As Tom gazed toward the cave's entrance, he caught sight of a looming shadow drawing nearer. He squinted for a moment before his eyes widened in terror. Firstly, the shadow was steadily advancing towards the cave, and secondly, it appeared to belong to a massive creature.
As the shadow crept closer to the cave, Tom's thoughts raced. "What should I do? Should I step out or stay hidden in the hope it won't enter the cave?"
Yet, as he watched the shadow continue its approach towards the cave's entrance, Tom became certain that the creature to which the shadow belonged was heading right for the cave. After his encounters with the monkey-like creature, the Elk, the lioness, and the hyenas, Tom was convinced that the animals in this forest were all dangerous. He couldn't hope that the approaching creature would be any different and would simply smile and walk away once it saw the cave was already occupied.
With this conclusion, all Tom could do was determine the location of their impending battle. "I don't know what kind of creature this is, so it's wiser not to engage in a fight in a place with no escape possible. Besides, given the state of the cave, it's not certain it can hold up." The cave was already in a sorry state since Tom had unlocked his first seal.
The cave, once a relatively stable and unremarkable shelter, now bore the scars of Tom's first seal unlocking. Its walls were marred with deep cracks, and portions of the ceiling had crumbled, leaving rocky debris scattered across the uneven floor. The cave's natural tranquility had been shattered, replaced by an eerie stillness that hung heavily in the air. The very essence of the cave seemed to have been wrung out, leaving it with a desolate and worn appearance, a testament to the immense energy released during the unlocking process.
Of course, Tom would prefer to avoid any form of conflict for now, but unfortunately, that wasn't the way of the forest. Now that he intended to confront the creature outside, he had to hurry to reach the cave's entrance before the creature entered.
Tom grabbed his sword as quickly as possible and silently rushed towards the entrance, not wanting to alert the creature to the presence of an inhabitant within the cave.
Unfortunately, as soon as he reached the cave's entrance, Tom was startled to see projectiles hurtling towards him at great speed! Without wasting a moment, Tom used his Time Manipulation Astralum to halt the projectiles.
The projectiles came to a halt just inches from his head, and without a second to spare, Tom dodged the frozen projectiles. He emerged from the cave and moved away from the entrance immediately. Once he was safely outside the cave, and the projectiles were out of the range of his Astralum, they resumed their trajectory into the cave.
Tom thought with a shiver, 'I did the right thing leaving the cave. Imagine if I were still inside when those projectiles found me.' But Tom didn't have time to dwell on it. He turned around immediately to see the creature that was likely responsible for the barrage of projectiles. However, what he saw shocked him.
Before Tom stood an imposing and terrifying creature. Its immense stature reached a height of two meters, casting a shadow that sent shivers down anyone's spine. The creature's body was bulky and solid, like a living fortress.
What made it truly fearsome was its crystal-like armor, gleaming with a deep, ominous blue. The armor consisted of overlapping, jagged crystals, creating a tough and nearly impenetrable surface. This creature's shape was reminiscent of a giant insect or a massive crustacean, and its four powerful limbs ended in razor-sharp claws, ready to seize and rend.
Its head bore a row of sharp, crystalline spikes, adding to its menacing appearance. Its eyes were eerie, glowing orbs of electric blue, devoid of discernible pupils, giving it an almost inhuman and relentless gaze.
This creature exuded an aura of pure menace, and it was clear that it was not to be underestimated. Facing this formidable foe would be a daunting and perilous task for anyone.
Tom had never encountered a creature like this before, and a certain fear gripped him momentarily. After all, it was only human nature to fear the unknown. But he quickly composed himself. It had been days since he entered this forest, and every animal he had encountered so far had been far from ordinary. This creature before him was no exception.
As Tom pondered his next move, the creature launched another swift projectile assault. This time, however, Tom was ready. As the projectiles closed in on him, within the sphere of his Astralum's influence, Tom froze them in mid-air, suspending them in time. Then, with a quick, calculated move, he darted away from his previous spot, skillfully avoiding the deadly barrage, just as he had done before.
Once he distanced himself from the suspended projectiles, he released his Astralum's grip on them. What happened next left him in awe. Instead of a thunderous impact against the rocks behind him, the projectiles sliced through them like a hot knife through butter. They were so razor-sharp that instead of striking the rocks, they cleaved through them effortlessly, leaving Tom stunned by their deadly precision.
Witnessing this, Tom broke out in a cold sweat once more. He thought to himself, 'If I hadn't stopped time and moved out of their path, they would have surely pierced through me.' Quickly analyzing the recent events, Tom became more certain than ever that he needed to do everything in his power to enhance his mastery of his Astralum of Time Manipulation.
In the current situation, he realized that without the ability to halt time and evade the projectiles' trajectory, he would have met a gruesome fate. Once the projectiles had come to a complete stop, Tom swiftly examined them to determine their composition. As he had suspected, these deadly projectiles were made of the same material as the creature itself.
As their battle commenced, Tom quickly realized the creature's sluggishness. 'This creature seems slow,' he thought, 'I could use that to my advantage.' He initially relied on his Astralum of Time Manipulation to block the creature's projectiles, deftly dodging them when required.
However, he soon noticed that this method consumed an excessive amount of Etherium, leading to another thought 'I should save my Astralum for critical moments when evasion won't cut it.'
As their duel unfolded, Tom continued to observe the creature's slow and deliberate movements. 'It's dependent on ranged attacks,' he pondered, 'trying to make up for its lack of agility.' This revelation triggered an idea: 'What if I close the distance between us?'
Tom focused intently, channeling a significant portion of his Astralum into his legs. He could feel his speed increasing, thanks to his proficiency as a Focuser. Each thought was a calculated step toward victory.
Finally, after several heart-pounding seconds, Tom managed to reach the creature's flank. He thought, "Now's my chance." With a surge of focus-enhanced strength, he swung his sword, utilizing his Focuser abilities to maximize the force of the blow. His thoughts raced with hope and determination.
But as the blade made contact with the creature's skin, he couldn't help but feel a pang of surprise and dread, thinking, "Why won't it cut through?"
With a deafening crack, Tom's sword shattered into pieces. His mind filled with shock and disbelief, he was left weaponless.
"Fuck..."