Dreadful enemy

Boom...

The impact of the collision raised a towering plume of water into the air. It seemed as if a bomb had gone off in the middle of the lake, sending shockwaves reverberating throughout the surrounding area.

Soon after, a lonely human figure emerged from the water, gasping for breath.

Although the massive creature was nowhere to see, Kai's face was grim, dreadful even. Biting his lip, he looked down at his mangled and bleeding hand.

His entire fist was shattered, bones protruding from torn flesh. His wrist was also twisted at an unnatural angle, and he could already feel the swelling setting in.

This is what happens when a G+ Rank awakener tries to punch an Earl Rank monster. Kai knew he was lucky to still be alive, but the pain pulsating through his body served as a harsh reminder of the price he had paid for his reckless actions

Fortunately, Kai had at least managed to make the creature dive down to the depths of the lake.

Although he didn't know whether it would come back or not, he didn't want to risk it.

Splash...

Slowly, he used his Mana to temporarily seal his injuries and began to swim toward the shore. His movements were slow and labored, each stroke sending waves of pain through his body, however, he didn't stop.

Kai kept swimming for good five minutes before he felt the ripples spread through the water once again, indicating that the leviathan-like monster was coming back for round 2.

'Damn!'

Kai cursed at the shore that was so close yet too far away to reach in time.

Even with desperation gripping his heart, he calmly evaluated his options and began to manipulate the water surrounding him.

It was crude and weak but Kai managed to create something similar to a water bomb behind his back.

At the last second, as the massive shadows neared him, Kai detonated the water bomb, causing him to roar in pain as the explosion hit directly his already injured body.

Whoosh...

Like a broken kite, Kai was flung through the air, spinning out of control before finally crashing onto the shore.

Pain.

All he felt was pain.

There was not a single thing in his body that didn't hurt at that moment.

However, even though he was about to black out from all the injuries and blood loss, Kai began crawling through the sand.

He needed to get away from the water.

Splash...

The water creature sprang out of the lake, its massive body rising like a skyscraper from the depths below. Its maw yawned open, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that glinted menacingly in the sunlight.

"Shit!"

Kai cursed, his voice barely a whisper as he crawled away from the creature's monstrous form. Blood dripped from his mangled hand, staining the sand beneath him. Every movement sent a jolt of pain through his body, but he pushed through it, driven by a primal instinct for survival.

The creature lunged forward, its maw snapping just inches from Kai's outstretched legs. He could feel its hot breath on his skin, the stench of decay filling his nostrils. Panic surged through him, sending a jolt of adrenaline coursing through his veins.

He scrambled away, dragging his injured body across the rough sand. The creature followed, its powerful fins pounding against the ground, creating deep furrows in the sand.

"Fuck off!"

Kai screamed, his voice hoarse from exertion. The creature's relentless pursuit was driving him to the brink of despair.

The creature lunged again, its jaws closing just short of Kai's legs. He felt a surge of relief as he rolled away, but the creature was relentless. It continued to pursue him, its jaws snapping at his heels, its roars echoing through the air.

Kai felt like a wounded animal trapped in a predator's lair. He was exhausted, battered, and bleeding, but he refused to give up. He kept crawling, dragging his body through the sand, his mind racing with desperate thoughts.

He tried to summon some flame and launch it at the monster but his Mana reserves were not enough to conjure significant fire power.

Luckily, the creature's massive form slowed its movements, providing Kai with a slight advantage.

That was enough for Kai to reach the forest and crawl behind the barrier of trees.

Roar...

He could hear the creature's frustrated growls echoing through the forest as it prowled on the outskirts, unable to penetrate the dense foliage.

"Just go back to the fucking water!"

Kai muttered underneath his breath, trying to stop the blood from flowing from his wounds.

His vision blurred, the once vivid colors of the forest blending into a hazy grayscale. His mind grew sluggish, his thoughts drifting away like wisps of smoke. He fought against the encroaching darkness, he knew that losing consciousness here would mean death.

Although he had killed most of the creatures residing in the area, the smell of blood would surely attract the ones that are left.

"..."

With each passing second clinging to his consciousness got harder and harder.

His eyes began to flutter shut, his body succumbing to fatigue and pain. It was a losing battle, and he knew it.

"Fuck..."