Chapter 13 : The True Value


    "Where did that bastard go?!" Trevor asked out loud. His face was very ugly as he realized that he had messed up once again.


    He looked left and right, front and back, up and down, any direction as far as he could. But there was no sign of it. There was no sight. It was as if the spearman had gone out of thin air...


    Trevor knew that some might have this kind of skill, especially for the advanced class of Assassins. But wasn''t his class a spearman? They were not specialized in this kind of ability! Especially for one to disappear seemingly like out of thin air like this, he refused to believe it!


    Nah, let alone spearman, he believed that those advanced assassins couldn''t leave or vanish as easily and quickly like this. He had no idea how Straight had achieved this.


    Especially being low leveled like they currently are…


    "Or maybe because I was distracted from the ongoing massacre of the bear..."


    Regret sprung up inside of his heart. If only he had more determination to risk it and fight Straight, he would probably be in a better position than he was right now. He was only distracted for a few moments, but the situation was reversible. The spearman has gone into nowhere...


    Trevor looked at the surviving member of his allies. It was just a single person, and it was none other than Lyra. Her health points were not even 1/10 of its maximum health. He was witnessing the last struggle of the last ally of his helplessly, and hopelessly.


    With a final looking valiant effort, Lyra launched barrages toward the bear head-on. She managed to land a few impactful strikes against the beast from that, proving to her prowess as an impressive ranger. But in the end, the bear''s strength proved overwhelming, and a mighty blow from its massive paw sent her crashing to the ground.


    Ghaakkk…


    As Lyra''s life force waned, her gaze landed on Trevor from across the battlefield. In that moment, based on the atmosphere of him, she realized that they had basically shot themselves in their own feet. The forest''s chaos seemed to recede, replaced by a poignant silence that hung heavy in the air as her body formed into light particles, washed away by the winds...


    Trevor''s mouth tightened into a grim grin, laughing maniacally. His heart was heavy with the loss of his allies. The battle had exacted a steep price, and their sacrifice served as a stark reminder of the bear''s formidable power….


    ****, not that bear power, it’s that ******''s fault!


    “Rhhaaaa….!”


    The bear roared once again as it believed that the fruit was still in the possession of the man in front of it. It pounced angrily and full of power, creating a loud boom just from the impact of its momentum.


    …Was it because they had intended to rob the opportunity of Straight that they ended up like this?


    "**** ! I don''t believe-"


    Whaaaamm


    The bear hacked its paw mercilessly toward Trevor. Trevor avoided it at last seconds as he had decided to try to escape from this madness. He was in desperation just now, but now that death was looming over him, his strength suddenly came back once again.


    Baamm Whaaangg Craaackk…


    But the bear''s power was unyielding, its attacks relentless and overwhelming. Despite his efforts tackle, Trevor found himself struggling to keep up, his stamina waning as the battle took its toll.


    In a moment, Trevor attempted to evade a particularly fierce swipe from the bear. However, his movement was slightly off, and the bear''s massive claw caught him in a glancing blow.


    Baammm…


    The impact sent him tumbling to the ground, his body battered and bruised. Gasping for breath, he struggled to regain his footing, with his health points starting to dwindle down.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    "Kuhh..."


    As Trevor rose to his feet, he locked eyes with the towering 3 Horns Bear. Its ferocious gaze held a primal intensity, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.


    "HAAAAAA!"


    With a defiant shout, Trevor charged forward once more. And what he faced was the bear''s retaliation which was swift and merciless. Its massive paw descended in a crushing blow, and Trevor''s vision blurred as its force exploded across his body. The force of the impact was overwhelming, and as darkness started to enroeach on his senses, he knew that his time had come.


    ...


    In the aftermath of the battle, the forest seemed to hold its breath, the echoes of the conflict fading into silence. As the dust settled, the forest began to reclaim its tranquility, the battle''s tumultuous energy dissipating into the atmosphere.


    "ROOAAAR!"


    Only that occasionally, the roars of an angry bear resounded every now and then…


    Srrrinnnggtt…


    A tear of space was formed as a man suddenly popped out from it. Far from the chaos of the battle, Noah, now still in his second name of Straight, reappeared with a sense of relief.


    He had employed the unique ability of his Weaver class, Warping Hollow, to teleport himself away from the perilous scene.


    ...


    Warping Hollow : Twist the threads of reality, instantly teleporting to a nearby location to gain a tactical advantage. Mana Consumption: 80. Cooldown: 5 seconds.


    ...


    He had tested the skills a few times, and he was sure that the bear could only forget about chasing him.


    He had a pretty excited expression on his face as he stepped onto the ground.


    The fruit, the Nectar Star Fruit, shimmered with an glowing radiance. Straight''s gaze fixed upon it, his face reflected upon it.


    “This small fruit that has been the cause of turmoil, conflict… including sacrifice, huh.” Aron added as he remembered that NPC son of Aiden.


    Straight''s fingers holding around the fruit. He started to assess the fruit once more as there was one effect that he was curious about.


    ...


    Nectar Star Fruit


    Rarity: Unique


    Description: A rare fruit with a shining glow, could give the beasts some hallucination if they neared it. Consuming this fruit bestows unique effects.


    Effects:


    <ol>


    <li> Obtaining an active skill, Vitalizing Aura: Temporarily increases maximum health points by 20% for 30 minutes.</li>


    <li> (Unlocked) Enable a beast, familiar, pet, or alike to evolve if they stood by near enough for a time relative to the beast (Remaining uses : 1 / 2)</li>


    </ol>


    ...


    The second ability was finally unlocked after he had met its requirement, which was simply just by obtaining it.


    Now, it became clear, the Nectar Star Fruit possessed a second hidden ability, one that basically went beyond its initial valuation.


    This hidden effect was related to the concept of evolution, a process that could facilitate the growth and advancement of a pet, a familiar, a wild beast, or something along the line. The fruit had the capacity to catalyze a process of metamorphosis, unlocking more potential and propelling a creature''s capabilities to new heights.


    As this revelation settled within Noah''s mind, he couldn''t help but be amazed by the fruit''s significance. It was a catalyst for change, a conduit for evolution!


    "Truly fit to the rarity of Unique! As expected of a Unique item! Gahahaha…!"


    Noah laughed out loud not caring whether there was anyone that could hear him or not. If anyone heard him laughing like this, they would probably think that Noah was remembering something cringe.


    A new understanding began to crystallize in Noah''s mind too, one that illuminated the mystery behind the 3 Horns Bear''s formidable presence. Now he understood the reason for the creature''s special and powerful attributes.


    The 2 Horns Bear, a chief-ranked entity, had already transcended the boundaries of the Commander rank, elevating itself to a position of higher distinction and might.


    While the 3 Horns Bear, represented an even greater leap in evolution—a leap that defied conventional expectations. The very fact that it bore three horns indicated a level of power that surpassed the ordinary, conferring upon its attributes and abilities that set it apart. The bear''s rank might have remained at the Commander level, but its potential for growth was anything but ordinary.


    Despite only having commander level, the 3 Horns bear was able to surpass the Chief ranked 2 Horns Bear. That truly spoke about the value of the Nectar Star Fruit itself.


    It was no wonder that the 3 Horns Bear got so angry after the fruit was stolen...


    After laughing until he was satisfied, Noah stood in quiet contemplation with the Nectar Star Fruit still cradled in his hand. Despite the fruit''s potent hidden ability, he couldn''t help but feel a bit of pity. The power to facilitate evolution was a profound ability, one that could shape the progress of a companion, a familiar, or a pet. Yet, the realization brought him face-to-face with a simple fact, which was that he currently had no deserving recipient for this transformative energy.


    "Haaa... What a shame..."


    He was now thinking of what to do next. Obtaining this fruit would really be helpful toward his pet if he ever had one. Gaining a pet early might be better because then they could start to level up and be stronger at the same time.


    But as Noah was still in a low level area, he was sure that there were not many if not at all in the terms of a better option for pets.


    Noah shook his head, decided to put the matter aside as he started to walk while changing to the original appearance of Noah, instead of Straight.