First Enemies

Everything is dark, cold, and moist.

I'm slowly suffocating as I feel the sensation of thousands and thousands of needles piercing my skin. So cold it feels like I am burning. It's not literal, but the cold is so agonizing that it feels that way. My blood turns sluggish, but my Flaw keeps it pumping through my body, making this torture even worse as I constantly switch between feeling warm and feeling cold.

With all my strength, I concentrate on the God's blessed Memory and summon it before I completely black out.

If I black out now, I may be trapped here forever, with my body regenerating just enough for me to regain consciousness only to lose it again a second later.

As the Memory manifests on my right ear, I can feel the coldness slowly fading away and getting replaced by a feeling of being crushed. I find myself buried under a mountain of snow, and on top of that, I'm naked.

Concentrating once more, I summon [Kissed by the Sun] and I notice how the armor appears on my body. First, a thin layer of cloth wraps tightly around my body like a wetsuit. After that, the metallic plates quickly manifest on top of it. Lastly, something akin to a red cape appears on my right shoulder, and another cloth of the same color wraps around my waist. After the armor hugs my body tightly, I use the Dragon Breath ability of the Memory, and flames explode from the little holes and lines scattered around the armor, searching for escape out of whatever space they were trapped in.

The snow around me melts into water, and I'm greeted by a bright light, even though there is no sun in the azure sky, only milky white clouds. And something about these clouds strikes me as deeply unsettling, although I can't quite comprehend what.

I stand up and assess my surroundings. There are only snowy mountain peaks and nothing more. Whichever way I look, all I see are mountains covered in snow, and I'm currently standing on one. There are rocks and small hills around me.

"The signal," I remind myself with a soft whisper. I gather my strength and use Dragon Breath again. I shoot my hand into the sky and open my palm, revealing around seven tiny holes, where fire is waiting to be released, like hounds waiting to be set loose in a field of prey.

With a sudden burst of flames, I create a bright, fiery column that shoots up into the sky. I know it's a reckless move, sure to draw unwanted attention. However, I'm not concerned about that right now. If needed I can retreat by using Flesh Step. My priority is to locate Raijin as quickly as possible. No matter how strong I am, one can't survive alone in the Dream Realm.

I stand in the snowy landscape, convinced I'm alone.

But then, a strange feeling of being observed washes over me. I pivot on my heels, summoning [The King's Spear-Sword] into my right hand. The golden Guandao takes shape and I grip it firmly.

To my astonishment, three creatures emerge from the snowy surroundings. Their pristine white bodies make them nearly invisible in the snow, but their dark talons, wings, and piercing red eyes set them apart.

The first creature resembles a colossal bird with a hooked beak and six wings. It sports a pair of wings where human arms would be, another pair under its armpits, and a final set on its back. Each wing is adorned with gray spikes that randomly replace feathers. This humanoid monster towers at about three meters.

Next to it is a creature resembling a giant Siberian tiger with imposing wings on its neck. Its eyes are concealed beneath white fur, and it lacks visible ears. Its sharp claws dig into the snow, ready to spring into action.

The most unsettling of the trio is a tall, humanoid figure with arms extending all the way to its ankles. These arms merge seamlessly with wings. What's truly disturbing is the multitude of human-like eyes scattered across its bald head, giving it the appearance of a slender human skull merged with a dog's.

  I murmur to myself under my breath, "This doesn't look good," as I brace myself defensively. It's evident that these creatures are not here for a friendly chat. They're after something, and I have a sinking feeling it's my life they seek-

The snow around me suddenly turns denser, like wet dirt, and wraps around my ankles, rooting me in place. My heart races as I activate Dragon's Breath, releasing a deafening explosion beneath my legs. I feel the bones in my legs shatter, but they regenerate quickly enough to grant me mobility.

Leaping to the side, I narrowly avoid a ferocious attack from the tiger-like creature, which had pounced at me right as the snow began to trap my ankles. However, dodging its initial assault isn't enough to escape harm, since there was a second attack coming. And that one I was not able to dodge.

The humanoid-like monster, swift and relentless, propels itself forward, its clawed fist puncturing my chest with frightening force. I'm sent hurtling backward, a hole gaping in my chest where my lungs and a fragment of my heart used to be. Gasping for breath, I land in the snow, which closes in around me before I can even rise, my wound already halfway mended.

The regeneration takes a ton of energy, and so does the Dragons Breath, even though not as much as the Flaw. The Dragons Breath must be constantly activate to burn the moving snow. The issue is that I can't stop the regeneration since it's a part of my Flaw so I have to waste two times the Essence I would normally.

I am already slightly out of breath. At least because of the Adrenaline I can't feel much pain. Regeneration is a demanding and agonizing process, with every bone, muscle, and nerve reconnecting-

Amidst the adrenaline-fueled chaos, I engage Dragon's Breath, immersing myself in a fiery blaze that scorches the moving snow. My ultimate goal: eliminate this treacherous snow. With a wicked grin, I fully activate the flames, causing an explosive outburst. Flames surge out from every hole, crack, and gap in my armor, creating a true firestorm. There is no snow left around me, only evaporating water, and my stomach wound is sealed shut. However, a gaping hole remains in my armor.

Assuming a defensive posture once more after jumping up onto my feet, I prepare for the next assault. It arrives quickly, with the tiger-creature launching itself towards me. Boosted by its wings, it moves at such incredible speed that it leaves behind afterimages. Its jaws open wide, eager to snap off my head.

Sparing my precious energy, I sidestep at the very last moment, and the creature's attack merely grazes my shoulder, leaving me unharmed. The Tiger flies past me.

There's no time to relax, though, as the next adversary is already closing in: the humanoid monster, its diagonal arm poised for a strike, sharp wing aimed at me. It aims to cleave me in two.

With bated breath, I brace myself, raising my Guandao before my face with both hands. The creature and my weapon collide, and despite my stable footing, I'm shoved backward, with the ground cracking beneath me. My Guandao emerges unscathed and even manages to shatter the monster's wing bones upon impact. An electric current of pain courses through me as the collision shakes my very core, but my Guandao proves resilient. Not wasting any precious moments, I retract the Guandao and spin it around my waist to build enough momentum for my next move.

Once the immediate danger passes, I shift the Guandao's weight and deliver a devastating blow, severing the monster's right arm with the broader blade. It falls to the icy floor, emitting a bloodcurdling screech as hot blood and steam billow from the clean wound near its shoulder. The monster's agonized cries echo in the frigid air-

Suddenly, an overwhelming force strikes me from behind, propelling me forward onto the wounded humanoid Nightmare Creature. As I tumble through the air, I twist around and thrust the Guandao into the creature's stomach with the longer blade.

Colliding with the Nightmare Creature, we both tumble to the ground. I find myself perched on the creature's furry abdomen after our abrupt landing. Seizing the moment, I rise to its head. With my knuckles wreathed in flames summoned by Dragon's Breath, I unleash a series of rapid punches upon the creature's face, reducing it to a grotesque, unrecognizable pulp. Frenziedly, I grip its skull and slam it into the ground repeatedly, the impact causing it to splinter and nearly explode. 

The Spell's voice rings in my ear:

[You have slain an Awakened Monster: Decaying Bird!]

I regain my footing, retrieving my Guandao from the Decaying Bird's remains. My energy reserves are rapidly depleting; perhaps I can execute one Flash Step before exhaustion overtakes me. The rear collision from the Tiger Bird left me with fractured bones that my Flaw is currently healing. My knuckles also experienced repeated breakage and regeneration during my violent assault, further draining my energy-

Despite my battered state, I'm now surrounded on both sides. Oddly, the six-winged creature remains inactive, offering a brief respite. The Tiger Bird, however, resumes its relentless assault, leaping forward once more, determined to test my limits.

Fueled by desperation, I scream at the oncoming creature, twirling my Guandao around my body. As it propels toward me, I hurl my weapon skyward, catching it with one hand at the end of the polearm, and slash downward with unbridled strength.

I scream at the top of my lungs, creating a pressure wave along the path of my attack. Just moments before the Nightmare Creature can sink its teeth into me, my Guandao cleaves it in two across its colossal body slicing through flesh and bone.

[You have slain an Awakened Monster: Decaying Bird!]

Breathing heavily, I collapse to my knees, utterly drained of energy. My current problem is the final Nightmare Creature, which remains in place. With the little strength I have left, I muster a defiant whisper, "What are you staring at?"

The Nightmare Creature advances toward me, taking one step after another through the splashing water from the melted snow. I realize the urgency of my need to retreat, but my energy reserves are entirely depleted. The Voice of the Dark Prince taunts me within my mind, "You just arrived here, and you're already on the brink of death within the first five minutes? Pathetic."

As the Nightmare Creature looms directly before me, it raises one of its talons, gripping my head and yanking my golden hair. Pain courses through me, and I let out a pained scream. It lifts me into the air momentarily, only to slam me brutally onto the wet ground.

In the aftermath of the violent impact, something within me shatters. I experience intense internal bleeding, with broken ribs piercing vital organs. Before I can muster the strength to stand, the creature seizes me with its talons once more. I attempt to say something, but my voice is silenced as I am forcibly slammed into the ground again. I curse silently as my body initiates the healing process, mending my shattered ribs and internal injuries. My energy reserves are now unquestionably depleted.

Just as I begin to lose consciousness, a sonic boom resonates through the air. A voice from the sky calls out, "Don't touch the water for the next few seconds, or you'll burn up!", the voice shouts from the sky before it lands near me. 

It's Raijin!