Chapter 24 : Intent
The Forest of Death was never silent.
Even in the stillness, something always lurked beneath the surface—a whisper of movement, a shift in the shadows, the promise of unseen fangs waiting to tear into flesh.
Lucas had killed three undead beasts.
Too easy.
Seven more stood between him and the completion of his test.
But this was no longer about survival like in the beginning.
This was war.
A test not of endurance—but of adaptation.
Lucas rolled his shoulders, breath curling in the cold air. Mist swirled around his legs as he scanned his enemies.
Seven Intermediate-Realm beasts.
Stronger. Faster. Smarter.
They weren't just mindless corpses anymore.
They had learned.
The scent of their fallen kin still clung to the air, and now they were cautious. Their movements were sharper, eyes tracking him with lethal precision.
No blind charges. No wasted attacks.
They were hunters now.
And Lucas?
He was going to find out what he truly was.
A grin tugged at his lips.
Good. Let's see what I can do.
…
Lucas dropped his concealment, deactivating Corpse Veil.
Thus technique was good because it helped him adapt to this environment.
But…
Assassination wasn't his style.
He had some golden bastards to kill, and he wanted them to see it coming.
The moment he revealed himself, the beasts reacted.
No time wasted.
The first moved—a four-legged monstrosity with a jaw that unhinged too wide, muscle stretched like melted wax.
It pounced.
Lucas twisted mid-air, the beast's claws barely missing his ribs. The moment his feet touched the ground, he retaliated—
FWOOM!
Blue fire erupted from his palm, a wave of frost-laced flames surging toward the beast.
It hit. The monster howled.
But it didn't stop.
It plowed through the fire, its rotting flesh blackening but refusing to freeze.
Lucas's eyes narrowed.
It's resisting the cold?
The beast lunged again—this time faster. Its grotesque maw snapped inches from his throat.
He acted fast.
Lucas stomped his foot into the ground.
Ice spread.
A frozen field expanded beneath them—
The beast —
slipped.
Momentum carried it forward, its exposed ribs crashing against the ice.
Lucas moved.
He slid beneath its massive body, fist glowing with mana, and slammed his knuckles directly into its exposed heart.
CRACK!
Ice surged through the open wound, freezing the beast from the inside.
It convulsed, its own thrashing causing further fractures—until it collapsed in a heap of frozen ruin.
Lucas exhaled.
Lesson learned.
You resist the cold? Next time I will burn you alive.
These beasts adapted.
And so would he.
…
After the first one
Two attacked at once.
The first—a wolf-like beast, its body riddled with holes, green venom dripping from its fangs.
Lucas's eyes narrowed.
Poison?
The second—a hunched, gorilla-like monster, its limbs twisted, skin covered in jagged stone.
Lucas hesitated.
A mistake.
The wolf struck first.
SHRRK!
Its poisoned claws raked across his left arm, slicing through flesh.
Pain. Burning. His veins turned green.
Lucas gritted his teeth.
Not today.
He ignited his own blood.
Red fire exploded inside him.
His body steamed, the poison incinerated in seconds.
The gorilla-monster's fist came down—a meteor of pure force.
Lucas pivoted—but not fast enough.
BOOM!
The air shook.
Lucas was sent flying.
He crashed into the frozen earth, vision blurring.
Shit. Can't take too many hits like that.
The wolf lunged again.
Lucas made a split-second decision.
He didn't run.
He charged.
His arm screamed in protest, but he ignored it.
At the last second, he twisted—using the wolf's own momentum against it.
His hand shot out, gripping the exposed bones of its jaw—
And he burned.
FWOOM!
The red fire surged, igniting the poison in the blood of the beast.
The wolf convulsed, flesh melting in real time.
It died screaming.
But Lucas had no time to enjoy it.
The gorilla-monster was already mid-swing.
Lucas reacted.
He covered his body with FrostFire.
WHAM!
The impact sent him crashing through trees.
Lucas groaned, rolling to his feet.
He needed to fight smarter.
His eyes flicked upward.
The gorilla charged—
Lucas jumped.
He grabbed a thick tree branch, swinging up just as the monster's fist shattered the ground below.
The beast looked up—
Lucas let go.
He dropped onto its back, arms wrapping around its rotting skull.
Then—
He unleashed everything.
FROSTFIRE.
Ice surged. The beast froze mid-motion.
Lucas clenched his fists—
SHATTER!
Its skull exploded.
Its body collapsed.
Lucas rolled off, panting.
Blood dripped from his wounds.
But he was still alive.
And that was enough.
…
Four left.
Lucas didn't wait.
This time, he moved first.
They all had different elements.
Fine.
His body ached, his breath was ragged—but his mind was sharp.
No wasted movement. No unnecessary attacks.
Every step had purpose.
Every strike had intent.
Even these beasts had intent.
And it was murder.
They wanted to kill him.
And every attack made their intent stronger.
So what was his intent?
Lucas's heart pounded.
He had died by fire.
He was born through fire.
He was fire.
And his fire was ever-changing.
It could be hot. It could be cold.
It could be holy—purifying.
It could be unholy—consuming.
It could heal. It could kill.
It could burn souls.
Lucas's breath steadied.
And also,
I am Death.
I can see Death—
I can see the soul of the dead and the living.
But my soul is too heavy for the mundane to witness.
I am limitless.
I am the Beginning—Fire.
I am the End—Death.
Lucas raised his gaze.
And for the first time, he spoke his intent into the world.
"DEATH."
His voice wasn't loud.
No, it was calm. Almost childish with his voice.
But it was absolute.
The air shook.
Reality shuddered.
The beasts froze.
Then—they collapsed.
Dead.
Not burned.
Not frozen.
Not poisoned.
Just dead.
A five-year-old boy had willed them out of existence.
And they did just that.
[Ding! Impossible achievements unlocked.]
End of chapter 24.
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A/N:
I have exam. So I can hardly write.
Hope you enjoy this one chapter.
Add it and support with power stones. It motivates me.
Thank you for reading ;) !