Chapter 49: INTUITION.

With every swing, the chains whipped through the air, ripping apart anything unfortunate enough to get caught in their path.

It was an overwhelming display of offensive power.

Aaron watched the two of them for a few seconds before quietly sighing.

’They’re certainly flashy.’

He glanced down at the makeshift bag hanging from his shoulder.

Then, with a slight frown, he dropped it onto the hard cavern floor and reached up to massage his aching shoulder.

He wasn’t some helpless maiden who needed to be protected throughout the entire expedition. More importantly, he had his own objectives.

He needed to kill beasts, absorb their existence and accumulate enough Soul Counts to properly explore and master his Web of Encounter.

Besides, judging by how effortlessly Tommy and Kelly were utilizing their respective abilities, it was apparent that they had already become quite proficient with them.

Their movements were coordinated, their attacks precise, and their abilities seemed almost like natural extensions of their bodies.

Aaron couldn’t afford to fall behind.

’If they’re already this proficient, I need to figure out how to use mine properly.’

Taking a deep breath, he reached for his sword.

Then, without another word, he joined the fray.

Kelly immediately glanced at him a disapproving frown forming between her brows.

"You’re in no condition to fight! Fall back and rest!"

She shouted while simultaneously freezing the head of another Black Fang.

Aaron merely gave her a sideways glance.

"I’m fine now. Focus on yourself."

He continued running towards one of the smaller rock formations, his sword firmly grasped in his hand.

Tommy, who had just cleaved another Black Fang in half, briefly glanced in their direction.

An amused smile appeared on his face.

"Allow him, Kelly."

He casually swung his greatsword, cutting down another approaching beast without even looking at it.

"Sometimes, a boy has to prove his manliness."

Aaron’s mouth twitched.

’What the hell is that supposed to mean?’

He didn’t bother responding.

Instead, he pulled his sword completely out of its sheath.

Unfortunately, the blade was still stained with the blood of the bats he’d slaughtered earlier. He glanced at its unsightly appearance and clicked his tongue.

’Disgusting.’

There wasn’t exactly much he could do about it now.

As he got closer, a Black Fang suddenly sprang towards him, Its enormous body shot through the air, its claws extended and its jaws wide open.

Aaron immediately adjusted his grip.

He wasn’t wielding an extraordinary weapon like Tommy, nor did he possess an overwhelmingly destructive ability like Kelly.

His Spirit Animal hadn’t even manifested yet.

According to the information provided by Runes, the only ability he currently possessed was his strengthened intuition.

At first glance, it didn’t seem particularly impressive.

Compared to metal manipulation and Kelly’s terrifying ice ability, it was almost laughable.

But that didn’t necessarily mean it was useless.

His physical body was far from weak, either.

After killing numerous bats and absorbing their existence, his overall physical capabilities had improved considerably.

His strength, speed and endurance were more than sufficient to deal with ordinary threats.

And now, he wanted to find out exactly what his intuition could do.

The Black Fang rapidly approached.

Its enormous claws were aimed at his upper body, while its jaws threatened to tear into his neck.

However, just as the creature entered his range, something strange happened.

Aaron felt it.

Not with his eyes.

Not with his ears.

It was an inexplicable sensation that suddenly emerged within his mind.

A peculiar warning.

His left side was dangerous.

His right side was safe.

It was as though someone had drawn two completely different pictures inside his head, showing him the possible outcomes of his next movement.

If he remained in his current position, he would have to meet the beast’s attack head-on.

He could probably parry it and eventually kill the creature, but doing so would put him in an unnecessarily dangerous position.

There was a better option.

His right side.

Without the slightest hesitation, Aaron followed that instinct and abruptly shifted to the right.

WHOOSH!

The Black Fang’s claws tore through the space where he had been standing a moment earlier, while its jaws snapped shut at the empty air.

Its entire attack missed.

And because of the angle of its leap, the creature’s body was now completely exposed.

Aaron gritted his teeth and plunged his blade straight into the Black Fang’s skull.

The creature’s momentum carried it a short distance before its body finally collapsed.

Aaron didn’t even have time to admire his handiwork.

Another Black Fang was already approaching.

This time, it came from his blind spot.

Yet again—

He felt it.

A strange warning surfaced in his mind, alerting him to the approaching danger.

He didn’t even need to turn around.

Aaron simply took a single step backwards and the enormous Black Fang sailed past him, missing his body by barely an inch.

Its claws swept through the air, failing to find their intended target.

Aaron finally turned his head.

His eyes landed on the creature’s massive black body.

Then, in one smooth movement, he pulled his sword out of the skull of the first Black Fang and casually thrust the blade through the second beast’s black, beady eye.

The Black Fang let out a muffled growl before its enormous body crumpled to the ground.

For a brief moment, Aaron simply stood there, staring at the two dead beasts.

Then his eyes widened slightly.

’Wait...’

He looked down at his sword before slowly raising his head.

A peculiar expression appeared on his face.

He finally understood.

His ability wasn’t simply about sensing danger.

It was something far more interesting.

It allowed him to perceive the possible outcomes of his movements and distinguish between dangerous and favorable actions.

In other words...

It was as though his instincts were constantly guiding him towards the safest and most advantageous course of action.

He didn’t necessarily need to be faster than his opponent.

He didn’t need to overpower them.

As long as he could perceive the danger coming his way, he could simply avoid it and exploit the openings they created.

A slow grin gradually crept onto his face.

’So that’s what you do...’

For the first time since discovering his ability, Aaron felt genuinely excited.

It might not have looked particularly impressive.

It certainly wasn’t as flashy as Tommy’s metal manipulation or Kelly’s ice.

But the more he thought about it, the more ridiculous its potential seemed.

After all, what good was overwhelming offensive power if one couldn’t even land a hit?

And what was the point of possessing monstrous strength if every attack was effortlessly avoided?

Aaron tightened his grip around his sword.

His gaze shifted towards the remaining Black Fangs.

’Interesting.’

’Very interesting.’

Perhaps his ability wasn’t designed to help him attack.

Perhaps it was designed to make sure he never got hit in the first place.

And if that was truly the case...

He couldn’t wait to see just how far he could take it.