Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System
Chapter 58: Intense Battle (II)

Chapter 58: Intense Battle (II)

The falcons screeched, diving in tandem, their talons a blur. Kael’s —Eclipse Step— flickered, dodging one, but the second’s wing clipped his ribs, sending him skidding—[HP: 52%].

His Eldritch Reversal stirred, its power itching to activate, but Kael pushed it down, his stamina too low for risky moves. He sprang up, slashing one of the falcon’s wing, feathers flying, but its talon raked his arm—[HP: 47%].

The second falcon swooped in and Kael hurled another obsidian knife, poisoning its eye. It crashed, thrashing about, and Kael darted in, his dagger piercing its heart—[EXP +950]. The system chimed:

———

[You have advanced to Level 15]

[Total Blood Points: 316]

[Experience Points: [7460/6900 EXP]

[Level-up Progress: Lvl 14 → Lvl 15]

[Experience Points: [560/7200 EXP]

———

"Finally!" Kael said, taking in a breath of fresh air as his HP restored to 100% after leveling up.

ROOOOAAAARRRR!~

The three leopards roared, their frost claws leaving icy trails. Kael weaved through their attacks, his Night Predator trait guiding him, but his stamina lagged, and his Eclipse Step was sluggish.

A leopard’s claw slashed his thigh, ice burning deep—[HP: 95%]. He parried another attack, sparks flying, and drove his dagger into its chest, blood gushing—[EXP +875].

Two leopards remained, their auras surging, their claws slashing faster. The lizards lumbered forward, their horns sparking lightning. A bolt scorched the ground, forcing Kael to dive, his mantle singed.

Kael’s vision blurred from the heat, his Adaptive Regeneration working full force. The pagoda’s trial was a meat grinder, and he was bleeding out. The remaining beasts—one falcon, two leopards, and three lizards, tightened their circle, their auras overwhelming.

His silver eyes gleamed beneath the Shadow Veil Mask, his newly restored HP pulsing together with his Lvl 15 strength, his bloodline roaring with fresh vigor.

The forest’s primal energy buzzed, thick and heavy, as the beasts closed in, their Feral Beast auras crackling like a storm. His Abyssal Fang Dagger hummed, its enhanced blade slick with blood, the Essence Latch feeding him slivers of stamina.

The falcon screeched, its iron-like talons slashing from above, wings cutting the air. Kael’s —Night Predator— caught its angle, and he dove behind a thick oak, the talons raking the bark, splinters flying.

He sprang onto a low branch, using the tree’s cover, and hurled an obsidian knife. The poison and force burst in the falcon’s wing. It faltered, screeching, and Kael leaped, his —Eclipse Step— flickered and his dagger plunged into its chest—[EXP +950].

The bird crashed, shaking the ground, but the leopards pounced, their Lvl 22 Low-tier Feral frost claws leaving icy trails.

Kael dropped to the forest floor, rolling under a leopard’s swipe, the frost chilling his Bloodthread Mantle. He slashed its leg, the blood freezing, and then he scrambled up a nearby tree, its branches dense with vines.

The second leopard leaped, claws slashing for his throat, but Kael swung on a vine, dodging, and kicked off the trunk, his dagger carving a deep gash along its flank—[EXP +875].

The beast roared, stumbling, its frost aura weakening and slowly died out. Kael landed in a crouch, his Predator’s Instincts tracking the last leopard, which circled warily, its eyes glowing blue.

The lizards lumbered forward, their Lvl 19 Low-tier Feral horns sparking lightning, bolts scorching the underbrush. Kael darted between trees, their thick trunks absorbing the blasts, the air crackling.

He lured a lizard toward a twisted root system, its spiked tail smashing the ground. Kael rolled, the tail catching a root, holding the beast in place for a moment. He took advantage of the opportunity and sprang onto its back, his dagger plunging deep into its neck, scales shattering—[EXP +825].

Two lizards remained, their lightning wilder, their movements sluggish in the tangled forest floor.

The last leopard pounced, its claws slashing through a vine Kael used for cover. He dropped, the frost grazing his arm—[HP: 90%]—and slid under a fallen log, the leopard’s claws shredding the wood above.

Kael emerged behind, his —Eclipse Step— flickering, his dagger piercing its heart—[EXP +875]. His Adaptive Regeneration healed the wound, his HP climbing to 92%, but his stamina wavered, the Essence Latch struggling to keep up.

The forest’s dense canopy and tangled roots were his allies now as he turned the beasts’ size against them.

The two lizards hissed, their horns glowing, lightning bolts crisscrossing. Kael sprinted, weaving through trees, their bolts blasting bark and leaves. He lured them toward a narrow ravine, its walls overgrown with moss.

One of the lizards charged, its tail sparking, but Kael leaped onto an overhanging branch, the beast crashing into the ravine’s wall, dazed. He dropped, his dagger piercing through its eye, blood gushing—[EXP +825].

The last lizard roared, its lightning bolt grazing Kael’s side, pain searing through his ribs—[HP: 87%]. He gritted his teeth, his Eldritch Reversal stirring, but he pushed it down, saving it for a worse moment.

Kael retreated, using the forest’s shadows, his Bloodthread Mantle blending with the foliage. The lizard lumbered after, its size slowing it in the tight undergrowth.

Kael climbed a tree, its branches creaking under his weight, and then he waited, his —Night Predator— locking onto the beast’s sparking horn.

As it passed below, he dropped, his dagger plunging into its spine, tearing it from one end to the other, its scales cracking—[EXP +825]. The lizard collapsed, its lightning fading, the forest trembling with its fall.

Kael staggered, his HP now at 85%, his stamina a faint pulse as the Essence Latch was barely sustaining him. His system chimed: [First Floor: Trial of Strength – Progress: 26/100 Enemies Defeated].

His EXP ticked up—[5210/7200 EXP]—his Lvl 15 stats straining against the trial’s relentless pace. The forest quieted, but his Predator’s Instincts pinged, catching faint growls in the distance. More beasts were coming and their auras were stronger.

He leaned against a tree, catching his breath for a moment. Kael’s smirk returned, his silver eyes glinting. "The forest’s been of good help," he muttered, his dagger tightening in his grasp.

He climbed into the canopy, using the branches for cover, his —Eclipse Step— primed. The next wave was closing in, roars and snarls echoing from the distance.