บท 7: Grootslang
Despair overcame me like sudden cold downpour of rain in winter, freezing me where I stood.
The Grootslang, here, blocking my only way out. I was so close, how could I have returned to ten years in the past to die in this godforsaken cave. Given another chance just so my life can be meaningless twice.
No.
I don't accept this.
I refuse to accept this.
It's just a Grootslang if I'm careful I can get around it.
I looked forward, the majority of its body seemed to be coiled around a pillar in the center of the cavern with just the last ten meters stretching out, lying between stalagmites. It appeared to be sleeping. It's black scaly eyelids as large as my torso, laid closed. Its head turned sideways with it's two massive fangs shining like ivory resting on the ground.
I started to move forward taking slow steps allowing my feet to barely make contact with the ground before applying pressure so I could reduce the sound to a minimum. I continued, moving as slow and as soundlessly as I could. Sweat was pouring down my face.
I steeled my nerves, I just had to get past this and everything would work out. I went to take another step and my knapsack snagged on a protruding point of a stalagmite.
A faint ripping noise echoed around the cavern.
My whole body went rigid, my breath caught in my throat. I slowly turned my head towards the Grootslang.
After what seemed like an eternity, I calmed down. That didn't seem to wake it. I slowly moved back to unhook whatever part got caught on the stalagmite when, before I could react, my dad's watch slipped out of the newly torn hole.
It made a crisp "DING" as it made contact with a rock on the ground.
Without thinking I used the shifting sands technique to immediately shift my body backward.
"BOOOOOOM!!!"
The stalagmite in front of me exploded as a large black blur completely passed through it. I felt a sting in my heart because I already knew the watch was demolished, but I quickly shifted my focus.
The Grootslang lifted it's head up into the air, its large white oval eyes staring down towards me like a king about to execute a prisoner, hissing lightly.
Malice, pure unadulterated malice was emanating from its very being. My entire body became tense as the fear rooted me to the floor.
I quickly used my trick to calm my mind down, if I lose my head now I'm dead for sure. The only advantage I have is my intelligence. I quickly used my peripheral vision to analyze my surroundings while drawing my kodachi.
Ok, there are a lot of stalagmites in this cavern, they may not block it but they can at least slow it down. There is also a large pillar 20 meters to my right, maybe he won't be able to break that and I can somehow use that to get a shot at its eyes or critical point.
Without giving me any more time to think, the Grootslang shot towards me. It was much faster than me, but with shifting sands, I could just barely dodge. As I narrowly evaded its fang passing by me, I saw a chance. I struck out towards the critical point with my kodachi, but it was too fast and the reverse scale was a small target. The strike landed on a different scale on it's back barely leaving a white mark. I used my momentum to leap over it's back and go towards the pillar I noticed before.
Continually using shifting sands, I moved in a zigzag pattern in the direction of the pillar. When I was about five meters away I heard the Grootslang getting close, so I glanced back. It's a good thing I did because at that very moment the Grootslang was bringing its fangs down on top of me. They couldn't have been more than a half meter from my back. I underestimated it's speed. I didn't have time to dodge to the side.
I dove to the ground.
"CHHHH!"
As I lay flat on the cavern floor the Grootslang's fangs are on both sides of my head impaled into the ground. It's open mouth above, its tongue flickering just inches from my head. It's fangs being caught by the ground gave me a split second reprieve.
I quickly stabbed up with my kodachi into the roof of its mouth. Due to my own weakness and the dense mouth of the Grootslang it only went in two inches, far from a fatal blow. However, it was enough to anger it.
The Grootslang pulled backward hissing. As one of the fangs was being withdrawn it scraped my left shoulder, cutting it open.
I winced in pain, but quickly blocked it out. While the Grootslang was reeling I got to my feet and dashed toward the pillar. I was almost there when the Grootslang recovered and angrily shot toward me. I had just got around the pillar when the Grootslang's fangs came whipping at me from around the pillar.
It tore open a gash in my thigh before impaling the pillar. However, the pillar was tough and for a second it was able to hold the Grootslang still. Ignoring the pain in my thigh and shoulder I twisted my hips and used every ounce of strength to plunge my kodachi into the Grootslang's eye.
"PLLKKCCHH!"
I buried the kodachi handle deep before quickly pulling it back out. Hot black blood mixed with milky fluid from the Grootslang's eye flew everywhere! The Grootslang broke loose from the pillar and reeled back. It shook its head back and forth and hissed loudly.
Just as I was about to use shifting sands to get some more distance I felt a large force crash into my side.
"CRUNCH!"
I was sent flying into the cavern wall to my right. My left arm felt thoroughly shattered and went limp. I had to have at least five broken ribs, maybe internal organ damage. The pain was so intense I thought I would pass out.
What hit me? Luckily, I had tucked my arm in at the last moment or I probably would have died instantly. I opened my eyes. I could see the Grootslang still whipping it's head and tail, back and forth.
The tail, that's what hit me.
In my past life I always fought large monsters with groups because of how weak I was. Normally, different teams would focus on different parts of the beast. I simply didn't have enough experience solo fighting a beast this large. I became too focused on the head and lost track of the tail. I allowed my knowledge of my past life to blind me to potential dangers. I felt ashamed, but I refused to admit defeat.
I can't let it end here. As long as I can kill it I'll still have a chance.
I knew I was running on borrowed time, even in a life or death situation adrenaline can only last so long, it can only block out so much pain. I knew I was using my body beyond it's capacity and that it wouldn't last much longer. If I was gonna do anything else it needed to happen in the next couple seconds.
Using every ounce of willpower I had, I stood up, ignoring the pain that seemed to come from every part of my body. My left arm fell limp just dead weight attached to my shoulder. I used my right arm to grab my kodachi and headed toward the still thrashing Grootslang. After getting close, I reached into my knapsack and used the tips of my fingers to grab the bottle of water. I threw it towards the pillar in front of the Grootslang while still holding onto the kodachi.
The bottle awkwardly sailed through the air. Somehow, despite using the tips of my fingers and having to adjust because of my left arm, the bottle struck the pillar making a loud sound. When it hit, the Grootslang stopped thrashing and headed straight for it, fangs bared. It's fangs pierced right through the bottle and into the pillar, becoming stuck again.
However, this time I was behind it. Summoning every remaining ounce of strength in every cell of my body, I darted forward. My run was awkward as my limp left arm aimlessly swung through the air. My knuckles turned white from how tightly I held my kodachi. I could feel muscles throughout my body tearing as I aimed my kodachi at the critical point behind its head. Just as it seemed the Grootslang would break free, the blade sunk into the critical point severing it's spinal cord. It's massive body immediately went limp.
Essence gained +22000
I did it.
I really did it.
Before I could relish in my victory, utterly indescribable waves of pain wracked my entire body. Collapsed over the back of the Grootslang, I didn't have the strength to move a finger. I couldn't even turn around and could just blankly stare at the kodachi stuck in the reverse scale of the Grootslang. Trickles of blood seeping from its edging and cascading down it's back. My breathing became shallow and I began to think, even after all this I still lose in the end. I'm going to die.
Even if I managed to somehow live, I would just be a cripple. My left arm was completely ruined and I almost certainly had multiple internal organs damaged. That alone was enough to cripple me and that's not including the numerous torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons I undoubtedly had.
Any advantage my past life gave me just got negated. At best I'd still be useless. Despite all that, I desperately struggled to keep my eyes open. I couldn't help thinking, this can't be right, after all this, I'm just gonna die in this musty cave?
Before I completely lost conscious, I saw my body rise off the Grootslang.
I remembered stories about how people could turn into spirits and rise to heaven, but why is my body coming with me?
Am I reincarnating again?
I wonder why it feels different this time?
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Muigetsu
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