Chapter 6 - Relentless

[Trigger warning: This chapter contains graphic descriptions of gore and violence. If you are sensitive to these topics, please proceed with caution.]

[Narrator: Author]

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The intricate dance of combat continued, and when 25 seconds had passed once again, the creature attacked Reiji with its white crescent attack.

This time, however, Reiji was keenly aware of the visible form and the gleaming of its horns; he managed to dodge the onslaught. The battle now seemed to shift in his favor, and victory appeared within reach unless… the creature opted for the elusive strategy of invisibility once again.

'I just need to endure til its duration worn out again, if I survive, that is.'

As the creature renewed its assault, Reiji, anticipating its every strike, fended off its attacks with clumsy parries. His right hand, a useless weight, hung limp at his side.

"Khh!"

'Though it's quite awkward, I'm getting the hang of using the branch with my left hand…!'

When 10 seconds had passed after the renewed assault, the creature abruptly ceased its attacks. Seizing the opportunity, Reiji prepared to counterattack with a makeshift weapon.

As the creature lunged forward for another assault, Reiji caught sight of something glinting between its jaws, a murky crystal stone poised to be bitten. His eyes widened in realization just as he raised his makeshift weapon.

With a determined grunt, Reiji swung downward, aiming to crush the creature and the mysterious stone it held.

Crack!

But just before his weapon could make contact, the creature's jaws clamped down on the stone, shattering it into a cloud of shimmering dust.

Shatter!

Simultaneously, the creature dissolved into thin air, leaving Reiji swinging at nothing but the fading remnants of its presence. Reiji staggered back, his heart pounding with confusion and frustration. The unexpected turn of events left him grappling with the uncertainty of the situation. What was that stone, and why did the creature vanish along with it?

'It teleported?'

Reiji hurriedly scanned his surroundings, but nothing caught his sight.

'Shit, what was that stone in its mouth? Is it a stone that allows one to be invisible?! Ahh! I can't keep up to understand every single thing!', he cursed towards himself as he was unable to comprehend the situation.

'But if it became invisible, then…!'

Reflecting on the earlier encounter, he recalled dodging the last crescent attack just before the creature revealed its form. This marked the initiation of the cooldown period for that particular ability.

Two sets of 25 seconds had passed – the cooldown duration for each crescent attack. Combined, it amounted to 50 seconds. Adding the 10 seconds of the relentless onslaughts, the entire cycle took precisely 60 seconds, equivalent to 1 minute.

This revealed the creature's pattern: a cooldown period of 1 minute before it could employ its invisibility once again.

'The last thing to figure out is the duration of the invisibility, and if there's more skills it can use—!'

Before Reiji could even finish his thoughts, a subtle rustle of grass reached his left ear. In an instant, his left temple itched, a subtle signal that an attack was imminent from the left. Reacting, Reiji leaned forward, narrowly dodging the incoming attack. Anticipating a potential attack, he braced himself, ready for the creature's next move.

He focused on the sensitivity of his skin, attuned to any minute changes, and listened intently to the creature's movements with his keen hearing. This encounter for Reiji — who was determined to attack, counterattack, dodge or block the creature's attacks — only made him to decide that he needed to survive, no matter way. Whether it chose to teleport again after the dodge or employ any other hidden skill, he had to survive.

However, the creature persisted with its relentless onslaught, moving even faster this time. There was a moment where, Reiji, though managing to block the attack aimed at his stomach with the makeshift weapon, found himself in a tense moment. Another subtle itch, this time at his nape, signaled a new threat. With no other choice, Reiji swiftly dodged to evade the impending strike.

He continued to attack, counterattack, dodge and block.

And just then...

Crack!

'Damn it! I expected this, but in a situation like this?!'

His makeshift weapon shattered under the accumulated force of the creature's series of destructive attacks. While it had served him well as a temporary means of defense, it hadn't afforded him the opportunity to land a massive hit on the creature. The battle had taken a toll on his defenses, leaving Reiji to confront the creature with a sense of urgency and the realization that a new strategy was needed for survival.

'15 seconds had passed after it became invisible…! Survive, Reiji!'

The location he is now is a wide clearing in a forest where he can gather information about the creature's whereabouts… going inside the dense forest would only make his keen sense of hearing be useless, additional to the unexpected geographical feature this place had.

He had no choice but to stay where he can — at least — hope for a victory while depending on his senses.

As 25 seconds elapsed after the last crescent attack when its form wasn't invisible, Reiji's instincts kicked in, anticipating the next move. He braced himself, ready for the anticipated crescent attack.

Just as he anticipated, a sudden rush of wind brushed past him from the right, causing his ears to prick up in alertness.

"?!"

Turning his gaze, he caught sight of a swift blur darting from one tree to another, leaving behind a trail of rustling leaves and gusts of wind against the bark. The realization struck him— the creature was using the trees to gain momentum with its leaps, preparing for its next assault.

But something puzzled Reiji. Normally, the creature would launch its crescent attack immediately after the skill cooldown refreshed.

'So why the delay now?'

'Why wasn't it attacking?'

The weight of uncertainty pressed down on Reiji, muddying his thoughts and making it a struggle to choose his next action.

'I'll act up after the crescent attack...!'

And just then, the back of his head itched. The itch intensified in an instant, a primal scream erupting in his instincts – an attack was coming from behind. At the same moment, a sharp sound of air parting reached his ears, indicating the creature had gathered considerable momentum.

Reacting swiftly, Reiji lowered himself, anticipating the assault. Aware of the creature's teleportation abilities, he sidestepped a few steps to evade the expected attack. However, the creature's intentions were far more cunning than Reiji had anticipated.

Unbeknownst to him, the creature had no intention of directly attacking him physically. Instead, it utilized its teleportation to appear behind him, aiming towards the ground. With a quiet descent, it landed on the undergrowth and swiftly dashed towards Reiji, its true intentions concealed.

Reiji wasn't able to hear anything, but only the sound of his heartbeat beating like crazy.

Just as it closed in on him, the shroud of invisibility dissipated, revealing the creature mere meters away. At breakneck speed, it launched its attack from behind Reiji, catching him off guard.

'Where is it?!'

In a split second, pain shot through Reiji's calves as the creature's strike left a deep wound.

"—AAAAAACKK!!"

Reiji's agonizing scream echoed through the forest, the pain overwhelming his senses.

'F*CK?! Behind?!'

He stumbled, falling to his knees as blood gushed out from his leg. His vision immediately blurred, and he could feel his strength waning.

And just as Reiji's consciousness teetered on the brink of oblivion, a sudden itch tingled at his left temple, a stark contrast to the pain raging through his wounded leg. Before he could even register the sensation, the creature struck again.

"KKH-!"

With a sharp gasp, Reiji felt himself losing control, his body swaying precariously as darkness threatened to engulf him.

Not too long after that, another itch emanated on his left temple. In those fleeting moments before unconsciousness claimed him, a surge of defiance coursed through his veins.

'This is... a fantasy world,' his gaze darting around as his eyelids fluttered closed. At that moment, he spotted a stone lay just out of reach.

'...A world where I dreamed of living.'

'I was given such an opportunity yet... I am going to die here?'

'A pathetic one at that?'

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips, despite the pain and fear gnawing at his senses.

'Ha...'

'Not in a million years I'd die here!'

As Reiji's eyes that's struggling to stay open now opened widely, where a surge of white aura burst out from his body came afterwards. Unbeknownst to him, the white aura was shrouding him in a radiant glow. His determination to live kicked in, urging him to reach out for the stone within his grasp.

"HRGH!!!"

With his left hand grasping the makeshift weapon, he immediately turned his body towards the creature; his aim steady as he hurled the stone, not too strong but with enough force to draw the creature's attention.

In a blur of motion, the creature teleported mid-air, dodging the stone effortlessly. Yet Reiji had anticipated this, waiting patiently for the moment to strike. As the creature closed in, Reiji hurled himself forward, his mind focused on one goal: to kill it.

With the creature unable to dodge mid-air, panic flickered in its eyes as Reiji seized its leg with a vice-like grip. The creature attempted to retaliate, aiming a kick at Reiji's face, but Reiji was prepared, dodging the attack by leaning his head backward.

"Oi…"

Summoning every ounce of strength, Reiji slammed the creature to the ground; the creature choked and its movements momentarily halted. With a firm grip on its head, Reiji rose to his feet, his right hand clenching tightly around the back of the creature's skull.

He start walking to where he threw stone, his injured leg protesting with each step.

'Ha... f*ck.'

Closing in, Reiji couldn't help but gulped down. After all, he was about to kill the thing in his hand. However, he was determined.

How could he afford to feel remorse to someone who hurt him?

"You see this stone?" Reiji pointed his finger towards it, "It might seem a bit far from this distance but don't worry."

Mustering all of his strength to his right hand which doesn't hurt anymore due to stiffling, he started raising the creature.

"Because you'll be seeing them up close."

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|TO BE CONTINUED|