A Forced Soul Binding

Darkness surrounded his figure as he plunged deeper into the mountain's icy abyss. 

He channelled his mana and swung his arm downwards as the grimace distorting his face worsened.

'I underestimated tier-five magical creatures too much. I can't beat them in a duel, especially if they force me into melee combat.'

As he pondered the recent defeat, a radiant flare left his palm, illuminating the darkness for a hundred meters before dimming without finding the ground.

A defeated sigh escaped his lips.

If he used the system's stats as a reference, the difference between them was like day and night.

'More than triple mine...'

The thought alone sent a shiver down his spine.

Yet, he survived by the skin of his teeth, making defeat taste less bitter in his mouth.

'I'm stranded, though.'

His lips stretched into a wry smile as he chuckled in self-derision.

"I'll forget about hunting beasts of that tier for a while."