"All right, snake... I don't care who you are, but today you're going to get your money's worth! You dare touch me? A future divinity incarnate?"
He's looking at me at last... staring at me I think? In that expressionless giant reptile way, but I can feel it!
This little air of slimy contempt, as if he were saying: "You're going to end up as sashimi, you poor thing."
"System, analyse this pile of scales."
[ Analysis in progress... ]
[ Species : Elroe Baladorado ]
"Oh yeah? Your name's Baladorado?"
I freeze for a second before reacting.
Wait... what kind of name is that?
I point at him accusingly, like an angry teacher.
"Baladorado, really? He sounds like the failed boss of a premium gacha."
He doesn't react, clearly he doesn't care, or he doesn't understand a word I'm saying. Either way, he glides along, slowly, with that creepy calm of confident predators.
"Normally, powerful creatures have snappy names. Like Dreadfang the Skinner. Abyss Reaper. Lord of the Deep. You've got a name like a mango dessert."
No reaction... he still doesn't move and keeps sizing me up. Anyway, he's waiting for me to blink.
"Since I've been here, I've come across some pretty strong stuff, yeah, but not at dragon level. And yet, you... you barely managed to put me into a wall. It's supposed to be dangerous here, isn't it?"
He starts to move very slowly, but I can feel the explosion coming. My claws tighten of their own accord.
"Perfect. Let's bang."
He moves.
And half a second later, he hits me like a live cannon.
Pain explodes in my side, I feel a sharp crack, but not a broken bone - just cracked. My breath catches, my throat tightens and I belch out a trickle of bile and blood.
I skid along the ground for several metres, my claws digging into the rock to slow me down, it's fucking hot and it's screaming all over my body.
But I'm holding on.
I stand and yeah, one leg shakes, but it doesn't bend. My fingers are bleeding, but my fists are still there. As for my smile, it's as wide as a wound.
"Ouch! You're hitting hard. Good for you. I like a well-trained snake."
He comes back, but he's bloody quick! He leaves a trail of dust behind him and, while he's doing that, this pile of scales comes at me.
This time I dived, just in time, just before his fangs grazed my ear. I felt the breath of his charge slash across my cheek like a blade.
I roll and finally stand up. As my left arm bleeds, I notice a clean cut, superficial but deep. What a magnificent clean bleed. My own meat laid bare. Even though the sharp pain is there, perfect for staying alert.
"You opened me up, you piece of shit. Now it's personal."
I lunge back, using my maximum speed, but he decides to turn towards me thinking he'll crush me head-on.
I miscalculate.
I dive, sliding under him with my claws outstretched. My arm mows down his lower scales. Not deep enough, but I can feel the blood coming out.
I step aside before he can strike back and catch my breath, panting, fists raised.
My heart's beating like crazy. Bloody hell, I'm in pain and I'm hot. But I'm still alive.
I spit on the floor. Blood splashes on my lips.
"You're bleeding too. That's fine. Now we can talk like equals."
The Baladorado whistles. What a low, disgusting sound.
His muscles roll under his scales and he pulls himself together, ready to pounce.
"Oh fuck... This is going to be my party, isn't it?"
I brace myself, my instincts and reflexes ready. But I know I won't last long in a head-on duel. After all, this thing's designed to crush half-odds for breakfast.
"OK, OK... brain, give me a plan. Something stupid but stylish, and NOW."
No time for that. That snake lifts off the ground like a living catapult.
I push off my legs and narrowly dodge as its body passes inches from me, ripping through the air, leaving a trail of metallic smell behind it.
"Damn, you're fast for giant sushi!"
I roll onto my side, half landing - okay, mostly on my arse - and scramble to my feet.
The Baladorado swivels round, brisk. Way too fast!
He follows on, his tail whipping through the air.
A thump? A hiss. Then pain.
"GYAAAH!"
My side is torn. Like a piece of torn flesh, like a common rag.
I stagger as the world rocks.
"Okay... okay... It's official: you've just ruined my sexy Oni cosplay."
I grit my teeth as my breath comes erratically. Each of my breaths is a dagger in my ribs.
But I'm holding on. After all, I have no choice.
The snake slithers towards me again, its mouth wide open, revealing gleaming fangs full of poison or some other deadly crap.
"Come, Baladorado... Come and get your claw ration, motherfucker."
I plant my feet in the ground. My body screams, protests, but I ignore it.
I bend like a bow.
And when he strikes... I strike too.
A bestial howl bursts from my throat. I prepare one last sprint, my last shot.
I throw myself under him once more. Claws outstretched. Burning gaze.
This time I aim for his throat.
And this time... I'm not just going to scratch him.
I scream as I strike, my claws ready to rip him apart like a Sunday roast, my throat full of rage.
But my arm stops dead.
A brutal shock goes through me, hard, icy, and my attack slides miserably across its reinforced scales, as if I'd tried to scrape a tank with a toothpick.
"Tch... Seriously?!"
No time to moan, no time to think.
A sharp impact folds me in two.
I fly backwards, my body shattered like a rag doll.
I roll across the floor, bouncing against the stone, a dull, wet, sickening thud.
Everything stinks of the end, and of death.
I spit as I sit up, just by reflex, just because lying still means dying.
Something heavy and slimy slips out of my mouth and splashes onto my hand.
I look down.
My blood. As blue as ever.
"Fucking hell, what a filthy thing this is... you're going to pay for this, you fucking snake... This is my new body, you fucking aberration!"
I grunt, trying to sit up again. My breath is a ragged rattle.
My body wants to collapse, but my skull still refuses to let go.
A cold shiver suddenly runs down my skin.
A draught... where there shouldn't be one.
"Why do I have... a bad feeling..."
I chuckle, a dry, strangled sound that immediately dies in the back of my throat.
"Not even bad... Huh... Not even-"
I stop.
My eyes slide down, slowly, as if I already know, as if part of me is begging for this to be just an illusion.
But it's not.
I can see.
Or rather... I don't see.
A hole.
A gaping hole in my stomach.
An open void over my insides.
I take a step back, breathing hard.
I spit out another stream of blood, splattering the ground with a disgusting wet noise.
A fucking crater, a piece of me that no longer exists.
I hold out my hand, trembling. Not to heal, not to check, just to touch, to understand, to believe.
My fingers dig in.
They sink into this warm, slimy void, this oozing horror that's supposed to be me.
I can't feel my breath, I can't feel my heart...
I spit again, unable to stop, unable even to breathe normally.
I collapse to my knees.
And then I feel it.
Fear... the kind that rips out your soul, that strangles you from the inside.
I've been scared before, of course.
But this... this was beyond anything I'd ever imagined.
"What..."
My voice is broken, muffled.
I step back again, slamming into the wall, unable to understand whether it's my body or my brain that collapses first.
"No... no... no, no no no..."
The world is rocking around me like a rotting old sinking ship.
I clench my fists and hit the stone.
And again.
Again!
AGAIN!
"It can't be true... it can't be true..."
I look up.
My gaze catches something in the darkness.
The Baladorado, which is still there. As peaceful as ever.
As if he was waiting for me to stop moving at last.
As if he knew I was already dead.
"Not yet... you bastard..."
I stagger and try to sit up.
I can feel the blood running down my legs, soaking my feet.
Every beat of my heart is a hammer blow to my chest.
I grit my teeth, a split smile of adrenaline and savage rage on my face.
"I'm going to rip your ugly face off before I die... I'm going to take you with me..." I say.
[ Chance of survival: almost non-existent ]
"SO WHAT?! THAT BASTARD DARED!"
But I collapse to my knees.
"Bloody hell..."
The pain, along with this emptiness in my stomach... meanwhile, the cold is starting to make itself felt.
I should run... but run where? I've no chance of surviving in my current state...
[ With your new evolution to Proto-Oni - Instinctive Deviation, resistance has been increased. ]
"What does that mean?"
[ Approximate death in 5 minutes in current state if no improvement. ]
Fuck, 5 minutes? That's enough then!
I let my body slump further against the rock. Like an abandoned piece of shit.
I close my eyes and try to slow my breathing.
Every beat of my heart is an explosion in my chest, like a war drum dying out.
Slower... slower... be dead. Just for a few seconds.
The wet sound of the Baladorado comes closer.
Its scales rub against the stone with that low, thick screech that makes the air vibrate.
Frankly, given the hole in my body, making him think I'm dead is clearly feasible.
I can feel his shadow over my body and his sticky breath brushing against my mutilated skin.
My heart screams in panic and my brain drums. Don't move. Stay still. Don't move!
One mistake and I'm dead, as I feel his saliva dripping on me. And clearly, it wants to eat me.
Come here... you bastard... come here again...
I slowly open my eyes again.
Everything is a blur.
My blood is so thin that the world has lost its contours, but I can see black spots dancing in my vision.
I can see the Baladorado's mouth. Right above me.
Ready to grab me, to crunch me up like a mouldy delicacy.
My instinct is to move.
Now.
I gather up what's left of my muscles - not much, but just enough.
I try to stand up. Well... I project myself, rather.
A clumsy, desperate thing.
My whole body is screaming, tearing itself apart.
I can feel my ribs splitting further apart. I feel something gooey pouring out of my belly. The pain comes, but I don't care.
I throw myself under him, under this fucking armoured body. Towards his split belly.
My only chance.
My claws find the soft flesh, already cut, and I cling to it like a hungry leech.
And I pull. I tear. I claw. I bite.
I feel the living tissue break beneath my teeth and his warm blood splashes against me, mingling with mine.
He screams.
He struggles and lashes out at me with his tail, but I cling to the inside of his skin, so instead of pushing me away, he helps me open his body.
But I don't let go. Like a sick beast, unable to think.
My vision goes black in places.
I see flashes of red pulsating with each beat of my heart.
But my claws keep digging.
I feel its spasms grow weaker. I feel his movements become heavy, slowed.
He falls.
All his weight collapses on me as I sink beneath him.
Stuck...
But I smile.
A wide, delirious, blood-dripping smile.
"...You lost... you bastard..."
My arms finally give out.
I feel my claws slip out of his open gut.
I open my mouth and start biting inside. Clearly, according to my previous enemies, devouring your enemy is full of skills.
And maybe a chance to survive...
Just as I'm eating with the last few minutes of my life, this shitty system rears its head.
[The skill has reached the required level. Skill acquired [LV1 Physical Resistance]. ]
[Skill has reached required level. Skill acquired [Endurance LV1]. ]
I ignore the fucking pop-ups.
I tear a piece of flesh with my teeth.
The taste is vile.
Something that makes my throat itch.
My stomach wants to spit it all out.
My brain wants to cut me off.
But I'm still biting.
I feel my teeth sink into tissues I don't even understand.
I can feel the flesh giving way.
I can feel the Baladorado's blood burning my tongue.
[Critical condition maintained. Recovery insufficient.]
I spit out a mouldy laugh, a punctured laugh that gets lost in the gurgle of my blood.
"He couldn't even save me in one go..." I sink my fangs into his face again.
I sink my fangs into his still-warm carcass.
I eat without thinking.
Without thinking.
Like a dying beast.
Each bite rips a little more from my already shaky humanity.
The system flashes again.
[Observation threshold crossed.]
[Status: "Significant Potential" assigned to the individual.]
My brain bugs.
What the...?
Potential... what?
"Tch... Did you just detect that I exist, you bastards?"
[ The system detected that the individual had managed to defeat a creature far superior in strength. ]
[ Nevertheless, the only reason for this attribution is due to your ability to evolve being considered "fast". ]
"What do you mean?"
[ Creatures named "Significance Potential" are creatures or living beings that have distinguished themselves in acts related to their own nature. ]
[ In your case, having put aside your stupidity to act intelligently and defeat a creature far superior in every way. ]
"Basically, playing dead gave me such status? This is fucking bullshit!"
[New Priority Watch engaged.]
[Critical skill activated...]
[Adaptive regeneration LV1.]
[Estimated survival: 1%.]
I'm laughing again.
I'm laughing so hard I'm spitting out blood.
A blue geyser splattering what's left of my face.
One percent.
Fucking hell.
It's like a stupid gacha, this shit.
My body refuses to obey.
The world fades.
Sounds become distant.
Just before everything goes black,
I whisper:
"... One percent... That's all I need, you bastards... "