Successful Hunt

Stepping through the gaping maw of one of the many holes punctuating the frosty structure, Atrixus, and Jeremy ventured into a world where the air bit with a chill that seemed to seep into their very bones.

Jeremy's voice, low and steady, broke the silence; "Be on alert; the Evo is close by."

In response, Atrixus activated his Fiery Drill, the transformation imbuing his arm with a fiery aura that contrasted sharply with the icy surroundings.

Beside him, Jeremy summoned a weapon of his own—a glowing hook sword that shimmered with an ethereal light. Intricate patterns adorned the blade, weaving a story of battles fought and victories won.

It was an Evo weapon, a tangible legacy of a formidable creature Jeremy had once vanquished. The specifics of that encounter remained a mystery, shrouded in the silence that hung between them.

Their footsteps were muted against the frost-covered ground as they moved with purposeful stealth. The interior of the frosty structure was a labyrinth of ice and shadow, its passages winding and unpredictable.

Stalactites hung like daggers from the ceiling, their tips glistening menacingly, while the walls shimmered with a sheen of ice that reflected their forms in a dance of light and shadow.

Turning a corner, they came upon an open cavernous area, its vastness dwarfing their figures. High above, resting atop a jagged icy protrusion that jutted out like the claw of some frozen beast, lay their quarry.

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The Evo was a creature of silvery hues, its body encased in frost that lent it an ethereal quality. A pair of wings, large and membranous, draped across the ice beneath it, while its eyes, sharp and calculating, glinted with a predatory intelligence.

The Evo's appearance was the embodiment of the frosty domain it inhabited—both beautiful and menacing. Its skin glistened like the surface of a frozen lake under the moonlight, while the frost that coated its form seemed to pulse with an inner light.

Jeremy gestured for silence, his gaze fixed on the creature above. "That's our target," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "The Frostwing Harpy. It's as dangerous as it is beautiful. Be ready for anything."

Atrixus nodded, his grip on his Fiery Drill tightening. The juxtaposition of fire and ice, represented by his weapon and their frost-encased target, was not lost on him. The surroundings, with their chilling beauty, seemed to hold their breath in anticipation of the confrontation to come.

As Jeremy began his silent ascent towards the Frostwing Harpy, Atrixus followed suit, his senses heightened and his heart pounding in his chest. The icy protrusion offered little in the way of footholds, but Jeremy's movements were sure and practiced, a testament to his experience as a System Bearer.

The Frostwing Harpy remained motionless, its gaze piercing the shadows that enveloped them. Its stillness was unsettling, a prelude to the storm of violence that could erupt at any moment.

"Stay sharp, Atrixus," Jeremy murmured as they neared the creature. "It will try to disappear when I press too much."

Jeremy's transformation was the first sign of the impending confrontation, his feet morphing into a beastly covering that granted him both protection and enhanced agility. With a fierce cry, he launched himself into the air, his glowing hook sword drawn and ready.

The Frostwing Harpy, startled from its perch atop the jagged ice protrusion, reacted with speed and precision.

Its silvery claws, sharp as the iciest winds, swung towards Jeremy, meeting his attack head-on. The collision sent small shockwaves through the cavern, a blast of power that sent the Evo spiraling through the air.

Landing with a grace borne of countless battles, Jeremy wasted no time in pursuing the harpy. "Stay alert, Atrixus!" he shouted, darting towards the recovering creature.

Their subsequent clashes were a blur of motion, Jeremy's agility and the harpy's evasive maneuvers making it difficult for Atrixus to find an opening to engage.

Jeremy, undeterred by the harpy's evasive maneuvers, pressed his attack.

The harpy, for its part, retaliated with a fury born of desperation, its claws seeking to rend and tear.

The sounds of their battle—the clash of weapon against claw, the shattering of ice, and the guttural cries of combat—filled the cavern, a symphony of conflict.

Atrixus, watching from a distance, could only marvel at the spectacle before him. The speed and intensity of the engagement were beyond his ability to intervene, a reminder that he was indeed still a newbie System Bearer.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Despite the ferocity of the battle, with every collision, Jeremy was pushing the large creature back.

Even when the Frostwing Harpy didn't take a direct hit, the sword still caused damage, taking chunks of the Evo's health bar.

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This was a bit surprising to Atrixus yet he remained focused.

Realizing it was outmatched, the Frostwing Harpy vanished into thin air. Its ability to blend with its surroundings was a last-ditch effort to evade capture.

"Atrixus, now!" Jeremy called, frustration edging his voice as the harpy slipped from his grasp.

From his vantage point, Atrixus tracked the invisible Evo's movements through the health bar that darted across his vision.

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"To your left!" he directed, but the creature's speed outpaced Jeremy's reaction, rendering the strike futile. "Behind you!" Another swing, another miss—the harpy was always one step ahead, its movements erratic and unpredictable.

Faced with the harpy's superior speed, Atrixus recalibrated his strategy, his mind racing to predict the creature's next move. "Wait for it," he advised, his eyes locked on the floating health bar. "Now! Straight ahead!"

Trusting in Atrixus's guidance, Jeremy launched his glowing hook sword with precision. The weapon sliced through the air, its trajectory true.

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As the Evo health bar materialized in the exact spot Atrixus had predicted, the sword found its mark, completely piercing through its flesh, embedding the creature in the icy wall and halting its frantic escape

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Seizing the moment of vulnerability, Atrixus sprinted forward, his Fiery Drill ablaze with intensity.

"Die!" he declared, plunging his transformed arm into the harpy's throat. The creature's health bar plummeted, signaling the end of the battle.

« You Have Killed A Frostwing Harpy Evo »

The notification of victory flashed in Atrixus's vision, a silent confirmation of their hard-fought triumph.

Panting, Jeremy retrieved his hook sword from the wall, the ice cracking around the embedded weapon. "Well done, Atrixus," he praised, a nod of respect towards his younger companion. "Your ability... it's something else."

Atrixus, still catching his breath, couldn't help but smile at the acknowledgment. "No thank you," he replied as his gaze shifted from Jeremy to the level-up notifications in his line of sight.

« You Have Leveled Up »

« You Have Leveled Up »

As the final echoes of battle faded into the chilling silence of the frost-bound cavern, Jeremy set about the task of harvesting from their fallen adversary, the Frostwing Harpy.

With practiced precision, he began to cut away chunks of the creature's flesh, each piece removed with a reverence that spoke to the significance of the act.

After securing approximately thirty percent of the harpy's flesh, he built a small fire, an oasis of warmth in the cold dominion of the icy cavern.

The remainder of the Frostwing's corpse was consigned to the flames, a pyre that illuminated the cavern with its flickering light, casting long shadows on the icy walls.

Turning to Atrixus, Jeremy handed him a portion of the harvested flesh. "Take this. I should have enough to acquire its Assimilated Summon," he stated, his voice carrying the confidence of one who had traversed the path of System Bearer for many years.

Atrixus, holding the cold, silvery flesh, voiced his uncertainty, "But how can you be so sure you'll get the creature's Assimilated Summon? Isn't it usually unpredictable?"

Jeremy's response was a cryptic smile, his eyes shifting to his glowing hook sword, which lay beside him. "I have my ways," he said, a hint of mystery in his tone.

With their task completed, the two System Bearers left the frosty confines of the cavern behind. Jeremy offered Atrixus a lift back to the green zone settlement atop his majestic Assimilated Evo summon.

The journey back was swift, the landscape a blur of colors and shapes as they traversed the distance between the wilds of Shunri Paradise and the relative safety of the green zone.

Upon their return, Jeremy parted ways with Atrixus to prepare his portion of the Frostwing Harpy's flesh.

Unlike Atrixus, who had consumed raw Evo flesh directly, Jeremy adhered to the more conventional practice among System Bearers—cooking the meat before consumption.

Atrixus, meanwhile, wandered the bustling streets of the green zone, his mind awash with the day's events.

The successful hunt, the battle against the Frostwing Harpy, and acquiring flesh that would increase his Evo points filled him with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation. Yet, as he prepared to leave Shunri Paradise, a sudden thought arrested his steps.