Universal Sign-in: Ascending to Godhood With My 10x Rewards!-Chapter 35: Nah, I’d win

It’s black, oily beak stretched like a weapon made to stab and thrash. Its two wings clipped to its aerodynamic body. Those wings weren’t feathers. They looked as black and strong as the hide of a Jaguar.

On its tiny head, a small dent lay, caused by my strengthened hit.

I stood up.

Nothing amazing or deadly about it. Is this really what got the soldiers so scared? Or was it the shock that the guns they had been trained all their lives to depend on had no effect whatsoever on the monsters?

Although I do admit,

I raised a leg, and the shadow of my feet loomed on top of the Ferin’s head.

Dealing with these things in their many numbers would be absolutely horrific.

I bulged my calf, channeling all my strength toward it.

And I think that was what happened to the soldiers? They might’ve been targeted by hundreds at the same time, because,

I stepped on the Ferin’s head. A sickening crunch echoed as the skull broke, and something warm and liquid splashed on my legs.

[You have slain a Dormant Grade Monster. +10Exp.]

I ignored the dead Ferin’s corpse, turned my neck, squinted my eyes and observed the areas far from this mall as I wondered why I hadn’t noticed what I saw earlier.

There are fresh corpses littered all over that place.

Finally, I looked down at the headless Ferin and at the black liquid splashed on my legs.

Tch. Disgusting.

And... 10 Exp for Tier 3 Dormant Grade. I expected that.

I turned and walked away.

"Huff- Huff-" Marcus breathed roughly as he rested on his knees.

In front of Marcus, a ruined Ferin corpse lay.

I almost gagged looking at it. Marcus’s entire fists were smeared with that black blood, and the Ferin’s head looked thoroughly decimated, like Marcus had hit it over and over again until it burst.

As Marcus felt my gaze, he turned, stared at me and smiled as he wiped a streak of black blood from his face with the unstained part of his hand.

What the-

I flinched slightly.

The sight of him — fists soaked with black blood, kneeling in front of a corpse he made, smiling at me — wasn’t really charming at all.

I composed myself.

"All done?" I asked.

Marcus shook his head and pointed a thumb backward.

I traced the direction of his thumb and met the sight of an ongoing battle.

Jericho ran around, carefully evading the piercing beak of the monster.

As the Ferin relentlessly chased Jerry, it increased its speed and lowered its black talons, aiming at Jerry’s shoulders.

Jericho paused immediately, and a faint smirk played on his lips.

As the Ferin’s talons almost touched Jerry, he turned, clenching the black leg tight with one hand.

My eyes widened.

So he slowed his pace down on purpose.

I grinned.

Smart.

Jericho’s other hand stretched open.

Screech––!!

A blinding glow hovered on his open palms, gathering and twirling.

"Whoa," Marcus exclaimed.

Whoa indeed.

Jericho unleashed the light, effectively targeting the stomach area of the being.

Pop!

What appeared to be the monster’s intestines splattered, and its black goo splashed as Jericho finally let go of its leg.

It fell to the ground.

Jerry let out a soft huff, a satisfied smile on his lips as he looked down at his palms, clenching and unclenching his fists.

Ah, I know that look.

It’s an ’is this power mine?’ look.

"I think I’m getting the hang of this," Jerry stated.

That’s great and all, but, as Jerry said earlier,

"We need to get moving." I declared, giving them no time to rest or recover.

Marcus quickly nodded, and Jericho’s smile faded as he walked toward us.

Marcus stood up, blowing his nose as he said. "I was right. My punch HAS gotten stronger. And, I can feel that energy more now... It feels like I can control it too. But I don’t know h–"

"Yeah, we’ll talk about that later," I said, turning to face the mall. "Let’s run now."

They both complied, and immediately, we ran, heading toward the mall.

—Screeeeeeee!!

Multiple screeching sounds echoed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Shit," I muttered, looking upward.

"Uh... Duz?" Marcus called out.

"YES?"

"Have you seen them?"

"Yes, I have!"

"Damn." Jerry spat.

Slowly, our surroundings dimmed as the light above seemed to darken.

But the sun didn’t suddenly go out or anything.

I gulped.

Now I see why the soldiers were traumatized.

Detecting the deaths of their own, hundreds of Ferins gathered in the sky above us, actively blocking out the sunlight.

The sounds of their screeches and that of their wings flapping echoed, and for a moment, they were the only thing I could hear.

That was until Marcus’s voice cut through, yelling: "Faster!!"

I blinked, looking at the mall.

I increased my pace, and my feet rapidly moved on top of the ruined ground as I made my way toward the mall building.

Jericho trailed behind me, along with Marcus.

They were catching up.

I narrowed my eyes.

Be fast, you two.

I turned to get a glance at them.

My eyes widened.

Marcus surpassed Jericho, running with an unusual speed.

Well, okay. That’s a welcome development.

I clenched my steel pipe. And as I did, a sudden thought flashed through my mind.

I halted immediately, frowning.

Why am I even running?

"What are you doing, Dustin?!" Jericho yelled aloud, his jaw widening as he screamed.

Marcus had a dumbfounded expression on his face.

I growled, "Keep going."

I faced hundreds of chasing Ferins.

Marcus and Jericho ran past me.

This is the perfect chance to Exp farm.

They’re all Dormant Grade, after all. And there are hundreds of them.

They don’t have the biting force or the searing goo of Rethons, the strength, flexibility, unpredictability and durability of Avendars, nor the monstrosity of Endoraths.

All they have is their speed, beaks, talons and numbers.

"Hmm..."

Believe it or not, with all my recent encounters...

I twirled my steel pipe lazily, walking toward the Ferins as Jericho and Marcus made their way to the mall.

...I’m confident that I’ve gained enough experience to deal with them.

"You’re gonna die, Dustin!!!" Marcus screamed.

I scoffed.

Nah, I’d win.

I planted my steel pipe in the ground, and cracks immediately spread on the ground.

"Rubber duck," I muttered, my smirk widening as the hundreds of Ferins approached me.

My blond bangs dangled over my forehead.

I whistled.

There are a lot.