Floating Island - Triple S Talent

Chapter 187: Out of illusion, Deryu

[Blood Thorn Demon]

- Level: 25

- Species: Ghost

- Attributes: Str 2486, Int 2527, Agi 2486, Res 2239

- (Blood Tentacle): Moves its tentacles to sting enemies and apply a blood mark. Each mark reduces the enemy's attributes by 0.5%. When the mark reaches 100, a second body transformation is unlocked.

Puno's eyes sparkled as he read the description of the monster. "An interesting skill... Unfortunately, its base attributes are too low," he muttered, feeling slightly disappointed. He knew that despite the monster's impressive abilities, it wouldn't be tough enough to offer any meaningful resistance.

Puno carefully observed the monster's movements. The Blood Thorn Demon lashed one of its tentacles toward Puno with incredible speed, but Puno's flame-covered body reacted instantly. Swiftly, he dodged to the side, his body moving with the grace of a burning shadow.

Swoosh!

The blood tentacle slammed into the ground with tremendous force, creating deep cracks in the floor of the cube. Dust and small debris flew into the air, but Puno had already positioned himself perfectly to counterattack. He raised his hand high, concentrating fiery energy into his palm, and in an instant, a massive burst of flame exploded from his hand, slicing through the air like lightning.

Boom!

The fiery attack struck the Blood Thorn Demon squarely, scorching its thorns and destroying several tentacles. The creature howled in pain but didn't give up. Quickly, it flailed its remaining tentacles in all directions, trying to ensnare Puno from multiple angles.

Puno, having anticipated this move, dodged with impressive agility. His feet glided effortlessly, evading the vicious tentacle strikes. Each time the tentacles lashed out, he spun gracefully, using the speed and dexterity of the flames surrounding him to create distance.

One of the tentacles almost managed to wrap around his leg, but Puno wasn't surprised. With a sharp motion, he ignited the tentacle with the fire from his leg, severing its tip and causing the monster to howl in pain once more.

"That should be enough," Puno whispered, then threw himself forward, spinning rapidly like a firestorm. His final attack shot out like an explosion, piercing straight through the center of the Blood Thorn Demon's body. The flames spread rapidly, burning the creature from the inside.

Kaboom!

The Blood Thorn Demon's body exploded into dark red fragments, leaving nothing but ashes scattered across the battlefield. Puno stood amidst the destruction, while the sound of the system's notification rang clearly in his ears, confirming his success in defeating the tentacled monster.

[Successfully killed (Blood Thorn Demon), exp +96,000]

As the Blood Thorn Demon's body faded away, the cube-shaped room that had imprisoned Puno began to crack. Small fractures quickly spread across the walls of the cube, which then shattered into pieces within seconds. His vision cleared, revealing that he was still in the same place as before the battle.

Puno quickly detected the presence of the Faithwarden woman he had encountered earlier. She wasn't far from where he stood, but this time, she wasn't alone. Beside her was a man radiating a much stronger power, watching over the civilians who were eating something in their hands. Puno clenched his fists, frustration swelling in his chest.

"Damn it... I already signed the agreement with the World Market Trade Alliance, but where's the help?" Puno muttered, feeling both disappointed and desperate.

His heart ached as he saw the devastation around him, while the remaining civilians knelt before the two Faithwardens, seemingly subdued by their power. His mind was in turmoil.

On one hand, he knew his chances of surviving the next battle were only 1%—death seemed certain. On the other hand, he could flee and try to rebuild his alliance from scratch. His hope had briefly rested on assistance from the World Market Trade Alliance, but that help never arrived. He felt trapped, powerless.

Puno closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside him. After a few moments, a bitter smile appeared on his face, followed by a soft laugh.

"Hahaha... What's wrong with me? I reached Tier-3 by risking my life fighting against high-level races. Why am I afraid now? Hahaha!" His laughter grew louder, though it was filled with sorrow. Puno steeled his resolve.

"If I'm scared of just these two, then I'll always live in fear of the stronger races in the future," he thought with increasing determination.

His eyes now gleamed with courage. Puno had made his decision.

"Transform!" he shouted softly.

In an instant, his human body began to change. His skin peeled away, replaced by a shimmering red liquid, glowing like blazing fire. His black hair transformed into strands of fiery red flames, and his body swelled, growing over three meters tall as he rose into the air.

Yes, in his elemental mode, Puno gained the natural ability to float.

"Fire Field!"

"Soul of Flame!"

Puno activated two skills simultaneously, ready to go all out this time.

In an instant, an area within a 50-meter radius around him was engulfed in flames, consuming everything on the ground, including the civilians and the two Faithwardens standing nearby. In addition, a small fire orb floated around Puno's body, appearing like a seed of fire he had summoned.

"Win or die!"

Puno shouted fiercely, his body transforming into a massive blaze as he soared at high speed toward the Faithwardens, disregarding everything else, including the fate of the civilians trapped in the inferno.

He no longer cared. His attack was now entirely focused on the two Faithwardens.

The Faithwarden woman and the man beside her noticed Puno's movement. As the flames engulfed the area within a 50-meter radius, the woman quickly formed a protective barrier around herself and the civilians, preventing the fire from consuming them. Whatever her motivation, it was clear she wanted to keep the civilians alive.

"Deryu, handle him... My faith energy is still recovering," the woman said to the man beside her, who was now known as Deryu. The white light radiating from her back grew brighter, but she knew it wasn't enough to face Puno's raging power.

Deryu looked at Puno calmly, a slight smile on his face. "Of course... I can feel this man's firepower as well. It's quite strong," he said casually.