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Chapter 18 - [18] Killing A Rank 3 Primitive Beast

In the instant before Levi's blade made contact, the beast's entire body began to glow, its fur hardening and taking on the metallic, indestructible sheen of polished silver.

However, it had still underestimated the sheer, explosive power of Levi's attack.

With the raw strength of a Rank 4 Cell Tempering Realm, further amplified by the 50% damage boost from his Level 7 cleaver art, Levi's blade was a weapon of terrifying destruction. It sliced through the air, and for a moment, it cut through the hardened silver skin of the beast's neck.

But then, with a horrifying, grinding screech of metal on bone, the blade stopped. It had sliced through the hide, through the thick layers of muscle, but it had been halted halfway through, unable to sever the beast's spine.

"What?" Levi was shocked.

Even with his full power, a strength that was more than a match for an average Rank 4, he couldn't slice clean through a Rank 3 beast's neck? This sort of defense was already on par with a Rank 5 dimensional creature!

"ROOOOAR!"

The beast let out a roar of pure agony and rage. The pain had fully awakened it, and its eyes burned with a murderous light.

It swiped a massive, clawed paw at Levi, the air whistling as five dagger-like claws aimed to disembowel him.

Knowing his blade was stuck, Levi made a split-second decision. He abandoned his weapon, letting go of the handle as he flashed to the side, narrowly dodging the deadly swipe.

"Bang!"

The beast's claws raked against the cave wall, sending a shower of sparks and stone fragments flying.

The enraged and wounded beast, with Levi's cleaver still embedded in its neck, began a relentless pursuit.

Levi, now unarmed, could only dodge, his superior speed his only advantage. He led the beast on a frantic chase around the cave, letting its own rage and grievous wound become his greatest allies.

With every pained roar, with every clumsy, furious swipe, more and more of its lifeblood poured from the gash in its neck, painting the cave floor a dark, glistening crimson. Eventually, its movements grew sluggish, its roars weaker.

After a long, tense minute, the massive beast staggered, its eyes glazed over, and it dropped to the ground with a final, earth-shaking thud.

Dead.

Levi stood panting at the far end of the cave, not daring to approach. He waited, his eyes locked on the still form, until a familiar, welcome notification chimed in his mind.

[Rank 3 Primitive Monster: Tyrant Silverback Bear slain.]

[Dimensional Crystal detected within the corpse.]

The system's notification made Levi relax.

Levi let out a long breath, the tension finally draining from his body.

His eyes fell upon his cleaver, still deeply embedded in the Tyrant Silverback Bear's thick neck. He walked over and, with a grunt, wrenched the weapon free from the beast neck.

The blade was thankfully undamaged, however, there was still a slight chip at the edge.

It was then that a flash of brown and grey caught his eye. The little thief, the mole-like creature that had led him here, was scurrying out from behind a rock.

Its large, black eyes were fixed on the bear's corpse, a look of undisguised desire on its furry face.

It chirped excitedly and made a beeline for the dead beast, its powerful front claws already extended, clearly intending to burrow in and claim the dimensional crystal as its own.

"Oh no, you don't!" Levi snapped, his voice sharp.

He moved in a flash, appearing directly in front of the bear's chest and blocking the little creature's path. He was not about to be robbed a second time, especially not after a life-and-death battle for the prize. He glared down at the tiny thief.

The little creature skidded to a halt, its long nose twitching. It looked at Levi, then at the corpse, and let out a series of pitiful, heartbreaking squeaks.

Its large, black eyes began to well up with what looked suspiciously like tears, and it lowered its head, its entire body trembling as if it were the most wronged being in the entire dimension. It was an Oscar-worthy performance of pathetic cuteness.

Any other person might have had their heart melted by the display. Levi, however, was completely unmoved.

"Save the act," he grumbled, turning his back on the creature and kneeling beside the bear. "We're not friends. You led me here, I killed the beast. I get the spoils. That's the deal."

Ignoring the renewed squeaking behind him, he plunged his hands into the gash his cleaver had made, digging through the warm flesh and sinew.

After a moment of searching, his fingers closed around a hard, dense object nestled near the beast's heart. He pulled it out.

It was a dimensional crystal, but it was vastly different from the low-quality grey one the little thief had stolen. This one was the size of a goose egg and pulsed with a vibrant, silvery light.

It was heavy, and he could feel a potent, condensed energy thrumming within it, a power that seemed to resonate directly with his own physical body.

This was a high-quality crystal, befitting a Rank 3 creature.

Without hesitation, he focused his will, and the system immediately responded.

[High-Quality Tyrant Bear Crystal detected.]

[Primary Attribute: Physique. Do you wish to absorb?]

"Absorb," Levi commanded in his mind.

The crystal in his hand dissolved into a stream of pure, silver energy that flowed into his palm and surged through his veins.

It was a gentle but powerful current, not as violent as the Body tempering fruit, but focused and potent. It targeted his bones, muscles, and cellular structure, reinforcing and strengthening them on a fundamental level.

A series of notifications chimed in his mind.

[Physique +1]

[Physique +1]

[Physique +1]

His total physique had increased by three whole points.

A wave of vitality washed over him, completely erasing the exhaustion from the fight. He clenched his fist, feeling a tangible increase in his resilience and underlying strength.

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