Desperate Attempt

Killing it by myself suddenly became a must. What if they wanted a share later on? Well, I guess it was alright if I could survive through it.

I focused on the trampled grass. From that direction, the Bison would come charging at me a third time. I still had my machete strapped on me with a hilt. I had a plan. It was to stall at most but it was worth a shot.

The bison had circled around by this point so I had to mentally prepare myself for its insane charge.

I unsheathed the machete with swift hands and held it with a single hand. My senses sharpened as I tried to make the best of the small bonus Kaiser spoke about. Missing a single second could result in my death or maiming.

I could hear many things. But at that point I was only focused on one. I was waiting for the sound of the bison's booming steps. My waiting was not for naught as it surely acted.

Now was the time!

I had the machete in my left hand. My feet were stable and my heart was calm and ready. I lunged out.

But there would have to be something wrong with me if that was all I planned on doing. Even if I avoided a head on collision I would likely break my arm by allowing the clash.

So I lunged and lugged the machete sharply forward. The bison was fast yes, but that was detrimental. Even bugs hitting one's face on the highway was painful, how could the bison tolerate running head first onto a sharp weapon?

SWOOOSH

The ground rumbled fiercely as the bison stampeded forward. It's speed was much faster this time. Once more, in less than 5 seconds, the bison was upon me. But something was actually different.

It was the blood that splattered everywhere. The machete was not a stabbing weapon by any means. But at that speed, it was inevitable that the bison would suffer.

I jumped aside, I had long since done so from the moment the machete had left my hand.

BAM!

"Urgh…!" But it wasn't fast enough.

Pain assaulted every inch of my body and I was flung sideways like a rag doll.

I was dazed. What the hell happened?!?

For a second I believed I had even blacked out. But wasn't that too much? I was only grazed by the damn thing yet it had me looking at the blue sky!

To top it off. through all the pain, I managed to hear the groans of the bison. Were it not for the fact that it almost killed me its cries of pain would have me feeling pity for it,

"Dan!" Seamus screamed frightfully as he ran over with quickened steps.

"Hey! You are bleeding!" He also screamed. I didn't know which part of me he was referring to but I couldn't care.

"That's f*cking obvious…!" I got out between gritted teeth. Of course it wasn't said in a rude tone. It was more sarcastic in nature. Most of all it was a way to vent. Yes, vent the pain away.

"Wh-" Seamus was about to ask more questions but I honestly could not let him continue. I was already seeing two of him.

"Get- Get me the crystal!" The damned thing was still alive and kicking but not if I had anything to say on the matter.

"What?" Seamus was caught off guard by the simple query.

"You heard me!!!" I struggled to lift my head and said towards him. It helped me catch a glimpse at my legs. It was gory for sure.

"Ah…" I involuntarily gasped at the sight of my mangled legs. The bleeding was profuse. But what really got me was the unusual and disturbing bending of my legs. It would seem the thing was too fast resulting in them getting caught.

Fortunately it didn't get my entire body. Still, I was bound to be chuck full of internal injuries from being tossed aside so ruthlessly. It was likely also responsible for my ringing head.

Seamus no longer asked any questions as he ran over to the bison.

"God damn iiiit!" I yelled towards the boundless blue sky. It was a roar of frustration.

Did I get too greedy? Is it trust issues? I didn't know! I couldn't know! It was all too f*cking complicated for a person such as me.

What did I do my whole life? There are stories of people who went through worse, through more abusive relationships, who ate once in a blue moon. who resorted to unspeakable means, who in the end… succeeded.

But why couldn't I succeed? Was it the empty promises of the government that spurred me on? Did I think getting a part time job would actually get me anywhere? Without my own ideas? Without my own skills? Following the flow? F*ck the flow!

I am my worst enemy!

"Hawk, give me a hand!"

You'd think that in an alternate reality I'd switch things around. I'd realize my mistakes and try to mend them.

So far all I've done is be experimented on, killled a man. Joined the mafia due to the experiment, use the experiment to sneak into places I shouldn't be in, indulge in that brief feeling of superiority, and make acquaintances.

What did this matter for?

I could faintly hear the bison roaring in agony as Seamus hacked away at its flesh. It was a sight I was not privy to, regardless, I would survive.

Would… would I change then…?

…

Not at all.

Was anything actually wrong? Wasn't it always a result of my circumstances and atmosphere. So I would not change.

"I got it!" Seamus said loudly from a short distance as he ran over.

I didn't feel it necessary to change my current mindset. It wasn't like I had done anything unlawf- too unlawful.

He had a bloody knife in one hand and a green crystal on the other. His clothes were bloody but he had a smile on his face. He was rather simple. \

He placed the crystal in one of my hands. I knew what I had to do.

Through all of the pain, I found the crystal's energy and took it in. I redirected towards my legs in hopes of healing them.

I felt some buzzing. It was as if electricity had entered my body. It was natural. I wasn't surprised. Then came the sudden jolts of pain.

Hehehe, but I was already feeling miserable so I easily ignored it. It was like fighting fire with fire, or neutralizing a poison with another.

Well no, it is actually very much possible that I would feel it later…

Then came the hot feeling that coursed through one's body. The magma that rounded around my veins and arteries.

"Cough cough" I spurted out a mouthful of blood and my vision became short sighted. All was becoming blurry. The grade was too high…

The energy jump from grade one to grade three was simply 1,000 points of mutational energy. It didn't look like a scary number. It was, I had endured it before but if I felt as if I would die.

From grade three to grade four… 9,000. The process was at least nine times more grueling. To jump grade from one crystal alone was unwise. It could lead to mutation.

"Aaaargh!" My vision returned briefly. No one could say my entire state had briefly improved. I basically jumped right up from where I lay.

Click.

A gun was cocked towards me.

I shifted my gaze towards the sound and saw Hawk. I reached out with a grayed arm, black tendrils writhed from it. My brain obviously realized it wasn't normal.

"Arrgh!" I brought my arm back and my mind whirred to control the mutational energy that flowed through my body.

It felt like thousands of bolts were coursing through me yet I had to keep a cool and steady mind. It was nearly impossible.

But the pain did eventually fade, so had my vision.