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Morca stood amidst the battlefield, his breathing steady despite the chaos that had just unfolded. The first wolf lay motionless at his feet, its thick, bloodied hide a testament to his strength. However, the fight was far from over. The remaining two wolves, now seething with rage over their fallen companion, let out a bone-chilling howl. Their bodies glowed faintly as the horns atop their heads began to radiate an intense beam of light, aimed directly at Morca.
He narrowed his eyes, bracing himself for impact. But just as the luminous attack was about to hit him, he vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared beside one of the enraged wolves. Without hesitation, he swung his blade in a precise arc. A thin, clean-cut line appeared across the wolf's body before it was split in two, its blood and broken scales scattering across the cavern floor.
Now, only one wolf remained.
Sensing its imminent doom, the last wolf turned on its heels and attempted to flee. However, before it could escape, it found itself face-to-face with its nightmare, Morca had already anticipated its movement and was standing directly in its path, blocking any chance of survival.
Realizing there was no way out, the wolf let out a desperate snarl and launched a final attack. Its razor-sharp tail, accompanied by its lethal claws, slashed toward Morca with everything it had left. But Morca barely flinched. With a simple swing of his blade, he deflected the attack effortlessly, continuing his slow, menacing approach toward the trembling beast.
The once fearsome Bloodthirsty Thorn Wolf now lay before him like a frightened cat.
Morca tilted his head slightly, his gaze cold and unreadable. "If I weren't strong enough, would you have let me live?" he mused. "I doubt it. By now, I would have been nothing more than a meal in your belly. But how ironic, now that you're weak, you expect mercy? You should embrace death with calm acceptance."
With those final words, Morca activated his newly acquired unique skill for the first time, Oblivion Blade.
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[Unique Skill: Oblivion Blade]
Description: Sever anything that possesses life with a single precise slash, bringing an absolute end.
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He had been hesitant to use it before, unsure of its consequences. Unlike most skills that had cooldown periods or limitations, Oblivion Blade bore no such restrictions. Its limitless potential both intrigued and unsettled him. But now, with only one enemy left, it was the perfect time to test its power.
With a single, fluid motion, he slashed downward.
The massive wolf didn't even have time to react before it was reduced to nothing—no blood, no body, no remains. All that was left behind was a small, glowing red crystal the size of a fingernail.
A Monster Core.
It was the reason why so many low-tier awakened individuals and cultivators risked their lives to enter dungeons. These cores, extracted from defeated monsters, contained concentrated energy that could enhance one's strength when absorbed.
They were classified by rank, F-rank being the weakest and SSS-rank being the most powerful. An F-rank core held a modest amount of energy, while an SSS-rank core radiated an aura so overwhelming that even warriors above the awakened rank dared not approach it.
The value of these cores was immense. Even a single F-rank core was worth at least $5,000, an amount that could sustain an ordinary family for a week.
Just as Morca was about to pick up the core, a sudden notification from his system flashed before his eyes.
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[System Notification]
Congratulations! You have received +3 EXP for killing an F-rank monster.
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The notification appeared only once, which confused Morca at first. Then, realization dawned on him.
He had only gained experience for the final wolf, the one he killed with Oblivion Blade.
That meant his unique skill granted EXP only when it directly ended a life.
Making a mental note of this revelation, Morca turned to the two other slain wolves and dug out their cores. He also harvested valuable materials from their bodies; scales, claws, and some meat, knowing he would need sustenance since he planned to stay in the dungeon for the next two to three days.
Once he was finished, he finally took a moment to survey his surroundings.
The cave he had fought in seemed to be a passageway leading somewhere deeper. Curiosity piqued, he began walking forward.
After several minutes, he felt a cool breeze brush against his skin, carrying with it the distinct scent of water. A river.
His pace quickened, and soon, he emerged from the cavern's mouth.
Before him was a breathtaking sight, a small river flowing out from a rocky formation, its surface shimmering under the dim dungeon light. Surrounding the river was a lush landscape, with towering mountains riddled with cave entrances, their darkened hollows hinting at untold dangers within.
But before he could fully admire the scene, a sudden, bone-chilling presence made his blood run cold.
Atop the mountains, hundreds, if not thousands, of wolves stood, their bloodthirsty eyes locked onto him.
And then, as if sensing his gaze, they howled in unison.
The sound echoed through the cavernous expanse, shaking the very sky.
Morca's grip tightened around his sword as a single thought crossed his mind, "What the f**k?"
His eyes darted around, searching for an escape route. He quickly spotted an opening, another cave entrance. The problem? Ten Bloodthirsty Thorn Wolves were guarding it.
It was his best chance. He had to move now.
Activating his unique skill, Blank, Morca disappeared from sight.
A split second later, he was standing in front of the ten wolves. Without wasting time, he lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air at an unnatural speed. A dark aura followed each strike, cutting through flesh and bone like paper.
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[System Notification]
Congratulations! You have received +3 EXP for killing an F-rank monster.
Congratulations! You have received +3 EXP for killing an F-rank monster…
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Above him, the wolves from the mountain had begun their descent, moving at terrifying speed to reinforce their fallen kin.
Morca could see them closing in. The situation was turning dire.
But instead of panicking, he suddenly stopped fighting.
His gaze flickered toward empty air, as if reading something invisible to others.
Because at that moment, a new mission had appeared before his eyes.
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[Mission: Defeat the Peak Star One Dungeon Boss]
Objective: Kill the boss before it completes its breakthrough to Star Two.
Rewards:
1. Instant upgrade of two levels
2. 20 EXP points
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A smirk crept onto Morca's face.
"So that's why they're all here…They're protecting the boss while it's evolving."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Then I'll just go inside and see if they dare follow me in…"
Without hesitation, he activated Blank once more and vanished into the darkness of the cave, leaving behind a horde of enraged, bloodthirsty wolves...