Her lungs burned.
Every breath felt too shallow, too slow. Sweat clung to her skin beneath the armor, her grip on her swords tightening as she forced herself to stay upright.
Damn it, she cursed to herself.
She barely twisted aside as a club slammed into the tree behind her, bark exploding outward. The impact rattled her bones.
Too slow.
Her stamina bar was almost empty. She could feel it in every movement, every delayed reaction. This game was far to realistic, she didn't think she would ever get cornered like this.
Why didn't I put more points into stamina? She cursed to herself once more.
She grit her teeth, narrowly deflecting another strike. The vibration traveled up her arms, numbing her fingers.
This game was wayyyy tooinsane.
Too real and tooo unforgiving. She had really thought that it would be actually quite easy, thought that her skill would have carry her through. Only now did she realise her folly and stupidity, there seemed to be more to this game than she had originally thought.
Another blow grazed her shoulder.
<-90>
Her vision blurred for half a second.
The Howlers circled her now, herding her backward with deliberate cruelty. She stumbled, felt rough bark press against her spine. A tree, she was trapped. FUCK! she lightly uttered under her breath.
Her HP bar blinked violently at the edge of her vision, crimson and unforgiving.She raised her swords anyway not giving up. Not yet. Even as her arms trembled and her breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes burned with defiance. If this was where she fell She would make sure she atleast took another one of them with her.
The monsters lunged.
Ezreal moved quickly.
A red mist erupted from the shadows.
Shadow Step.
Ezreal materialized mid strike, blades already moving, carving a crescent of red energy through the space between the beasts and the girl.
"Crimson spiral."
The arc hit all three.
<-410> <-395> <-420>
The force staggered them back, buying a single, precious breath of space. The girl's eyes widened as Ezreal landed in front of her, knees bent, blades low, back half-turned toward her.
"Move," he said sharply, not looking at her. "If you can."
She didn't argue. She pushed off the tree, staggering sideways, collapsing to one knee but still alive.
The Howlers shrieked fur bristling, mouths splitting into jagged grins. Ezreal felt it then. pressure, for the first time since starting this game he was in a battle he didn't think he would 100% win.
His smile burst into a grin, mirroring the howlers, only more savage. He really did enjoy this game way too much, this thrill was addictive.
The first Howler charged.
The first Howler charged.
Ezreal met it head-on.
He raised his blades in a a cross, the two attacks meeting. But the creature was much stronger than Ezreal had anticipated, the strike launched him back, leaving his hand slightly trembling.
Their strength is much higher than mine, he noted to himself.
Shadow step. His body instantly disappeared into red mist, almost instantly appearing right beside the closes howlers body right as it was about to attack.
"Vital Strike."
His blade struck flesh, digging deep into body.
<-520>
The creature howled in pain, jumping back, blood pouring from its wound, but it didn't fall. It was way too tanky, but luckily the beast didn't seem to posses any type of combat skills or this battle would have been nigh impossible.
The second Howler came from behind.
Ezreal twisted too late.
The club smashed into his shoulder.
<-180>
Pain exploded through him. His HP bar dipped hard.
He rolled, barely avoiding the blade-horn of the third as it carved a trench where his head had been. Dirt sprayed into the air.
"Tch."
He pushed himself up. His breathing was heavier now. Mana ticked down dangerously fast. His earlier attack hadn't applied the bleed effect, it seemed his attacks earlier were too weak. It seems he just had to attack harder.
Shadow step. His body turned to mist once again. reappearing right behind, the second Howler.
Afterimage slash.
His blades turned into a blur slicing 4 times into the creatures back, triggering exposure and delaying increased damage.
<-230> <-350> <-270> <-410>
The howler reeled backed, turning in anger, its club raised ready to crush Ezreal, but the delayed damage clicked in.
<-370>
The beast staggered but stayed standing.
Too much health.
The third Howler struck from the side.
Ezreal raised an arm too late.
<-210>
His HP plunged into red.
Dangerously low.
His breathing came sharp and shallow—but then the first kill paid off.
Mana costs dropped. His mind sharpened.
The second Howler lunged again.
Ezreal vanished.
Shadow Step—reset.
He reappeared behind it, twisting mid-air.
"Backstab!"
<-1950>
The beast collapsed instantly.
Ezreal faded from sight.
Invisible.
The last Howler froze, confused, sniffing the air wildly.
Ezreal circled it silently, every step precise. His muscles screamed, but momentum carried him forward.
He struck from invisibility—
"Crimson Spiral."
Ezreal spun forward in a blur of steel, blades carving a red arc through flesh.
<-420>
The Howler howled, bleeding heavily—but swung wildly, catching Ezreal's shoulder with its club.
<-160>
Ezreal staggered back.
He only had 12 hp left
A single hit from death.
Blood Momentum hit its peak.
The world slowed.
"Reaper's Continuum."
The air screamed as something snapped loose inside him.
Shadow Step, gone. No cooldown.
Ezreal blinked behind the Howler.
Slash.
Teleport.
Slash.
Teleport.
Afterimage Slash again.
The beast couldn't track him. Couldn't react.
The bleed ticked.
<-90> <-90>
Ezreal appeared one final time directly behind it.
"Backstab."
<-2400>
The Howler dissolved mid-scream.
Silence fell.
Ezreal stood there, swaying, vision tunneling. His blades slipped from his hands as he dropped to one knee, chest heaving.
Alive.
Barely.
Then
Cold steel pressed against his throat.
Ezreal froze.
He lifted his eyes slowly.
The girl stood before him, twin swords raised—one resting just close enough to draw blood. Her armor was cracked, her breathing ragged, eyes sharp and unyielding.
A warrior.
Not weak.
Not grateful.
"Don't move," she said quietly.
Ezreal let out a breathless laugh.
"…Yeah," he murmured."Wasn't planning to."