David's heart pounded as he stepped into the dark forest, the oppressive atmosphere weighing heavily on him. Every shadow seemed to shift, every rustle of leaves amplified in the eerie silence. His grip tightened on the jagged sword, its rough edges giving him a false sense of security. The faint glow from the mansion behind him was now a distant memory, swallowed by the thick, murky gloom.
Ahead, the large shadowy figure loomed, still hunched over its meal. As David drew closer, the creature's form became clearer—a massive, canine-like beast, its body as large as a cow. Its fur was a mottled black and grey, blending almost seamlessly with the shadows. The creature’s eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness, were fixed on the carcass it was gnawing, its powerful jaws making short work of the flesh and bone.
David’s breath hitched. The beast looked slow, but its sheer size and the sharpness of its teeth were intimidating. He hesitated, trying to assess his options. The "System Assistance" had given him skills, but using them effectively was another matter entirely. His mind raced, recalling the brief descriptions he had seen earlier.
"Battle Sense and Earth Shield," he muttered, struggling to remember how to activate them. His thoughts were jumbled, a mix of fear and determination clouding his judgment.
The creature's head snapped up, its glowing eyes locking onto David. A low, rumbling growl emanated from its throat, vibrating through the ground beneath him. The beast was aware of his presence now, and the hostility in its gaze was unmistakable. It slowly rose to its feet, towering over David, its body rippling with muscle beneath the dark fur.
David's instincts screamed at him to run, but he knew he had no choice but to fight. He focused, activating Battle Sense. Instantly, his surroundings sharpened—sounds, movements, and even the faintest shifts in the air became clearer. He could feel the tension in the beast’s muscles, see the slight twitch in its legs as it prepared to lunge.
The beast snarled and leapt at him with surprising speed for its size. David reacted on instinct, raising his left hand and summoning Earth Shield. A barrier of compacted earth shot up from the ground just in time, and the beast collided with it, the impact sending vibrations through the air. The shield held, but the force of the collision caused cracks to spiderweb across its surface.
David stumbled back, his heart racing. He had defended himself, but only barely. The beast wasn’t deterred. It circled him slowly, looking for another opening, its growl a constant reminder of the danger he was in.
"Think, think!" David whispered to himself, trying to strategize. The creature was slow-moving but powerful. He needed to exploit its weaknesses, but his mind was too scattered, overwhelmed by the situation.
The beast lunged again, this time aiming lower, trying to get under his guard. David swung his sword down in a clumsy arc, the jagged blade scraping across the beast's side. The creature howled in pain, but the wound was shallow, more of an annoyance than a real injury. It retaliated instantly, swiping at David with one of its massive paws.
David barely dodged, the claws grazing his side and tearing through his clothes. Pain shot through him as he staggered back, nearly losing his balance. The beast pressed its advantage, snapping its jaws at him. David managed to deflect the bite with his sword, but the force knocked him to the ground.
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Battle Sense screamed at him to move, to get up, but his body felt sluggish, his reactions clumsy. He rolled to the side just in time to avoid the beast’s claws again, scrambling to his feet with a desperate gasp. His hand went to his side, feeling the warm stickiness of blood. The wound wasn’t deep, but it was enough to slow him down.
“This isn’t working,” he thought, panic rising in his chest. He needed to end this fight quickly, but he couldn’t seem to coordinate his actions. The skills were there, but his execution was far from perfect.
Gritting his teeth, David activated Earth Shield again, this time with more focus. The barrier formed just as the beast charged at him, and he used the momentary respite to gather his thoughts. He had to stay calm, had to use his skills more effectively.
When the beast smashed into the shield again, David was ready. He ducked under the creature’s swinging claws and drove his sword into its flank with renewed force. The jagged blade bit deep, and the beast let out a pained roar. It staggered back, blood oozing from the wound, and David pressed his advantage, slashing at its legs to bring it down.
The beast swiped at him again, and though he tried to dodge, the claws raked across his arm, leaving deep gashes. David cried out in pain but didn’t stop. He swung the sword one last time, aiming for the creature’s neck. The blade connected, and with a sickening crunch, the beast collapsed, its body twitching as the life drained from its eyes.
Breathing heavily, David stood over the fallen creature, his body trembling from the exertion and the pain. He had won, but it had been a close call. Far too close.
His side throbbed, and he looked down at the gashes on his arm. Blood seeped through his clothes, and the pain was sharp and relentless. He couldn’t afford to ignore his injuries. With a shaky hand, he summoned the System Assistance and searched for healing abilities.
The options flickered before his eyes, and he grimaced. Most were out of reach, but one caught his attention—Regenerate Health (Basic). It wasn’t the best skill, but it would heal his injuries in a timely manner. It cost 230 points, leaving him with just 60.
“Better than nothing,” he muttered, selecting the ability. The injuries began to heal slowly, but the process was gradual. Not wanting to endure the pain for too long, he bought a small health potion for 50 points, leaving him with just 10.
After drinking the potion, a warm sensation spread through his body as the potion worked to close his wounds. The pain dulled, then faded, leaving only a faint ache. The gashes on his arm sealed up, and the wound on his side stopped bleeding.
David flexed his hand, testing its range of motion. He was still sore, but the injuries were manageable now. His points had dropped dangerously low, but he was alive. That was what mattered.
As the adrenaline began to wear off, David reflected on the fight. He had been clumsy and uncoordinated, nearly getting himself killed. The skills he had were powerful, but without proper control, they were as much a liability as they were a help. He couldn’t afford to be so careless again.
“I need to get better,” he thought, his resolve hardening. “I need to learn how to use these abilities properly, or the next fight might be my last.”
With a final glance at the beast’s corpse, David stored it in his inventory, along with the half-eaten remains of its prey. He didn’t know if the system would find them useful, but he wasn’t going to waste any potential resources.
His body ached, his mind was tired, but as he looked out into the dark forest, David felt a renewed sense of determination. He had survived his first real battle in this strange world, and though it had been rough, he was still standing.
There was no going back. He would face whatever challenges came his way and live this life to the fullest, no matter what it took.