Using all the experience he obtained from their first encounter, Brigan started to bounce on the balls of his feet as his mind enter a tranquil state.

Placing the two bars at a crossed angle centering to his right, he speared forward. Each edge of the bars shone brightly in the sunlight as the piercing strikes whistled through space to arrive near the water rabbit situated on top of the damaged cage.

In contrast to before, it did not welcome the attack. Instead, it ascended through the sky before diving in a vertical spin. Like prior to its other charges, the descent of its figure displayed a crushing force pressuring all below it.

Sensing the heavy sensation engulfing his being, Brigan raised the acute bars high while bracing himself for the extreme impact that would follow. "Delusion Guard Point!" He yelled to further shave off the injuries received.

Boom!

Astonishing enough, friction began to build while producing a scraping sound. For Brigan, his feet sunk half an inch into the ground. With legs buckling under the mighty weight, he redirected the water rabbit's fall to the side.

Crack!

The earth trembled beneath its pressuring power. Brigan did not stand still. Rather, he sprung back to create space between the two as he analyzed what happened.

To him, it didn't make sense how a soft body like the water rabbit's could achieve a compressed state. The feeling resembled water becoming solid like ice.

And yet, the water rabbit not only lacked this ability previously, but it was also saved by the shadowy figure's intervention, further proving this was new.

Thinker harder, his eye lit up as he realized something. Earlier, the water rabbit initiated a leap to avoid his weapon. But later, it still had the confidence to engage him in a frontal assault. This indicated before the jump, and after the jump, the water rabbit's body state was soft at one point.

Giving a test run, Brigan once again engaged the water rabbit. After dodging another failed charge, he jolted toward the landing water rabbit. The same moment it touched the soil, caving everything under its feet, he gave a small rotation to his arm while aiming for the disoriented water rabbit.

"Delusion Assault Point!" He shouted, expecting to undergo slight harm from the jarring halt of its hardened body.

Splish!

With no resistance of any kind, the acute bars penetrated its body like a hot knife through butter. In severe agony, the water rabbit screamed a squeak similar to when an ordinary rabbit feared for its life.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Shut up! This is the outcome you sought yourself. I'm just helping out." He said, pulling his misshapen weapons out.

Although his voice was calm, he was greatly stunned. When he perceived everything, the only place hardened on the water rabbit was its feet. It also used it to exert tremendous weight on its enemies.

Looming over the wounded beast, he ceased its suffering as he allowed the dazzling specks to dance around him. Giving out a small hmm sound, he once more felt the rise in strength.

"Really strange, it's like leveling up!" He pondered, trying to explain the peculiarity of the environment. "Hmm...?" Situated in the disappearing beast was a small glowing violet box.

To be exact, it was an Ordinary Geno Art box. At this moment, Brigan's lungs ceased taking in oxygen as he stared speechless at the item.

Did this mean each beast had the chance to drop items?

Feeling the world turning black, he exhaled as his body forced him to remember how to breathe while oxygen returned in great waves. "Truly like a game!" He said amazed.

Picking the box up, he gave it a few tries but failed to pry it open. Sadly, the method he used to absorb the Voice Heal couldn't be used the same way.

With the Voice Heal Geno Art, he had Melody's help to make it into a solution that was digested by the body. However, she didn't have anymore, and it only worked after the box opened.

She even explained that once absorbing the Geno Art, he could later reject it from his system if he possessed the box still.

But the main thing he found important was her explanation on how to open the Geno Art boxes. Depending on one's genotype, there were three ways to go about opening it.

One was to open it normally which he tried but failed to do as one needed a genotype above the Geno Art box. The second method was to use blood and let it simulate one's genes so that it was compatible during absorption.

However, although the Geno Art would open and drop a grade, it was useless if it was more than one grade higher because one would need the genotype equivalent to its dropped grade.

Then was the third method. It was also the only dangerous method of the three. Using this method, one could not later discard it. Regardless of its grade, one could simple forcibly swallow it whole.

After digesting it and depending on its grade, the risk of mutating into an abomination was determined by one's countering genotype. The genotype would range at a ten percent failure rate for one grade above the Geno Art grade, and then an additional ten percent every Geno Art grade augmented.

For example, using the four grades of Ordinary, Extraordinary, Heroic, and Blessed, if one had a genotype of Extraordinary, swallowing an Ordinary Geno Art would have a ten percent chance of mutating.

Keeping an Extraordinary genotype, if it were an Extraordinary Geno Art, the mutating chance would be twenty percent and so on for each grade higher. Only swallowing a Geno Art two grades lower or more would diminish the risk.

And it was because of this factor while also having some confidence in his own strength that he was not willing to take the gamble. Instead, Brigan put the box away as he proceeded to chase after Elber's last direction. Hopefully, he could make it in time to give a helping hand.

Flashing through the village and passing destroyed areas, he searched for any signs that would provide evidence to any fighting ongoing.

Unfortunately, except for destruction, there were no beast or human in sight. And compared to the last invasion, this invasion had appeared on a greater scale.

Not giving up hope, he searched the village for an hour before something flew past him the moment he got closer to nearing the gates.

Bang!

Slumped against a now broken house door, Brigan spotted the seriously injured Elber. Not only was he in critical condition, once he checked for a pulse, he felt his heart drop. There was no pulse found.