Chapter 172: I Killed It?
"Come on!" Ellen yelled, her voice a fierce. She raised her bow, and braced for the impact. The claw of the alpha wolf, a blur of muscle and obsidian claws, slammed into her bow with a force that rattled her teeth.
BAM!
The shockwave sent her tumbling backward. Ellen hit the dirt and rolled, the world a dizzying smear of green and brown before she finally skidded to a stop. Her hand, trembling with the aftermath, gripped the hilt of her bow.
’That’s the second time,’ she thought, a familiar burn of frustration rising in her chest:
’This isn’t just about winning. It’s about proving I’m worthy.’
She got to her feet, her gaze fixed on the beast before her. "I won’t fail!" she shouted, the words a personal vow.
"I won’t fail!"
The incantation flowed through her as a new arrow, shimmering with faint white energy, materialized on her bowstring. Without a moment’s hesitation, she charged.
The wolf, a monstrous shadow of fur and rage, let out a furious roar that vibrated in her bones. Its muscles, coiled like springs, expanded under its coarse fur as it lunged. Ellen, without hesitation; released the arrow. It flew true, a white streak aimed for the wolf’s head. As she ran, another arrow formed on her bow.
BAM!
The first arrow split into ten, and struck the wolf’s forehead, but with a sickening crunch, it shattered, leaving only shallow scratches.
’Its defense is too strong,’ she murmured, leaping to the side just as the wolf’s massive maw snapped shut where she’d been.
Ellen landed and stood her ground, staring at the wolf. It turned to face her, a predatory glint in its eyes.
"Oh? You weren’t serious from the start?" she asked with a taunting smirk, a deliberate challenge to draw it out.
"GRRAAAA!!"
The celestial rank wolf let out a roar, a deep, guttural sound that seemed to tear at the fabric of reality itself. A swirling black smoke billowed from its body, a thick, cloying mist that devoured the sunlight and plunged the forest into a suffocating darkness.
"Impressive," Ellen muttered, her gaze sweeping through the gloom.
’A hunter’s trick,’ she thought, a flicker of respect in her mind.
’Blind your prey, render them defenseless. It would work on others. But not on me.’ Her pupils instantly turned golden.
"I have God Eyes."
Ellen moved her gaze, the black smoke parting before her enhanced sight, revealing the wolf as a glowing silhouette of pure energy. It was circling her now, a patient predator confident in its advantage. Ellen lowered her bow, pulling the string taut.
’I need to find an opening. Something its raw power can’t protect,’ she thought, her eyes fixed on the wolf, which was now a silent specter behind her.
"GRAAAAA!!!"
The beast lunged, a sudden, explosive burst of speed. Ellen didn’t hesitate:
"Run," she whispered to herself, and took off, her gaze fixed on a massive, gnarled oak tree ahead. The wolf was a heartbeat behind her. She continued to run, a red spirit arrow appearing on her bowstring.
’This is it,’ she thought, a desperate hope fluttering in her chest: ’Everything on this one shot.’
She reached the tree and, instead of stopping, she used its trunk as a ramp, running straight up its rough bark.
"Huh? What is she doing?" Sunny muttered, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and disbelief.
"...?!"
The wolf stopped, confused for only a moment before its powerful legs launched it into the air, its gaping maw ready to snap down on its prey. Ellen, seeing her window, used the tree trunk as a leverage point, pushing herself backward, her body arcing directly toward the wolf’s open jaws.
"Now!"
She aimed her bow straight up, the red arrow a burning star against the dark surroundings. With a final, explosive release, she fired.
WHOOSH!
The arrow, a projectile of pure, concentrated energy, flew with deadly accuracy, not at the wolf’s head, but straight down its throat.
"GRA--AA!"
The beast’s pained roar was cut short, its body crashing to the ground with a bone-jarring impact. Dust and dirt exploded into the air. Ellen, falling with the beast, landed on its massive body, her hands spread wide, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She scrambled off the body, quickly putting distance between herself and the creature.
BOOOOOOOM!!!!
The red arrow exploded within the wolf, sending a gruesome shower of blood and animal parts across the forest floor. Ellen collapsed, the ground cool against her back. She stared at the sliver of blue sky visible through the swirling dust.
"I... I killed it?" she whispered, the words barely audible.
[Congratulations! Ellen killed a Celestial rank beast; gained 5,000 EXP.]
"She killed it." Sunny’s voice was filled with a pride that swelled in his chest.
’She’s not a kid anymore,’ he thought, watching as Ellen sat up in a meditating posture, and a shimmering light barrier encased her.
’Wait... a barrier?’ Sunny’s eyes widened:
’She had a barrier all this time? Why didn’t she use it? Was she testing herself?’ The thought made him smile. ’That’s my girl. She doesn’t just want power; she wants to earn it.’
Just then, a mountain of glowing celestial energy stones appeared before Ellen.
"Tens of thousands of celestial stones," Sunny murmured, his voice laced with affection.
"Let’s see how much you can handle." He turned to the little, floating girl beside him. "You impressed?"
{At the moment, master is feeling proud... But master, someone with a god rank Bloodline killing a common celestial rank beast isn’t something to be proud of.}
"....?!" Sunny was stunned.
"You do know she is just a kid, right?" he asked with a frown.
{That doesn’t explain it... Besides, I don’t feel emotions, so I can’t give you an answer, I can only give logic.}
"Fuck that logic!" he snapped, and with a wave of his hand, the little girl disappeared, replaced by the familiar system screen.
"I prefer you this way. At least I won’t have the urge to slap you.
{"....!"}
"Forget all that... How many hell difficulty quests are left?"
{At the moment: Three.}
{Hell difficulty quests.}
{One: Wipe out a planet.}
{Two: Spend 20 Trillions in one week (Completed).}
{Three: Kill two million enemies: 20,682/2,000,000.}
{Four: Hunt down 20 Mythic beasts.}
{Five: Take control of a planet and place it under your control: (planet Gaia - Completed).}
{Sixth: Spend five trillion on Ellen, Josephine, Star. (Completed).}
’I still have three more quests?’ Sunny’s brow furrowed:
’I gained the ultimate Gem by completing three. What will I get for completing all six?’
His gaze, however, was drawn back to Ellen, and his blood ran cold. A massive python, its green scales shimmering in the half-light, its two horns curving like ancient tusks, was slithering toward her. Its eyes, glowing with a malevolent light, were fixed on the meditating girl.
"Fuck!! How did a mythic beast appear here?!!" he exclaimed in horror. But before he could move, something froze him in place.
[DING!!!!]
"....?!"
Sunny turned his head to the system screen, and what he saw made him even more speechless.