Chapter 75
Dane felt some changes now; unlike before, he was just too oblivious because he wasn't really aware of these things in the first place. He was heavily dependent on his memories from his childhood and never actually gained any emotional intelligence. Now, as he navigated through the challenges of his second life at his prime age, he just assumed what he was doing was right and natural and within his cognitive abilities. However, as he encountered new experiences and faced unfamiliar emotions, Dane now started to realize the importance of emotional intelligence in making decisions and understanding others. This realization opened up a whole new world for him, allowing him to grow and adapt in ways he never thought possible.
He now sees the difference as he feels a small amount of emotional growth and understanding of his own feelings, leading him to question his past actions and decisions. a self-awareness he never expected to learn,
All those times and moments he was growing up were based on what his medical condition was making him feel, think, and do. The feeling now was clearer and felt smooth, like drinking clean, fresh water; he just appreciated it rather than reacting to it. He was more accepting now, and the sense that he was losing control was no longer at the back of his mind.
Dane vanished from the Ogre tent as Melgil slightly opened her eyes and gave out a small smile as she returned back to sleep. Dane's ability to cast spells became natural, and he no longer needs an incantation; he just thinks about it, and it happens effortlessly. The power flowing through him was exhilarating, yet he knew he had to be careful with how he used it.
As he emerges back where he came from, the place where the gatekeeper stood, he fired a fire bullet directly at the gorge wall, and the noise alerted a creature that was near the direction the fire bullet hit. It was a test to see how strong and fast these upgrades were. And Dane was satisfied. The materials he got from the young spiders will be enough to make the war forge busy. He got what he came for, and it was an unexpected find. But as of now he needs to fulfill his promise; he gains the ability to process spiritual energy. Dane can now openly use this energy without restriction and in a natural way.
Energy is still energy no matter how it is harnessed. The mana detection he copied was now a high-tier assessment skill with three basic features: scanning or detecting, evaluation, and medical and combat analysis. With this new skill, Dane is now better equipped to navigate the challenges ahead and fulfill his promise to the imprisoned Aspidochelone turtle under the Anchorage Castle.
Ward and Miko decided to step down from getting too involved with Dane, as they felt it was a necessary move so he can grow independent and face his own battles without relying too heavily on them. They knew that Dane had the potential and believed that giving him space to develop his skills would ultimately benefit him in the long run.
Dane ran toward the gorge wall where the Anchorage Castle was situated above and challenged the 500-meter wall. It was a physically demanding feat, but it was a great training regimen for him as he needed to build up his endurance even higher. Dane felt alive when he was fighting the Grey Ogre and recalled the feeling when he was being trained by his parents. So will we use this opportunity to
further push himself beyond his limits and become even stronger. This experience would not only help him in his current battle but also in future challenges that may come his way.
He has about a few hours until creatures from the gorge come out to hunt and forage for food, and this place is harsh and filled with uncertainty. Nevertheless, Dane knew this because this was based on what he wanted to build: the perfect hunting ground.
As he ran toward the direction of the wall, he would use his scanning ability to elude, outsmart, and out maneuver any potential threats that may come his way.
The creatures under and living in the gorge bottom were stronger and more agile than what was above ground. The goblins were more fierce and were using attack patterns that will shock any players. These little monsters are known for secret ambushes, but here under the gorge, they attack head-on, and they react and strike with deadly force, and the attack patterns are not random.,
These goblins were knowledgeable in terrain warfare. Dane was in Netherborn form, but the goblins attacking him were not panicking; they were reluctant, but their intent to kill never wavered, nor did they show any signs of giving up.
Killing a strong opponent will make their race more feared and respected among other creatures in the gorge. Their determination and large number in battle were unmatched, posing a significant challenge for Dane in his Netherborn form.
Dane loved the thrill; facing weak opponents was not his style. He knew this well when he was getting overwhelmed by his father's training attacks. His father's punches were always heavy and would come at weird angles. Each punch was gradually getting heavier and faster. The feeling of those moments was coming back to him as his muscle memory reacted to the way the gorge goblin attacked him.
Dane's kick, elbow smash, and punches were all fatal and meant to kill. He never just hit an opponent once, but he would rapidly strike multiple times, making sure the 3-foot-tall monster would be crushed with the sheer force of his attack.
The rock boulders and trees that were scattered all over the area were annoying, but he used this to his advantage. Dane's movement surpassed the goblin's speed and agility, allowing him to anticipate its every move and counter with precision. The goblin, taken aback by Dane's skillful maneuvers, began to falter under the relentless onslaught of blows.
Dane would grab the creature's jaw and tear it apart and gouge out its eyes and then deliver a final, fatal blow to its neck. Dane fights like a savage beast, and this changes the goblin's perceived notion that the thing they were hunting might not be human after all
The horde of goblins was slightly more gruesome than what they normally look like, a mutated version. Their heads were slightly bigger, and their skin was rougher and scalier. Some even had extra arms, and their mouths resembled a flesh-eating sprite.
But comparing the two was really hard as they looked totally different. Maybe Dane thought these creatures were related to goblins but came out differently because of the environment they live in. Ogres were able to survive because the codex book that Nukra held was actually protecting them from the toxic chemicals in the gorge, as it taught them to use mana in their bodies for protection.
Dane had already noticed that unseen spores are all over the place, and it wasn't noticeable at first, but the formless armor was constantly activating its healing ability to protect the main host from absorbing the negative chemicals these spores possessed.
The masks he fashioned were meant for these situations. His father, who was retired military personnel, always carried a hand-carry tactical mask for unseen situations like chemical attacks. Dane carried this mindset even in his younger school years.
But these spores are more parasitic in nature and invade the body and mutate it to adjust the body to better survive in some parts of the toxic environment within the gorge. This mutation process is gradual and irreversible, posing a serious threat to anyone who comes into contact with the spores.
While the cursed forest only produces poison and paralyzing chemicals, that's the reason why the grey ogres live inside the cave to reduce the exposure to these spores. And based on Dane's current assessment of the area where the grey ogres were, the air currents that are coming from their side are pushing the spores to remain concentrated at the other side of the gorge wall where the Anchorage Castle is.
Maybe that's the reason why the castle slowly decayed and came into ruin. These creatures are horribly different from the mythological creatures in fantasy books. Besides those who can use mana, other creatures are mutating into savage beasts.
But Dane was also not the same person that keeps thinking about how or what; he just acted on it and made no mental note of the hesitation. He was actually having a very fulfilling fight against an enemy that was trying to overwhelm him with all their vast numbers and might.
Killing him was the only thing that was on their minds, while Dane was thinking the same way. There is no sense of justice or right and wrong in this battle, only survival instincts driving both sides to fight with all their might. The adrenaline pumping through Dane's veins fueled his determination to come out victorious, no matter the cost.
The ground soil was being carved and shattered by the intense clash of swords and shields, creating a chaotic battlefield where only the strongest would prevail. Dane ran, jump-punched, stabbed, kicked, sliced, and mentally cast rapid attack spells. The poison needles and serpent bites were helpful; many of the goblins fell dead to these fast and unseen attacks.
Arrows weren't able to puncture his clothing, and every time he would twist, turn, roll, and do any acrobatic attacks, multiple poisonous needles would come out, and fast elastic serpents would come out biting, crushing, whipping, and breaking the enemies bones and skulls, which would simultaneously respond to Dane's movement.
Kitsune was even seen running among the goblins as it would also deliver a killing bite toward those who were at the back. The 3 formless manifestations were doing their task independently, and they were coordinated to what Dane was thinking and doing.
The owl, serpent, and fox knew what to do. They were like extensions of Dane's own body, seamlessly working together to take down their enemies with deadly precision. It was a sight to behold, the ultimate display of teamwork and coordination between man and beast in perfect harmony. The enemies stood no chance against the synchronized attacks of Dane and his formless manifestations, as they moved as one entity.
Dane was in his element. He was born to hunt and dominate, all work on was to gain enough knowledge to make a place where he could fully enjoy the trill of the hunt. Reaching the gorge wall might be a huge endeavor for a player but he was not concerned about it as he was preoccupied with killing the deviant goblins.
Dane cast and fired fire and lightning bolts at intervals and used this to fully master how to effortlessly combine his sword attacks with the projectile attack without too much wasteful action and energy. With each successful kill, the dead remains were sadly unusual, as the creatures bodies were contaminated and not suitable for looting. But the formless armor took materials that were useful, like dead remains of other creatures that these goblins killed and ate raw and left out to rot openly, as Dane continued his relentless pursuit of the deviant goblins.
Dane reached the wall, and it took him two hours and nearly killed 200 of these new creatures. Their death-ripped-apart bodies were lying on the ground, their dark, smelly blood filled the soil, and it already made other hungry monsters come out and eat the corpses. Most were insects, and the carnivorous death worm came out of the ground itself, and others came from the very gorge wall he was about to climb up.
The worms were immune to the spores and were able to survive under the gorge, as they have a unique ability to separate and digest the toxins in the air and kill the parasites with their digestive system and excrete them as waste. The spores origin was still unknown, as Dane is the only person that has officially set foot at the bottom of the gorge after getting the tower system officially activated in the area, according to the results of the Evolve Drake quest.
Dane killed the remaining goblins that came out to attack him. The owl, serpent, and fox came back as they weren't that far from the main host. Dane waited and took a deep breath as a sign he was able to end the hunt. ,
His entire body was drenched in miasma blood from the dead goblins. He stored his gun blade back and cleaned his clothing but never forgot to analyze the new variant species and the spores that cause these changes, just in case.
Dane turned around and looked up the 500-meter gorge wall and saw the rock face wasn't plain, but it was covered in so much new vegetation and multiple different kinds of nests from another undocumented creature residing in the cliff wall itself.
Engaging with these creatures with hostile intent will surely slow his ascent upward. So he scanned the wall, and because using the assessment skill cost one mana point per minute with a radius of 100 feet. And with the help of the formless armor, Dane plotted the area where he would use the serpent to protect him as he climbed up.