The poisoned valley stretched before Ren as he moved between the tall grass. The grass seemed too green—or had it always been like this? Ren wondered as he continued deeper into the valley. Tall grasses and trees covered everything his gaze turned toward. This deep in the valley, many poisonous and dangerous beasts were known to appear, according to the little information Ren had managed to gather, so he kept his guard up.
Ren's steps slowed when a faint vibration pulsed through the earth beneath him.
Thump… thump… thump…
Something was approaching. Something large. Far larger than the bees he had fought earlier. Ren crouched immediately, letting the tall grass swallow his form. The Phoenix Carapace was already summoned.
He had to be careful and minimize the use of his class because of his low stats. The duration of a class being active depended on the Energy point a person possessed.
The vibrations grew heavier. Closer. Ren silently unsheathed his dagger.
Steadying his breath, he parted the grass with his fingers—and there he saw it.
A hulking insectoid creature lumbered ahead, its thorax as thick as sculpted stone, its mandibles clicking with slow, deliberate menace. A Primitive Stone-Mandible Beetle of the dung species. Its shell gleamed like polished granite, and every movement radiated raw power.
Dung beetles were a menace to deal with. Unlike most insect-type beasts in the poisoned valley, they excelled in brute strength and defense. Killing one may reward its victor with dual katanas—an extremely enticing beast memory. However, dung beetles were notoriously difficult to find due to their habit of hunting alone.
Ren felt his heartbeat steady. He had struck the jackpot seeing a dung beetle this close. Today must be his lucky day, and he wasn't about to let go of such an opportunity. This was going to be the hardest battle he had ever fought since awakening.
He set the sack of collected bees behind a nearby tree and tightened his grip on his iron dagger.
Ren stepped fully out of the grass and whistled.
The beetle paused.
Its antennae twitched.
It sensed him.
A low rumble vibrated through its thorax. Then its mandibles snapped open, and the massive creature charged.
"Here we go," Ren muttered as he surged forward.
He sprinted, boots tearing through the grass. Wind roared past his ears as the Phoenix Carapace boosted his speed slightly, making him feel lighter on his feet.
The beetle thundered toward him, each step cracking the ground beneath it.
At the last second, Ren dropped low, sliding beneath the beast's massive body. He gripped the dagger with both hands and slashed outward.
Sparks scattered like fireworks as the blade scraped across the beetle's stone-like underside—and—
Snap!
The dagger snapped.
"Tch. Tough bastard," Ren cursed.
He wasn't actually afraid because the dagger had snapped. Ren had thoroughly tested the Phoenix Carapace before coming here, and he knew its limits well. Certain parts of the armor could be retracted, conserving precious energy when needed.
Like every phoenix, the Carapace also possessed claws—deadly weapons meant for close combat. Ren could rely on them if he had to.
Still, that was never his first choice. Using a dagger consumed far less energy, and more importantly… he wasn't very good at fighting with claws yet.
The beetle screeched, twisting with shocking speed for something so massive. A hooked foreleg crashed down with enough force to shatter boulders.
Ren raised his forearm instinctively.
CLANG!
The impact rattled him from shoulder to spine, launching him backward. He tumbled across the dirt before digging his heel in and skidding to a halt.
His bones throbbed—but he was intact.
"Alright…" Ren breathed, rolling his neck. "You want to play rough Huh"?
Flexing his wrist. The claws hidden within the Phoenix Carapace slid out.
Ren burst forward, dashing sideways as the beetle swung it's foreleg wide. He bent his knees, leapt onto the retreating foreleg, and sprinted straight toward its head.
Now.
He dove forward, claws first, driving them into the beetle's glassy left eye.
Squelch!
The beetle screeched in agony, throwing itself onto the ground and rolling violently to escape the pain.
Ren had already leapt clear by the time it hit the dirt.
One eye down. One more to go.
The beetle thrashed violently, spinning on the ground. Dirt, rocks, and shards of broken mandibles flew in all directions. Its remaining eye fixed on Ren with pure malice, and its twitching antennae hinted at a deadly awareness.
Ren rolled backward, letting the beetle's massive foreleg smash into the ground where he had been moments before.
The beetle roared, a deep vibration that rattled the valley. Its massive mandibles snapped open, each click louder than the last. Ren's claws gleamed under the faint sunlight filtering through the canopy. He had to make this count.
He circled, staying just beyond the beetle's reach, baiting it into acting. taking the bait it lunged forward, foreleg swinging in a deadly arc. Ren ducked low, feeling the wind howl past his ears as the stone-hard limb crashed into the earth inches above him.
Now, he thought.
He leapt, claws extended, aiming for the remaining eye. The beetle twisted mid-roll, but Ren's timing was perfect. His claws sank deep, piercing the glassy orb.
The creature screamed, a sound that rattled the bones in Ren's chest. It spun wildly, struggling, but Ren stayed agile, rolling off to avoid the thrashing limbs.
The beetle's movements slowed, each motion heavier, less coordinated. Its defense was weakening, its power waning—but it was far from defeated.
Ren didn't waste a second. He pressed the attack, slashing diagonally across the beetle's thorax, avoiding the sharp forelegs. The Carapace's claws tore into its armor, sparks and stone chips flying. A final, thunderous screech echoed as the massive insect collapsed onto its side, thrashing weakly.
Ren landed, panting, claws still extended. He drove both claws into the base of the beetle's mandibles, twisting… but no notification sound rang out. Instead silence greeted him instead.
It should be dead… so why didn't the system announce it?
Unless…
Before he could react further, a dart whistled past his head. Ren barely dodged, rolling aside.
"Who's there!? Show yourself! Why interfere with my kill?!" Ren shouted.
...
...…
A voice finally came from the thick grass, calm but amused:
"Huh… a dodged so cleanly? That's rare."
Some minutes later, a handsome young man stepped into the clearing, eyes fixed on Ren.