Chapter 146: Evolution-Type

The creature attacked again.

Eden shifted his weight and countered, his Dark Matter blade cutting through one of its arms. The severed limb hit the ground.

Before it could even stop rolling, a new arm had already grown from the stump.

Eden’s eyebrows rose.

"Oh, come on."

The creature lunged.

He ducked beneath its claws and drove his blade into its torso. Dark Matter spread through the wound, tearing apart the creature’s internal structure.

For an instant, he felt resistance.

Then the creature’s body twisted around the blade, and the wound closed.

The blade was expelled with a burst of purple fluid.

Eden jumped backward, landing atop an enormous root.

The creature followed without hesitation.

Its four wings beat once, launching it forward with terrifying speed. Its claws swept across the root, shredding the massive structure and forcing Eden to leap away.

He landed on the ground and immediately dashed forward.

His Dark Matter blade flashed.

One wing fell.

Then another.

Eden pivoted, cutting through the creature’s leg before driving his shoulder into its chest. The impact sent it crashing through a nearby tree, splintering the enormous trunk.

He landed lightly and watched it struggle to its feet.

The creature’s missing limbs regenerated nearly instantly.

Its broken torso straightened.

And its Essence grew stronger.

Eden’s smile slowly disappeared.

"You..."

He could feel it now.

Every time he inflicted serious damage, the creature’s Essence became denser. The regeneration wasn’t merely restoring its body; something about the process was making it stronger.

’A peculiar ability.’

’Probably an evolution-type skill.’

’In that case I’ll have to kill it before it grows to my level.’

The creature spread its wings again.

Eden rolled his shoulders.

"All right. Let’s stop playing around."

His gaze fell upon one of the rings on his fingers.

Lord’s Wrath.

He had obtained that ring long ago, but until now, he had never activated it’s skill. His existing abilities were usually enough to handle his opponents, and he preferred to keep his options open rather than rely on a single combination.

But this was an excellent opportunity to see how durable that ring really was.

Eden grinned.

"Let’s see what you bought me."

He activated Lord’s Wrath.

Black Essence erupted from the ring, spreading across his body like liquid darkness.

It enveloped his legs first, then climbed over his torso and arms. Layers of armor formed around him, each piece locking into place with a quiet metallic click. A long, dark robe unfurled from his shoulders, its edges trailing behind him like smoke.

The armor was sleek rather than bulky, its surface covered in intricate patterns that shimmered faintly beneath the forest’s strange light. The robe fit his frame perfectly, moving with him as though it had been tailored specifically for his body.

A faint pressure rolled outward.

Eden looked down at himself.

Then he flexed his fingers.

"Huh. Not bad."

He could feel the difference immediately.

His Essence flowed more smoothly through his body, while the armor itself seemed to possess a regenerative property of its own. The sensation was not unlike wearing an extension of his skill rather than an ordinary piece of equipment.

More importantly, he could feel the boost coursing through his attributes.

In comparison to his skills, it was just a minor buff in agility and strength. But it would prove helpful once combined with other Buffs.

The creature charged again.

Eden smiled.

"Come on, then."

He met it head-on.

Their weapons collided, claws against Dark Matter, producing a deafening impact that sent debris flying in every direction. Eden twisted his wrist, redirected the creature’s attack, and slashed across its chest.

Black fluid erupted from the wound.

Before it could regenerate, he followed with a second strike, cutting through its shoulder and severing one of its arms.

The creature retaliated with its remaining claws.

Eden stepped between them.

His blade flashed.

Two more limbs fell.

He kicked the creature in the abdomen, sending it crashing into the ground, then descended with his sword raised.

The blade pierced its chest.

For a moment, he felt the creature’s Essence falter.

Then it surged.

The wound closed around his weapon, and the creature’s body twisted violently. Its claws caught Eden’s armored shoulder and hurled him through the air.

He crashed through a thick branch before landing on the ground.

The impact cracked the earth beneath him.

Eden rose almost immediately, brushing a few splinters from his robe.

Neither he nor his armor had been damaged.

"...You’re a tenacious little thing, aren’t you?"

The creature stood several dozen meters away.

Its Essence had grown heavier still.

Eden could feel the difference. The first few exchanges had been easy, but each time the creature recovered from a devastating injury, its next attack became more dangerous. Its movements were faster, its claws heavier, and its regenerative ability showed no sign of slowing down.

If he continued fighting this way, the battle could drag on indefinitely.

And that would be a problem.

’It’s not that I’m scared of losing...’

’I just have no intentions of spending the entire day fighting a glorified lizard with wings.’

Eden sighed.

"Let’s end this."

The creature rushed forward.

This time, Eden didn’t attack immediately.

He watched its movements, observing the subtle shifts in its posture and the way its wings adjusted before each strike. The creature relied on overwhelming speed and relentless aggression, confident that any damage it suffered would be repaired almost instantly.

A simple strategy.

One that worked remarkably well against opponents who tried to match its strength directly.

Unfortunately for it, Eden had spent far too long fighting stronger opponents to fall for something so straightforward.

The first claw swept toward his neck.

He leaned backward.

The second followed, aiming for his ribs.

Eden pivoted, allowing it to pass.

Then the creature lunged with its entire body, attempting to crush him beneath its weight.

Eden’s eyes sharpened.

Rather than resist the incoming force, he redirected it.

His body turned at precisely the right moment, guiding the creature’s momentum past him. Its enormous frame lurched forward, its claws tearing through the earth as it struggled to regain balance.

Eden stepped into the opening.

He struck the creature’s elbow, redirecting its arm across its own body, then used the resulting momentum to force it off balance.

The creature’s wings flared.

’You think I’ll let you?’