Remembrance

「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」

Not another second passes until another Night Beast comes to try and kill me.

I pivot, dodging and catching the beast's blade. Before my hand reaches the blade's edge, I activate 「Hardening」.

The edge of the dagger sinks at the lowest layer of my skin, stopping there. My new opponent tries to pull the blade away and gain distance, but I tighten my grip on the blade even more, refusing to let go.

I give the beast an ice-cold glare.

"…?!"

The beast quickly jumps away, abandoning it's dagger. I grab the hilt with my other hand.

The beast quivers, it's knees shaking in what I assume to be fear.

I disable 「Hardening」.

「Skill 'Quick Step' is activating」

Pushing heat into my legs, I take a mana-enhanced step towards my assailant.

I do not even bother feinting or changing trajectory as I take the fastest and shortest route to kill the beast.

"…!!"

The beast flinches as I was about a couple of feet away from where it was.

The beast brings up it's shaking arms in defense, trying to save whatever part of it's pathetic self it can.

I pour mana into the blade's edges, copying the knight's awe-inspiring feat. The edges glow in irregular intervals, blinking every now and then.

The light annoys me.

Focusing 「Reinforcement」 into my right arm and shoulder, I swing the blade in a wide arc.

The Night Beast's vague circuit-like array of lines that exuded immaturity glowed brightly, sending mana to the beast's muscles and bones.

And so what?

The stolen dagger meets the beast's flesh, cutting through it with mild difficulty.

The edges tears through skin and flesh, bone and blood vessels, before finally emerging on the other side.

"!?!"

The same happens on the beast's neck.

In the span of a few seconds, the beast falls to the ground, it's flame gone.

I turn, not bothering to look at the carnage I had just done.

Instead, I approach the fallen knight, still standing, even through death.

Despite the knight's flame disappearing, he stood tall, strong powerful, prideful, his existence a pillar on which everybody leans on.

I meet the beast's eyes; it was cold and without color, it's hue degraded and lost.

Just like her

In a way, he reminded me of the witch.

The witch was cold, calculating, and powerful. Though it was nothing more than a facade – a persona she kept to hide herself from the world – it was one even antisocial people like me could admire. But she hid another self. A persona she kept to herself, one she hid and cherished more than anything.

It was those eyes

The moment I met her, saw her beautiful appearance, I immediately knew.

It was the same as hers

They were clouded and disillusioned, refusing the world and the cruel reality that came with it.

The knight, as if in response to my gaze, falls to my feet, having been defeated.

*clang*

The knight's longsword falls, it's steel blade ringing throughout the pit much more than I care for.

I pick the sword up, the handle still ripe with the knight's mana.

It was hot; the foreign substance was rejecting me.

I activate my attribute.

「Your attribute 'Absorption' is activating」

The mana shivers, then seeps into my hand – the one holding the longsword– as if bees to a pretty flower.

I look back at the fallen knight.

I'll remember you

Then, I was moving.

A couple of shouts emanate from somewhere, and I immediately find it's source.

In an outcropping of stalagmites, I find the remaining Night Beasts.

Most of them were injured, having punctures from when I threw the arrows back to them.

….

Then, I spot something odd.

One of them was carrying a rucksack, handing and applying an unfamiliar substance from a vial to the injured beasts.

I take a step forward, accidentally kicking a pebble. Though it was small, the sound it produced was enough to catch the ear of one of the wounded Nigh Beast closest to where I currently was.

"—?!"

The beast shouted, and the other injured beasts were quickly alerted of my presence.

Then, THEY were moving.

The beasts stood in a formation in a hurry, each one either quivering or limping just to get any available weapon.

I just stood there, still like a statue.

A couple of long seconds later, and then they were ready.

I continued to stay where I was, my feet glued to the floor.

Come on

A shout emerged from behind, and the beast with a rucksack was dragged and strapped into one of the beast's remaining injured mounts.

The beast with a rucksack shouted, even louder this time, and the remaining Night Beasts all refused to look back and just stayed silent.

「Skill 'Instinct' is warning you」

Arrows let loose, any projectile that they had were immediately thrown in my direction at one of the beast's shout–which I now recognize as a order.

I weaved my way through the barrage of missiles, my senses enhanced through their very limit.

With 「Horizon Oath」 active, it was easy enough to dodge the arrows. Their trajectories were simple, easily predictable; if I just focus hard enough, it was easy enough to dodge the projectiles.

I sweep a cold gaze on the injured battalion.

""…?!""

For a second, the barrage stops, their movements freezing. It just a brief moment, though.

At the call of one of the beasts – the one who ordered the barrage in the first place – they were hurling objects at me again.

I catch one of the arrows, the friction burning my skin for a brief moment.

The beasts began shouting, the barrage becoming more vicious.

Then, for the first time since the barrage started, I stop in my tracks.

A couple arrows and other projectiles like sharp rocks hit me, even scratching my temple deep enough for it bleed… but otherwise; I was fine. With 「Reinforcement」 magic protecting my body, this much should not be a threat.

At least for a little bit

Then, I hurled the caught arrow back, and the beasts hurryingly took cover, hiding behind one of the many stalagmites.

Focusing mana on my arm and shoulder, I threw the lone arrow.