Night fell over my new territory.
From the shadows, I kept a careful watch on the human encampment.
With my current strength, I could defeat some of them, I judged.
But not all.
It was too risky to be seen.
As the darkness settled, I noticed something strange.
The night wasn't whispering around them either.
I focused my perception into the surrounding gloom.
There—
creatures lurking at the edges of the forest.
The same ones I'd seen before.
The ones that had devoured the bird I left behind.
They were common here.
Long, thin limbs.
White, glowing eyes that pierced the darkness.
Intimidating.
Yet none of them approached the encampment.
I narrowed my focus and used Sovereign's Sight on one of them.
Mornak — Level 14
Mornak…
So that was their species.
Interesting.
They were different from the other monsters here—
far too different.
And the way they hung back…
like they were waiting for permission they weren't getting.
I turned away from the camp and climbed into a nearby tree to rest.
I woke to distant movement.
Human voices.
Equipment shifting.
I peered toward the encampment and saw them packing up.
Preparing to move.
The night had been quiet.
I slipped away before I could be spotted, keeping my distance from the mimic nest—
but close enough to know when they reached it.
I need to understand why they want it.
As I moved through the forest—
Something charged from my blind spot.
I dodged easily.
The tree behind me shattered under the impact, exploding into splinters.
I landed and bounced comfortably, scanning my surroundings.
Another charge burst from the bushes.
I evaded again and moved into a more open area as trees toppled in the distance.
Then it stepped into view.
A monster I had never seen before.
A low, broad shape pushing through the undergrowth.
One forward-curving horn, chipped and scarred.
Hide forest-green and uneven—
like dense foliage hardened into muscle.
Old scars layered over newer ones.
Eyes dull and reflective—
not glowing.
Its movements were slow.
Deliberate.
Confident.
No snarl.
No rush.
Just certainty.
I used Sovereign's Sight.
Tharnok — Level ???
My thoughts stalled.
I can't see its level?
Is it really that strong?
I watched as it shifted its weight slightly, circling me.
Is this another Monster Lord?
No.
The system's answer came instantly.
It's not a Monster Lord. It's just a monster.
A powerful one, I corrected silently.
Then why attack me?
Everything else had fled since I defeated the previous lord.
Unless—
Does it want the title?
That would make sense.
I steadied myself.
This is my first real fight since becoming a lord.
Let's see how strong you are.
The Tharnok charged, horn lowered.
Thin lines of red and orange flared across its body—
energy building.
It exploded forward, far faster than before.
I barely moved out of the way in time.
It tore through trees and stone, dirt and debris flying everywhere.
That's powerful.
I moved to counter through the settling dust—
Then stopped.
Heat surged past me, flowing toward something.
As the dust cleared, the horn began to glow—
red and orange flickering violently.
The energy intensified.
Then it fired.
A blazing red beam shot toward me.
I dodged—
but it tracked me.
The beam followed my movement, carving fires through the forest.
Trees ignited.
Collapsed.
Smoke filled the air.
I kept moving.
The beam slowed.
Shortened.
Then faded out entirely.
That took a lot out of it.
I rushed forward and struck.
The moment my fist connected, its fur changed—
shifting from forest green to dark silver.
It felt like punching solid metal.
My hand splattered on impact.
Jelly flesh flattened and rebounded uselessly.
The Tharnok didn't even flinch.
I struck again.
And again.
No effect.
The horn began charging once more.
I pulled back.
I need an opening.
There has to be a moment when it can't harden its fur.
Another beam fired—
slower this time.
Dodging was easier now.
Then something tugged at my leg.
The beam faded.
But I couldn't move.
I looked down—
saw nothing.
What is this?
I looked up.
Red and orange lines pulsed beneath the Tharnok's hide.
It's charging again.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves.
And revealed it.
A thin thread, glowing faintly in the light.
Not rope.
Not vine.
Something… placed.
Something made.
I traced it—tried to remove it—
Then saw the Tharnok charging at full speed.
Claw Slash.
The thread snapped in a violent explosion.
As the Tharnok barreled toward where I'd been, I pivoted—
and drove my fist into its gut, the impact rippling through its massive frame.
Locked into its charge, it couldn't stop.
Its legs gave out—the stored energy kept it moving for a heartbeat longer, until its body finally collapsed hard under its own force.
The glowing lines faded.
As I approached, another thread caught my leg.
This time, I removed it calmly.
It planned everything.
The traps. The beam. The charge.
It only lost because it didn't know my abilities.
If it had…
This wouldn't have been easy.
I approached again.
Its fur darkened to silver one last time.
Defense.
I knelt beside its head.
I placed my hand against it.
Held it steady.
Looked into its eyes.
And nodded.
It understood.
The fur deactivated.
You gained 250 EXP
Level Up
Level 19
I exhaled slowly.
We didn't need to be enemies.
Mimic Copy MP Required: 9
Without hesitation, I placed my hand against its body.
Copy.
Light flared.
A radiant thread tore free from the horn, blazing like condensed sunlight. It coiled in the air—alive—before snapping around me.
Gently.
Then it pulled.
The thread tightened, heat and pressure crushing inward as it wrapped deeper and deeper, burning into my flesh.
I screamed internally as it constricted—
tighter—
tighter—
until the world narrowed and my body refused to draw breath.
Then, abruptly, it released.
The pressure vanished as the light sank into me, threading itself through my core.
I dropped to one knee, coughing, my body shuddering as sensation flooded back.
That was intense…
Copy Successful
New Ability Acquired: Solar Thread
I clicked on the ability.
Solar Thread
The user generates thin, radiant threads formed from condensed solar energy.
Threads can be anchored to terrain or creatures to restrict movement and control space.
Cost:
– 1 MP per thread
– Maximum length: 5 meters
Conditions:
– Cannot be activated at night
– Requires direct or ambient sunlight
– Effectiveness scales with light intensity
Side Effect:
If a creature is bound while the user is not in sunlight, backlash occurs.
The user takes continuous HP damage, increasing over time.
Returning to sunlight or releasing the thread stops the damage.
A control and trap ability.
Very useful.
But only in daylight.
I looked up.
The sun shone brightly overhead.
The Tharnok was smart.
This wasn't a bad day for it at all.
It was a good one.
I dragged its heavy body into a nearby crater, each pull leaving grooves in the earth.
I covered it slowly.
Dirt slid over the green hide and scarred horn—
until nothing remained.
I stood there longer than necessary.
Then turned away.
Sunlight brushed the disturbed earth one final time—
a quiet farewell to a monster that had drawn its strength from the day.