Both launched forward—the Fangcub’s speed clearly outmatching Kei’s, aiming to end it all with a savage bite.
Kei, knowing his reaction time wouldn’t be enough to save him, made a split-second decision.
He dumped all his remaining stat points into Agility.
----------------------------------------
[Name]: Kei Yuichi
[Title]: He Who Denies Fate
[Class]: Locked
[Force Alignment]: Breeze
[Level]: 0
[HP]: 7/15 (Fractured state: left leg)
[Aether]: 20/30
[Strength]: 8
[Dexterity]: 3
[Agility]: 9
[Constitution]: 4
[Intelligence]: 10
[Will]: 10
[Charisma]: 10
[Remaining Stat Points]: 0
[Skills]: None
[Force Progression]: 0%
[Equipment]: None
----------------------------------------
Suddenly feeling a boost in speed, Kei used the remaining fraction of time to dive beneath the Fangcub.
As he moved underneath the wolf-like creature, he rotated midair and, with all his strength, launched an upward kick into the cub’s midsection.
A sharp yelp echoed through the air.
The Fangcub was launched upwards.
----------------------------------------
[Fangcub]
[HP: 22/30]
----------------------------------------
As if to humiliate it further, Kei immediately hurled another pebble at the cub while it was still airborne.
"Trick shot!" he exclaimed gleefully.
Having practiced with 20 pebbles beforehand, his striking power and accuracy had steadily improved.
Thwack!
----------------------------------------
[Fangcub]
[HP: 20/30]
----------------------------------------
As the Fangcub landed, it immediately turned its gaze toward Kei, its stance shifting.
Kei, despite the pain shooting through his fractured leg, couldn’t help but grin.
Now hopping and shifting his weight, he tried acclimating himself to the new sensations of his body.
Tilting his head as he gazed at the wolf, he raised his left hand, two pebbles held between his fingers.
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"Two more."
He said it mockingly.
The Aether in the air thickened—the Fangcub reinforcing itself, as if declaring its intent to get serious.
"Oh?"
The wind stirred, responding instinctively.
Kei feinted by quickly dropping his left arm. The Fangcub flinched, only to realize nothing was coming its way.
Then, in the same breath, it saw Kei dash backward at an alarming speed.
Now wielding a well-sized branch, one that could serve as a makeshift staff, Kei steadied his stance.
The Fangcub, now bolstered by Aether, became a near-invisible blur.
Kei's eyes failed to keep up—but the wind whispered its location to him, revealing its path and approximate arrival time.
Trusting his Force, he quickly jabbed forward.
As if anticipating his reaction, the Fangcub dodged to the side, its tail whipping around ferociously, aiming to cause injury.
Thwack!
A yelp escaped from the cub.
----------------------------------------
[Fangcub]
[HP: 16/30]
----------------------------------------
Having used his left thumb to launch another pebble, Kei took advantage of the Fangcub’s confusion.
He unleashed a rapid series of swings and jabs, each strike reducing the cub’s remaining HP.
----------------------------------------
[Fangcub]
[HP: 12/30]
[Kei Yuichi]
[HP: 6/15]
----------------------------------------
However, relentless and determined, the Fangcub managed to land a few successful strikes as well.
Both combatants now understood—this battle was about to reach its final act.
At least, the Fangcub did.
Kei, on the other hand—
Holding the remaining pebble in his left hand and the branch staff in his right, one might assume that he was near death, with all his injuries.
A fractured leg, bleeding from multiple wounds—and yet...
He didn’t seem the least bit concerned.
Instead, he was stretching.
Loosening his wrists, rolling his shoulders—almost as if he were warming up.
----------------------------------------
"AWRF!"
----------------------------------------
The Fangcub growled, fully enraged, charging up what appeared to be a skill.
Whatever it was planning—it was ready to end this fight for good.
Kei glanced at it, unfazed.
"Oh, you're ready?"
The Fangcub’s body surged with energy, its claws crackling with force, its jaws glowing faintly with condensed Aether.
It launched forward—
But before it could attack—
----------------------------------------
"YELP!!!"
----------------------------------------
A pebble struck its eye dead-on.
Kei smirked.
"Bullseye. Told you I’d take out your eye."
----------------------------------------
[Fangcub]
[HP: 5/30]
----------------------------------------
The Fangcub collapsed, completely defenseless.
Kei, using his branch staff for support, limped over to the cub.
He sighed, staring down at it.
"For what it’s worth, you really entertained me. You also helped introduce me to combat in this world—to Aether, and to Force."
The Fangcub lay still, accepting its fate.
But instead of delivering a final blow, Kei simply turned his back to it.
"Take care of yourself… and get your eye fixed. Kinda weird what happened to it."
The cub barely reacted, too drained to even be annoyed by Kei's parting words.
It simply watched as he weakly walked away.
Then—
His legs finally gave out.
With a thud, Kei collapsed face-first into the ground.
"You really wanted to take a bite out of me, didn’t you?" Kei chuckled.
As he lay there, his left leg fractured, his right leg missing a chunk of its calf, blood pooling beneath him—
----------------------------------------
[Kei Yuichi]
[HP: 1/15]
----------------------------------------
He let out a slow breath.
"Always wondered what it was like to bleed out."
And then, darkness took him.
The Fangcub simply stared, more confused than it had ever been in its life.