A Total Massacre (2)

Clank!

"What the fuck" Karsha shouted when his sword, instead of cutting the skin of Tier 6, produced a clanking sound rather. He had engaged in close combat with the Tier 6 Cobra for the past 5 minutes, yet he wasn't able to deal any significant damage. "How strong are you?" He muttered before checking since he didn't have much time to check before the snake attacked.

< Grey Scale Cobra >

Level: Tier 6

HP: 65,000

Attack Power: 780 ~ 1100

Defense: 860

Skills: Lethal dash, Tail strike, Poison shot, Poison beam, Metal Body

"Too strong," Karsha muttered.

Even with the buff from the water domain, he couldn't land any decisive attacks; all his sword strikes that managed to connect felt like they were hitting metal armor.

'What is this snake made of?' he wondered. Initially, he thought he could handle a Tier 6 monster without using the domains. However, his current experience showed him he was far from capable of killing a Tier 6 monster, even one without the strong defenses of the Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra.

"Weak," taunted the snake, whose ability to speak never ceased to surprise Karsha. Like Karsha, it had been searching for a way to land a lethal blow. Yet every time it locked onto him, Karsha would blink away, effortlessly evading all its attacks.

It was clear that Karsha was no match for it, but that didn't mean killing the annoying human would be easy. The only way to kill someone was to land an attack, yet all its attempts were being effortlessly evaded, fueling the snake's anger.

"You seem much stronger than those three I killed a week ago," Karsha remarked, noticing the snake's attempts to provoke him. He decided to play along. Since the snake could talk, he knew he had some leverage to toy with its mind. And what better way to taunt a snake than to remind it of the death of its friends?

"I will kill you, human," His words seemed to provoke the snake, which shot its venom, aiming to blind him. However, Karsha was too fast and dodged the attack before it even reached two meters from him.

"The funny part was that they couldn't even resist. They lay there like idiots as I severed their heads from their bodies," he added, making the snake hiss once more.

"I don't mind giving you the same ending. All you have to do is lay down like a bitch and let me behead you." The snake's body shimmered and then started turning darker.

Seeing this, Karsha smiled because he knew the snake was about to unleash its most powerful attack. But that was also the moment its defense would be lowered.

"I only have one shot at this. It better work." After training his variations for a while, he decided to add the ice domain. However, just as he was about to have that chance, the Tier 6 snake showed up.

But that wasn't all. The rating of his Lightning and Water skills had now risen to Class A. However, even though the skills had been upgraded, he didn't gain any benefits, meaning the debuff on the snake was just 25%, and with the stats he saw, despite the debuff, the snake was still at the Tier 6 stage.

He needed to weaken the snake further so that when it launched its attack, he would have the opportunity to land a decisive blow. And what was the best way to do that? If not weakening if not slapping it with another debuff.

With the ice domain, he would be able to reduce the snake's stats by 50% for 10 seconds. Coupled with the existing 20% debuff, he was confident he could deliver a fatal blow before time ran out.

"Meet your end, human," the snake spoke before a dark beam shot from its mouth. It unleashed its strongest skill, [Poison Beam]. This attack allowed the snake to condense its venom and shoot it as a beam.

If hit by it, your skin would start corroding as the venom ate away at every cell on and gradually within your body. The venom was so potent that if it managed to enter your body, even your bones wouldn't survive the aftermath.

Karsha, seeing the snake about to attack, activated the [Ever Freezing Ice Domain], instantly reducing the effectiveness of the attack by 50%. He wanted to move and land a killing blow immediately; however, before he could do so, something stronger slammed into the domain from the outside.

With the ice effect added, the 300 meters were frozen solid, meaning nothing could enter nor leave - at least, not freely.

Using the sensing feature in the domain, he pinpointed where the disturbance was coming from. However, sensing immediate danger, he thrust his sword forward, causing the hundreds of swords hovering above him, now infused with electricity, to shoot toward the snake.

With a 50% debuff, its defense had been considerably lowered. When the swords struck its body, a loud hissing sound escaped its lips, making Karsha smile wickedly.

"Die now, buddy." Saying that he blinked and appeared right in front of the snake. With a single strike, he severed its head from its body.

<Ding! 6 500 Congratulations on killing a Tier Grey Scale Cobra. 50,000 Exp added, Stat points added.>

"Boom!" The domain was struck again, making Karsha narrow his eyes toward the direction once more. "Since you are so eager to get in, why don't you enter and never leave again?" Karsha blinked and appeared where another Tier 6 cobra was trying hard to break the domain.

He waited for the opportune moment, and just as the snake poised to strike the domain again, Karsha deactivated it, causing its body to slam hard onto the ground.

Without delay, he reactivated the domain, reducing the snake's abilities by 50%. "Farewell," he murmured, igniting his sword in flames and swiftly moving to the side of the snake preparing to attack.

With one decisive stroke, he severed its head. "Ha. That was a close call. Am I really that weak?" Karsha, now seated atop the 12-meter-long snake's body, muttered.

< Ding! Congratulations on killing a Tier 6 Grey Scale Cobra. 50000 Exp gained, 500 Stat points added >

Initially, he believed he could handle a Tier 6 monster easily; however, his perspective shifted after encountering these two Tier 6 Cobras. "How will I confront the Overlords if I struggle against their minions?"

Despite being only a Master stage cultivator, he couldn't shake the feeling of being week. He wasn't used to weakness; in his past life on Earth, he was a resilient young man who never lost a fight since joining the army.

Life had always been smooth for him; even in combat, his instincts never failed. However, he failed to realize he wasn't the sole cultivator in this world anymore. The snakes possessed their strength and dignity. They wouldn't bow down and let a mere human defeat them.

Their pride won't allow submission. Even if Karsha surpasses them in strength, they'll resist, much like he was doing. The strong prevail over the weak; such is the law of the jungle.

After several minutes of contemplation and no snake crashing into the domain, he moved to inspect the bodies for any loot. With three drops already in his possession and planning to spend the night in the Average area to complete the quest for additional functions of the map, he refrained from shattering them immediately.

"Two more drops, eh?" he muttered, holding two orbs in his hands. "I still have time; the slaughter must continue," he added before storing the two bodies and resuming his journey.

Having just dispatched two Tier 6 monsters, retreating didn't seem prudent since he still needed to integrate the Ever Freezing domain into the four variations he had created.

With the debuff effect of the ice domain, he felt confident in his ability to survive against a single Tier 6 Cobra. That was his current limit, but if he succeeded in integrating the ice domain into the variations, he might stand a chance against multiple Tier 6 targets.

Pressing on with his slaughter, he delved deeper into the forest. Armed with the life-saving artifact Elder Ben had given him, he knew that at the first sign of danger, he would teleport away.

Three hours passed quickly, but the massacre continued. The more he battled the snakes, the more powerful his attacks became, driving him to never stop. After another two hours, he successfully integrated the Ice domain into the first Variation, the Water Carpet.

With the ice integrated, if a target steps into the water, the surrounding water will begin freezing, reducing its movement by 10%. Moreover, if the water infiltrates a wound on their body, there's a 30% chance a freezing effect will trigger within.

He named it [Ever Freezing Water Carpet].

Thirty minutes later, after dispatching 20 Tier 5 cobras, he infused ice into the second variation, renaming it [Frozen Lightning Rain]. Similar to the prior effect, the new variation inflicts physical damage from the ice while the lightning continues draining the target's HP.

As the battle prolongs, the effect grows stronger. The second variation resembles the skill of a Magnus. Nonetheless, since victory ultimately favors the last one standing, Karsha didn't dwell on it.

Though he attempted to integrate the third and fourth variations, the night hindered his progress. Thus, he opted to return to the Average zone, where he intended to spend the night to complete the Map quest.

Unaware of the lurking danger in the area he had just departed, he embarked on the quest to kill 40 Tier 4 monsters before daybreak.

=================

A few minutes after Karsha's departure, a Tier 6 monster emerged in the location where he had vanquished the two Tier 6 creatures. It slithered through the 300-meter radius, flicking its tongue for a few moments before fixing its gaze on the next location—the small waterfall where the other three Tier 6 snakes had met their demise.