[Skill: Memory Palace has been activated.]
I pushed my brain as far as I could.
Constantly trying to retain the visualization of the chasm and the shaky image of the cockatrice.
The images formed in my Memory Palace would diminish after a moment, forcing me to reform them.
To make things worse, the visualization formed was based entirely on sound and thus was largely inaccurate and crude, but that was all I had to go on.
Sound, Memory and Intuition.
Let's do this...
I took a step forward and lunged at the cockatrice, using the 3D mental space as a crude waypoint.
In the 3D space, I approached the fallen Cockatrice raising Silver Lining to attempt to cut it down.
HRAAAH!!
Just as I brought the blade down, I realized something.
Wait...!
I had made a fatal error.
BAM!
"URK!", I exclaimed as something scaly and sharp crashed into my side.
[You have been wounded.]
Damnit...
I had momentarily forgotten that there was a distinction between my visualizations and reality.
My visualizations were still images.
CRASH!
I tumbled across the ground like a ragdoll; the mental images dissipating in the process.
Shit...
I raised my head and opened my eyes; the scarlet orbs of the Profane Cockatrice were wide awake and filled with longing hunger but even deeper there was something else; a twinge of dark hatred.
Just like how I didn't want to die to a hungry beast, the Profane Cockatrix didn't want to an unhinged human.
A clear parallel had been drawn between us.
But also, something else had become apparent.
One of us was going to die.
No...
One of us was going to be murdered by the other.
Either the Profane Cockatrix...
Or I, Alexander.
SHIFF!
I heard another sound, and the eyes of the Cockatrice expanded.
"Damn."
Immediately, I spun across the floor to dodge the incoming lunge.
SCREECH!!
I heard a revolting scraping sound across the ground, and suddenly the eyes expanded in my direction again.
"Huh...?"
I was a second to late and thus, earned another scar, this time across my arm. The pain was stinging and blood seemed to seep out profusely.
[You have been wounded.]
Tsk...
I grabbed my arm, trying to stop the flow of blood but failed, the wound was scarily deep. I started to feel anemic.
I have...to end this fast...
My eyes wandered to the Cockatrice who seemed to be getting ready to launch another deadly attack. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before ripping my clothes. I couldn't see them but they were most likely worse than rags at this point, much worse than the clothes of homeless men.
Well...at this point am pretty much homeless though...
I smirked dryly.
[Skill: Resistance is active.]
RIP!
I tore the rags that stuck to my skin before using them to form crude bandages. I used some of the remains to wrap Silver Lining tightly to my hand. My grip was weakening due to the seeping lethargy.
[Equipped Item:] Silver Lining
The silvery blade shone in the darkness and my eyes glistened with murderous resolve.
I raised my blade to meet the Cockatrice's gaze and then struck it on the ground once again.
CLANG!
Once again, the system spoke.
[Skill: Echolocation has been activated.]
As I closed my eyes, I listened to the reverberations with laser sharp focus.
I have to do this again...!
[Debuff: Partial Hearing is active.]
Ignoring the system's droning voice, I strained harder to the point of even hearing the Cockatrice's strained breathing.
Calm...
[Skill: Memory Palace has been activated.]
I entered into my Memory Palace again, using the echoes to reform the space and cockatrice but I didn't stop there...
No... deeper!
Merge...!
Straining my brain to its utmost limits, I forced a miraculous fusion
The system spoke, announcing,
[Skills: Memory Palace X Echolocation are active.]
Suddenly, I began to perceive the world in two states.
One state was reality and the other was my mind.
I was standing in the darkness of a deep chasm while also standing in a rock gap devoid of darkness.
In my Memory Palace, I saw a perfect image of the Cockatrice.
Yet even with how realistic it was portrayed.
It still wasn't enough.
...
SHIFF!
In a deep gulf enshrouded with boundless darkness, two figures resided at its limits.
A heavily wounded cockatrice with vicious scarlet eyes and bloodied scaly skin, flailed in the dark. It's hate-filled gaze was set upon a lonesome figure whose silhouette was enshrouded in darkness.
The figure's body was a mess of wounds and was barely covered by tattered blood-soaked rags. He had broken lips and bags under his eyes, his skin was dry and stinging. His black hair was extremely messy and dyed red with blood.
Yet his posture and expression were fierce, even animalistic.
A silver uchigatana was tied tightly to his right hand as he took a stance with closed eyes.
Raising his blade to eye level and pointing it forward with his right hand while moving his left hand back in an open palm, he lengthened the gap between his legs forming an 'L' shape.
It was the en-garde position.
The cockatrice lunged forward with his fangs bared in a murderous frenzy.
"CRRRREEEE!!!"
As it approached the unmoving human, it's eyes glistened with hate. The cockatrice wanted nothing more than to tear the stubborn human apart and savor its flesh, to satiate its hunger, to satisfy its unbridled rage.
"CREEE!!"
The cockatrice lunged at its enemy, using its wings to momentarily give it flight. It shot through the air at break-neck speeds, closing in on its target.
But right before it reached.
SHIFF!!
The human sidestepped the flying attack and pivoted on one foot before stabbing at the flying cockatrice. In a panic, the monster deflected the attack with its claws and as a result was thrown off.
The cockatrice collided on to the ground with a loud thud but it didn't stay down. In a desperate movement, it turned to the human and lunged again but this time the human reacted faster.
Jousting his blade forward, he met the sharp claws of the cockatrice and sent a reverberating clang through the chasm.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
The human and the cockatrice fought. Exchanging strike after strike with their deadly weapons.
The cockatrice used the claws at the end of its wings along with its spiked tail to contend against the human's silver sword.
CLANG!
The tail of the cockatrice and the human's silver blade clashed again before separating.
"CREEE!!",
The cockatrice screamed in murderous fury, inflamed by the human's tenacious assault.
CLANG! CLANG!! CLANG!!!
The clash between the human and the cockatrice intensified, drowning out the deafening silence of the dark chasm.
They clashed with dark resolve, neither of them refused to bend to the other's will. In fact, despite the sheer gap between their levels, the human and the cockatrice were at a stalemate.
CLANG!!!
The cockatrice parried a jab from the human, forcing him to stumble but at the last moment, he regained his balance by using his sword while also simultaneously dodging a deadly lash of the cockatrice's tail.
Spinning back to his feet, the human feinted an attack to the cockatrice's eyes before lunging for its chest but right before the blade reached, the cockatrice whipped it away with its tongue.
Realizing his failed attack, the human retreated with closed eyes, his mannerisms were calm and collected. His movements were precise and unwasted, clashing with the cockatrice briefly before retreating.
As he clashed with the cockatrice, he observed it trying to decipher its ticks and habits.
But he had his eyes closed and was shrouded in absolute darkness.
So... how?
How could he fight the cockatrice who was six levels above him and could see perfectly well in the dark on even terms?
...
[Skills: Memory Palace X Echolocation are active.]
Constantly having to render the several movements of the cockatrice as well as mine while also keeping my perception of reality up-to-date.
My brain was in overdrive.
It was only because of this process that I could even fight the ravenous beast.
And only Resistance was helping me to keep up the process.
Without it, I would have popped a cork a long time ago.
With my brain in a deprived state, this would have been impossible-no... even if my brain was in pristine condition I still won't have been able to pull off this staggering feat.
The reason why I could pull this off was simple.
Clarity...
The gift of clarity was the only reason why I could predict the movements of the Profane Cockatrice to such an impressive degree and fight it.
In my Memory Palace, I didn't just form a copy of the cockatrice but also one of its skeletal and muscular structure. Joining all three to form a near-accurate moving copy of the cockatrice.
But how did I form the muscular and skeletal copy of the cockatrice?
It was simple, really.
A fact exists for all fantasy creatures created by the human mind.
Each phantasm was modelled from the inspiration of another real-world creature.
So, what was the inspiration of the cockatrice?
The answer is hidden in its name.
The Cock.
By using an image of the physiological structure of a cockerel stored in my mind palace, I could draw parallels.
CLANG!!!
I took a step back as the cockatrice struck with greater force than before. The strength of its strike was so great that I was forced to drop to a knee but...I didn't.
[Skill: Resistance is active.]
CLANG!!
I met the cockatrice straight on, knowing fully well that I had reached my limit.
If I fell now, I'll die instantly and the cockatrice will win.
The damn bastard would win.
"Ha...ha..."
I panted as the battle intensified; the sound of our weapons clashing soon filled the chasm with a deadly cacophony.
As we fought, I felt a rush of exhilaration and suddenly, a maniacal grin appeared on my face.
Huh?
It was the thrill of battle.
The thrill of fighting with your life on the line, pouring all your skills and strength into a fight.
I was feeling it. I was relishing in it.
"HAHAHAHA!", I let out a dry laugh as I realized it.
Suddenly, my movements changed, my joints loosened, and my steps became more precise. I felt something click in my head as the system spoke.
[Skill: Battle Arts has been activated – Fencing X Iaido.]
My eyes shone as I witnessed it.
The path to victory.
As millions of information were being processed in my mind due to the gift of clarity, my movements were captivated by the thrill of battle.
Suddenly, I felt like I was dancing!
Woah...so... this is it!
In that instant, I grasped it.
Why combat existed.
AH...!
It was simple.
To kill.
But not just living things. It included wills, pride, joy, sadness, happiness, pain, and sorrow.
Concepts.
Combat existed to kill concepts.
And the key to killing was deception.
"CREEEE!!"
The cockatrice let out a shrill cry as its tail lunged towards my direction; it had finally found an opening.
The tail bypassed the blade of Silver Lining and went straight for my heart.
Its red eyes shone with dark glee as the tail's sharp edge, collided with my skin.
It went straight through, piercing my ribcage, heart, spine and exiting from the back before retracting promptly.
Blood spewed from the ghastly wound as I my world turned black.
I opened my eyes to the darkness, realizing what I had just seen.
That was the concept of the cockatrice's will; it's will to see me dead.
It was the future the cockatrice had imagined right before I suddenly fell to a knee and swung my sword across a horizontal arc drawing a thin line across its head.
In that moment, the cockatrice's bewildered eyes locked with my cold gaze.
Sorry, we were playing chess not checkers...
Silver Lining exited from the right side of its cranium, as the upper half of the cockatrice's head flew off in a macabre fashion.
Fetid blood spewed forth splattering across my face and through the air as the system spoke in its unchanging voice.
[You have felled Level 9. Profane Cockatrice.]