Getting the Second Piece of The Book of Annihilation

After traveling 543 miles, Karsha and his party arrived at the borders of Thunder Peak. Halting approximately 200 kilometers away, they gazed at the peril before them. Even from this distance, Karsha could feel his hair standing on end. The relentless onslaught of thunder and lightning engulfing the area was no laughing matter.

Thunder Peak loomed as a rugged mountain range, characterized by deep valleys and jagged peaks. Thunderstorms swept through incessantly, casting bolts of lightning across the sky and roaring like a ravenous dragon. The air crackled with electricity, and even the ground seemed to pulse with an electric current.

"This place is dangerous," Karsha muttered under his breath. "I think we should move quickly and leave before we get caught in any electric storms." Knowing he had no resistance against lightning, Karsha decided to exercise caution.

His understanding of the lightning element was limited. While he could tap into lightning using a skill, he could not manipulate the element manually like most mages. Only those proficient in the lightning element would have some degree of safety when entering Thunder Peak.

"But since he lacked such capabilities, Karsha knew he had to tread carefully.

"We're here to hunt down Amber Ambushers and Auric Blade snakes. A Tier 5 or 6 will be okay. Gather all their drops and store them in these space rings," Karsha instructed, pulling out fifteen space rings from his inventory and distributing them among the five shadow guards. "Stay close and retreat immediately at any sign of danger. Your safety is the priority here."

With that, Karsha infused mana into the boat, propelling them closer to the Thunder Peak section.

"Let's make this quick," he added, jumping down into the Safe Zone section and stowing the boat. "Dhaka, they're your team now, so you're in charge. Ensure their safety above all else."

Dhaka nodded and began issuing orders to his team. Meanwhile, Karsha couldn't help but praise the system for the message that had appeared before him.

< Does the host wish to create a simplified copy of the Map? Cost: 1000 KP >

-- Yes

-- No

'Yes, my friend, you are the best,' Karsha muttered appreciatively as a small map materialized in his hands. Examining the low-grade version, a small smile crept onto his lips.

"Take a look. The blue area marks our current location, a safe zone where only Tier 1 monsters roam," Karsha explained, pointing to the map. "The green area represents the Average zone, where Tier 2, 3, and 4 creatures can be found."

"However, our targets are Tier 5 and 6 monsters, which are in the black area," he continued, indicating another section on the map. "There might be mutants, so don't venture too deep and avoid staying in one place. Spread out."

With his instructions given, Karsha left the group to handle their tasks. He had already informed them he had personal matters to attend to, so they shouldn't worry about him.

Entering the Danger Zone, Karsha proceeded cautiously. The deeper he ventured, the more perilous it became. Even the leaves crackled with electricity in some places.

Once deep within the danger zone, Karsha focused on hunting for the second piece of the book of Annihilation while also enhancing his skills to fortify his domain further.

"Let's start with fire," Karsha declared as he activated his domain. To his surprise, it now extended over a radius of 2 kilometers. "I guess the upgrade did its work," he muttered to himself with satisfaction.

With a mere thought, his armor equipped itself. Drawing his swords, he dashed towards a Tier 5 monster trapped a couple of hundred meters away.

Thanks to his agility, which had tripled in just a few days, Karsha appeared almost instantaneously in front of the Tier 5 monster and launched into close-quarters combat.

Utilizing his basic swordsmanship skills, Karsha slashed, dodged, and countered with precise stabs and thrusts. The Amber Ambusher snake he faced was swift, even faster than the grey-scale cobra, but within his domain, Karsha moved with enhanced speed and agility.

Though he could have dispatched the monster quickly, Karsha aimed to hone his skills, engaging in several minutes of intense combat before delivering the finishing blow.

Three minutes into the fight, Karsha activated his Fire Beam technique. Flames engulfed his swords, and each swing sent arcs of fire towards the Tier 5 snake's head. He slashed in rapid succession, aiming to overwhelm and defeat it using the fire beam skill.

The more Karsha slashed, the stronger his ability became. His Fire Beam skill started at Tier 4 with a D rating, but Karsha's current nature was akin to that of a monster, with an exceptional comprehension speed.

As he wielded his flaming swords and unleashed attacks, his understanding of the skill improved rapidly. Within ten minutes of continuous combat, he elevated the skill's rating from D to B.

He could have pushed it further, but a system message interrupted, indicating he had successfully killed the Tier 5 Amber Ambusher. Karsha immediately ceased his attacks.

<Ding! 5 10 50 1000 You have killed a Tier Amber Ambusher. 10,000 Exp added, Stat points Killer Points Skill added.>

<Ding! Venom extracted and absorbed.>

<Ding! The bloodline is too weak to benefit the host. Kill higher Tier monsters for stronger bloodlines.>

<Ding! The blood is too weak to benefit the host in body tempering. Kill higher Tier monsters.>

<Ding! No drops, Avatar.>

"What is this feeling? Why do I feel like I'm on the verge of unlocking something in my swordplay? I need to use it more," Karsha muttered, his focus consumed by the sensation stirring within him. Despite the system notifications, his mind was fixed on the battle with the Tier 5 Amber Ambusher where he sensed a potential breakthrough in his swordsmanship, abruptly halted by the creature's demise.

"I need to explore this further," he murmured to himself, retrieving the map and spotting five Tier 5 monsters moving eastward toward his domain.

"Why wait? Let's greet them," he decided, deactivating his domain and started moving towards the approaching monsters.

Closing the distance, he activated his domain once more, flames enveloping his swords. "Let's see if I can replicate that feeling," he challenged himself as he dashed towards the monsters, unleashing a barrage of fire attacks.

His speed allowed him to execute over 30 sword strikes in a mere second, but that was just the beginning. As he continued his assault, the damage output intensified with each blow. His mastery of the skill is increasing at a shocking speed.

Karsha decided to forgo using the domain variation so he could focus on understanding and integrating the Fire Beam skill.

"Why can't I feel it anymore?" Karsha muttered in frustration. Despite dispatching the third monster, he couldn't replicate the previous sensation.

"I need more monsters!" Karsha roared like a lion after dealing with the last two snakes. He stored the monsters and their cores before swiftly dashing towards more potential targets. With the map in hand, he scanned for densely populated areas.

"Ten Tier 5 and Two Tier 6. That should keep me occupied for a while," he calculated, selecting his next targets. Blinking into the shadows, he swiftly moved 4 kilometers away to begin his hunt anew.

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

Meanwhile, the five Shadow Guards also began their carnage in the most gruesome manner possible. Dhaka, one of the Shadow Guards, brandished his sword as he faced off against five Tier 5 monsters.

"Ayarr, you can start," Dhaka commanded confidently. Being Tier 7 beasts, the Shadow Guards felt no threat from the Tier 5 monsters; instead, it was the monsters who sensed impending doom.

Escape was futile, especially as Ayarr, the assassin of the team, melded into the shadows and reappeared with her daggers aimed at the snakes' eyes. She relied solely on her shadow meld ability, her strength alone enough to dispatch even a Tier 6 monster.

"I believe the Annihilator instructed us to secure all orbs and monster bodies once we finish them off," remarked Tifa as she began storing the monsters in her space ring. "What do you think he needs so many monster bodies for?" she asked curiously.

"I don't know, but in the two weeks that I followed him, I saw him kill over 1000 monsters and store their bodies. I think humans need them," Ayarr replied, the most informed among the five Shadow Guards about Karsha's methods.

"If he wants the bodies, then let's surprise him. Let's hunt only Tier 6 monsters. I believe this will strengthen the bond between the Purple Tail Anaconda race and the Annihilator," Dhaka declared his resolve firm. The others nodded in agreement and thus began their hunt for Tier 6 monsters—a decision that would not only greatly benefit Karsha but also send shockwaves across the entire central continent upon his return.

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

"Damn it, why can't I recapture that feeling," Karsha muttered angrily as he drove his sword into the head of a Tier 6 monster. He had been battling the creatures for the past 10 minutes, but the exhilaration of his initial fight eluded him.

"The atmosphere is growing more perilous. I must proceed with caution," he thought, charging towards the last remaining Tier 6 monster, which was on the brink of death, and unleashing a barrage of flame attacks. Moments later, the 12-meter-long snake, almost as wide as a 64-inch television, collapsed lifeless.

< Ding! You have slain a Tier 6 Amber Ambusher. 20,000 EXP added, 70 Stat Points added, 3000 Killer Points added, 20 Skill Points added >

< Ding! Venom extracted and absorbed. >

< Ding! Bloodline extracted and absorbed. Your class strengthens. >

< Ding! Blood extracted and absorbed. Can be used for body tempering later. >

< Ding! Congratulations, you have received a drop. >

Karsha raised an eyebrow at the final message. Retrieving the orb from the system inventory, he shattered it.

< Ding! Congratulations, you have received the Second Piece of The Book Of Annihilation. >

"At least my efforts weren't in vain..."