In an instant!
The beast's instincts sensed the looming threat of death. The Invisible Hound pinned to the ground by the iron sword flashed a gray light across the chains wrapped around its body.
Chain Cyclone!
Clatter!
The chains on the Invisible Hound suddenly sprang to life, slithering rapidly like iron cables slicing through the air. They transformed into a whip, lashing fiercely toward Adam.
"Hm?"
Adam sensed the force of the incoming chain. His eyes twitched, and without hesitation, he leaped backward.
The chain's tip, a sharp, ring-shaped hoop glinting with menace, grazed past Adam's front, emitting a shrill whistle.
Boom!
A nearby tree was severed at the trunk, crashing to the ground with a thunderous roar.
Adam landed steadily, glancing at the broken tree. "Tch, that's some destructive power."
With his physical defense, a direct hit would have definitely injured him.
"So this is the Invisible Hound's ability? No wonder adventurers rate them as more dangerous than ogres."
Surprise gave way to a faint smile as Adam looked at the Invisible Hound, now struggling to its feet, panting heavily, its spirit visibly drained.
"But an ability like that can only be used once, right?"
Indeed!
The chains, moments ago devastatingly powerful, had rewound around the Invisible Hound's body. What had slithered like a serpent now hung limply across its back, devoid of vitality.
Chain Cyclone was an ability Invisible Hounds could use only once per day, typically reserved for moments of crisis or when victory was assured, a decisive, all-or-nothing strike.
"In that case, it's my turn."
Thud!
The ground trembled under Adam's feet as he charged toward the weakened Invisible Hound.
In a single breath, he closed the distance.
His iron sword swung, slashing unhesitatingly toward the Invisible Hound's waist.
"ARHHHH!!"
Suddenly, a shadow loomed overhead.
The second Invisible Hound, spotting Adam, roared and leaped into the air, hurtling toward him.
"Swift Slash!"
Adam had already anticipated the second hound's move. The sword, originally aimed at the weakened hound, pivoted mid-swing, arcing upward toward the airborne beast.
Clang!
The chains on the second Invisible Hound writhed, forming a shield as the blade struck.
Ping!
Crack!
The powerful slash drove the chains deep into the hound's abdomen, accompanied by the sound of splintering ribs.
Boom!
The Invisible Hound's airborne form was sent flying, crashing into the distant jungle!
Without the chains' protection, that strike would have cleaved the hound in two.
"ARHHHHH!"
Thanks to the second hound's interference, the weakened Invisible Hound reacted, lunging with its gaping maw.
A bloodied jaw loomed inches from Adam's face.
"Instant Reflex!"
Adam's body moved as if time reversed, swiftly retreating to create distance and evade the attack. His sword swung in the same motion.
Splurch!
The weakened Invisible Hound's abdomen was sliced open effortlessly, blood and entrails spilling out as it collapsed, twitching, to the ground.
The stench of blood filled the air!
"After using that ability, the chains can't even be mobilized normally?" Adam mused, shaking his head as he eyed the lifeless chains on the fallen hound. "This ability might be worse than not using it."
His wrist flicked, flinging blood from the sword onto the ground.
[Gained 369 Experience]
"More experience than an ogre. Not bad for a beast from deeper in the jungle." Adam thought.
A single Invisible Hound's experience nearly matched half a day's worth of his recent efforts.
"ARHHHHH!"
Amid the rustling of bushes and branches, the second Invisible Hound staggered back, its steps unsteady.
Huff… huff…
Its nostrils flared with heavy breaths, blood dripping from its maw.
The hound's ferocious eyes glanced at its dead companion before locking onto Adam.
"I thought you'd run. Seems you two were close." Adam said, his gaze calm.
"ARHHHHH!"
The Invisible Hound bellowed, charging forward with all four limbs.
A cold glint flashed through the air.
The three-meter-long Invisible Hound stiffened and collapsed, kicking up a swirl of fallen leaves.
[Gained 382 Experience]
Adam glanced at his status panel.
[Experience: 9256/9500]
Just over 200 experience points remained to level up Genius to 10.
Adam felt a wave of relief.
A month in this dark, oppressive jungle had taken its toll, the gloomy environment weighing on him over time.
"Truly worthy of a lord!"
"Amazing! Even Invisible Hounds are no match for you!"
"You're the strongest human I've ever seen!"
"The ogres that once protected our tribe, several died to Invisible Hounds."
"These are vile, cunning beasts."
"…"
With both Invisible Hounds dead, Mugu, still clutched in Adam's left hand and trembling, began babbling in awe and joy.
"Shut up."
Silence fell once more.
Adam approached the Invisible Hounds' corpses. The most valuable part was the chains wrapped around them.
The corpses themselves held some value, but Adam had no desire to stuff more monster bodies into his item box.
The two thousand-plus goblin corpses already gave him a headache, unsure of how to deal with them later.
Did the Adventurers' Guild accept goblin corpses, or just their ears?
The thought crossed Adam's mind as he examined the chains.
At a glance, their texture and sound suggested iron, but they weren't. They were bone.
Black bone, with a metallic sheen!
Following the chains' path, Adam realized they extended from the nape of the Invisible Hound's neck.
The hound's black fur blended with the black chains, especially in the forest's dim light, making them appear to float around the beast.
"No wonder they're called Invisible Hounds." Adam murmured. "In my old world, such a creature would be unimaginable. These bone chains, extending from the neck, protect the vulnerable nape and the weak abdomen, completely negating their disadvantages."
Without hesitation, Adam used his sword to cut into the hound's nape. He expected the connection to be as tough as the chains, but it was surprisingly fragile.
With little effort, he removed the bone chains.
***
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