*Slash!!*
The blades struck Vaal Hazak's foreclaw, the flames igniting its rotting flesh.
The putrid meat split open, and a burnt stench filled the air.
Vaal Hazak let out a low growl of pain, its claw loosening slightly.
Flora seized the opportunity to roll away and struggled to stand, a trail of blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.
Her left shoulder was heavily swollen and bloody, clearly the result of bearing a massive impact through sheer force of will.
Leon focused on drawing Vaal Hazak's attention. "Can you still move?"
"I can... I can still hold on..." Flora's voice trembled, but she remained defiant.
"Don't push yourself!" Leon shouted. "Dumpling! Do you have any more Flash Pods?"
"Meow! I've got one left, meow!!" Dumpling pulled out his final Flash Pod and leaped high, throwing it precisely above Vaal Hazak's head.
*Bang!!!*
A blinding white light erupted.
Vaal Hazak's head snapped back, its movements momentarily stalling, and the surrounding effluvium also came to a halt.
At the same time, Leon commanded, "Coco! Take her and get out of here. I can escape on my own."
"Understood, meow!!!" Coco came racing from the end of the corridor, pushing a wooden Felyne Cart.
"Get back to camp, now." Leon placed Flora onto the cart and turned to face the zombie-like Elder Dragon.
"Meow-wooo—here we go!" Coco pulled the lever, and the Felyne Cart surged forward, kicking up dust as it sped toward the temporary camp.
Watching the cart carry Flora away, Leon's expression darkened as he turned back toward the necrophagous dragon.
At that moment...
Vaal Hazak's eyes refocused, and the effluvium began to swirl again.
"Can Dumpling send me away on a cart too?" Leon muttered, looking at the creature. He had zero confidence in winning.
Dumpling tilted his head and whispered, "No, meow... its attention is fixed right on you, meow..."
Before the words were fully out...
Vaal Hazak bared its fangs, and the effluvium surged.
"Damn it!" Leon slid close, his Blazing Hatchets slashing down diagonally.
*Bang!!!*
The blades hit the dragon's foreleg, but the bone was like armor; the blades barely sank an inch deep.
Suddenly, Vaal Hazak swept its foreclaw!
*Thud!!*
Leon took a direct hit to the chest and was sent flying, crashing into the rock wall with a spray of blood.
He forced himself up, his arms shaking violently. He reached for a Potion, but before it could touch his lips...
Vaal Hazak unleashed its breath attack.
*Boom!!*
Leon barely dodged with a side-leap, but the black mist brushed past him. The effluvium clung to him, sending a sharp pain through his heart.
Quickly stowing the Potion, he ate a Nulberry, finally clearing the debuff.
However, Leon could feel that one more hit would be the end of him.
Left with no choice—
System Point Allocation!
[Attributes: Strength 25, Agility 23, Constitution 19, Perception 15. (Unassigned Points: 10)]
[Constitution +1, Current Constitution: 20]
[Unassigned Points: 9]
A wave of warmth surged through his body. Ruptured vessels stopped bleeding, and the burning pain in his lungs eased slightly.
'I need to stay calm...' Leon spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. His color returned slightly, and his gaze grew sharper.
He raised his Blazing Hatchets once more and went back on the offensive.
—Demon Flurry Rush!
Two blades slashed into Vaal Hazak's chest, releasing a burnt odor...
Left Spinning Slash—Double Left Spinning Slash!
The next second...
Vaal Hazak's tail swept across.
*Boom!!*
Leon was sent flying again, hitting the wall hard.
He couldn't predict its movements at all. Now, he just wanted to exhaust it as much as possible to slow it down.
Meanwhile, Dumpling was trying his best to distract the dragon, but it was useless...
"One more time..." Leon spat out bloody saliva, his heart pounding and his vision blurring.
System Point Allocation!
[Attributes: Strength 25, Agility 23, Constitution 20, Perception 15. (Unassigned Points: 9)]
[Constitution +1, Current Constitution: 21]
[Unassigned Points: 8]
"I don't believe... I can't outlast you!" Leon's back straightened instantly as his broken bones mended.
—Demon Flurry Rush!
Vaal Hazak seemed to see through his move. It stood perfectly still and unleashed its breath attack.
*Boom!*
"Dammit!!" Leon grit his teeth and tried to turn, but he was too late to dodge—
The black mist swept over him, and the effluvium once again enveloped his body.
Leon fell to one knee, panting heavily.
"System..."
"Keep adding points..."
[Constitution +1, Current Constitution: 22]
[Unassigned Points: 7]
Hot energy poured into his body again. The effluvium vanished rapidly, and the pain subsided significantly.
Leon was surprised to find that the higher his Constitution, the better he could withstand Vaal Hazak's attacks.
He pushed himself up from his knees. His face was unreadable, showing only the stubborn rage of someone who refused to yield.
"Wreeee—!" Vaal Hazak let out an impatient roar and raised its foreclaw high!
At that critical moment—
An explosion sounded from the distance!
*Boom!!*
A Piercing Explosive Ammo round struck Vaal Hazak's back with precision, blowing apart chunks of flesh and bone.
Leon froze and looked up to see an unfamiliar, slender figure swinging toward him on a wedge beetle rope.
"Kid, get out of here, now!" An elderly but powerful female voice called out through the smoke.
The figure landed in a roll, expertly spinning a Heavy Bowgun before bracing it and firing another shot!
*Boom—!!*
Another round hit the dragon's shoulder, blasting away foul effluvium and charred bone.
She was a slender but energetic older woman dressed in grey-green hunting gear, wearing a hood. Her short, silver-grey hair fluttered in the wind, and her eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.
She deftly pulled a Potion from her bag and tossed it to Leon, her tone blunt. "I'll cover the rear. Get back to the temporary camp immediately."
"You... you're the Field Master?" Leon stammered. Seeing her gear, his mind immediately made the connection to the legendary compiler from the First Fleet.
She was the great senior that all the Handlers looked up to.
An expert in all natural sciences with unparalleled field exploration skills.
Driven by intense curiosity and a thirst for investigation, once she started her work, she often stayed away from the base for long periods.
"Go!" the Field Master urged. "You're only a distraction here."
As she spoke, she fired again. Flaming Ammo erupted from the Heavy Bowgun, striking Vaal Hazak square in the face.
Leon grit his teeth, hesitation in his heart.
The Field Master turned back and shouted, "That's an order!! If you don't want to die for nothing, don't waste my cover! Go!"
Leon took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you... I'll wait for you at the camp..."
"Hmph," the Field Master scoffed. "Just make sure you owe me a drink, kid."
"Meow-wooo—let's go, meow!" Dumpling scrambled onto Leon's shoulder, shivering.
Seeing this, Leon turned and sprinted toward the depths of the corridor.
His steps were unsteady, his armor in tatters, and the stench of blood mixed with rot hung heavy in the air.
The sounds of explosions and roars echoed behind him—a clash of human will against death.
Leon couldn't help but look back one last time—
That slender figure still stood tall before Vaal Hazak, like an old tree weathering a storm, unshakeable.
Damn it...
Why was I the one who had to be saved?
If I were just a little stronger...
Maybe I could have fought by her side?
Leon ran, panting, his chest feeling like it was filled with molten fire, burning every nerve.
Not enough power, not enough speed, not enough experience...
None of it is enough...
I have to get stronger!
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