The Plains Predator
Horn Rabbits traveled in packs, just like Ironclad Armadillos. Moreover, the plains offered far more food than the barren wasteland, so their numbers were greater. Thanks to that, it didn't take long to complete the Horn Rabbit's essence to 100%.
Level has increased.
Devoured Essence: 100%
Essence Grade: Common
You have perfectly absorbed the essence of one species.
Skill - Agile Hind Legs has been added.
Agile Hind Legs
Grade: ★
Classification: Active
Concentrates power into the legs to leap forward quickly. An essence that instantly increases leaping distance and speed.
Because of my mass, I couldn't reach bullet-like speeds like the original Horn Rabbits, but it was useful for closing the distance with enemies. It wasn't a proper charging skill, though.
The [skills] given to players were far more powerful. Techniques that could forcibly push back enemies or break their stance with just a charge. Or freely manipulate attributes.
Carapace boasted excellent defense, but its high mana consumption made it inefficient. Still, the reason my Devour stood above the rest was different.
'Combining skills together.'
For example, combining the Horn Rabbit's Agile Hind Legs with the Goblin essence from the first floor of the Tower, Swift Escape, would grant the skill Full Sprint. A form of synergy.
Combining two essences didn't erase either trait. You could activate Agile Hind Legs and Swift Escape separately, or use the combined Full Sprint.
The point was that depending on how you combined each essence, you could create various skills. That was why obtaining as many essences as possible was crucial.
Let me summarize my progress since entering the tutorial stage.
Stamina, Endurance, and Mana had skyrocketed. The Dragon Soldier, Ironclad Armadillo, and Slime. All were monsters with strengths in durability and stamina. Thanks to Dragon's Heart, my mana was steadily accumulating additional stats.
A laugh escaped me.
"This is insane."
A Day 1 player's stats were this high? The average tutorial graduation level was in the mid-30s. Even staying here for two weeks, it would be impossible to reach this level of specs. Knowing the future really was something else.
"This is amazing."
I grinned and clenched my fist tightly. There was still much to gain in the tutorial. I was already looking forward to how much stronger I'd be in a month. At this rate, I should speed up my plans a bit.
The next target was decided. The essence of the Silver Fang, ruler of the plains.
I headed toward the southern plains. The number of Horn Rabbits had drastically decreased. That made sense. Further down lay the territory of the Silver Fangs, predators of the plains and forest regions.
- Silver Fangs require a team of at least 7 players to challenge.
- Tank-type players must learn the skill Provoking Roar at the lakeside.
- Magic-type players must have mastered at least a 2-star skill.
…….
There were countless other things to watch out for. Silver Fangs were that formidable.
"There they are."
I hid behind a nearby tree.
"Grr. Bark!"
"Bark bark?"
Three wolves covered in white fur were prowling the area. Silver Fangs, predators of the plains. A suitable number for my first opponents.
Step- Step- I advanced, trampling the tall grass.
"Bark!"
"Grr!"
The moment the Silver Fangs noticed me, they bared their hostility and charged.
Fierce Charge
Their straight-line trajectory was obvious. How honest of them.
Just before colliding with the Silver Fangs, I jumped in place.
"Grr?"
They passed by me by a hair's breadth. From my leaping posture, I stomped down on the Silver Fang beneath me.
Crunch!
Its wide-open maw was forced shut. The Silver Fang pinned under my foot thrashed its limbs, trying to escape.
"You can enter as you please, but—"
Crack! A kick to the nape sent it into a groggy state, its body twitching intermittently.
"Grr!"
Instead of the one that had already passed, a Silver Fang that arrived a step late swung its front paw.
"Too slow."
As I ducked, its claws grazed my collar. An attack that could tear even compressed carbon steel. So what?
"As long as it doesn't hit, it's fine."
I used the momentum of leaning back to execute a spinning kick.
Smack! The jaw of the Silver Fang caught by my rotating leg shattered. Its tongue lolling out suggested it wasn't in great condition.
"Now it's one-on-one, isn't it?"
I grinned at the remaining one. Though Silver Fangs were among the stronger monsters in the tutorial field, their weak endurance compared to their attack power and monotonous patterns made them manageable. However, the reason these creatures were considered dangerous by players was different.
"Awooo! Bark!"
The one tucking its tail and fleeing. That was exactly why Silver Fangs were dangerous.
'If they think they can't win, they run.'
The ones roaming near the plains were scouting parties. When at a disadvantage, they quickly retreated to call for reinforcements. At least 30 of them. Even with my high stats, facing 30 Silver Fangs at once would be tough. So—
"Kill them before they can escape."
I crouched low to the ground, curling my body.
Agile Hind Legs activated. Powerful leap.
My thighs swelled to nearly twice their size. The leaping ability of the Horn Rabbit. Muscles pushed beyond their limits unleashed several times their usual power.
Boom—!
I kicked off the ground with that force. The Silver Fang's pupils belatedly tracked my movement.
"Grr?!"
"Why, surprised?"
Of course, if I killed them all before they could request support, there'd be no need to face a large group.
"Anyway, if there are no witnesses, it's just an assassination, right?"
"Grr! Bark!"
The Silver Fang bared its teeth desperately. I was faster. My fist thrust straight forward crushed its nose.
Whimper! The Silver Fang rolled across the ground. The impact seemed severe—it only trembled and couldn't move.
In times like this, quickly ending their suffering was the merciful thing, wasn't it?
After finishing off the three twitching on the ground, I devoured their essences.
Absorbing Silver Fang's essence.
Essence Grade: Common
Devoured Essence: 2.7% → 5.3% → 7.1%
Good. It was worth absorbing the Horn Rabbit's essence. The standard strategy was to use Provoking Roar to draw aggro when Silver Fangs tried to flee, but running faster than their escape speed and subduing them worked just fine.
"This is doable."
I licked my lips while glancing at the crushed Silver Fang corpses.
Silver Fangs moved in packs. Scouting parties ranged from a minimum of 3 to as many as 7.
"Grr!"
The pack I encountered this time numbered 7. The maximum among those roaming the plains. They were accustomed to group hunting. One of them didn't miss my opening and lunged for my flank.
Carapace activated.
A gray carapace covered my waist. The Silver Fang's teeth arrived a moment late.
Crunch! A heavy impact shook my body.
"Grr?!"
"I don't taste very good, do I?"
Even with Carapace, it couldn't fully mitigate the shock, so my balance wavered slightly. But if my bare skin had been exposed to those teeth, it wouldn't have ended with just pain.
Carapace durability consumed: 32%
Wow, look at those cracks just from one bite. Carapace wasn't omnipotent either. Once generated on a body part, it couldn't be recreated for a minute, so I'd have to be careful not to get bitten on the flank again.
Superhuman Strength activated.
I struck the head of the Silver Fang clinging to my side. With a heavy impact, the wolf's head exploded into pieces. Blood and flesh splattered everywhere.
Urgh, I shook my hands left and right.
"Grr!"
Silver Fangs charging with a time delay. Did they think I'd take another hit? I kicked off the ground and stepped back. Claws sliced through empty space. I drove my fist into the exposed abdomen of one.
With their numbers, by the time I landed a hit on the second, other Silver Fangs had taken my rear. Claws raked across my back. With no time or space to dodge, I protected my back with Carapace.
In the melee with the Silver Fang pack, I utilized Carapace appropriately and entered a slugfest. They could only land 3 to 4 attacks before I could block. By switching body parts for defense, I could hold out for quite a while.
Agile Hind Legs activated. Escaping the encirclement.
I kicked the Silver Fang in the rear with all my strength. The Horn Rabbit's ability, Agile Hind Legs, was originally meant for offense. Though it couldn't be used consecutively like Superhuman Strength, depending on how it was utilized, it could be quite powerful.
"Yip yip!"
"Kehk!"
One by one, the Silver Fangs fell. Two minutes after the battle began, not a single monster remained standing.
"Whew, that was intense."
I let out a short sigh. My clothes were already torn to shreds beyond recognition. Though the fight hadn't lasted long, it had been fierce. Patches of Carapace covered my body. Most were cracked, ready to crumble at the slightest touch. I lightly jumped in place and shook my body, causing the attached Carapace to fall away.
"At my current level, maybe up to 15 at most."
I stroked my chin. That was the number possible when calculating Carapace's regeneration time and pushing its durability to the limit. With a proper attack skill, I could handle even more, but—
In that sense—
"The Silver Fang's essence is helpful."
I devoured all the scattered Silver Fang corpses on the ground.
Devouring Silver Fang's essence.
Devoured Essence: 100%
You have perfectly absorbed the essence of one species.
Skill - Sharp Claws has been added.
Sharp Claws
Grade: ★
Classification: Active
Enhances the cutting power and hardness of claws. Infusing mana allows for additional damage.
I immediately activated the skill.
Shrrrk!
My claws grew about 20 centimeters. A sharp aura emanated from the elongated claws. Someday, once I earned more money and collected 100% of the Primal Species essence, I could fuse Sharp Claws into Predator's Claws.
When I infused additional mana, a white energy gently enveloped the claws. I tested it by scratching a nearby rock.
Scratch! Clear claw marks remained on the rock's surface.
"At this rate, 30 of them would be a piece of cake."
The Silver Fangs' own sharp claws had turned against them. How ironic.
Though I'd devoured all their essences, there was still something left to obtain. The leader's essence. From now on, I'd go collect what could only be obtained in the tutorial stage.