6 Chapter 3: Timing and Prediction

Luka's P.O.V.

*Growl*

As the beast in front of me looked towards me with an intimidating glare, I smiled. The beast was about 20 feet high, and it sure is scary as hell. But if I look at the brighter side, this isn't so scary at all.

If it's a praying mantis, there is a big weakness that I can find in it. I tightened my grip to my spear and started to walk slowly towards the beast. When I was near it, I pointed my Spear towards it.

"Your actions are bad, Mister Praying Mantis. Now that I'm here, you will pay your debts in hell. Prepare to die, you worthless being." I said.

Suddenly, the beast stood up tall, raising it's large front legs as it opens it wings to look big. Oh, so you're already seeing me bot as a prey and a predator huh? Well, let the battle... commence.

I ran back to my starting position earlier. I looked around and then ran. I ran in circles, girding the Praying Mantis while still gaining my distance towards it. I tried to attack it, but it's arms and legs are defending themselves.

Although I am fighting a ginormous bug, it seems like it uses it's brain. Sigh. This is going to be tough. Let's first focus on defense first. I have a plan. I will lure the Praying Mantis into attacking me. If I'm correct, what Devries stated about fighting an Evolved Abbysmal Praying Mantis is to focus on defense.

He said that this beast uses it's front legs to grab it's in a blinding fast pounce. It's pointy, sharp spikes hold it's prey until it begins to munch in. That's a brutal way of killing someone, if I do say so myself. But everything has a weakness, don't they?

I started to lure the Praying Mantis as I planned by running back and forth. If it sees me as a prey, then it's checkmate. I started by doing that, and finally, the Praying Mantis moved itself. It walked near me as it did it's stance.

My heart was pounding very fast out of fear, but fear is just an illusion. "I'm still alive" is what Devries want to teach me. That's right. I'm still alive, so let's get this over with. We still have an Omnior to defeat. I'm the one to talk. Hahahaha.

The Praying Mantis did it's stance again, but this time, it's eyes were glaring at me, finally seeing me as a prey. Yikes. If looks could kill, I would be dead by now. As I was lost in my thoughts, the mantis tried to grab me with it's legs at a blinding speed.

I jumped sidewards as the beast looked at me. Sigh. Like I said, this is going to be tough. What is up with that speed anyways? I know that it's fast, but I totally did not expect that it's that fast. I mean, if I lowered my guard just a bit, I would be dead meat by now.

It again attempted to catch me, and I barely escaped it again. What it did repeated for like 10 times. Now I'm getting used to this. Now that I think about it, this beast has an attack pattern. And it's pretty easy. It's pattern are Left, left, right, down.

The beast attacked me with it's left arm, and again with it's left arm. Then, it attacked me with it's right arm, and then suddenly downwards. When the beast's arm landed on the ground, it created a deep crater. Sheesh. No need to be so mad.

Now that I know it's attack pattern, I can finally evade it. Now that I know how to evade it, I must learn how to attack it. Think, Luka. What would Devries would do in this situation, where his oponent is extremely fast?

"Remember, when having opponents that have fast attacks, you need to master 2 things. Timing and prediction. Reflect your fighting style, and stay out of your comfort zone."

That's right! Devries said that I need to master Timing and Prediction! I think I already did Prediction — well, more like observing, but that still counts, I think? — and what I lack is timing. Yeah. I am pretty confident with my strength, power, and defense, but I lack in various different things. And the one thing that I lack the most is Timing.

"Skreek!" The Evolved Abbysmal Praying Mantis stated as it sweeped me with it's right hand.

I was locked with the two of it's hands. Robin's Bow! I was lost in my thought that I completley forgot about my oponent! I tried to move my body but it's grip just is extremely powerful. Maybe I am underestimating this beast too much. Sigh. Arrogance.

"I'll get serious from now." I said, looking at the Praying Mantis that is getting ready from killing me.

I closed my eyes as I focus my attention and reflected on my enemy's movements earlier. If my enemy's pattern is Left, Left, Right, Down, then it's weakness must be... it's head! That's right. It's head is the most open, since it's only protecting it's body!If I can somehow make it arms stop, I can annihilate it! I smirked.

"Braeön." I stated.

As I said that, the middle of my palms began to form a circle. Then, it became a black hole. Suddenly, some kind of a thin white metal came out of it. The said metal was about 5 meters in length and counting. Latterly, it surrounded the Praying Mantis' arms, which weakened it's grip.

I closed my hands as the Braeön — the metal earlier — stopped creating. I tried to escape from it's hands, and finally, I did. I looked at it as I smiled. Finally. I jumped as high as it's head and went straight into killing it. I swung my spear, and by the blink of an eye, I landed on the ground. The mantis' head was on the ground as well, as countless blood was spurting around.

"Done! Are all of them finished by now?"