The moment Selena shouted "Go!", everything unfolded in a blur.
She darted toward the monster, crimson sword raised, aiming to catch it off guard.
The beast's roars reverberated through the forest, louder as she closed the distance.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto her as she approached from behind.
But the monster was quicker than expected.
With terrifying speed, it whirled around, one of its massive claws sweeping through the air.
Selena barely had time to react.
WHAM!
The force of the swipe sent her flying.
Pain exploded in her chest as she crashed to the ground, the impact knocking the wind from her lungs.
Something cracked in her ribs, and when she tried to push herself up, a sharp pain made her wince—blood dripped from a gash along her side.
Her vision blurred momentarily from the shock, but there was no time to dwell on it.
Sensing her vulnerability, the beast turned its attention toward Aria.
Aria was kneeling on the ground, frantically digging with a piece of pointed branch where the mana stone was buried.
She glanced up just in time to see the monster charging at her, claws extended and fangs bared.
"Aria!" Selena shouted, desperation in her voice.
Without thinking, she gripped her sword tightly and hurled it through the air.
The crimson blade cut through the mist like a streak of fire, striking the monster squarely in the neck.
The beast howled in pain, the sword embedded deep in its flesh.
For a brief moment, it seemed to falter, but its strength was far greater than expected.
With a snarl, the creature yanked the sword from its neck, tossing it aside as blood dripped from the wound.
Its rage grew, ignoring Selena, and it fixed its gaze back on Aria.
Time seemed to slow as the monster raised its claw, ready to strike.
"No!" Selena forced herself to stand, teeth gritted against the searing pain in her side.
Summoning every ounce of strength, she charged at the creature and delivered a powerful kick to its side.
Her foot connected with the beast's ribs, and with a grunt, she sent it stumbling backward.
The monster roared in frustration as it skidded across the ground, momentarily disoriented.
"Aria, hurry!" Selena gasped, clutching her wounded side as she limped toward her discarded sword.
Aria didn't hesitate.
She dug faster with the piece of branch she picked up before, her hands trembling, desperate to retrieve the mana stone before the monster could recover.
Meanwhile, Selena grabbed her sword, the crimson flames reigniting as she prepared for the next round.
The monster shook off its disorientation and lunged at Selena again, but this time she was ready.
She parried its attack, blocking its massive claws with her sword, the force of the impact sending shockwaves up her arms.
The beast was strong—far stronger than her—but she couldn't let it reach Aria.
The battle that followed was brutal.
Each of the monster's attacks was relentless, and Selena's sword danced in her hands as she blocked and countered, their movements blending together in a deadly exchange.
Blood trickled down her side, her injuries slowing her, but she refused to back down.
Every second she bought for Aria was critical.
The monster snarled and lashed out with its claws, and Selena deflected the blow, countering with a powerful upward slash.
Her blade cut deep into its fur, but it wasn't enough.
The beast snarled in rage, its red eyes burning with fury as it prepared to strike again.
Just as it seemed the creature might overwhelm Selena, Aria's voice broke through the chaos.
"I've got it!"
Aria stood up, holding the mana stone—a glowing, pulsating crystal that radiated power.
But there was no time to celebrate.
The moment Aria retrieved the stone, the monster's focus snapped back to them, fury blazing in its eyes.
"Run!" Selena shouted.
The two of them bolted through the forest, the beast chasing them with relentless speed.
Selena's breath came in ragged gasps, each step sending a sharp jolt of pain through her ribs.
Blood soaked her clothes, but she couldn't afford to stop.
The monster's roars grew louder, closing the distance between them.
They needed a plan, but stopping now would mean death.
Finally, they reached a small clearing.
Selena, gasping for air, quickly tore a strip of cloth from her sleeve, tying it around her bleeding side.
It wouldn't stop the pain, but it would have to do.
They couldn't keep running forever.
Aria looked at her, fear flashing in her eyes.
"What do we do?"
"We fight," Selena said, gripping her sword tightly once more.
The monster burst into the clearing, charging with undiminished fury.
But this time, they were ready.
"Aria, be the bait," Selena ordered.
"I'll finish it off."
Aria nodded, and then clicked on her skill, from which a sword of pitch black color came out.
She stepped forward, waving her sword like an amateur to catch the monster's attention.
"Hey, over here!"
The creature roared and lunged toward her.
Aria darted to the side, narrowly avoiding its claws, as Selena circled behind, waiting for the right moment.
As the monster's focus remained on Aria, Selena saw her chance.
With a burst of speed, she closed the gap and swung her sword with all her remaining strength.
The blade sliced cleanly through the monster's neck, severing its head in a swift motion.
The beast collapsed to the ground, its body dissolving into shimmering particles, leaving behind only silence.
Selena stood panting, bloodied and exhausted, as the reality of their victory set in.
They had survived.
Although barely.
***
Huff. Huff.
Every breath felt like fire tearing through my chest.
My ribs had to be broken—at least one of them—and the cuts on my leg and hand still stung, though the bleeding had stopped for now.
I slumped against the massive roots of a tree, the rough bark digging into my back, but I barely noticed it over the pulsing pain in my side.
I couldn't believe how badly I had misjudged that monster.
It was supposed to be a simulation.
Just training.
Yet here I was, barely able to stand, my body battered and bruised.
If fighting that thing to retrieve a single mana stone had left me like this, how in the world was I supposed to last the full five hours in this forest?
Aria knelt beside me, focused on tying off the makeshift bandage around my leg.
Her hands were steady, even though she had been just as scared during the fight.
Maybe even more.
But now, as I watched her work, there wasn't a trace of panic in her expression.
"Should we regroup with Arlan and Elric first?" she asked, her voice calm, almost too calm for the situation.
I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head.
"You're unfazed by all this, aren't you?" I didn't mean to sound sarcastic, but I couldn't help it.
How was she so composed after everything that had just happened?
She paused and glanced up at me, a small frown on her lips.
"That's not it at all. It's just that even if I panic, it won't change anything. We have to act ourselves to make a difference."
I looked away for a second, embarrassed by my earlier tone.
She was right, of course.
Panicking wouldn't help us.
But the way she managed to stay level-headed in a moment like this—it made me realize just how much stronger she was than she appeared.
"You're strong, Aria," I said quietly, more to myself than to her.
I couldn't hide the admiration in my voice.
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she finished wrapping my leg.
"So are you, Selena. The way you fought before… I'm convinced now. You're the rightful leader of our group."
I blinked at her, taken aback.
Leader? Me?
I didn't feel like a leader right now.
I felt like a mess—broken ribs, bloodied, and barely able to keep standing.
But Aria… she looked at me like she believed it, like she had seen something in me that even I couldn't see.
"Thanks," I muttered, not knowing what else to say.
I wasn't sure if I believed her, but her words gave me a small flicker of hope.
Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as weak as I felt right now.
I felt soothed, as my vision got blurrier by the second.
Just right then, my status window opened automatically.
Before, it showed things like personal info, attributes, skills, status effects.
But, now it showed another option, and it was already opened up.
I opened it, and the very opportunity I needed to break free from this situation was now before me.
{
> Shop (Temporary)
AVAILABLE MANA STONES (GROUP 1) = 4
Hidden Information : 10 Mana Stones
Energy Drink : 1 Mana Stones
Transmitter (a pack of five) : 2 Mana Stones
Monster Detector : 5 Mana Stones
Healing Potion : 2 Mana Stones
.............more
}
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Author's Notes :
I have used bold letters for loud sound or shouting of characters, and italics for normal conversation, don't get confused.
Also, please comment down your thoughts on the story so far.
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