NOVEL WEB Chapter 40: Faster
If only he could take them back to the settlement… he could've been a rich man.
But the thought of going back to the settlement just for money?
Not worth it. He wasn't about to die chasing small gains.
It was time to leave this realm.
Tarkan closed his eyes and activated the mark on his wrist. A faint glow pulsed from it for a moment, then faded.
No reaction.
He opened his eyes and scanned the area.
"Enh…"
The corpses of the Zumbra creatures still lay scattered across the battlefield.
Why wasn't it working?
He raised his wrist again, bringing it closer to his face. He wanted to pull up the comprehensive beginner guide, only to realize the bracelet was gone.
He froze.
It must have fallen off during the fight with the Zumbras.
But he was sure, absolutely sure, that the guide had said a person needed to spend at least six hours in the dimension before they could use the mark to teleport out. And he had already..
"Ah…" Realization hit.
"Damn… Revert…" he muttered.
"This is a little too much…" Tarkan added, speaking to no one in particular.
There was no getting out now.
Climbing out of the hollowed tree he'd taken shelter in, he looked up at the thick canopy above.
Since he couldn't teleport out, he might as well make good use of the time, and build up his prime points.
But where to start?
His mind drifted to the Bog Skippers.
He already knew how they moved, how they hunted. But that area was near where Cassian had died. Everyone knew Tarkan was the last person seen with him.
He wasn't naive enough to walk back into that mess and hand himself over.
His guide bracelet was gone. He couldn't identify any creature route.
That meant he had to be cautious. Going deeper into the dimension meant encountering higher-tier creatures, of the Crowned tier.
And with the kind of luck he had?
If he got ganged up on again, like with the Zumbras, he wasn't betting on another miracle.
Still…
"Fuck it. No risk, no gain," he muttered. "I'm not living like a rat."
He turned and stepped deeper into the dense forest.
--
Time passed.
Tarkan now sat beside a flickering fire, rotating the charred body of a massive, rabbit-like beast on a makeshift spit.
[Prime Stats]
Feral: 14
Awakened: 24
Crowned: 6
His Feral points had increased by 14. It had been an easy kill.
Surprisingly, luck was on his side today. Maybe it was because faith had decided to have pity on him for the lost of an A RANK talent. This chapter was made possible by the community at MV|LEM|PYR.
Whatever the reason, every creature he'd run into since had been Feral-tier. With his current strength and a sharp blade in hand, dispatching them had been no challenge.
Sword in hand, he walked calmly through the forest, senses sharp, alert for any sign of ambush.
Suddenly
A blur shot from the underbrush.
Tarkan's instincts flared. He reacted on reflex, parrying with his sword, but the sheer force of the impact threw him to the side.
His feet scrambled for traction as the beast came at him again.
Its claws slashed toward him.
He rolled just in time, dodging the second strike. Dirt sprayed into the air as he landed.
He turned, sword raised
and saw a creature which looked exactly like a tiger from earth.
Only… larger than any tiger he'd seen back on Earth.
Its massive frame radiated power. Striped muscles moved like coiled springs under its fur.
Judging by the force of the blow earlier, it had to be a Crowned-tier beast.
But instead of attacking again, it began to circle him, slow and deliberate. Its eyes locked onto him, studying him with unsettling focus.
Tarkan didn't panic.
In fact, he grinned.
He'd been hoping to test his strength against a Crowned-tier creature.
Now was his chance.
The beast moved first, leaping forward with brutal speed. Tarkan twisted, dodging the lunge.
His eyes met the tiger's, and he could see a flicker of intelligence in its eyes.
This wasn't a dumb beast. It was looking at Tarkan steps and movement with a calculating eyes.
Tarkan narrowed his gaze.
Brute strength wouldn't win this.
The tiger lashed out again. Tarkan dodged. The beast hit the ground, spun, and dove again with terrifying speed. It swiped with its massive paws.
Tarkan ducked under it, barely keeping pace.
Roarrr!
It was growing frustrated.
Another lunge. Another dodge.
Roooooaar!
Now visibly angry, the tiger changed tactics.
This time, it didn't leap.
It charged straight at him and swiped with both claws.
Tarkan blocked it with his sword, but the impact sent shockwaves through his arm. He staggered, breath short.
Recovering quickly, he countered with a strike of his own.
Roooaaarrrrrrrrrrrrr!
His blade pierced one of the tiger's eyes. The creature let out a bloodcurdling scream and recoiled instantly, retreating with a howl like a wounded hog.
Tch.
Tarkan clicked his tongue. He had aimed to finish it with that blow, but this tiger was smarter than it looked.
It wouldn't fall for that again.
Now half-blind, the tiger stood several paces away, panting. Blood gushed from its ruined eye, dripping to the earth.
Its one remaining eye stared at Tarkan with hate.
They stood in silence.
The standoff didn't last long.
Tarkan moved.
He charged.
The tiger reacted, slashing with its paw.
But this time, Tarkan didn't dodge sideways.
He leapt into the air.
His body spun midair, his blade aimed down at the same wounded eye.
There was no room for escape.
The sword plunged deep.
Rooaaarrr!
His foot landed on the beast's head as the blade pierced its brain. The tiger's body spasmed, then collapsed.
Croakkkkkkkkkkk…
With one last surge, Tarkan jumped off its falling body, using all the force in his legs.
(* Talent – Croak Boost (F-Rank): The user gains a slight jump enhancement if they croak beforehand. The louder the croak, the stronger the boost.)
His Croak Boost ability activated, accelerating his leap as the beast crashed to the ground behind him.
Cawww!
He landed cleanly on the back of a dark, swooping bird, mid-flight, claws poised to strike.
A sneak attack.
But Tarkan was faster.
...
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