Katrina Vic's departing words, "try not to learn too many lessons the hard way," echoed in David's mind. She was right, of course. Stumbling blindly through a hostile fantasy world was a recipe for a very short, very unpleasant afterlife. Or whatever happened when your HP hit zero here.
Still, the 20 EP he'd earned, the subtle hum of power from his evolved [Trainee's Blade], and the faint, comforting warmth of his [Traveler's Tunic] ignited a spark of ambition. He wasn't content with just "not dying." He wanted to understand this Ultimate Evolution System, to unlock its SSS-Rank potential. And for that, he needed more EP. A lot more.
The Shadowfang Pups had been a terrifying introduction, but they were, in the end, just pups. Katrina had mentioned "Thorned Treants" with the casual air of someone discussing a slightly more aggressive breed of garden weed. More EP than pups, she'd said. That was the key.
With a newfound, if still shaky, resolve, David decided to press on. He wouldn't be reckless, but he wouldn't cower either. He'd stick to what seemed like paths, keep his eyes peeled, and trust his newly acquired [Swift Strike] to give him an edge.
As he moved deeper into the Whispering Woods, the atmosphere began to change. The playful, if unsettling, dance of shadows gave way to a more profound gloom. The trees grew taller, their branches twisted into grotesque shapes, draped with heavy, grey-green moss that seemed to swallow the light. The whispers in the air grew more distinct, no longer just rustles but sibilant, almost mournful sighs that prickled the back of David's neck.
A sense of unease settled over him, heavier than before. This part of the woods felt… tainted.
He noticed the ground was littered with dark, thorny vines, some as thick as his arm, snaking between the trees. They looked unnervingly alive, though they didn't move. Not yet, anyway.
Then, he saw it. Through a break in the oppressive trees, a clearing opened up, bathed in an eerie, pale green light. This had to be what the game (or whatever this reality was) would call a "Corrupted Grove." The air here was thick, cloying, and smelled of damp earth and something else… something acrid and faintly sweet, like rotting fruit.
And in the grove, things were moving.
At first, David thought they were just strangely shaped bushes. But then one of them creaked, its woody limbs shifting, and two glowing red spots ignited within its thorny mass, like malevolent eyes.
[Thorned Treant (Level 3)]
[A slow but resilient plant creature, its bark hardened by corruption. Watch out for its thorny projectiles.]
So, Katrina was right. Thorned Treants. There were at least four of them visible, lumbering slowly around the grove. They were taller than David, easily seven feet, their bodies a gnarled mass of dark wood and sharp, protruding thorns.
"Okay, slow but resilient," David murmured, analyzing the system text. "Thorny projectiles. Good to know." This would be a different kind of fight than the fast, nipping pups.
He took a breath, gripping his [Trainee's Blade]. He had 0 EP again after evolving his gear. Time to earn some more.
He decided to try and lure one away from the group. He spotted a smaller Treant slightly separated from the others, scratching at the bark of a massive, diseased-looking tree.
He stepped forward, intentionally scuffing his boot on a root.
The nearest Treant turned its "head" with a sound like grinding stones. Its red eyes fixed on him. It let out a low, groaning sound and began to advance, its movements ponderous but purposeful.
David readied himself. "Come on then, Woody."
As it drew closer, it raised one of its branch-like arms. With a sudden thwip, a sharp, dark thorn, the size of a dinner knife, shot from its limb straight at David.
"Whoa!" He dived to the side, the thorn whizzing past his ear and embedding itself deep into a tree trunk behind him with a solid thunk. If that had hit…
He needed to be mobile. The [Swift Strike] skill flashed in his mind. "Here we go."
The Treant was still plodding towards him. David timed it. Just as it was about to swing a heavy, thorny limb, he activated his skill. "[Swift Strike]!"
He lunged forward, a faint blue shimmer briefly enveloping his blade. The attack was faster than he could manage on his own, the blade connecting solidly with the Treant's trunk-like leg.
[-11 Damage!]
[Resisted!]
Eleven damage, but "Resisted"? Its bark was tough. He'd need to hit it more, or find a weaker spot. The ten-second cooldown on [Swift Strike] felt like an eternity.
The Treant groaned, swiping its arm where David had been a moment before. David danced back, narrowly avoiding the blow. It launched another thorn projectile. He ducked, the thorn grazing his shoulder.
[-4 HP!]
His evolved tunic! He felt a slight sting, but it was much less than he'd feared. That extra point of defense was already proving its worth.
He needed to be smarter. These things were slow. He circled it, looking for an opening. The glowing red "eyes" seemed to be a focal point. Maybe there?
He feinted left, then as it slowly turned, he dashed right, swinging his blade in a normal attack at its side.
[-6 Damage!]
Better, but still not great. He kept moving, a thorn whizzing past his head. Another. He was getting the hang of dodging their projectiles. He just needed to wear it down.
His [Swift Strike] came off cooldown. He saw an opportunity as it lumbered, exposing a less thorny patch near one of its "joints." He lunged. "[Swift Strike]!"
[-14 Damage!]
[Critical Hit!]
Yes! A critical! The Treant shuddered, a cracking sound coming from its limb. It seemed angrier now, its groans louder.
David pressed his advantage, ducking under a clumsy swing and delivering a series of quick slashes with his blade. Each hit was only doing 5 or 6 damage, but it was adding up. He felt a tiny pulse of warmth – his tunic's [Faint Vitality] kicking in, restoring a single hit point. Every little bit helped.
Finally, after what felt like ages, the Thorned Treant shuddered violently, its red eyes flickered, and it began to crumble, collapsing into a pile of splintered wood and thorny vines that quickly dissolved into motes of light.
[Thorned Treant defeated! +25 EP!]
[Looted: [Gnarled Vine] x2]
[Looted: [Treant Sapling Core] x1]
Twenty-five EP! More than double what a pup gave. And loot! He quickly checked the descriptions. [Gnarled Vine] was a basic crafting material. The [Treant Sapling Core] was listed as an "Uncommon material, potentially useful for alchemy or enchantment." Interesting.
He grinned, feeling a surge of satisfaction. He could do this.
He spotted the other Treants in the grove. They hadn't seemed to notice their companion's demise, still lumbering about. Good. He could pick them off one by one.
He engaged another, this time using his knowledge from the first fight. He focused on dodging the thorns, waiting for openings, and using [Swift Strike] to hit weaker points. It was still a tough fight – these things could take a beating – but he was more efficient now.
[Thorned Treant defeated! +25 EP!]
Fifty EP total. He was on a roll.
As he moved to engage a third Treant, a sound cut through the groans of the corrupted plants and the eerie whispers of the grove. It was distant, but unmistakable: voices. Human voices. And the distinct thrum of a bowstring, followed by a yelp of pain that definitely didn't come from a Treant.
David froze, his hand on the hilt of his blade. He wasn't alone in this corrupted part of the woods. And from the sounds of it, someone else was in a fight.
Could it be Katrina? She had mentioned coming this way.
He hesitated. Part of him wanted to ignore it, to focus on his own EP gain. But another part, a part that hadn't been entirely snuffed out by his sudden transportation to this brutal world, felt a twinge of concern.
And maybe, just maybe, a little curiosity.