Aeron observed in that direction for two more seconds before he opened his status.

|_Phantom Spark—Aeron_|

-[Phantom Points]: 730

-[Spirit Power]: 1471 — [1301 / 1471] spirit energy.

-[Curse Power]: 15,930 — [14,000 / 15,930] curse energy.

-[Phantom Ability]: 2

—> Gong-Fish, Screech Assault.

-[Phantom Gear]: 3

—> Blood Ripped Spear, Shoja Bell, Rapido Boots.

—> Veil: 78%.

—> Enchant: 89%.

—> Emission: 57%.

—> Conjure: 48%.

—> Manipulation: 96%.

—> Transmute: 56%.

—> Specialism: 100%—Awakened.

'Tell me how to use Transmute. I have 56% proficiency in it, so I want to use and increase it. I've used all except for Transmute.'

Aeron looked at this E-grade Phantom Ability but knew it would be utterly useless against this incoming Haunt. The Shoja Bell was an E-grade gear with the effect of disabling the hearing of others for up to thirty seconds, so it would also be useless.

As for the Boots, they increased his movement speed by 20%, but he didn't want to run.

Lapis pouted.

[First, tell me what it is that you are sensing?]

Aeron cracked a grin. 'It's a Haunt. More powerful than others I've encountered so far, but only a bit more powerful than me in terms of aura. I want to fight it. Its aura is scaring all other Haunts, haha.'

'Wait, it's near.'

Aeron used Field and expanded it to a 105-meter radius, which was his current limit. He had improved it a lot in the past two hours while fighting on the River.

The moment he used Field, Aeron finally saw the Haunt's shape.

It was a humanoid Haunt wearing a samurai armor outfit, with a black katana wrapped in fiery flame.

The Haunt looked in the direction of Aeron and pointed its Katana at Aeron after Aeron used Field.

"You…must burn by my…blade…" the Haunt uttered in a cracked voice, its eye socket brightening with red wisps in them.

[A Lost Samurai]

_Type: Sentient Humanoid Haunt.

_Grade: C — Cursed.

*Swoosh.*

The Haunt entered the woods and dashed towards Aeron while holding his Katana to his side. Its blade struck trees, plants, and rock, cutting through all as if a knife slicing through butter.

[ARE YOU STUPID?!]

Lapis screamed, her eyes widening and her fox ears perking up in panic.

[It located you. That's a damn C-grade sentient Haunt that's more powerful than most C-grade Haunts! Y-you…]

Lapis was horrified.

[That's not just a bit powerful, but enough to kill you even if you Fortify yourself!]

[You can't even run now, Damn it!]

Lapis knew that the Haunt hadn't located Aeron at first, but Aeron made it locate him!

Aeron's eyes gleamed, and his smile stretched, both looking obsessive, 'I mean…this is exciting.'

'Don't tell me I will lose because I will not. Tell me how to use Transmute. I can also feel fear and empower myself with it.'

Aeron tightly gripped his spear and activated its effect. However, instead of 5% of his blood as the cost, Aeron infused his curse energy to the spear's core, and it worked.

The spear left his grip and floated. With his control, Aeron shot it toward the incoming Haunt.

The Samurai haunt stopped in his steps and dug his feet into the ground before slashing toward the incoming spear the moment it was about to pierce him, causing the Spear to smack to the side as it stuck into a rock.

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Aeron narrowed his eyes and pulled the spear out of the rock before once again attacking the Haunt. This time, he paused the spear right as the Haunt was about to slash it, changing its direction and attacking the Haunt.

It dodged, but the spear's blade tip injured its shoulder, destroying a bit of his armor and showing his rotten gray skin.

If Aeron hadn't strengthened this Spear with Fortify, it would have long broken by the first slash of that Samurai haunt.

'I have ten seconds before that Haunt reaches me, and you also have that much time to tell me how to use Transmute,' Aeron cracked his fingers, but his focus was on his spear and the Haunt as he manipulated the spear to fight and slow the Haunt down.

Lapis didn't waste any time as she knew this was crucial moment.

[Transmute is changing the property of your spirit energy to anything. You can change your spirit energy into natural elements like water, fire, and such, man-made substances like glass, plastic, metal, rubber, or even living things at higher levels of mastery.]

[I didn't tell you how to use it because I was waiting for your spirit energy to change automatically during your battles as it happens with most. When it happens, it means that the person is good at transmuting their spirit energy into that particular attribute and begins practicing transmuting using that for start.]

'I see. Seven seconds left.'

[This Haunt has the attribute of Flame, so you should visualize water and change your spirit energy's property to water for advantage against it.]

[Fortunately, you've been on the River and got splashed a lot of times, so feel the water, its properties, and visualize it to impose on your spirit energy. Transmute is one of the hardest, if not the hardest to master, but you can do it. You must do it if you want to win this battle.]

Aeron grinned while his focus remained on the spear and the Samurai Haunt.

However, the Fortify around his body started to change. It was dark violet, but it started turning watery blue, gaining properties of water attribute.

[You can also keep only certain properties of an attribute while ignoring others, but this is harder to do and requires practice and research.]

*Crack…*

'Shoot…' Aeron's eyes widened as he saw the Samurai Haunt creating cracks on his Fortified spear.

Aeron recalled his spear back at once as it flew back towards him and put it away.

The samurai Haunt turned to Aeron and pointed its katana at him. "You…shall die."

*Swoosh!*

The Haunt's flaming katana brightened before he made a slashing motion despite being ten meters away.

However, the katana released a quick flame slash projectile toward Aeron!

Aeron was startled as he wasn't expecting that, but since he was Fortified, his body managed to react with his mind, dodging the flaming slash by a hair's breadth.

His heart raced thousands of times faster at that moment, and his fear manifested in a black aura around him while a crazed grin stretched across his face.

[Its combat ability is on par with you, but you should have an advantage as a human. The only way to win is to use Water-Transmute to your advantage. Use it properly with everything else you've learned.]

Aeron's body was covered in a dark blue watery aura, fortified and strengthened by his own fear energy that he just produced.

The samurai Haunt dashed towards Aeron with a burst of flames on his feet while slashing.

Aeron didn't move from his position. His heart was beating fast while his mind was clear and focused.

The incoming katana slash burning with flame was in such a motion that it would hack Aeron from his shoulder to his waist and cut him into two.

"Die!" The Haunt roared.

But Aeron was also ready as he raised his right hand. The hands' water aura was in a fast-flowing motion, unlike the watery aura on the rest of his body which was like a slow-flowing river.

The angle at which he positioned his left hand brilliantly matched his tactic, as the katana's blade stuck his hand while Aeron moved his body, causing its blade to go downwards beside him and embed a part of its tip into the ground.

Right after that, Aeron swung his right hand towards the Haunt's hand that held the Katana. The watery aura around his right hand was more as he used 1000 spirit energy by converting some curse energy into spirit energy, and condensing water around his right fist, and using curse energy to further strengthen it by Enchant.

*Smash*

The Haunt's hand was smacked with a heavy fist, causing it to mangle while also losing his Katana.

Aeron also kicked the Haunt with his knee right after that, shattering his armor as it flew upward.

'It's hot.'

Aeron directly lost 2940 curse energy from his curse source deflecting the flaming katana's attack, but he also managed to deal a heavy blow.

[Great!]

Lapis exclaimed at this masterful exchange. A moment ago, she was nervous.

The Haunt landed on the ground on its feet instead of falling and roared, showing its long black fangs. It dashed towards Aeron immediately.

But Aeron proved superior in close-hand combat and with Water-attribute advantage, Aeron grasped an opportunity during the combat to strike at the same spot where he broke the Haunt's armor.

Aeron severely injured it with a powerful fist strike at that spot, smashing it several meters away.

Afterward, Aeron pointed his hand towards the Haunt and opened his palm. Emission--an orb of spirit energy manifested before it turned into water orb He condensed it and manipulated the orb to spin before Enchanting it with his curse energy.

"It was a good fight," Aeron grinned while feeling pain at some spots on his body since this samurai Haunt's blows were also heavy.

[Wait! Quickly deactivate the Phantom Spark's effect. You need a C-grade Haunt's core for money. Don't let Phantom Spark purify it.]

'Ah, right.'

Aeron quickly deactivated the Phantom Spark's effect that would purify any Haunt for Phantom Points and some chances to get Phantom Ability or Gear.

C-grade Haunt only had a 5% chance of dropping, so it would be a waste to purify it.

"Arghoo…" the samurai Haunt stood up on its feet, still intending to attack Aeron on the verge of death.

"You are fearless. That's not good. You should feel fear and still thrive in it," Aeron smiled and launched the water-power orb.

*Boom*