But before the soilworm could reach him—

Boom!

Shyra slammed into its side with bone-crushing force, her invisible form revealing itself for an instant as she struck. The impact knocked the worm violently off course, its trajectory breaking midair. The creature's howl was guttural and enraged as it twisted, thrashing uncontrollably.

And just as swiftly, Shyra vanished again into the shadows.

Leo, still mid-air, extended both hands forward. Niri mirrored the motion, her form glowing brighter—brilliant streaks of yellow and green light weaving around them like ethereal vines.

[Vine Estranglement]!

Magic rippled outward, the air thickening as countless vines sprouted from the shattered ground below and the trees beside, twisting and coiling toward the airborne worm like living serpents.

The vines—thick, thin, green—whipped out and coiled around the worm's body, binding it midair like a fly caught in a spider's net. The struggling creature twisted violently, its massive segments shuddering against the magical bindings.

Screeee—!

It screeched as the vitality-draining effect of the vines activated. Leo could feel the energy surging through the connection; even though half of it was siphoned into Niri, the other half flowed into him like a cool current washing through tired muscles. His fatigue faded, his breath steadied.

He didn't waste a second. Raising his dagger, Leo shifted into stance, muscles tightening with practiced precision. Across from him, Shyra's form reappeared, her sleek outline glowing faintly. One of her paws shimmered with white particles as she activated her skill—

[Critical Strike]!

The moment Leo's feet touched the ground, he burst forward in a blur of motion, Shyra darting from the opposite side like a shadow made of light.

Slash! Slash!

The sound of tearing flesh echoed through the forest. The bleeding worm thrashed helplessly in the air, unable to move under the grip of the vines as Leo and Shyra tore into it from both directions. Leo's dagger carved through the left segments while Shyra's claws shredded the right, their combined movements forming a deadly rhythm—swift, precise, unrelenting.

Blood rained down like crimson mist.

The Soil Worm's screeches turned to gurgles, its massive body convulsing one final time before going still. With its last, pitiful cry, it spewed blood from both maws and went limp. Its severed segments fell one after another, crashing into the earth with heavy thuds that made the ground tremble.

12-Segmented Soil Worm Killed (Peak 2-Star) — 6000 XP

Level 17: 2995 / 5132 → 5132 / 5132

Level Up!

Level 18: 3863 / 6672

+4 Unassigned Stat Points

Leo exhaled a long breath as the kill confirmation appeared before his eyes. Relief washed through him. By now, every cut and bruise on his body had already sealed, thanks to the passive regeneration trait he'd gained through Niri.

"Damn," he muttered, a small grin tugging at his lips. "My first Peak 2-Star proper solo kill. Feels great."

He stepped closer to the mutilated corpse, boots squelching in the thick, dark blood that coated the forest floor. The air was heavy with the coppery scent of iron mixed with the worm's foul, earthy stench—enough to make any ordinary person gag.

The corpse lay divided into nine distinct parts: one section of four segments attached to the tail-mouth, and the other eight segments neatly severed where he and Shyra had struck in perfect sync.

Leo pulled out his metal plate and lightly tapped the remains. In an instant, the massive carcass dissolved into particles of light, leaving three items behind on the ground: a dull, pulsing Core, a faintly glowing Soul Crystal, and a translucent Mana Crystal.

He checked his current reserves.

Mana: 2540 / 5958

"Sheesh… only one beast took that much out of me," he muttered. The thought of immediately devouring the Mana Crystal and Soul Crystal to replenish himself flashed across his mind—but then he paused.

"Wait… what if I feed the Soul Crystals to my beasts?"

His gaze sharpened. "Wouldn't that increase their mana pool—and give me feedback too? Even if it's only around fifty percent now, as our bond deepens, it'll rise."

He opened the bond window.

Shyra: Blood Bond – 23%

Niri: Blood Bond – 36%

"Eh? Didn't I contract Niri later? Why is her bond higher than Shyra's?" he wondered aloud. After thinking for a bit and finding no answer, he shook his head. "Whatever. Let's handle this first."

He made his decision. The Soil Worm's Core would go to Niri—she was closer to Peak 2-Star, so it'd be easier for her to absorb. The Soul Crystal would be given to Shyra to strengthen her mana pool. As for the Mana Crystal, he decided to store it for later. With a half-spirit companion, his mana recovery was already excellent.

[Mana Recovery Rate (Normal): ½ Intelligence per minute]

[Mana Recovery Rate (Half-Spirit): Intelligence per minute]

[Mana Recovery Rate (Spirit): 2× Intelligence per minute]

Intelligence: 66.2 → 66.9

The moment Shyra absorbed the Soul Crystal, Leo felt a subtle pulse through their bond—a faint, invigorating warmth spreading through his chest. She'd gained around 1.4 attribute points, and he received half as feedback.

"Makes sense," he murmured thoughtfully. "The higher the stage, the harder it gets to raise mana. That boar Soul Crystal gave more than two points even as a high 1-Star… and this Peak 2-Star only gave 1.4." He figured out, but suddenly--

The ground beneath Leo's boots gave a faint tremor. At first, he thought it was his imagination, but then the vibration deepened—steady, rhythmic, and heavier with each pulse. The blood on the ground quivered, rippling like water under a low growl of thunder.

Leo's eyes narrowed. His instincts screamed.

"...Something's coming."

The faint crunch of soil beneath began to distort, cracks spreading as the ground bulged in two separate spots, only ten meters apart. Shyra instantly stepped forward, fur bristling, her black tail curling low as her golden eyes flared in warning. Niri's vines twitched along the surface, sensing the disruption before two sharp bursts of earth exploded upward.

Boom! Boom!

Clods of dirt rained down. Two colossal figures burst from the fissures—both Soilworms. Their brown, fleshy segments gleamed under the faint sunlight filtering through the canopy, their maws gaping wide, revealing layers of grinding, circular teeth dripping with mucus and soil.

One was slightly smaller—the High 2-star—its movements were quicker and twitchier. The other, the Peak 2-star, dwarfed the first, its segments thicker, each one radiating raw, earthen energy. Leo felt the pulse of power from their cores. His gut told him the truth.

"Family, huh...?" He muttered, clicking his tongue. "Great. I killed one, and now the partner and kid are pissed."

Both worms hissed in unison, a shrill screeeech that shook loose the remaining dirt from the nearby trees. The stench of rot and mud filled the air, burning his nostrils.

"Shyra, left. Niri, prepare the vines!"

The command was quick. He didn't need to repeat himself; both beasts moved like shadows. Shyra's figure blurred as [Stealth] activated—her form melted into the surrounding haze, only her faint paw prints visible in the wet soil. Meanwhile, from behind Leo, Niri's presence thickened, and the smell of fresh grass and damp earth burst forth as [Vine Estranglement] awakened.

The green vines snaked outward, writhing like serpents, embedding themselves into the soil to anchor. The moment one of the worms lunged, Niri's vines shot upward like coiled whips.

Crack!

The thinner worm's advance halted midair, its first few segments bound tightly. The thick vitality-draining aura spread through the vines, turning them darker as they absorbed energy. Leo could feel it—the faint pulse of stolen life entering him, refreshing his muscles, clearing his fatigue.

But the other worm wasn't waiting. The larger one burrowed slightly before launching forward, the ground splitting as it surged straight for Leo. He barely rolled aside when it broke through, soil and rock spraying everywhere.

Boom!

"Shit—!"

Leo skidded back, mud splattering his face. He tightened his grip on the dagger, its edge gleaming faintly from the soul-light infused earlier. He charged, boots sinking into the soft, blood-soaked ground. As he got close, the worm twisted its massive body, trying to crush him with its weight.

He didn't hesitate—leapt to the side, rolled, then raised his palm.

[Spike Pores]!

The surrounding was filled with spores that were invisible to the naked eye. Dozens of sharp, earthen spikes erupted, impaling several of the soilworm's segments along the length from inside. A screech tore through the clearing, high-pitched and grating. Its body thrashed violently, tearing some of the spikes apart but leaving several embedded deep into its hide. Black-green ichor spurted out, sizzling upon touching the soil. But maybe due to the low level of the skill, only a few of the spikes appeared outside of its body; the rest did internal damage and disappeared.

Leo dashed in again, slicing at the wound with his dagger. Slash! Slash! Each strike dug deeper, chipping pieces of hardened layer away. But even as he attacked, he felt a rush of air—instinctively ducking as the smaller worm, having freed itself from Niri's vines, lunged straight toward him.

Thud!

The collision sent a tremor through the ground. Leo rolled again, his hand brushing against rough dirt, tasting iron on his tongue from biting the inside of his cheek.

"Persistent bastards!"

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