Chapter 30: The Red Eyes in the Dark

Noah froze mid-step. From the shadows ahead, two glowing red eyes stared back at him, unblinking. His breath caught in his throat as a wave of cold dread washed over him.

"Warning: Mid-Level Mutant Aberration detected. High threat level. Proceed with caution."

The grindstone's warning rang in his head, its tone sharper than usual, as though even the system understood the gravity of the situation.

Noah tightened his grip on his sword, the familiar weight of it a small comfort. His heart raced, but he forced himself to stay calm. He had faced mid-level aberrations before—he'd even consumed their cores to grow stronger. But the word "mutant" gave him pause.

The creature stepped into view, its movements unnervingly fluid. Unlike most aberrations, which were chaotic and monstrous in form, this one was eerily humanoid, with sleek, blackened armor-like chitin covering its tall, wiry frame.

Its glowing red eyes locked onto him, and Noah's mind flashed back to the high-level aberration that had wiped out his team during the mission with Alice. That creature had been humanoid too, but this one… it felt different. Smaller, less overwhelming, but no less deadly.

Faintly glowing symbols pulsed across its chitinous skin, and the air around it shimmered faintly with heat.

"It has energy" Noah muttered, his mind racing. He recalled the charred corpses of the other aberrations he had found just a earlier, their wounds precise and deliberate.

The mutant didn't charge immediately. It tilted its head slightly, observing him, calculating. Noah took a step back, his instincts screaming at him to be ready for anything.

Without warning, the mutant raised one arm. A crackling orb of energy began to form in its clawed hand, glowing brighter with each passing second.

"Not good!" Noah shouted, diving to the side just as the mutant released the energy.

The orb shot forward with incredible speed, slamming into the ground where Noah had been standing moments ago. The explosion sent a shockwave through the air, dirt and debris flying everywhere.

Noah rolled to his feet, coughing from the dust. "Great. It's smart and has ranged attacks."

The mutant didn't give him a chance to recover. It charged, closing the distance between them in seconds. Noah barely managed to block its clawed strike with his sword, the force of the blow sending a jolt up his arms.

The fight was relentless.

Noah ducked and weaved, relying on his Basic Evasion skill to stay one step ahead of the aberration's attacks. But the mutant was fast—faster than any mid-level aberration he had faced before. Its claws slashed through the air with deadly precision, and every missed strike seemed calculated to push him into a corner.

When the mutant leaped back to charge another energy attack, Noah saw his chance. He activated Energy Surge, feeling the familiar burst of power course through his body.

With a burst of speed, he closed the gap before the mutant could finish charging its attack. His sword slashed across its side, cutting through the chitin and drawing a spray of dark ichor.

The mutant hissed, its red eyes narrowing.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Noah taunted, though his arms ached from the repeated clashes.

The mutant retaliated, lunging with both claws glowing with energy. Noah ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the mutant's claws grazed his shoulder, leaving a searing burn.

"Damn it!" he hissed, spinning to land another strike. His sword bit into the aberration's back, and the creature stumbled forward, hissing in pain.

Noah pressed the attack, refusing to give it a chance to recover. He struck again and again, each swing aimed at the mutant's joints and weak points.

The mutant, however, wasn't finished. It suddenly leaped back, landing several feet away, and raised both arms. Twin orbs of energy began to form in its claws, their glow almost blinding.

"Are you kidding me?" Noah muttered, his eyes widening.

The mutant released the energy, the two blasts converging into a single, massive beam aimed directly at him.

Noah had no choice. He braced himself, gripping his sword with both hands, and activated Energy Surge once more. As the beam hurtled toward him, he swung his blade with all his might, slicing through the energy and dispersing it into harmless sparks.

The force of the clash sent him skidding back, his arms trembling from the effort. But the mutant was staggered as well, its energy reserves clearly drained.

"This is it," Noah said, forcing himself to move despite the exhaustion.

He dashed forward, his blade gleaming with residual energy, and plunged it into the mutant's chest. The creature let out a guttural shriek, its red eyes dimming as it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"Hostile eliminated. Reward acquired: Aberration Core (Mid-Level Mutant) (x1). Strength, Stamina, and Agility experience gained."

Noah staggered back, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow, glancing down at the mutant's corpse.

"That was way too close," he muttered, kneeling to retrieve the core.

The mutant's core was larger than a standard mid-level core, its surface etched with faint, glowing symbols. It radiated a strange warmth, almost like it was alive.

Without hesitation, Noah consumed it.

The surge of power that followed was unlike anything he had felt before. It was as if his entire body was being rewritten, every muscle and nerve thrumming with newfound strength.

"Strength increased by 12. Stamina increased by 9. Agility increased by 8. Intelligence increased by 1."

He opened his status to check the changes, a grin spreading across his face as he saw his growth.

[Noah Greene – Level 17]

Strength: 62 (+12)

Stamina: 58 (+10)

Agility: 52 (+8)

Intelligence: 8 (+1)

Skills:

Beginner Combat Proficiency (Lv. 6)

Basic Evasion (Lv. 5)

Energy Surge (Active)

Aberration Slayer (Passive)

Noah closed the grindstone interface, exhaling slowly. The fight had been brutal, but the rewards were undeniable.

As he glanced at the mutant's body one last time, he couldn't help but wonder: When can I go back home?

End of Chapter 30.