Hero bows and gets away from the monster to avoid its attack. Peitho ran and hid while gasping for air in nervousness.
"Peitho, take my bag and run! Take as some oak tree leaves as many as possible and hide anywhere you can! I'll follow you," Hero stated as he kept on staring at the monster who was looking at him.
The monster's tentacles were wiggling and continuously attacked him but he was able to avoid it by cutting it using his weapon. Luckily, the things that people in his past taught him about how to make a weapon stronger to fight against monsters are still in his head. He still remembers it and was able to apply all of it now.
Confused, Peitho looks at her brother. "But what about you, Brother? I can't just leave you here!" she worriedly speaks while trying to take the heavy bag and managing to carry it.
"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself. Now go! I can handle myself!" Hero yelled and dashed toward the monster preventing it from attacking Peitho by choking its neck with his arms and pinning it on the wall.
Peitho immediately followed her brother's order and while running she took a peek at him before running away from them.
The monster roars and pushes him causing him to fly away to their room and almost fall from the third floor. His arms got a scratch that made him hold it and look at the monster.
He held his dagger tightly and was about to dash towards the monster but it suddenly teleported behind his back and gave him a blow making him vomit blood.
He immediately stood properly. He grabbed the monster's hands and gave it a headbutt, knocking the monster off balance. He kicks the monster's neck but he just receives pain when its neck becomes hard like a rock.
The monster grabbed his leg, spun his body, and heavily dropped him on the ground backward, almost breaking his bones and causing him to feel intense pain.
"Sh.t," Hero cursed.
He stood up immediately when he saw the monster's hand that was about to punch him. He ran away from the monster but it followed him where he was. He then stops when he finally reaches the end and faces the monster.
It tilted his head which emerged its mouth, ears, and nose. As the monster was looking at him, its mouth began to smile creepily causing Hero's body hair to rise and step back.
The monster's aura was keeping him scared as hell. He clicks his tongue and speaks. "What kind of monster is this? This is the first time I saw a monster like him!" he exclaimed.
The monster began to run as fast as lightning making Hero's eyes widen. He couldn't able to avoid the monster's attack making his left-hand cut, his blood splashing around the area, to his body, and face. He cried out loud because of the pain that the monster caused him.
From his perspective, the monster in front of him is different from the usual monsters he fought every day in his past life. The monster is like the strong man he fought in his past life. An ordinary human can't beat a monster like them.
"No," he speaks. "Even with just one hand, I will defeat you," he added as he pointed his dagger at the monster who still kept on smiling creepily at him.
"You can't defeat me."
Hero's eyes widen when he hears it speak. It speaks!
The monster's voice was big and every word he says give terror to Hero's body. "You have a remarkable skill and body. I want you to become my new vessel," the monster added making Hero's forehead furrow. "I couldn't think that I would finally find you."
"New vessel? What are you? And what are you talking about finding me?"
Hero uses the time to take care of his wound by talking to the monster. Trying to take his attention.
"Humans like you won't be able to understand our origin, the gods bestowed us powers to invade your world, to make you our vessels, become our servants, and food to our soldiers." The monster's voice echoed in Hero's ear and head causing his one eye to close.
"I am not letting you do that in my body. Making your vessel? As if I will let you do that," Hero stated. The monster grins and hides back his tentacles on his body.
"You think you can fight against me with your one hand, human?"
The monster lets out his dark aura. Its eyes become even darker. Its fingers are now longer and sharper than a knife when it hit the wood beside it. His long fangs showed up, smiling creepily at Hero.
"Let's see what I can."
One second later, the two sprinted toward each other. Hero swung his dagger to cut the monster's chest, but the monster was able to avoid it.
The monster then swung his hand to smack Hero's head, but Hero was able to avoid it as well. The force of the monster's swing damaged the entire room of their neighborhood.
Hero doesn't give the monster a chance to attack so he immediately kicks the monster's leg making it off balance. Hero grins as he finally knows one of its weaknesses. The monster immediately stands properly and dashes towards Hero making him swing his dagger and cut the monster's hand. It screams in pain that trembles the whole apartment.
"The technique that I learned from Sir J is effective. Even though this dagger has no gems, it can still cut the monster."
The dagger that Hero is holding contains chemicals that can wound the monster, but it doesn't guarantee that it can kill the monster.
"Now, we're twins. Don't you like it? Does it feel good? To have one hand?" The monster glared and gritted its teeth in anger. It sprinted towards Hero, attacking him once again. Hero was unable to avoid the impact, causing his arms to swell from the monster's powerful blow.
The monster screamed in rage and unleashed a slew of tentacles from its body, glaring at him. "I will kill you," it declared, attacking Hero with its tentacles.
His dagger can cut but not all of them. The tentacles gave Hero many cuts that made his body bleed and made him shout in pain. The monster stops when he sees Hero's body now fully wounded.
"My, my, it would be a waste if I let my vessel be like that. It would make me hard to heal that body."
Hero gasped for air holding his dagger tightly. Slowly lifts his face to look at the monster while gritting his teeth. The monster also gradually knelt on the ground, facing Hero. It was about to speak when Hero immediately stabs the monster's heart.
However, the monster didn't let his chance go to waste as well. It makes a hole in Hero's chest and takes his heart away which makes his eyes widen.
"F-fvck you," he cursed and stabbed the monster deeply.
Without further ado, the monster put its black gem where Hero's heart was placed.
"Who told you I am gonna be killed? I still have an option to live. That is to use your body."
Hero's wounds started to regenerate and the black gem slowly connected with his internal organs. He screamed in extraordinary pain as the gem took effect. His body began to get stronger than the normal body of a human. Then the monster's body gradually became like that of a child. Its eyes and mouth were wide open. Hero can smell its burning body.
"Ahhh!" he screamed.
The black gem attempted to control him but the vessel refused, causing some conflict. If Hero fails to tame the gem, his body will explode and he will die.
Hero scratches his body with his sharp fingernails, causing wounds and bleeding. Despite the pain, he is still trying to stop the gem from controlling him. "Stop!" he yelled, collapsing to the ground and opening his pitch-black eyes.
Hero couldn't see anymore because the monster's gem was blocking his vision. "You can't take over my body!" He helps himself to stand and walk down the hallway.
Because the vessel did not allow the monster to control his body, the source of the gem was about to explode. Hero's body turns violet and he is running out of breath. He can no longer speak. Cannot move. Cannot breathe.
'I am the only one who has control over my body!' Hero thought to himself. The gem attempts to burn his body, preparing to explode. He took his dagger to the ground and spoke.
"I won't let myself die." He slices the palm of his hand causing it to bleed and him to be left unconscious.