We sat in silence for some time.
Having eaten more than half the food, my senses felt far sharper, and I was no longer as stressed.
Her words had struck me, so I sat with them in surprise at how much they meant to me—far more than I had expected.
_However, for some reason, I'm finding it difficult to concentrate on; something keeps pulling me back to reality, yet there's nothing but silence, warmth, and the wistful reach of the trees' afterglow._
I looked at Rena, who had been staring up at the sky and occasionally sipping her food.
It was peaceful, yet a knot was forming in my stomach.
_I've never felt like this before._
I rubbed the back of my neck--there was a faint rigidity to the goosebumps forming across my skin.
_What is it?_
My eyes flicked to the silent flame and then to her silent sipping, my unease growing each time I swapped my focus.
The angst forced energy into my knees, and I stood upright, turning in any which direction.
_Something is wrong._
_What was going on?_
Rena was looking at me, startled by my sudden movement.
I didn't return her stare; I was too transfixed by the waterfall only a few metres away...
_How... how had I not noticed?_
_There's no sound._
_I can't hear it at all._
A pang of anxiety shot a tingling adrenaline into my eyes and fingertips, and without a second thought, I switched to my mana sense.
The sharp surrounding fields were sullen, but I still caught sight of subtle unnatural movement through the ether.
Abruptly, the colour shifted to a razor-black, shooting towards us.
"Move!"
I shouted but dashed forward, knowing it would only serve to alert her a little.
_It's too close._
I lowered myself and threw my right fist with as much force as I could muster.
The slack of my gauntlets slammed against my knuckles, while I simultaneously wrapped my other arm around Rena's waist—it collided with something.
I twisted my body, focusing all I had on pushing my momentum into whatever I'd struck.
The thick plate of stone beneath my feet shattered apart, and a monstrous wail shook the air, its form flying back.
_It's invisible, yet I can see it skipping across the water._
Whatever it was, it flew back as if it were a dainty rock skipping across the shallow stream, but it was very much still alive and much larger than a simple rock.
_My senses are clearing._
_Ferocious glares... They're burning into my skin; it's not just the one coming from the front._
I pulled Rena behind me and spun around, hastily raising my arm in front of my face.
A terrifying force crunched down on my armour; several layers of serrated teeth had poked through and slightly pierced my flesh, but it held strong—it couldn't overpower me alone.
I yanked its locked jaw down and thrust my knee upwards into the underside of its jaw.
A violent crunch briefly entered my ears and I smiled; I could hear and sense them now.
_Behind._
Pulling out my sword, I swung it behind me, but only the sound of whistling air cut through the atmosphere.
The creature had changed its trajectory, doing so before I had even swung.
_They're attacking together?_
Whatever they were, they'd now grouped up in front, but this gave me time to catch my breath.
"Rena, go over to the wall."
"Mm."
She quickly replied, but I didn't respond; instead, I focused on the gradually materialising bodies of the monsters that attacked us.
In this moment of reprieve, I noticed a third set of eyes lock onto me.
They were on the top of the cliff's edge, well hidden but vulnerable to my sense; what intrigued me was that those eyes had clear conscious intent.
_It's an angel, a demon, a human, or something I had not heard of yet, and they think they're well hidden._
For now, I paid it no mind; the monsters were moving.
They were identical, and their bodies looked like giant, malnourished rats, only less round and more sleek. Both their front and hind legs were long, and that was clearly where all the muscle went—except for the face, which was huge, rounded, and fat at the base but angular and sharp around the eyes.
_If they had less teeth, they would have cut clean through my arm... They're not adapted for armour, only to bleed and tear away chunks of flesh._
They stepped away from each other and began moving towards me.
My eyes flitted between them, and I mimicked their movements, walking forward and getting some distance away from Rena while making sure to keep my sense on the one above.
_I doubt they'll blow their advantage by attacking Rena._
_Not being used to fighting in this body has me a little worried, especially with the sword, but I feel I can rely on my instincts; they've not failed me in fights before, and I have the sword arts with the system for now as well._
_Using the room to my advantage had been my saving grace when I was swarmed, but this place is rather sparse of anything; brute strength could actually be more useful here._
On instinct, I rolled my shoulder around, letting go of any tension in my body.
_They were oddly wary of me now, biding their time and readying themselves._
_Wait... was this the effect of that title? I think I remember intimidation being a key point there, along with magic efficacy or something._
_Heh, well, it's a nice advantage to have._
They moved.
My eye flicked to the left, and the rodent darted towards me.
I timed my blade, holding it steady.
It cut through the air with ease, but I frowned at seeing the monster back away in the last moment; it had been a faint.
The other cracked the ground as it bound for my head, its rows of jagged, drooling teeth spasming in excitement.
I could only slow the blade a little, so I let it go and caught it with my other hand.
With my arm free, I backhanded the side of the creature's fat face and deftly dodged to the side, avoiding its outstretched claws.
The strike flung the monster away, its face slamming against the ground and its teeth blunting as they slid across the solid stone.
_It's front arms are too weak to stop itself..._
I rushed in to finish it off, but an attack came from my rear.
_Haah, is everything a stalker in this world?_
I leapt to the side, but that move had been expected.
The weight of its huge claws ran across my back, piercing through the armour and into the flesh beneath, causing me to stumble away.
I took a second to recover, and I was about to use my lightning, but it wasn't necessary..
Fortunately, the pair favoured teamwork at this moment and took the time to regroup themselves.
We were now back where we started, only both injured and both more experienced with each other's attacks.
_They seem to be switching it up and will likely attack me both at the same time, perhaps one fainting and the other not, depending on how I move... what a pain._
My attention shifted to the watcher biding their time. _I'm sure they'll attack when the moment is right..._
A plan was forming in my mind.
_It's only this easy because of the spatial awareness I'm borrowing from him... Perhaps I can borrow something else too._
As expected, they both darted forward at slightly different angles and progressively changing speeds.
I could only lament how well practiced they were.
I did not swing; instead, I slammed my fist into the ground—upon the shattered earth of their previous assault.
Numerous large fragments of stone flew into the air and into their open mouths, cutting apart the soft flesh within.
Their vile screeches cut my ears, and they slid to either side of me, but I didn't stagger or slow down.
Pushing my sword into the rubble, I hauled a large, angular rock from beneath before turning to the one most hurt and launching it with all my might.
The stone catapulted through the air, piercing the side of its head. The rodent slammed against a nearby tree, but was still apparently alive.
My muscles were burning from the explosive assertion, but I turned around and pulled up my blade in a feigned panic.
The other beast had rushed me, but this was expected; I chose to look more exerted than I was.
I held the sword horizontally as it bit down on the edges of my blade.
Digging my feet in, I pushed back with my other arm on its wide edge.
I looked to be struggling, and I even arched backwards against the sheer strength of the monster.
"LOOK OUT!"
Rena's clear shout came from behind, but I had already felt them move.
[Monumental shift]
My mana suddenly drained—it was like a short blood rush.
An immense strength awoke within my body, and the instantaneous eruption of force crushed the rat's face against its own body, freeing the blade and granting me the freedom to slash it around in one swift motion.
"What!?"
His shout of surprise was not enough to change his trajectory—his body lurched and crumpled against the great sword for a harsh instant before piercing through and cutting a shallow line across this Angel's abdomen.
At the same time, a ball of stone coalesced around my sword, pulling it from my grasp.
_Despite all that, he'd managed to slow himself and back off from my strike..._
_He even disarmed me... if only he didn't have that armour._
Confidence mixed with his shock, and a twisted, sweated expression crossed his face; he clearly thought I could do nothing now.
He had one hand alight with magic and the other carrying a small blade.
But I'm still close.
[Martial Arts(Blood Letting Style)]
An elated smile crossed my face as I slammed my free hand into his stomach, dodging his blades jab for my neck.
He had obviously been planning more, but my sudden palm strike caught him off guard; it was already a rupturing blow against an open wound—it was enough to tear his organs from the inside.
I grasped the hilt of his blade, still near my neck, and snapped his wrist.
He screamed into the cold open air, but it was cut short the moment I turned his mangled arm back on himself and thrust the blade through his face, the last sounds of his life dying in his throat.
_Everything fell apart the moment his surprise attack failed._