Vieran moved carefully through the thick black mist, the silence around him broken only by distant, muffled sounds echoing from the depths beyond his sight. Strange groans and unidentifiable rustlings drifted through the fog, sounds that sent a chill up his spine yet never drew close. Each time he heard something, his hand tightened instinctively around the handle of his pickaxe, only to loosen again when the sounds faded in another direction. Relief crept in with every step, the faint hope that he might make it through without encountering another phantom beast.

But then he saw it, a hulking creature emerging from the mist ahead. It was a grotesque fusion of rat and octopus, its slimy, gray form had the size of an ox. Long, writhing tentacles stretched out where legs should have been, pulling it along in slow, unsettling movements. Its bulbous eyes fixated on Vieran, and with a sluggish, heavy pull, it began to slither toward him.

Vieran’s heart hammered as he gripped his weapon, his mind racing. He considered his options, weighing the risk of engaging. Fighting would drain his energy, and though the beast seemed sluggish, it was massive. Deciding that his strength was better conserved, Vieran took a careful step back, keeping his eyes on the creature. As it closed in with torturous slowness, he slipped quietly to the side, angling away from its line of sight. Each step backward felt precarious, but soon enough, he had edged around the beast without provoking it.

As he moved on, he kept his breathing steady, hoping the creature would lose interest. His pace quickened, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the looming figure until the fog swallowed it once more.

Vieran’s nerves began to settle as he pushed forward, feeling for a brief moment that he was finally alone. But then, a faint, wet squelching sound echoed from behind him. He froze, pulse quickening, and slowly turned his head. The beast was back, its grotesque, slimy form entering the edge of the light sphere once more. Its tentacled limbs dragged it closer, each pull of its body releasing that sickening squish that filled the air.

Shock jolted through him. He thought he’d finally left it behind, that he was free from its looming presence. But here it was, creeping toward him. Vieran frowned, watching the creature’s sluggish movements. How had it caught up to him? It moved so slowly. There was no way it should have been able to follow.

Without wasting another second, he spun around and broke into a run, his feet pounding against the ground. Only when he was sure he’d put a good distance between them did he stop, his breath coming in short bursts. He waited, listening. Silence settled around him, broken only by his own breathing.

Then, there it was again—that squishy, grotesque sound creeping up from behind. Vieran turned, and his stomach twisted as he saw the beast once again entering the glow of his lantern’s light sphere, still advancing at that maddeningly slow pace.

A shiver ran down his spine. How was it doing this? He couldn't understand. But a cold thought crossed his mind. Perhaps, in the dark, it could move faster. He swallowed hard, his pulse pounding. This wasn’t a creature he could simply outrun.

The beast seemed to focus on Vieran’s lantern, its bulbous eyes glinting with a predatory hunger. With a sudden, fluid motion, it stretched one of its tentacles toward the glowing light, reaching out as if to snuff it out.

Vieran's instincts kicked in, and he leaped back, narrowly dodging the first tentacle. Relief washed over him for just a moment, but then a second tentacle lashed out, striking his arm with surprising speed. Pain flared as he felt the impact, and the force caused him to lose his grip on the lantern. It clattered to the ground, the glow flickering ominously as it teetered on the brink of darkness.

Panic surged through him, but he couldn’t afford to hesitate. As the third tentacle lunged for the fallen lantern, Vieran reacted instinctively. He raised his pickaxe, aiming for the writhing appendage, and brought it down hard. The sharp end connected with a sickening squelch, slicing through the slimy flesh. The creature let out a distorted shriek, recoiling from the blow.

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With adrenaline surging, Vieran quickly snatched up his lantern. He felt the urgency of the moment and swiftly drew a dagger from his waist, readying himself for the fight. The beast was wounded, but it was still a formidable opponent. He had to be cautious. This was a battle for survival.

He glanced at the beast, noting that it remained sluggish under the light’s glow. One of its tentacles was pinned by his pickaxe, thrashing and writhing in a futile attempt to escape. This was his moment. He had to seize the advantage while he could.

Vieran moved forward cautiously, eyes locked on the beast as he attempted to close the distance. As he stepped closer, one of the beast's tentacles shot out, slamming into him and sending him sprawling to the side. The impact jarred his senses, and he fought to regain his footing.

Determined, Vieran sprang back to his feet and lunged again, dagger ready to cut through the beast. However, the slimy coating around its tentacles made it nearly impossible to land a clean cut. Each time he tried to slice through the gelatinous hide, the blade simply slid off, leaving him frustrated.

After several attempts, Vieran quickly assessed the situation. The creature was strong, but he noticed that stabbing attacks had a far greater chance of penetrating its defenses. If he could get close enough to stab the beast’s head, he could potentially end the fight quickly. But how to reach it again?

The beast thrashed its remaining tentacles, swirling them in the air like angry serpents. Vieran sidestepped the strikes. He ducked and weaved, searching for an opening.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. Vieran decided to use the pinned tentacle to his advantage. He moved to the side, putting himself in a position to dart past the struggling limb. With a fierce determination, he lunged forward, dagger aimed directly at the beast’s head. But as he drew closer, another tentacle shot out, forcing him to veer off course once more.

Breathless and focused, he realized he would need to find a way to draw the beast’s attention away from its vulnerable spot. With a surge of resolve, Vieran feigned a retreat, hoping to bait the beast into striking at him. If he could just redirect its focus, he might finally have the chance he needed to land a decisive blow.

Another idea sparked in Vieran’s mind. He darted past the pinned tentacle just as it lunged toward him. Holding his lantern high, he caught the beast's attention.

Its tentacles veered toward the lantern, and Vieran seized the moment. He hurled the lantern away from him with all his strength, watching as it sailed through the air and landed a few paces away. Instinctively, the beast’s tentacles shifted direction, rushing toward the abandoned lantern.

Now was his chance.

Vieran threw his dagger straight at the creature’s head. The blade flew through the air and embedded deep into the slimy mass.

The beast let out a horrifying screech that resonated through the mist, filled with fury and pain. It convulsed violently, its tentacles thrashing in a frenzy as it struggled against the injury. But it was futile. In a matter of moments, the creature began to disintegrate, its form collapsing into a swirling black mist that slowly dissipated into nothingness.

Vieran stood there, panting heavily. He had faced the beast and survived, learning valuable lessons in the process.

Vieran retrieved his pickaxe from the ground, the familiar weight comforting in his grip, and picked up the lantern, relieved to see it intact. He glanced at the spot where the beast had vanished, noticing a dark, smoldering hide left behind.

Once again, luck was on his side. Not only had he emerged from the battle unscathed, but he also found an item he could loot.

Vieran approached the hide, examining its surface. The texture was slick and slightly warm, exuding a faint, acrid odor that reminded him of burnt rubber.

He took a deep breath and focused his mind, ready to put his new factor, [Item Purification], to use. Vieran focused on the hide, channeling his Vitalumen into it. As he concentrated, a soft glow began to emanate from his hands, bathing the hide in a warm light.

The purification process felt invigorating. He imagined his Vitalumen weaving through the fibers of the hide, cleansing it of any residual darkness left by the phantom beast. As the light enveloped the item, he could see the smoke dissipating, replaced by a luminous sheen that transformed the hide’s once grotesque exterior into something almost beautiful. The acrid odor faded, replaced by a clean, earthy scent, reminiscent of fresh rain on soil.

He felt a connection to the item growing stronger, as if it were responding to his touch. The glow intensified, and Vieran could sense that the hide was absorbing his energy. After a few moments, the light began to fade, and he released the hold he had on the hide.

Vieran beamed with satisfaction. The hide now exuded an aura of purity. He had taken a piece of the phantom beast and purified it.