5 Cold-Blooded

Derrick was walking forward with confidence, staying alert and watching from where the attacks could come from. He was stark naked and had no defense whatsoever. A single misstep would be his end. The only thing he could hear was his heartbeat and footsteps.

*Thu-Thump* *Thu-Thump* *Thu-Thump*

It was beating faster and faster, but it wasn't from fear, it was from pure excitement. He had to say that hunting was a thrilling experience. Even though he was a loner, he loved fighting when it wasn't too one-sided because of the adrenaline rush it provided. It was an addictive experience.

Meanwhile, the reptile was hidden, not making any sound or heat. The valley seemed to be at a standstill, like a calm ocean before a storm. Io was diligently watching Derricks' rear, hidden in his shadow and waiting for the opportunity to strike. As a creature made of dark matter, it could shift into the shadow of its master without difficulty.

A few meters in front of him, he spotted a fallen piece of stalactite on the ground and took it.

"Better than nothing!"

He continued forward and descended in a U-shaped depression. It was the perfect trap to lure it out. With practically no way out, he was like a sitting duck.

"Come out you bastard... I know you've been watching for a while..."

Derrick had been feeling an apprehensive gaze for quite some time. It slowly turned icy and malicious as if he was a lamb in a slaughterhouse. He knew the reptile was about to make its move.

"Get ready Io, we're about to have some fun!"

Derrick's pupils narrowed and his muscles expanded, gorged with oxygenated blood. Io also got excited and the shadow was slightly trembling. Suddenly, two large emerald eyes appeared in the darkness and a long slender tongue exploded in Derrick's direction.

The tongue was terrifying, with rows of inverted bones designed to ensnare its prey and kill it in one fell swoop.

"HERE WE GO!!! COME AT ME YOU UGLY FUCKER!!!"

Derrick sprinted forward, armed with his broken stone pike. A split-second after the tongue reached him, he dove over and using all his weight, thrust forward in order to impale it. His poor timing caused his right shoulders' flesh to be mercilessly ripped apart.

*SCREECH*

The chameleon let out an ear-piercing cry while black blood spurted everywhere, covering Derricks' entire body.

''IO, IT'S YOUR TURN! GO FOR IT!!!''

As if acting like a portal, Derricks' shadow let out a creature that flew straight at the reptile, with no other thought than ripping it apart. The Nightmare Bat, covered in black mist, blazed across the darkness with its shining red eyes and lacerated the poor chameleons' face while it continued to shriek like a dying pig.

''Enough Io... It's my turn...''

While holding his shoulder, Derrick walked forward and looked at the beast in front of him.

''You thought I was an easy prey... I'll not let you die that easily...''

His eyes were burning with rage and his face contorted in a devilish way. He looked around and found a sharp stone. It seemed enough to be used as a knife.

He walked in the direction of the wounded animal. The reptile body kept crawling forward, sensing the imminent danger. It was letting out small cries, imploring mercy.

Derrick arrived next to the creature and ruthlessly stabbed in Io's previous inflicted wounds, carving out its skin from its twitching muscles. The dark blood kept gushing out everywhere until the already weakened heart gave out. Silence returned to the cave, giving the impression that the fight never occurred.

Derrick was surprised by his bloodthirsty behavior. Was this an after-effect of the Necromancer class?

[Would you like to make a Contract with Dark Furcifer Pardalis? You only have 1 contract remaining]

Derrick thought and declined. Even though the creature had interesting abilities, it wasn't worth investing his last spot. There were surely more powerful foes out there and it would be a shame if he couldn't 'recruit' them.

He proceeded to carve out every useful piece and started crafting equipment. He was a lonely person that relied on himself, so being a handyman was only natural.

A few minutes through the ordeal, a prompt suddenly appeared in Derricks' consciousness.

[You have developed the skill : Craftsman! Every weapon you make will have a higher chance of granting abilities! This skill will evolve with its users' growth]

''That's it! We're getting somewhere now...''

After a few more hours of labor, he was done.

''Let's see what we have here! System, appraise the weapon and armor I made''

After butchering the entirety of the animal, Derrick finally had food, clothes, armor, a weapon and a bag.

[Sorrow of Furcifers' Lance]

[Grade : Unique]

[Attack Power : 3.0]

[Abilities : Stealth Hit (Able to disappear from sight in combat, allowing for faints and deceit)]

[Description : Made out of the bones of a Dark Furcifer Pardalis. The torture it received while it was alive granted the bones one of its innate abilities]

[Pardalis Vengeful Armor]

[Grade : Unique]

[Defensive Power : 3.0]

[Abilities : Camouflage (Allows its user to disappear from sight if the user's slowly or not moving), Cold Blood (Allows its user to conceal his heat)]

[Description : Skin of a Dark Furcifer Pardalis repurposed into armor. With its strong desire for revenge, the beasts' skin evolved, keeping its abilities even after death]

''I've done well! These items are insane to hunt and ambush monsters. We might have to reevaluate what we do next. Hunting the remaining entities in the cave has become an option for us''

After the fight, Derrick decided to set up camp and rest. He had to nurse his injury, or he would throw his life away. The harsh conditions allowed no room for error. He was lucky his body was sturdy and healed fast.

''This cave really has nothing... No vegetation of any kind, no wood... That means no fire too. Guess I'm going to have to eat the meat of that lizard raw... Although I don't really need to, I'm sure it would help me heal a little faster''

He grabbed a medium-sized skin pouch and laid it bare on the floor. Copious amounts of red meat appeared, and he couldn't help but salivate. The smell was also quite enjoyable. It had been awhile since he had eaten anything substantial. He just hoped it would be tasty.

''Here goes nothing!''

After getting a mouthful and swallowing it whole, another prompt appeared in his consciousness.

[Ingestion of raw Dark Furcifer Pardalis meat... Hosts' abilities are being enhanced! Recalculating...]

A warm feeling suddenly erupted from his stomach and rushed in his entire body. The massive amount of energy caught him unprepared, and he fainted on the spot. After a few hours, he woke up with a small headache. Io was still there, standing guard.

''System, what the hell just happened?!''

[Hosts stats have all increased! Would you like to see the result?]