Chapter 234: Chapter 234 - Shadowfang Panther
Atlas narrowed his eyes as Kate’s transformed body came into focus.
How to even describe it? At first glance, it resembled a massive feline, like a panther, but its frame was oddly elongated. Slender, arched upward with a predatory grace. Its glowing white eyes gleamed eerily in the dark, and its sharp fangs caught the faint light as it opened its maw.
Roar!!!
Kate let out another thunderous roar before launching forward in a blur, sprinting with startling speed toward the treeline until she vanished into the shadows.
"What just happened?" Atlas muttered, confused, turning toward Luna.
Luna chuckled softly before answering.
"Kate’s personality shifts when she transforms. What you saw just now is a Shadowfang Panther, a beast form built for speed and stealth, perfect for scouting or slipping away unseen."
"Her personality changes?" Atlas raised a brow. "But she still recognizes us, right?"
"Yes," Luna nodded. "She still knows who we are. It is only that her usual consciousness sinks back a little, letting the wild nature of the beast form take the lead."
"Fascinating," Atlas said with a low laugh. "Almost exactly like Mira."
He leaned forward slightly. "How many forms can she use?"
Luna paused before answering. "Kate can transform into anything she has slain on her own."
"What?" Atlas blinked, stunned. "Is that not too overpowered?"
Luna laughed openly at that. "You are not exactly the best person to make that complaint, Atlas. And yes, there are limitations. Not every creature she kills can be transformed into, but the potential is still vast."
"Interesting," Atlas murmured. "And, she can transform into flying beasts as well?"
"Yes," Luna replied with a knowing smile. "One of her transformations does grant her flight. What you just witnessed is probably one of her smaller forms."
Atlas chuckled softly, shaking his head in admiration. "Now I understand why you said she has never once lost a lord battle. I am even more curious to see her other transformations."
The success of this hunt depended heavily on Tessa’s ability. She had already confirmed she could not spam it endlessly, but she could cast it within a contained area. That was why their plan revolved around targeting monsters under specific scenarios, ones they could bring down swiftly before the effect wore off.
After some tense minutes, Tessa suddenly turned her sharp gaze toward the treeline.
"Kate has returned," she announced.
Atlas stepped forward, summoning his full armor set in a flash of light, the Wavebreaker Spear materializing firmly in his grasp.
His focus sharpened as Kate burst from the shadows, darting back into the clearing with lightning speed, zigzagging from side to side. Her movements were agile, deliberately erratic, ensuring the creature chasing her never lost its attention.
Then Atlas saw it.
From the darkness emerged a monster unlike any he had faced before. A grotesque octopus-like beast, its shadowy body writhing with upward-reaching tentacles. It floated unnaturally in the air, pulsing with an aura that felt utterly wrong, something that made the skin crawl.
"Ready, Atlas?"
"Yeah."
Atlas reached into his inventory and drew out a gleaming item.
[Rank-A Item: Iron Will Amulet]
[Prevents mental attacks for 5 minutes.]
He slipped the amulet around his neck, gripping it tightly in his left hand as if to anchor himself.
Kate gave one last bound, leaping high over both Atlas and Tessa, landing smoothly behind them as the monster pressed forward into the open field.
Atlas activated his skill, his spear humming with energy.
Tessa raised her right hand, and the moment the monster entered their range, a burst of power erupted from her. A semi-dome of shimmering force snapped into place, enclosing Atlas, Tessa, and the creature inside.
Her voice rang out like a decree, sharp and absolute:
"Within my domain, the use of Dark Element is forbidden!"
Atlas had a talent that allowed him to resist mental attacks, but against a monster of this level, that safeguard weakened. Even with Tessa’s special ability enclosing the battlefield, she was only using the miniature version of her domain. The level gap still pressed heavily against him, and every tool he had at his disposal would be crucial.
The monster shrieked before Atlas could even strike, its cry crashing against the dome like a tidal wave of sound.
The force hammered into his ears, burrowed into his skull, and crushed down on every sense he had, demanding that he endure.
"You’re already dripping wet... how are you going to last the whole way, Atlas?"
A voice, hissed into his ear, twisting the edges of his thoughts. His vision wavered, the world blurring at the edges.
"Let me carry your load. There’s no way you’re crossing that bridge with all that weight."
The whispers multiplied, worming their way into his head, pulling his consciousness toward illusions.
Then the vision came. He was back in that moment. Right before the betrayal, before his hunting partners turned on him, just before the system had raised him as a Lord. The memory cut deep, so vivid it was almost unbearable.
Atlas growled, rage bubbling up in his chest, before breaking out into a raw shout.
"You can stay behind if you’re scared."
"No, damn it!" Atlas roared back.
He gritted his teeth and acted fast. With deliberate force, he slashed his right arm, pain lancing up his body. The sting cut through the haze, anchoring his awareness back into himself.
The strain showed in the lines of his face, his muscles taut as he wrestled his focus back under control. But his mind was his own again.
Now that Atlas had regained control of himself, he let out a fierce shout, his voice echoing through the dome. His grip tightened around the Wavebreaker Spear, energy coursing along its shaft.
In the next instant, he lunged forward with explosive force, driving the weapon straight toward the writhing shadow-beast before him, the spear’s tip cutting through the dark like a streak of lightning.
**
[You have killed Umbrawrith Lv. 145]
[You received 252,074 Exp]
[Exp: 459,119/544,498]
Atlas collapsed onto both knees, his chest heaving after finally bringing the monster down. The fight had lasted only three or four minutes, but it had drained him completely. His body trembling, his mind battered from the relentless mental pressure.
Serenith rushed to his side, kneeling down and brushing the sweat from his forehead with a worried look.
"My lord, are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Yes... I am okay," Atlas replied between ragged breaths, still struggling to steady himself.
Tessa approached as Atlas forced himself back onto his feet. Her sharp eyes studied him closely.
"Yes. At least one monster every thirty to forty minutes. That should be enough time for you to recover between fights, I think."
Atlas gave a faint nod, his body still heavy with fatigue.
Luna stepped closer then, her lips curling into a playful smile. "So, Atlas... who do you think is stricter, Tessa or Master Kurogasa?"
Atlas let out a tired laugh, straightening with effort. "Well... that was exhausting. And it was only one monster. But yes, the reward was incredible. Two hundred fifty-two thousand experience points."
He exhaled slowly, nodding to himself as he walked toward their resting spot.
If he stayed consistent and pushed through with everything he had, then just as Tessa had predicted, he should gain two full levels before the night was over.