Its tongue shot out like a whip towards him.

CRACK!

The tree trunk exploded when the tongue struck it. Atheline kicked off just as the branch gave way, twisting mid-air and landing hard on another tree branch nearby.

Another strike followed instantly, almost too fast.

He barely raised his arm in time, slicing downwards. His aether-enhanced blade met the thick muscular tongue.

It was met with resistance before it gave way. Dark foul blood sprayed as the remaining tongue recoiled. The organ cut fell on the forest floor with a sickening thud.

The frog shrieked loudly, shaking the whole forest floor.

’This is going to attract those corrupted ’

The frog as expected lunged forward in anger.

The ground shook as it hurled its massive body, its jaws open. He jumped higher again, grabbing onto a hanging branch as the creature crashed onto the tree he had just left.

The trunk splintered under its assault.

’Too strong’

He drew an arrow mid swing, not even fully steadying himself before loosing it.

The arrow struck its eye.

A wet squelching popping sound came.

The frog recoiled violently, trashing its body slamming into trees and tearing up the forest floor, but it didn’t fall.

It also didn’t slow down instead it turned, blind on one side, and snapped its jaws wildly at any tree.

He landed knees bending to absorb the impact and was already nocking another arrow.

’Damn it..’

The familiar pain hit his body. He stumbled just a little but that was enough. The arrow misses but it reveals his position.

The other eye snapped towards him, wide and serious its throat swelling again.

’Not good’

He dashed sideways.

The tongue, the wound already closed, struck out again tearing the ground where he had stood. It gouged a deep trench where he had stood.

Its half blindness seemed to have made it more reckless.

He slid behind a trunk, nocking one arrow but paused.

The frog’s movements weren’t coordinated like any normal beast or even a controlled corrupt.

It was erratic and that’s what made it dangerous. With how much its mouth was decaying it was clear it wasn’t enjoying its time in the forest.

A realisation settled over him.

It was lashing out at anything on its way and he happened to have been on its path.

The frog inhaled again, its throat ballooning grotesquely.

He felt the familiar pull of power, his body reacting instinctively but he pushed it down.

His jaws tightened.

’Damn it’

He pushed himself off the ground, his body moving faster than the last time, slipping out of the cover just as the frog released another strike.

This time, instead of dodging, he ran towards it instinctively and experienced pushing him forward.

’End it fast’

The tongue lashed out.

He twisted mid-step, letting it graze past him, close enough to feel the wet decaying heat from it.

His hand moves, blade glinting in the night, and slashed down.

The tongue savored with a thick sickening snap. This time he managed to take three-quarters of the tongue destroying any possibility of its usage.

It let out another screeching scream as the tongue snapped back into its mouth.

He didn’t stop to celebrate. He leapt, driving himself upward using a broken tree trunk to launch onto its back.

The skin was slicker than expected.

He nearly slipped but forced himself steady, ignoring the way his body burnt from overexertion.

He felt it, the familiar pain. The poison was reacting because of his body weakening from overuse.

’Not at this moment ’ he thought bitterly.

He drove the blade down.

Once.

Twice.

Then again.

Each strike sank into thick flesh but the creature thrashed wildly beneath him, trying to throw him off.

He dug into the flesh harder, breath tightening as the burning in his chest sharpened.

’End it! Now!’

He shifted his grip, pulling the blade free one last time before plunging it down, with everything he had.

The dagger went deeper, straight into the skull. The frog stopped trashing violently.

Its movement slowed down gradually. Its massive body shuddered... then sagged.

The forest returned to silence.

He stayed there for a moment, crouched on its body and breathing harder than he wanted to admit.

He pulled the knife free and jumped off.

Up close, the stench was even worse.

"Yeah."

He finally allowed a word to slip through his lips, his tone was rough and tired.

He wiped his blade clean against its hide before stepping back.

One hand briefly pressed against his side since the burning hadn’t gone away, if anything, it lingered longer than normal.

He popped a suppressant.

’I should leave, this is going to attract others’

His expression darkened as he turned and hurriedly picked up his arrows, those that had managed to survive.

He was just about to move forward when the familiar sound came.

DING!

’No’

He stopped mid-step. The familiar screen flickered in front of him.

[System notification]

[Condition achievement completed]

Atheline stared at it.

"You again."

Condition met:

•Defeat a high mass hostile organism, without relying on external amplification.

Evaluation:

- Initial engagement: no assistance.

- Combat adaptation: acceptable.

- Tactical restraint: Noted.

Results: Barely passed.

His eye twitched slightly.

"Barely?"

Additional note:

The host organism is classified as a non-corrupted environmental threat.

Difficulty adjusted downwards.

"You’re joking.’

There was a brief pause as though it was considering whether to answer or ignore him as usual.

Conclusion:

The host is still inefficient.

"For what?"

No answer.

He let out a slow breath through his nose.

"Right."

’I’ll never understand this thing until I’m strong enough it seems’

[Reward granted]

•Minor vital stabilisation(Temporary)

- Slows internal deterioration rate by 5% for 2 hours.

He didn’t even question. Most of the things were either useless at his level or like now came with Conditions.

"Can I fight using my elements?"

[System advice]

•No.

•projected survival increase: 59%

He didn’t even respond, he just wanted to know and it seems he’s still going to use his strength.

[Bonus reward]

Due to a rare self-control shown by the host by not using their element.

[Item granted]

Basic throwing knife - unremarkable.

Description:

A knife.

A small dull piece of metal dropped on the ground before him. He picked it up disbelief etched in his expression.

He stared at it, then at the screen then back to the knife.

"... A knife."

[Correction: A throwing knife]

"... I already have one."

[Response: Now you have two]

The system interface vanished after that. Atheline was left there in his thoughts.

He closed his eyes briefly, then let out a dry humourless laugh.

He just sighed and started walking again, deeper into the forest.

’Hope I won’t meet any more of those’