I Am the Novel's Extra Villan

The forest stretched endlessly in every direction. Massive trees reached toward the sky like ancient guardians, their thick branches blocking out most of the sunlight. The forest floor lay in shadow, covered with fallen leaves and twisted roots that made every step dangerous.

Ryker walked carefully between the trees, his white hair catching the few rays of light that managed to break through. The sword at his waist felt heavier with each step. He had been walking for hours, and the silence was starting to get to him.

"I think I may spend half of the month here," he muttered to himself, stepping over a fallen log.

This wasn't like the other towns he'd visited. Those places had normal monsters that matched their one-star rating. But this forest was different. The creatures here were far more dangerous than they should be, and no one knew why. The townspeople had to bring in raiders from other places just to keep the monsters from overrunning them.

Ryker paused and pulled out his knife. He carved a small X into the bark of a nearby tree, then stepped back to check his work. The last thing he needed was to walk in circles for days.

"At least I won't starve," he said, touching the mark he'd made. "Bloodline users can go two months without food. Just need water."

The thought didn't make him feel much better. Two months was a long time to spend in a place like this.

A strange sound echoed through the trees. Ryker froze, his hand moving to his sword handle. The sound came again - a soft scratching, like claws on bark.

He moved toward the noise, placing each foot carefully to avoid making sound. The scratching grew louder. Through a gap in the trees, he saw something that made his blood run cold.

A creature stood in a small clearing, pecking at the ground. It had the body and head of a large rooster, but its legs were thick and scaled like a dragon's. A long, muscular tail swished behind it, covered in the same dark scales.

"A cockatrice," Ryker whispered, his mouth going dry.

He'd read about these creatures but never thought he'd actually face one. They were ranked as Tier II beasts, which meant they could kill him without much effort. The books said they were fast, strong, and had abilities that could turn a person to stone.

Ryker pressed his back against a tree, trying to think. He'd defeated that bloodline user back in town, but that was different. The man had been careless, and Ryker had caught him off guard. This creature wouldn't make the same mistake.

The cockatrice's head snapped up. Its dark eyes locked onto Ryker's position. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then the creature opened its beak and let out a screech that seemed to shake the entire forest. It charged.

"Shit!" Ryker threw himself to the side just as the cockatrice's tail whipped through the air where he'd been standing.

The tail struck the tree behind him. The massive trunk, thick as a house, cracked and toppled over with a thunderous crash. Ryker stared at the fallen tree, his heart pounding.

If that had hit him, he'd be paste on the forest floor.

The cockatrice wheeled around, its eyes glowing with anger. It didn't give him time to recover. The creature charged again, its claws tearing up the earth.

"Come on then!" Ryker drew his sword and swung it at the approaching tail.

The blade connected with the scaled flesh, but it felt like hitting a stone wall. The impact sent shock waves up his arms and launched him backward. He crashed into another tree, the bark scraping against his back.

Blood filled his mouth. He spat it out and wiped his lips, trying to ignore the pain shooting through his ribs.

"That bastard main character made it look so easy," he growled, thinking about the novel he'd read in his previous life. "Damn lying author."

The cockatrice turned toward him again, its tail swishing back and forth like a cat preparing to pounce. Ryker could see the intelligence in its eyes. This wasn't some mindless beast - it was hunting him.

He pressed his back against the tree and raised his sword. There was only one way he might survive this.

Ryker bit down on his finger until blood welled up. Instead of dripping to the ground, the blood floated in the air around him like tiny red stars. He focused his will, and the blood moved toward his sword.

He was only at the red core level (level 2), which was barely above a beginner. But it was better than nothing.

The blood wrapped around his blade like liquid metal, giving it a crimson glow. Ryker held the sword up vertically and waited for the cockatrice to charge.

The creature didn't disappoint. It rushed forward with its beak open, ready to tear him apart.

Ryker swung his sword in a wide arc. A crescent of red energy flew from the blade and struck the cockatrice's left wing. The energy cut through feathers and bone like they were made of paper.

The cockatrice screamed as its wing separated from its body. Green blood sprayed across the forest floor. The creature stumbled, its balance thrown off by the sudden loss of its wing.

It crashed into a tree headfirst, leaving a dent in the bark. More blood poured from the wound where its wing had been.

Ryker didn't waste the opportunity. He ran toward the injured creature, his sword raised high. But the cockatrice wasn't finished yet.

Its tail whipped around and caught him in the chest. Ryker flew backward and skidded across the ground, his sword spinning away from him.

"Damn bird!" he gasped, rolling to his feet.

The cockatrice stood up slowly, green blood still flowing from its wound. Its remaining wing was torn and useless. But its eyes were the real problem - they were starting to glow with a sickly green light.

"Oh no," Ryker whispered.

He dove behind a tree just as the cockatrice's gaze swept over where he'd been standing. The grass and small plants in that spot turned gray, then black, then crumbled into dust. Everything the creature looked at turned to stone.

This was the cockatrice's most feared ability. A single direct look could turn any living thing into a statue. Ryker had to end this fight quickly, before the creature got lucky.

He reached out with his bloodline power and drew more blood from the cockatrice's wound. The creature shrieked in pain as its own blood betrayed it, flowing through the air toward Ryker's sword.

The blood formed a thick coating around the blade, making it look like a weapon forged from liquid rubies. Ryker gripped the handle with both hands and stepped out from behind the tree.

The cockatrice's head swiveled toward him, its eyes blazing with green fire. But Ryker was already moving.

"[Blood Swipe]" he shouted, swinging the sword with all his strength.

A wave of green energy erupted from the blade, wider and more powerful than before. It struck the cockatrice square in the chest, cutting through scales and flesh like they were nothing.

The creature's scream cut off abruptly. It looked down at the massive wound in its chest, where its heart and lungs were clearly visible. Green blood poured out like a waterfall.

The cockatrice took one step forward, then collapsed. Its eyes lost their glow, and the forest fell silent except for the sound of Ryker's heavy breathing.

He stood over the dead creature, his sword still glowing with residual blood energy. His whole body ached, and he could taste blood in his mouth. But he was alive.

"I think I'll stop here for today" He said with a sigh as he fell to the floor.

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A/N: MC does not have system, also sorry for the sudden hiatus been dealing with health issues.