Draven picked up the dead crab and scrambled up the hill, hiding behind it while peeking over the edge. He held his breath, gripping the crab's pincer tightly, and activated [Stasis]. A chilling cold spread through his body as he went still in place.
The footsteps slowed, and Draven exhaled softly—but then they abruptly bolted in his direction.
'Dammit!'
The moment he saw the blur of movement rushing toward him, he hurled the crab at it. A brown streak sliced through the air, cleaving the crab cleanly in half, followed by another streak shooting straight at his face.
Draven ducked, flinging the crab's remains at the blade, and retreated, readying his stance. That was when he saw the figure emerge from behind the hill.
It was a short girl dressed in sleek blue armor that hugged her frame, wielding two brown, single-edged swords. Her short red hair framed her diamond-shaped face, and her sharp eyes locked onto him.
"Thug?" she blurted, arching an eyebrow.
"Thug?" Draven echoed, confused. 'Even Brenna called me a thug. When did I become so popular?'
"We don't have time. Let's go. This place is one of the most dangerous zones in the Green House Plane," she said, turning and sprinting away without another word.
Draven quickly dug his hand into the split crab, retrieving the monster crystal. He absorbed it as he ran after her.
[+2 Mana Absorbed.]
The girl's speed was far beyond his, making him realize she must have already ascended to the Second Order. She slowed slightly, allowing him to catch up.
'I need to ascend to the next rank,' Draven thought, his eyes darting warily around the terrain.
Just as he was about to reach her, something burst from the ground and lunged at the girl. It moved too fast for Draven to react.
The girl swung her swords in a swift counter, but the monster—a massive crab at least twice the size of the previous one—caught both blades in its pincers and pinned her under its weight.
Draven skidded to a halt, cursing under his breath. "Another ambush?"
He watched as the girl struggled beneath the crab's crushing weight, her swords locked in its vice-like grip. Its maw opened wide, ready to bite down.
'She's faster and stronger than me. I still need her.'
Draven clenched his fists and charged, his heart pounding like a wild horse. But before he could reach them, the girl unsummoned her swords, causing the crab to lose its grip. She tilted her head and headbutted the monster with surprising force, sending it stumbling back several steps.
Draven's eyes widened in shock, his steps faltering for a moment, but he quickly regained his focus and sprinted at the crab.
The crab swung one of its massive pincers at him, but Draven dodged and launched himself forward, slamming a powerful punch into its skull. The creature shrieked in pain, flailing its pincers wildly, but Draven had already retreated.
The girl reappeared at the crab's side, her swords back in hand, her movements almost a blur to Draven. The crab spun to face her, raising its pincers to attack.
Draven sprinted to the opposite side, positioning himself at the crab's rear. The girl and the crab collided with a thunderous clash, swords against pincers, sending dust swirling into the air.
Draven seized the opportunity, launching himself at the crab as it slid backward from the impact. He snapped his arm forward and delivered a crushing punch to its side, sending it tumbling toward the girl.
The crab shrieked in agony, but the girl was already on it, slashing two deep gashes into its underbelly. The duo kept up the relentless assault, never giving the crab a chance to fight back. After seven grueling minutes of cuts and blows, the crab finally collapsed, its shrieks fading into silence.
Draven only realized it was dead when the girl stopped attacking. He was panting heavily, his right arm armor cracked and battered. The girl, barely winded, turned to him.
"Why are your attacks making it squeal like it's being strangled?" she asked, her tone curious.
"Maybe it was, in a different way," Draven replied with a shrug.
"You could've just said you wanted to keep your skill or gear hidden instead of lying," she said, rolling her eyes before walking over to the crab.
To Draven's surprise, she dismissed her twin swords and summoned a new weapon—a dark brown, heavy, serrated single-edged sword. She swung it experimentally, the blade whooshing through the air.
"Heavy…" she muttered.
'She got that from the crab? That thing must've been a Second Order Transient rank.'
She turned to Draven, noticing his gaze. "I'll take this sword and give you the monster crystal, plus my previous one," she offered.
"Deal," Draven agreed instantly, having witnessed the advantages of the Second Order firsthand. Throughout the battle, he'd avoided direct clashes with the crab, and even his strongest punches had only cracked its carapace. Meanwhile, the girl's headbutt alone had sent it staggering.
She extended her hand, and Draven shook it.
[+1 Gear received.]
"Nice doing business with you, Miss…" Draven trailed off.
"Vera," she replied with a smile. "And don't be so formal with me."
"And I'm Draven, not 'thug,'" he shot back as she walked over to the monster.
"Hohoho," she laughed, throwing him a knowing glance. "Says the boy who beat his classmate with a fire extinguisher until he was in a coma."
Draven's face twitched as he watched her effortlessly split the crab's skull with a single heavy slash and retrieve the crystal. She tossed it to him, and he caught it, absorbing it immediately.
–––
[+9 Mana Absorbed.]
[Saturated Mana Core.]
[Ascending From First Order to Second Order.]
–––
[Soul Covenant (25% Unsealed)]
–––
[Evolution Added Stat: +10 Physique; +5 Constitution; +3 Will.]
[...Error… Due to the lack of a physical body, Physique and Constitution cannot be added.]