Luc’s sword cut through the air, missing the creature’s neck by an inch.

The creature, Six arms—two in front, two smaller ones beneath, and two massive arms on its back—moved with a disturbing grace, each limb tipped with sharp claws. Spikes and spines jutted out across its body.

Its three pairs of arms moving with an unnerving fluidity. The front arms lashed out, razor-sharp claws gleaming under the dim forest light.

Luc barely managed to dodge, but not without consequence—a claw grazed his arm, and a searing pain shot through him.

He winced, feeling the wound burn more than it should, a strange heaviness creeping into his muscles.

His body start feeling weird.

He shook it off, pushing the growing discomfort to the back of his mind. There was no time to think about it now. The creature was already coming at him again.

The spined beast circled him, its jagged teeth glinting as its beak-like mouth clicked menacingly.

Luc could feel its eyeless head tracking him, its entire body vibrating with malicious energy. His breath came in quick, ragged bursts as he tried to predict the creature's next move.

With a hiss, the creature lunged, its ventral arms leading the attack. Luc leaped to the side, his sword barely managing to nick one of its lower arms.

Damnit, not deep enough!

The creature swung again, this time with its massive back arms. Luc ducked low, feeling the air whip past him as the jagged claws missed his head by inches. He slashed upward, aiming for its exposed belly. His blade struck true, cutting a line across its abdomen, but the creature barely flinched. It hissed again, this time its back arms coming down with terrifying speed.

Luc rolled out of the way, but the beast was relentless. There was no time to breathe, no time to think. His movements felt sluggish, like he was wading through thick water. The burn from the claw wound had spread, a dull ache coursing through his arm. Something was wrong—his muscles weren’t responding the way they should.

Blood dripped from his nose, and when he wiped his mouth, his hand came away red.

huh?

He blinked hard, but the world around him had shifted. Everything was tinted in a strange green hue. The trees, the ground, even his own hands. His heart pounded in his ears, but it sounded.

Luc felt his face heat up and his forehead start to burn.

His chest tightened, his throat felt uncomfortable, and soon he was experiencing difficulty breathing.

Luc glanced at his grazed arm and froze. Thin, dark veins spread out from the wound, creeping up toward his shoulder. Poison. He cursed under his breath, suddenly realizing why his body was betraying him. The creature was venomous, and now the poison was coursing through his veins.

Not good

He didn’t have much time. Panic flared, but he pushed it down. He had to finish this. He couldn’t afford to let it drag on, and he couldn’t take another hit. A little bit more dose and he might not be able to make it.

The creature hissed again, circling him, its back arms raised high, preparing to strike. Luc forced his legs to move, gritting his teeth against the sluggishness spreading through his limbs. His sword felt heavier, but he couldn’t let that stop him. He had to be faster than the beast, no matter how slow his body felt.

The creature lunged again, its claws slashing down toward him. Luc dodged, barely managing to avoid the lethal strike. His vision blurred with green, and his head spun. He stumbled, almost losing his balance, but somehow managed to stay on his feet.

He swung his sword with everything he had, aiming for the creature's side. The blade connected, but his strength was fading. The cut was shallow, barely more than a scratch, and the creature seemed more enraged than hurt. It hissed louder, lunging with all six arms, a whirlwind of spikes and claws.

Luc barely managed to deflect one attack with his sword, but a back arm grazed his shoulder, sending fresh pain through him. He bit back a scream as his legs nearly gave out. His breath came in ragged gasps, and his chest heaved with the effort of staying upright.

Just one strike.

He gripped his sword tighter, though his fingers felt numb. The creature lunged again, and this time Luc feinted to the left, drawing it in.

With the last of his strength, he drove his sword upward, straight into its neck. The blade sank deep, cutting through flesh and spine. The creature let out a final, gurgling hiss before collapsing in a heap of spines and blood.

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Luc staggered back, barely managing to stay on his feet. His vision swam, the sickly green intensifying, washing over everything. He spit more blood onto the ground, his body trembling from the poison’s grip.

Gasp. Gasp. Gasp. He heard his own labored breathing, and his hands went limp as the sword fell heavily to the ground.

Luc instinctively bent down to pick it up, but he ended up falling to the ground.

…

Luc's eyes flickered open, his vision blurred by a strange green haze. The forest around him seemed to twist and shift in unnatural ways, and when he tried to move, his body wouldn’t respond

What's happening to me?

His mouth tasted of blood, and a cough rattled his chest. A warm trickle slid down his chin, and his heart pounded against his ribs. The world began to darken at the edges, his vision narrowing.

Ah- shit.

The thought slipped away as his consciousness faded, leaving Luc to drift into blackness once again.

The next time his eyes opened, the green had vanished. The forest looked normal again. He blinked, feeling a flicker of relief—until he realized he still couldn’t move. The mist had returned, creeping between the trees, cool and wet against his skin.

He tried to move a finger, a toe—anything—but his body refused to cooperate.

Just breathe. Stay calm.

Focusing on his breathing, Luc forced slow, deep breaths. Minutes passed into hours. He just lies down there and does nothing like a stroke patient.

After what felt like an eternity, finally, he felt a faint tingling in his fingers. He managed to twitch them. Slowly, control returned, and he flexed his fingers, then his wrists, fighting through the sluggishness.

Eventually, he could move his legs, though it took all his energy. Drained, he sat up with great effort.

The world wobbled, and he had to steady himself, fighting the nausea that came with the movement. When his vision cleared, the mist had thickened, hiding much of the forest.

A sharp hunger gnawed at him suddenly. Luc clutched his belly, the sensation all too familiar.

The poison was still there, but this hunger—he’d felt it before. Every time he came close to or had death and somehow survived, the same thing happened. Why did he always feel this hunger after barely staying alive? Could it be a drawback of this regeneration ability?

Well, can’t call it a drawback if it keeps me alive.

Luc glanced at his hand, noticing the dark veins still running up his arm. They hadn’t faded yet, a sign that the poison was still working its way through his system. He wondered how much longer it would take to heal completely.

Not far off, the creature’s lifeless body lay in a heap, but Luc ignored it for now. The hunger in his stomach demanded more attention.

I’ll deal with it later.

With a slow, steady effort, Luc stood up. His muscles still felt heavy, but he forced his body to move.

Step by step, he made his way back to his cave, every movement careful to avoid any unnecessary strain. The forest around him was quiet, the only sound coming from the leaves rustling in the wind.

Finally reaching his cave, Luc moved to the stash of emergency supplies he’d prepared for times like these. It was the magical fruit.

The fruit wasn’t something he used often. It wasn’t rare, but it wasn’t something you came across easily either. The fruit had a unique property—it could fill a person’s stomach with just a single piece, leaving them feeling fully nourished. It was something he used sparingly, only when there were no other options.

With a sigh, Luc bit into the fruit. The fruit’s sweet taste filled his mouth, and as he swallowed, he could feel the hunger fading. He finished it quickly, grateful for the relief it brought.

After eating, exhaustion hit him like a wave. His limbs felt heavier than ever, and the pull of sleep was impossible to resist.

He lay down on the rough bedding inside his cave, letting his body relax. In moments, he was asleep, the kind of deep, dreamless rest that only comes when you’re truly spent.

When he woke, Luc stretched, feeling the ache in his muscles start to ease. The dark veins were still there, a reminder that the poison hadn’t left him yet.

He forced himself up, groaning slightly as he stretched his stiff body. A quick wash in the nearby stream helped clear the haze of sleep, and soon, he was ready to return to the forest.

He headed back to the forest, retracing his steps to where the creature’s body still lay. The walk felt easier this time; his body was recovering, slowly but surely.

When Luc reached the spot, he stopped and looked at the monster’s remains. The fight had been tough, tougher than he expected. He had won, but just barely.

Luc knelt down, inspecting the creature’s body more closely. Its spined hide was slick with blood. He paused, thinking. Using it as food was out of the question—the poison had nearly done him in. He frowned, pushing the thought aside.

So, what would I do with it?

As he thought about it, another idea formed. The poison—if he couldn’t consume it, maybe he could use it some other way. Could he extract the venom? Maybe coat his weapons with it?

While Luc thought about how to extract the venom, his mind drifted back to the familiar frustration gnawing at him. He had survived—again— and that wasn’t enough anymore. This was becoming a pattern, and it wasn’t one he could afford to keep repeating. Every fight seemed to push him to the edge, forcing him to rely on luck, instinct, and sheer willpower just to crawl back alive.

He looked down at the creature’s corpse, thinking about how close he had come to losing. It hadn’t been just skill or strength that saved him—it had been chance. And that was the problem.

The idea of using the poison was something, but it wasn’t going to solve the real problem. This wasn’t about having another trick up his sleeve—it was about strength. Real strength.

I need to be stronger.