Sora's heart pounded as the monsters lunged at her with precision, their fangs raised and eyes glowing with predatory intent.
The young elf reacted instinctively, equipping the halberd and diving to the side as the Gnolls collided with each other in a chaotic heap. Scrambling to her feet, she bolted, her breath hesvy, threatening to stop her.
The Gnolls were faster—much faster.
Taking a quick glance over her shoulder confirmed her worst fear: the pack was gaining on her.
'Shit—how are they this close already?!'
Panic surged through her veins. Before she could react, one of the many Gnolls leaped, its jaws clamping down on her shoulder. Sora screamed, the agony ripping through her body like fire.
But the pain ignited something deep within her. Her eyes blazed with a sudden, intense golden glow, and a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins. With a roar of defiance, she struck, her weapon going through the jaws and then the head of the beast like a hot knife through butter, her grip ironclad as she slammed it into the ground with all her strength. The beast let out a yelp before going limp, its blood splattering across the rocky terrain.
Sora clutched her wounded shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers as she knelt on the ground, her body trembling from the shock and pain. She couldn't believe what she had just done—she had taken down a Gnoll with her bare hands. But there was no time to process it. The rest of the beasts circled her, their growls low and menacing.
One of the beasts lunged at her again, its teeth sinking into her arm. Sora cried out, but she didn't falter. Using the Gnoll still clamped onto her arm as a weapon, she swung it with all her might, striking the other creatures as they charged from the sides. The impact sent them tumbling back, taking this short moment she slammed the wolf still gripping her arm multiple times onto the ground leaving a pool of blood.
Sora turned to face the remaining pack, a look of confidence and seriousness in her eyes. "Who's next?" she taunted, her stance shifting into a defensive posture, ready for whatever came her way.
The Gnolls lunged at her with feral fury, but Sora met them head-on, the halberd in her hand poised to strike with cold precision and power. Within minutes, the pack lay defeated, their growls silenced, but at a cost of her weapon now reduced to metal shards.
Kneeling on the ground, breathless and panting, she couldn't contain her laughter. "I actually did it. I defeated them," she murmured, her voice a mix of disbelief and triumph.
Fighting a common Gnoll was a very hard feat. Many common elven knights dreaded ever coming across such a creature, so for her being able to fight many meant that she was on a whole other level of strength.
[Enemy Group Vanquished..]
Status Increased
• Attributes: Enhanced
• Combat Proficiency: Improved
• Momentum: Sustained
[Health Restored..]
• Condition: Stable
• Injuries: Healed
• Vitality: Recovered
After the intense battle with the Gnoll pack that almost ended her life, the blue flames flickering at the tips of the candles shifted to a vibrant orange hue. At the far end of the hallway, a heavy metal door materialized out of thin air, its hinges groaning as it slowly creaked open. A thick plume of steam billowed out, filling the air with a warm, misty haze. The system chimed again.
Item Acquired
• Item: Chest
• Source: Dream World Encounter
• Status: Unopened
• Storage: Inventory (Dream Layer)
>> Open the chest?
'A chest…' Her pulse quickened. 'Even slaughter has incentives here.'
Without muttering a single word, Sora tapped her finger on the system. And it appeared, the rewards waiting for her.
[Gnoll New Set Unlocked Successfully]
[REWARDS ACQUIRED]
• Gnoll Barbarian Gear
– Type: Armor Set
– Traits: Brutal Endurance, Ferocity Boost
• Scrappy Gauntlet
– Type: Hand Equipment
– Bonus: Increased Impact Damage
– Condition: Rough, Functional
[SET EFFECT — PARTIAL]
• Strength: +Minor
• Resistance: +Minor
• Intimidation: Passive Increase
>> Equip items?
>> Inspect set effects?
Sora was intrigued by this, reading through the runes and texts.
'A Gnoll set, huh…? Weird, but I'll take what I can get.' She thought, seeing how ruined her outfit was.
'The gauntlets…' She flexed her fingers slowly which she didn't realize had healed after striking her fist on the tree trunk. 'Maybe I can actually use them. Perhaps that's what all that training was meant for.'
Stripping off her torn and bloodied clothing, she adorned herself with this new Gnoll set that the system had offered her. Her body was enveloped in a soft, white glow that lasted only a few seconds before fading. When the light dissipated, the new attire clung to her form perfectly. Her top was a fur-lined midriff that exposed a sliver of her waist, while a sturdy loincloth made of brown fur hung from a belt around her hips. Her feet were clad in furry boots, and her wrists were protected by fur-lined arm guards.
Sora glanced down at herself, turning slightly to inspect the outfit from all angles. "Interesting… the system puts it on instantly for me. Can't say I'm pleased," she murmured with a smirk, though her tone betrayed a hint of amusement.
Next, she equipped the guantlets. The weight of the weapons felt natural in her hands, as if they were an extension of her body. With a deep breath, she stepped forward, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
As she crossed the threshold of the open gate, the world around her shifted dramatically. It was as if she had stepped through a portal, the environment transforming in an instant with darkness all around her. Sora froze, her jaw dropping as she took in her new surroundings.
Seconds ago she had stumbled across the interior of a castle, now she stood at the center of what appeared to be a massive empty coliseum, its towering walls stretching high into the sky.
'How is this possible? I was inside of the castle for a second. How did I end up here?' she questioned in her mind, but her thoughts served nothing.
The air around her was thick, making it quite difficult for her to breath, and the ground beneath her feet felt charged with energy. Sora's heart raced as she realized the challenges ahead were far from over.
Sora took a firm stance, her grip tightening as she faced the open expanse of the battleground which was the coliseum. The structure seemed ordinary at first glance, but Sora felt that what it housed was dangerous.
Her instincts screamed loudly at her to stay alert. 'Something seems off here, its oddly quiet.' she muttered inwardly, and in that instant, the ground beneath her began to tremble faintly in form of vibrations that began to increase.
As she knew her thoughts were true. Her eyes darted towards the opposite side of the arena, expecting the threat or challenger to emerge from there. But to her shock, the danger came from behind her. The coliseum wall exploded in a shower of debris, the impact sending Sora flying through the air, her body tumbling like a ragdoll before crashing to the ground.
Despite the brutal impact, she clung to her weapons, her knuckles whitening from the sheer force used.
Sora groaned in pain, struggling to push herself up into her knees. Blood streamed from her nose and forehead, dripping onto the dusty ground. She glanced at the system's message, her face pale with horror, before forcing herself to look at the monster that had just attacked her.
What she saw made her blood run cold. The creature was enormous, dwarfing even the largest structures she had ever seen. It looked like the beast her mother usually told her about—the ones she saw in nightmares.
Tall and giant, skin probably made from steel plates that were dyed black. The sun's ray bounced off it's head dyed with white, jaw disloged, ready to bite and break bones, it held no weapons as the lengthy hands were enough to put an end to a knight's life.
Above its head, a glowing yellow runes emerged, revealing the name of whatever this thing was.
Hostile Entity Detected
• Enemy: Gaunt
• Classification: Unknown Beast
• Threat Level: Assessing…
'A Gaunt...' Sora repeated in her thoughts.
She trembled at the sight of this thing, trying her best to stay on her feet. The monster glared at her with predatory intent, then a loud, mechanical roar emerged from its jaws.
[WARNING].
• The Gaunt emits a heavy pressure.
Instinct signals danger.
Sora's mind raced, even as her body screamed in pain. She remembered the Gnolls she had fought earlier were quite difficult but not impossible.
Was it possible that this creature was a far more difficult for.
'How do I conquer this foe? This isn't even any normal type of monster.... It looks cosmic!'
Her thoughts were cut short as this Gaunt lunged, making it look like it telepoted, its massive hands hurtling forward with terrifying speed.
Sora barely had time to react, her instincts kicking in as she braced herself for the next attack. The battle was far from over, and survival was anything but guaranteed.