Chapter 5: DEAD END
The black market was a temporary gathering that materialized during the night and vanished by daybreak. Traders set up shop in tents, with the size of the tent reflecting the scale of the shop.
He entered the familiar tent hidden within the depths of the black market, a place he frequented often to sell corpses. This underground market offered two advantages: better deals without taxes and transactions without the need for identification. Despite wearing a mask and activating a concealment spell, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the perceptive receptionist saw through his disguise. He remained cautious during his visits, as the black market provided additional benefits compared to the regular market.
The receptionist greeted him with a smile, and Horiz said, "I would like to buy."
"Show me mana cores of different 4th rank monsters," Horiz requested.
The receptionist quickly presented various cores, treating them as ordinary stones. Horiz couldn't distinguish any differences just by observing or touching the cores. To effectively use his mystic arts, he needed privacy as openly practicing them would attract unwanted attention. He chose a muddy crocodile core and made the purchase, despite the steep cost. It consumed half of his monthly budget, an amount that could sustain others for an entire year.
His next destination was a dungeon where he could train and improve his abilities. The government closely monitored all dungeons, making it fortunate for Horiz to stumble upon an undiscovered one hidden from the outside world. This dungeon had a rank of 6, far surpassing his current capabilities. Horiz could only explore half of its treacherous depths, but it served as an ideal training ground and an opportunity to prevent breaches. Stepping through the portal, he found himself in a cave-like structure, immense in size and bathed in the radiant glow of embedded emeralds. Despite his efforts, Horiz couldn't shatter the emeralds, realizing his current power was insufficient to damage the sturdy walls.
Before he could venture further, a hedgehog attacked with its sharp spikes. Horiz swiftly evaded and drew his heavy sword. With a deft swing, he cleaved the hedgehog in two. This heavy sword was his third trump card, with the first two being the doors he encountered earlier. Obtaining the heavy sword had been a stroke of luck in this mysterious rank 6 dungeon devoid of monsters.
While Horiz's spells could harm fifth rank beasts, they weren't enough for a single strike kill. He searched the hedgehog's carcass for a core but found none. He noticed that as he faced higher-level monsters, the chances of obtaining a core diminished. Slightly annoyed, he continued his dungeon raid, knowing there was no risk of being scammed by the trader as he was a regular customer who sold corpses to the same person.
In a blink, another hedgehog appeared, and Horiz instinctively hurled his heavy metal sword. He seamlessly used the sword and door as he battled the hedgehogs. Moving forward, he faced them confidently, finding them no match for his skills. However, a sense of unease accompanied him as he delved deeper into the dungeon. His intuition warned him against going too far into the vast expanse.
Up ahead, he spotted a bear-like figure—an enormous creature. As the bear approached, Horiz could see its details clearly. It had a crimson coat and piercing white eyes. Horiz examined the bear's status and realized he encountered a new opponent in this dungeon for the first time. The bear's paws had sharp claws that could prove fatal with a mere scratch.
Howling Bear
Level: High Rank 5
Horiz grew more cautious as he examined the bear's level in its status. He believed that defeating it would be easy with his metal sword and metal door since it was a core strength-type monster. However, he remained alert to the speed-type monsters that could defend themselves against his door and sword, swiftly launching counterattacks. To avoid any potential danger, he quickly hid behind a nearby rock, carefully observing the bear's movements. The bear leisurely walked toward its den, while the hedgehogs in the area refrained from provoking it, maintaining a wary truce.
As Horiz peacefully surveyed the monsters around him, he realized that this place was their home. They rested, carried out daily tasks, and some even played with their young, creating a serene atmosphere. He had witnessed similar scenes countless times within dungeons. Humans entered these domains to slay beasts, preventing them from venturing outside until their resources were exhausted. However, as the beasts' population grew and their needs increased, they sought alternative means of sustenance. It was a cycle where each being played the roles of both predator and prey, dependent on one another for survival.
In many ways, these monsters were similar to humans, if not better, as they didn't engage in territorial disputes or fight amongst themselves for resources. Horiz scanned his surroundings, searching for an opportunity to strike the bear and subsequently eliminate the hedgehogs. He understood that if the hedgehogs ventured forth in search of resources, they would mercilessly slaughter everything in their path without hesitation. Horiz despised this fact, but he found himself with no other viable options. Allowing them to live for a few more months would undoubtedly lead to attacks on humans.
Moving stealthily toward the bear's den, where the hedgehogs were absent, Horiz planned a surprise attack, aiming to swiftly dispatch the bear in one decisive strike. He closed in on the den, carefully selecting the perfect moment to strike.
Whispering, "Metal sword," a blade materialized in mid-air and hurtled towards the bear. However, the bear managed to dodge, causing the sword to pierce through its shoulder, eliciting a growl from the wounded creature. Reacting quickly, Horiz made the sword vanish. Every hedgehog in the vicinity fixated their gaze on the bear's den. Horiz had missed his chance and now sought another opportunity to eliminate the bear.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
As the bear prepared to strike, Horiz summoned a giant door before him. The bear crashed into the door, creating a knocking sound. However, within moments, Horiz observed the bear using a dash spell, swiftly approaching him from the side.
The bear's massive paw connected with Horiz, sending him sprawling onto the ground. Injured and in pain, he quickly cast a healing spell to tend to his wounds. He surveyed the area and noticed another bear making its way towards him. Anxiety gripped him as he nervously gulped. Fleeing was not a viable option in his current condition. Employing a dash spell, he tried to create distance between himself and the bear. However, the bear's speed surpassed his own, and Horiz realized the gravity of his perilous situation. Unless he found a way to escape, he wouldn't be able to withstand the bear's next attack.
"Double heal!" Horiz chanted, casting another spell to bolster his defenses.
Despite his efforts, he couldn't evade the bear's next onslaught. Its speed was overwhelming, leaving Horiz unable to dodge such a fierce attack. Desperation coursed through him as he frantically searched for a hiding spot or anything that could buy him more time. Trapped in a dead-end, the bear closed in, drawing closer with every passing second.
Having survived in the streets before his transmigration, Horiz refused to find himself in a similarly helpless situation, no matter the cost. He resolved to fight until the bitter end. Memories flooded his mind, and he repeated to himself that he wouldn't meet his demise so easily. However, the situation continued to rapidly deteriorate.
Just as the bear closed in on him once more, Horiz swiftly released a Cobra corpse from his ring, positioning it to shield him from all directions. The bear relentlessly struck the Cobra corpse, but it remained immovable, offering Horiz some respite to contemplate his next move. Assessing his condition, he realized his injuries were not severe. With enough food stored, he could likely survive for a few days in this place. However, he remained uncertain if he could escape this treacherous predicament alive within that time frame. The hedgehogs possessed a modicum of intelligence and might discover a means to breach the thick Cobra skin.
Swallowing hard, Horiz knew he had to devise a plan as swiftly as possible.
In the blink of an eye, the bear resumed its relentless assault on the Cobra corpse, attracting more beasts that gathered around, eager to tear it apart. But Horiz refused to accept defeat, his determination unyielding. For him, defeat held a fate far worse than death itself.
Taking hold of the Cobra core, he closed his eyes, delving into his mystic art and considering every possible course of action. Within the core, he sensed a distinct power, different from regular mana. Intuitively, Horiz knew that the mana within the core could interact with the Cobra corpse, given its origin from the Cobra King.
After numerous attempts, he felt a reaction from the core as it interacted with the corpse. Though uncertain of its applications, Horiz found himself at a dead end in his life and decided to give it a try. Time slipped through his fingers, and despite having provisions for a few days, it felt insufficient. With a cautious mindset, he attempted to convert the mana of the core for use in battle, but for some reason, his basic mana techniques failed to work.
Recalling a quote from his previous life, "If you don't know what you want, the world will only plunder you in the name of your want," Horiz felt a surge of determination. He realized that without a clear vision of the future or a sense of anticipation, nothing would happen at all. With renewed spirits, he closed his eyes once again, ready to shape his destiny.
Delving into the mana and focusing on its conversion, he visualized a clear image of a weapon in his mind. He needed a weapon to overcome the bears and escape this place. The core responded to his mystic art, albeit with low-intensity reactions. After half an hour, he paused his efforts.
Horiz recognized that he was on the right track but needed more practice and refinement to turn the core into a weapon. Having healed himself, several hours had passed, and the bear had ceased its assault on the Cobra corpse for unknown reasons. Eating a small portion of his stored food, he felt the urgency in his mind, but he managed to calm himself down. Rushing would only lead to failure.
Closing his eyes again, Horiz circulated the core, striving to shape it into a weapon. However, the core seemed to resist his intentions, presenting a scenario he had never encountered before. Perplexed by why his mystic art wasn't functioning properly, he tried again with the same outcome. It became apparent that his mystic art wasn't at fault; rather, the core rejected his intended actions. Confusion overwhelmed him, leaving him uncertain of what to do next.
Persistently attempting the same approach, Horiz faced repeated failures. The pressure and stress mounted with each passing moment. He continued his attempts until exhaustion overwhelmed him, and he fell asleep within the corpse.
His eyes snapped open when the bear resumed its onslaught on the Cobra corpse. Taking stock of his situation, he realized that two days had passed. His body ached from the uncomfortable position, with barely any room to move. He had spent three days inside the corpse, feeling clueless but refusing to admit defeat. Checking his remaining food, he determined it would last only two more days.
Closing his eyes once more, Horiz decided not to convert or refine the mana this time. Instead, he delved deeper into studying it. The mana flowed erratically and unpredictably within the core, distinct from regular mana. It appeared denser at the center. That was the only insight he could glean after hours of observation. "No wonder scientists spent hours researching it without any breakthroughs," Horiz muttered to himself.
Attempting to alter the flow of mana proved challenging, as even the slightest change resulted in corrosion from the surrounding mana. Mana was destroying mana, defying all logical sense. Horiz grasped one thing—he couldn't change the direction of mana.
Closing his eyes again, this time, instead of altering the flow or converting it, he focused on accelerating the mana's speed. It worked, and the mana connected to the Cobra corpse. However, he couldn't fully control it. The skin of the corpse was on the verge of tearing due to the relentless bear attacks. Despite this minor achievement, he knew time was running out.
He sensed that he was on the verge of discovering a practical application for this mystic art. Determined to explore further, he intensified his connection with the lifeless Cobra corpse, forging a stronger bond with the mindless body. The realization struck him—he could utilize the power of the mana core to fortify the Cobra corpse. A thought took shape in Horiz's mind, fueling his next move.
Drawing upon his mastery of the core's mystic art, Horiz began the process of converting both the core and the corpse into armor, a defensive artifact. Instead of altering the direction of the mana, he focused on increasing its flow rate. The endeavor proved fruitful as the connection with the corpse strengthened, causing the mana to swirl around the core, threatening to rupture it. Cracks emerged, and mana started seeping out, capable of wreaking havoc and claiming lives. Horiz maintained his focus, meticulously harnessing and containing the volatile energy.
Do like and comment!