COME AT ME, YOU FILTHY ABOMINATION!

Move! Dammit, move! I urged my entire body to budge, but it was extremely hard to even lift one of my feet off the ground. Time seemed to slow down as I saw the chimeras talons slowly approach where I was. Adrenaline coursed through my entire body. Time seemed to slow down, giving me a few seconds to think of something.

I only knew it had control over gravity to a lesser extent, but the weight pushing me down was incomparable to the first time it pinned me. It was impossible to go against it. Right now, I'm even barely standing. I was planning to dash to the side as it started divebombing towards me so that it falls straight into the river and gets swept away by its current.

The Chimera inched dangerously closer as my thought process accelerated even more. This is the moment before life and death. One wrong decision and I'm doomed. I pull all the strength I can out of my little rat body and did the unthinkable. The Chimera's talons were inches away from my eyes. I was staring death in the face. An idea occurred to me, instead of forcing my body to stand up. I did the opposite.

THUUUUUD! CRACK! KKRRRKKKK!

Kuuuhhhffff! the impact forced out the air inside my lungs as I slammed my body down to the ground as hard as I could. I heard a few of my bones crack under the pressure. I didn't have time to think about the pain. As long as I could live, this will all be worth it. I'm not dying again!

The ground under me caved in due to the impact on my body. The talons that were about to take my head swept by and grazed the upper half of my left ear tearing it asunder as I fell. Our gazes locked one last time as it looked back at me, its prey that tricked it. Its eyes were ablaze with fury as it continued its unstoppable trajectory towards the river.

SKRRRRRRROAAA—SPLAAAASHHHH

It declared its intent that it will do anything in its power to hunt me down as it crashed into the water. Serves you right, bat face. The gravity effect it had on me disappeared, and in the nick of time, I was able to lodge my tail to the side, saving me from being swept up by the current. My body hanged upside down with my snout centimetres away from the water. Phew, that was close, too close, in fact.

Krrrkkk...

Huh? Uh-oh, that wasn't a good sound. The sound...It was coming from the ground where my tail was lodged. It was still unstable due to the impact. I felt the soil start to quickly weaken as it tried to carry my weight. My tail started to slip off as the ground began to fall apart. No...No No NOOOOO!

Krkkk...Kkkkkrrrrrr...Splaaashhh~

The ground crumbled, and my tail lost its hold. My body fell into the water, and the raging current swept me as it pulled my body up and under. I was desperately paddling to keep myself afloat, but the current kept pushing me down. I was at the mercy of the river. It was impossible to see what was happening as it kept turning my body over and over. The dark liquid made it impossible to see more than a foot in front of me.

Heeeeeeeuuuuuuuughhhh! I desperately gasp for air as I was sucked in under for too long. It was only by luck that the current pulled me up. Heok?! The current pulled me under once more. My body flipped and turn as the current below toyed with my being.

Blaaaarghh Glaaarbghhhh I struggled to breathe as rocks that were scattered all over the riverbed bashed my entire body as the violent current dragged me Glurgh?! My tail got caught in between two rocks as the current tried to pull me up once more. I pulled as hard as I can, but the rocks won't budge. I'm running out of air. I can't swim against the current, it was too strong, and my body was already exhausted from the fight with the Chimera.

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A memory from a while ago resurfaced, It was when my claws grazed the bone fragment, and it started melting. I can't see where my tail was stuck. I need to get closer. I pulled on my tail to swim against the current using the last of my strength. There! I can barely see it! I desperately started scratching at the stones where my tail was stuck. The more I moved, the more my head became dizzier. COME ON! MELT ALREADY!

The crimson substance infused itself with the stone, but the current was washing it away before it could take full effect. It would just melt a small part of it and disappear. I dug my claws in the middle of the rocks, hoping that a small part of it would melt off, enough for my tail to squeeze out of.

Gluuuuurfffghhh?! Gluuuuughhh...the tiny amount of air I had left was forced out off me as a pebble that was carried by the current crashed on my stomach. The broken bones I have ignored before started aching like hell.

The darkness that I was all too familiar with started lurking in the corner of my vision. I was suffocating. I couldn't break free. After escaping death, here I am on the verge of death once more. I gritted my teeth and steeled my resolve. If my claws don't work on rocks, then it should work on this!

I hastily swiped at my tail with the remaining strength I had left. Urrrrrghhhh! I groaned inwardly in excruciating pain. Blood poured out of the wound and clouded my vision as the current as the direction of the current was towards me. I swiped once more, and again, and again, and again, pain reverberated through my entire being. I cut through muscle and skin repeatedly. It was the only thing keeping me conscious at this point.

My entire body started to get weaker with each swipe until my claws finally reached the bone of my tail. My vision was fading, and I could only see the blurry outlines of the exposed muscle and bone. I swiped one final time. My body wouldn't have enough strength left after this.

My claws glided through the water, leaving trails of the crimson substance and fortunately hit their mark. The joint that was exposed was now cut off. I bid goodbye to my severed tail as it danced with the flowing water below. With the tail gone, the current pulled me upwards. I didn't know how deep the river was, but each passing second felt like an eternity. Out of strength and out of breath, the looming darkness started to take over my entire vision. The pain couldn't hold it back any longer. M-M-my consciousness...Its...I...I...caant...Its...over...

...

....

HEEEEUUUUUUUHFHHHHGG! Kuhf! Kuhf! I desperately gasp for precious air as I regained my consciousness. Inky, black liquid poured out of my mouth as my lungs pushed it out. My lungs were filled with the damned substance. Thankfully it wasn't toxic. KUHF! KUHF! KUHF!

HRNG?! My eyes widened in pain as I continuously coughed the liquid out. Random bones all over my body were either broken or fractured. My tail which was the length of me was now barely half of its original size. My left ear was working fine, but I couldn't ignore the fact that it was mutilated.

Looks like I haven't escaped death just yet. The broken ribs I had from slamming my body to the ground were putting me at risk. They had the chance to puncture my lungs, and I'd suffocate to death without proper medication. Medication?! We're in another damned world. Does medication even exist?!

I need to expel all the liquid out of my lungs and hope that the bones do not puncture into my precious airbags, or else I'd drown. BLEGH! KUUUUUHF

I wheezed, trying to catch my breath. I found myself sprawled across the shore of a lake. The river that almost took my life was no more. It was somehow a refreshing sight after I was just mercilessly battered by the current. Unlike the barren area I was in when I came to, this place was filled with lush greenery and dense fauna that covered the entire place. Heck, I could even see a giant tree in the distance with my blurry vision. Where the hell am I?

Unlike the river with inky dark liquid, the lake had crystal clear water that shimmered as light reflected off its surface. No sound rang out from the lake. Only the gentle rustling of the leaves resounded through the area as the calm breeze caressed the tall, lumbering trees that surrounded the body of water. A whiff of fragrance from flowers unknown wafted up to me. The sweet smell somehow soothed my nerves, relieving some of my worries away. The breathtaking scenery in front of me was enough for me to forget the pain for a few moments. It was a tranquil scene, too peaceful in fact.

In the distance across the lake, I spotted a dark streak that waved and curved and eventually connected to the lake. I'm guessing that was the river I came from. I couldn't correctly see the detail from afar due to my poor eyesight, but all I knew that it was large enough for me to notice from this distance. I've come a long way.

Fuuwaaaahhh...hrng I flinched in pain as I sighed. Damned Chimera, I cursed under my breath.

「First Beastiary Entry Objective has been accomplished. Calculation of rewards has been completed.」

「Proceed to claim rewards?」

Uhh...yes? Why did it need confirmation? huh?

「Processing conditions...」

「Conditions have been set. Good luck.」