The sounds of intense fighting was the only thing echoing through the forest, the air rippling with every strike. The ground shook and trembled beneath every blow, the dust parting and spreading like waves beneath their feet.
[Ding! You Have Slain A Cursed Skeleton!]
[+49 EXP!]
Crack!!!
A smoking hot blow hit the skeleton at it's jaw, it's head flying off and it's shoulders as it's body followed shortly after, collapsing to the ground.
"It hurts…" Mira muttered under her breath, her voice a sound of agony and excruciating pain. The Skeletons were many in number, seemingly endless. When one fell, another one appeared, some weaker, some stronger, but the number never decreased.
Ever since her [Small Silver Dagger] shattered, Mira had to fight using her fists, as it was the only means of combat she had left. Each attack to the monsters felt like she was punching concrete with her bare fists, even though these monsters were supposedly E-Rank, they were much more difficult to deal with, and somewhat intelligent too.
'Is this really an E-Rank Gate?'
Smash!!!
[Ding! You Have Slain A Cursed Skeleton!]
[+56 EXP!]
[Level Up!]
"My hands are bleeding, I think I've cracked a few bones in my fingers too…I don't know how much longer I can keep fighting for…" Mira said to herself, panting from exhaustion as her hands shook, blood dripping from her knuckles to her fingertips, slowly painting the ground a deep crimson.
The skeletons rushed at her once again, two of them flanking her from both sides. Mira moved quickly, her reflexes much sharper than before as she spun around and caught their fists in her hands, effectively blocking their attacks.
"But the more I keep fighting…the more I keep leveling up…It becomes a bit easier each time…I become more durable…"
Mira's hands moved quickly and seized their wrists, gripping onto them with bruising force as she twisted her body and spun them around in a swift circular rotation. She threw one skeleton to a tree, it's body crashing into the thick mass of wood, enough to leave cracks forming on it's body.
"I become more stronger!" She lifted the remaining skeleton forward and slammed it on to it's back with earth shattering force, the ground cracking beneath the impact. Seeing it wasn't enough to fully kill it, she finished it off by stomping her foot through it's skull, it's fractured parts scattering everywhere.
[Ding! You Have Slain A Cursed Skeleton!]
[+60 EXP!]
The skeleton that was thrown into the tree slowly rose from the ground, it's movements more sluggish than before. Mira noticed it rising, her eyes more cold and serious as she turned to face it, a pissed off expression forming on her face.
'Oh no you don't,'
Mira didn't give it a chance to get, immediately rushing in and slamming the monster's face into the tree repeatedly to finish it off.
[Level Up!]
Mira released the monster's fractured and disfigured skull from her iron grip, it's body cluttering to the ground with a soft thud. She turned to face the rest of the skeletons, who were seemingly more on guard than before.
[Congratulations! You Have Reached A Sufficient Level To Unlock A New Skill!]
Mira blinked in surprise, not expecting this kind of notification. She stopped for a moment, her eyes locking on the sleek pink interface that materialized beside her.
'A sufficient level? New Skill?' Mira thought, wondering just what kind of ability she had earned. In the world of Hunters, there were a few special beings that possess a unique ability upon awakening. This ability, also referred to as a Skill, was something solely unique to them and was different from standard magic, often granting a much bigger advantage in battle.
[New Skill Unlocked: Claws Of Despair Lv1]
[Description: Transform your nails into razor sharp claws of Mana easily capable of tearing through your foes, greatly improving your attack power and potency. The length, durability, and sharpness of the claws increases with every level up of the skill. Steadily drains Mana while in active use every minute.]
Mira was stunned by the description of the [Claws Of Despair] Skill, her eyes wide with astonishment. She smiled out of relief and triumphant joy over the Skill she had just unlocked, as it meant that she wouldn't have to rely on her fists anymore, and could finally give her bleeding hands some time to recover.
"This is amazing….." Mira muttered, activating the Skill. A strong warmth enveloped her hands as bright red Mana appeared and surrounded them, spreading from her wrist to her every bone in her fingers.
The Mana began to take shape, starting from the end of her nails and extending at a rapid rate, transforming into claws that were sharper than anything she had ever seen before, it's red hue gleaming in the dark forest, giving off an intimidating and dangerous aura.
Just by having the Skill active, Mira already felt more stronger, more confident, more dangerous, as each individual claw was the length of a Dagger, and it's sharpness far more potent than even that.
"Woah…" Mira's eyes practically shone with astonishment as she turned her hands over, admiring the beauty and frightening power the Skill was emanating.
Even though they didn't have facial expressions to show fear, Mira could tell that they were starting to find her dangerous by assessing their body movement. They saw the sharp extended claws of burning Mana, taking a step backwards out of precaution.
'Heh, let's see…' Mira smiled, a crazed grin forming on her lips as she pointed at the monsters, proceeding to count them slowly.
"One, two, three...around 13 of you assholes left." Mira said with an excited chuckle, "I honestly expecting for there to be a lot more, but it looks like there's no more reinforcements left, huh? Not that I'm complaining."
With a swift dash, Mira appeared right in front of them with frightening speed. Before they could react, Mira launched her attack with a swift roar, clawing through a good number of them like paper, killing them all in an instant.
Their bones, which were tough and felt like concrete earlier, now didn't even pose a threat to her.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
"I'm not stopping until I've turned every one of your bones into dust powder." Mira said, her eyes flashing with a manic intensity. The tables have turned, and she was just getting started.