Chapter 284: Golden Hunt [1]

Darion stepped through the treeline and into the forest. The air was cool and damp, carrying the scent of earth and leaves.

Sunlight filtered through the canopy above, casting dappled shadows across the forest floor. Birds called out from the branches, their songs echoing through the trees.

It was peaceful, serene, the kind of atmosphere that made you forget about the weight of leadership and the constant pressure of rebuilding a barony.

His aim for this hunt wasn't to add any creature to his inventory. He wasn't here to collect corpses or bolster his undead army. This was purely for fun, a chance to actually use his Borrowed Sight ability and his golden light sword skills in a real hunt.

If he killed an animal, or many animals, he wouldn't be taking the corpses back to the castle. He would just leave them here, food to be discovered by other animals. It was a simple, uncomplicated outing, exactly what he needed.

He walked deeper into the forest, his steps careful and deliberate. The trees grew thicker, their branches intertwining above him, blocking out more of the light.

The sounds of the birds grew quieter, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig. He was alone, surrounded by the quiet wilderness, and he felt a sense of freedom he hadn't felt in a long time.

He stopped in a small clearing and reached into his inventory. He summoned an undead bird, a small creature with glowing green eyes and patchy feathers. It materialized in front of him, its body still and waiting. He focused on it, reaching out through the binding, and activated his Borrowed Sight ability.

The perspective shifted.

He was in the air, looking down at the forest from above. The canopy stretched out beneath him like a green carpet, the trees spreading in every direction. He could see the clearing where his body stood, a small figure surrounded by trees.

The experience was disorienting at first, he was seeing the forest from above while his body was still on the ground.

He could feel the ground beneath his feet, could feel the weight of his sword at his side, but his eyes were in the sky.

He realized quickly that he wasn't transferring his consciousness into the bird. He wasn't becoming the bird, feeling what it felt. He was simply seeing through its eyes, a spectator in its body.

He could control the bird through the binding, but that was just commands,fly higher, turn left, descend. He wasn't able to control how the bird moved like it was his own body. His body was still in his body, standing in the clearing, while his eyes were in the sky.

He practiced switching between his own vision and the bird's, getting used to the sensation. It took a few attempts, but soon he could seamlessly shift between perspectives, his mind adapting to the strange dual awareness. It was like looking through a window that could be opened and closed at will.

Through the bird's eyes, he spotted movement in the distance. A large shape was moving through the trees, its body low to the ground. He focused on it, zooming in with the bird's vision. It was a Bogart, a familiar creature he had faced many times before. It was large, ugly, and dangerous, its body covered in nothing, its mouth filled with sharp teeth.

He thought about it. Would his golden light skill be enough to take it down? He had practiced the moves on training dummies and undead knights, but he had never used them against a real, living creature.

The Bogart was a formidable opponent, capable of tearing a man apart with its claws and teeth. But he had faced them before, had killed them with his undeads at his side. Now, he would face one alone, with nothing but his sword and his skills.

He shrugged. It should be. He had trained for weeks, had mastered the sequences, had channeled the golden light. If he couldn't take down a Bogart with all that, then what was the point of training in the first place?

He focused his full vision back on his body, dismissing the bird's perspective. The world snapped back into focus, the forest once again solid and real around him. He gripped his sword and began to move, heading toward the Bogart.

He didn't ambush it. He walked openly, his steps steady, his eyes fixed on the creature. He wanted to test himself, to face the creature head-on and see if his skills were truly ready.

The Bogart noticed him almost immediately. Its head snapped up, its nostrils flaring as it caught his scent. It let out a low growl, its body tensing, its claws extending. It was ready to fight.

Darion raised his sword, his body settling into the familiar stance. The first move was the simplest, the foundation for everything else. A bunch of leg placements, a shift of weight, and then a strike forward.

He moved through the sequence, his body flowing with the motion. The golden light rippled from the blade, cutting through the air in a powerful wave. It struck the Bogart in the chest, knocking it backward. The creature stumbled, its body reeling from the impact. It let out a roar of pain and anger, its eyes blazing with fury.

But it didn't fall. It recovered quickly, lunging forward with renewed aggression. Darion was ready. He moved through the second sequence, a quick back placement, then forward, then backward, then a strike. The golden ball of energy shot forward, striking the Bogart in the shoulder. The creature staggered, its body cracking, but it kept coming.

Darion moved through the third sequence. A jump, a wave to the right, a wave to the left, then a swerve forward. The curved golden light slashed through the air, cutting into the Bogart's side. The creature let out a scream of pain, its body faltering. It tried to attack, but its movements were slow and clumsy.

Darion finished it with the fourth move. A roll, a swerve straight down, the golden hole of energy piercing through the Bogart's chest. The creature collapsed, its body falling to the ground, still and silent.