The five feet tall beast stood on its hind legs, doubling its height. Glaring at the mortals celebrating in the vicinity with its dark-brown eyes, it crossed its arms, mocking them for ignoring the horror that is yet to come. Swaying its head to the side like a street thug, it takes one giant leap forward.
Whoosh!
The creature with army-green —gray spotted— skin appeared behind a stout boy, pushing him to the ground without any sound, thanks to its arms. The act itself was beyond fast; what alerted everyone of the impeding danger was the boy's cry for help.
SOMEBODY! SOMEBODY RESCUE ME! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!
The crowd's exteriors paled, their faces twisting in horror. Coordinated, they move back, clearing a space for the boy to be eaten alive... there is nothing to do about it.
To the young man's anguish, the beast started to chew the space in between his legs making sounds of pleasure, pulling everything in slow, painful, precise bites. Such delight, nonetheless, was nothing compared to the teen's scream of horrors.
AHHHHH!! SAVE ME YOU IDIOTS! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M DYING!! IDIOTS PLEASE SAVE ME!! YOU SONS OF B-!! WAHH!
They would have saved him if he wasn't calling people names. Ridiculous! They are too scared to do anything!
At that moment of despair, however, an enthusiastic voice rose:
"Bada Bang, musorobangus(1)! Listen everyone, there is power in numbers. If we work together, we'll be able to take down this pumpkin head. Remember, one finger can never kill a bug on its own. Just like what we did with those wild cats, let's team up and take care of this horrible beast. At the end of the day, it's a mere cat that spends the rest of its life doing squats and press-ups."
Instantly, Tsukino scowled, her disdain palpable. This is the (bastard) scholar who was singing while people were dying, like a play. Nonetheless, she didn't have time to say a thing, as the others reacted to his words.
"That's right! All we need to do is believe in ourselves, and everything is possible!" one of the teens exclaimed.
"You're correct! We believed in ourselves and chased those giraffe cats away! This is just a slightly bigger cat!" another teen said.
"Yeah! Let's go!" the group chimed in unison.
Before the crowd could move, the beige-haired scholar claps his hands to gather their attention, a smile curling up on his face.
'Wow! They have a lot of energy, but most of them are thinking of running away like that stick-man.'
—Where is he anyway?
Faking a cough, Shinji laid his thoughts aside.
"Before you go, I want to let you know that I'm an archer, and won't do much in close combat. When there's an opening, I'll take care of that cat in one shot."
Some of the teens looked at Shinji in awe, inspired by his words — a leader to blame for any loses is, also, needed. All they had to do, is create an opening, and this great scholar would take care of the puma.
As they gave him praises, the misprize in Tsukino's eyes increased — the boy sounded like trouble.
Soon, 3 extras —whose names I won't mention— rush toward the wood puma, their eyes shining in crystal clear resolve. Shinji's words had moved their fighting spirit; if Lucien could kill servals alone, what more about them when they are three against a bigger cat? Simple, right?
No! There is a big difference in each single stage.
Sitting cross-legged to enjoy it's meal, the profound beast effortlessly moves its left hand, twisting three heads at once...
In interim, the living ones felt their throats dry up. With cadaverous expressions, they look at Shinji for assistance; the scholar rolls his eyes in disdain, looking at the ground.
'This is the problem with (extras) groups, they want to put everything on the (Main Character) person who steps up. When loses happen, they won't hesitate to blame that someone.'
Sighing, Shinji puts a fake smile on his triangular shaped face, placing his hands behind his back like an old man. Taking a step forward, he frantically searches for a certain red-hair.
'Derniere-san is the one good at this kind of thing. I'm just a fifth-grade artist who is barely good at choreography, yet alone, battle strategizing. Where could he be?'
—Wait!
'Akanechan just died, what do I say to him?'
—I'm sorry for your loss? My condolences? Maybe, I should bring a gift?
Shinji bit on his thumb, his face taking a gloom shadow —he had strayed away from the situation at hand. Without realizing, a minute passed, before he noticed Lucien. Taking long strides, he thinks of the right words to say on his way to the tree.
Bowing slightly, he says in a deplorable tone, "Derniere-san..."
Lucien raises his brows at his friend's way of speaking. To stop the chit-chat, he coldly glares down at the handsome teen, answering the last thing he was going to ask last:
"Its weakness is the wooden part of its body; unfortunately for us, we don't have anything to start a fire, to give us an easy advantage. Any weak flame will extinguish since that's wet wood."
—He doesn't want to talk about it?
Shinji chased away his concern with a nod, understanding.
"What do you think is the best way of taking it down?"
"We split ourselves into groups of 10, and attack it over a count of 120. We sacrifice those who get injured as distractions for the other groups. Those with dead teammates will group each other, and continue. This will help us rest, and wear it down for a perfect kill."
'Most of them are going to hide like that stick-man, but it's a good plan.'
Shinji bowed down to Lucien in respect of such a wondrous plan.
Turning back, his gaze lands on Tsukino staring at him. A second passed; they scowled with clenched fist, walking to each other like reunited lovers. Two seconds later, Shinji recites:
"Open your eyes to the pain in my heart,
Ruined and shambled like a forgotten pit,
Gaze upon the broken pieces of my heart you once lit;
You promised to always stand by me,
Yet, on that stormy day, you betrayed me,
Even demons have a heart, yet, yours destroyed me."
Shrugging his poem or song, Tsukino's scowl deepened.
"I don't like you."
The Main Character brought his head closer to hers, sneering.
"Well, I loathe you. I'll do anything to make you suffer."
Clicking their tongues in unison, the two separated.
***
Knowing with Lucien previous actions no one would listen to him, the beige-haired youth shifted the plan to make it his —he needed the attention.
As group formation began, Shinji proudly states: "Lucien Derniere Etoile is my partner. I promised him that as part of the contribution to the plan."
"I'll join your group."
Shinji scowled at Tsukino's declaration. He knew as a girl no one would want to ask her to join them, but that would be different if she is another group. However...
'Tsuki wants to monitor me and Derniere-san.'
—How can you be still innocent after all that?
Shinji massaged his temples. He had decided to cut his feelings for Tsukino before coming here; her naivety had nothing to do with him.
The moment his team completed, something more terrible happened.
"Why don't you let your group take the lead Scholar-san?"
"It's only right since you made the plan."
"To show our respect, we can only do that much for a being of higher intelligence like you."
Shinji gnashed his teeth. Weren't they asking him to get himself killed? Also, the chances of them not keeping up their end of the deal are high!
Before he could say a thing, however, Lucien grabs his shoulder, signalling him to go. The red-hair wanted to take advantage of the fact that the puma was still feeding on the stout boy —a part of him at least... intestines were all out, as if, a mad scientist operated him; his upside down face with wide open eyes, together with the bleeding neck made the sight even more mesmerizing.
Meanwhile, Shinji sighs, dejected. Looking at the tall teen taking the lead, he shakes his head.
'She might be gone, but you still have a life, you know?'
—Then again, you were never the type to do things without a plan.
'What are you so confident about?'
---
1 - musurobangus means big head.