It's Getting Easier

'I'm gonna die.'

Was the thought running through her head as she watched the giant fire breathing dragon.

The dragon narrowed its eyes towards her.

'You know? I think I'm gonna run that way instead. Away from the big boy area.'

So she turned heels and ran while the dragon started spitting fire.

Thankfully she was fast enough to avoid the first wave of fire.

As she looked back after the fire had dissipated, she noticed however that the dragon was gone.

'Don't tell me...'

Looking up, she saw a rather big dragon looming over her.

'I don't think I can outrun it.'

She dashed through a nearby small herd of rabbits.

And as she did, a wave of fire descended down on her.

Luckily, she saw it coming and rolled to the side just in time.

The rabbits were not as lucky.

But thankfully, luck seemed to be on her side this day as she finally saw a small part of the rabbit's soul enter her body.

While sprinting, she thought.

'I think it's a little easier to run now?'

She wondered.

'Is this what the kid said about getting stronger after killing a thing in this place?'

Unluckily, however, only a few of the rabbits' souls went towards her while most of them travelled towards the dragon.

'So. Even if I farm for a while using the dragon, I'm still screwed.'

She wanted to cry, but she was dead.

'I guess I just have to bait the dragon into fighting someone else or farm while running for my (after)life.'

'...'

She thought for a second as she looked up at the dragon who was preparing more fire. She knew that she couldn't get away from a chasing predator.

'Second option, best option!'

She took a sudden turn as the fire missed her and the dragon slowly turned in order to give chase.

And so, the chase began.

...

'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die...'

It had been 10 minutes.

Defeated monsters: 57

Souls absorbed: 12

She was now completely stressed out of her very being.

'I get like 20% of the killed monsters and beasts! How is this fair God!?'

Till now, she had been running around while dashing through monster herds as the dragon was attacking.

'What to do?! Do I attack them?'

Running past a wandering rotten zombie, she punched him and heard a small *SPLAT only for the zombie to be burned by the dragon a moment later.

The soul however travelled to her and not the dragon.

'Is it related to damage? Does the soul go to the one that deals the most damage to them? It would explain how I got so few!'

There was a glimmer of hope in her mind, and a giant glimmer of dragon fire behind her.

Every time she had found a herd, she would need to go through it for the dragon to kill them and hope to get even one soul.

It rarely happened since most of the time she just ran straight down the middle of their group.

Sometimes, however, the group was too tightly together so she needed to jump and use the heads of some of the beasts as stepping stones.

'Thinking back, the times I touched those soon to be burned ashes were the times I got the most souls.'

She suddenly turned around and jumped into a roll to dodge the raining fire and give herself a second of rest from the dragon.

'Yep! That has to be it!'

...

'It's getting easier to run and dodge, I also feel like I'm a bit faster but I also feel like I'm still going to die if I get too close to that dragon.'

Defeated monsters: 203

Souls absorbed: 132

'I feel like the quality of the beasts and monsters that die also affects the strength gain.'

She thought as she lightly sprinted away from the dragon, no longer fearing over every moment.

'I mean. Killing a rabbit or two makes me feel a bit stronger but in comparison, killing a pack of wolves seemingly gives a sizeable boost.'

'If I keep it up for a while now, I should be able to...'

She looked at the dragon.

'Successfully run away!'

As she approached another group of wandering zombies, she jumped and used their heads as stepping stones.

Jumping from one to another and then the next.

'I feel like I'm in a Television show from that one place with the burgers!'

...

Defeated monsters: Lost Count

Souls absorbed: Like 600 Maybe?

'I haven't gotten tired since the 200th group of zombies. Since when did they become so commonplace though?'

She calmly jogged as the fire was nowhere near her, the dragon was also a fair distance away now, but still giving chase.

'I have tried to escape once now. But the moment I sit down and rest, I see this annoying lizard's figure growing bigger in the distance.'

Gripping her fists while jogging, she felt like she was now strong enough to defeat the dragon.

Stopping in her tracks, she took a look around.

She could see a few trails of footprints and scorched earth in the surroundings.

'Deja vu. I think I've been here.'

Looking at the approaching dragon, she waited for a few seconds as it came in closer.

A moment later, he landed on the ground, seemingly out of breath.

'His fire has been rather warm instead of hot ever since the 400th or so group. Maybe he ran out of gas?'

The dragon's eyes were still locked onto her with the intention to kill.

It raised its hand and tried to slam her to the ground.

Dodging the attack she tried to punch the dragon's claw that was now next to her.

Surprisingly, it seemed to deal damage.

'RBG skills don't fail me now!'

She thought to herself while mispronouncing RPG.

...

The battle was long and drawn out.

The claws of the dragon were as cracked as his scales.

No fire was left to burn with and no claws left to attack with.

The dragon fell to the ground out of exhaustion.

Her eyes went wide as she saw the scene.

'I. Did it?'

She fell to the ground and onto her back.

'I Killed a fucking dragon!'

She raised her hands towards the sky and waved them while celebrating.

She laughed.

"Haha! I did it!"

Letting out a sigh, she looked toward the dragon.

'Still there.'

Forcing herself to stand up, she walked closer to it.

'I won't say thanks because you did try to kill me, but I won't curse you for that either.'

She lifted the dragon's head.

'It's heavy...'

Placing it on her knee, she could feel the ground crack due to the weight.

Grabbing one side of the jaw with one hand and the other side with her other hand, she twisted the dragon's neck as it Snapped and Tore.

The dragon started to slowly dissipate.

As its soul began to be absorbed into her body.