I could feel time slow down as the bolts of energy brushed past me catching my hairs and skin ever so slightly on their way past

"Seerrrtttt"

I continued to run forwards dodging any bolts infused with a large amount of energy while letting the weaker ones brush against me, being this close to the center didn't allow for much movement so I had to take the weakest hit I could while still moving forwards

As I closed in on the rib the weakest bolts became much stronger and I couldn't dodge them anymore

'Tch, here we go Willow Bone'

Jerking my right shoulder the shaft of Willow bone bounced up into the air allowing me to reach across my body and grip its center as my other hand grasped a lower part

"Lets go!"

Responding to my call a rampant glow of energy exploded from the shaft of Bone Willow and surged upwards into the jaw coating it in a dangerous unstable energy that looked identical to the bolts around us but was much more concentrated and rampant

The energy tried to escape and reach out in any direction it could as it overflowed from the simple bone that was being used as a medium

Feeling a large bolt of energy headed for my chest I tightened my grip around the wooden pole and pulled it down my every muscles I had in my stance to intercept its trajectory

I felt my back, calf, arms, lower waist and stomach tighten as the spear was tugged downwards with as much power and force as Willow Bone and I could possibly muster

Right as Willow Bone reached the apex of its arc and speed it struck the bolt of energy that was going to hit me

Unlike the other bolts, this one was focused with a large amount of energy and was clearly shot with the intent of stopping me. Permanently

But with Willow Bone clashing with the energy I was spared, at the cost of fighting an up hill battle that is

"CREEALLLIIIK"

The energies both assaulted each other causing absolute chaos around us

The other bolts of energy all thinned and disappeared around me letting me face a singular opponent rather than the web of bolts that was previously laid about

Even though it had become significantly easier due to the open space the force behind this single bolt felt like hitting a stone cliff

My hands rattled and my grip was being tested as Willow Blade howled in both excitement and rage as it pushed against the insurmountable odds along side with me

the opposing energies intertwined and danced with each other sending fierce bolts and stray limbs in all directions unable to control themselves in their fearsome but beautiful routine

I wasn't sure how long I pushed down on the other ball of energy but it finally felt easier, my hands felt less rattled and numb than before and I could finally feel my muscles exerting force

It took an eternity but I finally sliced through the energy causing it to explode to the sides and backwards damaging the rib and slightly harming Charlotte

I wasn't in a position to care about her so I had put my all into the long slash using Willow Bone and the energy it had swallowed and used in retaliation

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

As Willow Bone sunk into the concrete floor I let go of its smoking wood and burnt jaw bone blade leaving it behind

I sprinted towards the rib and Charlotte, both of which had become incapacitated due to the backlash of the ribs assault giving me the perfect chance to separate them

As I got closer I noticed that Charlotte was looking a bit thinner than earlier as her cheeks were slightly sunk and her skin had lost its pearly white sheen that made her look a healthy snow white and not a sickly white

It only took a few moments to reach her and when I did I chose the easiest option available to me

I launched towards her in a stable stance without needing to touch the floor I reached her and my front foot connected with the stone allowing for a swift and stable foothold at the final second

Using that foot hold I formed a sideways palm as if to pray but further out in front and brought it down with as much force as I could excerpt with my unstable stance and a single foot to convert the force

My hand came down cutting the air along with it like a knife

'Sorry Charlotte, this will save you though'

Gritting my teeth in determination I brought down my palm like an executioners ax onto her wrist causing a sickening cracking, ripping and scream to wash out the sound of electric static that had filled my ears for so long

My had cleaved right through her wrist, although it slowed down considerably almost not making it through in a single swift movement due to her regeneration and the blunt surface of my hands side

The rib fell to the ground still in a stupor as it tried to realize what had happened

I looked down at my hand revolted

I was queasy

I hated the fact that the blood of my friend had coated my hand, it almost made me want to vomit

Luckily I could just say that it was mostly mine as both my palms had been torn open from the collision of energies

I had to stand there slowly calming myself for a few seconds so that I wouldn't

When I had finally calmed down I turned towards the rib that was quickly coming out of its stupor

'Now what?'

Just as I was thinking about how I was supposed to suppress the rib for a second time I heard heavy footsteps behind me

Turning around I saw ten people all holding different style weapons, they're clothes varied but they all wore the same insignia on their chest

The military force dedicated to protecting threats within the base. The guards had arrived

Each of them gave off an oppressive air, one that provoked authority an yet they individually could not compare to the tier 4 rib that had just caused a large amount of damage to the clinic, a vital place to the base

A low crackle pierced the silence causing four of the guards to disappear and appear surrounding the rib with their different weapons pointed at it

Threatened by a mace, staff and two swords the rib went silent afraid of them who held its life in their hands

Two others went over to make sure the the abomination and the doctor where okay, they were knowledgeable enough to recognize someone going through a mutation and quickly assess the situation

Two went up to Willow Bone and kept their weapons near it to make sure that it wasn't a threat either

The two remaining women came up to me

One brushing her tied up red hair out of the way of her blue eyes in an annoyed boyish fashion as she used her whole hand and brushed it across her whole head not even changing the problem in the slightest as it moved back to where it was originally

The other gave off an older more feminine charm as her soft green hair flowed like a bush in the wind and never dared to cover her glowing yellow eyes that looked like two massive fireflies, she almost looked like a spirit of the forest

"Hello there, could you please tell me what happened?"

The mature green haired one seemed gentle and considerate as she bent slightly so that we would be eye to eye

It was slightly demeaning as she was considerably taller than me, especially because of the built in supports of her shoes, all of the female guardians seemed to have them while the males had simple military style boots

As I looked at my arms to find small but deep burns and cuts I responded, more interested in my own injuries than a detailed explanation

"A tier 4 material got loose"

My abrupt statement seemed to cause both the mature and boyish girls to pause

Just as the mature one was about to speak the red head shoved her out of the way and pushed her face into my personal space only stopping a tiny distance from my own face

"Where the hell did a runt like you get a fucking tier 4 material?"

Her shitty attitude and 'runt' really made me want to punch the shit out of her but I knew I couldn't do that, she was at least a tier 3, a whole tier above me and she had support from at least nine other people of similar strength in the room

Calming down I flashed a cocky smile

"Why? Haven't you ever killed one yourself?"

"Why this shit head!"

It looked like she was about to draw her weapon when the mature women stepped in to make sure it didn't become a murder