The black creature before Zain was an abomination, its figure human-like but distorted with long, twisted limbs and sharp claws gleaming like cold, unforgiving metal. The creature's eyes glinted with malice, and its grin stretched unnaturally wide, a mocking expression on its face.
Zain's heart raced. Every instinct told him to flee, but his body, damn it, his body... refused to obey. His legs remained frozen, rooted to the spot as fear began to claw at him from within.
Is it this body that's scared of the creature? Or is it me?
Am I really a coward? Zain's mind spiraled in that brief moment of hesitation, his pulse quickening. But he clamped down on the rising panic, forcing himself to breathe. No. I'm not a coward. I can't be. Not now.
The creature moved with a speed that defied all logic, its long limbs propelling it forward, crawling across the ground with terrifying swiftness. In the blink of an eye, it covered the hundred feet between them, and Zain's stomach lurched as it reached him in a flash. The grin on its face widened even further, twisted with glee, as if it relished the terror in Zain's eyes. It didn't just move fast, it moved with an almost predatory elegance.
Too fast!
Zain's breath caught in his throat as the creature's low, unsettling giggles filled the air.
Ke-ke-ke-ke!
The sound was like nails scraping across a chalkboard, digging into his mind, a reminder of the nightmare he was trapped in. His legs still refused to move, a cold shiver running down his spine.
Move!
But his muscles screamed in protest, his body betraying him.
And then, in a heartbeat, the creature was ten feet away. Its claws flashed through the air, aimed straight for Zain's throat.
Shit!
Zain summoned every ounce of strength he had, pushing against his fear. He thrust his legs into the earth, flexing his thighs, his muscles screaming as he shifted his body to the left.
But it was too late. The creature's claws, sharp as steel, scraped across his right shoulder, raking through the metal of his armor. The tearing sound was like thunder in his ears. Three deep gouges appeared in his flesh, and blood poured freely, soaking his body.
Pain exploded from his shoulder like a firestorm. Zain gasped for air, the pain so intense it felt like his whole body was being torn apart. But before he could even process the injury, the creature's low, mocking laugh echoed in his ears again. It was savoring his suffering.
Zain's vision blurred for a moment as his body struggled to stay upright. I can't... die here. Not like this. Not yet.
The creature lunged at him again, its claws now aimed directly for his head.
Without thinking, Zain dropped to the ground, rolling away, every fiber of his being screaming in agony as his wounds were jostled. His right shoulder burned with every movement, and the wound on his shoulder throbbed.
Think! Think!
His mind raced. He hadn't fought for his life in years, not like this. His body was failing him, blood leaking from his veins with every movement. The blood loss and pain, turning his thoughts to fog, clouding his vision.
Before he could react further, the creature's foot struck his abdomen. The force of the blow sent him flying backward, his body slamming into the lifeless form of a dead soldier. His breath was knocked out of him, and he choked on a mouthful of blood as he collapsed beside the corpse.
Zain's body felt like it was on fire as he struggled to breathe. The pain in his chest was excruciating, and he could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. His lungs felt like they were filled with lead, his ribs screaming in agony. The world spun around him, darkening at the edges, but he couldn't afford to lose focus. Not now.
I have to keep fighting.
His hands trembled as he reached out for something... anything, that could save him. His fingers brushed against something cold, something hard. He looked over and saw the war axe clutched in the hands of the dead man beside him. It was a massive weapon, easily a two-handed axe, its blade glinting with an eerie black aura. The carving of a bear-like creature etched into the blade seemed to pulse with energy, dark and foreboding.
The weight of the axe was overwhelming, but Zain was too desperate to care. He grabbed the brown wood handle and pulled.
But the dead man's hands were stubborn. They clung to the weapon with an unnatural strength, refusing to release their grip.
No...
Zain's desperation mounted. He could feel the creature circling him, waiting for an opening. The black thing's hunger-filled gaze bore into him, and Zain realized, finally that the creature was afraid of the dead man's body. It was hesitant to approach, lingering at the edges of his vision like an animal sensing danger.
It's scared of the dead man.
Zain pulled harder. The dead soldier's hands didn't budge. For a moment, he thought he would be defeated by a corpse's grip. Then, with a final, forceful yank, Zain freed the axe. He held it in his hands, feeling the weight of it as if it was an extension of himself.
He didn't hesitate. He bowed his head, offering silent thanks to the old soldier whose weapon would now be his salvation.
But the creature, sensing Zain's renewed strength, was no longer hesitant. It began to circle him more rapidly, its laughter now shrill with irritation.
Zain couldn't afford to wait. His body was weakening. Blood continued to pool around him, his wounds worsening with each passing second. He needed to act quickly before the creature attacked again.
His vision blurred again as he shifted his armor, peeling it back to inspect his wounds.
Three deep gashes marred his shoulder, and a black, semi-liquid substance had begun to form around the wounds. Zain's heart sank.
Damn it.
He could see the substance spreading across his flesh, slowly eating away at his skin. It moved with an almost unnatural speed, and Zain had no idea what kind of substance it was.
I need to get rid of it.
There was no time to waste. His hand groped around the battlefield until he found a jagged piece of armor, sharp and rust-free. He gritted his teeth as he held it against his wounds, then pressed down, scraping at the black substance.
Pain surged through him like fire. His muscles spasmed with the effort, but he didn't cry out. He couldn't afford to give the creature any indication of weakness.
His breath came in ragged gasps as sweat beaded on his forehead, his grip tightening around the makeshift tool. He had to scrape the poison off, had to stop it from spreading. Every moment was torture, each second more excruciating than the last. Blood flowed freely from the wounds, mixing with the black substance that continued to devour him from the inside out.
Keep going!
Zain clenched his teeth, his eyes watering from the intensity of the pain. His mind screamed at him to stop, to give in. But he refused. He would not die here, not in this hellish battle, not without a fight.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the last of the black substance was gone. Zain collapsed back against the dead soldier's body, gasping for air.
I'm not dying today.
The wounds began to heal at a shocking rate. Zain's eyes widened in disbelief. His regeneration speed was unlike anything he'd experienced before.
Is this... normal? Zain wondered. But there was no time for answers. The creature was still circling him, and he knew it would attack again.
The old soldier's body had protected him for now, but the aura from it was fading, and the creature's hunger was growing stronger. It would pounce again.
Zain could feel it.
He staggered to his feet, his body still weak, but his will stronger than ever. He clenched the black war axe with both hands, his fingers trembling with the weight of it. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind focused solely on the fight ahead.
The creature lunged once more, its claws aimed for his throat. But this time, Zain was ready. He had studied its movements, understood its pattern. As the creature closed the distance, Zain swung the axe with all his remaining strength.
Clang!
The sound of metal meeting metal echoed through the air, a resounding crash of force. The impact jolted Zain's arms, sending another wave of pain through his body. But he didn't relent. His legs pushed against the ground, his injured shoulder screaming, but he managed to shove the creature back.
The creature staggered, but it was far from defeated. It leapt into the air, aiming straight for Zain's head. Zain had no time to dodge. He swung the axe again, his bloodied hands forcing the weapon forward with a primal roar.
Arrrgh!
The axe struck the creature's head with a sickening thud, splitting its skull open like a ripe melon. Brain matter splattered across the battlefield, painting Zain's bloodied body. But the creature's claws didn't stop. One last strike buried deep into Zain's left eye, driving pain through his entire skull.
The agony was overwhelming. His vision darkened, and his left eye felt like it was on fire. Blood poured from the wound as Zain swung the axe one final time, the blow landing with deadly precision, reducing the creature's head to a bloody pulp.
Zain's vision blurred as the world around him spun. He staggered backward, collapsing onto the ground. His heart hammered in his chest, but the adrenaline was beginning to fade. The pain from his left side was unbearable, but his determination kept him from passing out.
I've won…
But even as his thoughts began to slip away, he felt the weight of exhaustion dragging him under. His last conscious thought was of the poison, knowing it had left him weaker than ever.
Am I going to die again?
Zain's world went dark as his body finally gave in to the pain and blood loss.
---
[ Tier-1 creature, Crawler killed ]
[Congratulations, Host, for meeting the criteria for system fusion]
[Starting The Fusion ]
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