The deathbear shook its head. Blood flicked down onto the surrounding forest floor.

It rubbed its face against the inside of its furry arm, before reflexively pulling its head back in pain.

The blood continued to run in rivulets around its nose, pooling at its chin and falling in drops beneath it.

The deathbear roared, before charging back at Lem’s simulated self.

He took a few steps backwards instinctively and ducked behind a tree, as he tried to put distance between him and the beast.

His arm felt weak, and when he glanced at it he saw vicious gashes in the middle of an enormous red stain.

He looked back up immediately.

The deathbear rumbled towards him, navigating effortlessly through the tree cover.

When it was nearly on top of him, Lem’s simulated self feigned a punch.

The beast paused. Its instincts to charge forward were overrun by fear of the attack it had been hit with.

Lem’s simulated self took advantage of its indecision, retreating by a few more steps behind a different tree.

The deathbear saw that an attack was not incoming, and it charged forward again, angrily.

Lem lunged to meet it, this time with a real punch.

Thwack!

The deathbear leapt backwards in a big clumsy motion, but it avoided the attack.

Thwack!

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The deathbear retreated again.

ROAR!

It bellowed in its rage, but it could not overcome its fear of the [Nine Bull Fist].

The sight of the hulking beast fleeing awkwardly would have been amusing for Lem, were it not for the real danger it presented to him.

It was sobering to realize that after the simulation, this battle could very well reflect his fate.

A battle of attrition against one of the top predators in the forest…

[As you regain your footing, you see the enraged deathbear running towards you with a mangled face. You engage it in combat again, but it is far more cautious.]

Lem’s simulated self threw a few more punches that were easily avoided.

The deathbear’s movements looked ungainly but they were effective. Fortunately, it was becoming more and more blinded by the moment.

Could it still dodge when it could no longer see?

Lem could not help but feel a bit of hope stirring within him.

The deathbear shook its head, trying to rid itself of the blood that was clouding its vision, but its wound continued to bleed into its eyes.

It hesitated, wanting to rub its face with its furry arm, but it remembered the pain it had felt the last time it had tried and thought better of it.

The deathbear stopped.

Evidently, it could sense that the momentum was against it, and it needed to change its method of attack.

Its hindpaws clenched the ground as it turned abruptly and swung its paws, trying to pin Lem’s simulated self in place.

He jumped out of the way, hiding behind a tree, and the deathbear lost track of him, halting its charge and backing up wildly as it looked around.

Lem’s simulated self was relieved to see that the beast had become easy to avoid. It was obvious that it was struggling to see him.

He circled the deathbear and ran at it from behind, trying to press his advantage, but it was too cautious, retreating every time it heard him closing the distance.

[You do not manage to land any solid hits, as the deathbear jumps away from every punch. The vision of the deathbear was clearly impacted by your initial strike, as it also struggles to hit you.]

Thwack!

Thwack!

Thwack!

Suddenly, he felt a flash of insight.

Lem was watching carefully when he perceived elation in his simulated self.

The [Nine Bull Fist] suddenly became far smoother, and his hand blurred through the air.