Chapter 11 : Stone Plant Assault
The forest air was heavy with negativity, carrying the faint scent of moss and flower. Ank's feet pounded against the uneven mountain trail, his breath ragged but steady. His senses were sharper than ever, each step echoing with the urgency in his heart.
"Maya!"
Her scream had already cut through his soul once, and now it replayed in his mind like a curse. He could not—would not—arrive too late.
He developed a soft spot for Maya even though she made comments on his level and teased him by saying that even a seven-year-old boy could beat him.
His boots splashed against patches of mud, twigs snapping beneath him as he rushed through the dense forest. Branches scratched against his skin, but his healing ability immediately erased the marks. It didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was Maya.
Ank's body had a special ability to heal all his wounds, but it used stamina. That's why he had been increasing his stamina so much in the last month.
Then—he heard it again.
A desperate cry, raw and trembling.
"Help me! Somebody—please!"
Ank's pupils contracted, and his pace quickened. The world blurred as he rushed forward, guided by the sound of her voice. His instincts screamed danger, and when he finally saw Maya, his heart froze.
There it was.
A monster unlike anything he had ever seen before.
He had seen many monsters during his conquest of the universe, but this monster was different. He couldn't remember any monster like that.
Its body was half-plant, half-stone, jagged vines woven together with mineral shards that glowed faintly with a dull green light. Towering above Maya, it raised an arm that pulsed with dark energy, preparing to cast a deadly spell.
Ank didn't think. He didn't hesitate.
He moved.
Throwing himself between Maya and the monster's attack, Ank raised his arms to block.
The spell fired.
A torrent of dark energy hit him, sending shockwaves through the forest. His body hit the ground from the impact, bones cracking, flesh tearing, organs twisting—then beginning to heal immediately.
Ank staggered, kneeling. His vision blurred. His body screamed to give up. But he stood again, forcing his shaking legs to obey.
"Maya…"
Behind him, Maya's wide eyes were filled with terror. She had seen the spell. She had seen Ank take it directly. Her body trembled; horror and fear were too much for her.
And then—she fainted.
Her last sight before losing consciousness was Ank's back, standing between her and death.
Ank clenched his fists. His gaze turned toward the monster.
In Ank's hand was a wooden sword he had found earlier before leaving the village. He picked it up, its surface rough and cracked.
It wasn't much—but right now, it was everything.
First, he checked the status of the monster.
[Status Window: Stone Plant Guardian]
[Race: Stone Plant]
[Level: S]
[Threat Level: High Monster]
[HP: 50000]*10
[Energy: 50000]*10
[Strength: 50000]*10
[Constitution: 30000]*10
[Stamina: 100000]*10
[Charisma: 100]*10
[Intelligence: 100]*10
[Skills: Guardian]
[Skills: Stonewall Shield, Earthquake Step, Atmosphere Domination]
Description: A plant made of stone that evolved into a Guardian, tasked with protecting normal stone plants. Its skill Atmosphere Domination alters the environment into one suited for its kind, multiplying its Strength by 10x.
As soon as Ank read the words, the atmosphere became more dense.
And now he knew why the sky of the village had changed.
The monster's power had increased tenfold—and now how would he defeat that monster?
The air thickened. The soil hardened beneath his feet. Vines emerged from the ground, pulsing with unnatural energy. His body felt heavier, slower, weaker. The monster's presence pressed down like the weight of a collapsing mountain.
Ank gritted his teeth.
"Damn… Atmosphere skill…"
His only advantage—rapid healing.
And to make matters worse, a pop-up window started showing that he would be unconscious in less than two minutes.
2 minutes before unconsciousness
1:59 minutes before unconsciousness
1:58 minutes before unconsciousness
The countdown had begun.
Ank cursed under his breath. "This damned system…"
His healing factor was supposed to be his lifeline. Now it was nothing more than a ticking clock. In less than two minutes, his body would collapse, no matter how much willpower he had left.
But he didn't stop.
He had once ruled galaxies. He had once been the Emperor of the Universe, conquered Universes. Armies trembled under his command. Gods, mortals, demons, monsters—everyone had bowed their heads before him.
And now… now he was fighting to protect a single girl from a single monster.
The irony cut deeper than any wound.
The Guardian moved, the ground shaking beneath its massive stone limbs. Its arm swung like a hammer, aiming to crush Ank where he stood.
Ank rolled aside, narrowly avoiding the impact. The ground where he had been standing shattered, sending debris flying into the air. He gripped the wooden sword tightly and slashed the debris that came at him.
When he tightened his grip on the sword and moved toward the stone plant monster, finding an opening, he attacked.
He moved his head and watched if he had succeeded or not.
A scratch. Nothing more.
The Guardian turned its head, glowing eyes narrowing.
And then it shot stone leaf missiles toward Ank.
Before Ank could react, the attack hit him directly.
His body ached, but he lunged forward again, dodging another massive attack aimed at him.
1:45 minutes before unconsciousness
1:44 minutes before unconsciousness
1:43 minutes before unconsciousness
The timer kept dropping. His vision flickered. His strength was slowly decreasing. Yet he did not want to lose.
And then—the ground around him cracked. Shadows stretched unnaturally, and a second monster emerged, its body leaner, sharper, vines twisted into blades.
Ank quickly checked, and another status window appeared.
[Status Window: Stone Plant Assassin]
[Race: Stone Plant]
[Level: S]
[Threat Level: High Monster]
[HP: 50000]*10
[Energy: 50000]*10
[Strength: 50000]*10
[Constitution: 30000]*10
[Stamina: 100000]*10
[Charisma: 100]*10
[Intelligence: 100]*10
[Skills: Assassin]
[Spells: Shadow Bind, Venomous Thorns]
Description: A plant made of stone that evolved into an Assassin, specializing in stealth and sudden strikes.
"Damn system… protect me! Give me something, at least unseal some of my power," he muttered through gritted teeth.
From the shadows, vines lashed out, wrapping around Ank's ankles. Shadow Bind. His body stiffened as poisonous thorns pierced his skin.
His healing factor immediately fought against the venom, but each recovery drained his stamina further.
"Perfect…" Ank growled. "As if one wasn't enough."
1:30 minutes before unconsciousness
1:29 minutes before unconsciousness
1:28 minutes before unconsciousness
His chest tightened. His arms trembled. But he tore free, breaking the vines with brute force.
And just as he lifted his sword again—
Whizz!
A bolt of stone arrow shot past his cheek, cutting the skin and leaving a deep wound.
Blood trickled down his face as his eyes widened. He turned.
Another monster stood at the edge of the clearing, its body structured like a longbow made of stone, vines pulled taut. Its arms drew back, forming another arrow made of hardened rock.
Ank quickly checked the status window.
[Status Window: Stone Plant Sniper]
[Race: Stone Plant]
[Level: S]
[Threat Level: High Monster]
[HP: 50000]*10
[Energy: 50000]*10
[Strength: 50000]*10
[Constitution: 30000]*10
[Stamina: 100000]*10
[Charisma: 100]*10
[Intelligence: 100]*10
[Skills: Sniper]
[Skills: Piercing Stone Bolt, Longshot Precision]
Description: A plant made of stone that evolved into a Sniper, capable of long-range precision attacks.
The arrow released.
Ank ducked, the bolt grazing his shoulder. Pain spread across his body, and once again, his healing tried to fix the damage—draining his leftover stamina even faster.
Three monsters.
A Guardian, an Assassin, and now a Sniper.
The system had thrown him into a battlefield he had no chance of winning.
And still—the countdown ticked lower.
1:00 minute before unconsciousness
59 seconds before unconsciousness
58 seconds before unconsciousness
The Guardian advanced. The Assassin melted into the shadows. The Sniper drew again.
Ank tightened his grip on the wooden sword.
His breathing grew ragged. His legs trembled. His healing ability kept him standing.
But his eyes—
His eyes burned with defiance.
"Even if I fall here… I'll take one of you bastards with me!"
And with that roar, Ank charged forward once more.