The forest was unnervingly quiet, its towering trees casting long shadows under the pale light of the moon that hung low in the sky.
Beneath one of these trees lay a figure sprawled on the ground, motionless save for the faint rise and fall of his chest. Blood pooled beneath him, dark and viscous, though no visible injuries could be seen on his body.
Then, without warning, the figure’s eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air as though surfacing from a deep, dark abyss. “Gah!”
His silver hair clung to his forehead, damp with sweat, as his chest heaved with labored breaths. It took him a few moments to register his surroundings, but when he did, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
“I survived,” Damien whispered, his voice hoarse but tinged with relief. “I really survived!” He repeated with a small smile.
He slowly sat up, “ugh! Still hurts,” he breathed, grimacing as the ache in his body reminded him of the ordeal he had endured. The events of nine hours ago played vividly in his mind, each moment etched into his memory like a scar.
Nine hours ago, Damien had been on the brink of death.
He had ventured westward, deeper into the Forest of Twin Disasters, a region infamous for housing some of the most dangerous mana beasts. For days, Damien had been hunting these creatures, pushing himself to his limits to grow stronger and test his capabilities.
The mana beasts he encountered had been predominantly Grade Five, formidable but manageable for someone of his caliber.
Damien had taken the density of Grade Five mana beasts as a stroke of good fortune, not realizing that they were the lowest-ranked creatures in this part of the forest.
His confidence, bolstered by his four Grade Four summons and his trusted escape plan involving Aquila the Griffin, had blinded him to the growing danger around him.
But mana beasts were not mindless. They had a primal intelligence, and when faced with a growing threat like Damien, they reacted with ruthless precision.
Nine hours ago, Damien had stumbled into a beast horde.
Over fifty Grade Five mana beasts and fifteen Grade Four mana beasts had filled the clearing where Damien found himself.
At first, he had been unshaken, confident in his ability to handle them. His summons had made quick work of the Grade Five beasts, their superior strength and skills turning the tide in his favor.
Cerbe, his Three-Headed Hound, had unleashed devastating volleys of fireballs from its Flame of Hell skill, reducing swathes of mana beasts to charred remains.
Luton, his Stellar Slime, utilized its spatial manipulation abilities to confound and overpower the weaker beasts. Even Aquila, his Griffin, had torn through the opposition with brutal efficiency. Fenrir on the other hand was the most brutal, reading through beasts like they were paper.
But then the Grade Four mana beasts joined the fray.
Suddenly, the battle shifted. The stronger beasts targeted his summons, forcing them into grueling one-on-multiple battles, while the remaining Grade Five mana beasts turned their attention to Damien.
He fought valiantly, wielding his weapons with precision honed through countless battles. But as the fight dragged on, the sheer numbers and relentless attacks wore him down. His magic essence reserves dwindled rapidly, leaving him vulnerable.
“Damn it!” Damien had cursed, his body drenched in sweat and blood as he swung his blade desperately. Cerbe’s fireballs grew weaker, Luton’s spatial manipulation faltered, and the battle became a losing one.
When his magic essence finally ran out, Damien knew he had lost.
Canceling all his summons except for Aquila, he prepared to execute his escape plan. The Griffin, with its incredible speed and mobility, was his last hope. He commanded it to return to him, intending to mount it and flee.
But the mana beasts were faster.
As Aquila swooped down, a barrage of innate skills from the Grade Four mana beasts filled the air. Blasts of elemental energy, sharp projectiles, and roaring waves of power converged on Damien’s position.
Aquila shielded him, its massive wings taking the brunt of the attack, but some of the strikes found their mark. The pain was unbearable, and Damien’s vision blurred as his body gave out.
The last thing he remembered was the sound of Aquila’s anguished cry and the sensation of weightlessness as the Griffin carried him away.
Now, as he sat in the cool, quiet forest, Damien pieced together what must have happened. Aquila had managed to escape with him, using the last of his magic essence to sustain the summoning skill long enough to get them to safety.
When his reserves had finally hit rock bottom, the skill must have deactivated automatically, leaving him unconscious in this spot.
Damien exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into the damp earth beneath him. “I survived…” he whispered again, the words both a statement and a prayer of gratitude.
The faint rustling of leaves overhead reminded him that he couldn’t stay here for long. The Forest of Twin Disasters was unforgiving, and even in his weakened state, he needed to find shelter and recover.
Using the tree behind him for support, Damien pulled himself to his feet, his legs trembling under his weight. He glanced around, noting the faint traces of blood leading away from where he had been lying. They belonged to Aquila.
“I owe you one,” he murmured, his voice soft but resolute.
As the cool night air settled around him, Damien steeled himself. The battle had been a harsh reminder of the forest’s dangers, but it had also solidified his resolve. He had survived against overwhelming odds, and he would grow stronger to ensure he could do so again.
With a determined look in his eyes, Damien began to stabilise his breathing as he prepared to get up. “The goal remains the same. I need to grow stronger till growing stronger isn’t possible.”
Damien steeled himself as he grunted slightly, pushing himself up from the ground. His shirt was soaked in his own blood but Damien didn’t care at the moment.
“Status window.” He commanded and his panel popped up for him to see how far he’d come.
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A/N: Hello dear readers. I hope this news meets you all in good health! This is to inform you all that we have finally concluded the first 100 chapters of SSS-RANKED Awakening!
I’m using this opportunity to say a big
thank you
to everyone that remained here till this moment.
Thank you
to those who’ve read so far and
thank you
for your support. You all are my motivation and I hope to keep it that way.
Once again,
thank you guys!!