Chapter 239: Equal or not?
[Level: 3
Str: 33.5(+10)
Spd: 28.5(+10)
Def: 35(+10)
Int: 23(+15)
Gamma: 7000/7000]
As Luke expected, the buff from Lunar Warden had diminished.
Thanks to all the hunts, his base stats had risen slightly. What troubled him, however, was the exhaustion weighing down his body. After traveling for so long with barely any rest, he was thoroughly worn out.
His muscles ached with every movement, and a dull pain throbbed through his back. Hours of walking in a bent posture had taken their toll.
To make matters worse, the moonlight had begun to fade. The cool energy that once flowed through him was weakening, and his recovery had slowed considerably.
That was bad news.
He had roughly thirty minutes left before the sun crested the horizon. The pale silver glow coating the beach was already retreating, swallowed little by little by the approaching dawn.
With every passing minute, his strength would continue to decline.
But the same could not be said for the man standing across from him.
"You... look strange. What is even that attire? And where are your markings? Which tribe do you belong to?" the man asked, raising his weapon.
It was a small weapon, its thick blade gleaming under the fading moonlight. Even the handle was as thick as a grown man’s forearm.
"What does it have to do with you? If you want money, I can give it to you, so just let me leave."
Negotiating felt far more rational given Luke’s current condition and the speed the man had displayed earlier.
His presence alone told Luke that he was facing a veteran fighter.
"I need nothing but that fish inside that thing."
Luke frowned and glanced at the tank.
Just as he suspected, Synthia was peeking out from the water.
And somehow, the man knew she was a mermaid.
Exhaling a slow sigh, Luke said, "Rest inside, Synthia. It won’t tak..."
"LUKE!" Synthia cried out.
But Luke had already gone on high alert, his domain flaring to life.
Thunk
The man’s blade tore through the air with frightening speed, whizzing past Luke’s torso close enough for him to feel the rush of wind against his clothes.
Luke reacted instantly. His dagger materialized in his grip, and he drove it forward in a sharp thrust.
The man met it with his bare palm.
Smack.
The strike was redirected with practiced precision, the dagger sliding harmlessly aside. Without missing a beat, the man rotated his butchering blade into a reverse grip, the heavy blade flashing in the moonlight as he flowed seamlessly into the next movement.
"Take this!"
The man swung in a vicious uppercut, the blade carving through the air.
Luke jerked backward just in time, the blade missing his chin by a hair’s breadth.
SLASH
His own dagger flashed.
Using the momentum of his retreat, Luke twisted and drove the blade toward the man’s side in one smooth motion.
But—
Thunk
"Tch."
The dagger struck the scabbard instead, sparks briefly dancing from the impact.
The man grinned.
A powerful kick shot forward.
Luke released the dagger and barely managed to throw his arms up in defense.
Thud
The impact crashed into him like a battering ram.
Air exploded from his lungs as he skidded backward through the sand, his boots carving long trails across the ground despite the guard.
The man glanced at the blazing dagger Luke had tossed away.
With an amused grin, he bent down and picked it up.
"Quite a fancy item you’ve got."
Luke remained where he was, breathing heavily, his head lowered.
The man snickered.
"Let’s see how deep it cuts."
He burst into a sprint.
Sand erupted beneath his feet, scattering in all directions as he charged.
Luke didn’t move.
Not even an inch.
The distance closed rapidly.
Ten meters.
Five.
Three.
Still nothing.
And before he knew it, it was already too late.
The man grinned.
Holding the dagger in his dominant hand while pressing his other palm against the pommel, he drove it forward with all his weight behind it, aiming straight for Luke’s chest.
’Got you!’
The blade touched flesh.
There was no counterattack. No dodge, defense or even slightest the movement.
But then—
"Huh?"
The dagger vanished.
The sudden loss of resistance threw off his balance, yet the momentum of his charge left him no choice but to keep moving.
SQUELCH
Something buried itself deep into his stomach.
The man’s eyes widened.
He looked down.
The handle of the dagger was visible, but the rest of the blade wasn’t.
The boy before him was grinning.
"Shouldn’t have touched someone else’s tool."
The man’s face twisted.
Before Luke could twist the blade and worsen the injury, the man lunged forward and sank his teeth into Luke’s shoulder.
Crunch.
"Gah! Fuck!"
A burst of agony shot through Luke’s body.
He staggered backward, instinctively retreating and leaving the dagger lodged in the man’s stomach.
The man groaned and yanked the weapon free.
Blood dripped onto the sand.
Without hesitation, he pulled out a small gourd-like container from his side.
Uncorking it, he took several large gulps.
Meanwhile, Luke glanced at his shoulder and winced.
"Fucking savage."
Blood soaked through the torn cloth. Even without looking closely, he could tell the bite had gone deep. The throbbing pain spread with every heartbeat.
The moonlight was fading, and it would not heal him quickly enough.
Clicking his tongue, he pulled out a vial of potion and drank it in one go.
Much to Luke’s surprise, the wound in the man’s stomach began to close as well.
The torn flesh visibly mended itself.
Luke had expected at least a howl of pain, some sign that the injury mattered.
Instead, the man stood there completely unfazed, rolling his shoulders as if nothing had happened.
Luke clicked his tongue and glanced at the gourd hanging from the man’s belt.
’Some sort of potion?’
His lack of knowledge about this world was becoming painfully obvious.
"You are strong...I must admit," the man said, wiping his mouth. "But I am still going to take that fish with me."
Luke recalled the Magma Tooth and put it in the Inventory.
Suddenly, a huge hammer appeared in his hand, much to the man’s shock.
Luke looked up at the man, his eyes blood shot as he muttered, "I am done fucking around. You die now."
