With a serene smile gracing his countenance, Gideon strode purposefully forward. The gentle zephyr of noon rustled the leaves of the towering trees that enveloped the clearing, permitting dappled sunlight to filter through. His obsidian eyes remained unwavering, fixed upon the imposing figure of the Hyenakin, positioned squarely between it and Lucy.
*Lionkin: Level 9.*
*Hyenakin: Level 12.*
The Hyenakin, befuddled by Gideon's presence, inquired, "What are you?"
Gideon paused, his amusement palpable. "Never encountered a hedgehog before, have you?" he quipped.
The Hyenakin furrowed its brows. "A what?" It retorted, brandishing its sword at Gideon. "And what's with that voice? You sound like what a leather boot might sound like if it could speak!"
Gideon's visage retained an air of casual composure. "I had the inkling I'd receive that comment sooner or later," he remarked, his gaze momentarily shifting to Lucy, prone on the ground. "Is my voice truly that unpleasant?"
Lucy gasped, caught off guard, struggling to formulate a response. "I... I think... I think it's..."
Gideon observed her stammer with an amused glint in his eyes before returning his attention to the Hyenakin. "Forgive me for intruding upon your little hunt, my friend," he said with an outwardly polite demeanor that thinly veiled a subtle menace. "But I am genuinely curious. What, pray tell, are your intentions regarding her?"
The Hyenakin, seemingly swayed by Gideon's words, responded unthinkingly, "Isn't it obvious? We plan to sell the villagers as slaves to humans. That's the usual course of action." It gestured toward Lucy with a twisted grin. "But this girl is different; her beauty would fetch a princely sum. I happen to know a corpulent nobleman with unsavory proclivities who'd pay dearly for her."
"I see," Gideon replied, his countenance betraying neither surprise nor opposition to the revelation.
Lucy, on the other hand, could not conceal her revulsion as she surveyed the Hyenakin. Clutching her leg wound, she struggled to her feet, her expression indicating that the injury had not inflicted any lasting harm.
The Hyenakin shrugged, its eyes never leaving Lucy. "What? Why the disdainful look?" it inquired. "We are men of business; we do not discriminate among our customers. As long as they possess the means to pay, we care little whether they are conventional slave traders or wealthy eccentrics with perverse tastes... Which, I admit, is repugnant, but still," it explained unprompted.
"I suppose..." Gideon interjected, nonchalantly raising a shoulder. "Who am I to pass judgment? People are often driven to extremes in the pursuit of survival, regardless of the wretchedness of their current circumstances. In my experience, resorting to nefarious deeds becomes an essential facet of survival."
The tension hung palpably in the air as the three figures regarded one another in the clearing, where the interplay of light and shadow whispered secrets of their impending confrontation.
Lucy's heart pounded relentlessly in her chest, a cacophony that matched the turmoil within her. Beside her, Gideon's presence exuded an enigmatic allure, an aura of both serenity and menace. She couldn't help but wonder about this peculiar stranger who had seemingly materialized to her aid.
Gideon, in his contemplative stillness, exuded an air of mysterious wisdom that belied his unassuming appearance. His eyes remained locked onto the Hyenakin, dissecting every nuance of its demeanor and speech.
The Hyenakin, caught between the ambiguity of its situation and the apparent indifference of its unexpected interlocutors, shifted uneasily. It had not anticipated such a peculiar encounter. The edge of its sword wavered, betraying a hint of trepidation.
Gideon's nonchalant comment ignited an unexpected fire within the hyenakin, kindling the flames of irritation that had been simmering beneath its rough exterior. With a growl that rumbled deep in its throat, it couldn't hold back its response any longer. "I don't require your condescension!" The hyenakin roared, its voice echoing through the dense forest. It lunged at Gideon, wielding its sword like a force of nature. "You think you can undermine me? You'll rue the day you underestimated me, you incessantly chatty creature!"
Yet, what transpired next left the Hyenakin utterly flabbergasted. Gideon, the seemingly unassuming creature, didn't attempt to evade the attack. Instead, he calmly intercepted the sword with his diminutive hand, his gentle smile unwavering. From the perspective of the hyenakin, it had executed a swift and vicious strike, but to Gideon, it unfolded in slow motion, as though it were a feeble attempt that required minimal effort to thwart.
The hyenakin's throat constricted as it tried in vain to wrest its weapon from Gideon's firm grasp. "Wha—why are you so unbelievably strong?" It stammered, its confusion palpable.
Gideon tilted his head slowly, still clutching the massive sword with ease. "I, too, find myself pondering that question. Initially, I harbored a modest suspicion, but now, it has grown into a certainty," he replied, his voice carrying a weight of curiosity. He then shifted the formidable blade aside, his expression never faltering. "May I inquire how many stat points you acquire with each Level Up?"
Furrowing its brows in bewilderment, the hyenakin couldn't help but respond, captivated by Gideon's charisma. "Five... Everyone knows that. Even a child could tell you that. But why do you ask this now, in the midst of a battle?"
Gideon brushed off the hyenakin's query, his claws gently grazing his chin as he nodded thoughtfully. "I understand now. This clarifies matters. We, the participants in this grand game, possess unique attributes compared to the denizens of this world," he mused, his thoughts wandering momentarily. "It appears that they've unleashed ten formidable juggernauts upon this realm. The other deities must hold a disdain for this world indeed."
The hyenakin's voice quivered with impatience. "What in the heavens are you talking about?"
Gideon snapped back to the present moment, his grin still intact. "My apologies, my thoughts meandered. Shall we proceed with our current engagement?" With a single clenched fist, he obliterated the sword's blade, his gentle smile taking on a sinister edge. "I regret to inform you that I must end your existence."
The hyenakin recoiled in terror, its eyes wide with fear as it staggered backward, stumbling towards the dense forest. "You're a monster!" it shrieked, its desperation evident.
A mischievous glint sparkled in Gideon's eyes as he pursued the fleeing hyenakin, his small form surprisingly swift. In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap between them, launching himself toward the creature's nape, his sharp claws poised for action. "If you hadn't grasped it by now," Gideon whispered menacingly as he activated his *Claw Attack*, his claws slashing through the hyenakin's neck with precision. The attack might not have been as potent as his Night Form, yet it was undeniably destructive by Eteria's standards.
"I am, indeed, a monster."
The hyenakin's severed head tumbled to the ground, swiftly followed by its lifeless body. Gideon landed gracefully, his descent as silent as a whisper, and elegantly flicked his claw through the air to rid it of the crimson blood.
Lucy, who had been a silent observer throughout the confrontation, stood awestruck. Her eyes widened in amazement as she witnessed a seemingly inconspicuous creature triumph over a formidable beastkin warrior with astonishing ease.