Blood Soaked Badger

BANG!

The forest floor shook and spiderweb-like cracks spread through the ground. The leaves that had silently laid still flew up and encased the surroundings in a beautiful rain of autumn.

Two outstretched hands were trembling as they met and caught two large paws that had sharp glinting claws menacingly wanting to tear anything apart. In this case, a troublesome human that barred the Badger's path.

Me.

I pushed the hands back and the thing tried to follow up with a side slash, Easily avoided by jumping a fair distance back.

Whish! The wind generated from the slash had touched my face and blew my hair. I looked at my hand that was a shade of light red. It was trembling.

That thing's strength is strong enough to make me feel something.

ROA- The thing stood up on two hind legs and shouted a war cry to assert's its dominance. Sadly, my goblin Deck knows what to do. An opportunity had presented itself to him.

BOOM! A fireball struck home inside the Badger's mouth, burning it and enraging it further. The badger started smiling. Blood leaking out of its burning mouth.

The body bulged as the muscles in its body had flexed. The things cheeks had burned off much to my surprise. Long sharp rows of teeth bathed in flowing blood grinned at me. The fur is highly flammable huh?

The badger disappeared into a blur and a feeling of danger came from behind me. Quickly stepping on foot back, I used my heel to hastily turn around. What met my vision was a madly grinning animal with claws aiming to tear my head apart.

Savage as expected of a brainless beast.

I sneered inside. The thing was airborne and had no way of maneuvering to change its position. I ducked under it and sent an uppercut to its defenseless belly. Unlike when I strike other monsters and feeling the soft easily crushable flesh, this particular monster's underside was hard.

The badger coughed up blood and wanted to roar in pain, but a shield had struck and bounced off its head, infuriating it further.

Roar! It growled and tried to lash out in pain. Before it could even reach the ground, I grabbed its two hind legs and proceeded to try and lift it.

Sweat dripped from my forehead, the thing was heavy!

With gritted teeth, I lifted it off the ground and slammed it to the ground, making it vomit blood once more.

With struggling motions, the badger laying on its back wanted to stand up but I stomped down on the exposed stomach. Making the poor creature gag and struggle to breathe. Blood spurted out from the nostrils and the muscles bulged again.

It raised arms to try and push me off or maybe even slash at me. I grabbed those hands and did my best to restrain the thing by keeping the arms in place. I twisted one arm which fell to the ground limply.

I pinned it down, raising a fist, intent on knocking it out but a certain goblin had reached the side of the thing's neck. Two hands raised up high above the head while gripping a rusted axe, Dean had wanted to behead the thing.

He struck down. The axe dug into the flesh but was stopped. Dean didn't get discouraged and lifted the axe again and slammed it down.

"Wait! Don't behead it!" I shouted before the once limp hand managed to rise up and slap me back a few good meters away. Head ringing, I looked in horror to see Dean beheading the thing.

Clicking my tongue, I recalled a certain phrase. Ignorance really is bliss.

Dean thought beheading the monster would suffice but unfortunately. Based on what my observation skill had warned me of, the Blood-Soaked Badger would enter a state of heightened power once near death. Able to throw one last act of struggle before succumbing to her cold scythe.

The head that rolled a distance away roared and the eyes became glowing red. For a head that has been severed from the body, It can still speak?

I rushed to Dean who froze under the now standing headless badger. It stood a meter and a half into the air, tall enough to dwarf a goblin. The effects of fear bringer had petrified the goblin.

Khuek! Dean was surprised and woke up from his paralyzed state. I shoved the goblin out of the way. Claws came cutting down on me. There was no time. The only thing I was able to do was block and brace myself.

Boom!

Crash!

Claws dug into my flesh, easily rending it apart and even the bones cracked. I nearly had my arms cut clean off.

I flew back into the air. The power coming from those bestial limbs had sent me flying. Crashing through a few trees before having myself embedded in the last one.

Khu hue khue! With a hazy vision, the unclear image of three goblins was shown to me by my eyes. My head throbbed in dizziness and a faint metallic taste filled my mouth and tickled my tongue.

Cough! Cough!

Coughing up blood, I tore myself off the tree and unsteadily made my way forward. The gobs surrounded me and helped me sit down. I looked at my arms and they were pretty damaged if I say so.

Four gruesome cuts had torn the skin and muscles apart. Blood gushed continuously out of them while the bone was visible. Showing some minor fractures.

This really hurts damnit!

"This is nothing. Do not worry about me." I patted the three and when I patted Dean, the one who beheaded the brutal monster, My blood dyed his face red.

Ah! My bad.

I looked at my arms and they need to be fixed soon. I needed some cloth or something to help stop the bleeding. But right before my eyes, the unthinkable happened.

They stopped bleeding. And the badly torn flesh started itching. This...

I have a slight healing factor? Wait. Its probably because of this.

I pulled out the status window and inspected a certain skill who quietly laid on screen.

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[Self Recovery Lv 4](Uncommon)

- Increased stamina recovery rate

- Increased bodily self-healing

Description:

With this skill, you would recover wounds and spent energy faster compared to regular humans at the cost of hunger or fatigue.

=====

I was feeling a bit tired and hungry despite eating moments earlier. This skill is pretty useful! How do I level it up though?

I glanced at the Blood-Soaked Badger's body who stood upright. Its head lie quietly to the side, eyes bloodshot. I needed the skull so I'll be taking the head.

I reached out towards it while ignoring the painfully itchy sensation from my arms. The moment I grasped the head of the Badger, the eyes glowed red for a second and the still dilated pupils regained their luster. It looked at me then at my hand.

It tried to bite me.

CHOMP! CHOMP! CHOMP!

No way! What the hell is this thing???

Surprised, I threw it against a tree and it bounced to the floor. The head was glaring at me with malice. Like an eastern zombie, the head hopped or is it bounced? Towards me, jaws biting the air.

I may be calm but this thing... Isn't it actually a bit scary?

A frown etched itself on my face and I sweated from seeing the strange scene. Aren't you supposed to be dead? Just to be sure, I inspected it and snorted.

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Blood Soaked Badger (Monster)

Lv 16

HP: 1/8200

MP: 100/100

Stamina: 4565/16000

Current State: {Enraged} {Insane} {Dying}

Attributes:

Str: 3400 (+1700)

Dex: 2600 (+1300)

Cons: 3400 (+1700)

Int: 40

Wis: 140

Agi: 2000 (+1000)

Skills:

[Berserker Lv 3] [Inhuman Durability lv 3] [Sharpened Claws Lv 8] [Blood Lust (MAX)] [Inhuman Strength Lv 1] [Nimble Lv 4] [Fear Bringer Lv 3] [Simple Minded (MAX)] [Last Resort (MAX)]

Skill Points: 0

Description:

Blood Soaked Badgers are extremely tenacious and highly aggressive. Able to enter a berserk state where their strength would double. Ripping off their head would only result in a headless body ruthlessly attacking you. The nearer it is to death, the stronger it gets. Its sharp claws backed by great power allows it to crush boulders and smash trees apart.

Important: The head and the body can both function independently of one another for a few moments.

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I gawked in disbelief at the body and the head who turned and started heading for me.

This is ridiculous! If it is like this then won't other Blood-Soaked Badgers be the same? Andreas Vesalius would turn in his grave seeing you defy the limits of mortal anatomy!

Alright, it is decided. These things are no longer Blood-Soaked Badgers to me. They're goddamned furry oversized cockroaches.

The body had reached me and tried swiping at me.

It missed me by a meter and it only managed to attack nothing but the air.

"Eh?" I smiled wryly despite trying to be calm. I can't it's just too absurd.

I facepalmed and pinched the bridge of my nose. What's the use of having the body defy mortal limit, oppose death and gain extra strength if it can't even see what it would attack. The head even looks like some angry chew toy.

What am I going to do with you...

I sighed in defeat. I grabbed the jumping head and threw it at my Goblins.

KHUEAAA

KHUAAAA

I chuckled. Deck and Dandy ran away in panic while Dean accidentally caught it and tried his best to hold the terrifying head who was still trying to bite something. Tears streamed from his eyes and he was genuinely terrified to hold that head.

"It will be fine. Don't be such a sissy and just make sure to hold it properly. Or you could use your brain too..." I hinted at Dean to tie up the Badger's mouth with rope or some vines.

He nodded before running to me. I frowned in confusion.

You want me to get the sack?

The burlap sack has three gagged silent idiots inside it. They had long since accepted their fate and just awaited death. I shrugged before making my way to the brown large sack that was thrown off earlier to avoid being damaged.

I set it down before Dean who opened it and put the Badger's head inside. I widened my eyes and curled my lips a bit.

"You're quite the sinister type huh..." I mumbled while patting the Goblin's head.

Such a good child you are. Really! With that pure, bright and innocent smile you are flashing me.

I am blessed to have great subordinates like you three goblins. Even I didn't think of that.

MMNHNMHNMHPHPPPPP!

MMMMMMMNGNNGGNGN!!!!!

Muffled screams of pain and panic came from the now tightly sealed burlap sack. Not that I could care or pity the people who made them.

Oh, don't be such pussies. The badger's head would stop and become motionless soon. But until then.

Good luck and please do your best to endure the torture.

I chuckled in amusement before gathering my frightened Goblins. I hung the sack on my back and we left the Blood-Soaked Badger's body.

Oh right. It was still moving and it seemed to be engrossed in fighting an invisible enemy. Wonderful! We pressed forth, wanting to complete the remaining few quests before setting up camp again.

We still have a few more hours before nightfall. That much I can tell from how dark the forest is. Pitch black it is night. Somewhat visible without a torch, it is daytime.

Hearing the screams of three thrashes were like music in my ears. Something snapped in me and I shivered.

This... Do I have an affinity to become a Sadist?

I hope that's not the case...