I was wondering why this spiritual pressure seemed so familiar, I mean it makes sense now! After all who forgets their first trauma within a month?
Looking at the familiar red murder puppy I couldn't help but want to just lay down and cry if it weren't for two factors
1, I don't think mantis even have tear ducts and two my logical side kept reminding me that when a Corpse Parasite took over a body, they were unable to bring it to its full strength, maybe because the soul had left the beast or something
But either way I now had both the chance to get stronger and the chance to get even for nearly crushing me with its spiritual pressure
Kekeke
But in all seriousness, I needed to come up with some form of a strategy to kill this thing, an ambush was not going to kill this thing especially now that it was unable to fear surprise or pain, if I tried I might get one good hit in before becoming dog chow
However, that may be extremely useful, even if it's only one singular cut this thing likely doesn't have the ability to heal judging from the fact that's its face was literally in the process of rotting off
Gross
Anyway, I should be able to get one good hit in and run away before I am unable to use hidden intent provided, I can move fast enough, even with me doing nothing but training for a month I could only hold it for a few seconds before I lose concentration on my "denial"
Concerning the distance I knew I could make it, it was just a matter of getting away before Mr hellhound could take a blind swing in the direction of its attacker
Blind swing huh? I could use that!
Spending the next hour or so I formulated a plan and a few failsafe's that should save my ass If I fail, after all no plan lasts first contact
As I finally worked out the last kinks in my plan of attack, I must admit I was feeling nervous about the whole idea of attacking something that was likely a whole class above me, I mean one clean hit is all it will take and that's it… dead
I was no cultivation protagonist who gets saved by some otherworldly power, I don't get a replay or another chance. If I die that's it… done
Taking a dep breath to settle my nerves which I imagine looked more than a little weird on a bug over seven foot tall, I stepped into the entrance of the clearing in which the hellhound was now prowling as if the parasite within knew something wasn't right and didn't want to be caught unaware
Too bad though
As I triggered my hidden intent all that existed inside was this feeling, as If I was under a trance. My vision seemed to go dark and all I could feel within my body was this deeply rooted instinct that I needed to deny it.
Deny it?
What was I denying?
As I slashed into the side of the hellhound and began to run away to his other side, I began to question myself, why was I moving again? to protect something? Protect what?
As the questions seemed endless my mind regained focus and I came back to myself, ever had that immense feeling of relief you get when you remember something you had forgotten?
Try remembering your own existence, that'll get the endorphins pumping!
Of course, as I remembered myself, I also remembered the giant hell beast in front of me1 that was throwing what was the equivalent of a wild left hook with the power of a truck behind it in the direction I was previously in
Thankfully remembering the plan, I cut a downward slash into the other side of the beast to injure it further before jumping back ward with my wings to put some distance between us before it returned with a paw slamming into the ground less then a second later where I had once stood.
Now that I was stopping my attack for the time being the Corpse Parasite and its host were finally able to get a good look at their opponent and insultingly, they didn't even look worried or afraid
I mean sure, normally I would appreciate a person not being afraid of me but that was kind of offensive, I literally slashed to the bone TWICE before he could even react, and he's not even impressed
I swear some people will just never appreciate you no matter how hard you try.
Now with even more motivation to win I stared down the zombie dog and waited for it to make the next move.
Clearly not interested In a stand off it charged towards me clearing the distance between us with alarming speed, within a second it was almost on top of me and I had to look up just to keep an eyes on its scary sharp looking fangs so I could be ready to dodge when the inevitably tried to bite me in half.
As it made a lunge towards me face first I sprinted towards it and dodge under its jaws to the underside of its stomach between its back legs and jumped up to make a cut on its clearly vulnerable belly trying to attempting to end the fight through disembowelment
However, I underestimated its intelligence and quick thinking as I felt, saw and smelt a plume of fire hit the arm that was about to stab the hellhound, leaving it extra crispy and extremely painful
"Screeeeee!!" even I couldn't help but release a primal howl of rage as I landed and spun around seeing the grinning face of the hellhound twisted at an unnatural angle a range of motion given to it by the clear snapping of its own neck which reminded me that I was facing a Corpse Parasite not a hellhound and I felt the heat as it charged up another breath of fire that would toast me alive
If it wasn't for my first failsafe, my plan had worked perfectly up to this point but that doesn't mean I forgot them
As the hellhound charged up his breath within the span of a few seconds, I began directing the flow of my Chi and directing it to my mouth, so that when the murder puppy released his flame it was met head on by my own breath attack launching me out from under its belly and causing a small explosion under the beast