But as the fight dragged on, Wu Chen's sharp instincts picked up on the same strange thing that happened in his previous fight.
The demonic humans' movements grew increasingly erratic, The creatures once-perfect synchronization had fractured.
Their claws, which had moved like extensions of a single mind, now struck at random intervals, their attacks losing precision and coordination.
It was as if their strength was draining away, their once-menacing power fading with every passing moment.
A flicker of excitement surged through Wu Chen as he realized what was happening.
This wasn't just a coincidence.
It was him.
His Supreme Intelligence wasn't just analyzing—it was disrupting.
The evidence was undeniable.
The way their energy flickered when he parried.
How their movements kept slowing despite little after each exchange.
The growing desperation in their hollow eyes
Its like he's unraveling them
This ability of his, Not only could he predict attack patterns and decipher fighting styles, but he could also subtly erode his opponents' strength the longer the battle lasted.
It was as if his very presence disrupted their energy, sapping their power and leaving them vulnerable.
However, Wu Chen knew this ability must have its limits. Because it seems The strength of this draining effect depended on the gap between his strength and his opponent's.
If the disparity was too vast, the impact would be minimal, barely noticeable.
But against foes of comparable or slightly higher strength, the effect was undeniable.
A slow, inevitable weakening— gnawing at his enemy's strength like a creeping tide, shifting the battle in his favor.
A grin curved his lips as he pressed his advantage, each strike carrying the weight of his stolen vigor.
This was no ordinary battle; it was a reckoning—a test of his growing power, and with every passing moment, he unraveled its limits.
Wu Chen struck like a viper, seizing the opening with lethal precision. His blow hammered into the creature, sending it staggering back, its snarls twisting into pained gasps.
Not wasting a breath, he lunged forward— and with a flash of steel, he buried the spearhead deep into the lead demonic human's chest.
A deafening, guttural roar tore from its throat, more fury than agony, before its body jerked violently and thudded to the ground, lifeless.
The remaining creatures paused, their hollow, glowing eyes flickering between fury and primal fear. Yet frenzied instinct drove them onward, claws bared, spittle flying as they charged.
Wu Chen dealt with them calmly, evading their attacks with calculated precision and finding openings to strike.
Every snarling lunge—he sidestepped with fluid ease, his movements economical, but deadly.
And when the moment came
A split-second gap in their frenzy and his strikes fell like lightning.
The young girl's eyes widened in awe.
Even through the haze of pain, she couldn't look away—couldn't reconcile the scene before her with the laws of the world she knew.
Despite her injuries, she could see how the boy—no, the young man Fought.
With a calm, almost serene focus, His every move was deliberate, He seems to always know when and how the creatures are going to attack, as if he were toying with the creatures.
The creatures—Special Mortal-Level 2 and 3, beasts that had torn, and snapped through her village's strongest.
They are capable of overwhelming ten men of the same level from her village.
Yet here was a boy, not much older than her, battling all three of them and killing one already. It was nothing short of extraordinary.
Wu Chen stood over the fallen creatures, his chest heaving with exertion.
The metallic tang of blood—little his, most theirs—hung thick in the air. His muscles trembled with exhaustion, yet beneath the fatigue thrummed something darker, hungrier.
He'd done it.
Against creatures that should have torn him apart, he'd won.
Yesterday he would have never thought of something like this to be possible.
He won't have even dare imagine it.
Then—like ice water down his spine—the voice slithered through his mind again, its tone as indifferent as the void:
[System Notification]
[You have slain: Special Mortal Creature (Level 3 Low Tier) - "Demonic Human"]
[ Do you wish to absorb the Special Demonic Core? - Y/N ]
[System Notification]
[You have slain: Special Mortal Creature (Level 2 Mid Tier) - "Demonic Human"]
[ Do you wish to absorb the Special Demonic Core? - Y/N ]
[System Notification]
[You have slain: Special Mortal Creature (Level 2 Mid Tier) - "Demonic Human"]
[ Do you wish to absorb the Special Demonic Core? - Y/N ]
The words pulsed behind his eyes, insistent, almost mocking in their repetition. His fingers twitched at his sides, still slick with viscera.
Even though Wu Chen still has lingering apprehension about the risk of corruption. He didn't hesitate this time.
"Yes" he Willed.
The black smoke rose from the corpses of the demonic humans, swirling around him before being absorbed into his body.
The surge of energy was even more intense this time, and Wu Chen felt his strength increase exponentially. His muscles bulged with power, and his senses sharpened more.
[ Demonic Core Absorbed. ]
[ Power Level Increased: Mortal 1 Top Tier. ]
Wu Chen stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, his chest heaving as he absorbed the surge of energy from the demonic core.
The power coursed through his veins like a raging river, filling him with a sense of invincibility.
His muscles felt stronger, his reflexes sharper, and his senses heightened.
The wounds he had sustained during the fight began to heal rapidly, the pain fading into a dull ache. He clenched his fists, feeling the raw energy pulsating within him.
But as the adrenaline began to subside, Wu Chen's mind turned to the young girl lying on the ground.
She was still breathing, though weakly, her face pale and her body trembling. He knelt beside her, his voice soft but urgent. "Can you hear me? Who are you? What happened here?"
The girl's eyes fluttered open, her gaze unfocused but filled with fear. "They... they came out of nowhere," she whispered, her voice trembling.
"They killed many in... my village... my family..." Her words trailed off as tears streamed down her face.
Wu Chen's heart ached for her, but he knew there was no time to grieve. The forest was still teeming with danger, and the demonic humans he had just defeated might not be the last.