Chapter Twenty-Two: Good Companion

Chapter Twenty-Two: Good Companion

The battle raged on, Dusken felt his muscles screaming with every motion made. His limits were already in sight, but what kept him going was pure willpower.

The fight was happening in the forest, and the soft breeze cried as they were sliced apart by the rampaging roots and swift strikes of his longsword.

The soft ground and the grasses in the area were all but the same, all uprooted and mangled in a weird ghastly manner, but still… the battle between the lone human and the roots furiously went on.

Finally, after all likelihood, Dusken broke out of the encirclement made by the roots. He immediately unsummon his card, making it disappear.

The roots behind him shot at terrifying speed to catch up, not letting the human escape, but they were all level one which was the same as him.

Without looking back, he charged forward; the beast-man's face was flushed like it was in deep pain.

Unconcealed malice was blazing in its eyes while staring at Dusken; from its chest to stomach; blood rolled out like a stream.

Gritting its teeth, the alien's hands pointed forward and more roots shot out of the tree's trunk - all aimed for Dusken.

Gah

The beastman spat out blood on the soil of the forest, as veins bulged on its head - dashing left and right, more roots fell apart as Dusken passed.

He arrived in front of the beast-man, and a kick shot forward, its source from him. The beastman weakly raised its hand to defend against it.

A collision was made, making a soft sound ring out in the area; pain shot to Dusken's brain as the strong bones and the weak flesh of his foot clashed.

Dusken took a lurching step backwards, roots came at him - some flying through the air while others slithering on the ground.

Blood flowed out of the beast-man's nose and pores on its body, the strain of using such an overpowered ability was showing itself in a gruesomely, bloodily fashionable way.

Roots swarmed Dusken from all angles, and there was no time to think; following the movements of the shadows, he avoided the dangers time and time again, but inevitably, one entangled him.

His foot was pulled with powerful momentum making him fall to the ground, another root shot and grabbed his arm tightly, then another and another.

Soon, Dusken was restricted; his longsword hung limply in his hand, just a slight touch away from falling, as it swayed slowly.

Using all his force, Dusken tried to struggle free, but it was all useless; his strength wasn't able to make him wrestle out of the entanglement.

The beastman grinned madly, its blood-stained teeth revealing itself to the world.

"I have finally caught you, a slave that dares to kill my brother. I'll end your existence, I swear on my name." The angry bellow of the beast-man sounded in the surroundings.

For a brief moment, Dusken stopped his struggle and a smirk played at the corner of his lips; despite his grim situation, his smile was filled with indifference and uncare, like a monolith of primaeval mettle.

The alien trembled subtly while gazing at such a smile filled with cold confidence.

Dusken slowly shook his head as he spoke; his words would be forever remembered in the heart of the beast-man and one it would share with its descendants - if it were able to survive.

"A slave, you call me. Take a look at me now, a mere slave killed your brother, a mere slave survived against your pursuit, a mere slave shall end you,"

Dusken's words sounded out crystal clear as a lake, unaffected by the struggle he had against the roots; profound reflection was deeply rooted in his eyes.

'I was a fool,' this thought passed his mind, but still, he wasn't done.

"You see, at first, I was delusional. I thought that I was the main character of this world, heaven's chosen. But now I realize that there is no established main character in the Land. Everyone is a main character; everyone is also a side character, and only the winner speaks.

There is only an endless, perilous battle for survival in the unrelentless world. If I die, I can't be considered a protagonist; if I lose, I only have a chance to live for another day, but if I win, it simply means that today is not my day to die.

This proves that survival is absolute, so I must survive; no, I will survive to prove to the entire world that even if I am weak, I shall defy all odds and shape my path; this is my goal, an unattainable wish, but still pursuable."

Immediately those words were said, the blade of his sword that glowed like obsidian on which light was shown upon; dimmed and returned to a normal steel, as a small dark flame stayed afloat.

Dusken released his grip on his longsword making it fall to the ground with a low thud, then the dark flame flickered slightly as it flew to his right arm and transformed into a dark fire tattoo.

Immediately, strength filled Dusken as he felt like his power had doubled, his bones almost quaked under the intense strain of the root.

But then Dusken pulled hard, tearing roots apart with just his bare hands. His veins bulged under the strain, and his bones screamed at every attempt he made.

A dreadful expression appeared on the beast-man's face; it hadn't expected Dusken to be this strong, to break all binds.

An intent to kill Dusken arose in its heart, and it weakly took its bow and arrow. By now the ground around it was all dyed in blood due to its wound.

The alien used all its strength to place the arrow on the bowstring and pulled; its muscles were frail, and the arrow was barely being dragged. Then it was released weakly.

The beastman coughed out some blood due to the strain; it was now terribly fragile and couldn't do anything; it could only rely on the roots to hold Dusken since it had lost too much blood to make a move.

Swoosh

The soft sound of wind being torn apart reverberated in the area as the arrow aimed for Dusken's skull; through sensing the arrow's shadow, he averted the danger only for him to be grabbed once again by nearby roots.

He bent down and picked up his sword, without hesitation, he twirled it around and held it like a spear.

Straining his muscles to the limit, he made the dark tattoo on his body flow through his skin and once again attached itself to his sword, making its blade become ebony, resonating with his onyx dark eyes.

Then he threw it like a spear as the roots once again entangled him, pulling him in all directions like they wanted to tear him apart.

The sword stabbed through the air with furious swooshing sounds as the speed of advancement was too fast for his eyes to follow; his gaze was planted on the beast-man, waiting for it to die.

Just as expected, the beastman had lost too much blood and added to the strain it placed on itself for overusing its ability, it wasn't able to defend.

As the saying went, as long as one had life in them, they'll never give up, the beast-man raised its hands in an attempt to shield its head, but it was fragile, under the fiery momentum of the sword, its hands were pierced through, and the longsword planted itself on the alien's pig head.

For a second, time was slow for the beastman, its malice-laced eye stared at Dusken with intense regret deep within its heart

If only it had run away when it had met this slave, then probably, it would have survived to live another day.

This was the last thought of the beastman before its eyes became lifeless with its body becoming limp.

All the roots attacking Dusken stopped in an instant and slowly retreated. Fatigue and pain hit Dusken at once, making him take a deep breath.

His expression was calm; under the small howling of the winds and the aftermath of battle left in the forest, two corpses lay.

"I'm still too weak, I should have been able to kill these two level one beastmen in a much quicker time," Dusken muttered to himself with clenched fists.

[You have slain a level one awakened beastman]

[Your abyss within grows darker]

Negativity surged once again in Dusken's mind, but he endured it, letting hate, regret, anger, fear and bloodthirst wash over his very being.

Accompanying those negative emotions was power; he felt it, though minuscule, his strength had increased once more.

These negative emotions could not affect Dusken's goal in any way; if this was the price for strength, he would face it and see it as a good companion.

Just as Dusken was about to try out if it was possible to control the shadows of the beastmen, he sensed something, someone's shadow was swiftly heading towards his location.

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A/N: I'm really sorry for my previous mistake, I had uploaded Chapter Twenty three instead of Twenty two, and I sincerely apologise for my this. Due to this, I'll give a bonus Chapter today.

I really hope that you forgive me, and I wish to say that it won't happen again.