Chapter 12: Killing The Blood Horn Rhinoceros

Inside the crimson leaf forest

Black serpent was fighting a red furred money who is at the beginner stage, black serpent used a few moves before killing the monkey, Kali checked if it has a beast crystal, but luck is not on his side, he just took a few meat before leaving the dead monkey's body, the meat he took will be used as black serpent's dinner.

They have been in the outskirts of the forest for two weeks now, Kali decided to adjust their condition and be familiarize with the limitation of their strength before entering the inner area.

In their two weeks inside the forest, black serpent and Kali has already killed countless beginner stage savage beast and an apprentice stage savage beast, the apprentice stage savage beast they killed was the weakest apprentice stage there is so it does not prove anything.

Kali decided to stay for a few more days before entering the inner area, while roaming around the forest Kali was also looking for rare herbs and materials he can use to increase black serpent's strength, while Kali is looking for materials and herbs black serpent is fighting the savage beasts they encounter along the way, as black serpent fight other savage beasts, it is gaining more experience it just took black serpent a few moves before killing beginner savage beasts, with its improved physical strength it doesn't have to use dark and poison attribute skill to take care of an enemy, it just use tail whip and constrict.

...

Today Kali and black serpent planned to enter the inner area of the crimson leaf forest, when they reach the border between the outskirts and inner area Kali saw an old friend, it was the mother of the green lizard he intends to tame back then, he encountered during the ceremony, just like Kali it also remembered him, it looked at Kali with a serious expression, and bared its claws it attacked without warning, but Kali and black snake was not surprised, the moment they entered the forest they never let their guard down even if they are just in the outskirts of the forest, Kali was a cautious person and black snake adapted this trait, when the mother green lizard is a few meters away black serpent moved towards it to intercept its attack, black serpent used tail whip which the Green Water lizard blocked with its own tail whip, the two savage beast retreated, though the mother green water lizard is a stage higher, Black serpent's strength is on par with it.

The two exchange a few more moves before the mother green water lizard decided to use a stronger skill, when it realized that it cannot best black serpent in physical strength, it used water blast, a mid range skill, the Green Water lizard formed a water ball from its mouth and blast it towards black serpent, black serpent used dark strike to dodge the incoming water attribute attack, after successfully evading the Green Water lizard's attack it used dark strike again, this time it's purpose is to close the distance between them, it used tail whip and hits the Green Water lizard's body making it take a few steps back, after the successful attack it charged again trying to strike the lizard while it is still recovering from the attack, it slithered swiftly and wrapped the Green Water lizards body, but before having a firm and tight hold of the Green Water lizard's body, it glowed with a blue luster, it is using the water attribute skill water dash, it dashed towards the nearby Boulder trying to use it to hurt black serpent's body, but black serpent realized what the lizard was planning and immediately let go of the Green Water lizards body, because of the continuous fighting the black serpent developed its battle sense, Kali doesn't have to order it around every time they are in a fight,

When the mother green water lizard broke free from black serpents constrict skill, it immediately fled using water dash, but Kali has no intention of letting it go, with the stage and strength of the mother green water lizard it definitely has a beast crystal, Kali and black serpent gave chase, black serpent used dark strike in order to lessen the distance between him and the Green Water lizard but it also used water dash. The chase lasted for a whole afternoon, it only stopped when the Green Water lizard got tired and slowed down, Kali and black serpent seized the opportunity and closed the gap between them and the Green Water lizard, black serpent attacked the tired green water serpent, it used dark strike while it's body is under the effects of dark strike it used tail whip, with the influence of dark attribute dark strike the speed and trajectory of the tail attack increased, it became an unpredictable dark whip, with the increase in speed its strength got doubled, when the dark attribute enhanced tail whip hit the Green Water lizard, it was blown away and knocked down five trees on its way.

The dark attribute enhance tail whip attack that black serpent performed was the combo skill it learned during its physical training these past months.

Savage beasts are capable of learning combo skills, but it is only effective in lower stages, because once they evolve their skill gets an upgrade too and a combo of skills are unnecessary, it was just like a gimmick, but for the current Kali and black serpent, the combo skill was a great weapon.

Kali saw the beaten green water lizard, it is full of wounds, but it's eyes is still full of unwillingness, to make sure that the lizard won't be able to escape Kali used Bind to restrict it movement and ordered black serpent to finish it off, it used the dark strike and tail whip combo skill to attacks the Green Water lizard on the neck, cracking sound can be heard when the tail hit the lizards neck, quickly claiming its life, when the Green Water lizard died Kali took out his black dagger from his bag and removed the lizard claws, it looks like a sharp curved knife ready to kill, after removing the claws Kali opened the Green Water lizard's chest.

" beast crystal!" Kali is already certain that the Green Water lizard formed a beast crystal but it still excites him.

After taking care of the Green Water lizard, Kali and black serpent started looking for a place where they can rest since it is already nighttime, and black serpent is already exhausted from all the fighting.

...

Kali and black serpent entered the inner forest early in the morning, they started roaming the inner forest and encountered a number of apprentice stage savage beast, unlike the in the outskirts of the forest, almost every savage beast here is at the apprentice stage, their strength is not ordinary either, they are much stronger than the Green Water lizard.

Black serpent just finished fighting an apprentice stage earth trampling bear, it took black serpent a long time to kill this savage beast and after fighting black serpent is full of wounds, from the earth trampling bear's claws and earth spike skill, after killing the bear Kali took its claws and hide, and open up its chest to take the beast crystal, as of now he had already collected at least fifty beast crystals, with this many beast crystals Kali can earn at least a hundred golds, almost everyone in the village trains their savage beasts with only rare herbs, beast crystal is a luxury, except for the time they were rewarded with a beast crystal after the ceremony, but to the current Kali beast crystals is like black serpent's dessert.

Kali and black serpent looked for a place where they can spend the night, they found an empty tree trunk, Kali decided to spend the rest of the night here, he treated black serpent's injuries and fed it with savage beast meat and gave it a few strengthening pills and a beast crystal to train with after eating, after doing all those things Kali then started meditating.

The night has passed and the morning sun rose up, Kali opens his eyes and saw black snake who is sleeping soundly, but there is something wrong with it, its like it's whole body is beating and emanating a strong beastly aura.

" stage advancement! "

Black serpent is advancing from beginner stage to apprentice stage.

Kali scouted the surroundings, to ensure black serpents safety while it's undergoing stage advancement, because savage beasts are vulnerable when they are undergoing stage advancement because they cannot move and are defenseless.

After making sure that there are no threats nearby Kali watched black serpent.

The advancement lasts the entire afternoon, when black serpent woke up it is happily approached the nearby Kali, it hissed happily and wrapped its body on Kali's body to Kali it is just the normal way of black serpent to say it's thank you but if others see them right now they might be misunderstood and think that black serpent is trying to devour the young Kali.

He checked black serpents conditions after its advancement, its body grows from one and a half meters to two meters, and it's scales became darker and shinier, but it's eyes became more scary, black serpent's overall look along with its aura, gives of a feeling of an apex predator.

" you've become stronger " said Kali to black serpent. Though black serpent's strength and stage increased it didn't learn new skills which makes it attacking pattern limited, but Kali didn't mind it since black serpent is still just at apprentice stage, there are still more chances for it to learn skills when it advance to master stage.

...

Kali and black serpent roamed the inner area of the forest, when they encounter some beginner stage savage beast they just ignore it, beginner savage beasts doesn't enter their eyes anymore, because with black serpent's strength he just have to stare at those savage beasts and they will lose their will to fight.

Kali and black serpent reached a river they drink some water, and washed his face, while looking at the river a big jaw suddenly appeared in front of him, he was startled.

" shit! " Kali retreated and stared at the fish type

Savage beast in front of him.

Golden scale carp - fish type - carp race water attribute.

" I almost got swallowed "

Black serpent dashed towards the golden scale carp, it used a normal tail whip to attack it but the Carp dove deep down, fleeing.

After the little distraction Kali and black serpent went on their way, and continued their journey inside the forest.

...

Two months has already passed since Kali and black serpent entered the crimson leaf forest, these past two months brought great benefits toward Kali and black serpent. Kali advanced from beginner stage apprentice stage beast Contractor, while black serpent advanced to apprentice stage level 3, its level advancement made black serpent grow in length, it is now over three meters long and it's body is as thick as a grown men's thigh, making it look scarier.

Kali has collected more beast crystals and rare herbs during this past two months, if he exchange everything for gold coins he will have more than one thousand gold coins in his pocket, it is enough to move to a low grade city and settle down, but Kali has no intention of doing that, Kali planned on using all his resources for the growth of black serpent, and he will continue doing so in the future when he tame new savage beasts.

Since there is only a month left before the competition, Kali and black serpent venturing deeper inside the inner are of the forest, as they travel the savage beast they encounter is getting stronger and stronger, but black serpent can still kill them.

After a few more days they reached the center of the forest they saw a big tree in the center of an open field and a small lake near it, the place is so beautiful that even the always cautious and calm Kali gasped, though it is beautiful this place is the most dangerous place in the forest, because this is where the blood horn rhinoceros live, under the big tree is the sleeping blood horn rhinoceros.

When Kali decided to enter the forest his goal is not to train against apprentice stage savage beasts, but the strongest savage beast in this forest, the blood horn rhinoceros, the moment Kali saw this savage beast he already made a promise in this mind that he will defeat it one day along with his own savage beast.

Kali and black serpent walk slowly towards the blood horn rhinoceros, he doesn't have the intention to make a sneak attack instead he wants to challenge it head on, when they were a few feet away the sleeping blood horn rhinoceros opened its eyes lazily, but there is arrogance and confidence visible from its eyes, though stare from the blood horn rhinoceros managed to shake Kali's mind and dominance he quickly recovered and looked at his savage beasts it is also staring at the blood horn rhinoceros with its blood colored eyes not backing down, when Kali saw this scene he grinned at the blood horn rhinoceros.

" black serpent kill him " Kali ordered black serpent.

It used the combo skill, black shadow like whip attack the now standing blood horn rhinoceros, it snorted at black serpent's attack thinking it's just a normal tail whip, but when the dark tail whip was about to hit the blood horn rhinoceros it squinted its eyes and dodged swiftly, it was fast despite its size.

" as expected of a master stage savage beast its strong"

black serpent continued to attack the blood horn rhinoceros but it continued to dodge the attacks, it is getting annoyed of the black serpents relentless attacks so it used metal armor to block the attack although it successfully blocked the attack it still took a few steps back because of the combo skill tail whip, after it's successful block it used the skill iron horn and dashed toward black serpent, the blood horn rhinoceros' attack is fast and fierce, making it hard for black serpent to dodged so it used dark strike to make a distance from the blood horn rhinoceros, but it is still not enough so Kali used Bind to slow down its movements but it shattered immediately, Kali grit his teeth and used later after layer of Bind skill, it slowed the blood horn rhinoceros' movements making the black serpent evade the iron horn but it still managed to graze black serpents body, it hissed angrily at the blood horn rhinoceros, after that dangerous exchange between the blood horn rhinoceros and black serpent, Kali decided to join the fight.

The blood horn rhinoceros against Kali and black serpent, their fight last the whole afternoon, when the sun is about to set the three stopped from moving and stared at each other, they are all covered in wounds and are breathing heavily, they exhausted a lot of energy and stamina fighting, Kali grinned at the blood horn rhinoceros because it's silver skin started to darken, black serpent's corrosive poison is starting to take effect. When they are fighting earlier black serpent managed to bite the blood horn rhinoceros on its neck, but it didn't immediately affect the rhinoceros, that is why they continued to fight for the whole after noon to make the blood horn rhinoceros move a lot making the poison spread faster.

The blood horn rhinoceros glared angrily at Kali and black serpent, it hated them from using poison.

" I know you're mad because of the poison, but this is a fight to the death, we have to use everything we have "

After he finished speaking the rhinoceros staggered and tried to stand straight but it failed and fell down.

Kali heaved a sigh of relief.

" thank God it's now over, I have no strength left"

Kali sat down beside black serpent.