**** Billion's PoV
I looked at Steve and noticed the changes in him right away. His presence felt sharper, stronger. Especially the lightning, there was more of it around him now, like it clung to his skin.
His new sword caught my eye too. It looked sleek and powerful.
I stood up and stretched, rolling my shoulders. My body felt light, but filled with energy.
Steve glanced at me. "What now?"
I gave a small shrug.
"We head deeper into the forest."
He tilted his head slightly, studying me. "Do you have a plan?"
I nodded without hesitation. "Yeah. I want to put as much distance between them and us as possible."
He didn't argue. Just nodded back.
I stepped off the branch and dropped down. My feet hit the ground without a sound, and I straightened up smoothly.
Then I let my Psynapse flare. My perception spread wide, reaching through the trees, the bushes, the ground beneath us.
Steve landed next to me a second later.
I activated [Essence Engine].
My heart gave a strong beat as the core inside me kicked in, drawing in raw energy from the world around us. It began converting it into Essence.
I focused, adjusting the channels inside my body, increasing the absorption rate. I could feel the rush building, the flow growing faster with each breath.
I had made my choice.
I would push myself to the limit. Go as deep as I could. Until the forest itself pushed back.
Essence surged through my body, filling every muscle, every fiber.
It was time to move and also try something new.
I closed my eyes and reached out with my senses, feeling my connection to everything around me.
The world opened up in a different way, as if I were peeling back its surface to see the Essence underneath. I could feel how it shaped the trees, the air, even the dirt beneath my feet. It was all particles, all flow and I stood at the center.
I whispered, "Absolute."
And the world paused. Just for a moment, it felt like everything held its breath, waiting.
I willed the gravity acting on me to vanish.
The air around me shimmered. The ground cracked slightly beneath my feet. My Psynapse stretched unnaturally, and a sharp jolt shot through my head. I clenched my teeth, forced to cut the skill off.
"Too much," I muttered. "Guess that was too much for a level one skill."
I inhaled, steadied myself, and tried again.
"Absolute."
This time, I focused my will with care. Not to remove gravity, just reduce it.
'Half. Just half.'
My body slowly began to feel lighter. The ground didn't anchor me as firmly anymore. When I felt the balance settle, I gave the final command.
"Deny."
The law locked in. I denied the full force of Gravity acting on me. Gravity now pulled me at half its usual strength.
I looked over at Steve and smirked. "See you later."
Before he could respond, I bent my knees and activated [Seismic Burst].
Violet Essence surged through my legs, exploding from the soles of my feet.
Boom.
I shot upward like a missile. Wind screamed past me as I rocketed into the sky, the trees shrinking below in an instant.
I laughed, loud and wild, as I soared over a hundred feet in a second.
Steve shouted something from below, but I didn't catch it. Didn't care.
I stretched out my palm behind me and fired a controlled burst of Essence.
Boom.
My trajectory bent instantly forward as I redirected myself, tearing through the air like a living spear.
I could feel [Absolute] drawing energy from my Psynapse, the mental pressure sharp but manageable.
I fired another burst from my feet, gaining more speed.
At the edge of my perception, I caught Steve sprinting through the forest far below, trying to keep up.
I grinned and slowed just a little, enough to keep him within range.
As I soared above the forest, my eyes scanned the vast green below and the towering mountain range ahead.
I tilted my head up slightly, just enough to catch sight of the floating ruins in the distance, high above the horizon. They looked ancient, cracked stones drifting in the sky like forgotten memories. For a second, I thought about heading straight there. But I shook the idea off.
'Too soon. Not yet.'
I caught some movement in my perception to the left. I turned and spotted several Abominations tearing into each other in a clearing. Fleshy limbs, bone spikes, and growling mouths—twisted creatures locked in a chaotic brawl.
I scanned them quickly. All of them were low level, in their 70s.
'Perfect for Steve,' I thought. 'He can handle those and get a few levels.'
I let my flying speed drop and glanced down toward the trees. "Steve! Follow this!"
I extended my arm and fired a beam of fire straight at the middle of the fighting Abominations.
The beam screamed through the air and hit the ground dead center.
Boom.
A burst of flames exploded between the creatures, scattering them. I heard Steve curse below as he veered off in the direction of the blast.
Smirking, I picked up speed again, rising a bit higher and expanding my perception outward.
After a few seconds, I found something worth my time.
[Recluse Tiger – Level 109]
It was crouched beside a torn carcass, its jaws dripping with blood.
The beast was massive, at least ten feet long, with matted gray fur covered in jagged black stripes. Bone spines jutted from its shoulders, and its eyes glowed with a pale green light. Thick tendrils hung from its ribs like extra muscles, twitching and writhing as it chewed.
A true Abomination. Hungry. Twisted.
I grinned. "Found you."
I shifted my flight with a sharp burst from my palm, the Essence roaring out and twisting my path toward the tiger. I deactivated [Absolute], allowing the gravity to pull me again with its full strength and the ground raced up to meet me.
With a final spin, I landed hard, cracking the earth beneath me.
Boom.
A crater formed where I touched down, dust flying in every direction. I straightened up slowly, locking eyes with the beast.
The tiger rose, letting out a deep, rattling growl. Its tendrils writhed in excitement, and its glowing eyes locked onto me like a predator recognizing another.
I chuckled. "Yo. First tiger Abomination. Don't disappoint me, I've got a lot of things to try."
The tiger crouched low, its muscles coiling like springs.
I mirrored it, lowering my stance and locking eyes with the beast.
Then it lunged.
I watched it tear through the air toward me, fast and silent, like a spear wrapped in fur and bone. My heart didn't race. My thoughts stayed sharp. Dozens of ideas rushed through my mind on how to deal with it—but I already knew what I wanted to test.
'Let's see what this new class skill can really do.'
The Abomination closed the gap in an instant. I tracked its movements, reading the angle of its leap, the twist of its body midair, the way its grotesque jaw unhinged to bite into my throat.
The smell hit me first.
'Disgusting.'