Then Ronan saw it. A small, delicate plant stood in the centre of the cave. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, its leaves glistening with an otherworldly sheen.
But what truly caught his attention was how it absorbed the mana in the cave—around it, the air hummed with a strange, pulsing energy.
His Keen Eye allowed him to see beyond what the human eye could comprehend. The plant was drawing in mana, greedily consuming it.
Ronan's instincts screamed at him. "This area reeks of danger. No monsters come here for a reason." His thoughts were swift, yet clear.
Powerful creatures always ventured near such sources of concentrated mana. This cave was likely a breeding ground for something far more dangerous, something that fed off the energy of the land itself.
Though the sight was tempting, Ronan knew better than to engage without preparation. "I'll mark this location on the map for later. No need to rush in." With one last lingering glance at the mysterious plant, he turned away, stepping silently out of the cave.
The rest of the afternoon passed quietly. Ronan continued his search, every step bringing him closer to his goal, yet the Luminis Drake remained elusive.
His heart was restless. "I need to move faster." But just as he was about to make his way back to the temple, a flicker of movement caught his attention—a rustling sound, faint but distinct. He froze, instinctively slipping into the shadows.
His Keen Eye allowed him to spot the two creatures before they had fully emerged from the dense undergrowth.
The monsters resembled deer in body structure, their four long legs carrying them gracefully through the woods. However, the similarities ended there.
Their fur was covered in strange, glowing red markings, and their large, spiralling horns gleamed ominously in the afternoon sun.
But what struck Ronan most was the way they moved—slow, almost deliberate, like they were hunting, but not for food. They were after something else. He immediately realised what they were. "They are the Soul Siphon Deer."
These monsters drained the very essence of life from anything they encountered. They were known for siphoning the souls of their victims, feeding off the energy until nothing remained but an empty husk.
Soul Siphon Deer cores, when harvested, were said to grant the consumer great power, enhancing their mind and soul, and making them stronger.
Ronan clenched his jaw. "If I'm going to take them down. The last thing I need is to be caught off guard by a soul drain." He surveyed the situation carefully. There were two of them, moving together in tandem, their heads low to the ground, sniffing for prey. Their senses were acute, and a direct confrontation could spell disaster.
"I'll start with a distraction," he thought, his mind working swiftly. He reached for his sword and held it in a ready position, his other hand already weaving through the air to summon four flying daggers. The daggers floated in the air around him, ready to strike.
He activated his Shadow Step, his body blurring into the darkness as he moved silently behind the monsters. They didn't notice his movement, their attention consumed by the ambient mana swirling through the forest.
With a snap of his fingers, he sent the flying daggers hurtling toward the closest Soul Siphon Deer. They struck their mark, sinking deep into its side. The creature let out a shrill screech, its body convulsing in pain, and Ronan took that as his cue.
His sword was in his hand in an instant, the blade blazing with fire as he channelled his mana into it. Blazing Strike. A long-range slash of fire flew toward the injured Soul Siphon Deer, hitting it square in the side.
It howled in agony, stumbling backwards. The other Soul Siphon Deer turned, enraged by the sudden attack, its eyes glowing with an eerie red light.
Ronan was already on the move, using his Shadow Step again to evade the retaliatory strike of the second Soul Siphon Deer, whose horns crackled with energy.
He slid past it, his footwork light and graceful, and landed in front of the first one, just as it tried to charge.
With a swift motion, he unleashed his Flare Burst, sending a concentrated ball of fire into the creature's face. The explosion sent it reeling back, blinded and disoriented.
But the second Soul Siphon Deer wasn't done. It rushed toward Ronan with terrifying speed, aiming to strike with its horns.
Ronan barely had time to react; he materialised a lava shield out of thin air, Molten Shield, just in time. The molten lava shield absorbed the impact, the heat radiating off it like a furnace, but Ronan could feel the strain. "I can't hold this forever."
He quickly shifted his stance, using the momentary protection of the shield to slash at the creature's legs with his sword. The blade met its target, cutting deep into its flesh, and the creature screamed in fury.
Ronan's mind raced, "It's almost done. One more push." With a final, desperate lunge, he used his Blazing Strike once more, this time hitting the creature square in the chest. The force of the fire-slashed blade drove the Soul Siphon Deer back, and with one last agonised scream, it collapsed, its body twitching violently before it fell still.
Ronan panted, sweat dripping down his brow. His body was sore from the fight, but the sense of victory was palpable. He had won.
But the battle was far from over. The second Soul Siphon Deer was still alive, and now it was even angrier.
Ronan steadied his breathing, his grip tightening on his sword as he watched the last Soul Siphon Deer. Its glowing red eyes burned with fury, and its body tensed like a coiled spring. The air around it shimmered with raw energy, mana swirling as it prepared to unleash its full power.
I don't have much left in me for a drawn-out fight, Ronan thought grimly. He needed to finish this—fast.
He took a deep breath and activated Void Overdrive.
A sharp, burning sensation coursed through his veins as crimson cracks spread across his neck, arms, and around his eyes.
Power flooded his body, raw and overwhelming. His muscles tightened, his reflexes sharpened, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears. The world around him slowed, every detail crystal clear.
Ronan thinks, "What is this feeling? I never felt this before. Everything seems slow, and my perception is clearer." He wondered, "When Void Overdrive had gained the ability to enhance perception. And what is this pain? It feels like my muscles are tearing apart."
The Soul Siphon Deer charged, its horns crackling with energy, but Ronan was already moving. His foot pressed against the ground, and in an instant, he vanished—his speed now beyond what he could achieve before.
In Ronan's mind, "My speed is also increased. I gain this speed when I use the Shadow Step skill. If I use Shadow Step, will my speed increase further?"
He reappeared at the creature's flank, his sword igniting with fire as he swung it in a ruthless arc.
The Flame Crescent carved through the air, its fiery edge slamming into the beast's side. A burst of flames exploded from the impact, scorching its hide.
The deer screeched, twisting with uncanny speed, its sharp hooves lashing out in retaliation. But Ronan was faster.
His enhanced agility allowed him to weave through its deadly strikes with ease, each movement fluid and precise. He ducked under a swipe, twisted midair, and Shadow Step behind the creature. Ronan's mind, "Yes, Shadow Step skill's speed almost doubled."
Now!
He planted his foot into the ground and drove his sword into the deer's side with a force that cracked its ribs. The impact sent the beast stumbling forward, its balance momentarily broken.
Its red eyes flashed with desperate fury, and Ronan barely had a moment to react before it unleashed its trump card—Soul Rend.
A wave of malevolent energy burst forth, sending a pressure so intense that Ronan felt like his soul was being torn apart from his body. His vision blurred, and his limbs grew heavy.
"No." He gritted his teeth, forcing his body to move. Void Overdrive still burned within him, fighting against the suffocating aura.
He let out a sharp exhale, tightening his grip on his sword. Blazing Strike.
The flames around his blade roared to life, growing even fiercer under the effects of Void Overdrive. With a single, explosive step, he lunged forward. His sword became a fiery blur as he struck.
Ronan thinks, "Even my magic skills are enhanced by the Void Overdrive skill. Doesn't it enhance only physical strength and agility? Why is my magical skill also enhanced by it?
The first slash carved deep into the deer's shoulder, the second sliced across its torso, and the final strike—infused with every ounce of his remaining strength—pierced straight through its chest.
The beast let out one final, ear-piercing cry before collapsing.
Ronan staggered back, his chest rising and falling rapidly. The crimson cracks across his body flickered, then faded as Void Overdrive reached its limit. His limbs felt like lead, exhaustion settling in like a heavyweight.
But he had won.
Ronan was about to smirk, but suddenly his whole body felt heavy. His chest started to hurt, and his whole body was sore. The worldview started to spin. Ronan immediately knelt down with heavy breathing.
Ronan's mind, "What is happening to me? This feeling is almost the same as when I used Void Overdrive with Sylphie's enhancement skill. But this time I only use Void Overdrive. Why does it feel like this? Did Void Overdrive undergo some change when Sylphie used the enhancement skill on me? Or is my body still not powerful enough to use the full force of the Void Overdrive skill? There are too many questions. I need to return to the temple as soon as possible.
Ronan meditated for forty minutes to stabilise himself. Ronan took the two monster cores and burned the two bodies. Before heading to the temple.
Ronan's body was drenched in blood. The Sun had already gone down. While running to the temple, Ronan encounters some monsters that are attracted to the scent of blood. Ronan did not fight with them. Instead, he returned to the temple.
Ronan arrived at the temple, which is surrounded by a golden light barrier. Ronan entered the barrier. The monsters that were following him stopped approaching the golden light.
In the temple, many adventurers are taking shelter. Ronan found an empty place to sit, drank a recovery potion, and started meditating.