Chapter 145: transcendent Prey [2]
Null Strike.
WOOOOM!
The invisible sphere of absolute negation erupted around me at the precise moment of impact. The yellow boar’s devastating charge - all that accumulated energy, bloodline power, and desperate momentum - simply ceased to exist as it entered the technique’s radius.
The creature’s remaining eye widened in complete disbelief as its ultimate attack was negated entirely. The yellow aura surrounding its body flickered and died, leaving it vulnerable and exposed just feet away from my position.
I channeled every bit of blood enhancement into one decisive blow, my blade glowing crimson with concentrated power. The sword descended toward the stunned boar’s neck with supernatural speed and strength.
SLASH!
The enhanced strike severed the creature’s head completely, sending it tumbling across the clearing while the massive body collapsed with a ground-shaking impact.
I felt the familiar sensation of soul power flowing into me from the defeated Transcendent beast.
The essence was substantially more potent than Elite-rank absorption this single kill provided progress equivalent to dozens of peak elite creatures.
The combat had pushed me harder than recent fights, but the combination of blood manipulation, skill usage, and the Null Strike technique made it easier.
The yellow boar had never stood a real chance once I’d applied pressure from multiple angles.
I approached the corpse and began extracting its Transcendent-rank blood, the golden-yellow liquid filling multiple vials with precious enhancement material. This quality of blood would provide significant power when used for future combat or simply used for my feeding.
The hunt was proving successful. One Transcendent beast eliminated, valuable resources acquired, and meaningful soul power accumulated toward my eventual rank advancement.
I continued searching through the hunting grounds with renewed focus, my enhanced senses scanning for additional Transcendent-rank prey. The soul power from the yellow boar had been decent, but I needed more to make meaningful progress toward my goals.
Minutes later, I detected another promising signature - the distinctive aura pattern of a creature I actually recognized from my own studies.
There... perfect target...
A massive Stone-Hide Bear lumbered through a rocky clearing ahead, its body covered in natural armor that resembled granite plating. The creature stood nearly twelve feet tall when upright, with thick limbs that could crush boulders and claws that carved through solid rock.
Low Transcendent rank, just like the boar.
More importantly, I had studied this species during monster ecology classes. The Instructor had dedicated an entire lecture to Stone-Hide Bears, emphasizing their weaknesses alongside their formidable strengths.
They were really common because they were a part of one of the strongest clan in the surrounding area of the kingdom, the Bear clan.
Knees... that’s the key...
The creature’s massive body was supported by relatively vulnerable knee joints. Once those joints were compromised, the bear’s own weight became a liability rather than an asset. With both knees broken, the creature would be immobilized and easy to finish.
I didn’t waste time on long observation. Knowledge was power, and I possessed exactly what I needed to end this fight quickly.
I channeled a good blood from my vials, forming it into a massive mace - an effective bludgeoning weapon designed specifically for crushing things.
Whoosh!
I sent the blood mace hurtling through the air like a missile, guided by my [Blood Control] trait toward the bear’s right knee joint. The projectile moved with devastating velocity, ensuring a powerful impact.
CRACK!
Indeed, just like I expected. The impact was catastrophic. The mace struck the knee joint without fail, shattering bone and tearing ligaments with a sickening crunch that echoed through the clearing.
ROAR!
Thud!
The Stone-Hide Bear’s roar of agony was immediate as its right leg buckled completely. The massive creature lurched sideways, struggling to maintain balance on three remaining limbs while its shattered knee rendered one leg useless.
A gust of wind sent leaves flying as I charged forward while the beast was off-balance, my enhanced sword already positioned for a devastating follow-up strike. No time to let it recover or adapt to the injury.
SLASH!
My blade carved through the bear’s left knee with enhanced cutting power, slicing through the thick hide that normally resisted conventional weapons. I targeted the tendons and ligaments specifically, applying the anatomical knowledge from my studies.
Collapse!
With both knees destroyed, the Stone-Hide Bear crashed to the ground with tremendous force. Its massive body became a prison rather than an advantage - the creature simply couldn’t move effectively without functional legs.
It thrashed desperately, claws gouging the earth and jaws snapping at empty air, but the tactical situation was decided. An immobilized Transcendent beast was just a matter of execution.
I positioned myself carefully and drove my sword deep into the creature’s chest, piercing through the stone-like hide and penetrating directly into its heart. The strike would have been nearly impossible against a mobile opponent, but with the bear pinned by its own weight, it was straightforward.
The moment my blade penetrated the heart muscle, I activated my Blood Control trait with lethal intent. I manipulated the bear’s own blood, forcing it to flow at dramatically accelerated rates that the damaged heart couldn’t sustain.
The combination of physical damage and forced blood manipulation created catastrophic internal bleeding. The heart muscle, already pierced by my sword, couldn’t withstand the pressure I was applying.
Manipulating the blood inside the heart would have been almosg impossible had I not damaged it severely due to the difficulty of such an action.
Within seconds, the Stone-Hide Bear’s struggles weakened dramatically. Its roar faded to a gurgle, then silence, as massive internal hemorrhaging caused rapid system failure.
The familiar sensation of Transcendent-rank soul power flowing into me confirmed the kill. This essence combined with the yellow boar’s contribution, creating meaningful progress toward my eventual rank advancement.
The entire fight had lasted less than two minutes from initial engagement to final death. Academic study combined with tactical application had transformed what could have been a prolonged battle into a quick fight.
I withdrew my blade and began extracting the bear’s blood, noting the unusual thickness and earth-affinity properties that might prove useful for specific enhancement applications.
Before I attempted to extract the Stone-Hide Bear’s blood, a familiar notification pulsed through my consciousness, the sensation that always accompanied significant development.
[You have gained the aspect: Strong Body]