Only I Can See The End

46  Demon Drops

[00 Months: 00 Days: 18 Hours]

~BOOOMM!!~

My fist struck the Tree Demon hard, making it recoil and stop its advance towards me.

But it wasn't done yet.

It sent its vines my way, trying to trap me or drain my Life Force.

'Not gonna happen, buddy!'

In the end, I was still faster.

~WHOOSH!~

I dodged the creature's vines, swiftly maneuvering through its attacks. Then, I clenched my fist and struck it again.

~BAM!~

At the same time, my Energy Rock had built enough momentum, and also struck the Tree Demon on its face, sending it crashing down.

The resounding impact echoed through the forest, a testament to my unrelenting determination.

I didn't have enough time to celebrate, though, as the Tree used its vines to tie my legs to the ground, keeping me stuck in one place.

My elation turned to a feeling of urgency as I realized the battle was far from over.

The Tree Demon, despite the powerful blow it had suffered, was not ready to surrender, and I had to summon every ounce of my strength and wit to break free from its ensnaring grasp.

 Then it launched a massive wooden spike at me at incredible speed.

I couldn't escape. It was too quick, too sudden.

It meant certain death...

... At least, that was what <Visualize> showed me.

"Hup!" I swiftly moved from my spot, avoiding the Tree Demon's constraints.

I sent my Energy Rock to inflict more damage as I weaved through its wooden projectiles, easily predicting their path with <Focus>.

Since the Invisibility Cloak was useless here, I stopped using it.

 My main focus was to end this fight quickly.

'I'm getting close to my limit already,' I thought anxiously.

~FWUUSHH~

I skillfully closed the gap between the monster tree and me, clenching both fists and channeling the full power of <Sprint> through my veins.

And then...

"Ora ora ora ora!!!"

I unleashed a flurry of punches onto the fallen creature.

I kept it stunned, making sure every blow carried all my strength.

Each punch I delivered was fueled by a burning determination, a fierce desire to overcome this formidable adversary.

With every strike, I chipped away at the Tree Demon's resilience, determined to bring an end to this dangerous encounter.

"ORAAAAAAAA!!!"

My Energy Rock continued pounding the monster's head, creating an overwhelming onslaught.

'Come on, just give up already,' I thought as my relentless barrage crushed its wooden body and shattered its hard bark.

My knuckles throbbed with pain, and my stamina was running low.

<Sprint> and <Focus> had just worn off, and I had no energy left for <Visualize>.

It was now or never.

All or nothing!

'So, help me out here...' I thought, flashing a sympathetic smile at the Tree Demon.

'... Die for my sake!'

Clasping both my hands together, with my Energy Rock descending at full force, I unleashed my ultimate attack on the Tree Demon.

~BOOOOOMMM!!!~

The ground trembled as the impact reverberated through the forest

My body gave in to exhaustion, and I tumbled off the Demon, utterly drained.

'If this doesn't work, then... haaa...'

I felt everything go blank, with only pain coursing through my aching muscles and throbbing bones.

Everything was slowly slipping away...

~DING!~

<You Have Leveled Up>

'For real? Seriously?!' My eyes popped open, and instantly I was back among the living.

"Haa... haaa... I won? I won!"

Heck yeah! I always knew I could do it. After all the running and hitting, I had to come out on top. With labored breaths, I observed the monster's body slowly fading.

'But this thing is really tough. Was it not a dangerous Demon, or does "dangerous" mean something different in this new world?'

Even with all the Skills I had, I barely clinched victory. If this was just a regular Demon, I shuddered to think about the more formidable ones.

'I don't even want to imagine that right now...'

The good news, though, was that I had reached Level 21, and that meant... I was a little stronger now.

******

[00 Months: 00 Days: 19 Hours]

"Hmm... this is quite surprising," I murmured to myself, my gaze fixed on two items in front of me.

One resembled a piece of wood shaped like an almond fruit—or more accurately, its seed.

The second item looked like a wooden vial. It had the shape of a potion, but it was entirely crafted from wood, not the usual transparent glass.

'I may not know much about games and stuff, but I at least know this much.'

The <Shop> had plenty of potions, and I had purchased an Invisible Potion during the Tutorials, so I had some idea of how they should look.

I also recalled seeing them frequently in my dreams, now that I thought about it. However, my recollections were hazy, and they didn't provide any clear advantages.

'I've been remembering a couple of things in my dreams recently. It's like being here slowly reminds me more of them...'

'I've been remembering a few things in my dreams lately. It's like being here slowly reminds me of more...'

But it was all too vague to remember anything concrete or useful. I pushed aside these distracting thoughts and refocused on the items before me.

'So, the Demon had Drops. That's great. Let's check them out.'

[Item Information]

Name: Demon Tree Sap

Special Effect: Grants temporary sturdiness and vitality upon consumption. {Note: Lasts for five minutes}

Combat Ability: Vitality Specific

Energy Level: None

Durability: One-time-Use

[End Of Information]

'This will definitely come in handy!' I grinned.

If I ever encountered a situation where I couldn't escape, and victory was necessary, I could just use this.

"What about the second one?"

[Item Information]

Name: Demon Tree Essence

Special Effect: The Essence of the defeated Demon Tree, and a catalyst for its revival. Can also be fused with other items.

Combat Ability: None

Energy Level: None

Durability: Sturdy

[End Of Information]

Upon seeing this, my eyes widened as I realized something crucial that had slipped my mind amidst all the survival and chaos.

My newly acquired Skill!

"This is perfect! It's finally time to use it."

I wore a bright smile as I opened my Status Window, my attention now solely fixed on one particular Skill.

"I finally get to try out <Fallen Foe>."

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[A/N]

I wonder what will happen next.

Will the MC succeed in obtaining a loyal Demon? Will it be a cute and hot Tree Lady, or will it be the same ugly monster he fought?

Find out in the next chapter!

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