am not planning to leave this place any time soon. I mean, I would probably leave for some time, but I will always come back. This will be my base of operations for a few months, at least. And if you are interested, there is a way you can become stronger and also help me out in the process."


    "I will do anything to become stronger like you. Please tell me." Niera¡¯s eyes widened, and she listened carefully.


    Kaden leaned back and looked up at the sky. If one observed carefully, there was already a sort of shimmer starting to build around them. "In a few minutes, there will be a barrier erected around this place. The borders of the starting settlement zone will be marked, and the settlement core catalyze will become fully active."


    He paused, his eyes tracing the slow, steady spread of the emerald light along the treeline. "Once that happens, the safe zone will be fully established. That barrier will protect us from wandering beasts and whatever else lurks out there for a while."


    Niera listened intently, her eyes wide with anticipation and a hint of nervous excitement. "And what about becoming stronger?" she asked. "How do I do that?"


    Kaden turned his gaze back to her. "Well, the settlement needs a owner and a manager. For certain reasons, I am going to become the owner, and if you want, you can temporarily take the role of the manager."


    "I¡­" Niera was shocked.


    "Being the owner means I have ultimate control over how the settlement runs¡ªI handle the big decisions, like defending our space and managing our resources. But a good settlement needs more than just one person."


    "I want you to take on the role of manager, at least until we have more survivors to help out. That means you¡¯ll help keep things organized, especially when more survivors start to trickle in. There will be all sorts of issues like people trying to dominate, take over, or exploit others. I do not have time to deal with these kinds of petty things."


    "This might sound like a big responsibility, but it is really not. After all, you will have me to back you up for whatever you need. Just don¡¯t make it a point to call me for every little thing. Do you understand what I am trying to say?"


    Niera nodded.


    "And I think there is an associated class for the manager along with a Lordship title. I am not sure what your current class is, but a settlement Lord class is a rare tier class, and with enough development, it could even become an epic tier class."


    Kaden continued, his tone steady and reassuring. "That will make you extremely strong¡ªif you¡¯re willing to put in the work. It¡¯s not magic that does it all; it¡¯s dedication, training, and a clear mind. With the settlement core¡¯s energy and your efforts, you¡¯ll start to see changes."


    Niera nodded and remained silent. Her current class was a mage class. At first, she was excited, but she couldn¡¯t stomach actual combat. She just did not have what it took to stand against a beast like that bear and fight it. She was too weak for that. This sort of manager task she could do it. But what if she couldn¡¯t?


    She clutched her hands nervously and shook her head. "I am sorry. This seems¡­ this seems very important to just hand it away to someone like me. I am not an over-achieving person. Even before all of this, I was just a software developer. How can I do something like this? I will let you down. I will mess something up. You will regret ever having saved me."


    Kaden¡¯s eyes softened even more at her words, and he took a slow breath before replying. "Niera, listen¡ªI¡¯ve been through a lot of tough choices, and I know what it¡¯s like to feel like you¡¯re not enough." He paused, letting the weight of his own experiences settle between them. "Your past doesn¡¯t define you, and this world isn¡¯t about being the perfect fighter. It¡¯s about surviving and growing stronger in your own way."


    Kaden rested his hand briefly on hers. "I¡¯m not asking for perfection, Niera. I just need someone who can help hold this place together until we have more survivors. And I truly believe you can do it. And if you ever feel overwhelmed, I¡¯ll be right here to help you through it."


    Niera looked at him, her eyes shimmering with uncertainty and hope all at once. "Do you really think I can manage this?"


    Kaden nodded firmly. "I do. We all start somewhere. Sometimes, the best leaders are the ones who have been at their lowest point and still managed to stand up again." He squeezed her hand gently before releasing it. "So, what do you say? Will you try?"


    There was a long pause as Niera searched his face, the vulnerability in her eyes slowly giving way to a tentative resolve. Finally, she exhaled and nodded. "I¡ªI¡¯ll try. I won¡¯t let you down," she promised softly.


    "Good," Kaden replied with a small, encouraging smile. "Then we start by securing this settlement. You can leave that up to me. For the next several minutes, beasts are going to be coming in here one after another. Don¡¯t worry about anything. Just stand near that core, and I will protect you both." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 84 - 85: Settlement Core is Fully Active

    The next several minutes felt like hell as Niera stared at the absolute worst situation unfolding right before her eyes. One after another, horrendous beasts started to emerge from the shadows. Some looked vaguely like oversized wolves or bears, but most were so twisted and monstrous that she couldn¡¯t even guess what kind of wild animal they might have once been.


    However, none of these beasts could even come near her or the settlement core. Kaden single-handedly took care of all of them.


    Every time a beast lunged, he intercepted it with swift, decisive blows. His overwhelming strength was indomitable and the monstrous beasts stood no chance. They might as well have been cats and dogs being thrashed around by the king of the jungle.


    Niera¡¯s mind reeled as she tried to comprehend the nightmare before her¡ªeach new beast more hideous than the last, a living reminder of how savage the world had become.


    And yet they all died to the man in front of her.


    Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at once as Kaden fought tirelessly, never giving an inch. His determined eyes met Niera¡¯s every so often, silently reassuring her that he would not let these creatures tear them apart.


    As the assault wore on, the beasts gradually began to thin out, and after two whole hours the assault finally ended.


    Kaden turned around grinning ear to ear. "We are done. I think." He pointed to the pile of beast corpses on the side. "Two days worth of food. Jackpot."


    Niera¡¯s weak smile tugged at her lips. "Only two days?" she repeated, her tone both incredulous and relieved.


    Kaden chuckled lightly, wiping a smear of dark blood from his torn sleeve. "Seems like it," he replied with a shrug. "Not bad, huh? For a couple of hours of hard work, we got ourselves a decent haul and we are done setting up the settlement core. Sweet."


    Niera nodded, her gaze shifting between the fallen beasts and Kaden¡¯s unwavering presence. Despite the horror she¡¯d witnessed, a glimmer of hope had started to return¡ªa fragile promise that maybe, just maybe, things could get better.


    "Thank you, Kaden," she said softly, almost in awe. "For protecting us¡­ for doing all that."


    Kaden waved her off with a half-smile and then focused on the system interface screen that popped up in front of him. The screen displayed several options: "Assign Settlement Roles," "Manage Resources," "Scan for Survivors," and "Research Catalyst Upgrades."


    He tapped on "Assign Settlement Roles." A prompt appeared asking, "Select Manager Candidate." His eyes flicked to Niera, who sat a few steps away, still watching the clearing with a mix of awe and exhaustion.


    "You¡¯re up, Niera," he said softly. "As we discussed, you¡¯ll be our manager for now. This means you¡¯ll help keep everything organized and make sure the safe zone stays secure until we get more survivors in."


    Niera looked startled for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Okay," she murmured, still a bit overwhelmed.


    Kaden confirmed the selection. "Settlement Manager: Niera," the screen flashed, and another message appeared: "Settlement Core is Fully Active. Safe Zone Established."


    He leaned back, satisfied for a moment. "Alright," he said, looking around at the freshly secured area with a grin. "We¡¯ve got food for two days, a safe zone, and a manager. Not bad, huh?"


    Niera offered a weak smile in return. "It¡¯s a start," she agreed. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden then tapped the "Scan for Survivors" option. The system began to search the surrounding forest. "I¡¯m hoping there are more people out there," he murmured, watching the progress bar slowly fill up. "The more we have, the stronger we can make this settlement."


    A moment later, the screen beeped with a notification: "Survivor Detected: 3 individuals, approximately 10 km away."


    Kaden¡¯s eyes lit up. "Looks like we¡¯ve got some company," he said, his tone brightening. "Once you¡¯re ready, we can head out and see if we can bring them in. The more people we have, the sooner we can start upgrading the settlement and setting up other things."


    "Ah¡­" Niera was unsure what her role in this would be.


    "You have to do the talking and convince them. I am not really good with words. Also I am stark naked. Feel free to sing praises of me and convince them somehow." He laughed awkwardly. He knew they probably did not need much convincing.


    Normally, he wouldn¡¯t bother with these things but hey desperate times called for desperate measures. He needed the system shop asap so he had to resort to these kinds of things. It would be good if they came willingly but he was prepared to gag and bind them and drag them here as another option.


    The two of them left the settlement core and started walking in the direction of the three targets. "This area is quite far away from our beginning tutorial area. These people must be coming from somewhere else."


    "That is good news. Maybe we will find more people." Niera chimed in.


    "Ya." Kaden nodded, though he wasn¡¯t too optimistic about the number of survivors.


    When the first world summit had gathered, they had taken a toll of the survivors and less than one-tenth of the original population had survived.


    There were a lot of casualties and not all of them were killed by beasts. Beasts tended to seclude themselves to their territory. It was the humans who became more dangerous in the end.


    Kaden shook his head thinking of the events that were about to unfold. He couldn¡¯t possibly change all of those events but he was sure as hell going to pay a personal visit to some of them.


    Deeply engrossed in his thoughts he picked up Niera all of a sudden without warning her which resulted in the poor woman screaming slightly.


    The next second she calmed down with an embarrassed smile as she closed her eyes and savored the thrill of travelling at a speed she couldn¡¯t possibly imagine.


    There was now a safe zone. New people were joining them. Things were happening and she was finally starting to feel normal again.

 Chapter 85 - 86: Rank 2 upgrade

    Nope. Nothing was ever going to be normal.


    Niera stared blankly at the three men who were bound and tied up with thick, twisting roots. Their eyes were wide with terror and resignation, their faces marred by dirt and fresh wounds.


    One of the men, a short fellow with tangled hair and a deep cut along his cheek, whimpered, "Please¡­ let us go," his voice trembling with fear.


    Maybe if it was the Niera of the past, she would have believed the words of the man naively, but now she knew better. "I am sorry." She firmly replied before focusing back on the system interface and going through various tasks for the settlement management.


    Things like taking inventory of all the meat they had and storing them in the settlement¡¯s storage space gave her experience points, and she was inching towards another level up. Then there was water. Also, there was the part where she had to input the details of the citizens.


    She had already entered her details. She needed to record these three citizens in front of her. "Tell me about yourself. What class did you choose?"


    "Huh? I chose a warrior class." The short man spat out in anger.


    Niera shook her head. "I hope for your sake you¡¯re telling the truth," she said sharply, her fingers flying over the system interface as she recorded the data. "Kaden should be returning soon. Make sure your details are accurate."


    The short man scowled, his eyes darting nervously as he replied, "Warrior class. I¡¯m a fighter¡ªwhat else would I be?" His tone dripped with defiance but also fear.


    Niera sighed, tapping a few more commands into the system. "You¡¯d better be if you want to survive out here. We¡¯re not exactly living in a fairytale anymore." The soft hum of the settlement core filled the background as she moved to the next entry.


    A second captive, a lanky fellow with bruises along his arms, mumbled something unintelligible about being a "mage." Niera raised an eyebrow and pressed the prompt for clarification. "Mage? Are you sure?" she asked.


    The man hesitated before finally admitting, "Yeah, mage. I¡ªI chose that." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She logged his details and moved on to the third captive. A burly man with a scar running down his cheek grunted, "I¡¯m a hunter. That¡¯s all there is to it." Niera recorded his information, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment before he looked away.


    Once the entries were complete, the system confirmed, "Citizen Data Recorded. Settlement Population: 3." Niera leaned back with a sigh. This was not how she imagined the first three citizens would join.


    In fact, when Kaden suggested he had a shortcut to check what sort of men these were, she was very confused. But she now understood the reason he had used her as bait. In just a few seconds, everything they needed to know about them was out in the open.


    Niera gave the trio another glance before she continued fiddling with the interface. There were all sorts of things the settlement core could do. For instance, fortify the barrier in case of an emergency.


    They can do things like unlock achievements to erect new buildings and so on. She quickly took a look at those achievements to see if she could help in any, only to smile wryly the next moment.


    Yup, this was above her paycheck. She swiped it away and focused on things that she was able to handle.


    Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed in the clearing. Niera looked up, her heart skipping a beat. Kaden was returning, his silhouette emerging from the darkening forest as he strode confidently toward the safe zone.


    "Did these three give you any trouble?"


    "No. Nothing." Niera weakly smiled.


    "Good then." Kaden only gave a casual glance, but the three trembled and shook.


    "Ummm¡­ Mister Kaden, five more survivors are coming our way." A sudden notification popped up, and Niera almost jumped up in excitement. She could only hope that things would take a better turn this time around.


    Kaden shared her sentiment, and the two of them enacted the same plan as before, sending Niera first as bait. Thankfully, this time they came across a family of three. A man, a woman, and a small child.


    They became overjoyed on seeing Niera and asked her, no begged her, if there was any survivor camp nearby. Niera then called over Kaden, who invited the three to stay with them. A wolf wandered into this meeting, making everything very simple.


    After a quick demonstration of Kaden¡¯s strength, the family had no qualms about staying in the safe zone. The rest of the day continued in this fashion, and by the time the night set in, they had a total of twenty-four voluntary recruits and six kidnapped recruits.


    "This should be enough." Kaden licked his lips. "Everyone be prepared. We are going to upgrade the settlement to a rank 2 settlement."


    The gathered people had no idea what was happening. Most of them were sitting still and silent, not knowing if they had made a good decision or not. Kaden looked trustworthy enough, but then again, in this mad world, who could really be trusted?


    Everyone looked around wondering what this upgrade was going to entail when suddenly a pillar of light shot up before disappearing. The settlement core that was lying on the floor now floated in the air without any other support.


    Nothing except that really changed, which was very confusing.


    "You guys should come to the core one by one and touch it. There are a lot of things you can do. You can choose a secondary profession apart from your main class. You can change your class itself. For example, from a combat to a non-combat class."


    "Stand in a line, take turns, and rewrite your future." Kaden waited, but no one really came up. It seemed like everyone was hesitating. Finally, a middle-aged man mumbled something and stepped forward. "Do you think I can be an architect? I was one before the world ended, and I would like to be one in the new world."

 Chapter 86 - 87: Power leveling

    "Okay." Kaden nodded. "Take your turn and see what you get." He signaled for the man to touch the core and stepped away. A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd.


    The man took a deep breath and approached the floating core. His hands trembled as he reached out and gently touched its surface. In that instant, a warm surge of energy pulsed through him, and his eyes widened in astonishment as a new system interface popped up.


    "I changed! It allowed me to switch classes! I can build houses now, and I also have an attack skill. This is amazing!"


    The man then turned toward Kaden. "I am Timothy. Thank you. Thank you so much for giving me this chance. I will start building houses immediately. You will not be disappointed. All of us will have houses soon, a place to live like before!"


    A buzz of astonishment passed through the crowd. Some people exchanged glances, their expressions lighting up with hope.


    Kaden smiled. "That¡¯s the power of the catalyst," he said softly. "Each one of you has the chance to redefine your future. Make good decisions because this is the last chance you will get. There will be no more do-overs."


    "Non-combat classes can also level up and become stronger, so if you do not prefer direct combat, don¡¯t hesitate to pick something else. Good luck, everyone." He quickly spoke and walked away.


    Niera glanced at the others and ran behind him. "Umm¡­ don¡¯t you want to say anything more? Many still look confused. Would it be better if you stood with them and helped them choose something?"


    Kaden scratched his head. "Ughhh. This is why you are here. Besides, it¡¯s not like I can hold their hands and pick for them. They need to figure this out themselves."


    Niera could only watch helplessly as Kaden once again disappeared. What was he doing, she wondered. She did not have to wonder for long when he returned with a few more beast corpses.


    She looked at him dumbfoundedly. Or, more specifically, she looked at the beast hide that now covered his body. He had worn it like a towel. "Did anyone pick a tailoring profession yet?"


    "No, I haven¡¯t seen anyone pick that out yet." Niera shook her head.


    "Well, in case of situations like this, you are free to authorize extra rewards for anyone choosing that profession. You should promise them bonus coins or something."


    "Coins?"


    "Ya, soon we will have coins and a shop. A lot is going to change."


    Kaden did not want to stand around and explain everything. He had very little time, and he needed this to go faster. "Alright, send people with me. Any combat profession is fine."


    Niera nodded and quickly ran back to the gathering. After a few minutes, she returned with ten hesitant looking men and women: 6 men and four women.


    "Follow me. I am going to help you all level up a little."


    The group looked perplexed. Niera looked shocked. They had thought that he was asking for more manpower for something like cutting the meat or cooking, but this was unbelievable.


    At first, everyone seemed reluctant¡ªsome even started to cough and complain of flu-like symptoms¡ªbut then everything changed when the group encountered their first wild wolf. The creature emerged from the underbrush, its eyes glinting in the fading light, and a low growl emanated from deep within its throat.


    Before anyone could react, Kaden acted. In a swift motion, he invoked Nature¡¯s Grasp, and thick, twisting vines erupted from the forest floor, ensnaring the wolf and pinning it to the ground. The beast struggled and snarled, but the vines held it fast.


    "Alright, listen up!" Kaden barked, his voice echoing over the hushed crowd. "I need one of you to finish this off. Step forward and take care of it."


    For a tense moment, the survivors exchanged hesitant glances. Then, one of the younger men stepped forward. He was around Kaden¡¯s age. "I am Joseph. I¡¯ll do it," he said, his voice wavering but resolute. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden nodded approvingly. "Good. Now, move in carefully and make sure you do it cleanly," he instructed. Joseph crept toward the restrained wolf, gripping a knife that he had with him before getting here.


    With a deep breath, he lunged and started stabbing the wolf madly. The wolf let out one final, pained howl before going limp, its struggle finally over. "I leveled up!" Joseph exclaimed in shock.


    "Good. This is what we will be doing for the rest of the day. Are you all up for it?"


    The group nodded in unison¡ªif not eagerly, then at least without protest¡ªeach of them silently cursing their own hesitance and regret for nearly missing out on an opportunity to level up. Joseph, still flushed with adrenaline, puffed out his chest. "I am ready, Sir."


    "Alright," Kaden continued, "we¡¯re going to work on our combat skills. Every one of you will get a chance to practice and gain experience. The better you get, the more you can protect yourselves in this new world."


    "Is everyone ready? We are walking into a wolf pack territory. Be alert and aware." Though Kaden warned, there was no real danger as he immediately started trapping all the wolves one after the other the moment the beasts showed up.


    In the blink of an eye, the entire wolf pack was finished, and five out of ten had leveled up. "It¡¯s faster now, but we need more speed." Kaden clicked his tongue and opened his system map. This was his first settlement location in his last life as well, so he knew a few places around the camp.


    "Let¡¯s go to the snake pit. Yup, that should do the trick."


    The words "snake pit" hung in the air, and a murmur of uncertainty rippled through the group. Some of the survivors exchanged uneasy glances, their faces etched with worry and hesitation. But Kaden wasn¡¯t interested in their doubts¡ªhe was focused on one thing: getting these people to level 15 by the end of the day.


    "Listen up!" Kaden barked, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "We¡¯re moving to the snake pit for further training. Those who choose combat skills need to get faster, more agile, and more precise. This is your chance to push yourselves. Follow me, and don¡¯t slow down!"

 Chapter 87 - 88: She hates you

    By the time the group returned to the survivor¡¯s camp, the ten faces had a look of shock and horror. They had all become a lot stronger now, but they also understood the power of the man standing in front of them. They had literally watched him squeeze the life out of a dozen snakes with just his bare hands and no other weapon.


    Someone like this could probably do whatever he wanted with them? Were they really safe?


    Kaden didn¡¯t really care what these people thought. He was done babysitting, and he didn¡¯t have to do something like this again. He ignored the eyes on him as the group walked back into the small camp, soaked and caked in blood. Only Kaden looked clean, as if he had simply taken a walk in the park.


    He walked over to the settlement core and started tinkering with it.


    Niera looked at the others awkwardly and signaled them to keep quiet. She knew a little bit about everyone, and it was easier for her to manage the crowd. Mainly, she did not want anyone to disturb Kaden.


    Kaden only walked away from the interface after a few more minutes. "This sucks. This is going to take at least three days to set up. Only then I can open the shop." He silently sat down under a tree in deep thought.


    After some time, Niera approached him hesitantly. "Ummm¡­ I need to ask your permission for something."


    "Hmmm?" Kaden raised a brow.


    "Can I share some of the beast meat with the survivors?"


    Kaden let out an exasperated chuckle and waved a dismissive hand. "Ughh. Sure. You don¡¯t have to ask me these things."


    Niera smiled. "Thank you. This is the first night, I am feeling somewhat normal. We have a safe zone, and we have food to eat. Thank you so much."


    Kaden grunted. "Ya, okay." He shifted, leaning against the rough bark of the tree. "By the way, ¡¯safe zone¡¯ is a relative term. We¡¯re a bunch of huddled humans in a world that clearly wants us dead. We¡¯re just a slightly harder target now."


    Niera¡¯s smile faltered slightly, but she didn¡¯t let it disappear. She knew Kaden¡¯s words were harsh because he knew better. "Even so," she said softly, "it¡¯s better than nothing. And for many of them, it¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve felt any semblance of hope in a long time."


    She turned and began organizing the distribution of the meat, her movements efficient and more confident. There was a fire mage in the group who took the role of roasting the meat. There were also a couple of elderly women who had taken up cooking as their primary class.


    Soon, the air filled with the savory aroma of roasting flesh. No one dared to approach Kaden, who was sitting alone, but the tension in the air eased, and everyone exchanged their stories while eating under the bright moonlight.


    Kaden did not bother joining in. He closed his eyes, his mind racing, trying to anticipate the challenges that lay ahead. The three days needed to set up the shop felt like an eternity. He had to prepare them. He had to prepare himself.


    The sounds of the camp faded into a distant hum, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the chirping of insects. He was alone, even in the midst of the crowd, a solitary figure in a world that was rapidly changing.


    And he knew, with a chilling certainty, that the changes were only just beginning. Things were going to get so much worse once the final barriers were released and the world completely finished evolving. Then, humans and beasts won¡¯t be the only things they would have to worry about.


    These three days were too precious to simply waste it all on babysitting or something. He didn¡¯t have to do anything else to open the system shop. The settlement had to be rank 2, had to have at least ten level 15 and above, and had to be active for at least 3 days. These were the criteria.


    "I should just finish the rest of my quests." Kaden made a decision. He wanted to get all of his quests out of the way, and when he finally found the bloodline catalyst, he would maybe once and for all deal with this bloodline issue without any other problems cropping up.


    While he was silently making the plans, Niera grabbed a plate and walked over to him. "Hi, I brought this for you."


    Kaden looked up to see Niera holding a big slab of meat awkwardly. "Thanks, Niera," he said quietly, setting aside his plans for a moment. He took the meat from her and inspected it briefly, nodding in approval. "It looks good. I appreciate it."


    Niera nervously gulped. "There is something I wanted to ask you or rather tell you."


    "Hmmm?" Kaden raised a brow.


    "About the priestess¡­" Niera started, and Kaden immediately turned to look at her. Seeing his reaction, she quickly corrected herself. "I still don¡¯t know where she is or how she is. I just¡­ wanted to say something else. I¡­ she.." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It¡¯s ok. Speak freely. I don¡¯t mind."


    "The priestess doesn¡¯t exactly¡­ I mean, she is not a fan of you."


    "What?" Kaden was confused.


    "She hates you. She hates you a lot. She thinks you are the reason her fiance and her brother are dead."


    "What?"


    "She also thinks you are the reason that most in the survivor camp died."


    Kaden remained silent for a second, looking down.


    "Sorry. I did not mean to upset you. I just wanted to tell you this because the next time you meet her, she might not exactly be friendly, and I didn¡¯t want you to be blindsided."


    "Thank you." Kaden smiled. "I will keep that in mind." He continued to eat the meat. "This is cooked quite well. Who did it?"


    Niera pointed to a woman. It was a mom with a small child. "Tell her to cook more like this and improve her skills. I get very hungry, and I need a lot of meat."

 Chapter 88 - 89: Secret of the Bone Pit

    Kaden didn¡¯t stick around at camp any longer. He had three days to burn, and he wasn¡¯t about to waste any time. After devouring ten more steaks like there was no tomorrow, he bolted back toward the Bone Pit.


    Now that the settlement core was up and running, he didn¡¯t need to leave his prized stuff lying around in the middle of nowhere. There was a vault option¡ªperfect for keeping his loot safe. Everything was coming together, except for one thing: his items needed to be still buried right where he¡¯d left them.


    Kaden was more nervous than he thought he would be. Perhaps he should have tied them up in a bundle and dragged it along with him. Right, why did he not do that? It was stupid to be so confident about that miasma.


    He cursed himself for not thinking things through as he moved through the forest like a beast in the darkness. He gritted his teeth, swallowing down the frustration. "No more mistakes," he silently repeated to himself. The future depended on every piece of his gear and on him fixing his oversight before it was too late.


    Soon, he arrived at the Bone Pit, and Kaden descended the steep rocks like a maniac, hurriedly scurrying down the height. He jumped down the last part without having the patience to finish his descent. He dashed towards the corner and waved away the miasma.


    Finally, he saw the bundle of roots, thorns, and twigs in the corner. The same bundle he had left. He immediately ran to it and cut through the mess. There it was. His dragon scales, dragon blood crystals, his abyssal shard, and his undead bones. Everything was intact.


    Only now he was able to let out a shaky breath of relief. He quickly used the hide he had brought along with him and transferred everything to the beast hide, neatly packing it all up. He let out another breath and prepared to get the hell out of here when he suddenly stopped.


    His gaze wandered to the thick foggy miasma that swirled all around. It was thanks to this miasma that he was able to get back what he had left here. In his hurry to set up the system shop and get the first achievement for the settlement core, he had left his belongings here.


    Thankfully, the miasma did the job, and everything was intact. Kaden paused for a moment. He hadn¡¯t thought about this before, but now it struck him. Why was the miasma still so strong? The tiger was already dead. Shouldn¡¯t this be dissipating?


    In fact, the miasma was not at all something normal. It had a poison and decay element to it. He was only able to withstand it because of his poison resistance. Otherwise, he would be in a weakened state by now.


    He looked around, more carefully this time, and saw that there was a narrow path leading further downward, hidden behind a tangle of twisted roots and jagged rocks. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He dropped his bundle back on the ground and decided to take a look first before heading out. Surprisingly, the further he went, the thicker the fog became until it was almost as if the miasma were trying to swallow him whole. But Kaden pushed through, now more curious than ever.


    Was there a source for this miasma?


    As he pushed through the dense haze, all of a sudden, his feet touched solid ground, and he was standing in an entrance to an underground cave. The miasma was much stronger inside, and as proof, he even received a notification.


    [Ding! You are poisoned. Health reduced by half.]


    [Ding! A decay effect has been activated]


    [Ding! Critical Health]


    Kaden snapped out of his trance in an instant, and the next second, he scrambled back up to the surface. If he remained down there even a second longer, he was going to be dead. What the hell was down there anyway?


    He quietly sat down and healed himself a little before grabbing his loot pile and getting the hell out of there for a second time. There was definitely something down there. Perhaps that something might have even helped the tiger become so powerful.


    But now was not the time for him to analyze that. He was simply not strong enough for that. This would have to wait a little longer.


    Deep in his thoughts, Kaden rushed back to the camp. Not so surprisingly, most of the group was asleep, tonight probably being the first night in a while where they all slept a little. A few eyes were still glued onto him, but no one dared to approach him on their own.


    Kaden did not mind. He preferred it that way. He quickly opened the settlement vault and tossed the items inside. Niera rushed over to him to see if he needed something, but he shook his head.


    "Just take a break. I will be away to do some things for a couple of days. I suggest that you do not let anyone inside if you are not comfortable with them. You are in charge here, don¡¯t forget that. If anyone asks, tell them that I am nearby. That should be enough to scare them for the time being."


    Ideally, Kaden would have preferred to wait at least until he added a few more people to the group, people that he knew and trusted. However, those people would only show up in two weeks time, and if he did not do everything right, he might not even be alive after those two weeks. So, he did not care about this first attempt at a settlement all that much.


    The core was activated, and things were in motion. That was all that mattered for the time being. In two days, the shop would open and he would be ready for it.


    He took one more look at the settlement and then prepared to leave the safety zone again. He already had a place in mind to start working on his first quest.

 Chapter 89 - 90: Keep the perks coming

    Kaden was in his raven form as he soared through the sky, the wind slicing past his wings. The world below sprawled out endlessly, but Kaden¡¯s gaze was currently fixated on the mountains underneath.


    He decided to tackle one of the quests, and he had two spots in mind for this quest. The first was the Bone Pit with the miasma. He could technically use that hostile environment to push himself and his body, but there was another unstable mana zone and extreme environment he had in mind.


    A volcano with rivers of molten fire, a place known as the Emberforge Abyss, where the very air shimmered with heat and raw arcane energy. This was both a good place to train and also grind a few levels.


    Ultimately, levels gave him the raw strength he needed and he needed to keep the momentum going. Somewhere between level 30 and level 40, he would have enough mana to form a quasi-core and that would give him the next power bump.


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    Soon he reached the area. Kaden circled closer, scanning the twisted landscape of molten rock and crystalline formations. Glowing lava veins spread like fiery scars across obsidian cliffs.


    Kaden dipped lower, folding his raven wings back as he spiraled rapidly toward the molten landscape below. The world blurred into swirls of heat and color, the Emberforge Abyss looming closer, vivid lava flows pulsing like veins beneath him.


    He shifted into his human form mid-descent, the familiar rush of adrenaline surging through his chest as he plummeted the last mile toward the jagged ground. Wind tore past his face, and he grinned wildly¡ªthe feeling of free-falling was a thrill he¡¯d never tire of.


    He landed with an explosive thud, kicking up obsidian dust and tiny sparks from beneath his feet. Instantly, the air around him shimmered with intense heat. He braced himself, fully expecting to be scorched, sweat pouring down within moments.


    Yet the burning sensation never came. Instead, a comfortable warmth surrounded him, like stepping into sunlight rather than a volcanic furnace. Confusion rippled through him; was his memory of this place exaggerated, or had something genuinely changed? S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The answer pinged into his consciousness almost immediately, accompanied by the satisfying sound of a notification.


    [Ding! You have acquired Lesser Fire Resistance.]


    Kaden laughed out loud, shaking his head in amazement. He was pretty sure he needed to thank his mutated bloodline for this. First, it was the Poison Resistance and now it was the Fire Resistance.


    It looked like his mutated bloodline was not just for show. Having part dragon inside was a gift that kept on giving.


    Kaden glanced around, taking in the surreal landscape of the Emberforge Abyss. Streams of lava coursed lazily through deep channels carved into dark obsidian rock, and glowing crystal spires erupted from the ground like fiery sentinels.


    Taking a step forward, he could already sense the chaotic mana currents swirling thickly in the air, saturating every breath he took. His mana pathways tingled pleasantly, eager and responsive, almost like they recognized this chaotic power and longed to absorb it.


    He grinned, rolling his shoulders, flexing his fingers. If his dragon heritage had unlocked fire resistance, perhaps it could also enhance his ability to harness the abundant mana here.


    He moved deeper into the volcanic region when he came across the first native of the region. A low, guttural growl echoed from behind a cluster of molten rocks, followed by the clinking scrape of claws on hardened lava.


    From the shadows emerged a fiery salamander-like creature, its scales glowing red-hot, eyes burning with aggression. The creature looked fierce with molten scales glowing fiercely like heated iron, sparks dripping from its body, sizzling softly as they touched the obsidian floor.


    A smile spread across Kaden¡¯s face, daring the salamander forward. "Come on, buddy," he called out, voice echoing off volcanic rock. "I need you to help me level up."


    The salamander lunged with startling speed, leaving trails of sparks in its wake. Kaden dodged to the side, feeling the searing heat ripple past him¡ªclose enough to feel, yet harmless thanks to his newfound fire resistance.


    Spinning smoothly, he conjured a thorn spear. Without hesitation, he hurled it forward, aiming directly at the salamander¡¯s glowing chest. The creature snarled and twisted sideways, sparks scattering as the thorn spear grazed its flank, leaving a deep, sizzling gash that oozed molten blood onto the obsidian floor.


    Roaring furiously, the salamander recoiled before snapping around to face him again, its heated scales blazing even brighter as it readied itself for another attack. However, Kaden did not intend on wasting time here.


    He immediately case a [Sanguine Roots] and arrested the beast in place. As it thrashed widly, thorns and roots catching fire, Kaden darted forward and punched the creature right on its head. Surprisingly, his punch was a lot more effective than his thorn spear. Two punches were enough to put the thing out of misery.


    [Ding! You have killed a Emberforge Salamander]


    "I need a better weapon or a higher-tier skill." His raw stats were so high that the simple thorn spear was no longer able to keep up. He either needed to upgrade the skill to a higher-tiered skill, if that was even possible or get a better weapon.


    The former was difficult because not all skills could simply be upgraded. Ultimately a thorn spear had an upper limit to how strong it could be. The latter was equally difficult. Blacksmiths and weaponsmiths were rare talents and getting one to make a weapon for you was a very expensive process.


    Kaden shook his head, deciding to worry about this later. He needed to address the ticking time bomb that was his bloodline first. Everything else had to wait.


    He glanced at the defeated salamander, molten blood seeping into the obsidian, slowly cooling into a dark crust. He dug around his head to make sure it did not have a quasi-core lying around and then continued with his run forward.


    This area was full of E-rank and D-rank beasts and it was time to see how far he could push himself.

 Chapter 90 - 91: Inner region

    Kaden ventured deeper into the Emberforge Abyss, each step taking him further into the raw, chaotic heart of the volcano. The mana here wasn¡¯t just abundant; it pulsed fiercely, crackling with untamed energy that stirred his blood. But his fire resistance was still working so he continued moving forward.


    Within minutes, he spotted another beast¡ªa cluster of molten crabs scuttling aggressively across sizzling rocks. These crabs were bigger than their normal counterparts. Their armored shells glowed red and orange, casting angry shadows across the volcanic terrain.


    Without hesitating, Kaden leaped forward, mana swirling around him. He slammed his fist downward, shattering a crab¡¯s hardened shell in a single punch, the heat splashing harmlessly across his skin.


    Another charged him from the side, snapping its fiery claws furiously. Kaden sidestepped smoothly, effortlessly grabbing one claw and wrenching it aside before smashing the creature into the obsidian ground. Notifications rang out one after another, a symphony to his ears as experience piled up. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Molten Crab]


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Molten Crab]


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Molten Crab]


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Molten Crab]


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Molten Crab]


    And yet no level up notification. Kaden let out a sigh and continued the grind. Leveling up for him was a little difficult now but he couldn¡¯t complain considering the other benefits his bloodline brought him.


    He continued running around the fiery terrain. He came across a few more crabs and salamanders and by the time he was done with the outer region, he ended up grabbing a level.


    "Not bad." Kaden clicked his tongue as he eyed the inner region of the volcanic terrain. He was so much more closer to the main volcanic mountain now which shot up like a spire in the distance, a spire spitting out hot molten lava continuously.


    In his past life there was a theory that this mountain alone was going to bring the doom of this continent, the unstoppable lava eventually consuming the land around it, transforming fertile plains into an ashen wasteland.


    Kaden remembered the debates vividly¡ªmages arguing endlessly about when, not if, the Emberforge Abyss would erupt violently enough to trigger widespread catastrophe. Yet, here he was, willingly stepping closer to the very heart of that potential apocalypse. The irony wasn¡¯t lost on him, and it sparked a grim smile across his face.


    As he reached the threshold separating the outer region from the inner volcanic ring, the ground beneath his feet shook violently. Mana surged wildly, and the air itself seemed to distort from the extreme heat radiating from the towering volcanic spire ahead.


    Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed outward. A crack appeared on the nearby mountain and it looked like a part of the mountain itself was moving but Kaden was already familiar with this type of monster. A lava-earth mixed golem.


    The creature slowly detached itself from the mountainside, its limbs cracking away from layers of molten stone. Streams of glowing lava cascaded down its rugged body, sizzling as they splashed onto the obsidian floor.


    The air around it rippled violently, distorting from the immense heat and volatile mana emanating from the golem. Its two eyes, like burning pits of magma, locked onto Kaden with a fierce intensity.


    Kaden gulped. Yes, he was familiar with this type of monster but in his last life he had only seen others battle it while he stood at a distance.


    The golem lunged forward, moving with shocking agility despite its hulking form, its fist slamming into the ground where Kaden had stood just moments ago. Shards of obsidian exploded upward, molten fragments scattering through the air like burning shrapnel.


    Kaden dodged fluidly launching himself behind the monster and punching it in the area where two rocks were connected together. This should be its weakest part.


    His fist slammed into the joint with tremendous force, sending cracks spiderwebbing across the golem¡¯s rocky hide. Yet, to his surprise, the creature barely flinched. Instead, it spun around quickly, a fiery arm sweeping toward him in retaliation.


    Kaden jumped backward, narrowly evading the blow, but the searing heat washed over him, causing his skin to sting despite his fire resistance. Now that he noticed he was finally starting to feel the heat of the surroundings.


    It was not enough to make him lose health but some sort of fatigue was slowly accumulating.


    "Damn, tougher than it looks," Kaden muttered, breathing heavily as he reassessed his approach. He¡¯d underestimated how dense and mana-infused the creature¡¯s body was. The lava also seemed capable of instantly healing all the damage and glueing together the parts.


    Plus he was pretty sure the damn thing was also getting an environmental boost. This was going to need a lot more than a single punch to take care of.


    Kaden dodged around the golem and started raining the stoneman with punches from all sides. In a matter of seconds, the entire thing was cracked on all sides. Its huge rocks became small stone particles held together by lava.


    "Almost there." He continued punching the damn thing and ten punches later, it finally collapsed. The entire golem exploded right on his face sending out lava and small molten rocks everywhere but Kaden was fast enough to back the hell away.


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    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Lava Golem]


    Kaden exhaled heavily, adrenaline still thrumming in his veins as he surveyed the molten wreckage scattered around him. The shattered remains of the golem steamed and hissed, slowly cooling into solidified obsidian chunks. He brushed a trail of soot from his face.


    His knuckles were glowing slightly, radiating residual heat from the punches, and a couple of blisters showed signs of popping out. "I guess I am starting here then." Kaden sat down on a relatively lava free area and started meditating.


    As he closed his eyes, he immediately felt the fierce mana of the Emberforge Abyss swirling around him, tugging aggressively at his senses. It was a struggle at first¡ªthe volcanic mana was wild, volatile, resistant to being harnessed¡ªbut as his breathing steadied, he gradually synchronized with its chaotic rhythm.

 Chapter 91 - 92: Lava snake

    [Ding! Your Fire Resistance has increased]


    Kaden opened his eyes after almost an hour of meditation, and checked out the new system message. "My fire resistance can be improved?" He raised a brow in surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected this. But that also meant¡­


    "I am not going to get my quest done in this zone." He had to move further inward.


    Kaden stood up and barely took a couple steps when once again rocks started breaking away. Two more golems appeared in front of him. "Alright. Bring it on."


    The two lava golems rose from the ground, molten veins pulsing with violent energy as obsidian fragments cascaded down their massive forms. Their blazing eyes glared fiercely at Kaden, challenging him to take even a single step closer. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without hesitation, Kaden lunged forward, weaving between the fiery blows that rained down on him. Each punch he threw landed precisely, shattering rock and scattering magma. The golems adapted quicker, sealing their wounds instantly with the molten lava flowing through their bodies.


    Kaden sidestepped as one golem slammed its massive fist into the ground, spraying molten stone in every direction. A scorching heat brushed past his cheek, narrowly avoided. The next second, his fist met the golem¡¯s chest, this time with enough explosive force that it blew a crater through the creature¡¯s torso, scattering rock and lava alike.


    The first golem collapsed, shattering to pieces before it could regenerate.


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Lava Golem]


    Without giving a break, the second golem was already on him. A giant fist grazed his shoulder, burning a sizzling mark into his flesh. Kaden grunted, ignoring the sharp sting, and spun to face the remaining creature head-on.


    "Let¡¯s finish this!"


    Kaden leaped upward, his body streaking through the blistering air. With a roar, he smashed down on the golem¡¯s head, obliterating it in a spectacular explosion of lava and stone shards.


    [Ding! You have killed E-rank Lava Golem]


    Shaking his head with a light chuckle, he kissed his fist and did a fist pump. He had an idiotic grin spread on his face but he did not care. Only someone at the rock bottom of utter desperation would understand his emotions. He still had a long way to go but he was loving what his body could do at the moment.


    "Enough celebrating," he said to himself, smirking faintly. He dusted off ash and obsidian fragments from his shoulders and resumed his path inward. He moved swiftly, deeper toward the heart of the Emberforge Abyss.


    In his last life, there were many rumors about what was inside these volcanoes that made them so devastating and powerful. They had the ability to lay waste to a whole continent. What could be inside them? Kaden wanted to find out.


    As he ventured deeper into the Emberforge Abyss, the terrain itself seemed to warp and twist under the relentless heat. Streams of molten lava flowed like rivers around him, bubbling ominously, while fiery geysers erupted intermittently, shooting scalding steam into the sulfur-filled air.


    Sweat dripped down his forehead, his body feeling heavier with each step.


    Maybe it was time to take another meditation break to allow his body to get used to the temperature. Kaden was not sure if he would be able to go all the way but as long as his extreme environment quest was complete he would be satisfied.


    Reaching the core of this thing would probably be a long term goal he would have to revisit sometime later.


    Kaden closed his eyes and breathed in and out in a relaxed manner. It was more difficult to do this here than the last zone but he was persisting. However, in just a few minutes, he jumped up abruptly as he felt a tremor beneath his feet.


    Kaden barely managed to leap back in time, landing on a jagged slab of blackened rock as the ground beneath him split apart. The stone cracked violently, glowing fissures forming beneath his feet before exploding outward in a fiery eruption.


    A searing gust of heat blasted against his skin, and he instinctively shielded his face as a massive serpentine head burst forth from the molten depths.


    The creature was huge, its body a twisted fusion of molten rock and flowing lava, obsidian scales gleaming red-hot like freshly forged metal. It reared up, lava dripping from its fanged maw, the very air around it shimmering from the sheer intensity of its heat.


    Kaden narrowed his eyes, tensing as the beast¡¯s slit-pupil eyes locked onto him with primal fury. "Of course it had to be a giant snake," he muttered, rolling his shoulders.


    The serpent lunged without warning, its massive body moving with impossible speed for something so huge. Kaden barely had time to react before he was forced to dodge, flipping backward as the serpent¡¯s mouth slammed into the ground where he had just stood.


    The impact sent another violent shockwave through the ground, cracks spreading like veins across the volcanic terrain.


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    Kaden tried to retaliate, summoning his Thorn Whip to lash at the beast¡¯s neck but the moment the vines made contact, they sizzled and burned to ash instantly.


    "What the¡ª" Kaden¡¯s eyes widened in frustration. He tried Sanguine Roots, hoping to bind the serpent in place, but the moment they emerged from the ground, the oppressive heat reduced them to embers before they could even take hold.


    Even Nature¡¯s Grasp wilted and disintegrated into nothing the instant it reached the lava-covered ground. All of his skills were completely useless. This had to be a peak E-grade beast and it definitely had a quasi-core.


    Kaden was sure of it. Only a quasi-core can give it such a big upperhand and the beast was using the terrain to its advantage. But wait, if a beast like this was roaming about in this zone, then what sorts of beasts occupied the innermost zones?


    Excitement and nervousness gripped him at the same time. He wanted to see just how far he could push himself today and it started with defeating this disgusting snake.

 Chapter 92 - 93: Come and chase me

    The serpent hissed, its body coiling menacingly, molten rock dripping from its scales as it prepared its next attack.


    Kaden gritted his teeth, sweat dripping from his forehead. His usual toolkit was completely useless here. His plant-based abilities simply couldn¡¯t survive the volcanic heat. Rock and fire were both bad for him, at least at the moment. If his skills had been upgraded, this maybe wouldn¡¯t be so difficult and one-sided.


    He clenched his fists. Fine. No tricks, then. Just brute force.


    His strength was still his greatest weapon¡ªbut getting close to the serpent was the real problem. The heat radiating from its body was so intense that even standing several feet away felt like standing next to a furnace. If he didn¡¯t figure something out fast, he¡¯d be roasted alive before he even got a punch in.


    The serpent lunged, and Kaden moved. The lava serpent roared, rearing back before slamming its massive tail toward him, sending a tidal wave of molten rock cascading in his direction.


    Kaden¡¯s mind raced. I need a way to close the distance without getting cooked alive.


    His eyes flickered toward the environment around him¡ªthe crumbling rock formations, the geysers spewing bursts of steam, and the scattered obsidian platforms floating atop the lava.


    Then it hit him.


    "I can¡¯t fight the heat¡ªbut I can outmaneuver it."


    A smirk tugged at the corner of Kaden¡¯s lips as a plan began to form. He cracked his knuckles, feeling the adrenaline surge through his veins.


    "Alright, big guy," he muttered, shifting into a stance. "Let¡¯s dance."


    With that, Kaden launched himself forward, zigzagging across the unstable terrain, dodging between steam vents and using the crumbling rock formations as makeshift footholds. He had to time this perfectly¡ªone wrong move and he¡¯d be plunging straight into the boiling lava.


    The serpent hissed again, sensing his movement. It lunged, but Kaden was already moving, pushing his body to the limit, every muscle straining as he darted across the battlefield.


    He wasn¡¯t going to let some overgrown rock-snake stop him now.


    He moved with precision, his body a blur as he dashed between eruptions of molten rock and scorching geysers. The heat clawed at his skin, the air itself burning his lungs, but he pushed forward.


    The lava serpent lashed out, snapping its colossal jaws just inches from his heels. He barely managed to roll aside, landing on a hot chunk of obsidian that sizzled beneath his weight.


    As long as he was stuck in the inner zone, he would be fighting the lava serpent when it was at its strongest, but if he could just kite the thing even to the outer region, everything would be a lot simpler.


    His brute strength could end this, but only if he could land a clean hit. As long as he was stuck on this ground, the serpent had the advantage. Its heat, its reach¡ªeverything about it made direct combat impossible.


    The serpent reared back, its body twisting as lava dripped from its scales. Kaden watched as its molten fangs pulsed with heat, fire pooling in its throat.


    It was about to breathe fire.


    Reacting on instinct, Kaden bolted toward one of the taller rock formations jutting out of the volcanic ground. He barely made it as the serpent unleashed a devastating stream of white-hot flames, incinerating everything in its path. The heat was unbearable, even from above, but Kaden ignored it.


    The moment the flames ceased, Kaden leaped. His legs coiled like springs, and he launched himself off the peak of the rock formation with all the force he could muster. He was almost there. Just a little bit more.


    He sprinted the last few feet and spun around just in time to meet the lava serpent face to face.


    Kaden didn¡¯t hesitate. With a battle-hardened roar, he swung his fist forward, channeling every ounce of his strength into a single devastating blow. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His knuckles connected with the serpent¡¯s molten jaw, and the impact sent a shockwave rippling through the beast¡¯s body. Lava and fractured stone sprayed outward in an explosive burst. The serpent shrieked in pain, recoiling violently as molten fragments of its outer shell crumbled away.


    But Kaden wasn¡¯t done. He was right to lure it out here, back to the outer region. The heat emanating from its body was a lot less here, and there was no more lava bubbling underneath the ground.


    He used Nature¡¯s Grasp again, and this time, it was strong enough to hold for a moment, and a moment was all he needed. He started pummeling the snake with everything he had. It took a bit longer than the lava golem, but eventually, his fists got the job done.


    He slammed his fist down with all his might as the final blow landed.


    A deafening boom echoed through the battlefield as Kaden¡¯s punch detonated against the serpent¡¯s skull. A massive shockwave erupted outward, sending cracks splintering through the beast¡¯s molten flesh. Lava burst from the fractures like geysers, turning the sky into a storm of fire.


    The serpent let out a final, earth-shaking roar before its entire body collapsed.


    The molten core at the heart of the creature erupted, sending plumes of magma high into the air. The beast convulsed once, twice¡ªthen fell still, most of its body shattered into bits and pieces.


    Silence.


    Kaden, breathing hard, stood atop the monster¡¯s ruined corpse, watching as the lava cooled beneath him. His body was battered, his skin singed, his fists destroyed, but he had won.


    [Ding! You have killed E-Rank Lava Serpent]


    [Ding! You have leveled up]


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    Kaden exhaled, a victorious grin spreading across his face as he stared at the glowing core that now pulsed where the beast had fallen.


    "Yeah," he muttered, flexing his aching fingers. "That was definitely worth it."


    It was a small glowing core, but it was still a semi-formed quasi core. His assumption had been on point. This snake was a beast that was at the peak of E-Rank, perhaps even on the verge of a breakthrough.

 Chapter 93 - 94: Your Fire Resistance has increased

    Kaden let out a breath of relief as he sat down and quickly activated Healing Touch. Fighting in this terrain was going to be tricky, but hopefully, his extreme environment conditions would activate soon.


    He leisurely jogged back to the spot where the snake had first popped up. The entire area was completely destroyed now. On the plus side, everything had become even hotter.


    After an hour of meditation, Kaden actually observed a chunk of his health disappear. He blinked at the notification flashing before his eyes.


    [Ding! You are suffering from extreme heat exhaustion.]


    [Ding! Your body is adapting¡­]


    A slow grin stretched across his face. Finally.


    He had been waiting for this. The extreme environment was finally starting to trigger the adaptation he needed. It wasn¡¯t just about enduring the heat¡ªit was about pushing his limits to the point where his body had no choice but to evolve.


    Kaden closed his eyes again, ignoring the warning signs of his dwindling health. He continued meditating, breathing in and out, syncing himself with the oppressive atmosphere around him. The volcanic heat battered him, but he stayed still. Explore new worlds at FreeNovelFire


    Minutes passed. Then an hour.


    His skin burned, his muscles ached, and his vision blurred from the strain. But he used Healing Touch on rinse and repeat and kept going.


    [Ding! Your Fire Resistance has increased.]


    Another notification popped up. "Alright," Kaden muttered to himself. "Now we¡¯re getting somewhere." The searing heat no longer gnawed at his skin as aggressively. His body still burned, but it was adapting.


    "Not bad," He mused, cracking his neck. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was progress. If he kept this up, the environment here would soon be nothing more than an inconvenience rather than a constant threat.


    But this wasn¡¯t enough. He needed to push further.


    Kaden glanced around the molten wasteland. The air shimmered with the sheer intensity of the heat, the lava rivers bubbling hungrily as if waiting for something to fall in. The land was alive in its own violent way¡ªvolatile, unpredictable, and completely inhospitable.


    Exactly the kind of place he needed to train.


    He made his way deeper into the volcanic terrain, taking slow, deliberate steps. With each movement, he could feel his body straining against the temperature. His breathing grew heavier, but his steps remained steady.


    The deeper he went, the more the air burned in his lungs. The ground beneath him felt like it was ready to melt his feet at any moment. His skin was drenched in sweat, but he didn¡¯t falter. He walked for a couple more minutes when things suddenly took a turn for the worse.


    The heat spiked up a notch, and now he couldn¡¯t take another step forward. Retreating a couple of steps, he once again sat down to meditate.


    A few more hours passed like this. Meditate, push forward, recover, and repeat. His Healing Touch was working overtime, but it was worth it. He encountered a few more lava golems and lava serpents, but none of them were nearly as threatening as the first lava serpent. They were swiftly dealt with, and Kaden continued his training.


    An entire day soon passed by in the blink of an eye when Kaden suddenly received a notification.


    [Ding! Settlement Core Ownership in contest]


    [Ding! A challenge has been issued to your ownership of the Settlement Core. You have 48 hours to respond.]


    Kaden¡¯s eyes twitched. Of course, this was going to happen. He just didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. Well whatever. He still had 48 hours to respond, and that was more than enough to make it back there.


    He once again focused on his meditation and used Healing Touch and Mana Circulation to continue pushing himself. Soon, the next day went by, and then the final day was here.


    Just 24 more hours and he would be done with the entire body tempering quest. However, things did not go smoothly. A few more hours went by when suddenly the heat started mellowing down, or rather it looked like his body had started adapting.


    [Ding! Your Fire Resistance has increased.]


    Kaden groaned in frustration as he checked his stats. His Fire Resistance had increased significantly, which was good, but it also meant he wasn¡¯t feeling the full brunt of the heat anymore. He needed to go further in.


    With a deep breath, Kaden stood up and looked toward the depths of the Emberforge Abyss. He needed harsher conditions¡ªsomething even worse than what he had already endured. His eyes locked onto the volcanic spire towering in the distance, spewing molten rock into the air like an unrelenting inferno.


    Without hesitation, he sprinted forward, navigating through the deadly terrain with the confidence of someone who had already embraced the madness of this place. The deeper he ventured, the less stable the ground became. Chunks of hardened lava cracked beneath his feet, and geysers of boiling steam erupted unpredictably around him.


    His Healing Touch worked overtime, counteracting the damage he was taking. But he could feel the difference now¡ªhis body wasn¡¯t breaking down as easily. The pain wasn¡¯t as sharp. His resistance was solidifying.


    And then, just as he was about to reach the core region, the ground beneath him collapsed.


    Kaden barely had time to react before he was plummeting straight down into a pit of molten death. Instinct took over¡ªhe twisted midair, using the last solid foothold he had to propel himself toward an outcropping of jagged rock. He barely managed to grab onto the ledge, his fingers digging into the burning stone.


    For a moment, he just hung there, panting. The pit beneath him wasn¡¯t just lava, something else was there.


    It was alive.


    A massive, glowing core of pure, swirling magma pulsated at the bottom, like the very heart of the volcano itself. It churned, roiling with unimaginable heat, and from it rose something enormous.


    A huge, serpentine form slithered out of the molten depths, its scales like blackened obsidian, its veins glowing with fiery mana. Its eyes locked onto Kaden¡ªtwo burning suns of pure destruction.


    Kaden gritted his teeth. "Oh, come on. Another one?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 94 - 95: You again?

    The Magma Serpent reared back, lava dripping from its fangs, its very presence warping the air around it. This was not like the others. This thing was on an entirely different level.


    Kaden barely had time to brace himself before it struck.


    The snake lunged forward, its massive obsidian jaws snapping shut with a thunderous boom that sent shockwaves through the cavern. The heat alone was enough to scorch the air, making it feel like Kaden had stepped into the heart of a sun.


    He barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side just as the creature¡¯s fangs embedded into the molten ground. The impact caused a violent explosion of lava, sending fiery projectiles in every direction. Kaden shielded his face, feeling the sting of searing heat against his arms.


    This was bad.


    The smaller lava serpents had been dangerous, but this? This thing was a walking natural disaster.


    Kaden gritted his teeth, already calculating. The snake in front of him had clearly stepped into the D-grade already. The difference between early E-grade and late E-grade was already staggering. A D-grade beast was on a completely different level.


    Thanks to his stats, he might be able to withstand an attack or two from this snake but thinking of slaying it in its territory would be a fool¡¯s dream. He did not want to be that fool and pay the price with his death.


    This time perhaps fleeing was the best option.


    Kaden did not want to take any risks unnecessarily. He spun on his heel, bolting toward the jagged path he¡¯d come from. Every instinct screamed at him¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a fight he could win, not here, not now.


    The Magma Serpent hissed in fury, its molten form slithering after him with terrifying speed.


    The ground shook violently as the beast gave chase, lava bursting from the cracks in the ground with every earth-shattering movement. Kaden¡¯s heart pounded, his breath ragged as he dodged and weaved through the treacherous terrain.


    Faster.


    His body screamed from the accumulated heat, his muscles aching from exhaustion, but he pushed forward. The rocks and bursting geysers blurred past him, the burning air scorching his lungs. He wasn¡¯t going to die here.


    But the serpent wasn¡¯t letting up.


    Stay tuned to FreeNovelFire


    A shadow loomed over him, and Kaden¡¯s eyes widened. Shit¡ª!


    The Magma Serpent lunged downward, its massive fangs poised to snap him in half. Kaden threw himself sideways, barely escaping as the snake crashed into the ground, sending lava rocketing into the air like a volcanic eruption.


    He hit the ground hard, rolling across the cracked obsidian. The moment he stopped, he sprang back up, adrenaline numbing the pain. He needed to keep running.


    A violent tremor nearly knocked him off his feet. He looked back just in time to see the Magma Serpent rear back, fire building in its throat.


    Oh, hell no.


    The entire area lit up in an instant, turning into a sea of fire as the beast unleashed a torrent of molten flames straight at him.


    Kaden reacted on instinct, channeling every ounce of strength into his legs as he launched himself to the side, just as the wave of fire exploded behind him. The world around him consumed by a wall of fire and smoke.


    BOOM!


    The force of the explosion sent him flying, tumbling through the hissing and seething cracked ground before he slammed into a rock wall.


    For a moment, there was nothing but pain. His vision blurred, his ears ringing from the impact. Everything felt heavy. He groaned, trying to move, but his limbs barely responded.


    A few seconds passed before his senses started to return. Slowly, he forced himself to his knees, shaking off the disorientation. This was not good. Maybe it was time to become a raven and fly away.


    Then it struck him. Wait, why hasn¡¯t that thing burned me yet? It was just a couple of seconds of break but in a fight like this seconds could make all the difference. It was very weird that the snake was not on top of him right now, wanting to devour him alive.


    He immediately looked back to see that the beast was nowhere to be found. Kaden quickly climbed onto a near mountain and tried to see what was happening. After he reached a certain height, he got a good vantage point. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could clearly see the distant landscape beneath him, the rivers of molten lava snaking their way through the jagged terrain, the plumes of fire and smoke rising into the infernal sky. He could also see the huge gaping hole in the ground where he had encountered the snake.


    He looked closely and there it was, sloshing around in the magma as if it was taking a leisurely swim.


    Kaden narrowed his eyes. Something was fishy. That thing did not chase him and went back to its cave? Something did not add up. He took some time to heal himself and when he was fully recovered, he decided to do something daring.


    He dashed out of the volcanic region as if he was leaving the area, only to return the next minute in his raven form.


    Most often D-grade beasts like this did not bother with insignificant F-Rank beasts. They did not have a requirement for food or water like the lower ranks did. Their body worked differently. So the chances were this bastard wouldn¡¯t care all that much about a raven flying by.


    Kaden soared through the sky in his raven form, the blistering heat making it difficult to stay airborne. Even as a bird, the air currents above the volcano were turbulent, throwing him slightly off course. But he adjusted quickly, his sharp eyes locked on the lava below.


    Sure enough, the Magma Serpent was still there, coiled lazily in its molten pool, its massive form barely shifting. It wasn¡¯t hunting him anymore. It wasn¡¯t preparing for another attack.


    It was waiting.


    And then he saw it, in between its coils, visible occasionally when the magam bubbled, was a familiar egg sac.

 Chapter 95 96: Same or different?

    Kaden''s eyes widened. An egg sac. "You have got to be kidding me?!"


    A million thoughts filled his brain. Did the injured dragon run all the way over here to heal itself? Is this egg sac another evolution? Was it going to become a lot stronger after this evolution? Or maybe it was going to heal itself to its full potential?


    None of this was essentially good news to him. This did not bode well at all for him. This was a disaster. If he did not have a death sentence already hanging over his head, he would have freaked out a lot more.


    Kaden''s mind raced as he watched the obsidian-black egg sac pulse faintly within the molten pool. His gut churned with unease.


    To make matters worse, the damned magma snake was guarding the egg. The Magma Serpent would obliterate him if it caught him anywhere near its nest. Would he be able to face the magma serpent in his dragon form?


    Probably, but it was at best 50-50. He did not want to trigger it without at least an 80% chance of winning.


    Kaden exhaled sharply, forcing himself to think. There was no point in freaking out. That was not going to help anything. As his brain overworked to see what he could possibly do in this situation, he suddenly noticed something odd.


    This egg sac looked very different from the previous one. Then, a strange thought popped into his head. What if its not the same egg sac? What if its not the same dragon?


    The one he had seen before had a light bluish-green membrane, but this one had a darker, a sleek obsidian black, its surface glistening under the flickering firelight of the lava. Strange veins pulsed across its shell, not red, but deep violet.


    There was a chance that the egg sac simply looked different because of the environment it was currently in. Anything could be happening here.


    Kaden stared at the egg for a while before quickly starting to fly away once again. This was a problem he would have to deal with later. For now he had to worry about survival.


    He flew in another direction and once he was far way from the egg spot, he shifted back into the human form. He had some more hours left for the extreme environment quest and it was time to complete that.


    Kaden sat down and once again resumed his meditation. The blistering heat made it all that much harder for him to focus but this also meant that the spot counted for the quest.


    He shut his eyes, forcing himself to breathe evenly despite the oppressive heat pressing down on him. The molten air felt like it was trying to suffocate him, each inhale searing his throat like he was drinking liquid fire.


    But that was the point. This was the challenge. The system wasn''t going to just hand him an upgrade. It wanted him to suffer for it.


    So, he did.


    His muscles tensed as he focused inward, syncing himself with the raw, violent mana surrounding him. His body screamed for relief, but he ignored it. He pushed his limits, forcing himself to remain still, to endure.


    Seconds dragged into minutes. Minutes stretched into hours.


    His health bar ticked downward painfully slow. Even with Healing Touch working overtime, it wasn''t enough to counteract the damage completely. This was real suffering. But Kaden gritted his teeth and bore it.


    Then, at last¡ªa notification.


    [Ding! Your Fire Resistance has increased.]


    [Ding! You have endured an extreme environmental condition for 72 hours]


    [Ding! Quest Completed]


    [Ding! You have completed all the requirements for Body Tempering]


    [Your body has begun adapting to the immense power flowing through it, but the process is incomplete. To stabilize your physical form and prevent instability, you must temper your body through extreme trials. Complete the following objectives to reinforce your evolved frame.]


    Endure an extreme environmental condition for 72 hours (1/1)


    Survive a direct impact from a D-Rank attack (1/1)


    Defeat 50 Quasi-Core Beasts without using active skills (50/50) S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Time Limit: None.


    Rewards:


    Body Tempering Elixir


    [Ding! Your body is now tempered to adapt to your bloodline]


    [Ding! You have received a reward]


    A small green vial appeared on Kaden''s hand.


    Kaden blinked, exhaled sharply, his whole body slumping with exhaustion. Finally.


    He stared at the small green vial resting in his palm, its contents shimmering faintly under the oppressive glow of the volcanic landscape. Body Tempering Elixir. It was unassuming, yet he knew it was anything but ordinary.


    His fingers tightened around the glass. This was it. The final step in stabilizing his body. With this, he should definitely get some more time to handle his bloodline mess.


    He couldn''t exactly take the elixir here so he stood up. It was time to make the trip back to the settlement. Kaden dashed forward at top speed, taking another look in the direction of the egg sac. This was not over. He needed to come back here as soon as possible.


    Kaden bolted across the volcanic terrain, his enhanced body making each stride feel effortless despite the sweltering heat. He needed to get back to the settlement, deal with the things over there, and then return to the mystery of the egg sac before things spiraled out of control.


    The obsidian cliffs and rivers of molten lava blurred past him as he ran, pushing his speed to the limit. His feet barely touched the scorched ground as he leaped from rock to rock, avoiding the unstable sections where the heat had weakened the earth.


    Soon he arrived in the familiar territory. He scanned the horizon, his sharp eyes locking onto the distant trees marking the edge of his settlement''s territory. His heart thumped harder. It was time for the system shop to open up.


    Oh and of course, there was the small matter of the settlement ownership challenge. He wondered who it was who had dared to try and take what was his. They were about to learn exactly why that was a mistake.

 Chapter 96 97: I am Rafael. The Savior.

    Kaden broke through the tree line, his feet crunching against the dry earth as he emerged from the dense foliage. His breath was steady, but his mind raced¡ªstill partially stuck in the volcanic region, in the heart of that molten abyss where a mystery egg sac pulsed ominously beneath the watchful eye of its monstrous guardian.


    But now, his focus shifted.


    The settlement stretched out before him, and something was different. His eyes flicked over the wooden barricades, reinforced with sharpened stakes, and the armed patrols that had not existed before. The settlement had changed.


    And judging by the group of men charging toward him, so had its leadership.


    "Stop! Stop! Stop!"


    The guards ran toward him, their boots kicking up dust, weapons at the ready. They were armed. That alone was a sign of how much had shifted in his absence. Before, these people were scrambling for survival, barely able to defend themselves. Now they had proper weapons, armor¡ªdiscipline.


    Kaden ignored them.


    If they wanted to stop him, they could try and catch up.


    He didn''t break stride, brushing past them like an afterthought. Their voices faded into the background as he approached the heart of the settlement¡ªthe small pond where the settlement core rested. He only stopped when he reached it, his sharp gaze flickering across the now-fortified surroundings.


    Naturally, everything looked different. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And now, he could finally see why.


    Several armed men were rushing toward him, not in fear, but with purpose. Their grips on their weapons were firm, their movements practiced. They surrounded him in a loose but strategic formation, trapping him on all sides.


    Kaden didn''t move. He smirked instead, watching them with mild amusement. How interesting.


    Then, a figure stepped forward.


    A man clad in thick plate armor. His presence radiated authority and strength. His armor was polished and heavy, built for battle rather than intimidation. Broad shoulders, muscular build, steady steps. The way he carried himself screamed warrior. He wasn''t here to beg or plead¡ªhe was here to assert control.


    Four other fighters flanked him, standing in disciplined formation, their eyes locked onto Kaden like they were waiting for the order to strike. They weren''t just standing guard. They were protecting something.


    And behind them all, Kaden spotted a familiar face.


    Niera.


    She hesitated, her expression unreadable. Then, as her gaze met his, her eyes widened. Shock. Guilt. Uncertainty. A mix of emotions flickered across her face as she instinctively stepped forward.


    "I¡ª"


    She started to speak, only for the armored man to cut her off smoothly.


    "No need for pleasantries." His voice was deep, steady¡ªa leader''s voice. He took another step forward, squaring his shoulders as he addressed Kaden directly. "Mr. Kaden, we need to talk."


    Kaden remained silent, watching him.


    The man continued, his expression unwavering. "I am Rafael. The Savior."


    Kaden blinked once, then twice. Did this guy just call himself ''The Savior''? Yet another Savior?


    He barely held back a scoff, instead tilting his head slightly, eyes locked onto Rafael. The man was solid, strong, and exuded an air of control that Kaden could appreciate¡ªbut challenging him?


    Still, he didn''t react immediately. Instead, he let the silence stretch, studying Rafael the way a predator might size up another hunter in its territory.


    Not understanding the reason for his reaction, Rafael continued. "I am the one who has officially challenged you for the position of settlement ownership."


    "I see," Kaden said at last, his tone casual. Too casual. "You''ve ''challenged'' me. And now what? You expect me to just hand everything over because you slapped on some armor and called yourself a savior?"


    A flicker of irritation crossed Rafael''s face, but it disappeared just as quickly. He was disciplined.


    "This settlement is no longer the chaotic mess you left behind," Rafael replied smoothly. "It has order now. Leadership. Stability. And the people need a leader who is present. Not someone who disappears for days on end."


    Ah. There it was.


    Kaden''s absence had given them the perfect excuse. He had left. And in his absence, someone stepped in to ''fix'' things. To make the people feel like they had control again. It was an old tactic¡ªone that worked well in groups of scared, desperate people.


    Kaden chuckled. "And you think that''s you?"


    Rafael straightened. "I don''t think. I know."


    One of the armed men behind him shifted slightly, gripping the hilt of his sword. Kaden''s sharp eyes caught the movement.


    He sighed, rolling his shoulders like he was bored. "You know, I was really looking forward to a warm welcome after nearly getting burned alive for three days straight. But instead, I come back to¡­this." He gestured vaguely at the men surrounding him, at Rafael''s self-important stance.


    "This isn''t personal," Rafael said, though his tone made it clear that it absolutely was.


    Kaden chuckled darkly. "Oh, it''s always personal."


    Niera finally stepped forward. "Kaden¡ª"


    He raised a hand, stopping her. "No, Niera. Let''s hear him out." He locked eyes with Rafael, his smirk widening. "You challenged me. Fine. Let''s play. What''s your move, ''Savior''?"


    Rafael''s expression remained cool, but Kaden didn''t miss the way his jaw clenched slightly.


    "There will be no unnecessary bloodshed," Rafael said. "The system allows for an official challenge. A trial by combat. One-on-one. Winner takes ownership of the settlement. If you truly believe you are still the best leader for these people, then prove it."


    Kaden raised an eyebrow. Oh, this was going to be fun.


    "You sure about that?" he asked, his tone almost playful. "A one-on-one fight with me? You don''t strike me as the suicidal type."


    Rafael''s eyes narrowed. "This isn''t about ego. It''s about who is best suited to lead."


    Kaden exhaled through his nose, rubbing his temples. "I swear, I leave for three days and suddenly everyone thinks they''re kings."


    He took a step closer, and the air around him shifted. The men around Rafael tensed. They felt it.


    The presence.


    Kaden might''ve been calm, even playful¡ªbut the weight of his strength was undeniable.


    "Alright," Kaden said, voice dropping slightly. "You want a fight? You got one."

 Chapter 97 98: Thats not a bad sword

    Rafael nodded once, his expression unreadable. "You mistake my intentions. I can fight you, but I don''t want to fight you. Too much blood has been spilled in this new world. We should not be fighting each other, we should be cooperating to survive in this new world."


    Kaden smiled and stood as he had already activated the challenge by standing within the radius of influence of the settlement core. He dropped the huge, makeshift beast leather bag he had carried over here.


    Several beast bodies tumbled out, their blood staining the ground as they landed in a heap. Some of the corpses still sizzled with residual heat from the volcanic region, their scales cracked from exposure to extreme temperatures.


    The gathered men tensed instinctively, their hands tightening around their weapons. The sheer number of beasts Kaden had slain was enough to make even the bravest one weak in his knees.


    Some of the creatures weren''t ones they had even seen before¡ªmassive, charred reptiles with obsidian-like skin, molten crabs fused with rock, and a few that looked like nothing short of monsters.


    Kaden dusted his hands off and tilted his head slightly, eyes locked onto Rafael. "You say we should cooperate?" He gestured lazily to the pile of bodies at his feet. "Then tell me, Savior, what exactly have you done while I was gone? How many creatures have you killed? How much have you actually contributed to keeping these people alive?"


    Rafael remained still, but his jaw clenched slightly. "The settlement needed structure. It needed order. I provided that."


    Kaden clicked his tongue, his smirk widening. "Order is nice. Rules are nice. But rules won''t keep people alive in a world that''s actively trying to kill them." He took a step closer, and for the first time since he had arrived, the men around Rafael took a step back.


    Kaden''s gaze sharpened. "You might''ve played leader while I was gone, but let''s be real here. If you were truly strong enough to own this settlement, I wouldn''t be standing here right now."


    "I do not question your strength," Rafael said evenly. "But strength alone does not make a leader."


    Kaden let out a sharp laugh. "And what exactly does, Rafael? A title? A speech about unity?" He gestured toward the settlement core. "This thing doesn''t give leadership to the most likable guy in the room. It recognizes power. It recognizes dominance. That''s the only language this world understands now."


    Rafael exhaled through his nose. "You''re saying we should let chaos reign."


    "I''m saying," Kaden said, taking another step forward, "that without me, this place wouldn''t exist. Without me, you wouldn''t even have the luxury of challenging me for leadership."


    Some of the warriors who had surrounded Kaden looked uncertain now, some exchanging uneasy glances, others gripping their weapons a little too tightly.


    Kaden didn''t need to look at them to know. The doubt was already creeping in. This was why he had entertained this moron until now.


    Then, Rafael did something Kaden hadn''t expected.


    He sighed, his expression shifting slightly. "I don''t want to fight you," he said again. "But I will, if that''s what it takes." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Kaden arched a brow. "You really think you can win?"


    Rafael didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he reached behind him¡ªand with a single, smooth motion, he unsheathed his sword.


    The blade gleamed under the fading sunlight. It was well-crafted, reinforced with runes that faintly pulsed with magic.


    "That''s not a bad sword." Kaden whistled. Now he knew why this bastard was being so cocky.


    "The sword doesn''t matter. The man who weilds it does." Rafael said simply.


    Kaden stared at him for a moment. Then he grinned. "Man, do you piss me off. Alright. I am done with this shit show now. Let''s get this over with." The system prompt hadn''t appeared yet, but he did not care. He did not have the patience for this anymore.


    "Nature''s Grasp." He mouthed slowly, and the ground under Rafael started to crack. Thorny roots and vines burst out, and before the man could make a move, they lashed around his legs, binding him in place.


    Kaden''s smirk widened. "You talk a big game, Rafael. But that''s all it is, talk."


    Rafael gritted his teeth, his arms flexing as he fought against the restraints. His runed sword glowed faintly, reacting to his intent. With a grunt, he swung it downward, slicing through the vines and freeing himself in a panic.


    "Oh, good. You know how to use the sword. By the way, I am very curious. Where did you get that sword? Good things never come alone, you know. There might be more than just the sword." Kaden was not lying.


    He too had obtained a staff from a kobold mage, but that was trash when compared to this sword. This was a genuine, rune-inscribed sword. It had to be at least a D-Rank rare grade sword.


    Rafael''s confident appearance finally started to change. His eyes widened in shock as he saw how casually Kaden was dealing with him. "I can share many things with you. We do not have to be enemies. I know many secrets. We can be partners together." He tried to negotiate again. "You talk to him, Niera. I have treated you well. Tell him what is the correct path here."


    Kaden''s gaze finally shifted to the woman. While Rafael struggled to free himself from yet another cast of Nature''s Grasp, Niera trembled nervously.


    "Mr. Kaden, let me explain."


    Kaden shook his head. "You don''t have to. You can simply come to my side and stand." To Rafael''s shock, she nodded with a grateful smile and did just that.


    "What are you doing? You are a traitor!" The man shouted in anger.


    Niera shook her head. "I am not a traitor. I know what Mr. Kaden needed, and I simply acted to his benefit. I did my duty as the manager. I did not let anyone die, and I did not allow the total population to decrease." She looked at Kaden as she spoke, hoping that he would understand.

 Chapter 98 99: Savior! Savior! Savior! Savior!

    Rafael did not understand, but Kaden definitely did. "Thanks. That was not necessary, but I appreciate your thoughts and effort. You kept things together and did your part. Now it''s time to do mine."


    Niera''s tense face instantly bloomed with a beautiful smile. She hurriedly walked over and stood on Kaden''s side, making no effort to hide whose side she was on.


    The next instant, the system notification about the challenge promptly arrived.


    [Ding! A challenge has been issued for the ownership of the settlement.]


    [Ding! A duel between Kaden and Rafael has been formally initiated.]


    [Ding! Victory Conditions: The first to incapacitate or force surrender from the opponent wins.]


    Kaden sighed as the system prompts flickered in his vision. "There we go," he muttered. "Finally making it official."


    Rafael straightened, gripping his sword tightly. Despite his obvious frustration, he had no choice but to follow through now. His men were watching. His pride was at stake.


    The people of the settlement started gathering, murmuring among themselves. Some whispered in hushed voices, others looked torn. Kaden could see doubt creeping into the expressions of those who once stood firmly behind Rafael. They weren''t sure who to root for anymore.


    One of Rafael''s men stepped forward as he tried to rally support. "What are you all looking at? The savior is the one who brought weapons for everyone. The savior is the one who erected the wooden pikes on the border to protect us all. You should be supporting him right now."


    Another one shouted. "This guy just randomly created a settlement and disappeared. The savior was the one who finished the system requirements and stabilized the settlement. Without him, we would all be dead right now."


    "Don''t be fooled by the beast corpses. It is all for pomp and show. This guy probably stole some corpses that were lying around here and there and brought it over to save face in front of everyone. This is our chance to build a safe haven. Let''s not ruin everything by staying silent now and letting this madman do as he pleases!"


    "Savior! Savior! Come on! Say it with me! Savior! Savior!"


    Rafael''s anxious face turned calm as his supporters chanted his name. He straightened, tightening his grip on his sword, feeding off their energy.


    Kaden, on the other hand, looked bored. He let them chant. Let them scream. Let them rally behind their so-called Savior. Then, once their voices had reached their peak, he clapped.


    Once.


    Twice.


    Slow. Deliberate. Loud enough that it cut through the noise.


    Kaden smirked. "That was cute," he said lazily. "Really. The whole ''Savior'' bit? The chanting? The blind loyalty? Fantastic showmanship." He took a slow step forward, letting his presence sink in.


    "But here''s the thing¡ª" His smirk dropped, and in its place was something colder. Sharper. "None of that changes the fact that Rafael is about to get his ass handed to him. I don''t have all day for this. Sorry about that."


    The next second the ground underneath started to crack as roots once again began to emerge. But not just under Rafael but under everyone''s feet, everyone who chanted his name. One by one everyone got tangled with Nature''s grasp.


    Kaden had more than enough mana to do that, so he did. "You did all this drama so that you can get some support for this fight, did you not? Who is going to run and come to you now?" With a cold smile, he stepped forward and, without any hesitation, drove a spear of thorns into the man''s chest before he could even begin to counterattack.


    Rafael''s face froze in shock. He did not expect Kaden to be so decisive. Blood seeped out of his chest, and his precious sword clattered to the ground.


    Their speed, their abilities, everything was on a completely different level. The thorned spear had pierced clean through his armor, embedding itself deep in his body. The world around him slowed down.


    His followers, still entangled by the roots, shouted in panic. Some struggled desperately, while others froze in horror. The reality of the situation had just sunk in.


    This wasn''t some honorable duel. This wasn''t a battle where words could turn the tide.


    This was war. And Kaden had never played fair.


    Kaden tilted his head, watching Rafael with an expression that was almost disappointed. "What? You expected me to wait? To fight you on your terms? Wait for the dozen men to surround you and wait for them to offer their lives instead of yours? You wanted to portray me as a villain who is willing to kill anyone in his path, didn''t you? The obvious choice would then be to support you as a leader." He let out a short, humorless chuckle.


    "It is all well thought out, but you forgot one thing. In front of real power, politics crap like this is worth nothing. Your sword was good, and your strategy was good, but I am simply more powerful than you."


    Kaden walked over and picked up the sword from the ground. "You people still don''t get it. This isn''t about titles or chants or pretending to be a hero. This isn''t about who sits at the lord position or who runs this settlement. This is about survival. It always will be. Work hard to progress in your class and your levels. Otherwise, there is no safe place in this world."


    Kaden then casually swung the sword to end the man''s life with his own weapon.


    The sword cut clean, swift. Rafael didn''t even get the chance to utter another word. His head rolled onto the dirt, eyes frozen in disbelief, while his body crumpled to the ground with a dull thud. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Silence.


    The weight of the moment pressed down on the crowd, their earlier chants of Savior! Savior! now nothing but ghosts in the air. The supporters who had moments ago screamed Rafael''s name now stood motionless, their faces pale, their voices stolen by the brutal efficiency of what had just happened. They stared at Kaden in horror, as if they were looking at a monster.

 Chapter 99 100: System shop

    "There. The duel is finished, and the challenge has been dealt with. Those who want to stay in this place can stay. I don''t really care whose name you chanted two seconds ago. Just get out of my sight, don''t stir up anymore shit and make yourself useful." Kaden''s voice snapped everyone out of their trance.


    He watched as the group of people scrambled to run away, leaving behind only himself, Niera, and the bleeding corpse.


    She stood beside him, watching as the remnants of Rafael''s supporters dispersed like frightened rats, too ashamed or too afraid to meet Kaden''s gaze. Their earlier bravado had evaporated, leaving nothing behind.


    "Tch. So much noise over nothing." Kaden turned to Niera, his expression unreadable. "You good?"


    She blinked, then nodded. "Yeah. I just¡­" She hesitated, her eyes flickering toward Rafael''s lifeless body. "I thought it would last longer. That guy was level 25 and told everyone that he was going to be the first E-ranker in this world. Now I can see that he was lying the whole time."


    Kaden let out a low chuckle. "Nah. He was probably telling the truth. I don''t know about being the first E-ranker, though."


    Niera''s eyes widened. "Are you already-"


    "Yes, I am in E-rank."


    Niera stared at him, her mouth slightly open.


    "The world doesn''t wait. If you want to survive, you keep pushing forward and use every advantage that comes your way. Good job. I see that you have also improved a lot in these three days." Kaden smiled.


    "Ah. Sorry. They walked into the settlement and I couldn''t get them to leave. I just basically allowed that guy to speak nonsense and brainwash everyone. I was worried otherwise there would be bloodshed, and you mentioned you needed more people for some shop to open."


    Kaden nodded. "You did good. The extra numbers gave you the experience boost you needed, and now you have more power to take care of these types of unwelcomed guests. Don''t worry. I will not leave you alone like this forever."


    His words made Niera''s heart beat quicker for a moment, and her eyes widened in anticipation.


    "There will be some people joining us in a week or so. Then you should have all the help you need to run this properly."


    "Oh." Niera nodded in understanding. "Thank you. I will do my best to keep this place running until then." She quickly added to prevent embarrassment.


    "Okay. I have some work to do now, but you can take these beasts for community use."


    Niera nodded and quickly messaged a couple of people to help her with everything. One woman and a man arrived, and the three of them dealt with all the corpses together, including the dead body on the ground. The dead body of the person who had claimed he could unite this whole world.


    The three exchanged glances and silently cleared out from the area.


    Meanwhile, Kaden was busy with the system prompt. All the conditions to activate the system shop were now met, and it was time to start the build.


    He exhaled slowly, watching as the notification flickered in front of him. Finally. He had been waiting for this moment. Now, it was time to see if this was actually worth the trouble.


    With a single thought, he accessed the settlement core.


    The moment he did, a surge of energy rippled through the air, invisible to the naked eye but heavy with presence. A faint glow pulsed from the settlement core itself, and suddenly, another notification appeared.


    [Ding! Settlement Shop has been activated.]


    [Ding! As the recognized owner of this settlement, you have access to the following shop features:


    Basic Goods Exchange: Trade resources and materials for system-approved items.


    Blueprint Repository: Unlock new construction and defensive structures.


    Skill & Class Advancements: Purchase rare skill manuals and evolution options.


    Limited Stock: Special time-sensitive items will appear based on settlement level and conditions.]


    [Available Shop Currency: mana cores]


    Kaden''s eyes flickered as he took in the information. He had never seen a first hand system shop set up before so all of this was new to him. As he scrolled through the available options, a second notification chimed.


    [Ding! Current Settlement Level: 1]


    [Shop Availability: Basic Tier Unlocks Only]


    Right. He knew about this part. When the system shop was initially set up only a basic version popped out. It needed to be upgraded before any of the good stuff could be accessed.


    He scrolled through the Basic Goods Exchange first, seeing what kind of immediate benefits he could access.


    Basic Iron Weapons Set ¨C 50 coins


    Basic Leather Armor Set ¨C 75 coins


    Enhanced Rations Pack ¨C 30 coins


    Medical Herbs & Basic First Aid Kit ¨C 40 coins


    Wood & Stone Supply Crates ¨C 60 coins


    Kaden mostly skipped through the list. These were basic alright.


    Most of these weren''t for him¡ªthey were for settlement survival. The weapons and armor were better than nothing, but if he really wanted this place to thrive, he needed something bigger.


    He switched over to the Blueprint Repository.


    [Blueprint] Reinforced Wooden Walls ¨C 200 coins


    [Blueprint] Water Purification Station ¨C 300 coins


    [Blueprint] Basic Guard Tower ¨C 500 coins


    [Blueprint] Simple Housing Upgrade ¨C 250 coins


    [Blueprint] Trading Post (Locked) ¨C Requires Level 2 Settlement


    Once again, the list was full of fundamental necessities. Switching tabs, he accessed Skill & Class Advancements.


    [Skill Manual] Basic Swordsmanship ¨C 150 coins


    [Skill Manual] Beginner Fire Magic ¨C 200 coins S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Skill Manual] Adaptive Body Conditioning ¨C 250 coins


    [Class Advancement] Novice Warrior ¡ú Apprentice Fighter ¨C 500 coins


    [Class Advancement] Novice Mage ¡ú Elementalist ¨C 750 coins


    Many of this could be extremely useful in boosting everyone''s strength. However, it was still not the thing he was looking for. He searched around for more options and found nothing much except for these.


    Kaden let out a sigh as his gaze landed on the last section. This was the area where one could put up items for sale directly to the system. This was also the most important section for his survival. "I guess I need to throw the juicy bait to really lure the big sharks."


    He then withdrew a dragon scale from the settlement owner''s locked inventory space. He placed the dragon scale for trade with the system.

 Chapter 100 101: No, no and no

    As soon as the dragon scale was placed in the system''s trade window, a pulse of energy rippled through the settlement core.


    [Ding! High-Grade Material Detected!]


    [Processing¡­]


    [System Exchange Rate Calculating¡­]


    Kaden crossed his arms, watching as the system ran its assessment. He had suspected this would trigger something interesting. In his last life, he had heard about how a high-tier weapon had triggered an update of the system shop.


    If the system worked as he thought, it would categorize the dragon scale as a high-tier resource, and that meant big rewards and opening up more options in the system shop, maybe even getting a physical shop.


    After a few seconds, another notification popped up.


    [Ding! Trade Offer Established]


    Item: Dragon Scale (Lesser)


    Rarity: A-Rank Material


    Market Value: 500,000 Coins


    Accept Exchange? [Yes] / [No]


    Kaden''s lips twitched. Only 500, 000 coins for a dragon scale? "Fuck me sideways." He immediately rejected the exchange. The damn system was trying to con him just because he was from a trash-tier planet? Maybe he would have bought it the last time around, but now he knew better.


    [Ding! Trade Offer Established]


    Item: Dragon Scale (Lesser)


    Rarity: A-Rank Material


    Market Value: 1,000,000


    Accept Exchange? [Yes] / [No]


    "Nope." Kaden again rejected.


    [Ding! Trade Offer Established]


    Item: Dragon Scale (Lesser)


    Rarity: A-Rank Material


    Market Value: 500 B-grade coins


    Accept Exchange? [Yes] / [No] S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No, no, and no.


    After a few minutes of some more rejection, a new system screen flashed before him. Finally, an acceptable one.


    [Ding! The system shop is currently under upgrade. Please wait for the new evaluation of your item]


    Kaden smirked. There it is. He had been waiting for this reaction. That was exactly what he wanted.


    As the system processed, another wave of energy surged from the settlement core, sending faint ripples through the air. The surrounding land shuddered, and Kaden saw the faint shimmer of runic symbols briefly appear over the core''s surface before vanishing.


    [Ding! System Shop Upgrade in Progress¡­]


    [Estimated Time Until Completion: 3 Hours]


    [New Features Will Be Unlocked Upon Completion]


    Kaden chuckled. Of course. A full-fledged upgrade wasn''t instant.


    "Alright, I can wait." He muttered, flexing his fingers.


    If he had forced the system into an upgrade, that meant better items, better trades, and possibly even direct interactions with the system''s higher-tier merchants. The physical shop feature was the one he was most interested in¡ªbecause that meant he could start trading in more than just basic resources.


    His gaze flicked toward the sky, estimating the time.


    Three hours.


    Enough time to handle a few things like his stomach. He was dying from hunger. With Rafael dead and his supporters either scattered or too afraid to act, things were calmer. From the looks of many people had even decided to leave the place.


    Kaden couldn''t care less about these things. They were free beings. They could leave and enter whenever they want. He was not a dictator here and he had no time to take these things personally. He only hoped that the chef was still in the settlement because her cooking was way too good.


    He walked over to the eastern part of the settlement where some crude hut-shaped buildings had been erected. Niera was standing there along with a bunch of people, all of them involved in some sort of heated discussion.


    As soon as Kaden arrived there, everyone immediately became mute. They stared at him, half in shock and half in horror.


    Kaden arched a brow, crossing his arms as he scanned the gathered crowd. The sudden silence was almost amusing, almost. These were the same people who had been loudly debating something just moments ago, yet now, they stood stiff, as if he were about to execute them on the spot.


    He let the silence linger, just to see who would break first.


    Unsurprisingly, it was Niera. She cleared her throat, stepping forward. "We were just¡­ discussing the situation, Mr. Kaden."


    Kaden gave her a deadpan look. "Yeah, no shit. What kind of ''situation'' needs this much noise?"


    A man from the group hesitated, then spoke up. "Some people are leaving," he said cautiously, glancing at Niera for reassurance before continuing. "They''re afraid. After what happened to Rafael, after¡­ well, everything." His voice trailed off.


    Kaden rolled his shoulders, completely unfazed. "And?"


    The man blinked as if he had expected a different reaction. "¡­And some of us think that''s a bad sign."


    Kaden exhaled through his nose. "Let me make this clear¡ªI don''t give a shit about people leaving." He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder toward the barrier. "Door''s right there. No one''s forcing anyone to stay."


    He let his words sink in before continuing, "If they''re too weak to handle the reality of this world, then they were dead weight anyway."


    That ruffled a few feathers. Some of the people in the group shifted uncomfortably, but no one dared to speak against him.


    Niera, on the other hand, had an odd look in her eyes. It wasn''t disapproval, more like quiet amusement.


    Kaden tilted his head. "What''s so funny?"


    She smiled. "You''re just so¡­ straightforward."


    He smirked. "What, were you expecting some long-winded speech about loyalty and unity?"


    "Kind of."


    Kaden snorted. "Please. This isn''t a democracy. It''s survival. If people want to stay, they''ll work. If they don''t, they can leave. Simple."


    The group seemed to relax slightly at that. Whether it was relief or simply acceptance, he didn''t really care.


    Now, onto his real reason for coming here.


    Kaden scanned the crowd again. "Where''s the chef?"


    A moment of awkward silence. Then, finally, Niera pointed toward one of the huts. "She''s still here. She got one of the first huts. I already told her about your monster hunger. She has been training non-stop to please you."


    "Okay." Kaden immediately started walking in that direction. Priorities.


    The moment he stepped inside, the rich, mouthwatering aroma of spiced meat and roasted vegetables hit him like a blessing from the gods. His stomach growled so loudly that one of the kitchen workers turned to look at him.