SSS-Rank Talent: Super Upgrade System-Chapter 63: Crimson Fury Vs Shadowy Might!

Down below, at the base of the towering cliff, Lia and Ayra maintained a vigilant watch.

The air was thick with tension, the silence of the Dark Forest broken only by the distant, unsettling rustles of unseen things.

Lia, her B-Grade Verdant Lifespring Staff-Sword held loosely but ready, scanned the shadowy treeline, her calm grey eyes missing nothing.

Her [Lifeweave Affinity] made her sensitive to the subtle energy shifts in their surroundings, and she could feel the oppressive Yin energy of the region coiling like a patient serpent.

Ayra, on the other hand, paced like a caged tiger, her great-axe rested against a nearby obsidian boulder.

The earlier "spirited discussion" and subsequent awkward "tactical sleeping arrangement" with Daniel had left her feeling restless and on edge.

She needed to hit something. Badly!

She glanced up towards the cliff recess where Daniel was, wondering what was taking him so long with those blasted fruits.

Lia, ever perceptive, noticed Ayra’s fidgeting.

A faint, almost mischievous smile touched her lips.

"Still thinking about last night, Ayra?" she asked, her voice soft but carrying a teasing lilt.

Ayra spun around, her fiery red hair whipping.

"What?! No! Why would I be thinking about... about that cramped, poorly ventilated cave?"

Her face flushed a delightful shade of crimson that almost matched her hair.

"I was thinking about how long Vance is taking! And how much my knuckles itch for a proper fight!

And definitely not about... anything else!"

Lia’s smile widened. "Of course. Tactical thoughts only, I’m sure. Though, you did seem remarkably... settled, once you finally stopped trying to elbow Daniel in the ribs."

"I was tactically ensuring optimal air circulation!" Ayra sputtered, then scowled. "And he snores! Like a Gravehound with a blocked nose!"

Lia gave a teasing look. "I believe I overheard something about a misplaced hand..."

Before Lia could offer another observation on Ayra’s nocturnal habits, a low, guttural growl resonated from the dense forest, cutting through the twilight.

It was close. Very close. Both women instantly tensed, their banter forgotten.

"Company," Lia stated calmly, her staff-sword now held firmly, its gentle green light intensifying.

Ayra grinned, a feral light dancing in her eyes.

"Finally! Something to break the monotony!"

A massive creature burst from the undergrowth, its arrival heralded by the snapping of tree limbs and a roar that shook the very ground beneath their feet.

"Boom!"

The earth trembled as it landed heavily in the clearing before them.

It was a monstrous beast, easily twelve feet tall at the shoulder, resembling a grotesque fusion of a bear and a giant, shadow-infused badger.

Its fur was the color of bruised twilight, matted with black moss and what looked like dried blood.

Two pairs of glowing crimson eyes burned with malevolent hunger, and its massive jaws dripped with thick, viscous saliva.

Razor-sharp claws, each nearly the length of a man’s forearm, scraped against the obsidian rocks.

Lia’s Nexus Interface, after a moment of flickering, displayed the creature’s information.

[Gloomfang Devourer – Alpha Variant]

Level: 13

Potential: B-Grade

Stats: High Strength, Very High Vitality, Moderate Agility, Low Spirit.

Abilities: [Shadow Rend], [Earthshatter Stomp], [Fear Aura]

Threat Assessment: Apex Predator of the Deeper Yin Forests. Extremely durable and physically powerful. Its Fear Aura can cripple lesser opponents.

"Level thirteen Alpha," Lia murmured, her voice steady despite the palpable wave of terror rolling off the beast, its [Fear Aura] in effect.

"This one will be a significant challenge."

The wind shrieked around the Devourer as it let out another deafening roar, the sound designed to paralyze prey.

Ayra, however, just laughed, a wild, joyous sound that seemed to mock the beast’s attempt at intimidation.

The Fear Aura washed over her S-Grade Berserker spirit and dissipated like smoke.

"Challenge? Excellent! I was getting bored!"

She hefted her great-axe, its polished surface reflecting the Devourer’s crimson eyes.

"[Primal Fury Berserker: Stage One – Battle Trance]!"

"Boom!"

A wave of crimson energy exploded from Ayra, pushing back the oppressive gloom!

The ground beneath her cracked slightly as her muscles visibly hardened, her presence growing larger, more dominant.

She charged, not waiting for Lia, a red comet aimed at the monstrous beast. The wind howled around her as she closed the distance in a heartbeat.

The Gloomfang Devourer, surprised by the audacity of this small, fiery female, met her charge with a deafening roar and a swipe of its massive, shadow-wreathed claws.

"Boom! KRA-SHUNK!"

Ayra brought her axe down in a whistling arc, aiming for the beast’s thick foreleg.

The axe, easily capable of cleaving steel, connected with a sound like thunder striking an iron mountain. Sparks flew!

The Devourer roared in pain and fury as the axe bit into its shadowy hide, drawing dark, ichorous blood, but the blow wasn’t crippling.

The beast retaliated instantly, its other clawed paw slamming down like a furry meteor.

"Boom!"

Ayra tried to dodge, but the attack was too fast, too wide.

The claws raked across her side, tearing through her Vanguard uniform and drawing blood.

She grunted in pain but didn’t falter, her berserker fury overriding the agony.

Lia watched, her calm grey eyes assessing the flow of battle.

Ayra was strong, incredibly so, but the Devourer was a wall of shadowy flesh and fury.

She needed to support her teammate. Her Verdant Lifespring Staff-Sword pulsed with emerald light.

"[Lifeweave Affinity: Mending Stream]!" she incanted.

A ribbon of pure life energy flowed from her staff, instantly enveloping Ayra. The deep gashes on Ayra’s side knitted shut with visible speed, the bleeding stopping almost immediately.

Ayra, feeling the warm, potent healing energy wash over her, let out a surprised laugh.

"Nice trick, Lia! Keep those coming!"

She re-engaged the Devourer with renewed ferocity. The fight became a brutal dance of crimson fury against shadowy might.

Ayra’s axe whistled, each blow landing with earth-shattering force.

"Boom! Boom! KRA-KOW!"

The ground trembled continuously. The wind shrieked as they exchanged blows, sending shockwaves through the surrounding trees, making them shed their dark leaves like terrified confetti.

The Devourer used its [Earthshatter Stomp].

"BOOM!"

It slammed its massive paws down, and the ground erupted upwards in a wave of jagged rock and black earth aimed at Ayra.

Ayra, caught mid-swing, couldn’t fully evade.

The shockwave sent her tumbling, but Lia was ready.

A shimmering green barrier, a focused pulse from her Staff-Sword’s [Lifewell Pulse] ability, materialized just in time to absorb the worst of the impact, the energy cleansing Ayra of the lingering shock and disorientation from the stomp.

"Thanks again!"

Ayra roared, leaping back to her feet, her eyes blazing. "My turn, ugly!" She charged again, her axe a blur.

This time, they fought with a newfound synergy. Ayra, knowing Lia had her back, fought with even greater abandon, focusing entirely on offense.

Lia, her calm eyes tracking every movement, delivered perfectly timed bursts of healing, negating the Devourer’s savage counter-attacks, her staff glowing like a beacon of hope in the shadowy arena.

The Gloomfang Devourer, unused to prey that fought back so fiercely and healed so quickly, began to show signs of frustration.

Its roars became angrier, its attacks more desperate. It landed another heavy blow, sending Ayra skidding back, but Lia’s healing stream was already there, mending the damage.

"Almost got it!" Ayra panted, her crimson aura flickering slightly. She was tiring, but the beast was tiring faster.

She saw an opening as it reared up for another stomp. She ducked low, her axe sweeping upwards in a devastating uppercut aimed at its exposed, shadowy throat.

"KRA-SHAAAAA!"

The axe connected with horrific force. The Devourer let out a final, gurgling scream as its shadowy essence unraveled.

It staggered, then crashed to the ground with a tremor that shook the entire cliff base.

Silence descended, broken only by Ayra’s ragged breathing and the faint, triumphant hum of Lia’s staff.

"Hah... hah... told you," Ayra gasped, leaning heavily on her axe, a wide, bloody grin splitting her face.

"Easy... pickings." She looked at Lia, a newfound respect in her crimson-flecked eyes.

"Your healing... it’s not half bad, Lia. We actually make a decent team when I’m not trying to accidentally flatten you."

Lia offered a serene smile, though her own brow was beaded with sweat from the constant mana expenditure.

"Your strength is formidable, Ayra. It is an honor to support such power."

Just as they were about to check the Devourer’s corpse for any potential card drops, three new figures emerged silently from the dense woods behind them, their movements furtive, their eyes glinting with greed in the dim twilight.

"They were humans, dressed in mismatched, scavenged gear, wielding crude, menacing weapons."

The lingering, potent fragrance of the golden fruits had drawn more than just beasts.

One of them, a wiry man with a cruel scar snaking across his face, licked his lips as his gaze swept over the exhausted Ayra and the serene Lia.

"Well, well, well," he rasped, his voice like stones grinding together.

"Looks like the little ladies did all the hard work for us. And look at the prizes..."

His eyes lingered on Ayra and Lia with a look that made Lia’s skin crawl despite her usual composure.

"Two beauties, tired from a fight, and probably carrying some very tasty loot. Boys, looks like our luck has finally turned."

The wind seemed to die down, replaced by a cold, predatory silence.