---
In an instant, Gabriel's voice boomed with authority: "Now!" The command snapped Tigram into action, and he sprang forward with renewed resolve. The Earth Bear, still under the influence of the [Silent] spell, found itself unable to utilize its powerful skills, leaving it momentarily confused. However, the beast quickly realized it still possessed its tremendous physical strength and lunged at Tigram, aiming to crush him with its formidable paws.
Suddenly, the air was filled with a deafening explosion as Gabriel's totem unleashed its power. The ground trembled as the Earth Bear roared in pain, having lost 660 HP in a single strike. Tigram seized the moment and activated his talent, launching a series of attacks beginning with [War Cry!] followed by [Wrathful Attack!].
The first strike barely grazed the Earth Bear, costing it only 20 HP. But Tigram wasn't deterred; he continued his assault, delivering a rapid succession of hits—each dealing 2 HP, 1 HP, and finally 5 HP. Despite his relentless efforts, Tigram couldn't help but feel a pang of embarrassment. His attacks seemed pitiful compared to the damage dealt by Gabriel's totem.
As Tigram briefly reflected on his performance, a series of numbers flashed across his vision—indicating that the curse totem had struck the Earth Bear reducing, receiving a damage of - 746 HP. Before he could fully process the information, the Earth Bear retaliated with a powerful swipe, sending Tigram flying with a loud, bone-rattling crash.
BAAAAANG!!
-714 HP
[Prompt! Shield withstood the attack, 5256/5970]
As Tigram was flung through the air, the Earth Bear pressed its attack, its rage evident in every movement. But Gabriel's curse totem continued its relentless assault, draining the creature's life force.
-3,500 HP (Cursed Totem)
-1270 HP (Light Hurricane) x 3
Just seconds after the totem had been summoned, Tigram found himself under attack once again. This time, however, he managed to hold his ground, resisting the force that had thrown him before.
BOOOOM!!
-700 HP
[Prompt! Shield withstood the attack, 4556/5970]
An eerie sound echoed through the battlefield, followed by a horrific scream from the Earth Bear as the totem drained another portion of its life force.
HOOOOOOH!!!
-3800 HP
Realizing his attacks were only scratching the surface of the beast's defenses, Tigram decided to adopt a more defensive role, acting as a tank to absorb the Earth Bear's blows while Gabriel focused on dealing damage. As the totem's third second ticked away, Tigram nimbly dodged the Earth Bear's deadly paws, creating an opening for Gabriel to strike.
HOOOOOOH!!!
-3300 HP (Cursed Totem)
-1001 HP (Light Hurricane)x 3
Gabriel didn't waste the opportunity, channeling his power to cast another [Light Hurricane], which combined with the totem's curse to inflict devastating damage on the Earth Bear.
...
As the battle entered its fourth second, the atmosphere around the Earth Bear shifted ominously. The beast, already exhibiting signs of entering a berserk state, was on the brink of losing control. Tigram, recognizing the impending danger, made a bold move—he charged at the Earth Bear, bringing his axe down in a desperate attempt to interrupt its transformation. The sound of the impact echoed through the valley, though the attack dealt a mere 1 HP in damage.
The curse totem struck again, leeching more of the Earth Bear's vitality.
-3400 HP
In the final second before the curse totem dissipated, the Earth Bear entered its berserk state, its attack speed, attack power and defense doubling as it began to rampage uncontrollably. Despite the lingering effects of the [Silent] spell, the Earth Bear's fury was unstoppable. In less than a heartbeat, Tigram was struck twice by the beast's powerful blows.
The first strike landed with a thunderous BANG!!!, dealing a critical 3500 HP of damage. Fortunately, Tigram's [Shield] absorbed part of the impact, leaving it with 1056 out of 5970 HP.
The second strike came swiftly, another deafening BANG!!! echoing as the Earth Bear's claw smashed into Tigram. This time, the damage was even more severe, and the shield shattered under the force, leaving Tigram with only 120 HP.
...
Amid the chaos, the eerie sound of the totem echoed once more, further weakening the Earth Bear.
HOOOOOHHH!!
-3500 HP
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Gabriel shouted, "Switch!" and immediately cast [Healing Wind] on Tigram. This spell, a mutation of his original [Light Hurricane], was designed to restore Tigram's health rapidly.
[Healing Wind Level 3 (☯️): Generates a swirl of gentle wind that heals the target three times. There is a 20% chance to activate [MeFirst].
Healing = {1.2 (Skill Level) x [MAtk + MagicPEN]} per hit
Mana Cost: 30
Cooldown: 1 second]
+2800 HP
+2500 HP
+2630 HP
Revitalized, Tigram moved to the back, allowing Gabriel to take over as the Earth Bear's primary target.
As the [Silent] spell continued to suppress the Earth Bear, Gabriel seized the opportunity to cast [Curse Totem (☯️)] again. The new totem emerged, sending out an eerie wail as it latched onto the Earth Bear, draining its strength further. Simultaneously, Gabriel unleashed another [Light Hurricane], striking the bear with full force.
The battle was fierce, but Gabriel's strategy and precise execution allowed him to gain the upper hand.
WHOOSH!!
-850 HP
WHOOSH!!
-920 HP
WHOOSH!!
-900 HP
The Earth Bear, now in a frenzied state, let out a savage roar and charged with all its remaining might. Its massive body crashed into Gabriel with devastating force, sending shockwaves through the ground.
The impact was explosive, a super critical hit that dealt a staggering 6200 HP of damage. Gabriel was thrown backward, tumbling through the air before crashing to the ground. Though his [Shield] absorbed much of the attack, the sheer power of the Earth Bear was too great, and the shield shattered into fragments.
[Prompt! Shield withstood most of the attack, 0/5970. -330 HP]
Gabriel lay dazed, struggling to comprehend how his shield had been destroyed so easily.
Meanwhile, the Earth Bear, its strength ebbing away, paused as an eerie sound filled the air once more. The strange, haunting cry grew louder, piercing through the bear's defenses.
HOOOOOHHH!!
-3540 HP
With one final groan, the Earth Bear collapsed, its massive form shaking as its life drained away. The curse totem had taken its toll, and despite its immense power, the bear was no match for Gabriel's strategy. The beast's breath grew shallow, its strength fading as it succumbed to the relentless assault. With a last, shuddering gasp, the Earth Bear fell still, its spirit departing for the eternal forest beyond.
...
A notification prompt appeared before Gabriel and Tigram.
[Prompt! You have killed Earth Bear! Gain exp 1200!]
[Prompt! You obtain Survival Boots!]
[Prompt! You obtain Skill Book [Earth Armor]!]
[Prompt! You obtain Earth Bear core!]
Since Gabriel had dealt the final blow, he received the majority of the loot, while the rest was shared with Tigram. Gabriel felt a sense of relief as his experience bar climbed by 1200 points. However, a thought crossed his mind—had he fought the Earth Bear alone, he would have earned double the experience. But as they were in a party, the experience points were split equally between the two.
Gabriel quickly dismissed the thought and glanced over at Tigram, who was enveloped in a golden light, indicating that he had just leveled up. Shaking his head, Gabriel returned his focus to the loot they had received.
...
Tigram also received a series of prompts.
[Prompt! You have killed Earth Bear! Gain exp 1200!]
[Prompt! You obtain Grizzly Earth Axe!]
[Congratulations! You level up, +1 level]
[Prompt! You obtain 5 status points!]
[Prompt! You obtain 1 skill point!]
As Tigram gazed upon the fallen Earth Bear, exhaustion washed over him, causing his body to go limp. He quickly sat down, taking deep breaths to regain his composure.
After a few moments, he reviewed the series of prompts he had received, carefully noting the important details.
With newfound urgency, Tigram began distributing his status points strategically, placing a particular emphasis on VIT, knowing how crucial it was in battle. Once finished, he turned his attention to his equipment and was shocked by what he saw, his eyes widening in surprise.
[Name: Grizzly Earth Axe]
[Type: Battle Axe]
[Attack: 800]
[Rarity: Green]
[Description: An axe imbued with the power of earth. Crafted with the latest techniques, it combines the bones of the Earth Bear with a Rune array, creating a weapon of immense power. Each swing unleashes a wave of force that damages enemies within 5 meters of the impact.
Additional Attributes:
+50 STR
+5 VIT
+25% Ignore Defense
Special Effect: Splash Damage
[Durability: 200/200]
"Damn! If I'd had this earlier, I could've done more damage to that damn bear," Tigram muttered to himself, silently cursing as he thought about it.
He removed his Iron Battle Axe and equipped the Grizzly Earth Axe, feeling its power course through him.
He opened his status panel to check the changes.
[Name: Tigram Gray]
[Class: Barbarian]
[Level: 4, Iron Middle Stage]
[Health Points: 1,150/1,150]
[Mana: 330/550]
[Experience: 924/2000]
[Defense: 83]
[Physical Attack: 200 (+800)]
[Attributes: STR: 25 (+53), AGI: 7, DEX: 6, INT: 3, VIT: 16 (+7)]
[Skills:
Wrathful Attack Level 4
War Cry Attack Level 1]
[Talent: Berserk (O)]
[Equipment: Grizzly Earth Axe, Battle Plate
Equipment Effect:
+100 HP
+25% Ignore Defense
Splash Damage]
With this new weapon, Tigram realized he could now deal at least 420 points of damage with a normal attack. If he activated his skill, he could inflict around 800 points of damage, a number that would only increase once he activated his talent.
...
Mysterious Realm, Dusk Valley
"Good lads!" someone remarked with a smile.
A figure hovered in the sky, watching the events unfold below. He had witnessed everything, from Gabriel and Tigram's initial confrontation to their cooperation in defeating the Earth Bear.
The figure then disappeared, exiting the Mysterious Realm.
...
A few minutes earlier...
As the Principal of the academy and a Peak Gold Stage Orion, he had lifted the restrictions on the Mysterious Realm, concerned about the safety of the students who had entered, especially those who were inexperienced. The moment he heard the alarm, he rushed to the observation point.
When he arrived, he saw two youths running for their lives. One was sprinting straight ahead, a massive Earth Bear hot on his heels. The other youth was running parallel, heading toward the center of the valley. The Principal watched them closely, weighing his options.
He could have intervened, stopping the Earth Bear from attacking, but something told him not to interfere. He understood the danger posed by the Earth Bear, especially the vast gap between the Iron and Bronze Stages. He didn't want to see any student harmed or lose their life due to ignorance or carelessness.
As he observed the two youths, he saw the second one pause to assess the situation before sprinting towards the first. When they met, they started arguing, and the Principal wondered what they were discussing. After a few minutes, the two seemed to reach an agreement, and the second youth began casting spells, buffing them both.
Then, instead of fleeing, the youths turned to face the Earth Bear. The Principal was astonished by their bravery and determination. Every move they made, every spell they cast, he noted with interest.
The battle, which lasted less than 10 seconds, ended with the Earth Bear's defeat. The Principal was amazed by the youths' power and skill. He knew they were special, brimming with potential. Deciding to keep an eye on their development, he resolved to see how far these two would go in the future.