Capítulo 4: Monsters Adapting
The tailed monster didn't miss the opportunity. From a distance, it hurled its tail like a spear.
Nova sensed the attack at the last second and pushed off the clawed monster, the tail impaling where he'd just been.
The clawed monster let out a pained roar as the tail pierced through its torso.
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE AIMING!" it bellowed at the other Abyssal Monster.
'Good, looks like they're not perfectly coordinated,' Nova noted. 'I can use that.'
He landed awkwardly, his ankle twisting upon impact. A sharp pain shot up his leg, but he forced himself to move.
The bladed monster was upon him in an instant, slashing horizontally.
Nova raised his arm instinctively, the black mist forming a thin barrier.
The blade bit into the mist, slowing just enough for him to evade the brunt of the attack, though a shallow cut opened along his forearm.
He countered with a thrust of the obsidian shard toward the creature's chest. The bladed monster deflected it with ease, but Nova used the momentum to spin around and deliver a kick to its knee.
The monster stumbled, surprised by the audacity.
"YOUUU AREE FULLL OFFF SURPRISESS," it hissed.
Before it could recover, Nova dashed toward the tailed monster, which was struggling to retract its tail from the clawed monster's body.
"HOLD STILL, YOU FOOOL!!" the tailed monster snapped.
"I'LL THEAR YOUH OPART FTER TIS!" the clawed monster growled back.
Nova seized the chance. Channeling the black mist into the obsidian shard, he felt a surge of energy pulse through it. The shard vibrated, a dark aura enveloping its entire body.
He slashed at the tailed monster's appendage, severing a portion of it. The monster screeched in a mix of pain and rage.
"HISS…YOU INSOLENT WRETCH!" it spat, recoiling.
The clawed monster swung at him in blind fury. Nova ducked under the swipe, but his injured ankle gave way, and he fell hard onto one knee.
The bladed monster rejoined the fray, the three of them now encircling him.
Breathing heavily, Nova's vision started to become blurry. Blood trickled from the multiple wounds on his body, his entire body seemed to be screaming in protest.
'Fuck! I'm nearing my limit already,' he realized. 'But I won't go down just like this, there is still something I can try.'
He steadied his stance, recalling the fleeting moments when the black mist amplified his attacks.
"Maybe... if I focus it all at a single point..."
He clenched his fists, the black mist swirling more intensely around his hands. The Abyssal Monsters hesitated, sensing the aura around Nova stirring.
"WHAT'S HE DOING?" the bladed monster questioned, eyes narrowing.
"DOESN'T MATTER. KILL HIM!" the tailed monster commanded.
They lunged simultaneously.
Time seemed to slow. Nova drew upon every ounce of his willpower, channeling the mist into a concentrated force. As they closed in, he unleashed all of it at once—a burst of dark energy erupting outward.
The blast caught them off guard, knocking the clawed and bladed monsters back several feet. The tailed monster staggered but managed to stay upright.
Panting, Nova struggled to remain standing. The exertion of that energy blast had drained him almost completely.
The tailed monster snarled, fury etched across its twisted features. "YOU WILL SUFFFR FOR THAT HISSS!"
It dashed forward, faster than before. Nova tried to react, but his body refused to cooperate.
The monster's tail, though damaged, lashed out, striking him square in the chest. The force lifted him off his feet, sending him crashing into a jagged rock formation.
Pain exploded throughout his body as his back hit the rocks. He gasped for air, each breath becoming a struggle of its own.
The tailed monster approached slowly, savoring the moment. "GOOD PREY." it mocked.
Nova looked up, fury burning in his eyes. "Go to hell," he spat, blood dribbling from his mouth.
The monster sneered. "THISS IS HELLL!"
It drove its tail through his abdomen, the cold sting of death overtaking him once more.
"Fuking...hell..." Nova whispered as darkness consumed him.
[You have died.]
He awoke with a jolt, gasping. The death counter now reached [Death Count: 2].
"Haah... haah..." He clutched his chest, the phantom pains fading slowly. "Dammit!" he yelled, slamming his fist into the ground. "I need to be smarter."
He sat up, reviewing the previous encounter in his mind. "They're strong, but they have weaknesses. They don't coordinate perfectly and can even get in each other's way."
He stood, determination hardening his features. The Abyssal Monsters emerged once more, their forms materializing from the shadows.
"The clawed one is slower but powerful. The bladed one is quick and precise. The tailed one has range but can be reckless." He hurriedly recalled the details with the Abyssal Monsters.
An idea began to form. He watched as the tailed monster lashed out first, its appendage whipping toward him.
Timing his move, he dodged the tail and grabbed hold of it. Using all his strength, he yanked hard, attempting to swing the creature into the path of the oncoming clawed monster.
For a moment, it worked. The tailed monster caught off balance, stumbled into the clawed one. They collided, a tangle of limbs and snarls.
"BTAHC BHERE U R OING!" the clawed monster roared.
The bladed monster saw an opening and darted toward Nova. Who had already expected the monster to attack, thanks to the last encounter.
He sidestepped, but the bladed monster was quick, adjusting its trajectory mid-strike. The blade grazed his side, a sharp sting flaring up.
Ignoring the pain, Nova aimed a punch at the monster's wrist, hoping to disarm it. The black mist enhanced his strike, and the blade loosened in the creature's grip.
"QUITEE THE PERSISTENT ONE, HSSS?" it hissed.
Before he could capitalize, a searing pain erupted in his back. He felt the cold steel of the bladed monster's weapon piercing through him.
He looked down in shock to see the tip protruding from his abdomen.
A cold numbness spread as he fell to his knees.
"Not… again..." he murmured before his vision faded.
[You have died.]
[Death Count: 3]
Nova gasped awake, frustration and anger boiling within him.
"They adapt too fast," he muttered, clenching his fists. "I need to change something."
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