Hunter

My movements were sharp and precise. Each step had a purpose, each strike deadly aim. The soldiers couldn't believe someone so young looking and skinny could fight like that, deflecting sharp claws and landing precise blows to disable the enemies.

I faced sharp claws and monsters without fear, not backing down even while surrounded. My fists smashed into the longclaws, my feet were agile.

I lived on battlefields in my past life, but this body still hadn't. Yet, it slowly got better and better, easier and easier to move with. My breathing was steady, and I felt comfortable, as if I had been swimming in New Qi since birth.

The soldiers found hope. Some even cheered me on. They could finally watch those monsters die. I got rid of the longclaws nearby. The ones further away suddenly stopped rushing in. They were mindless, not supposed to retreat or avoid me. That made it clear something capable of controlling them was coming, and would be at least a ranked enemy.

"They seem to have stopped for now. You have my gratitude," the sergeant approached me, "Young man, how can you fight those things? Who are you?"

I knew he had questions, but we had no time for answers, "Officer, you need to get those people to cross quickly, no matter the cost. Even if you have to leave some behind, get them to the other side."

The sergeant frowned, "I can't do that. We will hold on until they pass. That is our duty."

"There's no time. The bridge will collapse soon."

"What?! How could you possibly know that?"

I pointed to the cracks on the buildings and broken items on the ground, "Those buildings are proof. You should have noticed everything is a lot more fragile now, even guns and knives. The bridge will collapse, it's just a matter of time. Even I could take it down right now with my bare hands. And that means many people will die unless they cross quickly."

The sergeant's face twisted. He couldn't refute me in this world where nothing made sense anymore, "Corporal, hurry those people up! Those that can run should run ahead."

The corporal saluted and hurried, "Yes, sergeant!"

"Can't we push them back? If we can fight them as you did…" The sergeant's hopeful eyes were on me.

"I can't explain, but you won't be able to fight them for now. Besides... Those things are like barely trained recruits in their army. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Army? You mean there's…" His eyes widened.

"Yeah. Higher ranks. Call them commanders, generals, whatever you want. I will just say that, if any of those shows up and we're still here, we're all going to wish we were dead."

"..."

I could tell he was deciding whether to trust me, but what choice did he have? I was the only one who could kill those things.

"We only have two choices: either pass the bridge before it collapses, or swim across. That's it. This is not our city anymore," I saw the frustration on his face and continued, "Survive. If you do, you will be able to fight back."

I gave him some hope. He clenched his fists, and a new resolution emerged.

"Men, hurry, get those people across before those things move again!" He was a decisive person, without hesitation.

I breathed steadily, recovering Qi. This tired body wasn't enough to stop me. Neither the longclaws nor I moved after some time. Most people were halfway across the bridge, others already on the other side. It looked crowded, but when I thought about the entire population of Nova City, I couldn't help but sigh.

How many died? 80% to 90%?

More than that, how many in the world survived?

I never had the answers to those questions in my last life. I probably wouldn't this time around either.

The sergeant shouted for me to go. I wasn't sure I should. I feared not the bridge's collapse, but triggering the longclaws by moving. After a while, I finally decided to go, when the New Qi in the air rippled, and a shiver passed through my body.

The longclaws turned forward at the same moment, without moving. A figure crept up from behind them, strolling leisurely, dragging several disfigured bodies with his tentacle-like claws.

Different from a longclaw and their long limbs, this monster had six long tentacles, each with claws at the tip. His disfigured face had a single-eye and its body resembled a normal longclaw with a slightly different golden-brown color. Six ranked longclaws walked in formation by his side as bodyguards.

"Hunter".

A ranked Ath'Taren demon with leadership capabilities, often used by the Demonic Army to hunt and track. Its combat capabilities were no joke, either. He exuded the air of a predator, disturbing the Qi in the air as it walked.

"Young man, Run!" the sergeant shouted again.

My eyes wandered to the bridge. There were still too many people, but it didn't seem like it would collapse yet. However, if the hunter got on…

I wanted to run. I already did enough. I can't save everyone. Everything was much easier to decide when I didn't have any power. Now I felt like a coward by thinking of running away. I held my fist up in the air with a quick salute to the sergeant.

"You…!"

Sorry, everyone. I said I would meet you soon, but I had to hold back this monster. Half an hour, ten minutes, even five minutes. Any time I could buy meant saving more lives. I took a fighting stance one more time. The six ranked longclaws dashed forward while the other longclaws didn't move.

Those aren't normal ranked longclaws either. They were all faster and stronger because of the hunter's demonic influence and leadership. However, they were common evolutions, not of different types like the [Clawer] from before.

The claws came, slashing lightning quickly, but I was also much faster thanks to the New Qi. I deflected the first attack, striking back with a punch. The ranked enemy dodged, and the next one pierced at me.

Fuck me. They were even fighting together as a group. I barely blocked the attack when another claw came, forcing me to dodge. I kicked one in the chest, but they were already on to me again. This time, I wouldn't be fast enough to dodge.

[Defense up]

The magic circle glowed as I cast the spell on myself. I couldn't think about saving MaQi. With Defense Up, I took their attacks straight on. It hurt, but without focusing on dodging, my entire strength went into destruction. I took the hits, bruising and battering my body, but each opportunity brought forth by pain was not in vain; my counters were deadly. The ranked longclaws fell one by one. I broke their limbs, ripped their chests, looking like a madman.

Six longclaws came, and the six died, not without a price. Claw marks marred my body, blood drenched my clothes red. I would have died several times over without my spell.

The hunter finally moved forward. I wiped the blood out of the corner of my mouth.

Time for a Boss Fight.