As Rune touched down on the ground, the monstrous lion turned towards him. Fear gripped him in that moment, his heart racing as the beast advanced. Despite his terror, Rune found the strength to move and began sprinting, the six-footed lion hot on his heels through the desolate streets. He sprinted, keeping track of his route, hoping that if he managed to survive this ordeal, he could return for Miko. But every time he stole a glance behind him, he could see the creature drawing closer.
Damn it, is this how it all ends? I wish these damn monsters didn't exist. If they were never around, I could have had a family and a normal life, one where survival wasn't constantly on my mind.
This world is just awful. Why am I so damn unlucky?
As the terrifying monster drew closer, his mind raced with a multitude of thoughts. Suddenly, the beast leapt off the ground, its jaws wide open, but he skillfully evaded its grasp by swiftly darting into a narrow alley. Although he heard the thud of the monster hitting the ground behind him, he didn't allow fear to consume him. Instead, he simply kept running with all his might, something he had never been able to do before due to the constant worry of Miko lagging behind. But now, that burden was lifted.
He sprinted ahead, effortlessly leaping over obstacles like garbage bins and abandoned cars amidst flickering streetlights. Running aimlessly, he eventually lost track of his exact location. However, after a considerable distance, he realized that the sound of the pursuing beast had vanished. Curiosity got the better of him, and he finally turned around to see what had transpired.
Oh no! As he looked back, he couldn't believe that the monstrous lion was still on his tail. But to his surprise, it had sprouted its enormous dark blue and purple feathered wings and was now flying after him at an incredible speed.
Without wasting a second, he spun around and started running again. The beast lunged at him once more, jaws wide open, but he swiftly dodged its attack. This time, he took a sharp left turn and found himself in a dimly lit alley. At the end of the alley loomed a tall metal fence, making him even more anxious. With each step, his heart pounded faster, his exhaustion growing more pronounced from the prolonged sprint.
However, his determination was unwavering. No mere fence was going to hinder his escape. As he neared the towering barrier, he mustered all his strength and leaped, immediately beginning to climb.
.
While climbing, he slipped and fell onto his back, only to spot the monster already up and about. Desperate to escape, he quickly held onto the gate and began climbing with every ounce of strength he had left. He realized that he might not survive this predicament, but he was determined not to give up either.
Despite thinking that his "ink and pen" ability might come to his aid if used correctly, he didn't have the luxury of time to test it out. Instead, he decided to climb over the fence and drop to the ground.
In that moment, Rune could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins, sweat pouring down his face. Fatigue overwhelmed him after running for so long, causing his entire body to tremble and making it difficult to catch his breath.
He lay sprawled on the ground, his mind filled with frustration and fear. "Please stand up!" he pleaded desperately, but his body refused to obey. He turned his head and witnessed the terrifying sight of a monstrous lion soaring through the air towards him.
Then, from behind, came the sound of footsteps. Rune strained to look back, but the pain in his body held him captive. Exhausted, he could only face forward, still lying on the ground.
"Hey, kid, you've done a great job. Despite being in danger of being killed by that monster, you protected the little girl you were traveling with.
As the monstrous beast descended, ready to attack Rune, he lay on the ground defenseless. But suddenly, a shining light was hurled at the creature, resembling a silver spear.
With a swift swish, the light pierced through the monster's stomach, causing it to howl in pain.
Berr!!!!!
The beast plummeted from the sky and landed on the tall fence. Rune's vision started becoming blurry, eventually closing...
Gradually, Rune began to regain consciousness. His vision was still a little blurred, but he could hear mysterious voices nearby.
"Hey, I think he's waking up."
"Oh, really?"
Rune blinked his eyes slowly and rubbed them to clear his vision. Surprisingly, he didn't feel tired, and he found himself lying on a comfortable bed."
After glancing around, he discovered that he was lying on a bed inside a room furnished with a dresser. The dresser was filled with various items like books and hair supplies, including a brush and comb. Additionally, there was a large wooden wardrobe and a side table with a lamp emitting its bright light, illuminating the dark room.
Puzzled, he mumbled, "Where am I?" Just as he uttered those words, he heard footsteps getting closer to the room.
"Rune!" A familiar voice shouted. He looked up and recognized Miko. Instantly, he leaped off the bed and rushed toward her, engulfing her in a warm embrace.
As he held on tightly, Rune couldn't help but wonder if it was truly her. He released the hug and examined her, feeling unsure.
Miko still had her signature white hair and was dressed identically. Most significantly, she had the tail from the infection.
Wait, wait! I actually believed everything was over, but then... unexpectedly, Rune had a sudden realization. Just before losing consciousness, someone or something hurled a shattered light post at the massive creature, ultimately causing its death .
Hang on a second, where on earth are we now? And how did we get here? As Rune pondered over these questions, he heard the distinct sound of two sets of footsteps drawing closer to the door of the room.