7 The First Hunt
Chapter 7: The First Hunt
***
[FENDAS]
LEVEL: 13
RANK: C
AGE: 196 days
HP: 37/297
MP: 11/89
-> An advanced forest lizard which hunts Hob-Goblins and other beasts of rank C and lower.
SKILLS:
1] Poison Jaw [Lv.5]
-> A furious bite which can inflict poison immediately.
-> Monsters with high resistance to poison will not be affected.
2] Camouflage [Lv.4]
-> Blends perfectly into the natural surroundings by changing its colour.
3] Taunt [Lv.4]
->Monsters weaker than it will get provoked to attack it.
4] Regeneration [Lv.3]
-> Capable of regenerating specific body parts such as limbs and tails from a predefined list.
5] Thermo detection [Lv. 6]
-> Uses its tongue to detect heat around it at the range of 3 metres from its body.
6] Killer Slash [Lv. 2]
-> Uses its large tail to hit the foe.
7] Paralytic Vision [Lv. 1]
-> Paralyses the foe for 30 seconds.
=> The 'Ruler of the Swamps' title amplifies abilities, triples attacking power and HP regeneration.
***
Shin's mind was reeling in shock as he read the analysis of the swamp ruler's abilities.
'This is insane... it's way too powerful. If I were to face it head-on, I'd be risking my life.'
Despite his instinct telling him to flee, Shin was tired of running away.
With a desire to become the ultimate predator, Shin knew that running away wasn't the solution.
It was up to him to make the most of the system's capabilities and use it effectively.
As Shin stood deep in thought, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with Fendas. The monster's jaws snapped open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
It was as if it was using Poison Jaw.
"DASH!!"
Without wasting a moment, Shin activated the dash skill, narrowly avoiding the poison-jawed attack of the giant lizard.
"What the hell! Why is a ruler of the swamp here? And why is it attacking me?" Shin exclaimed in frustration, trying to make sense of the situation.
'On top of that, it's attacking me mercilessly...', Shin thought to himself, fully aware that one wrong move could mean certain death.
Once again, the venomous reptile hurtled towards him, baring its fangs menacingly.
"Fuck! You want to bite me? We'll just see about that!" Shin yelled, springing up onto the creature's back and avoiding its strike.
With quick thinking, Shin decided to use the skill 'BITE' and sunk his small yet pointy fangs deep into the lizard's scaly skin.
*SQUEAKKKK*
The lizard emitted a piercing shriek, as if it was experiencing intense agony.
*DING DONG*
***
[You have used the skill Bite]
-> Damage done to the foe will be doubled for 10 seconds.
***
He continued to inflict damage upon the struggling beast.
The lizard launched a fierce Killer Slash attack, whipping its tail in a swift motion towards the spot on its neck where Shin maintained his hold.
'Huh? Again the same move?', his expression turned curious as he realized the familiarity of this situation. Recognizing the repeat attack sequence, Shin quickly made sense of the enemy's move set.
Shin noticed the lizard pulling its tail to one side before swinging it, so he quickly evaded the attack with ease.
*BAM*
However, the assault connected nonetheless.
Shin was completely safe. The lizard, on the other hand, was not so lucky - its attack had hit its own neck, breaking most of the bones in the process. The almighty ruler of the swamps was knocked out of its senses and remained unconscious on the ground.
"Huh? What's wrong with the lizard...?" Shin wondered as he remained on the ground, staring at the motionless creature.
He examined the creature's stats, he found himself thoroughly taken aback.
***
HP: 2/297
***
"Holy shit!" Shin exclaimed, completely awed by what had just happened. "Its own attack hit itself and dealt so much damage?"
As he drew nearer, he discovered that the creature was indeed unconscious and not feigning weakness.
"Is it really over just like that...?" Shin asked himself, still in disbelief at how easily he was able to defeat the seemingly invincible ruler of the swamps.
"Wasn't this too easy...?"
Another message appeared unexpectedly while he was observing the creature.
*Ding Dong*
***
MISSION - 02
[HUNT THE SWAMP RULER FENDAS]
-> Kill and eat the Swamp Ruler Fendas.
-> Compulsory.
-> Failure will lead to appropriate punishments.
-> Appropriate rewards will be given on completion.
TIME LIMIT: 00:00:00:30 [ 30 seconds ]
-> The Mission will automatically start as soon as Swamp Ruler Fendas appears in front of you.
***
Swiftly, he glanced over the remaining time before inspecting the specified terms.
In addition to defeating the lizard, he had to consume it to complete the mission.
"Goddamn it!" Shin cursed in frustration as he dashed towards the lizard and sunk his teeth into its flesh using the Bite skill, swiftly ending its life.
A great dilemma loomed over Shin as he realized that he had to consume the entire giant lizard to complete his mission.
Anxiety crept up his spine as he wondered how he would be able to finish such an enormous creature.
He glanced at the timer and realized that time was running out.
As a former human, the thought of consuming a repulsive creature from the swamp was making him nauseous, but he knew that it was a matter of survival. He had no choice but to go through with it.
Shin sank his sharp fangs into the lizard's neck once again, feeling the crunch of bone as he tore out a chunk of flesh. He wasted no time in devouring it, swallowing it whole with a loud gulp.
As he was busy eating the lizard, a message suddenly appeared on his interface. He wanted to check it, but he knew that he had to focus on finishing his task as time was running out.
"Uhhh!!" Shin's throat burned as a piece of tough meat lodged itself uncomfortably. He stumbled towards the nearby river, gasping for air, and plunged his face into the cool water, gulping it down to wash away the obstruction.
As he gulped down water to clear his throat, a notification from the System popped again.
*DING DONG*
***
[You have completed the mission - Hunt The Swamp Ruler Fendas]
-> Rewards
- -> You have received 10 stat points.
- -> Growth rate has increased by 10%.
- -> You have been bestowed the title 'Ruler Of The Swamps'
- -> You have received the title 'Reptile Killer'
***
After Shin drank enough water to wash down the meat stuck in his throat, he took a look at the message.
"Ah, very nice. The rewards are definitely cool," he mused, pleased with the rewards. But his satisfaction was short-lived as numerous pop-ups appeared simultaneously.
***
[You have killed a High Ranking Lizard]
You have leveled up.
You have leveled up.
You have...
***
"What the... more rewards? And why are they coming in now?" Shin talked to himself in a low voice as he scrolled through the notifications.
Shin groaned as he saw the flood of notifications on his screen. "Do I really have to go through all of them?", he muttered to himself, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.
"Wow, that was amazing!!" Shin exclaimed, his heart racing with excitement.
'I never thought I could take down a giant lizard like that! This was my first real hunt… My first time taking down a prey!!' Shin thought with pure excitement coursing through his veins.
He couldn't believe his luck, or maybe it was fate that brought him here. But one thing was certain - he had never felt more alive than he did now, standing victorious over the almighty ruler of the swamps.
