The young woman and the beast were still at odds. A large part of the beast’s left eyelid was beginning to swell as it found it more difficult to lift them open.
There was still not a clear winner of the fight, which had been going on for more than a minute. As Lucy sidestepped another blow, the bear grew increasingly irritated.
However, after a few more hits, dust clouds began to envelop the area they were in. The beast noticed that it couldn’t sense the girl around anymore with the dust hindering its smell, It paused for a moment and twitched its ears.
The beast found it strange that the girl had stopped throwing rocks, and after a short while it heard something skittering, a few meters to its right.
Grooaar!
The little girl fled cleverly used the large trunks to out maneuver it as the beast growled in frustration when another of its attacks missed. It was mistaken to think that this creature was trying to take his food but this one was also like that little thing, a prey!
It rushed to the sound, following the young woman.
As the dust settled, the beast saw her quickly picking up something and stood her ground with the tree behind her. She didn't even attempt to escape!
Dead human! The beast angrily declared to itself as it tried to slow down and devour this creature.
Guh! Groaar! Argh!
But the beast didn't taste anything other than his own blood and saliva. Its head was pierced, causing it to fling itself up and writhe in agony as it tried to deal with the damage it received from the collision!
Groar!
While the beast thrashed around, the young woman got out of its way as she gazed at the long, thick piece of branch lodged in its right eye. It dangled in front of the beast's face as it tried to remove it.
Contrary to the beast's thoughts about the young woman's actions, she didn't give up or flee a few seconds ago. She took up a thick, sharp-edged branch and positioned its duller side parallel to the tree trunk behind her with the sharp end aimed at the incoming opponent. Ultimately, the bear's decision to slow down was the right one!
As a result, both of the beast's eyes become useless. It thrashed itself around, attempting to break free of the branch. The beast's thick skull and strong constitution prevented the branch from penetrating any deeper, so it was very lucky that it slowed down just enough saving its life.
To not get hit accidentally by the one-ton beast, Lucy backed off and watched the beast as it thrashed around in an attempt to remove the branch that pierced its right eye.
Lucy released a pained smile as she thought, ‘I hope Ash got home safely. I-I think it can no longer see that well. Maybe it’s safe to run away now?’
“Hiss!” Lucy sucked a breath off the cold morning air after she failed to stand back up. Unknowingly, her left ankle was hurt in the fight earlier. She didn't know when, but it was easy to notice now that her adrenaline was wearing off. She was struggling to come up with what to do next, but her heart froze when a series of deep barks disrupted her thoughts.
Woof! Woof! Woof!
Both of the fighters' attention shifted to the source. Ash appeared with his big ears on alert. Lucy was gazing at Ash and saw him nodding at her as she saw him take a firm step forward.
The beast became weary and made sure to remember Lucy’s position. With both of its eyes useless, it can now only rely on its ears and nose to locate its opponents.
Sniff-sniff!
After a couple more aggressive sniffs, its head snapped towards Ash. They remembered that this was the food he was about to eat earlier before being snatched away by the thief!
On all fours, the beast turned its body around to chase! This was the one he wanted to eat first!
Grooar!
Ash’s eyes bulged as he forgot what to do next. His stubby little legs went to full speed as he turned around to escape.
Hey! Hey! Time out! I’m not ready yet! Ash barked as he ran through the forest, hitting some of the shrubs he encountered in the process. He ran over the high slope he used to observe Lucy and the bear’s fight earlier.
Grrooar!!
The bear immediately followed Ash as his limbs weren’t damaged at all by Lucy’s fight, but its eyes couldn’t see much so instead of shrubs, it sometimes crashed into trees which slowed it down by a lot.
Hah! Too slow! Can't catch this!
Arf! Arf! Arf!
The small creature kept provoking the beast, but Lucy didn’t know if he was afraid or had gotten lost and was calling for her. So she screamed at the top of her lungs, “Ash what are you doing? I’m right here!"
Lucy stood up in pain and tried to get the beast's attention by screaming, “Hey, you big dumb Oaf! Our fight's not finished. Aw!"
She quickly stopped and noticed her left ankle was a little swollen. Unknowingly, she was hit by the aftermath of the bear’s countless strikes. She was too preoccupied with Ash’s safety and dodging to notice her injury.
When the bear crashed into me, that had to be the case. I was too busy making sure the dull end of that branch was locked in place behind me to pay close attention. Was it right then and there? Lucy pondered. She looked up, just in time to see the two disappear from view.
Gritting her teeth, she quickly followed them ignoring the pain.
The beast was closing in on Ash from a distance. The dog spun around and headed in a particular direction. When Ash vanished into the bushes, the bear was only a few claw swipes away from snatching up its dinner.
"Ah, hold on! Don't go there!" Lucy was terrified when she saw Ash almost get hit, but she was even more terrified when he went into that area where the beast and Ash vanished.
She ran forward gritting her teeth, only catching a glimpse of the beast’s lower body as it tumbled off the chasm. It let out a high-pitched growl and gradually turned faint until it reached the bottom.
GRROOOoooarrrr!
“...”
Tap. Tap.Tap.
With her uneven steps, she stopped at the edge of the cliff, staring down at the dark void, deep below. She couldn’t see anything at the bottom, even with the help of the risen sun. Her face went pale as the realization dawned on her. Her gaze swept across side the area, but Ash was nowhere to be seen.
“What!? Ash!? Why!? Not again.” The young woman's face was touched by the early morning breeze. As she looked down the cliff, it ruffled her hair. With her fists clenched, the color of her blue eyes faded slightly and began to quiver as they filled with tears. Her cracked lips were pursed.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
She was having an internal debate whether she would go home or take another step forward but then a tiny but now friendly bark interrupted her gloomy mood.
Arf!
Rustle~rustle.
She turned around to see Ash emerge from the bushes, safe and sound, with a tiny leaf on top of his head but eventually fell off as the wind took it away.
The small creature unconsciously waggled its tail behind him.
…
Almost a minute ago…
Given their earlier circumstances, Ash still thought that kiting the beast was the right way to go. As he temporarily left the two playing against themselves, Ash was busy checking something in the direction where the consistent strong cold winds came from.
In the games, Ash was always fascinated by game developers who placed Easter Eggs in some parts of their game.
Especially when these Easter Eggs might be of help during future boss battles. Since this was reality, Ash was sure this wind meant something. He already had an idea as to what it was so he tried to follow it.
While doing so, he hastily scanned his skills to use them effectively and he found quite a few.
_____________________
[Incapacitate]—Active Skill: Target a vulnerable area and bite it for five seconds to inflict basic damage of 20+200% of your Strength for five seconds, and have a 15% chance to inflict the
[Stunned] status effect on the target for 2 seconds. After two seconds, the target will be inflicted with the status effect [Bleeding], which deals 10% of the skill's initial damage per second for a maximum duration of 20 seconds. The effects might wear off early depending on the Endurance of your target.
If the target is fully healed before the 20 seconds are up, the [Bleeding] status effect will be automatically removed.
Cooldown: 2 hours
Mana cost: None
_____________________
Even if the beast lets him discover a weak spot to effectively let him use his skill, his stats are so low and weakened that his [Incapacitate] skill won't do much damage. Even if he spends all of his unassigned stat points on Strength. If he does, the damage will be limited to a minimum of twenty-four. With the beast's five hundred and ten Health points, its Endurance stat must be high along with its supposed regeneration from its high HP. The [Bleeding] status effect would be eliminated before it could deal much damage.
His thirty-six unassigned stat points added to strength will deal at least twenty initial damage plus three to four damage per second up to thirty minimum and forty maximum after that, but the total damage won't even be a quarter of the beast's entire health bar.
This move only cements the beast’s aggro to be shifted on him which would then force Lucy to make drastic changes in her strategy, which will be to save him.
And if he somehow survives and escapes, he can't solely rely on Lucy to take care of the remaining health points. This move would surely be the end of them.
Close! Whoah~!
Arf! Woo~!
He abruptly stopped as he almost died twice in a single day! He hastily closed the interface when he saw it somehow got clearer only to realize that everything behind it was dark. And when he decided to look down, he almost fell to his death.
In front of him was a massive chasm more than a hundred meters across immeasurably wide, stretching all the way to both sides that he couldn't even see the edges. It was like the giant ridge was cut by a gigantic sword from ancient times. The wind was coming from the other side which then got concentrated on the forest.
Ash quickly retook his outstretched limb as he saw pieces of the cliff’s edge that broke into a few pieces of rubble, start to fall towards the bottom, disappearing beneath the layer where the sun’s light couldn’t reach.
He couldn’t even hear the sound of those rubble hitting the bottom.
That’s deep.
Gulp!
He steadily backed away as he scanned his surroundings. Earlier, his vision was partially limited by the translucent screen he was busy checking his skills which led him to emerge from the bush and almost commit suicide…twice!
Phew!
He released a sigh of relief as he thought, Good thing I'm slow.
With that thought in mind, he immediately turned around and hoped that the two playmates didn’t stray far away and that he wouldn’t be able to find them when he got back.
He called out to his interface to try and find something that he could use for his strategy with that deep chasm.
[Rage] wasn’t that useful as it will do more harm than good with its subsequent debuff. Ash was about to close the translucent screen as he could already hear the fight a distance in front of him when his gaze was drawn to a particular skill.
_____________________
[Intimidate]—Active Skill: Inflicts the status effect [Fear] for 5 seconds if your combined stats are 200% greater than the target or it will have varying effects.
Cooldown: 1 hour
Mana cost: None
_____________________
He initially thought this skill was pointless because he didn't want to add too many unassigned points to Charisma. It would hurt his future development if he does. However, what if it doesn’t need to be that way? What if his Charisma stat was lower than the target?
It appears stupid at first, but he has seen the consequences of failed instances where intimidation was used by a weaker side. A weaker fighter gets beaten down to a pulp, an unprepared company goes bankrupt, an inventor gets their invention stolen at the patenting office and even maps are withdrawn after senseless wars with countries being erased. But he had to do it before any of these ever happened.
Or it will have varying effects.
Ash scrutinized this phrase and tried to risk it. If it fails, he will just aim for the beast’s head while it will be distracted by Lucy.
Anger is always a primal emotion and it will forever exist on those who pride themselves on their existence.
With the deep chasm only a short jog away, he calculated that the "Luring the beast to its death" strategy might be possible with an additional skill.
_____________________
[Haste]—Active Skill: Increases Agility by 40% for 1 minute.
Cooldown: 20 minutes
Mana cost: none
_____________________
This skill ensures Ash has more leeway when being pursued and will act properly if the situation changes. So he turned around and ran back in the direction he had left both the girl and the bear.
After being relieved to find Lucy was still alive, Ash instantly used his skill [Intimidate] on the beast, but thanks to his low and weakened stats, it just served to annoy it, but the skill accomplished his desired outcome.
Good thing his gamble paid off.
"Ash! Ash! You are fine! You haven’t left me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Lucy picked up Ash and clumsily hugged him, and examined him from head to tail and down to four of his stubby little feet.
The young woman with shoulder-length black hair and brilliant blue eyes that were still wet from tears was looking for any wounds or bruises. Her clothes aren’t that great but with her as the wearer, she looked like a young and lost medieval fashion model.
After searching for wounds, she raised her pupils and noticed a small green leaf sitting quietly on top of Ash's head. She chuckled lightly, picked one up, and placed it on top of her head, only to have both of their leaves fall off and be carried away by the wind.
With her eyes still on the drifting leaves, Lucy blurted out, "Now we're the same!" she exclaimed, flashing a bright smile.
While still carrying Ash, she redirected her attention towards the deep hole where the beast jumped to its death.
"You're a genius! I mean, I knew this gigantic hole existed, but I had no idea it could be used as a trap. Like me, you're a genius!"
Her face froze for a moment and with a delighted smirk, she added while booping Ash’s snout, “But I’m better at you with swords.”
Lucy began walking back, heading home, and continued, “I wonder what it would be like if your paws could hold a sword or two. We can then maybe train together! Don’t you think so?”
You wish! I'll be the brain, and you'll be the brawn. I'll become a mage one day.
Arf! Arf. Arf.
“Yeah, you’re right. I’m the best.”
Whatever you say. Sigh, Ash sighed internally and ignored the young woman who was so full of herself when she only used stones to fight the bear.
His gaze was then drawn to an unclosed translucent window that appeared in front of him, hovering as he read its contents.
_____________________
Quest Completed!
Indirectly killed the beast.
+2,000 experience points
Your level has increased by 1!
+3 unassigned stat points
+250 credits
[Misdirect] skill obtained!
[Misdirect]—Active Skill: Create a reasonable scenario to send someone in the wrong direction or to make a target’s attention stray from your motive.
Cooldown: 10 minutes
Mana cost: None
[ Close ]
_____________________
After the translucent windows vanished, Ash turned to Lucy and something clicked inside of him
[Lucy Austin is added on your Friends.]
What? I didn’t authorize that!
The small creature exclaimed internally as a new name was added to his friend's list. While staring at it he thought unenthusiastically, Great. I now have an auto-friend feature.
Sigh, at least I got a new skill.
Lucy took one last look below the deep chasm before turning around and leaving the area.
…
This is the deepest reaches of the chasm, and the sun's rays hardly illumine the area.
A mutilated corpse lay at the bottom of the chasm, beyond the reach of the light.Its once powerful arms and sharp claws were torn off from its torso, the large head had been reduced to mush, fractured bones protruded from the body, and the rest were too horrific to recognize.The silence was deafening, but suddenly, several giant tentacle-like arms emerged from the darkness. It peeled off the skin and ripped off several more parts, creating ripping, crackling, and sloshing sounds as it dragged the different mangled parts toward the darkness, one by one.
In the distance, an illusory eye stared straight up above as the crunching and sloshing noises echoed throughout the bottom of the chasm.