Chapter 9:Mastermind(3)

Aris crouched low as the growl grew louder, resonating through the forest like a deep drumbeat. The air around him felt heavier, as if the forest itself was watching him. He was close to the hidden area, but the guardian beast was too. With no weapons or fighting resources at his disposal, Aris knew he would have to rely on his unique talent: *Inspiration*.

The skill allowed him to observe and absorb the abilities of others, not merely copying them but perfecting them before putting them to use. It was a power that had gotten him out of more than a few tight spots, and now, it would have to work again.

The beast's presence loomed closer, its low growl echoing through the dense trees. Aris slowed his breathing, focusing his mind. He would need to deceive the beast, manipulate its every move, and turn its power against it.

He stepped into the open, making himself visible. The beast locked its glowing eyes on him, snarling. Aris raised his hands, palms outward, in a gesture of surrender. "Easy there," he murmured, his voice calm, yet threaded with the intent to deceive. He focused intently on the creature, letting his *Inspiration* skill take over.

The beast tensed, ready to pounce, but Aris didn't flinch. Instead, he studied the way it moved—the slight twitch of its muscles, the way its claws flexed in the dirt. He could feel the beast's raw power, its instincts honed to perfection. But he would turn that perfection into a flaw.

Aris's eyes narrowed as he grasped the essence of the beast's power. He wasn't going to fight it head-on. No, he would use its own instincts to trick it. He subtly shifted his stance, mimicking the beast's posture, ready to exploit any weakness.

The beast lunged at him, but Aris anticipated the move. Using *Inspiration*, he understood how the beast relied on brute force and speed. He sidestepped at the last second, a fluid motion that was an enhanced version of the creature's own agility. The beast snarled in frustration as it missed, skidding across the ground.

Aris smirked, his confidence growing. He knew the creature's next move before it even made it. The beast would try to pin him down with its sheer weight, overwhelming him with its strength. But Aris had already perfected a counter-move.

As the beast charged again, Aris dropped to the ground, rolling beneath it at the last possible moment. In one swift motion, he twisted his body, using the beast's momentum against it. He pushed off the ground with a strength that wasn't his own—it was the beast's, refined through *Inspiration*. The creature tumbled forward, crashing into the thick trees with a thud.

For a moment, the beast was disoriented, and that was all the time Aris needed. He dashed toward the clearing where the cultivation art was hidden, every movement calculated to draw the beast in just the right direction. He wasn't just running—he was leading the beast into a trap.

The glow of the cultivation art became visible through the trees, but Aris knew he had to make one last move to secure his escape. He turned sharply, facing the beast head-on, feigning exhaustion. The creature hesitated, confused by the sudden change in its prey's behavior.

Aris slowed his breathing, allowing himself to appear vulnerable, even as his mind raced. He needed the beast to believe it had won, to lower its guard just enough for him to make his move. The beast took the bait, growling as it prepared to strike.

But just as the beast lunged, Aris activated the perfected version of its own instinct—a feint so subtle that the beast didn't realize it had been deceived until it was too late. Aris ducked low and leapt to the side, leaving the creature to crash into the thick trunk of a gnarled tree.

The beast howled in rage as it collided with the unyielding wood, disoriented by the unexpected maneuver. Aris wasted no time. He bolted toward the glowing artifact, snatching it from its pedestal as the beast struggled to regain its balance.

The moment his fingers closed around the tablet, a surge of power shot through him, nearly overwhelming his senses. But Aris held on, forcing himself to stay focused. With the artifact in hand, he could feel the raw energy coursing through his veins, amplifying his abilities even further.

But before he could celebrate his victory, the air around him grew cold, and an eerie silence fell over the forest. The ground beneath him trembled slightly, and a low, ominous growl echoed through the trees—this time, from a different direction.

From the shadows emerged a figure, cloaked in dark robes that seemed to blend into the very essence of the forest. Aris felt a shiver run down his spine as the figure spoke, its voice low and dripping with malice.

"Did you really think you could steal from the Grit Forest without facing its true guardian?"

Aris clenched the tablet tighter, realizing that the real battle had just begun.