Beast Evolution Forge

Chapter 62 Hunt 4

He leaped through the trees until he arrived at the location of his prey. 'holy shit, is that a giant ant?' The ant was devouring some smaller monsters that would give Yenna a bit of trouble. 'Now how do i fight this thing? I am not at full strength so i need to be careful... yeah right.' He leaped down from the tree and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he attacked. He didn't draw his sword yet, this time he wanted to fight barehanded.

The creature raised its mandibles in warning, letting out a shrill, metallic screech. Its sheer size made it a daunting opponent, but he didn't care, to him this was perfect training.

"Alright, big guy," He crouched, his legs enhanced with mana. "Let's see what you've got." He jumped up, aiming to land a punch to its head but it easily dodged but he expected much so he threw a mana ball he was clenching towards it and it connected. The ant was confused, nothing was happening until its eyes twitched as a pain began rising in its body.

The ant screeched in agony, its legs twitching erratically as the mana ball disrupted its internal systems. Vell landed smoothly, watching the ant's reaction with a satisfied smirk.

"Works every time," he muttered, rolling his shoulders as he prepared for the next move. "Let's keep the pressure on."

[where did you learn such an attack?]

"I practiced, nothing special really."

[Right... you are more creative than your past self.]

"Thank you? that felt like an insult somehow."

The ant thrashed wildly, its movements growing more erratic as the mana did its thing. The screeching reverberated through the clearing, a twisted cry of pain and rage. Vell shifted into a low stance, ready to respond to any sudden counterattacks.

[It wasn't an insult,] the system chimed in with its usual neutral tone. [Just an observation. Creativity is a key factor in surviving against stronger foes.]

"Well, thanks for the pep talk," he quipped, sidestepping as the ant lunged at him, mandibles snapping inches from his side. "But I don't need a reminder. I know exactly what I'm doing."

[Your overconfidence is noted.]

"Noted, huh? Add it to the list," he muttered, dashing forward to exploit the ant's momentary disorientation. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance, delivering a crushing kick to one of the ant's legs. The impact cracked the joint, causing the massive creature to falter and collapse partially onto its side. The impact of the leg hitting the ground sent a shockwave through the earth, nearly throwing him off balance.

He dashed forward, aiming to strike its injured leg again. However, the ant anticipated his move this time. Its massive mandibles snapped toward him in a blur, forcing him to throw himself to the side to avoid being caught but this didn't do anything at the attacked changed direction and landed square on his shoulder. He jumped back, putting some distance between them as the ant slowly got back to its feet.

'well shit, guess I was too careless.' Enjoy more content from empire

[cough.]

"yeah yeah, rub it in." He clutched his injured shoulder, wincing as pain radiated through his arm. The ant's mandibles had sliced deep into his flesh, leaving a throbbing wound. He could feel his mana starting to work, sealing the wound, but it wouldn't be fast enough to prevent a significant loss of strength.

'Damn it, it got me good,' he thought, gritting his teeth. 'Can't let it get another clean hit.' He circled the ant, keeping his movements erratic to prevent it from predicting his next attack. The creature, though wounded, was still formidable. Its segmented body shifted, mandibles clicking menacingly as it tracked his movements.

[Your carelessness has cost you. A more strategic approach would be beneficial.]

"Easy for you to say," he retorted, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "You're not the one bleeding out here."

He feigned a lunge to the left, then quickly changed direction, darting to the right. The ant, fooled by the feint, shifted its weight, allowing him to exploit its momentary imbalance. He leaped forward, channeling mana into his fist, and delivered a powerful blow to its exposed underbelly.

The ant let out a piercing shriek as the punch connected. Its body convulsed, and a viscous, greenish fluid oozed from the wound. It staggered backward, clearly weakened but far from defeated.

[Effective, but not decisive.]

'maaan, shut up, sheesh.' He stepped back to assess the situation. Though it was severely injured, it showed no signs of giving up. Its antennae twitched furiously, and it raised its front legs, preparing for another assault.

'persistent bastard'

He shifted his stance, planting his feet firmly. "Alright, big guy, this one is going to hurt real good." He started gathering mana into his palms, the glow intensifying as he concentrated.

[Careful, you're using too much energy. If you overextend—]

"I know what I'm doing!" he snapped, launching himself toward the ant with a burst of speed. The energy in his hands coalesced into a swirling, crackling orb.

The ant reared up, attempting to crush him with its massive forelegs. He slid under its bulk at the last second, skidding to a stop directly beneath its vulnerable abdomen.

"Gotcha now!" he thrusted the orb upward with all his strength. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the creature's body, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. The orb exploded in a surge of concentrated mana, tearing through the ant's exoskeleton and filling the clearing with an acrid, burning smell.

It let out one final, guttural screech before collapsing in a heap, its legs twitching weakly before going still. Green fluid pooled beneath it, steaming slightly in the cool air. Vell staggered backward, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. "That... took more out of me than I thought," he admitted, wiping sweat from his brow.

"but that's 1 down, let's move on." He picked up the core and vanished.