Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!

"Let's see if I am a masochist or battle maniac!"

With that thought in his mind, he took a fighting stance, raising his fist.

The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit's claws were still dangerously glowing with crimson light, a menacing reminder of its lethal capabilities. Its expression was still painted with killing intent, a bloodthirsty aura emanating from its small but deadly form. It clearly had no intention of letting him go. Therefore, upon seeing him disregarding his injuries and even smiling, it was infuriated.

With glinting eyes, it pounced at him with the same speed as before, a blur of red and shadow. Compared to his initial surprise, there were no changes in his expression—he just kept his grin, unwavering as though mocking the creature's effort.

And just as its claws were about to slash at him, he finally made his move. The moment it slashed its claws, he took a single step backward, making its strike miss his chest by mere inches.

"I'll be stupid if I get hit by the same strike again," he thought, a flicker of amusement flashing in his eyes. He then threw a heavy punch straight at the head of the Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit, which was still in mid-air.

It could not dodge, even if it wanted to. While it possessed astonishing speed, without its feet on the ground, that advantage was nullified.

Hence, his punch landed directly on its face, making it squeal in pain as its small body was blasted against a nearby tree before smacking down onto the ground with a soft thud.

It stood back on its feet almost immediately, a testament to its resilience. However, its right eye was already bleeding profusely. The damage was severe, and it was natural—Vincent's current physique was powerful enough to explode the head of an average human with such a strike.

The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit touched the blood dripping from its wounded eye, staring at its paw for a brief moment before glaring at him.

Squeal!

The sharp, enraged sound rang out like a curse.

"Sorry, bro, but I don't speak alien language!" he quipped with a much wider smile, the provocation in his tone deliberate.

With his response, the squealing sound of the creature turned almost into a growl. Its entire body vibrated with rage, and its killing intent intensified further, suffocating the air around them.

It lowered its head, the tips of its horns catching a sinister glow, before its figure suddenly blurred and vanished from sight.

Whoosh!

Vincent did not flinch despite the sudden disappearance. His grin remained, though his eyes carefully scanned his surroundings, his instincts sharp.

Suddenly, he felt a presence behind him. Without hesitation, he spun around, crossing his arms in time to block.

Bang!

The impact was powerful enough to force him a half-step backward. The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit's feet had struck his arms with force comparable to a sledgehammer.

"Haha, that's right! Give me your everything!" Vincent laughed, his voice wild with excitement.

Quickly regaining his balance, he stepped forward and launched a counterpunch. However, his strike met nothing but an afterimage as the creature disappeared again.

He immediately sensed its presence reappearing behind him. This time, instead of blocking, he ducked his head smoothly, avoiding its incoming kick by a hair's breadth.

While it was still in mid-air, he spun on his heel, channeling all his momentum into a roundhouse kick. As he did, he instinctively thought of activating his C-rank Talent: Origin Power Enhancement.

For a brief moment, he felt a surge of energy from his origin core. But just as quickly, it was blocked, the flow ceasing abruptly.

The interruption caused his kick to falter for a second—just enough time for the Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit to vanish once more, its movements like a ghost flitting through shadows.

When it reappeared several meters away, its crimson claws glowed even brighter, and now, its horns began to crackle with an ominous electric light.

Crackling~

Soon, an electrifying crimson orb materialized between its horns.

With a sharp squeal, the orb shot toward him at a terrifying speed.

Vincent did not hesitate. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the projectile.

Boom!

The explosion that followed sent shockwaves through the area, splintering a tree into burning fragments.

"Damn! That looks kinda painful if it hits me," Vincent muttered, his eyes darting to the smoldering wreckage before shifting back to the furious creature.

The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit was undeterred. Despite having just unleashed a devastating attack, it was already charging another orb.

"Oi, oi. Calm down!" Vincent called out, though he knew his words were meaningless to the creature.

Another crimson orb hurtled toward him, faster this time.

Boom!

The blast sent Vincent flying back, though the projectile itself had missed him. He skidded across the ground, dirt and debris flying in his wake.

And with this strike, he finally assessed its level.

Tier 1 (5★).

"Hoh, so this was his plan all along," he thought, pieces of the puzzle clicking together.

He recalled Special Instructor Arthur's cryptic behavior: leaving him here, demanding he collect 1,000 Mad Horned Rabbits despite having already captured 500 in the warren, and allowing him to use his Origin Power Enhancement Talent.

"I have to defeat this guy without using origin energy…"

The realization made him frown. What was Arthur trying to prove?

Was there really a way to use Origin Power Enhancement without relying on origin energy? Or was this some twisted test?

There was no time to dwell. The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit resumed its relentless assault, unleashing another electrifying orb.

"There's no other choice. I have to get closer and land a decisive strike to defeat it," Vincent resolved, determination flashing in his eyes.

Dodging the crimson orbs with precise movements, he surged forward, closing the distance between them.

Boom! Boom!

Each explosion grew closer, singeing the air around him as he weaved through the barrage.

Finally, he reached a pile of immobilized Mad Horned Rabbits, grabbing a pair of broken horns from the ground.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The boss creature paused, its crimson glow dimming slightly as it hesitated.

Vincent grinned. "Hoh… you beasts actually have compassion?"

Without shame, he grabbed one of the crippled Mad Horned Rabbits by its ears, holding it up like a shield.

"Why don't you attack me now, huh? Another crimson ball, maybe?" he taunted, poking at the smaller rabbit's face.

The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit narrowed its eyes, its hesitation clear. But after a moment, it let out a sharp squeal and launched another electrifying orb.

Vincent's eyes widened. "Oi, oi! Where was your compassion?!"

The crimson orb struck his makeshift shield with deadly force.

Boom!

The smaller rabbit disintegrated instantly, leaving only smoke and charred remains.

"Damn it! If I'm short one rabbit, I'll barbecue you for compensation!" Vincent snarled, his irritation masking the satisfaction of surviving.

Realizing he needed to act fast, he tried activating his talent again—this time focusing solely on his physical body.

To his astonishment, he felt a surge of strength course through his arms.

"It worked?!"

But the sensation was fleeting, fading as quickly as it came. Worse, he felt his hunger intensify, his stomach growling audibly.

"It's draining my stamina…"

The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. Using Origin Power Enhancement without origin energy came at the cost of his physical endurance.

The Red-Skinned Mad Horned Rabbit gave him no time to rest, disappearing from view once more.

Sensing its presence above, Vincent reacted instinctively.

"He's above!"

With a reflex born of desperation, he activated the enhanced strength in his legs, blurring out of the crimson orb's path just in time.

Boom!

The ground where he had stood erupted in a fiery blast, but Vincent was already preparing his counterattack.