Inside the cave, Moon found a level eighteen beast coiled in the darkness, it was a Rainbow Snake with colourful scales that shimmered even in low light. He disposed of it quickly with a compressed wind blade that sliced cleanly through its neck before it could react.

[You have killed a level 18 Rainbow Snake]

[You have gained 40 Lives]

–

[ Name: Moon ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Class: Classless]

[ Level: 19 ][ 1% ]

[ Lives: 4039 ]

[ Strength: 28 ] [ Agility: 30 ] [ Constitution: 33 ] [ Mana: 40 ] (+5 to all stats)

[ Attribute Points: 5 ]

[ Skills: Elemental Attack, Five Element Affinity, Tenacity, Silver Skin]

[ Talent: Grim Reaper ]

[ Class Skill: Class Slot {0/1} ]

—

The cave proved somewhat spacious inside, allowing both Moon and Mirage to settle comfortably without feeling cramped. Moon lit a fire using his elemental control, feeding it with dry wood he'd gathered near the entrance, and sat down cross-legged.

There would be no sleeping tonight. He couldn't trust Mirage to maintain watch. While the horse appeared intelligent for its species, Moon couldn't rely on it to spot and alert him of danger before it was too late. A moment's delay could mean death in this hunting ground.

His mind drifted back to the time he'd spent with Selene in the hidden realm. She'd been a genuinely good teammate, competent, reliable, and capable of covering his weaknesses while he covered hers.

I should contact her at some point. I did tell her I would, Moon thought as he pulled a beast's carcass from his storage ring, something suitable for Mirage to eat alongside him.

"Are you ready to feast before sleep?" Moon asked, looking at the horse with a soft gaze.

Mirage neighed softly in response, the sound almost eager.

Moon laughed and prepared the meat, cutting portions that would be safe for the both of them to consume. The companionship, simple as it was, felt surprisingly comfortable.

♢♢♢♢

The following day, Moon ventured out with Mirage, who had slept like a baby through the night.

Moon, not so much, he'd stayed awake the entire time to ensure they'd both survive until morning. His eyes felt slightly heavier than usual, but his mana was fully restored and his body functional.

Whether he liked it or not, it had to be enough. Things rarely worked out as planned, and Moon understood that he had to fight through it.

They hadn't traveled too far from the cave when Moon encountered a group of three beasts blocking the path ahead.

They were clearly from the same beast clan, massive boars with distinctive triple tusks protruding from their snouts.

[Tri-Tusk Boar]

[Level: 19]

[Details: Heavily built creatures known for their three razor-sharp tusks and devastating charging attacks. Their thick hides provide natural armor, and their aggressive territorial nature makes them attack anything that enters their domain.]

The boars had already noticed Moon and Mirage. Their small eyes tracked the intruders with clear hostility, their muscles contracting as they prepared to charge.

Moon dismounted quickly, positioning himself between the beasts and his horse. "Stay back, Mirage. We've got some angry pigs over here."

The largest boar snorted, pawing at the ground, then charged forward with surprising speed for something so bulky. The other two followed immediately, creating a powerful assault that would have overwhelmed awakeners at the same level.

Moon didn't waste time with defensive measures. Unlike the lynx, these boars had decent agility at best, they wouldn't escape his powerful attacks. He channeled fire through the staff on his right and wind on his left, combining the elements mid-cast.

The wind acting as a support element, ensuring the fire dealt more damage.

The fire compressed into a sphere while wind spiraled around it, feeding the flames and directing them forward in a concentrated vortex. The attack expanded as it traveled, growing from a focused point into a swirling inferno that consumed the entire width of the path it traveled through.

The charging boars had no time to stop or evade. The lead boar took the full force of the fire-wind combination directly to its face.

Flames engulfed its head and torso, the wind forcing the fire deeper into nostrils and eyes. It squealed and collapsed mid-charge, momentum carrying its burning body forward several more meters before it stopped moving.

[You have killed a level 19 Tri-Tusk Boar]

[You have gained 90 Lives]

The second and third boars tried to split around the flames, attempting to flank Moon from both sides.

Moon adjusted his attack, sweeping the fire vortex in an arc that caught both creatures. The wind manipulation gave him control over the flames' direction, allowing him to guide the inferno precisely where he needed it.

Both boars died grunting in pain, their thick hides offering no protection against fire at this intensity.

[You have killed a level 19 Tri-Tusk Boar]

[You have gained 90 Lives]

[You have killed a level 19 Tri-Tusk Boar]

[You have gained 90 Lives]

Moon lowered his staff, the flames dissipating. Three corpses lay smoking on the path, their tusks still gleaming despite the charred flesh around them.

It was a quick, efficient fight. Exactly how he preferred encounters to go when he was fighting regular mobs.

He stored all three bodies in his spatial ring. The tusks alone would fetch good money, and the meat from creatures this level was valuable for crafting high-grade rations.

Moon remounted Mirage and continued deeper into the hunting ground, his level slowly creeping upward with each successful kill. He was still far from reaching level twenty. The higher he climbed, the harder it became to advance further. Experience requirements increased exponentially with each level, turning what had been rapid progress into a gradual grind.

Moon wasn't disheartened by the decreasing pace of his level ups. He knew this was bound to happen, to solve the issue, all he had to do was simply hunt more monsters at higher levels.

Moon spent the next hour traveling to the deepest part of the hunting ground. The deeper he went, the fewer beasts he encountered.

His aura was released deliberately, a clear challenge to anything in the vicinity. He wanted beasts to fight him, to test themselves against his strength. Yet none emerged to accept the provocation.

After killing the Tri-Tusk Boars, Moon had only stumbled upon two additional beasts at level twenty, which he'd dispatched just as quickly without any real trouble. After that, nothing appeared in his path.

The zone felt eerily empty, as if something had driven the local wildlife away or claimed this territory so dominantly that other creatures refused to venture near.

As the thought of returning to less deserted areas formed in his mind, Moon suddenly heard a loud explosion up north, roughly a kilometer away.

BOOM!

His eyes snapped toward the direction, and a curious but predatory smile formed on his face.

"Finally. Some action."

Without hesitation, Moon gently directed Mirage toward the sound. "Let's go, buddy. We have something to check out."

Mirage neighed in response, lifting his legs before explosively charging in the direction Moon indicated. The horse seemed to feed off Moon's excitement, its pace quickening.

The sound of roaring and the clashing of weapons against scales increased as Moon drew closer to the source. Beast cries mixed with human shouts, creating a chaotic symphony of pure survival.

BOOM!

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