Era of Players: Death God

Chapter 121: Lord of Night

Night, cloaked in a mantle of inky blackness, descended upon the forest. The vibrant greens and dappled sunlight that had bathed Noah's earlier cleansing moment were replaced by an inky blackness punctuated only by the occasional glint of starlight filtering through the dense canopy overhead.

Seated beside the now-cool embers of a small campfire, Noah finished the last of his cookies. The comforting sweetness had faded, leaving behind a bittersweet aftertaste. The memory of a simpler time clung to him, a stark contrast to the harsh reality of his current existence.

He gazed into the flickering flames, the firelight dancing in his golden eyes.

A strange mix of emotions swirled within him. There was the ever-present anger, a cold fire fueled by vengeance, the desire to seek answers and revenge because he was certain his mother got killed. He would unveil the truth and make whoever is responsible pay the ultimate price.

As the fire crackled and popped, casting dancing shadows on the surrounding trees, Noah rose to his feet. The night air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the earthy scent of the forest floor. He stretched, his muscles still a little stiff from the day's battles, but the invigorating effects of his level-up were undeniable.

He glanced upwards. The stars, brilliant pinpricks against the velvet darkness, seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light. For a moment, Noah closed his eyes, and the silence of the night wrapped around him like a cloak. Here, in the quiet solitude of the forest, under the watchful gaze of a million stars, he felt a strange sense of peace, a fleeting moment of calm amidst the storm.

The peace was indeed an illusion, a fragile bubble shattered by the harsh reality of his purpose. The world was a dark place where the law of jungle reign supreme.

With a sigh that echoed softly in the stillness of the night, he stored his pack onto his Item box and turned away from the dying embers of the fire.

But tonight was different. Tonight, a potent hum of energy coursed through his veins, a tangible manifestation of his newfound power. It was time to test the limits of his evolution, to see how the enigmatic skill "Lord of the Night" would reshape his abilities.

As if in response to his unspoken desire, the world around him transformed. The inky blackness that had previously shrouded the forest thinned, replaced by an ethereal twilight. Every detail – the gnarled branches of ancient trees, the delicate veins of leaves, the carpet of moss blanketing the forest floor – emerged with startling clarity.

His senses, too, had undergone a dramatic sharpening. The rustle of unseen creatures skittering through the undergrowth reached his ears with pinpoint accuracy. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves mingled with the faint, musky odor of distant predators, painting a vivid picture of the nocturnal world around him.

Suddenly, a flicker of movement on the periphery of his enhanced vision caught his attention. A hulking bat, its wingspan rivaling that of a grown man, swooped silently through the moonlit canopy. An inexplicable connection resonated within him, a pull that felt both primal and strangely familiar.

It must be one of the facets of Lord of Night, this ability to forge a temporary bond with creatures of the darkness.

Without hesitation, Noah reached out with his mind, a tendril of his newfound power forming a bridge between him and the colossal bat. The creature paused mid-flight, its large, intelligent eyes locking with his golden gaze for a fleeting moment.

"Search for monsters," Noah commanded mentally, the words resonating with an underlying power that the bat readily accepted.

With a screech that echoed through the silent forest, the colossal bat dipped its head in acknowledgement and vanished into the night, its enhanced senses now working in tandem with Noah's. This was a new kind of power, a partnership forged in the darkness.

Noah's lips curled into a sinister smile, a stark contrast against the backdrop of the moonlit forest. The colossal bat, now an extension of his senses, gracefully soared through the tangled canopy, its shadowy figure seamlessly blending with the darkness of the night. In a matter of moments, a rush of information flooded Noah's mind, as his nocturnal companion delivered a vivid image.

In a moonlit clearing, Noah's target emerged - an Ogre. But this was no ordinary creature. Its immense body was engulfed in an unnatural darkness, swirling shadows clinging to its monstrous form. Even from a distance, Noah could feel the malevolence emanating from the creature, a tangible aura of corruption that tainted the very air.

This was not simply a beast; it was a monstrosity corrupted by dark forces. Noah's mission was clear - to eradicate such threats, to prevent the darkness from spreading and causing a wave of chaos.

The bat's mental transmission provided a detailed description of the Ogre. Standing at an imposing ten feet tall, its muscles bulged beneath a thick layer of mottled green skin. Two tusks, each as long as a man's arm, protruded from its lower jaw, glistening ominously in the moonlight.

However, the most unsettling feature were its eyes - two burning red orbs that glowed with an infernal light, devoid of any trace of humanity.

Noah's grip tightened around the hilt of his weapon, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. This was no ordinary adversary. The tainted Ogre exuded power, fueled by the very darkness Noah, left alone it is capable of creating a monster army leading to a monster wave.

Noah's golden eyes flickered with a predatory gleam as he corrected his mental command to the colossal bat, "Guide me."

The bat, an extension of his senses, gracefully swooped low over the forest canopy, leading him with uncanny precision. After a swift journey, they arrived at their destination - a moonlit clearing engulfed in an eerie gloom. Standing in the center was the monstrous Ogre, its presence exuding an overwhelming sense of malevolence.

Noah emerged from the shadows, meeting the Ogre's advancing figure. The creature's red eyes burned with a menacing intent.

"Graaaa!"

A feral growl reverberated through the silent night as the Ogre raised its massive fist, crackling with dark energy.

However, Noah was transformed. Activating his newfound ability - Lord of Night - he silently raised his hand. A surge of power coursed through him, reflected in the appearance of a status window before his eyes. His mana, strength, and dexterity received a substantial boost, turning him into an even more formidable predator.

A grim smile curled on his lips. With a base strength of 108, elevated to an impressive 118 under Lord of Night, he was confident in facing this B-rank monstrosity. He wouldn't underestimate his opponent, but the advantage was undeniably his.

Nemesis, his trusted weapon, pulsed with a faint inner light as it transformed from a staff into a sleek, double-edged blade. The polished metal shimmered coldly in the moonlight, a stark contrast to the unnatural darkness clinging to the Ogre.

A surge of electricity crackled through Noah's hand as he tightened his grip on Nemesis' hilt. The weapon, although new to him, felt like an extension of himself, pulsing with the same dark energy that now coursed through his veins. The monstrous Ogre, its red eyes burning with feral rage at the disturbance, let out a deafening roar and charged towards Noah.

But Noah was not one to meet a charge head-on. His years of honed instincts and his enhanced reflexes, courtesy of Lord of the Night, kicked in. Swiftly dipping to his side, he narrowly evaded the monstrous club as it whistled past his ear with a sickening whoosh. The stench of rotting wood and something far worse briefly filled his nostrils, a reminder of the danger he faced.

In that split second, Noah's mind raced. He knew that blindly swinging his sword against this hulking beast would not guarantee an immediate victory. He needed to find an opening, a chance to exploit the Ogre's size and lack of finesse.

A mischievous glint sparked in his golden eyes. With a flick of his wrist, he channeled a sliver of his mana. The air around him shimmered faintly as he unleashed a burst of telekinetic energy, a skill honed through his previous battles. The invisible force slammed into the Ogre's side, disrupting its momentum and causing the massive creature to stumble.

Seizing the opportunity, Noah lunged forward with the speed and grace of a panther. Nemesis, imbued with the power of Lord of the Night, shimmered with a dark aura as it sliced through the air. His aim was not the Ogre's thick hide, nearly impervious to a normal blade. Instead, he targeted a vulnerable spot - the monstrous club clenched in the Ogre's other hand.

The impact was swift and brutal. The edge of Nemesis, honed to a razor-sharpness, met the rusty metal of the club with a sickening crunch. Sparks flew as the Ogre's weapon sheared in two, the severed portion clattering to the forest floor with a resounding clang.

A surprised bellow erupted from the Ogre's throat. It stared at the severed club in disbelief, a flicker of dawning intelligence momentarily replacing the feral rage in its eyes. This human was not what it expected. He was faster, stronger, and possessed an unsettling power. But none of that mattered to the Ogre. It was determined to kill him.