บท 83: From Prey to Predator
The Territory Boss Monster's guttural roar echoed through the marsh, reverberating with raw fury. Its yellowed eyes burned with predatory malice, locking onto him with a gaze fueled by unrelenting rage.
The monster's stance shifted, muscles coiling with lethal precision as it readied itself to strike. Every movement was deliberate, no longer the playful taunts of a predator toying with its prey.
This time, it was a calculated assault, driven by a singular purpose: to annihilate the unwelcome intruder who dared trespass into its territory.
The air was thick with tension as the territory boss monster charged at Alex, its massive frame moving with terrifying speed for something so large.
Its claws raked the ground, spraying chunks of mud and water in every direction as it closed the gap in a heartbeat. Alex barely managed to sidestep its swipe, the rush of air from the claws slicing through the space he had occupied only moments ago chilling him to the core.
He retaliated swiftly, slashing at its hind leg in an attempt to slow it down, but the blow merely skimmed its armored scales, leaving little more than a faint scratch. Before Alex could recover, the beast's massive tail whipped around with devastating force.
Instinctively, Alex raised his sword to block, but the sheer impact overwhelmed him, sending him sprawling backward into the murky water.
"Ugh!" he groaned, coughing as he pushed himself upright. His arms trembled, his muscles screaming in protest.
Fresh cuts stung on his forearms, and his once-sturdy, high-quality clothes were now shredded, revealing bloodied scratches beneath. His breathing was ragged, exhaustion creeping in as his battered body struggled to keep up.
The monster was relentless, giving Alex no chance to regroup. It lunged forward again, snapping its serrated jaws dangerously close to his face.
Alex rolled to the side, narrowly escaping the attack, but the desperate maneuver left him exposed. A sharp claw raked across his shoulder, drawing a shallow but stinging wound.
The exchange dragged on, an unrelenting assault from the monster.
Alex's body was battered and bruised, cuts and welts covering him. Each movement sent sharp jolts of pain through his limbs, his muscles aching under the weight of fatigue.
His stance faltered as he stumbled back, blood dripping from his wounds into the toxic marsh below. He clenched his jaw, refusing to collapse under the creature's brutal onslaught, even as his vision blurred from the strain.
'This makes my second healing potion already… If I hadn't taken the Anti-Poison Potion beforehand…' Alex's thoughts trailed off as he wiped a streak of blood from the corner of his mouth. His breathing was ragged and uneven, his chest heaving with exertion.
This monstrous hybrid of Komodo dragon and crocodile was in a league far beyond the Mutated Carrion Rats he had faced just a day earlier.
Its sheer power and resilience made it a terrifying adversary, but what truly set it apart was its poisonousness.
Every time its claws, fangs or tail so much as grazed him, the poison seeped deeper into his bloodstream, compounding the venom already circulating within him.
The burning sensation coursing through his veins was relentless, a cruel reminder of the monster's lethal advantage. If not for the Anti-Poison Potion suppressing the worst effects, he would have already succumbed to the poison's deadly grip.
And yet, even with the potion dulling the venom's potency, his condition was rapidly deteriorating. The toxic buildup, combined with his mounting fatigue and the relentless pace of the battle, was pushing him dangerously close to the edge.
His head swam with dizziness, his limbs grew heavier with each passing second, and the sharp, searing pain from his wounds refused to subside. Every breath was a struggle, every heartbeat a grim reminder of his dwindling strength.
All the skills working in tandem—and his D-rank sword—were the only things keeping him alive. Without them, he would have fallen in the opening moments of the fight.
They gave him just enough of an edge to deflect fatal blows, maneuver around the beast's deadly strikes, and land a few retaliatory attacks of his own. But even with these tools, his efforts barely left a mark on the monster.
The toll was undeniable. Every second spent evading, countering, and striking came at a steep cost, draining his stamina and energy.
His grip on his sword felt weaker, his swings slower, his reflexes dulled by the poison and fatigue.
'This thing is wearing me down, little by little.' He realized grimly, his jaw tightening as another wave of pain rippled through him. 'If I don't end this soon, I won't survive much longer.'
The current problem was glaringly clear: the territory boss monster was no longer toying with its prey.
Gone were the restrained attacks and cautious probing—it now fought with raw, unbridled intent to kill.
Alex was barely holding his ground. The monster's sheer strength and relentless aggression kept him on the defensive, leaving little room to retaliate. Every attempt to reposition or catch his breath was met with unyielding pressure, forcing him closer to the edge of exhaustion.
If his spells had been effective, the battle might have ended long ago. But the monster's complete immunity to magic attacks had turned what should have been a decisive victory into an exhausting and perilous struggle.
Alex's options were stark: retreat and live to fight another day, or push beyond his limits and meet the monster's brutality head-on.
'There's no way I'm running from this.' Alex thought, his mind sharpening with defiance. 'If I flee now, all the progress I've made will mean nothing. The system points I've been hoarding… They'll go to waste. And for what? Because I've been too cautious to use them when I need them most?'
He exhaled slowly, his focus narrowing. For a brief moment, the tension in his battered body eased, only to surge again, this time fueled by steely resolve.
"Alright." he muttered, his voice steady, his determination solidifying into a blade of its own. "System, redeem them."
In an instant, the air around Alex shifted. A cascade of notifications flashed before his eyes, too fast to read but unmistakable in their significance.
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[Purchase successful, strength increased.]
[The Host's strength has increased significantly.]
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[Purchase successful, stamina increased.]
[The Host's stamina has increased significantly.]
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[Purchase successful, agility increased.]
[The Host's agility has increased significantly.]
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[Purchase successful, vitality increased.]
[The Host's vitality has increased significantly.]
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[Status]
[Rank: E+ → D]
[MP: 550/1200]
[HP: 1000/1000]
[Experience: 19940/10000]
[System Points: 470 → 145]
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A surge of strength and energy coursed through Alex's body, igniting every fiber of his being. His muscles, once aching and sluggish, now pulsed with newfound vigor, brimming with raw power.
The searing pain from his wounds faded, replaced by a soothing warmth that flowed through him, mending torn flesh and replenishing his vitality as if his battered body had never endured the grueling battle.
Alex's gaze flickered to the last system panel flashing before him. That single glance was all it took.
The monster snarled, its guttural growl carrying a hint of unease. Instinctively, it hesitated, sensing the monumental shift. Its primal instincts screamed of danger.
Alex's lips curved into a faint, dangerous smirk. He leveled his sword with deliberate precision, "Your turn." He said, his voice low and brimming with unshakable confidence.
"Let's see who's really the apex predator here."
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