The suns rays fractured through the canopies. The light bouncing of dew drops on the blades of grass. The insects were quiet in this part of the forest, the air here was heavier, thicker almost charged by some mysterious energy.
Mana, it seems thats the energy surrounding me right now, Ezreal thought. Every instinct he had told him this was no longer beginner territory. The system warnings had stopped appearing a while ago, as if even it had given up trying to dissuade him.
Ezreal moved fast, his speed had increased significantly from his stats he wondered how fast he would be able to move when he was higher level. He would probably be able to cross continents at max he thought with a smile.
His feet barely disturbed the forest floor as he ran, his senses proned and stretched outward, ears catching the smallest disturbances, eyes flicking to every flicker of movement.
A blur.
A blur of muscle and steel shot from the underbrush to his left.
Ezreal twisted on instinct.
Something massive slammed into the space where his head had been a fraction of a second ago. The impact shattered a tree trunk, splinters exploding outward. He skidded back, boots carving furrows into the dirt, blades already in his hands retracted from his inventory.
The creature turned to face him.
It was dog like in shape, but only barely. It's body lean and built, packed with muscle underneath a dark iron like hide. From its forehead, a single horn protruded, curved and glinting in the sunlight, etched with red veins that pulsed like a heartbeat. Its eyes glowing a dark amber, Its maw unhinged drool and spit dripping out falling out on the grass below.
The beast snarled and charged, the blade-horn carving a shallow trench through the ground as it lowered its head.
Ezreal vanished.
Shadow Step carried him sideways in a burst of red mist, the horn slicing through empty air. He reappeared low, rolling beneath the beast's follow-up swipe, his blades flashing out in a precise arc.
Metal against hide. But Ezreal won the clash.
He lodged the blade in the beast side, and cleaving is flesh. An arc of blood splashing into the air painting the grass deep red with blood.
<-420>
The beast howled, spinning unnaturally fast for something its size. Ezreal felt the air shift a heartbeat before the counterattack and leapt back just as the horn swept past, close enough to shear strands of hair from his hood.
Fast, he thought. But...predictable.
The beast lunged again, its head hung low, aiming to charge and pierce into Ezreal.
An opening.
Shadow Step.
Ezreal appeared above it this time, gravity and momentum aligning perfectly. His blades glowed crimson as he crossed them in a downward scissor.
"Backstab."
Steel tore through spine and neck in one clean motion.
<-1900 CRITICAL>
The horned beast didn't even hit the ground whole. Its body disintegrated mid-fall, dissolving into red-black motes that scattered into the forest air.
< Horned Beast slain. EXP gained. 6 silvers rewarded>
Ezreal exhaled slowly, steadying his breathing.
Level 20 monsters… still manageable, he thought wiping his blade on the grass below.
He sheathed his blades and moved on.
That was when he heard it.
Steel clashing. A pained groan.
Ezreal slowed, frowning. Who else could be this deep in the forest. Creatures like that horned beast should have killed anyone who even dared to come here, at least at this level.
Curiosity tugged at him. He adjusted his direction, slipping through the trees soundlessly until the forest opened into a wide clearing. He climed up a tree to gain a better view and there..
He saw her.
Golden hair spilled down her back in loose waves, catching the sunlight with every motion. Her face was striking sharp but elegant, pale skin flushed with exertion, eyes a piercing steel-blue that burned with focus. She wore light warrior armor, layered and flexible, molded perfectly to her frame, bearing faint scratches and dents that spoke of her battles.
She weilded two swords. Two twin blades, painted red with blood. A dual weilder, he thought suprised, he didnt even know it was possible to dual wield swords in the game.
Ezreal's breath hitched despite himself. She was beautiful.
Then he noticed the enemies.
Four monkey-like creatures circled her, each towering over a man, their limbs too long, joints bending the wrong way. Their fur was dark and matted, faces twisted into cruel, mocking grins. Each wielded crude weapons—clubs reinforced with bone and stone.
< Ravine Howler – Level 20 >
Four of them.
Ezreal's eyes narrowed.
She was holding them off, but barely.
The girl lunged first, blades flashing as she met an incoming strike head on. Sparks erupted as her sword met their bony weaponry. She spun, ducked under a sweeping club, and slashed upward, carving a deep wound across one creature's chest.
<-680>
It shrieked, stumbling back.
She didn't give it time to regain its bearings.
Her left blade hooked behind its knee, pulling it off balance as her right sword drove straight through its throat.
The Howler collapsed, dissolving into light.
One down. But the others didn't give her time to rest or catch her breath again.
The other three attacked at once.
She parried one strike, blocked another but the third caught her side. The impact sent her skidding across the dirt, armor screeching as she rolled to her feet just in time to deflect a follow-up blow.
Her movements slowed.
Ezreal could see it now, the slight tremor in her arms, the heavier breaths. Her stamina was nearly gone.
Still, she fought.
She ducked, weaved, blades a blur of practiced technique. A spinning slash forced one Howler back. A precise thrust gouged another's shoulder.
<-310>
<-295>
But they were wearing her down.
A club clipped her leg.
<-120>
She hissed, staggering.Her HP bar flickered turning red. The remaining Howlers closed in, sensing weakness, their laughter harsh and animalistic