Chereads / My Sage System / Chapter 15 - The Swarm Of The Unholy.

Chapter 15 - The Swarm Of The Unholy.

The forest was alive with dread, an oppressive weight pressing against Boyd's chest. Each breath felt like a betrayal, a sign to the looming giants that he was still alive, still defiant.

The towering figures surrounded him, their jagged stone frames glistening under faint light breaking through the trees. The once-partially injuried creatures were regenerating, the cracks and fissures across their bodies sealing with an unnatural smoothness. The low, grinding noise of stone against stone echoed in the stillness, an ominous prelude to the chaos that was about to erupt.

Boyd's heartbeat thundered in his ears, drowning out every other sound. His legs quivered, but he steadied himself, planting his feet firmly into the dirt. Focus, he told himself, though his mind screamed with doubt.

The system chimed in his mind, stark and cold:

[Warning: Host surrounded by hostile entities. Survival chance: 23%]

"Twenty-three percent?!" Boyd muttered through clenched teeth, gripping his sword tighter. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

The giants moved, not as mindless brutes but with a dreadful purpose. Their eyes glowed faintly, embers of molten red that seemed to pierce through the shadows. One by one, they rose to their full height, towering over the treetops like ancient sentinels of doom. Boyd's knuckles turned white as he tightened his grip, his mind racing.

"Eight of them," he muttered, his breath hitching.

"Eight of these things."

A quick glance around the battlefield made his stomach churn. The dense forest offered no solace; the trees, once his allies in the previous fight, felt claustrophobic. His boots dug into the soft, leaf-laden ground as he shuffled back. He could almost hear the whispers of the forest, urging him to run, to flee. But where would he go?

The first giant lunged, its massive fist crashing down where Boyd stood a second before. The impact sent a shockwave through the ground, uprooting nearby trees and showering Boyd with dirt and splinters. He rolled to the side, barely evading a second strike that crushed a boulder into dust.

His body moved on instinct, the edge of his blade flashing in the dim light as he slashed at the giant's leg. The stone cracked but didn't give way. Boyd cursed, leaping back to avoid a sweeping kick that left a trail of destruction in its wake.

"They're stronger than before. Faster, too."

The realization hit him like a physical blow. Whatever force had brought these monsters back had made them more formidable.

Another giant joined the fray, swinging a tree trunk-sized arm at Boyd. He ducked, the wind from the blow whipping past his face. His muscles screamed in protest as he sprang upward, using the momentum to land a slash across the creature's chest. The blade scraped against the stone, sending sparks flying but doing little damage.

The giants weren't mindless. They coordinated, their movements deliberate and calculated. As Boyd darted between them, slashing and evading, the creatures began to close in, cutting off his escape routes.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he pivoted, narrowly avoiding a crushing stomp. The ground beneath him cracked, sending him tumbling. He scrambled to his feet just in time to deflect a blow with his sword, the force of the impact reverberating up his arm.

So this is what fear tastes like.

Boyd gritted his teeth, ignoring the stinging pain in his ribs. The giants pressed closer, their glowing eyes locking onto him with unrelenting focus. His movements became frantic, his strikes more desperate.

For every small wound he inflicted, the giants seemed to shrug it off, their stone bodies mending faster than he could break them.

"This isn't working."

The forest became a labyrinth of destruction as Boyd retreated, using the trees as shields. The giants tore through them like paper, their massive arms shattering trunks and sending splinters flying. Boyd weaved between the wreckage, his mind racing.

"There has to be a way," he hissed.

"Think, Boyd. Think."

Then it hit him. The memory of the first giant he'd defeated flashed in his mind. Its body had stopped regenerating only after he'd completely destroyed it—every part shattered.

"Desiccation." he muttered.

"I have to destroy them entirely."

The revelation brought little comfort. Fighting one giant had nearly cost him his life. Now there were eight.

The giants weren't giving him a chance to think. One swung its arm in a wide arc, forcing Boyd to dive to the ground. Another stomped, the earth cracking beneath its weight and sending him sprawling. His body ached, bruises forming where he'd been grazed by near-misses.

He rolled to his feet, slashing at a giant's outstretched hand. The blow chipped a finger off, but the creature didn't even flinch.

"They're overwhelming me."

For every attack he dodged, another was waiting. A fist smashed into the ground inches from his face, spraying him with dirt. He stumbled back, only to be met with another blow that sent him flying. He crashed into a tree, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs.

As Boyd staggered to his feet, his vision blurred. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead, stinging his eyes. The system chimed again:

[Warning: Critical condition detected. Host injuries: severe.]

"Tell me something I don't know," Boyd growled, spitting blood onto the ground.

The giants closed in, their movements methodical. They could sense his weakness, his growing exhaustion. Boyd's mind raced, searching for an opening, a chance to turn the tide.

Desperation fueled his next move. He darted forward, narrowly avoiding a swipe from one of the giants. Using the momentum, he leapt onto a fallen tree and launched himself at the nearest creature. His blade glinted as he brought it down, carving a deep gash across the giant's neck.

The creature staggered, its glowing eyes flickering, but it didn't fall. Boyd barely had time to jump away before another giant swung at him, the force of the blow splintering the tree he'd been standing on.

His chest heaved as he landed, his legs threatening to give out. He glanced around, counting the giants.

"One down... seven to go."

But the battle wasn't over. The remaining giants advanced, their steps shaking the earth. Boyd gripped his sword tighter, his knuckles white.

"I just need a few more." he muttered, his voice trembling.

"A few more kills, and I can buy the healing stone."

But his thoughts were cut short as a shadow loomed over him. Boyd turned, his eyes widening in terror as the eighth giant emerged from the trees behind him.

Its arm swung down with brutal force, catching Boyd in the chest and sending him flying. He crashed through the forest, smashing through branches and slamming into the ground with a sickening thud.

Pain lanced through his body as he coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. The system chimed again, its cold voice a cruel reminder of his situation:

[Warning: Fatal injuries detected.]

Boyd's vision blurred as he looked up, the shadow of the giant closing in. The ground trembled with each step, and Boyd's heart sank.

This is it.

"I...I...I lost?" He muttered softly.