My attributes are increasing infinitely - Chapter 489: Coming out of the forest

Chapter 489: Coming out of the forest

Ethan remained motionless behind a thick cluster of black-barked trees, his gaze fixed on the gathering of monsters near the sinkhole. The steam rising from the depression distorted the air slightly, creating faint ripples that blurred outlines at longer distances. Under normal circumstances, such environmental interference would complicate ranged combat. However, Ethan’s abilities did not rely on conventional trajectory. The Sword of Infinity responded directly to his will, and teleportation allowed him to bypass distance entirely.

He exhaled slowly and steadied his breathing.

The Law of Infinity Strand vibrated faintly within him, responding to his intention. He extended his perception outward, marking individual targets. The cluster contained seventeen level two monsters scattered along the outer ring, while the level three Stalkers remained closer to the sinkhole. Eliminating the weaker ones first would reduce variables without provoking a coordinated counterattack.

He did not draw the sword with a flourish. The blade simply appeared beside him, hovering horizontally as though resting on invisible support. Its edge shimmered with faint silver light, reflecting neither the forest canopy nor the drifting steam. When Ethan released his grip, the sword remained suspended, awaiting instruction.

He selected the first target.

A Shadowfang Whelp prowled along the perimeter, its body half merged with shadow as it scanned the surroundings. Ethan activated teleportation. The Sword of Infinity vanished from his side and reappeared behind the creature’s neck without sound.

The moment it materialized, he exerted control through Spirit Mastery.

The blade moved.

It traced a precise arc and severed the whelp’s spine before the creature even sensed danger. The body collapsed instantly, and gray mist began rising from the remains.

Ethan guided the sword away and recalled it to a position above the canopy. The mist drifted upward and curved toward him, pulled by the Law of Infinity Strand.

[Shadowfang Whelp defeated. Level 2.]

[Essence absorbed. Evolution points gained: 30.]

The surrounding monsters reacted immediately. Several heads snapped toward the fallen whelp. A Thornhide Boar snorted sharply, scraping its hooves against the ground. The Stalkers shifted erratically, their elongated fingers twitching as they searched for disturbances.

They could not find him.

Ethan did not move from his position. He marked another target.

Teleportation activated again. The sword appeared beside a Thornhide Boar’s shoulder. Before the creature could react, the blade drove downward, splitting its armored hide and piercing its core. The boar convulsed and collapsed.

Gray mist rose again.

[Essence absorbed. Evolution points gained: 30.]

The monsters became visibly agitated. They began spreading outward, scanning the forest. The Stalkers emitted low clicking sounds, their slit-like sensory organs widening slightly. Several of them climbed partially down the sinkhole walls, attempting to gain elevation for better detection.

Ethan remained patient.

He continued.

The sword vanished and reappeared repeatedly. Each teleportation placed it beside another level two target. Each time, Spirit Mastery guided the blade with surgical precision. No wasted motion. No unnecessary force. Creatures fell one after another, their bodies collapsing before panic could fully spread.

Three kills.

Five.

Nine.

The clearing descended into chaos. The monsters scattered, breaking formation. Some retreated toward the sinkhole. Others charged blindly into the forest, attempting to locate the unseen attacker. The Stalkers began distorting space around themselves, their movements flickering unpredictably as they searched.

Ethan did not stop.

He adjusted the sword’s position midair and targeted a fleeing Venomroot Viper. The blade teleported directly above it and plunged downward. The serpent split cleanly, its body falling in two segments.

Another thirty points.

Gray mist flowed steadily into him, and the Law of Infinity Strand pulsed with each absorption.

He continued methodically.

The seventeenth level two monster fell moments later, its body collapsing near the sinkhole’s edge. The remaining creatures, now mostly level one and the eleven Stalkers, retreated deeper into the depression, clearly unwilling to remain exposed.

Ethan withdrew the sword and allowed it to hover beside him again.

[Essence absorbed. Evolution points gained: 510.]

Seventeen kills.

Five hundred ten points.

The gray mist gathered around him like drifting smoke before sinking into his body. The vibration within his core intensified briefly, then stabilized.

Ethan allowed a faint smile to appear.

The method had worked perfectly. Distance, precision, and minimal risk. The sensation of control returned, and with it came a subtle resurgence of confidence. Ever since he had left the body of the primordial bird, a part of him had felt diminished. The overwhelming power he once possessed had vanished, replaced by a fragile beginning. For the first time since then, he felt the edge of that old invincibility returning, not as raw dominance, but as calculated inevitability.

He did not linger.

The remaining monsters had retreated, and pursuing them into the sinkhole would introduce unnecessary uncertainty. Efficiency demanded movement, not obsession.

Ethan turned and left the area silently, the Sword of Infinity dissolving into motes of light before disappearing.

The forest clearing remained quiet for several seconds after his departure.

Then something appeared.

It did not arrive through movement. It simply manifested, as though it had always been there and reality had only now acknowledged it. The figure was humanoid in outline, but its body was covered in thousands of eyes. Each eye was surrounded by small jagged teeth that opened and closed slowly. The surface of its skin shifted constantly as the eyes blinked at different intervals.

It looked repulsive.

It looked terrifying.

“He said our nemesis is in this forest right now,” it muttered, its voice echoing from multiple mouths at once. “I wonder who it is.”

If Ethan had been present, he would have felt instinctive terror. The creature’s presence alone distorted the surrounding air. It was a monster far beyond the scale of the forest. Its level exceeded one hundred.

It looked toward the remaining creatures.

All of its eyes blinked simultaneously.

The monsters froze.

An invisible force pulled them forward. The Stalkers distorted space in panic, but the effect did nothing. Thornhide Boars struggled against the ground, carving trenches with their hooves. Shadowfang Whelps dissolved into shadow, attempting escape.

None succeeded.

The creature’s mouth opened.

It expanded into a black void, swallowing light itself. The monsters were dragged into the darkness one by one, their bodies compressing before vanishing entirely. The void closed, leaving no trace.

The creature turned away and disappeared as abruptly as it had appeared.

Far away, Ethan felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

[Master, leave the forest right now. Something terrifying is lurking here], Yumiko said urgently.

Ethan did not question her. He had felt the same sensation moments earlier. The instinct was primal, the kind that warned prey of an approaching apex predator.

He activated teleportation immediately.

His body vanished and reappeared dozens of meters ahead. He did not pause. He teleported again. And again.

One.

Three.

Five.

He continued until the forest canopy began thinning. By the tenth consecutive teleportation, he crossed the outer boundary of Pandora Forest and emerged onto open terrain.

He slowed slightly.

Then another chill gripped his heart.

His instincts screamed.

He triggered short range teleportation instantly.

An enormous axe slammed into the ground where he had stood a fraction of a second earlier. The impact shattered the terrain, sending stone fragments flying.

“tsk. That Aurora clan bastard survived your attack. How pathetic can you be?” a mocking voice said.

Another man stood nearby, his expression calm and uninterested. “Stop the nonsense. Capture him. He used teleportation. Someone capable of space movement at such a low level might be important. He could be connected to a space treasure.”

“Boring,” the first man replied lazily. He turned his gaze toward Ethan, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

The pressure in the air thickened.