69 Ch 69: A Powerful Beast
Emrys stepped back just in time, the silver blur passing inches from his throat. Had he moved a second later, he feared he would have died instantly.
"What was that?" he muttered, frowning as he looked around for the source of the silver blur. As he scanned the area, he suddenly felt a chill on his back, as if a predator were staring at him.
Sensing the imminent danger about to befall him, he prepared himself.
Node Shift!
The silver blur was simply too fast. Emrys realized from its previous attack that he couldn't match its speed. To face this threat, he had to find a way to slow down his opponent or increase his own speed.
There is no way to increase his own speed at the moment. Currently, he can only do one thing and that is to slow down the opponent's speed.
A three-dimensional sphere with a radius of about 500 meters formed around Emrys. Now he could clearly see the true nature of the silver blur. It was actually a long python. Its scale was silver while its skin was black.
Spotting the python that was ready to attack him again, Emrys's eyes flickered coldly. In a flash, he appeared beside the python, and with a swift attack, he severed the python into two parts.
Hisss~
Even after being cut apart into two parts, the python did not die immediately. Instead, it started writhing back and forth on the ground. Emrys focused and saw that this python had two small circle patterns deep inside its pupil. Even for a python that was equivalent to a Bronze Soul Beast in terms of strength, its vitality was astonishingly tenacious.
Slowly, the python lost its vitality completely before shattering into countless fragments of light and entering Emrys's body.
Emrys immediately felt his strength rising again. He was close, extremely close to stepping past the limit of his physical body, however, the energy still fell short and he stopped before he could even take that step.
"It is frustrating!"
Emrys sighed and allowed himself a moment of resignation.
After that, he started walking within the stone forest once again, paying extreme attention to his surroundings.
From the earlier attack, he knew he could not afford to underestimate any creature even if it was the weakest. Who knows that weak creature might have the ability to land a fatal attack on its opponent.
"Huh... Is that a medicinal herb?"
As he was passing by a spinney, Emrys seemed to have inhaled a fragrance. He stopped and mused. Finally, looking around, he spotted a small plant that, at first glance, appeared as inconspicuous as a random leaf. However, unlike the petrified surroundings, it was a living plant.
Emrys's eyes sparkled with recognition.
The presence of a living plant here indicated that this place wasn't entirely devoid of greenery. It was just that he hadn't reached that part yet. The petrified forest and the area where he woke up all seemed to be the result of something bizarre, not a natural occurrence.
"It's an E-2 herb, but I can't identify what kind it is!"
Emrys immediately recognized the herb as an E-2 Grade herb due to its fragrance and the energy radiating from it. However, he had never seen this particular herb before, so he couldn't tell exactly what kind it was.
Anyway, he picked up the herb and then put it in his backpack.
"I don't know whether this herb is poisonous or not, but I'll eat it if I get too hungry," he thought.
With this plan in mind, he started walking again.
"Rumble!"
But no sooner had he taken away the herb, the once tranquil forest erupted into a frenzy of violent shaking.
"What's happening?"
Emrys was momentarily taken aback by the unfolding scene, his face etched with confusion.
"Rumble!"
While Emrys was still trying to make sense of the situation, a massive creature emerged from the nearby dense petrified trees. It was dozens of meters in length. Its body was dark and it bore massive teeth. With eyes as red as blood and as large as fists, shining with three circular patterns, it charged toward Emrys with ferocious speed.
Furthermore, it had thousands of tiny scales on its body. Its scales and claws seemed to be forged from rare ores, exuding a terrifying metallic aura.
"Is it because of that herb?"
Emrys instinctively felt that the beast was charging at him due to the herb. It might be guarding the herb for a long time. Now that the herb was gone in its absence, how could the beast not be angry?
However, this theory still fell short.
Why would a creature, equivalent to that of an Advanced Silver Soul Beast, guard an E-2 ranked herb?
Even if this creature ate that herb, it would not benefit at all.
Emrys frowned but had no time to think much. He watched as the creature caused the dense stony forest to tremble continuously, its focus locked firmly on him. It appeared highly aggressive, charging directly at him as soon as the herb was gone.
"Roar!"
A chilling intent to kill flashed in the beast's eyes before it let out a fierce roar in his direction. At the same time, it stomp down its heavy feet on the ground, producing banging sounds, causing the ground hundreds of meters around to tremble as if an earthquake had struck.
"Such terrifying power!"
Emrys took a deep breath and immediately realized that although this might be at the level of an Advanced Silver Soul Master, its personal strength was far more terrifying. Looking at it again, this beast loomed like a small mountain.
The beast charged at Emrys with full strength. In order to save himself from harm, Emrys jumped on a petrified tree behind him and climbed to a certain height.
"BOOM!"
Accompanied by a resounding crash, the beast's strong head crashed on the petrified tree Emrys was perched on. Immediately, that tree was violently snapped in half, sending Emrys tumbling down.
"Whoosh!"
Feeling the raw power unleashed by this scaled beast, Emrys chose not to clash with it directly. As he fell from the tree, he swiftly landed on the ground and immediately dodged to the side, avoiding an incoming tail that might have exploded his head like a watermelon.
"Phuuu!"
"That was close!"
Clearly, Emrys still lacked battle experience. He heaved a sigh of relief after avoiding the beast's attack so closely.