Chapter 7 - New day

He glanced down at his hands, clenching and unclenching them, still trying to grasp the reality of his transformation.

The strength, speed, and agility now flowing through him were far beyond anything he'd ever experienced. Even the enhancements of his ether suit paled in comparison.

"This is more than I ever imagined," he murmured, his thoughts racing with possibilities.

With this talent, he could go deeper into the wilderness, take on stronger beasts, and carve out a life he had only dreamed of.

After a few minutes, Nex exhaled slowly, letting the energy subside.

His body gradually returned to its normal state, the buzzing sensation fading into a faint warmth that lingered in his chest.

Turning back to the Fenrir's corpse, his gaze hardened.

The beast lay motionless, its immense body sprawled across the rocky ground. This wasn't just any monster, it was an advance-rank creature, a predator that should have been far beyond his ability to kill.

The memory of the battle came rushing back. The venom from a lowly basic-rank snake had been his last-ditch effort, a desperate gamble to take the beast down with him. However, he had survived.

But how?

Many possibilities churned in his mind. Perhaps someone with a high-ranking healing talent had intervened?

That would explain the impossible recovery. But as his gaze swept the cave, the truth was clear, there was no one else here. It was just him and the massive corpse of the Fenrir.

Shaking his head, Nex muttered, "I'll figure it out later. Right now, I need to focus."

Stepping closer to the Fenrir's lifeless form, Nex spotted his knife still lodged in the beast's maw.

He crouched down and gripped the handle tightly, yanking it free with a wet, sickening sound.

Blood and viscera clung to the blade, but Nex's focus was elsewhere. His eyes shifted to the creature's massive skull.

Kneeling beside the beast, he pressed the tip of the knife against its thick forehead.

With steady hands, he began cutting, slicing through layers of tough hide and bone. His movements were slow, his breath steady despite the gruesome task.

Finally, the knife pierced deep enough to reveal a faint glow.

Nex's heart quickened as he worked faster, chipping away until the source of the light came into view, a large, vibrant ether crystal.

The gem pulsed faintly with residual energy, casting a soft glow that danced across his face.

"An advance-rank ether crystal," he muttered, awe washing over him.

He carefully pried it free and held it in his hands, marveling at its beauty and value.

"I'm rich," he laughed, a grin breaking his previous serious face.

The familiar hum of his wrist device pulled his attention away. A notification blinked across the screen:

[Ether Suit Damaged.]

[Do you wish to regenerate? Y/N.]

"Regenerate,"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then another notification appeared, the text flashing in red:

[Insufficient Ether Energy]

He quickly remembered why his reserves were empty. The memory of spraying his ether gun wildly during the chaotic fight against Fenrir came rushing back.

Every last drop of energy he had saved up had been poured into his desperate bid for survival.

"Of course," he muttered under his breath. Frustration crept in for a moment, but he quickly pushed it aside. He wasn't completely out of options.

Reaching into the pocket of his utility belt, Nex pulled out a small shard of ether. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to get his suit functioning again.

Carefully, he placed the shard into a small, circular slot on the wrist of his suit. The device clicked softly as the gap closed, the shard securely locked inside.

A new notification appeared:

[10 Ether energy Deposited.]

[Ether Suit Regenerating]

[10 Ether Energy Deducted.]

Nex watched as the suit began to repair itself. Threads of dark, flexible material wove together, slowly closing the gaps and restoring the suit's once-seamless surface.

The process was slow but steady, the fabric creeping over his exposed skin like flowing water.

It was one of the many remarkable features of the ether suit, so long as it wasn't completely destroyed and there was enough energy available, it could repair itself from even the most severe damage.

This adaptability was what made the suit such an invaluable tool for wilderness explorers like Nex.

As it continued to regenerate, he turned toward the cave entrance, where faint light seeped through the vines.

The morning had come, and with it, the start of another hunt.

Nex looked back at the Fenrir's massive body one last time. The beast was too large to move, and he had no way to harvest anything more from it.

For now, it would remain here.