A long while had gone by as Kyle and Lord Roach scoured the Dark Woods together.
So far, their coordination and synergy had proven unparalleled.
After the first Tusked Abomination, they had encountered several more, hunting them using Kyle as the bait while Lord Roach landed the fatal blow.
Sometimes the Lord was able to kill or grievously injure the Abomination with a single strike.
Other times...
The horrid monstrosity proved far harder to kill than expected.
It would ram into Lord Roach with terrifying force, even throwing Kyle’s powerful Companion through the air as though he weighed no more than a piece of paper.
Whenever that happened, Kyle did his best to keep his distance, baiting the beast while narrowly avoiding its relentless charges until Lord Roach climbed back to his feet and delivered a strike powerful enough to end the monster.
Despite the Tusked Abominations sharing the same rank, their individual strengths differed greatly.
If it had been just him against these wretched beasts, he would have died countless times over. His skull would have been bashed apart, and despite the resilience and undying nature granted by the Roach... none of that would have mattered.
"Can’t believe I’m saying this... but I’m actually thankful I ate those cock..." Kyle paused, his face twisting in disgust. "No... I still regret it."
He hunched over as nausea rose from the pit of his stomach.
However, all in all, after what felt like hours—though he had long since lost track of time during the hunt—
He had managed to kill six Tusked Abominations.
And gained twelve Soul Fragments.
[Soul Fragments: 19/100]
Kyle stared at his palms before slowly clenching them into fists. He rolled his shoulders, stretched his limbs, then shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
He felt lighter.
His movements had become smoother, his body responding with far greater precision than when he had first entered the Tower.
He was stronger.
He could feel it flowing beneath his skin.
"Nineteen Fragments should be enough for me to solo a Tusked Abomination now... don’t you think?"
Kyle turned toward his forever-silent Companion.
His question was met with nothing but Lord Roach’s blank, unmoving stare.
"How convenient."
Kyle sighed before dismissing the system.
"Let’s keep moving."
The two continued traversing deeper into the Dark Woods.
Kyle remained deep in thought as he analyzed his progress.
Up until now, he had relied heavily on the battle prowess of his Companion, carefully crafting strategies that placed Lord Roach on the front line to take the brunt of every attack while also landing the killing blow.
Kyle merely distracted the beasts, drawing their attention while inflicting shallow, non-fatal wounds.
For his next opponent...
He intended to change that.
Soon enough, the opportunity presented itself.
Kyle and Lord Roach came to a halt upon reaching a clearing where the trees abruptly ended, giving way to a barren stretch of rocky terrain that extended for dozens of meters before leading to the jagged mouth of a small cave.
Even from where he remained concealed behind the treeline, Kyle could make out the cave’s interior.
Its ceiling was crooked and lined with sharp stone formations.
And seated deep within the darkness...
Was a massive green behemoth.
It stared directly back at him.
Cold...
Lust-filled...
Dagger-like eyes pierced through the darkness, locking onto Kyle as though they had been waiting for him all along.
Kyle stiffened.
"It sees me."
He whispered before stepping out from the cover of the trees.
His boots crunched against loose stones as he walked into the open, dagger held firmly in one hand while the other remained tucked inside his pocket.
He frowned at the creature.
"Let’s get this over with, shall we? I’ve got an appointment back in the real world... and I don’t want to be late."
His cockiness seemed to enrage whatever horrid monstrosity lurked within the cave.
A deafening shriek erupted from the darkness.
The sound reverberated throughout the clearing, causing pebbles to tremble beneath Kyle’s feet.
Then came a footstep.
Heavy.
Like thunder striking the earth.
Another.
Another.
Another.
The rhythmic booms grew louder as the humanoid monstrosity charged from the cave.
Gripped tightly within its enormous hands was a monstrous wooden club nearly as tall as Kyle himself.
With terrifying momentum, it raised the weapon overhead before bringing it crashing down in an attempt to pulverize him in a single strike.
Kyle leapt backward.
The club slammed into the rocky ground.
BOOM!
Fragments of stone exploded outward as deep spiderweb-like cracks spread across the earth.
The green monstrosity frowned.
Its obese body twisted with surprising agility as it used the momentum of its entire frame to swing the massive club sideways toward Kyle’s skull.
Kyle sidestepped.
The edge of the club sliced through the air barely inches from his face.
The force behind it created a violent gust that brushed against his cheek.
He retaliated instantly.
His crude dagger slashed across the creature’s forearm before Kyle sprang backward once more, avoiding any immediate counterattack.
The beast shrieked.
Thick green blood spilled from the wound.
Its mouth opened wide, revealing jagged tusk-like teeth as hatred burned brighter within its emerald eyes.
"An Ogre..."
Kyle identified the creature almost immediately.
Now that the battle had briefly slowed, he could finally study it properly.
A massive humanoid.
Obese...
Yet unnaturally agile.
Filthy brown rags were tied loosely around its waist, barely concealing its nakedness.
Its skin was rough and mossy, while veins bulged beneath its flesh.
Most disturbing of all...
Was the overwhelming bloodlust radiating from its body.
It made Kyle’s skin crawl.
Kyle lowered his center of gravity and assumed a deliberate battle stance.
"Come on, you bastard."
He raised his dagger.
"I said make it quick."
Once again, the Ogre took the bait.
With an enraged roar, it exploded forward.
Its enormous club thrust straight toward Kyle’s chest.
The attack missed.
Kyle shifted aside with only inches to spare.
Without hesitation, he drove the crude dagger deep into the Ogre’s chest.
The blade disappeared almost to its hilt.
The Ogre let out a pained cry.
Its eyes bulged.
Its body convulsed violently before freezing in place.
A moment later...
The club slipped from its grasp.
It crashed onto the rocky ground.
Its knees buckled.
Warm green blood poured endlessly from the wound, soaking both the lower half of the Ogre and Kyle’s trembling hands.
He had won...
Clamp!
Kyle’s eyes widened.
Something seized his shoulder.
The Ogre’s enormous hand clamped down with enough force to reduce bone to powder.
Had it not been for the resilience of the Roach...
His shoulder would have shattered instantly.
"Ahhh... curses!"
Kyle grunted as another massive hand wrapped around the wrist holding the dagger.
This time...
The resilience of the Roach wasn’t enough.
Crack!
His wrist shattered beneath the crushing grip.
Kyle screamed.
Agony shot through every nerve in his body.
"Fuck... Fuck it... Damn it all!!"
A low...
Almost inhuman chuckle reached his ears.
Kyle slowly lifted his gaze.
The Ogre stared back at him.
A smug grin stretched across its dying face.
Even while death claimed it...
The creature found joy in making Kyle suffer.
"Fucking die, you bastard!"
Another sickening crack echoed.
The Ogre squeezed harder.
More bones in Kyle’s wrist threatened to splinter apart.
He screamed again.
’This bastard... he won’t just die...’
Suddenly...
The grip around Kyle’s shoulder loosened.
For a brief second, relief washed over him.
Only for it to vanish immediately.
The Ogre’s hand had simply moved.
Now it wrapped around Kyle’s throat.
Its enormous fingers locked together, trapping him in a devastating chokehold.
Within seconds...
Kyle felt his windpipe begin to collapse.
Air refused to enter.
Or leave.
His throat creaked beneath the monstrous pressure, already threatening to shatter.
His face turned pale almost instantly.
He knew.
If nothing happened...
He would die.
But thankfully...
Lord Roach arrived.
Exploding from the treeline like a cannonball, the towering Companion reached them within moments.
Both of his hands seized the Ogre’s skull.
Then—
He squeezed.
Crunch!
The Ogre’s head burst apart in an instant.
Blood.
Brain matter.
Fragments of shattered bone.
The nauseating stench of monster blood filled the air.
Everything drenched Kyle’s half-dead body.
The Ogre’s grip instantly loosened.
Its knees buckled.
Then the massive corpse collapsed lifelessly onto its side.
Kyle staggered backward.
Then collapsed as well.
Every muscle in his body screamed for rest.
His lungs desperately dragged air back into his chest, each breath burning like fire after being deprived for so long.
For several seconds...
He couldn’t move.
Eventually, a weak chuckle escaped him.
It sounded more like a cough than laughter.
"I won..."
[Soul Fragments: 24/100]
[Ding!]
Another notification appeared before Kyle.
He blinked several times.
Then his eyes widened.
"What?!..."
[Legion: 1]