Chapter 42: Frozen
Theron dashed along the river, his steps light. With a water source beneath him, the odds that a beast would come running out of the forest were low. And with his Water Mana control, the odds that a beast would be able to sneak up on him from below were even lower.
As confident as he was, he remained on high alert, constantly replenishing the energy he used with the dense Water Mana around him.
He thought about sinking into Veinsong, if for no other reason than to see if he could enter that mysterious state once more. But he decided against it.
While his leash with Veinsong was particularly long, it wasn't infinite. He had passed out for a reason. It was best to save it for a moment he really needed it.
Hopefully, when that moment came the river would be the difference in the battle.
Theron preferred the rain much more than a stream or body of water like this one. The Water Mana was far more accessible in that state. But this was still a decent second option.
...
Theron was attacked several times as he moved forward. The good news was that they were all just feral beasts.
Most of Theron's combat strength came from his intelligence. It was rare that he simply overpowered enemies. For example, when he killed the Soul Mancer, he relied on [Bursting Water Shield]'s dispersing ability to disrupt her Quasi Third Eye.