Edard took advantage of his bodily speed and the fact that the lion was paralyzed by shock and terror from the relentless assault. He seized the opening to drive his dagger deep into the lion's chest.
As the blade pierced the beast's heart, another status box flickered before Edard's eyes. The Dragon Essence began to devour the creature's Bio Energy, siphoning it away to be stored within the Dragon Dimension. A massive, gaping hole—at least five inches wide—erupted in the lion's chest. Blood geysered from the wound, spraying across Edard's face and soaking his clothes, while the great predator collapsed into a heap on the ground, lifeless.
Edard didn't stop to celebrate. Moving with frantic haste, he tore a strip from the hem of his shirt and bound the raw wound on his arm. He scanned his surroundings, desperately searching for the nearest shelter. Spotting a cave nearby, he summoned every ounce of his remaining strength to drag the massive lion inside. He was driven by a burning curiosity: why had his watch itched when this lion approached? Furthermore, he hoped to harvest something from the beast to bolster his own fading strength.
He had barely sat down—before he could even settle his racing heart—when the watch on his wrist began to itch again with even greater intensity. Before he could react, a thunderous explosion—like the detonation of a massive bomb—shook the very foundations of the earth. Dust billowed into the air. The sound had originated from the depths of the cave into which he had just dragged the lion. He was still reeling, his arm throbbing with agony, when he heard the heavy, rhythmic thud of footsteps approaching from the shadows.
A colossal beast, unlike anything Edard had ever seen, emerged from the darkness of the cave. Though Edard couldn't immediately identify the species, his Status Key provided the answer. A small box hovered near the face of the black, hulking creature:
Edard's mouth fell open. He struggled to find any resemblance between this monster and the gorillas he knew from Earth. It looked nothing like them. Without a second thought, he lowered the girl's body from his back to the floor and bolted for the cave entrance. This creature, this "Gorilla," was two levels higher than the lion he had just slain.
Furthermore, it was significantly larger. Edard was certain its claws would be sharper and longer than the lion's. Most terrifyingly, five sharp, obsidian horns sprouted from its forehead, glistening with a lethal point. Its shoulders were gargantuan, stretching at least two meters wide. This was not the gentle giant of the African forests; this was a nightmare.
With the poison still coursing through his veins, steadily draining his health, Edard knew a direct confrontation would be nearly suicidal. He recalled that his Psychomancy classification had offered him a choice between two skills, and he had yet to pick. Was this the moment he had been waiting for? He couldn't afford to hesitate. His life was on the line, and he was facing a foe more dangerous than any he had encountered. A Level 1 fighter, poisoned and wounded, stood little chance against a Level 7 monster in a fair fight.
He quickly made his choice between Intimidation and Mind-Read. A box flashed:
Edard didn't have time to analyze the details. He knew Intimidation required ten units of energy per use, but it promised to paralyze or terrify an opponent for two seconds. In his current state, two seconds could be the difference between life and death. He immediately dumped his free attribute point into Resistance to harden his skin.
As the point settled into the stat, a wave of warmth washed over his body. He felt his skin grow tougher, his physical form more refined. The Psychomancy class was special—it offered him one free attribute point and both intelligence and vitality different from the other classifications he had inherited through his bloodline. It seemed even more potent than the Violet Rose classification he had received from the old man earlier.
Suddenly, he felt a surge of power. His attributes had increased. The changes were subtle but profound to someone in his heightened state of awareness. His jumping height increased; his thoughts became a bit sharper and faster; his skin grew taut and resilient. He felt he could sustain injuries that would have killed him instantly on Earth. If his punching power were measured on a scale of one to ten, he felt it had jumped to 6.
He narrowed his eyes and focused on the massive Gorilla. Another box appeared:
As the knowledge flooded his mind, he realized the Gorilla was watching him with predatory intent. It huffed, its breath like bellows, and bared its teeth.
"I will devour you, Rapian," the Gorilla rumbled.
Rapian. Edard remembered the word. The one-eyed raven had called him the same thing. What did it mean? He filed the question away for later.
"I want you to guard this cave," Edard said, gritting his teeth against the pain in his arm. He needed to stay in this cave for at least an hour to recover, but he was terrified the Necromancer—the owner of the corpse—would find him. He needed a sentry. If the Gorilla submitted, it could protect him from other predators, and perhaps buy him enough time to stop the bleeding and neutralize the poison.
"You? You think you can command me?" the Gorilla roared in fury. Without waiting, it leaped, launching a devastating attack.
Edard manifested his Dragon Essence dagger and activated Violet Crush. The violet light enveloped the Gorilla, and the sudden increase in gravity dragged at its massive frame, halving its speed mid-air. The beast's leap faltered. Edard stepped forward, the glowing dagger ready in his hand. After three steps, he halted and unleashed his new Intimidation skill, focusing every ounce of his mental will upon the beast.
"Kneel!"
An invisible, crushing force slammed into the Gorilla's mind. A cold shiver raced down its spine—a sensation of primal fear it couldn't comprehend. Yet, it fought back, its muscles bulging as it tried to stay upright.
"Kneel!" Edard roared again, pouring his entire consciousness into suppressing the beast's ego.
The Gorilla struggled, trying to cast off Edard's mental grip, but the pressure was overwhelming. Its legs began to tremble. Slowly, it was forced back two steps.
"Kneel!" Edard bellowed one final time.
The Gorilla's eyes rolled back in its head, turning pure white for several long seconds. When its vision finally cleared, it had no choice but to drop to its knees.
"I... I submit," the beast grumbled, its voice a low, defeated rasp.