The Ultimate Skill System: Absorb, Upgrade, Create, Transfer-Chapter 18 - : Aethermantis

The forest was eerily quiet, save for the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirping of distant birds. The wind carried the scent of damp earth and fresh vegetation, but Keiran barely noticed. His focus was locked onto the invisible presence lurking ahead—the Aethermantis.

It was a formidable creature, a predator that thrived in ambush. Its advanced invisibility made it nearly impossible for the untrained eye to detect. However, Keiran wasn't just anyone.

His King of the Wilds ability allowed him to perceive it, no matter how well it blended into its surroundings.

With his target confirmed, Keiran pulled off his red tracksuit, tossing it to the side. The fabric made a soft rustling sound as it landed on the forest floor.

He stretched his arms slightly, rolling his shoulders. His body thrummed with energy, a mix of fire and water coiling within him, ready to be unleashed.

Then, he moved.

A burst of flames erupted from his back, forming immense wings of fire. The heat they generated caused the air around him to shimmer, distorting the scenery like a mirage.

Without hesitation, Keiran used Hellflare Dive and launched himself into the sky, his body shooting upward like a blazing comet. The sheer force of his takeoff sent a shockwave through the trees, bending branches and scattering leaves in all directions.

The higher he ascended, the more the world below shrank. The dense forest stretched out like a vast sea of green, broken only by the occasional clearing. Above him, the sky was a brilliant shade of blue, with the sun hanging high, casting golden light across the land.

Then, upon reaching a specific altitude, he stopped mid-air. His wings flapped once, stabilizing his position. The heat radiating from them caused the nearby clouds to wisp and dissipate.

Keiran smirked to himself. "Superhero landing."

And with that, he dove.

The wind howled around him as he plummeted, the sheer velocity making his surroundings blur.

Flames intensified around his body, turning him into a streak of fire hurtling toward the earth.

The Aethermantis sensed him coming, its instincts warning it of imminent danger. It tensed, ready to evade.

But Keiran was too fast.

The moment he struck the ground, an explosion erupted from the impact. Fire roared outward in a blinding sphere of destruction.

The sheer force of the blast sent shockwaves rippling through the forest, reducing trees to ash in an instant. The air filled with the scent of burning wood and scorched earth.

As the flames died down, Keiran stood at the center of the devastation. Smoke curled around him, the ground beneath his feet blackened and cracked.

He surveyed the area, his King of the Wilds ability already pinpointing the Aethermantis's location.

It had survived.

The creature was fast—fast enough to react just before impact, minimizing the damage it took. But Keiran could tell—it was slightly weakened. Its exoskeleton, though still intact, had taken minor burns.

Not enough to cripple it, but enough to show that it wasn't invincible.

Keiran surged forward, wings flaring behind him. His body blurred with speed, flames trailing in his wake.

The Aethermantis reacted. Its scythe-like arms, shimmering with concentrated aether energy, swung toward him in a deadly arc.

Aether was a rare and powerful energy, accessible only to those with a natural affinity for it.

It could enhance attacks, ignore defenses, and push physical abilities beyond natural limits, making its wielders far stronger than ordinary beings.

The attack connected.

Keiran's body split cleanly in half.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—his body reconstructed itself instantly, shifting into something new.

His form expanded, growing larger. His body became that of a giant, muscular raccoon, its fur replaced with a stone-like armor that gleamed under the sunlight. His eyes burned a deep, glowing red, and his sheer presence exuded raw power.

His lips curled into a snarl.

He activated Colossal Frenzy.

His muscles expanded further, his already formidable strength surging beyond its normal limits. The ground beneath him cracked from the sheer force of his presence.

Then came the attack.

Keiran pulled back his massive fist, the air around it distorting from the sheer power he was about to unleash.

He used Iron Fist.

He threw his punch forward with titanic force. The impact didn't just create a shockwave—it sent a blast of compressed air hurtling forward, tearing through the landscape.

The Aethermantis barely managed to leap away in time.

But even escaping the direct hit wasn't enough. The shockwave alone was powerful enough to knock it off balance. The force sent it tumbling, its body slamming into a tree with a sickening crunch.

The Aethermantis recovered quickly, its instincts kicking in. Without hesitation, it swung its aether-infused scythe once more. This time, instead of a direct slash, the blade released a crescent-shaped energy wave.

The attack sliced through Keiran effortlessly, ignoring his stone armor entirely.

More than half of his giant raccoon form was destroyed in an instant. His body splattered into water, droplets spraying across the battlefield.

But instead of panic—Keiran smirked.

As his body reconstructed itself, the Aethermantis vanished once again—this time using its most advanced invisibility technique.

It moved fast. Faster than before. It was going for the kill.

But Keiran saw everything.

He let out a thunderous roar—the final phase of Colossal Frenzy.

The roar wasn't just noise. It created a physical shockwave, sending the invisible creature flying backward.

The Aethermantis tumbled across the ground, its camouflage flickering as it struggled to maintain its stealth.

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Keiran transformed back into his human form, wings still blazing. He wasted no time—he charged forward.

The Aethermantis, desperate, lashed out again.

Keiran's body was sliced in half again—but before it could reform, he shifted into a massive wolf. His powerful jaws clamped onto the creature's head, fangs sinking deep into its exoskeleton.

The Aethermantis thrashed wildly, its blades cutting into him repeatedly. But Keiran felt no pain—his body, now entirely water, simply absorbed the attacks.

Keiran activated Colossal Frenzy and slammed the Aethermantis against the ground, over and over again.

His muscles swelled with power, his grip tightening like an unbreakable vice. Each impact sent shockwaves through the earth, cracks spreading beneath them as the sheer force of his assault shook the battlefield.

The Aethermantis refused to give in. It clung to a massive tree, its sharp limbs digging deep into the bark, anchoring itself with all its remaining strength.

The tree groaned under the force, cracks spreading along its trunk. It was a battle of endurance, a deadly tug-of-war between two powerful beings.

Keiran snarled, his glowing red eyes burning with determination. He braced himself, spreading his massive paws across the ground, claws sinking into the charred earth for extra leverage. His muscles tensed like coiled steel, energy surging through his body as he jerked his head back with incredible force.

The Aethermantis refused to let go. It twisted its body, attempting to swing its scythes again, but its movements were becoming sluggish. Keiran could feel it weakening.

He pulled again.

The creature's grip faltered. The tree it clung to creaked under the pressure, the bark splitting as the force of Keiran's strength threatened to rip the Aethermantis away.

Keiran growled deep in his throat, flames briefly flickering around his body as he put everything into one final, monstrous yank.

The Aethermantis's body lurched forward uncontrollably—and then, with a sickening tear, its head ripped free from its body.

The sheer force of Keiran's own strength sent him hurtling backward. He tumbled through the air before landing in a crouch, claws digging into the dirt to steady himself. His massive wolf form panted, steam rising from his water-infused body.

Slowly, he opened his jaws, and with a dull, wet thud, the severed head of the Aethermantis dropped onto the ground.

Keiran lifted his gaze to the lifeless body, which was still clinging to the tree. Even in death, the creature's instincts refused to let go.

He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.

A worthy opponent—fast, powerful, and nearly untouchable.

But it had relied too much on one trick.

Once invisibility became useless, the battle was already over.

It was an easy win.

[You leveled up 5x.]

[You have received 60 Stat points.]

[Your HP, MP, and SP have been replenished.]

Keiran smirked. A well-earned victory.