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CHAPTER 5: Predator and Prey
> The Skarn Tyrant didn't hesitate.
It charged.
The ground trembled beneath its weight, each step sending dull vibrations through the cavern floor.
Fast—
Too fast for its size.
Lucius's pupils shrank slightly.
Not like the others.
This one wasn't just stronger.
It was different.
Smarter.
More dangerous.
---
—Step.
Lucius moved.
Barely.
The Tyrant's claw tore through the space where his head had been a fraction of a second ago.
BOOM!
Stone shattered on impact.
Fragments scattered across the cavern.
Small rocks bounced across the ground, echoing faintly in the cavern's hollow depths.
Lucius slid back, boots scraping against the ground.
His eyes locked onto the creature.
Analyzing.
Calculating.
---
Speed… higher than expected.
Strength… far beyond the Skarnlings.
Durability… unknown.
---
A memory surfaced—
---
Flashback
Lucius stood calmly.
"…Bring me a high-grade potion."
The maid bowed immediately.
"Yes, Young Master."
Moments later—
The vial was placed in his hand.
Crimson.
Dense.
Faint waves of mana pulsed within it.
A soft glow lingered beneath the glass, subtle but unmistakable.
Lucius observed it briefly.
His eyes lingered for a moment—
Measuring.
Understanding.
Then—
He nodded once.
"…That will do."
---
Back to present
---
Lucius exhaled slowly.
Then—
He reached into his coat.
The same vial.
He uncorked it without hesitation—
And drank.
The liquid burned down his throat.
Mana surged instantly through his body.
Not healing—
But restoring.
Fuel.
His core responded.
His reserves rose.
Slowly—but noticeably.
His breathing stabilized.
His senses sharpened.
The slight dizziness from earlier faded.
---
A mana potion…
---
This should be enough.
---
"…Good."
No fear.
No panic.
Only calculation.
---
The Tyrant roared again.
Louder this time.
Violent.
The sound reverberated through the cavern walls, shaking loose dust and small debris.
It lunged.
---
Lucius didn't teleport.
Not yet.
He stepped forward.
---
Claw descended—
He twisted his body sideways.
The strike grazed his shoulder.
Pain flared—
Ignored.
---
He retaliated.
Slash!
The blade struck the Tyrant's arm.
A dull sound echoed.
Not clean.
Not deep.
---
Lucius's eyes narrowed.
Hard…
Its hide—
Too tough.
---
The Tyrant didn't stop.
It swung again.
Faster.
Wilder.
Relentless.
---
Lucius stepped back—
Then forward—
Then sideways—
His movements tighter now.
Sharper.
More controlled.
---
Another strike.
He blocked.
Clang!
The force surged through his arms—
Then deeper.
Into his chest.
---
"—!"
---
A crack.
Subtle.
But unmistakable.
---
Pain exploded through his ribs.
It spread like wildfire through his body.
---
"…Tch—!"
---
His breathing hitched.
A sharp intake—
Followed by strain.
---
Broken…
---
The Tyrant didn't stop.
It never did.
---
It pressed forward again.
Claws tearing through the air.
Each strike carried enough force to crush bone.
---
Lucius forced himself to move.
Ignoring the pain.
---
I can't stop.
---
The Tyrant lunged again—
---
—Flicker.
---
Lucius vanished.
Reappearing behind it.
---
He swung.
Slash!
This time—
He aimed for the neck.
---
The blade bit deeper.
But still—
Not enough.
---
The Tyrant roared in pain.
It turned—
Fast.
Too fast.
---
Its tail whipped across.
CRASH!
Lucius's body was sent flying.
---
He slammed into the ground—
Hard.
Dust rose around him.
---
And he coughed violently.
"Kgh—!"
Blood spilled from his lips.
Dark.
Thick.
---
Even after the mana boost—
He was still being overwhelmed.
---
Lucius rolled—
Barely avoiding the Tyrant's follow-up slam.
The ground caved in where he had been.
Stone cracked.
The impact echoed.
---
He pushed himself up—
But his movement faltered slightly.
---
Pain.
Sharp.
Persistent.
Each breath—
Heavy.
Labored.
---
Ribs… definitely broken.
---
Blood dripped from his lips again.
Falling to the ground in small, uneven drops.
---
"…This isn't enough."
---
The potion—
It helped.
But it didn't change reality.
---
The Tyrant charged again.
Faster.
Angrier.
More violent.
---
Lucius didn't move immediately.
He watched.
Waited.
Measured the distance.
---
Closer.
Closer.
Closer—
---
Now.
---
He stepped forward.
Not away.
---
The Tyrant's claws descended—
---
Lucius shifted his body at the last possible moment—
Ignoring the pain tearing through his ribs—
---
And drove his sword forward.
---
Pierce!
---
The blade sank into the Tyrant's side.
Deeper this time.
---
It roared—
Violently.
---
Its claw came down—
---
Lucius twisted—
Too slow.
---
Slash!
Blood sprayed.
A deep wound opened across his chest.
---
His body staggered.
Vision shook—
The world tilted for a moment.
---
The Tyrant didn't stop.
It grabbed him.
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"—!"
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Its grip tightened around his arm.
Bones creaked.
---
Then—
It slammed him into the ground.
---
BOOM!
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Pain.
Blinding.
Crushing.
Overwhelming.
---
Lucius coughed again.
"Kgh—!"
Blood spilled.
More this time.
---
His vision blurred.
Edges fading.
Darkness creeping.
---
…So this is… the gap…
---
His mana—
Almost gone again.
His body—
Breaking.
---
The Tyrant raised its claw.
---
To finish it.
---
Silence fell.
---
For a split second—
Everything slowed.
---
Lucius's eyes… sharpened.
---
Not yet.
---
His fingers tightened around the sword.
---
I'm not done.
---
Mana—
The last fragments—
Gathered.
---
Not for escape.
---
For one move.
---
The Tyrant's claw descended—
---
—Flicker.
---
Lucius vanished.
---
Reappearing—
Directly above it.
---
Mid-air.
---
His ribs screamed in pain—
But he didn't stop.
---
Gravity pulled him down.
---
The Tyrant looked up—
Too late.
---
Lucius gripped the sword with both hands.
---
And drove it down.
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CRACK—!!
---
The blade pierced through its eye.
Deep.
Brutal.
Final.
---
The Tyrant froze.
---
Its body trembled—
---
Then collapsed.
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Silence.
---
Lucius dropped to one knee—
Hard.
---
His body shook slightly.
Breathing uneven.
Blood dripping freely.
---
"…Tch…"
---
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
---
Then—
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[You have slain a Skarn Tyrant]
[+50 EXP]
[Level Up]
[Level 3 Reached]
[+5 Stat Points Rewarded]
[Bonus Reward Granted]
---
Lucius's eyes flickered.
---
"…Bonus?"
---
A new notification appeared.
---
[Skill Acquired]
[Instinct Flow – Lv 1]
---
For a brief moment—
His senses sharpened.
Time felt clearer.
His body reacted faster—
Even in his injured state.
---
"…A passive skill…"
---
Instinct Flow – Lv 1
Effect: Enhances reaction speed, timing, and combat awareness.
Allows the body to respond instinctively in battle.
Backlash:High mental strain over prolonged usage and
over-reliance may dull conscious decision-making.
---
"…So it's not perfect."
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Then—
The system responded once more.
---
[Dungeon Cleared]
[E-Rank Dungeon: Temple of Skarnlings]
[Rewards Distributed]
---
A faint light passed through his body.
But this time—
It didn't stop.
---
The light intensified.
---
Soft at first.
Then brighter.
---
It began to gather around him.
Particles of light—
Floating.
Drifting.
Rising from the ground.
---
Lucius's eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"…What now…?"
---
The dungeon—
It was reacting.
---
The walls flickered.
The air shifted.
The space around him distorted faintly.
---
The light grew stronger.
Wrapping around his body.
---
Warm.
But unfamiliar.
---
His vision blurred slightly.
---
The cavern—
Seemed to fade.
---
"…So this is… the exit…"
---
The glow intensified—
Swallowing his surroundings.
---
His figure—
Began to blur within the light.
---
And just before everything vanished—
---
Lucius's grip tightened slightly on his sword.
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"…Next time…"
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The light consumed everything.
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