Meanwhile, there was a stir regarding the missing kids in the Blumund village. Sheila, Rei's mother, in particular, is terrified in her room.
The reason of that, because her son recently had an accident and now he vanished from sight.
Adam, Rei's father, came into her room.
"Adam!" Sheila ran at him, "Did you know where did Ray went to!? He hasn't gone home yet ever since he ran out!"
"I'm worried...something terrible happen to him..." Trembling in fear, Sheild held onto her husband.
"We are currently searching for them, right now we have to wait and believe that our son will be back."
"Because I know, Ray is a strong kid now." Adam assured her and comforting her in his arms, but behind those words, he was the most worried of all.
Now they just hope that their son would come back home safely.
'Ray...please...come back home.' Adam thought of it while he looked at the moon above them.
Emily, his little sister, currently at her room, cuddling onto her pillow while she cried and worried of her older brother.
'Onii-chan...where are you?'
Suddenly...
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
*KNOCK*
Someone knocking on their house door.
Hearing that, Adam immediately ran towards outside Sheila following him. Emily also went out from her room to check.
When Adam open the door, Nel was standing there while being exhausted as if he has been running for miles.
"Adam...we found the kids." Nel spoke to him.
"Is Ray okay!?" Sheila interrupted as she while looks worried.
"Where is Onii-chan!" Then Emily came out from behind her, crying for her older brother.
"Nel...did Ray come back home." Adam asked him.
Nel who looked at these three worried over someone this much, made him felt nervous and hesitated to answer.
But as his best friend, he told them the truth, by shaking his head, "I'm sorry...we haven't found Ray yet."
"...?!" They were shocked to hear it.
"The one we found are Bob and Hans...while James and Ray haven't been found yet." Nel answered them.
Sheila felt her strength slowly slipped away from her body as she about to fall.
"Sheila!" Adam immediately caught her in his arms.
"Mommy!" Emily cried and held her as well.
"I'm okay...sweetie." Sheila spoke while her looks become pale.
Then she looked at Nel. "Nel...please take us to those kids, we need to know where did Ray went to."
Nel looked at her condition, but he couldn't refuse to their request.
"Okay...but do not force yourself." Nel accepted it and start to lead them his to where the kids are.
Adam and Emily held Sheila to walk together, as they brace themselves for the news regarding their son.
******
When they arrived at the post near to the gate, they could see Bob and Hans were crying while being covered in blankets.
One of the guards who work together with Nel, approached them.
"Sir Nel, you are back! My apologies sir, we still haven't found the other kids." The guard reported to him.
"It's okay, but is there any clues to where did they go?" Nel asked him.
"Yes sir, apparently the kids here...Bob and Hans, told me about the situation and where the other kids are." The guard replied to him.
"Bob and Hans? What did they told you?" Nel asked.
The guard began to tremble and hesitated to answer.
"Hey, come on! Tell me what did they tell you!" Nel held the guard's shoulders and shake him off to stop his trembling.
"T-they told us that...a [Boss Monster] might appear where James and Ray located." The guard finally gave his answer.
Nel widened his eyes, "What?! A [Boss Monster]!?"
Nel was surprised to hear that name, which he haven't heard it for so long.
Adam and Sheila who heard those words from behind, they couldn't help to feel hopeless.
Emily who stood on behind them, looks scared, "Onii-chan..."
"That can't be! Where did you heard all of this?! Where did you get this information?!" Nel asked him once again.
The guard couldn't help to feel scared, but he need to answer his question.
"They told me...the one who gave them this information was from...
"Ray...himself." The guard answered
".....?!"
They all surprised to hear it, especially his parents who just knew about.
"W-wait, Ray know about this? How is he involved with this situation?" Nel asked again, but the guard just shook his head and confused while being scared.
"I-i don't know sir....I think you should ask them in more details...because, you might not believe it."
"Because...the one who saved them from danger was..."
"Ray."
***********
*RUSTLE*
*RUSTLE*
'Dammit....dammit....dammit!!!'
Meanwhile, Rei and James currently inside the forest.
Where they ran through the trees around them.
When Rei turned his head around to check behind him.
He saw a giant silhouette is still chasing after them. 'Dammit! The pouch doesn't work!' Rei thought of it.
*SWOOSH*
But then that giant silhouette suddenly disappeared from his sight.
'....?! W-where did it g—'
"Ray!! look out!!!" James warned him before he could noticed the presence that is about to approached them.
"Ugh....!!!" Rei quickly stopped his movement to pushed James back to behind him.
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*BOOM*
And suddenly this giant silhouette crashed at in front of them with the trees around them began to fell from getting crashed by this thing.
'....?! Did it just jump over us like that?!'
Rei quickly land on his feet while covering James to his back.
As the moon start to show up again, they could see what kind of monster that they are facing again.
An enormous black-furred wolf with red eyes that gleam in the dark, a mouth that displays its long, sharp fangs, and a black claw on its paws.
And above the head of that beast, a name appears.
[The Dark Wolf Leader].
Rei looked at the name, 'To think my first encounter [Boss Monster] would be [Red] color name.'
'I guess...this monster's level is higher than those wolves before.' Rei thought of it.
At the same time.
'Ugh—?!' he could feel the lingering pain on his right eyes came back to him.
Where his golden color eye, start to glow a bit as if he could feel his right eye getting hotter.
'Not again...' But he make sure to endure it.
Rei put down unsheated his sword, "James...you have the pouch that I gave you, right?" Then he asked him.
"Y-yes, what about it?" James asked him back as he doesn't know why he asked him that.
Rei looked at him and smiled, "Well I don't know if one of us can survive this, so at least—?!"
Before Rei finished his sentence, the giant wolf start to jump towards him.
*SWOOSH*
Then it swung its right claw.
*TING*
Rei lifted his sword and blocked its claw with his hand holding the back of the blade.
But despite that his body getting pushed back a bit.
'U-ughhh!! s-so heavy...'
While holding its claw with his sword, he glared at James that is still behind him.
"James!! What the hell are you doing!!! Run now!! Hurry!!" Rei yelled at him when he suddenly fell to his knees to kneel just from holding on its giant claw alone.
"B-but..." But James couldn't move, as his legs trembling this time and his eyes swelled from the tears.
Rei clicked his tongue, "Run!! You damn coward!! You are a burden!!! So go away!!" Then he let out harsh words towards him, to make him run while he still have the strength to hold this.
James closed his eyes, "AAAAAAAAAA!!!!" Then he yelled out and quickly turn his back against him, and finally...
He starts to run away with tears...
'I'm sorry...I'm sorry....I'm sorry...Ray!'
James continue to run without looking back cried to his heart.
Rei who saw his back, finally smiled.
'Good...he is finally gone now.'
Rei sighed in relieved, but he isn't at the situation where he need to let his guard down.
So, he gathered his focus again towards this one beast.
"I'm your opponent here, you damned beast!!" Rei tried to provoke the beast, to get its attention to him.
*TSSSKKK*
Then he shifted his sword to the side to make its claw slipped through away from him.
*SWOOSH*
Then he jumped back to distances him away from the beast.
The beast looked at him and stopped moving for a moment.
Rei who stood there, sighed heavily, 'Dammit...this monster is too strong for my current self.'
'Even I did use [Sharp Edge], the gap between us are still wide.' Rei thought of it, 'So...while the monster is still waiting...I need to do this!
"[Status]!"
Then he opened his [Status].
'26 to [Strength], 12 to [Agility], 16 to [Vitality].'
'7 to [Intelligence] and finally! 12 to [Sense].'
Finally, he used almost all of his status point. After that...he could feel something surging from within his body.
*GRRRRRRR*
The beast began growl at him as if it knew that there something change to its prey.
'Done.'
=======================================
[STATUS]
NAME: Kiritsuka Rei
JOB : Blacksmith
TITLE : [The Reincarnator], [Time Traveler], [Quick Learner]
Level: 9 => 16
[HP: 4250/1050]
[MP: 375/300]
[FATIGUE: 60]*orange*
EXP: 0/18000
STATUS POINT : 75 => 2
__________________
STRENGTH : 14 => 40
AGILITY : 18 => 30
VITALITY : 19 => 35
INTELLIGENCE : 18 => 25(+5)
SENSE : 18 => 30(+5)
=======================================
But when he shift his eyes to check that monster name...
'.... it's still [Red], how high is it level does this monster have?' Rei thought of while getting into his stance then he face the beast again.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
At that point, they begin to observe one other in silence.
.
.
.
.
.
And they stood where they were.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Despite the cool night, Rei starts to sweat. However, when one of his sweat drops off...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
As soon as it hit the ground...
*SWOOSH*
Once again, the giant wolf jump forward to strike him with its claws.
"...?!"
*TING*
'Don't think that I will fall for the same trick ...'
Rei, however, responded to it by raising his sword to deflect its claw, which caused his body to be pushed away a bit.
"...?!"
Just parrying that one attack made his hand tremble.
As soon as he get into his stance back.
*SWOOSH*
The giant wolf continue to strike him by using his other claw.
*TING*
Rei didn't back down and swung his sword to parried its claw away again.
"Ugh—?!"
Rei jumped back again to create a distances between them.
However, the beast prevented him from having that opportunity. Suddenly, its body dive into its own shadow.
'What?!'
*SWOOSH*
*GRRRRRRAAAA*
When the beast materialised from the shadow in front of Rei, it was too late for him to react.
The beast altered its behaviour, by opening its wide mouth and attempting to bite him with those sharp fangs.
'Where should I go?!' Rei thought of while its mouth to bite his whole body.
'....?!'
Until he noticed one path.
*SWOOSH*
Rei leaped under the beast and passed through just in time before it closed its mouth.
*BAM*
*GRRRRR*
Then, with a single bite, the beast toppled the tree in front of it.
Rei flipped his body and get back to his stance, 'That was close.' As he gulped.
When the beast turns its body around, it begins to radiate a sinister aura all around it.
*GRRRRR*
Rei lifted his sword, "Are you angry? Then try to bite me!" While he provoked.
'[Sharp Edge]' Rei cast the skill, making his sword surrounded by red aura.
After that.
*SWOOSH*
They start to leap towards one another.
The beast start striking first by swinging its left claw towards him.
*TING*
Without delay, Rei moved the blade to allow its claw to pass through and deflected it.
*SWOOSH*
He then spun his body to gain additional momentum and swung his blade from the monster's right side.
*SLASH*
It was a direct hit, but...
"...?!"
His sword only caused a graze on the beast's body rather than any actual harm.
*GRRRRAAAA*
Before the creature could try to bite Rei.
*SWOOSH*
He swiftly leaped away to escape, 'This is hard....'
After he landed, he quickly ran towards the beast right side increasing his speed.
*SWOOSH*
Then, once again, he swung his sword towards the beast.
*GRRRRR*
In response to his attack, the beast whacked its claw towards him.
*SWOOSH*
However, Rei quickly dodged it by twisting his body slightly.
*SLASH*
Then countered by grazing its body once again.
*GRRRRR*
It definitely angered the beast.
After inflicting that minor wounds on the beast, Rei grinned before leaping back to flee and beginning the going anew in a new direction.....
He start to graze its body from...
*SLASH*
Its left side....
*SLASH*
its front side...
*SLASH*
its back side...
*SLASH*
and back to its left side once more...
The monster only receives little grazes from each strike he makes, but...
With each consecutive hit, the damage increased.
*GRRRRR*
The beast knew exactly what Rei was planning to do.
Thus, the beast started to emanate those ominous aura once more.
When Rei leap towards the beast again and his sword to reach its body.
It was too late for him to react...
*GRRRRAAA*
From beneath its claws, a pointed black spikes emerged from the shadows to encircle the giant wolf.
"....?!"
Those spikes struck Rei without warning, injuring both his right thigh and left shoulder.
"Ukh—?!"
He swiftly withdrew from there and separated himself from the beast after realising how painful his wounds were.
'That's hurt...'
When Rei turned his head to look again, he saw what had hurt him.
'Is that....'
His eyes widened as he realised that the object originated from the beast's shadow.
'His shadow?...did this monster just used a skill?!' Rei thought of it, until...
*TSSSSS*
"...?!"
Rei looked at his injured shoulder and noticed...
That his flesh start corroding in black and slowly spreading around the injuries.
'Uggh...! Does it have [Corrosive] power...! It hurts like hell!'
Because of the corrosion, he could feel his skin scorching by it, but he had to endure the pain and keeping his eyes on the beast.
*GRRRRR*
After the giant wolf drawing back those shadow spikes, the beast abruptly... vanished in the dark.
'Where did it go?!' Rei widened his eyes and began to scan his surroundings.
But the weird part is...
'I cannot sense it...'
Then, he felt something move behind him, "...?!" but when he looked behind, nothing was there.
*GRRRRRAAA*
Afterwards, the giant wolf materialised from the shadows in front of him, striking him with its claws.
'What?!'
When Rei noticed its presence, it was too late for him to lift his sword in defence.
"Ugh—?!" And he ended up got slightly injured on his right arm.
*SWOOSH*
After leaving an injury on him, the beast then leaped off, passed through him, and dove back into the shadow.
'Ughh...!' The wound on his right arm start to corroded, turning his skin into black around that wound and the pain start to grow as well.
However...the beast didn't stop at that.
*SWOOSH*
It continued to leap from a different direction.
And just as Rei was about to block it.
*SLASH*
"Agh—?!" He was slightly injured on his left leg, left another corroding area.
'This pattern...don't tell me! It's try to imitate me!' Rei thought of it while he tried to search it where about.
'I need to retreat...'
But when Rei about to move...
*SWOOSH*
*GRRRRAAA*
With its mouth wide open, the beast lunged out from the shadow on his right side, threatening to devour him.
"...?!"
Rei quickly noticed and crouched down before it bites his head off.
*SWOOSH*
Then the beast went back to the shadow again.
'Ugh....but it doesn't let me escape—?!"
Afterward, Rei sensed something on the ground beneath him, forcing him to throw himself from where he had stood before.
*SWOOSH*
Suddenly, a shadow spike emerged at that location where he had stood before.
"TAP*
Then when he landed on the ground.
*SWOOSH*
Rei quickly jumped again before another shadow spike emerged from where he landed.
*GRRRRAAA*
Just as he managed to dodge it, the enormous wolf materialised from the shadows and struck him once more with its claw.
*TING*
However, Rei was able to parry its claw and his left abdomen still received a slight injury.
"Ughh....!!" As the pain grows again.
*SWOOSH*
The beast kept moving and attacking him in all directions, as though it were making fun of him.
'When this is going to end...'
Meanwhile, Rei didn't know how to handle those shadow movements, so he the only thing he could do...
Is to dodge and block with everything he had.
*******
As time goes by...
Rei stood before the giant wolf with his body full of injuries added with the corrosion that progressing faster. His vision turned blurry and his tiredness had affecting it all.
"HAAAAAA!!!"
Rei lost all rationality and cried unexpectedly, swinging his sword towards the beast.
But with his both sides wide open...
*BAM*
"Ugh—?!"
Rei couldn't react when the beast whacked him with its claw from his right side.
And got blown away.
*BOOM*
Then crashed against some trees besides him.
"Agh—!!!" He could feel the intense pain in his right stomach and was coughing up blood.
"Ughh...I can't give up..."
As he attempted to stand up using his sword to help him stand.
"...?"
He saw the beast used its tail.
*BAM*
Then whacked him on his left side.
"Agh—?!" His body was thrown aside like a rag doll.
"Ugh...." He then coughed more blood as the corrosion continue to spread around his body.
That last strike caused him to lose almost half of his HP that continue to goes down because of the corrosion.
'It's hurt...'
When he attempted to stand again.
'It's hurt...'
His mind slowly become distorted.
'It's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...it's hurt...'
Then suddenly...
'It's hurt...?'
The pain slowly fading...
'Huh??...it's not hurt anymore....?' as his body start to fall...
'Why is it cold now...?' His blood start leaking from his body.
He could see his blood flowing onto the ground next to his face, 'Am I....? going to die...?'
His consciousness slowly fading.
'I am feeling sleepy...'
And his surrounding become dark...
But suddenly a voice came out...
'Hey, wake up.'
'This voice...Houston?'
Rei, felt his finger twitch upon hearing that voice.
'Yeah, it's me.' Ray replied to him
As Rei could tell, that he standing directly in front of him.
However, he lacked the strength to raise his head and look up at Ray, so he remained still on the ground.
'I'm sorry... I couldn't fulfill your promise...' Rei spoke weakly.
Ray shook his head, 'It's okay...Kiritsuka, it's not your fault.'
But upon hearing those words, his tears start to fall from his eyes, 'But...I failed...I failed to protect our family...'
Ray looked at him and smiled ,'You didn't failed, you managed to hold on against that monster alone.'
'Because of your efforts...I had awaken, which is why...'
'It's my turn now.'
'So go back to rest...Kiritsuka.'
Rei looked at him, 'Houston, what do you mean by—'
Before Rei finished his sentence, he begin to fell asleep...
'Your partner here...will handle this.'
.
.
.
.
.
A few minutes later, the giant wolf was observing Rei, who was lying on the ground.
Then it started to approach him with its mouth drooling and prepared to devour him.
*....?!*
But suddenly the beast sensed something and stopped its approach...
When the young boy, who was at the death door.
Had start to stand with his sword.
[Notice!]
[You acquired a skill!]
A notification from the system came out.
[Skill [Persona] had been used]
As he raised his gaze to the beast, the young boy's golden right eye began to shine.
"We finally met again...you furry bastard."
The voice that came out from him was different.
"But I am surprised, managed to injured a you, a [Boss Monster], I am truly thankful for him to hold on until I came back." The young boy spoke.
When the giant wolf notices something unusual about the child in front of it, it begins to growl.
*GRRRRR*
The young boy began to looked directly towards the beast's eyes and smiled.
"Are you happy to see me again?" As he spoke.
[Notice!]
[Skill [Persona] has neutralize the corrosion]
Following that shift of his attitude and demeanour, another notification appeared, while the corrosion on his body started to halt.
"I am happy...because I get the chance to kill the bastard, who ruined my life."
*CLINK*
The young boy raised his sword and pointed it towards the beast.
"Shall we begin our final act...end this charades."
Finally...
[Ray Houston] had joined the fight.
and started to confront the beast that had destroyed his past...
To be continued...