“Ugh…”
Stark spat blood from his mouth.
His
body was riddled with scratches and wounds, blood and sweat mixing as
they dripped onto the white sands. Despite the pain, he kept his grip
tight on the sword.
He
was facing a new beast this time.
The
beast hissed, its dark eyes fixed on him. It stood on four legs, its
dark fur glistening under the harsh sunlight. Two small, dark horns
poked out of its head, and its spine protruded out from its back like
spikes.
It
was a desert Guki.
Unlike
the Stilo, its attacks weren’t
particularly strong, but they were precise and deadly. Its sharp
claws had already left gashes on Stark’s skin.
<i>I
need to find a way to attack.</i>
Stark’s
eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings for an opening.
The
Guki screeched and lunged at him.
It
was far more agile and quicker than the Stilo. Stark raised his sword
over his head, blocking its swipe. He shifted his weight to the side,
redirecting the beast and throwing it off balance.
The
Guki quickly turned and charged again, spearheading toward Stark with
ferocious speed. It collided with him, forcing him back several feet.
Fortunately, Stark managed to lift his leg just in time, absorbing
most of the impact.
Stark’s
wounds hissed as wisps of smoke rose from them.
The
Guki’s
claws were laced with poison, but as a nocturnal hunter, its venom
wasn’t potent in the sunlight. The heat evaporated the toxin within
seconds, leaving only the gashes behind.
Gukis
were rarely seen during the day, but Krul had captured one
specifically to serve as a test for Stark. Daylight was the safest
time to train against them, as the poison wouldn’t
spread and threaten Stark’s life.
Stark
charged at the beast, swinging his sword low toward its legs. The
Guki darted back, easily dodging the strike.
Stark
flicked his wrist, redirecting the blade into an upward slash. The
edge missed by a hair’s
breadth as the Guki leapt back, creating more distance between them.
The
beast began circling him, its speed increasing. It darted to the
side, accelerating as it used its agility to its advantage.
Stark
stood his ground, gripping his sword tightly, focusing on his senses.
<i>Listen</i><i>…
Listen… Feel its movements.</i>
A
blur of motion came from behind as the Guki swiped its claw at his
neck. He could feel it. Stark stepped aside just in time, the attack
grazing his cheek and leaving a thin line.
In
the same instant, he swung his sword downward quickly.
But
the blade struck the Guki’s
spiked back, but the impact rocked Stark’s grip. The blade
recoiled, sending a shiver through his entire body.
Stark
clicked his tongue in frustration as he stepped back. “I
missed again.”
The
Guki was relentless, pressing its advantage. Stark defended as best
he could, but his injuries were piling up, and the blood loss was
taking its toll. He needed to find an opening to end the fight.
The
Guki charged at him, and Stark raised his sword, anticipating another
swipe. But the creature darted to the side and lunged, sinking its
large canines into his left shoulder.
“ARGH!”
he screamed in pain.
The
fangs pierced through his leather armor, clamping down tightly. The
Guki shook its head violently, its strength sending Stark flying.
He
hit the ground hard, bouncing like a rag doll before landing in the
sand. His head struck the ground with a sickening thud, leaving a
gash that spilled blood across his forehead. Blood poured from the
wound in his shoulder, dripping steadily down his arm.
Gritting
his teeth, Stark forced himself to his feet. He picked up his sword
with his right hand, gripping it tightly despite the pain, and
pointed it at the hissing Guki.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
The
beast crouched low, ready to strike again.
<i>One
chance</i><i>…
focus… Stark.</i>
Blood
began to dull his vision, his breathing growing ragged. His legs
trembled, running out of strength. Yet, the fire in his heart never
faltered.
The
Guki stepped forward, hissing, its dark eyes gleaming with
confidence. It knew Stark was at the end of his rope.
<i>I
will win</i><i>…</i>
Clenching
his jaw, Stark let out a roar and charged at the Guki. If there was
no opening, he would create one. His eyes locked onto the beast, his
mind working in overdrive.
Startled
by the sudden charge, the Guki stepped back. It was unusual for prey
to fight so ferociously on the brink of death.
It
tried to retreat, but Stark was faster. Closing the distance, he
stepped into range and thrust his blade at its face. The Guki
deflected the strike with its claws, sparks flying from the impact.
Stark
didn’t
relent. With the momentum on his side, he spun and swung his sword,
the blade slicing deep into the beast’s side. The Guki let out a
blood-curdling screech and retaliated, swiping its claws toward
Stark. He blocked the strike with his blade but was pushed back by
the force.
Not
giving the beast a chance to recover, Stark charged again. This time,
the Guki was ready. It sidestepped his swing and sank its teeth into
his injured shoulder once more.
Instead
of pulling away, Stark shoved his arm deeper into its jaws, gritting
his teeth through the pain. The Guki shook its head violently, trying
to throw him off, but Stark stayed focused.
With
his free hand, he raised his sword and drove it into the beast’s
eye.
“SCREECH!!”
The
blade pierced through through the soft eyelids of the beast, leaving
it blind.
The
Guki thrashed, trying to break free, but Stark held on. Wrapping his
legs around its neck, he roared defiantly and kept stabbing its face.
“Die…
Die… Die, you dirty mutt!” he bellowed.
Blood
splattered with each stab. Stark’s
vision was red; all he could think about was the opponent before him.
He wanted to kill the beast at all costs. The red mark on his chest
turned burning hot.
Something
stirred within him; the blood and the screech of the beast brought a
smile to his face. A feeling so primal that brought him satisfaction.
Stark’s
consciousness was fading and being replaced with this primal feeling.
<i>This
is it</i><i>….Ah….Bliss….Blood…Slaughter.
</i>
The
mark began to spread through his veins to different parts as he began
to lose control over his own body.
The
Guki thrashed wildly, and a blade struck its jaw, knocking it from
Stark’s
grip.
Undeterred,
he clenched his fist and began pounding into the beast’s
stab wounds. Each punch drove deeper into the already mangled flesh,
spraying blood.
<i>AHAHAHA!!!
SCREECH!! FOR YOUR LIFE! YOU DIRTY MUTT.</i>
Power
rose inside him with each punch.
The
Guki’s
violent thrashing gradually subsided under Stark’s relentless
assault. Finally, with one last ragged breath, the beast collapsed
onto its side, its body going numb. Its jaws loosened, releasing
Stark’s badly torn and bleeding shoulder.
Stark
swayed, his vision returned but blurring. Exhaustion overtook him,
and he collapsed onto the beast’s
lifeless body. The red mark stopped spreading and retraced back to
it’s original place.
“I
did it….”
He mumbled incoherently.
The
world around him faded to black.
Krul
descended from the sky swiftly, his eyes scanning Stark’s
horrible wounds.
“His
wounds are worse than I expected,” Krul muttered. “I should have
stopped him sooner.”
He
carved <b>Sacrifice</b>
into the flesh of Stark’s
shoulder wound. Blood-red chains materialized and began wrapping
tightly around the injury. The chains writhed as if alive, hissing
and darting at Krul’s hands like serpents.
The
red chains crept up his arms, slithering to his shoulders, wrapping it
wholly. The chains tightened.
<b>SPLATTER</b>
Krul’s
arm tore apart, crushed to bits. Flesh and blood sprayed as the
chains greedily consumed his blood and flesh.
A
red flash followed, and the chains around Stark’s
shoulder began to loosen. In moments, his shoulder returned to its
original, uninjured state.
“Now
it’s fine,” Krul sighed, touching Stark’s shoulder.
Krul
couldn’t
help but marvel at Stark’s tenacity—his will to win the fight
even at the cost of his own arm. Despite this, doubt lingered in
Krul’s mind.
<i>He
suddenly becomes much stronger,</i>
Krul thought. <i>It</i><i>’s
quite odd... and his healing capacity is extraordinary for a human.</i>
Knowing
Stark’s
shoulder would have been beyond saving in seconds, Krul had willingly
sacrificed his arm.
For
an ancient devil, regrowing an arm or two was not a significant
concern, though the mana cost was immense.
With
a calm expression, Krul cast <b>Life.</b>
The wound on his shoulder began to close as bones sprouted and
extended, forming the skeletal structure of his arm. Muscles grew
next, wrapping around the bones, followed by layers of tissue that
covered the frame. Finally, his bluish skin spread over the newly
formed arm.
His
arm was restored, flawless and unscathed.
Afterward,
Krul mended the rest of Stark’s
wounds with a healing spell and picked him up.
As
he flew back to the cave, he hunted down a few Stilos to prepare food
for Stark when he woke up.
<i>The
human child enjoys this,</i>
Krul thought as he carried the meat.
On
his way back, a sudden wave of bloodlust swept over him. Krul halted
mid-flight, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
<b>Detection.</b>
He
cast the spell, but it revealed nothing apart from a few wild beasts
in the vicinity. Frowning, Krul double-checked, but still found no
signs of anyone nearby.
<i>Was
it just me?</i>
Krul wondered. <i>I</i><i>’m
certain I felt something.</i>
His
brows furrowed as unease settled over him.
<i>Perhaps
I used too much mana today.</i>
The
ominous feeling gnawed at him.
“It
must be nothing. I’m probably overthinking,” he muttered,
shaking off the thought as he continued his flight back home.