Bugsok

The screams filled the entire place, as three to four Shamans under the leadership of the Babaylan muttered a chant. The words they said were incomprehensible to Miguel and at the corners of his eyes, he saw Elder Shana taking a torch as she tries to light them up.

The group was in utter chaos! And it is dark, the torches that illuminated their view was extinguished. Only the bright white full moon above their heads shined as their light.

Then, as everyone is messed, Miguel heard Marikit screaming loud as something scary came out of the trees.

It was like a child, like them, but it was walking on its hands. It was also very, very dark like it was made of shadows.

At first, they did not felt any visible presence when they performed the ritual which the Babaylan is teaching. But right after the torches toppled each other, those who had awakened their third eye immediately sensed a change.

They felt as if their heads have turned large or as if someone is strangling their necks. A cold breeze occasionally whipped their skin as all of their hairs stood.

[45] "It's a Bugsok!" One of the Shamans yelled, confirming the presence of the evil entity.

Miguel could not help but mutter hateful words, "Why does every time we come into this peak, we always encounter such things? These idiots! Always wanting to try playing with spirits!"

Miguel soon had calmed down, reassessing his situation. He does feel weak all over his body as if his energy is being sucked out while the figure of the evil entity came close but as far as he knew, he could still move.

"Should I fight him instead?" Staring at the Shamans who are busily tossing white granules that seemed to look like some sort of powder at the entity, he judged that those petty things they're doing are useless.

It is funny to think that, even if Miguel had already experienced numerous mystical phenomenon over the course of his transmigration into this newfound world... Somehow he still could not trust this mysticism. He never really grasped what do Shamans do.

"Oh! Fuck it! These Shamans are useless!" At that moment he sprang forward, not even bothering the shrill of warning that came from his fellow Apprentice Shamans.

"Hey, that boy! What the heck is he doing?" Marikit bellowed as she hid behind her fellow Apprentice's back, clutching the hem of her skirt.

"Stay back! Argus!" Elder Shana screamed, her chant had been disrupted.

Ignoring everyone, Miguel came to deal with the trouble by his own hands.

"I don't care about which land you came from! You better be nice since I am warning you! Leave this space now!" With an overbearing tone, he yelled at the Bugsok as if reprimanding a child.

The Bugsok did not care about his warning, instead, it moved closer as the gush of wind coming from him intensified. Laughing and mocking Miguel with its mouth smiling from ear to ear.

Looking closely at the spirit, it is indeed horrifying to look at. Contrary to what he initially thought, the Bugsok did not look like a child at all! But actually, only the size of a child resembles its height.

Instead of hands, it had claws which it used to stand, its feet are raised in the air but its head was upside down. A head that resembled a monkey with razor-sharp jaws and the most striking part of his features were his eyes.

It's bloodshot, eerily menacing like the color of red wine.

When their eyes met, the Spirit growled which shook the entire ground. Miguel almost lost his balance but luckily there is a nearby boulder of rock to lean on.

This is the first time Miguel is encountering a supernatural being. All his life he was never superstitious. He believed in science and his experience more than anything, but this encounter made him realize how vast the world is. "Is this truly the Danao I knew?" A question popped into his head at that moment.

Then suddenly, someone called out his name or I should say, the owner of this body he is currently possessing... "Argus! Use this!" The Babaylan loudly yelled as she tossed a small bone tooth dagger which Miguel had reflexively caught.

The bone tooth dagger had a pristine touch, almost as if it was newly taken from the teeth of a wild animal. Appraising the weapon at his hand, he wondered which animal it came from. The handle is made from wooden material and the dagger curved at its tip and its edges had multiple spikes.

"Behead the spirit using that weapon! You can defeat it that way!" The Babaylan added as she returned into her chanting evoking a spell unknown to Miguel.

"Oh great! Just so you know, I have bad memories with that word... Haha, can't believe I'll be doing it myself now..." Giving a joke on his own, he tried to ease the tension in his trembling arms.

If not for the sheer will he had, he might have long prostrated in horror to the ground. But because Miguel is innately brave... He dared to battle the Bugsok.

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...

Clenching his teeth, Miguel dashed forward pointing the tip of the dagger towards the Bugsok. In return, the Bugsok welcomed him with open arms.

When Miguel noticed that something was amiss, he nimbly shifted his feet as he changed the angle of his supposed attack. Now in a stance of defense, Miguel circled the Bugsok with wariness as he halted his dash.

As if they had their own battle of wits, the Bugsok growled haughtily. He seemed bemused and the malicious twisted expression on his face turned sinister as its razor-sharp teeth opened wide to grin.

"Hmph. You won't be able to easily fool me." When Miguel reached the back of the Bugsok, he dashed forward attempting to strike the Bugsok's neck who is almost equal to him in height.

Sensing Miguel, the Bugsok easily turned to another direction facing Miguel through the use of his clawed hands. Using its feet, he kicked Miguel as if swatting a fly.

Miguel saw it first before it could even touch him he quickly dodged it, ducking instantly displaying his agileness. As he ducked, he slashed the toes of the Bugsok. Because the Bugsok is standing upside down, instead of the torso whom he should have strike instead, he injured the Bugsok's hill toe causing the evil spirit to wail in agony.

"Whisssshhkk!" Wincing in pain, the Bugsok came into a rampage!

It blindly waved its feet, kicking anything that may cross its path, not bothering whatever it hits.

"He is now enraged! This is my chance..." Miguel inwardly muttered as he slipped past the Bugsok's repeated strikes, evading each blow with his nimble footsteps.

Once they came into a deadlock, Miguel switched the dagger from his right hand to his left as he throws his signature right uppercut, straight away closing the Bugsok's obnoxious jaws to be sealed.

It tumbled for a while before glaring back at Miguel who dealt a strong blow at his jaw.

Not letting the chance slip away, using the bone tooth dagger he had, he thrusts it towards the Bogsuk's stomach instantly weakening him. He even went as far as to twist the dagger so he could deal with more damage, after which he abruptly pulled the dagger.

Surprisingly, the blood of the Bogsuk bled with a gooey black mush, gushing directly at Miguel's face. Miguel was disgusted by it that he almost vomited. Finding the courage to continue, he remembered the Babaylan's words, "Behead him using that!" As he recalled it, he rushed with his hands swiftly slicing the Bugsok's head apart!

And another gooey black mush escaped from its severed head. The whole patch of grass was covered in a puddle of this thick dark blood of the Bogsuk.

Miguel was successful in killing an evil entity in his first encounter.

But at the same time when all the adrenaline died out, Miguel wondered why this time, it was astonishingly easy. Recalling Argus's memory "Didn't he struggled to defeat one? or Maybe... I just really have that knack of killing?"

After Miguel extinguished the evil spirit, everyone cheered as they hugged each other in delight. Making him turn his head away from the Bugsok.

But when he glanced back, he found that the severed head along with its body and blood suddenly vanished.

Gasping for breath, Miguel stood there with a dumbfounded expression.

"Bugsok... What a terrifying evil spirit." Muttering to himself, he heaved a sigh of relief.