As they journeyed deeper into the forest, Val took the lead, his senses heightened and on alert.
The path they were on looked like sothing straight out of a nightmare. It was dark, and here the trees were so dense and thick that they seed to rge into one another looking like an abomination that would fit in hell.
Oliver felt disturbed by how quiet it was.
"I feel like we're walking into a trap," Oliver said.
"And I feel like you've just jinxed us," Val said as his sixth sense was reacting to hidden danger!
The haunting silence of the night so far was only broken by the occasional rustle of the leaves underfoot and the chirping of insects, but this tranquility was destined to not last the second Oliver opened his mouth and jinxed them.
Whoosh!
Out of nowhere, a volley of darts whizzed through the air towards them. Their speed was so great that they barely registered as a blur. These weren't ordinary projectiles; they carried with them a deadly curse, evident from the ominous glow they emitted. A curse so potent, it could reduce bones and flesh to nothing but dust.
"Gotta keep them from touching us."
Almost instinctively, Val activated his Infernal Touch. Suddenly, a black do of hellfire sprang up around them.
The fire was so dark it seed to absorb all light around it, yet within this blackness, wisps of flas flitted around like butterfly wings — eerily beautiful.
Oliver, taken aback by the sudden appearance of the do, took a mont to admire its srizing beauty before his warrior instincts kicked in, "Why did you summon this?"
His question was answered as he watched the cursed darts make contact with the do. Upon touching the hellfire, the darts disintegrated instantly, lting away into nothingness. Even the fus that were released weren't spared, keeping them safe from harm.
"It's like the most powerful form of defense. Nothing can breach it." Val had to admit. The infernal touch skill, although offensive in nature, was better than all the defensive skill he had ever seen!
"Damn bro, your reflexes are fire," Oliver said to Val.
"Where is the enemy?" Oliver whispered, trying to pierce the surrounding darkness with his gaze.
But to no avail.
The darkness was so intense and all-consuming that even if one had exceptional vision, they would find it challenging to discern anything unusual in their environnt.
However, Val was extraordinary even among the supernatural like a dragon amongst n.
The darkness was never a problem. He could see clearly. Despite this, he couldn't see the bastards who attacked them.
'The nocturne vision trait isn't enough? Guess I will have to use that.'
He used his Heavenly Eye skill. His vision underwent a profound change. What was hidden in the pitch black surroundings beca transparent in his eyes.
He saw three inky figures with no faces.
The humanoid bodies of these three figures were so intertwined with the night's shadows that they seed to be an extension of the darkness itself. It made perfect sense why they had gone unnoticed.
"Die!"
With a swift movent of his hand, Val manipulated the protective do of hellfire. Streams of the dark fire, like ferocious tornados, spiraled out, zeroing in on the concealed devils, who leaped out of their way, but with a wave of his hand, Val redirected them towards the devils.
They weren't expecting this and thus were caught off-guard.
Kuagh!
The forest was suddenly filled with the shrill cries of the devils. Their screams reflected the agony that they felt as the hellfire consud them.
Oliver's heart trembled, hearing their heart-wrenching cries. Their screams, however, stopped as soon as they began. So he wasn't profoundly affected.
Val watched silently as the devils burned away reduced to nothing by his attack. Their combined power level was no less than an interdiate-level devil. Yet, he had killed them in one breath of ti. It clearly showed how strong he had grown!
His comndable feat was celebrated by a notification from the system.
[System Notification]
Enemies Defeated: Narak, Mordis, Shaden
Experience Earned: 10,000 EXP
Item Acquired: 1 True Strength Orb
Item Description: This orb can increase strength stat by ten points after absorption. Effective only on individuals with less than 100 points in their stats. Half as effective on those with above 100 points.
Val studied the notification briefly, an idea forming in his mind.
'Good,' he mused internally, 'When Oliver's not paying attention, I'll consu it.'
Val had his reasons for wanting to keep it a secret. He didn't want to face a barrage of questions from Oliver as to where he had got it from or explain his actions.
Moreover, he didn't consider sharing it with Oliver. Due to Oliver's unique physique, his stats would eventually max out naturally. Offering him the orb would be an inefficient use of resources. Not to ntion, his own growth was most important to him.
The entire skirmish had taken re monts, but its aftermath was clear. Val had won. And it was an overwhelming victory. Oliver, still reeling from the rapid turn of events, turned to Val, admiration evident in his eyes. With how quickly he had taken care of the devils, the realization dawned on him that with Val by his side, even the darkest of nights held no terror. He suddenly felt not so afraid of moving around in the dark.
"Did the devils leave behind any loot?" Oliver inquired, breaking Val's train of thought.
"No, nothing," Val replied nonchalantly. "We should keep moving. The core won't find itself."
The two resud their trek.
The forest, with its myriad sounds and shifting shadows, felt alive, almost sentient. The chirping of insects and the gentle rustle of leaves underfoot created an orchestra of nature. The cool night air was heavy with the scent of moss and wet earth as it had rained not long ago.
As they continued, Val noticed Oliver montarily distracted by the nocturnal beauty of their surroundings.
'Now's the ti.'
Seizing the mont, he discreetly accessed his system inventory and retrieved the True Strength Orb. Without any hesitation, he swallowed it. The very next mont, he looked like he was high on drugs as he was feeling a euphoric rush of power surging through him.
[System Notification]
[Strength Stat: 10]
Val felt good. His strength has increased to 90 points, and with all the boost his item provided, it was a staggering 97!
'I am getting closer and closer to Joshua's level. That day is not far when I'll stand toe-to-toe with him. Once he finds out, will he regret sacrificing for the greater good of the family?'
Regardless of the circumstances, he had resolved not to return to his family until he achieved the fifth level of his White Devil Class. Why? Well, he was uncertain about the path to advancing this class further. However, Joshua held that knowledge. Even if the idea was unpalatable, he would have to seek a eting with him when the ti cos!
After an hour of journeying through the forest, they found themselves in a adow whose beauty was undeniable. The area was blanketed with a field of vibrant flowers, each one seemingly competing with the next for brilliance. Their colors shed together in a harmonious tapestry, and the air was filled with their intoxicating scent.
Oliver couldn't help but get lost in the spectacle. "This is truly captivating," he murmured. "This can easily be ranked among the top five most beautiful sights I've ever witnessed."
"Rember," Val warned. He didn't like one bit how carefree Oliver was being although they were in a lesser dinsion. "The most beautiful things can sotis be the most poisonous. Tread carefully."
"What's the worst that could happen?" Oliver chuckled as he went ahead.
Ahhh!
Just monts later, a high-pitched scream escaped Oliver's mouth.
Val felt startled. He looked in his direction and asked. "What's wrong? Why did you scream like a little girl?"
He was definitely not teasing him~
"It... It's my ankle. Sothing's holding onto it, and I can't break free!" Oliver replied. His voice was laced with panic. It wasn't odd for him to feel this way, considering his wizardry wasn't affecting the evil that had grabbed him.
Val's vision had lomg since reverted back to its normal state, so he couldn't imdiately identify the threat. Only when he focused on Oliver's feet did he spot the issue - a shadowy hand, seemingly erging from the ground itself, gripping Oliver's ankle. To make matters worse, the ground beneath Oliver began morphing into quicksand, threatening to pull him under.
"I am being dragged away. Help!" Oliver pleaded, terror evident in his eyes.
"I got you."
Without wasting another mont, Val snapped his fingers. A clear sound rang out as in an instant, the shadowy hand was enveloped in black flas. It disintegrated quickly. Before the fire could latch on to soone else, with another snap, Val put it out.
Oliver looked relieved.
What he didn't know was that a deadly trap had been triggered!
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