Fighting the Skinlings

The group stayed in formation and approached at a slow pace. Meanwhile, the Skinlings started running at the applicants. However, the Skinlings were silent except for their steps on the ground.

"These things are quite creepy." Allura stated while she began to sweat as her face turned ashen.

"I know. This is our first fight as a team against things this scary." Valentina says while gripping her longsword and shield tightly, as her hands become clammy.

"They are scary, but not as bad as that creature that Hendrix fought." Kiannah replied while grimacing and remembering how helpless they were as her nails dug into her hands.

'Kiannah is right. Hendrix fought a horror alone and sacrificed himself for us. In his memory, we should do so too.' Natasha thought as her eyes widened in realization before she gritted her teeth and stopped her trembling body from shaking. "Let's kill these creatures. Hopefully, they aren't as nasty as that menace we saw after meeting you, Kiannah."

Kiannah nodded before she readied her hook-covered whip.

Afterward, the Skinlings began targeting Valentina, and the first one got into a tackling position and ran at her.

Just before the Skinling could reach her, the edge of the hooked whip swung at its right arm, and on impact, the skin ripped off partially. Consequently, the Skinling turned and saw Kiannah behind Natasha and Valentina as she pulled the whip hard. This action resulted in the whip hooks grabbing the Skinling's skin and tearing off all of it on its right arm.

Afterward, the things blood vessels lay exposed, and how they held their bones together lay revealed.

"I think I may have found a weakness." Kiannah says before her eyes widen as one of the other Skinlings uppercuts Valentina.

"Agh!" Valentina yelled while stepping backward before trying to get back into a combat stance. Additionally, she winced due to her bruised chin.

"Valentina, are you alright?!" Natasha asked while she got in front of her and swung her katana at the closest Skinlings left arm.

The Skinling noticed the swing and sidestepped before spinning and slapping the left side of her face.

"Ow! These creatures are annoying." Natasha stated while rubbing her face and seeing it bruised from the hit.

"I know, but at least they don't seem that dangerous." Allura says while she stabs at another Skinlings side three times consecutively.

Subsequently, the Skinling didn't react, resulting in three small holes opening up, revealing bone and blood vessels somewhat covering it.

"These Skinlings have a weakness, rip off their skin, and cut off their blood vessels. They may perhaps fall apart." Kiannah expressed while swinging her whip at the Skinling she already attacked.

The Skinling In question tried to dodge Kiannah's whip. However, the whip's edge barbs slashed its lower right arm and severed it from the elbow. Consequently, the Skinling didn't react to its loss and ran at Kiannah.

Alas, the Skinling was stopped by Natasha as she swung her katana at the Skinling's upper arm with all her strength. Subsequently, the Skinling moved its arm in time before it backhanded Natasha's head and kicked her in the stomach.

[You have taken three damage to Vigor]

"Ugh!" Natasha yelled as she flew back and landed on her side. Subsequently, blood dripped from her mouth as she looked at the Skinling.

The one-armed Skinling picked up half of its severed arm before smiling so wide that its lips seemed to stretch. Afterward, it spun its severed arm piece around itself before raising it above its head and swinging down at Natasha's head.

Natasha's eyes widened while looking at the incoming bone as her life flashed before her eyes. Afterward, she closed her eyes as she anticipated horrible pain. However, the impact never came, and when she opened her eyes, they widened.

Allura had blocked the attack with her rapier while gritting her teeth as she struggled to continue holding off the attack.

"Hurry and get up, Natasha. Agh!" Allura was kicked and tackled by two different Skinlings and dropped her rapier.

"No, Allura!" Natasha yelled before she got up and swung her katana at the Skinling's legs joints. Subsequently, she frowned, and her eyes narrowed.

The Skinling couldn't react quickly, and Natasha severed its legs at the waist. Afterward, it tried crawling, but its pace was snail-like.

<A emergency quest is generated>

<Eye for an Eye>

<Description: Kill the Skinlings rag-dolling you and your teammates>

<Reward: One common roulette ticket>

<Your time limit is when you can no longer fight. And the penalty is your and their deaths>

<You have no choice but to complete this quest. Good luck, Natasha>

Natasha ignored the quest and ran towards Allura and swung her katana at a Skinlings neck. Additionally, she caught the Skinling off guard as its head flew off its body. Subsequently, Skinling's body slumped to the floor.

Natasha looked at Allura wrestle with the Skinling before looking at Kiannah crippling one of the others. Afterward, her gaze moved to Valentina and the fierce battle between her and the last complete Skinling.

'I'll help Allura. Wait, I'm not feeling well.' Natasha thought as she knelt as blood continued to drip from her mouth.

"Ugh, get off me!" Allura yelled as she pushed the Skinling off, grabbed her rapier, and used her technique. Afterward, her rapier lit ablaze as she stabbed it into the Skinling.

That Skinling caught fire and started trying to put it out frantically. But it was all for naught as it eventually burned to death.

"Natasha, are you okay!?" Allura's eyes widened while running to her before wincing as bruises and bite marks covered her arms.

"I-I'm fine." Natasha replied while trying to get up but feeling a stinging sensation in her abdomen whenever attempting it.

"No, you're not, and neither am I. Let's rest here unless Kiannah or Valentina need help." Allura suggested while sitting next to Natasha and smiling.

"Okay, I'll rest. However, why didn't you use that technique earlier in this fight? It would have made the fight much easier." Natasha asked.

"Well, that technique uses mana. And I used all my mana up with it." Allura explained while sighing.

"I understand. We should pick a random ruin and enter. We don't have the luxury of searching for one in good condition. We may die if we face more, and my backpack is damaged." Natasha stated.

"Okay, let's wait for Valentina and Kiannah to kill the rest." Allura responded.

After five minutes, Kiannah and Valentina both finished killing the group of Skinlings and arrived by Natasha and Allura.

<Eye for an Eye is completed>

<You have acquired one common roulette ticket>

<The roulette ticket is stored in a special system subspace>

Natasha smiled slightly after getting the roulette ticket.

"Natasha, Allura, are you okay?" Valentina asked while she knelt in front of them.

"We aren't, sadly. However, when we enter a safe ruin, we can see if there's any way to treat our injuries." Natasha says while wiping drops of blood from her mouth.

"Let's hurry then. I'll help Allura and Valentina. Can you help Natasha walk?" Kiannah questioned.

"Yes, I can. Let's hurry." Valentina replied.

Subsequently, Valentina and Kiannah began helping their teammates walk, and within thirty minutes, they found a ruined house.

It looked somewhat rustic and made of bricks with cracks and wood. Additionally, parts of its top were missing. However, its door was surprisingly intact.

Afterward, with great difficulty, they opened the door and saw almost nothing inside, say for some bones and an open wooden coffin. Also, another empty room was on the right as moonlight entered from windows in the back of both chambers.

"I guess this is our new home for our stay. We should barricade the door with rocks and stay inside. None of us have medical expertise or healing magic or skills." Natasha stated while walking to the coffin.

"Hendrix had it, but he's probably dead." Valentina stated while crying.

"He's not dead. I saw him earlier. However, he went to the class of madness, so I'm not sure if he'll survive that." Kiannah replied while remembering the horrific survival rate for applicants of that one.

"Oh no. Well, maybe we should fight more of those creatures. After all, if Hendrix is still alive, we can't keep our promise if we're so much weaker than him. We need more battle experience." Allura suggested.

"Let's talk more on this topic after barricading the door and getting our makeshift beds out." Natasha suggested.

Everyone else nodded and began to do so.