The dagger was poisoned because, of course, it was, and I already feel it affecting my mana. Just barely over 3 minutes in. But that much is fine; it's nothing unexpected.

The problem is that I can't perceive the little green monster that stabbed me. I don't feel its movement, I don't feel its position or mana no matter how much I try.

So, I do the smart thing.

I let the small green jerk stab me again.

As the dagger pierces my side, I clench my muscles to hold the dagger inside the wound and boost my body to the point where I feel I'm about to tear my muscles.

The small hand lets go of the dagger, jumps backward, and disappears, even though the [Resonance] covers the entire area and [Redistribution] tries to slow his movement.

To calm myself, I enter a deeper [Focus] and pull out the dagger from my wound.

Venomstrike Mana Dagger (rare) - a short obsidian dagger with a sharp edge. Upon injury, the target experiences a mana drain due to a poison effect. Use with caution - dangerous to magic users.

I infuse the dagger with my mana, without thinking, I combine it with [Resonance], and a transparent blade made of mana emanates from the dagger, soon turning from blue to black with glowing red lines reminding me of mana circuits.

[Resonance - lvl 12 > Resonance - lvl 13]

Then the forest far away explodes, and a giant monster takes another step towards me. It's easily as big as an Undead Deer or Undead Bear. This Cinderbear doesn't feel like it barely stepped into two question marks, a bit over level 150. It feels much stronger, closer to level 200.

My side bleeds, and part of my [Focus] continues to control my mana, which is getting harder and harder to manage.

So, I put some distance between us.

I push myself away just in time, and the heatwave sets ablaze the massive area around the bear.

Even as I'm absorbing as much as I can and using it to run away faster, I feel it follow me for a long time.

I continue to stab the dagger into the neck of the smaller Cinderbear, and while doing so, I continue to absorb all the heat the monster generates.

There's no armor around my body, only pieces of mana that are wrapped around two wounds left behind by the Phantom Goblin. The wounds are healing slower than usual.

My clothes are charred and burned in places, and I'm already getting covered in the blood of the monster. I continue to kill while running away from the giant Cinderbear that burns the entire forest as it moves towards me.

Every useless thought leaves my mind, and there's only pure focus on survival and killing.

I move like a wild animal when another invisible stab is aimed at me, this time I feel it. I track the movement of the air close to me, something barely noticeable even in the deep focus I am in.

Yet, I notice it, and before the monster can stab me, I catch its wrist.

I've got you.

The monster cuts off its hand and disappears, and I'm left with a piece of its body in my hand.

I squeeze it; the bones crack and blood rushes out. Then I send a wave of thermal energy through it, and it turns to ashes.

The monster doesn't laugh this time.

I send more mana into the dagger in my hand, and the mana blade extends, and I cut against another Cinderbear, separating its head from its body.

Immediately two more bears attack me, jumping from spark to spark while continuously releasing heat waves from their bodies.

I track the movement of their mana, and I step in front of the spark where one of them will appear from. Before the monster fully materializes, I stab the dagger-turned-sword between its eyes. The second one's teleport I cancel with [Resonance], the monster's body tearing in places from the failed skill.

A cone of kinetic energy finishes it off, and there are no more Cinderbears around me, only a giant one in the distance.

I run once again to put distance between us and quickly check the timer. Out of one hour, there are 51 minutes left.

That almost makes me want to laugh.

I then quickly skim through the quest rewards while running between the trees, trying to save as much mana as possible and be as efficient as I can with it.

Quest Rewards:

Attribute upgrade token

Rare graded equipment

shards

At least the rewards are somewhat good. I also confirmed my theory. People can get to Beyond only by fulfilling requirements through the Hell floor. There's no way someone on Earth would get thrown into Beyond right from the start and survive.

I stop on the spot, absorbing the kinetic energy of my movement. Where I once stood, a spear pierces. I dodge to the side, and another stab misses me as I read the movements of the goblin attacking me.

It all feels almost too familiar as two more goblin warriors jump from behind me, somehow able to hide from my [Perception]. I resonate my blade, and it cuts through the spear and the goblin. Then I stab another one.

The third goblin dodges my slash and stabs at me again. Blue tattoos start glowing around its body. The monster speeds up, abandoning the spear and getting on all fours, dashing closer to me.

[Redistribution] encompasses the area, and the monster slows to a crawl. I cut off its head.

[You have defeated a Goblin Warrior - lvl 126]

The air behind me stirs, and I boost my body with a surge, turning around as quickly as I can, slashing at that spot. I hit nothing, and the same thing repeats behind my back. This time, I don't turn. I close my eyes and consolidate both parts of my [Focus]. But there's nothing to be found, only a giggle echoing from the distance. Soon, another voice joins, and I hear multiple phantom goblins laughing.

I can't detect where the laughter is coming from. So, I fight for control over my mana, release my Kinetic heart even more, and strengthen my body further.

Then I lower my stance and reduce the amount of mana I'm sending towards the dagger. The blade made of mana shortens to the length of my forearm, still pitch black with glowing red circuits coursing through it.

I notice the grass behind me bending and stab right there, twisting my body swiftly while doing so.

Out of thin air, a Phantom goblin appears, staring in disbelief at the dagger in its neck. The monster coughs, splashing some blood onto my hand, and then dies.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 136]

I realize it's not the first one that attacked me, the one that sacrificed its hand to escape.

Another leaf on a tree flutters unnaturally given the wind. I kick the corpse of the goblin I just killed, and it collides with another invisible one approaching me. Before the monster recovers from the surprise, I'm in front of it. My dagger penetrates the top of its skull, embedding itself in its brain.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 142]

I twist the dagger and slash again, cleaving both corpses in two.

Then I [Focus] even more, attuning myself to every sound, every vibration.

The laughter has ceased.

"What happened? It's not funny anymore?" I straighten and step towards a tree. "Go on, laugh." I swing my dagger, and the phantom goblin charging from the right collapses, lifeless and decapitated.

[You have defeated Phantom Goblin - lvl 132]

My mana stretches into the distance, drawing in all available heat. Notifications bombard my mind as I siphon warmth from the surrounding air. Soon, my breath mists in the chill.

I hurl a mana projectile where I detect goblins' breath. It cuts through the monster and its halves tumble to the ground.

I won't let you hunt me as that one phantom goblin did on the first floor. I refuse to be a prey and listen to your giggle.

Improving efficiency, I pour more mana into my skill, absorbing the area's thermal energy. The surroundings grow colder. Frost decorates leaves, grass, and bark. Each footstep echoes eerily on the frosted terrain.

Yet, no monster dares to approach. No frost is created on another body. No warm breath becomes visible in the cold air.

I exert more power, and even I begin to feel the chill but push it aside.

In the end, I stop and turn around. The last phantom goblin stands behind me, nearly touching me. Its body is covered in frost, frozen solid, it's the same one whose arm I severed.

"Oh, I believe this one's yours," I taunt, showing it the dagger and only the goblin's eyes move.

I drive the blade into its heart. The frozen creature shatters upon impact with the ground. Then I stomp on its frozen head, reducing it to icy shards.

I cast one last glance at the remains and turn myself towards the four presences advancing on me. A massive wave of fire hurtles towards me, thawing the frost and igniting the land.

Drawing on that heat, I boost my defenses as new enemies emerge.

[Goblin Shaman - lvl ??]

[Goblin Shaman - lvl 149]

[Goblin Warrior - lvl ??]

[Goblin Warrior - lvl 141]