CHAPTER 47: THORNBACK LEAPER

Sharp, bony thorns jutted backward along its back and legs, catching the light in a way that made them look even more lethal. Its tail was long and whip-like, tipped with a larger venomous spike, smaller thorny needles running along its length.

This f*cker was a Thornback Leaper.

The moment it realized Lanz was NOT about to stand there like an idiot, the Thornback Leaper sprang into motion.

It lunged toward the nearest tree, claws digging deep into the bark as it bounded upward, clinging to trunks and ricocheting off boulders with a speed that made it infuriatingly hard to track.

"You f*cker! Get over here!" Lanz hissed, lowering his stance before triggering [Phantom Stride].

In an instant, his body blurred forward, reappearing just behind the beast.

He chained another [Phantom Stride] immediately, closing the gap again.

As he raised his blade for a clean slash across its exposed back, the creature’s spines abruptly shifted — retracting into a hardened exoskeleton that looked like it had been designed for the sole purpose of making him feel underpowered.

He still committed to the swing though, because what else was he going to do, let it mock him? F*ck no.

The blade connected, but instead of tearing through flesh, the strike bounced uselessly against the armor.

The force of the recoil shot back up his arm, sending a sharp pulse of pain through his muscles.

His grip faltered, and the weapon slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground.

The beast didn’t even slow down. It kept its momentum, darting up another tree before launching itself to the next, practically sprinting vertically as if gravity was just a mild suggestion.

"F*ck!" Lanz barked, skidding to a stop.

Chasing without a weapon was a great way to die stupidly, so he spun back, scooping the blade from the dirt with a sharp motion.

He glanced down at the blade in his hand, then lifted his eyes toward where the Thornback Leaper had run off to.

For a second, he expected to see nothing but trees, but instead, there it was, the beast had actually stopped.

It stood at a distance, head turned just enough to make direct eye contact with him.

The longer they stared at each other, the more Lanz swore he could read the expression on its face.

It wasn’t just looking at him. It was enjoying this. There was a deliberate, smug tilt to its gaze, like it was silently congratulating itself for making him look like an idiot.

Then, as if to make the insult official, it shifted its attention away from him entirely, dismissing him without a sound, and bolted toward the dark, dense forest he had already decided he wanted nothing to do with.

Lanz exhaled sharply, raising both arms high into the air before extending his middle fingers in the most dignified gesture he could muster.

"F*CK YOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!" he yelled, dragging out the last syllable with every ounce of petty energy he had left.

"F*ck! F*ck, sh*t! Count your f*cking days, b*tch! Sleep with one eye open, motherf*cker! Sleep with one eye open!" he continued, the words spilling out fast and furious until even he had to admit he sounded less like a fearless hunter and more like a kid throwing a tantrum after losing at a game.

The Leaper, unsurprisingly, did not respond. Which somehow made it worse.

Unfortunately, all that screaming into the Leaper had consequences.

His voice had carried farther than he’d intended, and judging by the sudden rustle of movement closing in on him, it had reached exactly the kind of audience he didn’t mind punching right now.

Honestly, given his mood, this was probably the best possible outcome.

FSHHHH.

A spear cut through the air, heading straight for him, but Lanz tilted his blade up and deflected it without even breaking his focus on the direction the Leaper had gone.

His irritation was still firmly locked on that disappearing beast, but the sound of footsteps and low, guttural laughter finally made him shift his attention.

From between the trees emerged a small cluster of goblin scouts, judging by their light gear and twitchy movements.

He gave them a quick headcount.

Twenty-one in total.

They spread out, forming a loose semicircle, their yellowed teeth showing as they grinned at him.

A few were practically drooling, clearly already imagining what they were going to do with the "easy prey" they thought they’d just cornered.

Lanz smirked faintly... oh these poor bastards. They really had no idea what kind of day this idiot was having.

Lanz’s grin spread slowly, and the goblins’ laughter faltered.

Ome by one, their smug expressions shifted into uncertainty, the sound of their chuckles replaced by a tense silence.

He took his time, rolling his shoulders and stretching his arms until the stiffness faded.

His back popped once, then twice, followed by a deliberate crack of his neck to the left, then to the right.

With one hand still resting casually on his shoulder, he adjusted his grip on the Aged Blade Fragment with the other.

"You guys are just in time," he said, his voice carrying a calmness that somehow made it more unsettling.

The goblins exchanged wary glances, the earlier bravado draining away as they tried to figure out whether they had just made the biggest mistake of their week. Nah, maybe even their lives.

Lanz tilted his head slightly, the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes. "Imma let loose a bit."

End of Chapter 47.

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ALT SYSTEM — USER PROFILE: ZERO

Level: 13

EXP: 64 / 130

Next Reward: +10 Stat Points to a chosen stat

Global System Tracking: DISABLED

World Rank Association: UNLINKED

Stats:

STR: 10 | AGI: 10 (Affinity) | VIT: 5 | DEX: 5 | INT: 11 | WIS: 5

[Available Stat Points: 0]

[Derived Stat — MANA: 55 / 55]

Skills:

[Crimson Slash Lv. 1]

[Phantom Stride Lv. 2]

[Instinctive Blade Lv.1]

[Predictive Guard Lv.1]

[Skill Fusion Menu: Active]

[Dev Tree: Tier 0 Access Granted]

[Developer Node – Fusion Core Anchor: Active]

[Skill Slot Available — Unassigned]

Equipment:

Aged Blade Fragment (??? Rarity) (Bound)

Training Ring (+1 VIT)

Bag :)