As he flew back from a powerful clash with the monster, Northern crashed into a nearby tree and slumped to the ground.
Slowly, he got up to uphold the sight of the towering abomination. A wave of doubt came crashing over Northern. Was he truly prepared to face a creature of such immense power?
As he squared off against the monstrous foe, Northern's lack of combat experience weighed heavily on his mind. The only solace he found was in the muscle memory of countless sword drills ingrained in him since childhood.
"LHis swordplay was rudimentary at best, lacking the finesse and deadly techniques needed to face a foe of this magnitude.
His combat prowess was nothing remarkable, a fact he knew all too well. Any other student at the academy could have matched his skill with ease. Yet, amidst his shortcomings, Northern possessed a keen intellect that set him apart from his peers.
Northern's sharp wit and keen observation skills were his greatest assets, allowing him to assess his own abilities and seek out opportunities for growth.
His father's unwavering faith in him stemmed from his understanding of Northern's astute nature and relentless determination to excel, even with limited training. But his father's confidence in him had never been tested against the likes of a hellion rank monster.
Even a seasoned Vagrant rank drifter like Shin would have found the challenge daunting, let alone a walker like Northern with little combat experience to speak of.
Northern's acceptance of the perilous situation was tempered by a grim understanding that his actions bordered on reckless bravado.
Desperation coursed through him, fueling a reckless determination to survive at any cost.
If he wanted to leave this hellhole alive, he would need to seize every opportunity, no matter how daunting the odds may seem.
Northern's hand vibrated as he attempted to tightened it around the sword.
The abomination loomed over both of them, its massive form heaving with each breath, eyes burning with a primal intensity that sent a shiver down Northern's spine.
Black fluid leaked down its side and yet it seemed unbothered.
Northern squeezed his face.
'I have the upper hand…'
Somehow he just needed to hit where it already hurt.
With an amusing determination, he streaked forward, his speed limited by the chains but his clone was there to make up for the most part.
It appeared from behind as Northern charged head front. The monster yanked forward both arms at the same time, frame of its hand writhing out like coily black whips, lashing out at both Northern simultaneously.
Northern carried himself backward, narrowly escaping the onslaught - a drop of blood stream down from a cut line on his face despite his desperate attempt.
His clone however was more reckless, it dashed crazily, twisting itself beneath the whip, and yanking the rusting sword at the monster's side.
Stabbing with a ferocious power into the previous injury sustained from its previous foe.
Northern's eyes widened. 'What the…'
But he had no time to be surprised about anything. Seeing how the monster was thrown off by that attack, this was the best moment to end things, more so… the rusting weapon he picked for his clone was now suspended in the monster's body.
His clone was unprotected.
He shot off like a bullet, the moment he was about to carve a crude arc, and cleave the monster's flesh while it was heading for his clone.
The limit of the chains decided to become an enemy, stopping his hand movement just above the vicious hellion.
'Shit!' He gritted his teeth annoyingly.
His hands were far apart, Northern apparently had been moving with a substantial amount of consciousness that he is in chains, so he tried to not get in the way of his own movement himself.
However, because of the urgency of the situation, this last moment had him thrown off.
As Northern's hand hovered just above the monster's flesh, time seemed to slow down.
The chains that bound him became a cruel reminder of his limitations, hindering his ability to strike the final blow.
Frustration and anger welled up inside him, but he refused to succumb to despair. He had come too far to give up now.
With a surge of determination, Northern shifted his stance, attempting to leverage his body weight to break free from the chains' grip.
The metallic links strained under the pressure, creaking and groaning, but they held firm. Northern's muscles burned with the effort, his veins pulsating with adrenaline.
Meanwhile, his clone used that opportunity to recklessly dive in again, draw out the blade and continued its frenzied assault on the monster, slashing and hacking at its flesh with the rusting sword.
The monster thrashed and roared in pain, its massive form trembling under the relentless assault. The clone fought with reckless abandon, giving Northern a moment to himself.
Northern's mind raced, searching for a solution.
Desperation gave way to inspiration as a daring plan formed in his mind. He had to find a way to defeat the monster without breaking free from the chains.
With a quick calculation, Northern adjusted his strategy.
He focused on evasive maneuvers, dodging the monster's attacks with agility and precision.
He danced around the creature, using his speed and reflexes to stay one step ahead. Every swing of the monster's monstrous arms missed its mark, while Northern's clone continued to strike at its vulnerable spots.
Northern's eyes narrowed as he spotted an opening—a momentary lapse in the monster's defenses.
With a burst of speed, he lunged forward, his sword aimed at the creature's exposed side. But just as he was about to strike, the chains pulled him back, restraining his movement again.
Frustration surged through Northern's veins, but he refused to let it consume him, this time he decided to pay more attention to the limits of the chain.
He had to adapt, to find another way to exploit the monster's weakness. With a quick shift in tactics, he focused on distracting the creature, drawing its attention away from his clone. He acted as the bait.
He let out a guttural shout:
"Come at me!!! YOU BASTARDDDD!!!"
As the monster turned its gaze towards Northern, his clone seized the opportunity.
It darted in, slashing at the monster's tendons and ligaments, hampering its movements. The creature howled in pain, its strikes becoming sluggish and uncoordinated.
Northern's heart pounded in his chest as he watched his clone fight on, everything about it had changed, its movement. Perhaps the experience in the wilderness while Northern was captured had built up.
Plus it better executed the tasks that Northern thought of more than Northern could ever.
He couldn't break free from the chains, but he could still contribute to the battle in his own way. He just had to keep thinking and focus on the battle, as long as he did, his clone who didn't have to think was not delayed by the fraction of second between thinking and execution of task.
With every ounce of concentration, Northern analyzed the monster's movements, searching for weaknesses that he could exploit. Which guided his clone, directing its strikes and maneuvers with precise timing.
Together, they formed a deadly duo, one the brain, the other muscle.
The battle raged on, the clash of steel and roars of pain echoing through the air.
The monster fought back with a ferocity that matched its size, but the clone refused to back down besides Northern was there to fill in for holes.
Suddenly, Northern's clone launched a desperate attack. With a surge of strength, it plunged the rusting sword deep into the monster's heart.
The creature let out a deafening roar, its body convulsing in its death throes. But even in its dying moments, it managed to strike a blow.
A massive arm swung towards the clone, its impact shattering the fragile form. The clone dissipated into nothingness with that effort.
Immediately that happened, Northern felt a completion, it was more. The muscle memory from the clone's abrupt movement, he could feel it being seared into his own.
His muscles felt sore, just like it would've if he was the one making those wild movements.
With his clone gone, Northern stood alone, still bound by the chains as two different voices entered his ear, one after the other:
[You have slain a Hazard Hellion - Friggian Walker]
[You have gained +4 talent fragments]
Tears welled up in Northern's eyes as he rose to his feet, his body battered and bruised. They were tears of happiness, so much happiness spinned and spurled inside of him.
He didn't actually think he was going to make it. But he did, he defeated a hellion rank monster. Even if it was wounded, it was a lot of achievement.
He was a walker with limited combat experience, trapped by chains. And somehow, he had managed to kill a hellion rank monster, not even before, this feat had been recorded.
No one would expect that a walker would have the guts to kill a hellion rank. It was unbelievable.
Northern exhaustively panted as he tried to rest from the soreness of his muscles. Since the clone had returned to him, he had to shoulder both its gains and its losses.
He finally, steadied his breath and gripped tighter the sword in his hands, ready to continue his journey. However, as he turned…
An incarnate of darkness was standing a stone throw away from him, four red eyes glowing with a vicious, flesh cutting bloodlust.