A monstrous screech left its mouth. A screech of excruciating pain. The soundwaves made the air vibrate; it caused me to drop to my knees for just a second before I regained my footing. Blood even started to drip from my ears.

“Tch...”

Now, this monster was going to wield my blade. If it was going to use my own weapon against me, I was definitely screwed. Really screwed. Incredibly screwed. That’s what I thought, at least.

Something unexpected happened. The knight dropped my katana to the floor, then kicked it over to me.

‘What the...’

I was confused, but quickly realized what this was. This knight wanted a duel. A fight, one on one. I picked up my blade, getting a firm grip on it. Though my legs were still trembling, this was an enemy I had to face.

“It’s a duel you want?” I grinded my teeth, “It’s a duel you’ll get.”

As tightly as possible, I gripped my katana with both hands. My body, still trembling, regardless of my efforts to hide it. It was just too obvious. My soul was overwhelmed with emotions. Fear, anger, uncertainty, all of them.

Ba-dump!

My heart, pounding, pumping blood through my veins.

‘It’s okay...it’s okay..’

I did my best to convince myself that someway, somehow, victory was going to be mine... As much as I knew how untrue it was. No way in HELL did I stand a chance.

Intensely, gazing in my direction, the Abyssal Knight held its blade sideways. Waiting for me to make a move. There was only option for me, and that was to rush to my death.

I did just that.

A deep, steady breath enters my lungs to relax my muscles. My mind, recalling memories between me and Katsu sparring.

‘I really hope all those times I got my butt kicked pays off.’

[‘Burst’ Activated]

My body shot forward, swinging my blade from my hip, with every ounce of strength I could muster. The slash directed towards the Knight's face; it lifted its sword to parry against me. But this is what I expected him to do. I spun around, changing the trajectory of my swing, cutting into its lower stomach area. Armor shattering.

Clink! Crackle!

[‘Speed Boost’ Activated]

A surge of speed ran throughout my adrenaline-filled blood. My entire body lit up in a blue haze.

As the Knight tried to recover and regain its stance, I flooded it with a dozen different slashes, each aimed at a different part of its body. Our blades repeatedly bashed together. Landing another attack after that felt impossible. This creature’s reaction-time was something else entirely. For every slash I made, the Knight perfectly deflected.

CLinK! Clash! Crash!

I leaped over the monster’s head, my boots touching down directly behind it.

‘I got you now!’

A perfectly timed vertical slash struck the knight in the back, yellow sparks sliding off its armor. Given the opening, I prepared to slash once again, but...

Ting!

Faster than my eye could even see, my blade was knocked from my hand, sent twirling through the air. There was no chance for me to react, I didn’t even see it coming.

SHNK!

An obsidian blade pierced me through the shoulder, nailing me to the ground. A painful scream, a scream that I didn’t think I was capable of, flew from my vocal cords. Tears ran from my eyes. The sensation of my torn flesh, and a shattered shoulder, was by far the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. A constant red stream running from my shoulder.

“AGHHGG......”

My pain was amplified the moment the Knight yanked the blade out, leaving my broken shoulder bone crumbling. The bleeding only got worse, I tried to apply pressure with my other hand.

Part of me was still in denial about what had just happened, I was in shock.

‘.....I was actually stabbed...’

But I had to snap out of it FAST!

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The knight raised its blade my hair, preparing to split me down the middle. My heart sank.

‘...Not good!’

My body moved as fast as it could, I rolled through the Knight’s legs.

Crackle!

The ground quaked. The spot where I had just been a moment ago was split apart, sending cracks up and down the ground, a giant slash mark. If I hadn't reacted when I did, I would’ve been nothing more than a mangled bloody mess. Just imagining how my head would've been split apart made my stomach wanna spill out its contents.

But There was no time for me to freeze up. I jumped onto the knight’s back, wrapping my arms around its neck, clinging on as if my life depended on it. It very much did. If I let go, the Knight would have a clear opening to kill me. I would be safe clinging Ing onto its back.

But how long could I keep this up? I couldn’t hang on forever.

I lifted my elbow, bringing it down on the side of its neck. Over and over and over, hoping that my attempt would do some damage. It was the difference between life or death.

Plap!

The knight attempted to shake me off, but I kept at it, bringing my elbow down, with more and more frustration each time. Its armor was protecting against most of the damage, but I saw a slow decline.

[Abyssal Knight- HP: 147/433]

“Please just die!” I screamed.

Before my elbow collided against its neck again, the knight grabbed onto my wrist. As soon as I felt that strong, metalic grasp, I knew there was no hope. I was flung through the air, crashing onto the ground, right beside my katana.

‘...I’m done for...I’m so done for...I’m so done for...’ these words kept replaying through my mind, giving me not even a second of silence. I struggled to stand, climbing back on balance like I was climbing a hill.

From left, to right, I gave everyone’s bodies one last look. In what could be my final moments, I ignored all the fear, all the pain, and lifted my katana once more.

“...Do...you’re worst...” I managed to say, my voice nearly paralyzed by the stress.

Time felt like it was slowing, the color seemed like it lit up with a blueish light, until everything felt like it completely froze. Like my fate was put on pause.

A familiar voice spoke, “Awee man. This fight is not going good for you at all, is it?” The voice....it was my voice....

Standing in front of me was my figure, my white hair. My other self, Maya.

“...did you come to take over again? ...Like you did last time?” I asked. I could really use the help. Somehow, she used this body better than I could ever hope to.

Maya shook her head, waving her hand back and forth, “I’m sorry. It takes quite a bit of energy for me to do that. Energy that I don’t have.”

If she wasn’t here to help, then what was she here for? My eyes watered out of the sheer frustration.

“...Maya...you have to take control...you have to kill that thing.” I begged.

“I would like to. However, I already told you I can’t.”

“...Please...if I die, we both die...”

It was pointless, Maya refused till the very end. Nothing was going to change her mind.

Her finger slid under my eye, wiping the tears from my cheek.

“Listen. If you doubt yourself, death is promised.”

But how could I not?

She went on, “I said I'd make you stronger, and that’s what I’ll do. However, I can’t do that if you’re dead.” Her footsteps brough her to stand behind me. One hand on my shoulder she pointed at the Abyssal Knight up ahead, frozen in time by this strange aura.

“That Abyssal Knight. A strong monster, no doubt. But it is killable, just as all things are.”

“...But how do I kill it?...I’m not strong enough...”

“No. You’re not.” her arm, rested over the back of my neck, “but you have the tools you need. Use them.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. Her words were almost cryptic, and I couldn’t decipher them.

The space around me began to warp and wiggle, time slowly returned to its original speed.

“Looks like I’m out of time.” Maya looked me up and down, giving me one last piece of advice, “Your abilities, use them effectively. Don’t rely on your physical strength alone.”

I blinked, then she was gone, leaving me alone to face this monster ahead of me.

Right away, I did just what she told me. As the Knight steadily walked my way, I brainstormed a plan.

‘I need to use my abilities creatively....’

First things first, I had to find weakness in the knight’s defense.

[‘Analyzing’]

Three areas on the monster’s body were highlighted by yellow pixels for me to see clearly. Eyes, shoulders and lower torso. These are the areas I had to focus on. But how would I land an attack.

[‘Analyzing’]

[The Abyssal Knight appears to have a weakness against ranged attacks.] The information was absorbed into my brain, and I knew what to do.

The muscle in my arm tensed up as I held my katana like a spear, charging for a powerful throw.

[‘Burst’ has activated]

With a burst of power, my katana shot through the wind like an arrow. There was a faint whistle, then a loud metalic crackle.

CRACKLE!

The knight’s armor blasted into bits as its torso were impaled. Its black blood spilled onto the ground below. A lake of darkness was formed. The Knight still stood on its feet, but my efforts were effective.

[Abyssal Knight- HP: 43/433]

Its voice grunted in pain, heavy breaths flowing from its mouth. The Knight’s hands were trembling. A monster like this shouldn’t be capable of feeling fear.... but I could sense it. This monster was afraid to die.

Yet, I didn’t care. This thing had to die.

Taking advantage of the Knight’s stunned state, I moved forward, full speed.

‘Please just die.’

I slammed my palm into its shoulder, almost enough force to knock it off balance. My leg lifted with speed, delivering a kick to its chin.

Clink!

Still not enough. I gathered all the power from my back and shoulders, driving my elbow into the Knight’s lower stomach. It fell on its back, and I climbed on top, pulling my arm back, ready to deliver another strike.

Slam! Clink! My knuckles collided against its helmet, its health only slightly dropping. Again, I pulled my arm back, charging up another strike.

Wack! Clink!

Again, again, again, again, and again, I slammed my fist into its helmet, until my knuckles were dripping blood. Some hits did damage, some didn’t, but this monster was still breathing.

[Abyssal Knight- HP: 15/433]

‘Please...just die...’

I tightened my fist, the knuckles in my hand crunched.

The moment I lifted my arm back, my ears were deafened by a boom.

A shockwave blasted out around the creature's body.

The impact must’ve left me unconscious for a few seconds. By the time my vision came back, I saw the Knight’s presence coming closer with each step. Every bone in my body felt like it had been shattered. I couldn’t move, not even an inch.

[HP: 10/54]

It was over. I was forced to stay in this very spot. The Knight’s crimson eyes staring into the depth of my soul. He won.

‘I have to get up...I have to get up...I have to-’

SHNK!

My eyes shot open; a crimson blade slid into the center of my chest, pinning me against the wall. My vision quaked, the color started to fade from the world around, and time slowed. The last thing I could see was the knight’s figure standing over me.

My vision went black.