Chapter 5: Ingenuity Overcomes Raw Power
— If I want to see tomorrow, I must overcome the problem before me — Bianca murmured, her gaze fixed on the man who had transformed from calm and intimidating to monstrous and terrifying, with tentacle-like limbs resembling squid tentacles, black in color, dripping a foul-smelling dark liquid.
If this beast wanted Alice, it would have to go through Bianca. At least, that was what our protagonist believed her opponent sought. On the other hand, the monster was absorbed in its own world, concentrating on Bianca with hostile intentions. If it killed the teenager and took the ring to its owner, it would finally be free. After all this time, it would no longer have to follow orders or fear being discarded as useless. It could finally reunite with its family. Among all those who ended up like it, it had been very fortunate to find its golden ticket.
Their gazes were serious, each determined in their goals. A girl wanting to protect someone, and a beast seeking freedom. Who would emerge victorious? The battle was about to begin.
Without hesitation, the monster attacked Bianca, using one of its tentacles as a whip. Barely blocking the blow, Bianca staggered back. The speed of her opponent was inhuman, and the tentacles were too fast for the human eye, but Bianca managed to stop them by instinct.
After the impact, Bianca's hands were numb. Not only was the monster fast, but it was also strong. If one of those blows hit her, she would end up badly injured.
This had barely started, and she already wanted to crawl into her bed.
Little Alice, hiding behind a light post, watched worriedly as the young woman who was helping her didn't even give her name, but Alice knew the woman was kind. She had only met her that day, but already felt a great deal of affection for Bianca.
Back to the fight, the monster attacked again, using two tentacles aimed directly at Bianca. She dodged and blocked the incoming attacks with the metal bar. Her grip and stance were that of a skilled fencer. If her father saw her now, he would be proud. The sound of metal clashing and the rumble of thunder echoed in the area, accompanied by rain.
Bianca turned just in time to dodge another tentacle coming at her face. It slammed into the ground, creating cracks in the pavement from the overwhelming strength the creature wielded. It wasn't even holding back against her.
Bianca cursed her luck. At this rate, she would never be able to thank the gods for having a good day.
Throughout the battle, Bianca had used everything she knew about fencing to defend herself, without managing to counterattack once. She was exhausted, while her opponent seemed to be unfazed.
— If I keep this up, I'll lose. Think, Bianca! Think! — Bianca told herself, desperately trying to find a solution to her problem as she rolled across the ground, dodging another strike and staining her school clothes.
Breathing heavily, Bianca retreated, thinking to herself that she needed to keep her distance and find an opening to counterattack.
— Every time his attacks miss, he pulls his limbs back slower — Bianca thought, formulating an idea. It was a bad idea, but it was the only one she had so far. She had to risk everything. As they say, "nothing ventured, nothing gained."
— Is that really all you can do? How useless you are, sir! — Bianca shouted at her attacker, hoping he would fall for the trap.
— DON'T CALL ME USELESS! — the beast howled, enraged by Bianca's words. How could it be that it couldn't defeat a teenager who was using nothing more than a piece of junk to defend herself? The more she resisted, the quicker it reached its limits, and with that last insult, it lost all sense of clarity and attacked with all its strength.
— Black Mass: Giant Fist! — it growled in its raspy voice, its ghastly smile sending chills down Bianca's spine.
All the tentacles coiled together into a giant ball, attaching itself to one of its arms. The size of the ball could be compared to that of a car, and the black liquid splashed onto the street, the houses, and the cars around.
— Why did I open my mouth? — Bianca scolded herself. Unfortunately, her bet had backfired. Now, the creature could kill her with a single blow if it wanted. She hoped her plan would work, or else she'd end up in the North Pole after that strike.
Fueled by rage, the beast began to spin its arm with the black mass, gaining speed. With each rotation, the black liquid splattered across the street.
Bianca took a deep breath, preparing herself for this moment. She faced her opponent head-on. This plan had three parts. The first was to charge directly, without fear, to make her attacker think she would only come straight at him. The second was to wait for the right moment to dodge the attack, causing her opponent to be vulnerable. With a limb that large, it wouldn't be able to stop in time. After all, it was about ingenuity, not brute strength. The third and final part was to strike the beast right in the head with the metal bar. No matter how resistant it was, anyone would be knocked out if their brain was hit hard enough.
— Say goodbye, girl! — the monster screamed, now ready to finish this.
The beast swung its giant limb toward Bianca, who kept running straight at it. The speed of the arm was terrifying, and there was no way to stop it now.
— Step one: done — Bianca murmured.
Everything moved in slow motion. Bianca could see that giant ball inches from her face. If not for the adrenaline coursing through her veins, her body would've failed her. Her enemy was already smiling at his victory, but he didn't expect Bianca to instinctively dodge the attack by mere millimeters. It was a miracle that could never be repeated, and it took the attacker by surprise. The monster tried to pull its arm back, but with the force and speed it had thrown it, it couldn't stop it in time. It would have to finish its arc, but by then, it would be too late.
— Step two: done — Bianca murmured again.
With the monster so close, Bianca prepared to end the fight. Of all the swordfights she had been in, this one had been the most exhausting.
— Technique 2: Horizontal Strike — Bianca whispered, striking the back of the creature's head with the bar.
The metallic sound was the only audible noise in the area. Bianca had landed a direct hit on the monster's head.
— Step three: done — Bianca thought she had won, proud of herself for protecting little Alice, who hid behind the post, stunned by the movements Bianca had just made. Bianca's triumphant smile slowly faded into shock and terror as she saw what happened next. The creature didn't fall, nor did it even stagger. The blow, with all her strength behind it, seemed to have no effect.
The sound of cracking filled the air. The crack in its head widened, dropping a part of its face to the ground like broken glass, revealing its bubbling, mass-like flesh. But what truly terrified Bianca were its eyes — lifeless, with black liquid flowing from them like tears down the remnants of its face.
— Good hit... — the creature said in a dry voice, its red-glowing eyes now emanating an intimidating light. Even a psychopath wouldn't be able to look directly into them without feeling fear. This hellish monster would not fall until it had completed its mission, and Bianca would experience true despair.
— ...Now, it's my turn! — the monster finished, a horrifying grin spreading across its face as it showed the half of its jaw that was still intact.
NEXT CHAPTER: IT WASN'T JUST A FAIRY TALE