"Wait, aren't these frogs your livestock? How could you kill them?" Locci asked, trying to stall for time.

Fortunately, Barbogs sensed the threat from the Gigaruses as well. With lightning reflexes, they unleashed streams of fireballs from their gaping mouths, aiming at their adversaries.

Simultaneously, the Gigaruses retaliated with powerful water cannons. The force of the water overwhelmed the fireballs, surging forward towards the Barbogs.

Seeing the Barbogs leaping into action, Locci's panic escalated. He recognized their attempt to activate [Shockwave] to counter the water cannons. With quick thinking, he maneuvered through the Barbogs, darting towards a safer vantage point.

As Locci anticipated, the Barbogs unleashed shockwaves. Yet, their proximity amplified the impact, generating a devastating force that not only repelled the water cannons but also proved fatal to the nearby Barbogs. It was a grim outcome, a sacrifice in their attempt to defend.

Surveying the scene strewn with lifeless bodies, Locci wasted no time. Activating [Traceless], he deftly navigated through the surviving Barbogs without touching a single one. With urgency, he seized a deceased Barbog and swiftly departed from the area.

[Traceless] would deactivate upon contact with a living being, but thankfully, a corpse didn't qualify as living. To the other Nixes observing, it appeared as though the dead Barbog was mysteriously floating, adding to their bewilderment. Exploiting the confusion to his advantage, Locci made his escape safely amidst the chaos.

Locci reappeared in a secure location, where he could enjoy his meal without worry, marking the end of today's harrowing adventure.

'I could have vanquished a walrus, but the cost was too great. Tomorrow, I'll stick to the same routine as today.'

The following day, Locci replicated his Barbog kidnapping tactic from the previous day, allowing the Gigaruses to overpower the Barbogs. After the skirmish, he carefully surveyed the area and noticed two shimmering essences lying on the ground.

With precision, Locci consumed one of the essences, instantly assimilating the Barbog's ability and boosting his force stat by one.

[Your force has increased!]

[You have gained Shockwave!]

[Name: Shockwave

Passive: -

Active: Emit a shockwave from your paw]

'Good. Increasing my force stat will enhance the firepower of my abilities.'

Locci's gaze shifted to the second essence. In Nixworld lore, consuming an essence from the same monster could either grant another ability or enhance an existing one. Naturally, he couldn't pass up such an opportunity.

As a few Gigaruses caught sight of the essence and began to approach, Locci sprang into action. With a forceful stomp, he unleashed a shockwave that sent nearby Barbogs scattering, clearing a path to the essence. Seizing the moment, he dashed towards it with determination.

A Gigarus in close proximity to the essence spotted Locci and promptly launched a water cannon in his direction. Reacting swiftly, Locci countered with [Frostbite Fury], not only neutralizing the water cannon but also striking the walrus with icy force.

Though the Gigarus merely staggered from the impact, its movements slowed considerably due to the frostbite effect, providing Locci with an opportunity to advance towards the essence.

As Locci prepared to consume the essence, he noticed the Gigarus gearing up to unleash a shockwave. Anticipating the impending clash, Locci conjured his own shockwave. The two shockwaves collided with explosive force, sending everything in the vicinity hurtling through the air.

As Locci landed, he coughed up blood, but wasted no time activating [Heal] to mend his injuries. Scanning the area, he spotted the essence, only to find a few Gigaruses engaged in a fierce struggle over it.

With determination, Locci sprinted towards them, shouting, "That's mine! Back off!"

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Despite his efforts to intervene, Locci arrived too late. A Gigarus had already consumed the essence, leaving Locci seething with anger.

Feeling enraged, he unleashed [Frostbite Fury]. The other Gigaruses, equally incensed, retaliated by bombarding the offending Gigarus with water cannons.

The combined onslaught proved overwhelming, swiftly defeating the Gigarus. Its lifeless body underwent a transformation, dissolving into radiant light, leaving behind another essence on the ground.

Another Gigarus poised to consume the essence, but Locci swiftly took action. He scrambled onto its back and sank his teeth into its neck with [Thunder Jaws], stunning the creature momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly dismounted and devoured the essence before the Gigarus could react.

[Your endurance has increased!]

[Your shockwave has evolved into Cold Wave!]

[You have leveled up!]

[Name: Locci Snowstar

Species: Snowoo

Level: 6 | Grade: Extra

Innate Ability: 3 | Essence: 3/3

Strength: 22 | Endurance: 17 | Resistance: 19

Speed: 21 | Stamina: 23 | Polish: 15

Mana: 12 | Force: 16 | Wisdom: 8

Soul: 5 | Sense: 17 | Willpower: 8]

Locci experienced a surge of euphoria as he caught a glimpse of the system messages. He erupted into hysterical laughter. "Haha, victory is mine! Farewell, foolish creatures!"

Activating [Traceless], Locci swiftly departed from the scene, only halting his escape when he deemed the surroundings secure. With a sense of satisfaction, he carefully scrutinized the contents of his system window.

'I've leveled up once more and filled all my essence slots. The next slot should open up at level 8. I suppose it's time to start searching for the Wanderclaws' nest in this area,' Locci mused, contemplating his next move.

With plenty of daylight remaining, Locci prepared to set out once more. But before doing so, he took a moment to inspect his newly upgraded ability.

[Name: Cold Wave

Passive: -

Active: Send a cold wave that slows others' movements.]

'Not bad at all. It's both an area attack and slows down opponents' movements. This ability has some serious potential.'

With newfound motivation from his enhancement, Locci set out on his hunt. As he walked, he pondered the next abilities he desired. A defensive skill to match the resilience of Gigaruses was essential, along with a detection ability akin to Andre's and a speed-boosting skill like Vizernix's.

'The list is growing longer.'

As Locci walked for several minutes, he spotted Andre, the very person he had been thinking about moments ago.

Watching from a distance, Locci saw Andre and his Vizernix locked in combat with a formidable foe: a giant white spider with razor-sharp legs known as Shartula. Despite Shartula's attempts to ensnare Vizernix with a net, the agile creature proved too swift to be caught.

In a sudden burst of speed, Vizernix darted low, its movements blurring with incredible velocity, leaving Locci struggling to keep up. In the blink of an eye, Shartula stumbled and collapsed, smoke rising from its head.

Without hesitation, Vizernix turned and swooped towards the fallen Shartula, launching a relentless barrage of flying slashes at its incapacitated adversary.

'His Vizernix is getting stronger. Can I even defeat it?' Locci muttered, taken aback by the remarkable progress of Andre's companion.

As Locci contemplated whether to greet Andre, he hesitated, unsure. However, before he could make a decision, Andre locked eyes with him and spoke, "Mr. Snowstar?"

Deciding to approach Andre, Locci deactivated his invisibility and moved closer. Using the snow as his canvas, he wrote a simple "Hello."

Andre's smile was warm as he remarked, "It seems you're making progress."

"Your Nix as well. Are you here to train it?" Locci inquired.

"Yes, I'm eager to see it evolve into a rare-grade Nix," Andre replied.

Locci pondered. If Vizernix was uncommon-grade, it implied his own power was of a similar caliber. "I see. Best of luck with that."

Just as Locci turned to leave, Andre called out, "Wait, Mr. Snowstar. A group of us have discovered a dungeon teeming with resources. There's a chance we might find an evolution stone. Would you be interested in joining us?"

Locci was well aware of dungeons in the Nixworld—places where mana from nature accumulated over time, eventually transforming into treasure-filled domains. Naturally, such places were also inhabited by numerous Nixes, drawn to the abundant mana.

Turning to face Andre, Locci regarded him with a perplexed expression. "Yeah, no. I'm a monster, remember?" he wrote in the snow.

Andre chuckled. "Of course, I remember. That's why I have a proposal."

"A proposal?" Locci queried, intrigued by Andre's offer.

"In the dungeon, bird-type monsters won't fare well due to the confined space limiting their mobility. Honestly, I'm on the lookout for a suitable Nix to accompany me on this adventure," Andre explained.

"So, you want me to form a contract with you?" Locci wrote, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes.

"Of course not. I wouldn't subject my fellow earthlings to that," Andre reassured. "I simply need you to pretend to be my Nix."

"Why me?" Locci asked, furrowing his brow.

"In terms of stats, you're comparable to my Vizernix, and your combination of abilities is favorable," Andre explained.

Locci frowned. "Your system can see that?"

Andre nodded apologetically. "Humans' systems can thoroughly analyze Nix information, as long as the Nixes aren't stronger than the ones they're contracted with."

"Wouldn't my presence be useless then? Other humans could see my information," Locci pointed out.

"That's why, if you agree to my proposal, I'll give you this," Andre said, producing a necklace adorned with a small screen.

"This necklace is a Nix Artifact. If you wear it, other Humans won't be able to access your information. It also has several functions, such as allowing you to communicate with humans and even access this world's internet," Andre explained, holding out the necklace for Locci to inspect.