Stubborn Heart

Simon stared into the peephole of the reinforced door, feeling as though the colossal single eye of the giant frog was peering back at him through it.

Suddenly, inexplicably, a shiver ran down his spine. The massive frog abruptly abandoned its feast on the corpse, propped itself up on its hind legs, and charged towards him like a gust of wind.

Simon tightened his grip instinctively. The peephole was instantly blocked by the creature, leaving him in darkness. Then came a resounding "bang" as the reinforced door shook violently, dust cascading down from its frame.

The impact of the gigantic frog was immense. Despite the door holding firm against its assault, the surrounding walls trembled, and dust and lime from the joints began to fall.

"Thank goodness I didn't take the risk of rushing out. This creature's strength is simply terrifying," thought Simon, watching the door reverberate from the impact. He realized the frog's power far exceeded his own. If he had ventured out just now, even armed, the outcome would have been perilous.

Simon, though knowing the giant frog couldn't breach the reinforced door, couldn't help but feel nervous at the violent tremors. Gripping his cleaver and hammer tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hands like small earthworms.

Suddenly, the pounding ceased.

"Has it given up?" Simon hurried forward again, peering through the peephole. He saw the giant frog retreating from the door, creating distance down the corridor. A large wound split open on its flat head, blood slowly oozing out.

The giant frog backed up about five to six meters, paused briefly, then suddenly launched itself towards the door again like a gust of wind.

Watching this, Simon felt his scalp tingle. "So relentless? Even injured, it hasn't given up. What a stubborn creature."

With a resounding boom, this impact was even louder and the tremors more violent. More small cracks appeared in the lime walls around the door frame, showering fine lime debris.

Then, the giant frog retreated again, gathered momentum, and charged once more at the reinforced door.

This repeated several times. The wound on its head grew larger, but only a small amount of blood flowed out. Simon watched with a growing sense of fear, despite knowing it couldn't possibly break through the reinforced door.

The relentless determination of this monstrous creature is truly terrifying. If confronted head-on, it would persist endlessly. Fortunately, this reinforced door is sufficiently sturdy; it cannot be breached.

Simon stood behind the door, silently observing the giant frog through the peephole. He watched as it retreated once again, the wound on its head becoming more conspicuous and alarming. Yet, the flow of blood had completely stopped. Not only that, within the wound, faint white fur began to grow. Initially subtle, this layer of furry white hair became increasingly prominent with each retreat.

"It's Spirit Source," Simon breathed deeply.

Watching the giant frog pull away again, he expected another charge. Unexpectedly, instead of rushing forward, it turned and suddenly leaped, crashing heavily into a window on the side corridor. The window frame, struck by it, immediately twisted outward. Its flat body squeezed through, disappearing with a thud into the corridor, splashing water as it jumped into the water outside the corridor window.

"It has finally given up," Simon sighed in relief as he watched it retreat and return to the water.

Immediately after, as if he had realized something, Simon's ten fingers couldn't help but tighten. He turned abruptly, looking towards the balcony nearby.

His balcony was close to the corridor.

Considering how the giant frog had just persistently rammed against the reinforced door, not giving up even when injured, how could it suddenly change its mind and leave?

Simon pondered this possibility. His heart trembled as he had just turned towards the balcony when he heard a splash of water. A looming black shadow leaped from the water outside the balcony, its front limbs gripping the balcony window sill, and a grotesque, flat-faced head stretched in.

From the gaping wound on its head sprouted tufts of white fur, mocking Simon's innocence like a gigantic mouth. The huge single eye widened, the eyeball rolling in its socket, emitting an indescribable ferocity and horror.

A profound sense of crisis chilled Simon's heart, his mouth grew bitter. He had witnessed firsthand the speed and terrifying power of this giant frog smashing against the security door. The consequences would be unthinkable if he were struck.

Yet, without hesitation, Simon charged forward.

This was his only chance before the creature fully squeezed in. If it broke into the living room, everything would be lost.

Having fought and skirmished with numerous mutated creatures before, Simon had accumulated some combat experience. He understood this was not the moment to fear death. With all his might, he swung both the cleaver and the iron hammer.

The cleaver aimed at the gaping wound on the giant frog's head, while the hammer targeted the eyeball rolling menacingly in its face.

If he could strike that eye, his chances of winning would increase significantly.

The giant frog had just stretched its head into the window, its front limbs resting on the window sill. It seemed unprepared for Simon's swift reaction, charging forward without hesitation.

All of this happened in an instant. Instead of retreating, the creature suddenly opened its blood-filled mouth wide, revealing rows of tiny teeth. From within shot forth a blood-red tongue like an arrow.

Not only did it possess terrifying speed and power, but its tongue was also fearsome—a muscular appendage used primarily for capturing prey.

Simon's vision blurred momentarily, the stench of blood overwhelming. Sensing danger, he instinctively leaned to the left, but still couldn't completely avoid it. His right shoulder seared with intense pain, as if struck by an iron whip. Amidst a cry of agony, the hammer he held in his right hand flew out, and his body was thrown heavily backwards.

Simon had never expected the giant frog's tongue to possess such terrifying strength. His right shoulder was torn open, and his body was flung away.

With a powerful push of its front limbs, the giant frog squeezed its body through the window, the window frame on both sides twisting and deforming, unable to stop it at all.

Upon landing, it lunged towards Simon.

Simon fell to the ground, rolling just in front of a nearby sofa. As he watched the immense dark mass hurtling towards him, he endured the searing pain in his right shoulder. Summoning his strength, he lifted the sofa with a furious roar, using it as a weapon to smash down upon his adversary.