The world around Ishiki was draped in deep shadows and darkness.
He stood silently with his eyes closed and the pale blade in his hand was raised to hit at any moment,
’Damn It... come here fast bastard.’
Suddenly a shadow moved behind him, although it was careful and moved swiftly in darkness... Ishiki turned around in an instant.
Two glowing violet eyes widened in shock as they met his own blue frenzied ones. The human was grinning like a devil.
"Got you."
The beast wanted to run, but it couldn’t control its momentum mid-jump. And from the other side... Ishiki’s blade moved and met the soft neck of the squirrel like beast.
The [Curved Bone] easily sliced open its flesh and passed straight through. Its bony head spun away into the dark, and its body collapsed at Ishiki’s feet with a meaty thud.
’There goes the fourth.’
[You have Slain a Rank 2, Blighted Squirk]
[You have received 50 Data Fragments]
A sudden, visceral surge of heat flooded Ishiki’s marrow. He felt a surreal power course through his bones... as though his body had been recharged and the maximum capacity has been increased by a little.
It wasn’t too significant of a change... but it was rather more profound than earlier. He had just leveled up, but he felt as if he had leveled up twice.
Frowning, Ishiki called upon his system screen and checked the level.
Synth Reactor Tier - Innate
Level - 11/50
Data Fragments - 30/5,500
Basic Abilities :
Strength : 17/100
Agility : 17/100
Endurance : 17/100
Charisma : 15/100
Ishiki’s eyes widened. He hadn’t actually leveled up twice. He had only reached level 11, but that had given him two points for each of his basic abilities.
’Damn... so, I will be getting two points for each level now?’
That was a great thing and all... but he had no time to think about it sadly. Suddenly a Smikewolf jumped out from a bush... its beastial fang was open and aimed at Ishiki’s face.
But, unfortunately... the Smikewolf never reached its target. Instead... its head was dissipated, at some point without even it noticing.
The body fell to the ground with a sickening thud. And Ishiki stood just right next to it, he cleaned the pale blade with his forearm and dismissed the pale blade.
He sighed before closing his eyes again.
[You have Slain a Rank 2, Infested Smikewolf]
[You have received 100 Data Fragments]
But it was not over yet, there were other beasts surrounding him... luckily, most of them had targeted Yuki for some reason, Ishiki was just glad they did. She was stronger after all.
Anyways... he let his perception go beyond his body and through the forest. And somewhere around 200 meters left Yuki was fighting with a dozen of beasts made up of bones.
He had drifted so far away fighting the smaller beasts. Ishiki didn’t waste much time and instantly sprinted towards Yuki, no matter how powerful she was... she needed help.
The beasts she was fighting were very strange, they could break and then come back together in different shapes... there was no definitive shape of the wretches and hence it was infinitely hard to tell their weak points.
Not to mention the other Withering beasts along with them... but the good thing was that they too fought amongst each other.
SNAP!
The voice of a twig breaking just besides him brought Ishiki back to reality. He skidded to a halt, but it was a little late.
Ishiki did turn in time and summoned the [Curved bone]. The pale blade started to manifest from motes of light... but the beast that looked like a monkey with bare skin and bones protruding out of its body was just upon him.
It had been waiting in the embrace of the darkness... it was a stealthy one, even [Ghost Blade] didn’t get pick its presence up.
’Screw it...’
Ishiki jumped back, hoping that the blade would finish materializing in time. Just as he landed a few inches from the bush... it moved and another one of the beast appeared and bit into his thigh, just below where the armor ended.
’Crap!’
A strange pain shot up his leg and he fell to one knee. The beast bit a chunk of meat and fabric, leaving a deep gash on his leg.
But before it could jump back something caught its neck. Ishiki gripped the bastard hard and spun him with full force and struck the face of the other beast with it.
One of the protruding bones bit into Ishiki’s palm but didn’t leave a deep gash. The two wretches were thrown afar into the darkness and Ishiki didn’t wait... he immediately turned around and ran.
’Curse those damned bastards... my leg.’
His speed had lowered considerably as he limped now, nonetheless he reached to where Yuki was in a minute or so. She was still engaged with three of the boney wretches. She was breathing hard and her white armor was scored with deep scratches.
He was still some far away from her... but he could feel the unnatural chill in the air.
Ishiki gritted his teeth and joined in the fight. One of them, a wolf-shaped construct of ribs and femurs, was creeping up behind her.
’Ugly!’
A bunch of bones moved from its arm and joined in with the claws to make them longer and sharp... but they never reached the princess’s back.
Ishiki stepped between and the claws struck the sharp side of [Curved Bone]. He twisted his wrist, and the blade sheared through the skeletal arm like it was dry kindling.
"Huh," Ishiki panted ’Not so tough are you... eh- mister dumb bones.’
The beast shrieked and lashed out with its other claw. The claw struck the blade with much greater force, which moved through Ishiki’s whole body and sent fresh agony though his wounds.
He gritted his teeth and flinched... the wound in his thigh felt like it was burning.
’Holy shit...’
His balance faltered and he fell to his knees. But... out of nowhere he felt the pressure growing low and then the beast retreated back and ran into the forest’s darkness.
Ishiki blinked a few times. He... he was not feeling alright about this. Behind him, Yuki also stood astonished as the beasts abruptly stopped and ran away.
"Aghh!"
Ishiki hissed, clutching his leg. It felt as if the wound was on fire. "Goddamn it... is it poisoned?"
Yuki was at his side in an instant. She knelt besides him, her face pale with worry. "Let me see,"
Ishiki grimaced and then lifted his leg... the wound where the beast had bit and took a chunk of flesh was bleeding badly... it was just below where the armor ended.
Yuki placed her hand over the wound and suddenly a numbing freeze sank deep into his muscles, chasing away the burning pain.
Ishiki watched, fascinated, as a layer of frost coated the wound, sealing the flesh and knitting the skin back together.
It reminded him of that time he first saw Yuki heal herself. It was beautiful in a tragic way.
"TWO MORE HUMANS... INTERESTING."
Both Yuki and Ishiki froze with wide eyes. The voice came out of nowhere... and too close to them.