CHAPTER 4 : New weapons (3)

Sidestep... Backstep... Sidestep...

My gaze was locked onto the flying monsters once more invading the cave, their relentless assaults threatening my life. They followed the same attack patterns as the previous groups, making it easier for me to dodge their strikes.

Their speed increased with each attempt. I waited patiently, letting them reach a velocity where avoiding an attack would be difficult for both them and me.

Now!

I barely dodged the first and second beast, and as the third closed in, I tightened my grip on my ring-shaped weapon and struck.

The blade sliced through the monster effortlessly. Its lifeless body crashed onto the ground.

The two remaining creatures barely reacted to the loss of their kin. Without hesitation, they prepared for another assault.

Back on my feet, I stood tall, tightening my grip on my weapons, holding them low. I lowered my gaze, waiting.

This time, the two monsters split apart, coming at me from opposite directions.

Without flinching, I calmly waited for the last moment, ensuring they were both close enough.

Then, I subtly moved one foot back, feigning a retreat. As expected, the monsters adjusted their trajectories in response.

At the very last second, I threw myself forward, lowering my torso and swinging both blades in a smooth, precise motion.

Their heads rolled on the ground. Their blood spread across the already reddish floor, illuminated by the eerie light seeping from the cave's exit and the glow of my weapons.

I wasn't sure how long I had been in this cave, but it had been long enough to partially master my weapons.

The constant attacks had served as training. The pile of corpses I had accumulated grew taller, reaching around fifty bodies.

Since discovering my weapons, I had learned a few things.

First, they couldn't harm me. I had tested this thoroughly—cutting my hands, legs, joints, even my eyes and other sensitive parts—but the blades couldn't pass through me.

Aside from that, there were other peculiarities, but none useful at the moment.

For example, I had marveled at how easily my weapons cut through beasts despite their relatively light weight. Out of curiosity, I performed a simple experiment—I dropped one, letting it fall freely to the ground.

I expected nothing unusual, yet the result was astonishing.

The ring crashed into the floor with incredible force, piercing straight through it. The impact echoed in the cave like a furious clap of thunder.

Intrigued, I placed the weapon in contact with the ground and lifted it. Once again, it tore through the floor effortlessly.

That's when I realized—these weapons were far heavier than I perceived them to be. Given how difficult it had been for me to move the corpses, it wasn't a matter of overwhelming strength.

I shared a special connection with them.

I had no idea how they appeared, but I feared losing them. Maintaining them in my grasp drained my strength, and at times, caused piercing migraines.

But my weapons weren't my only concern. The voice that had once guided me—the one that told me I could wield these blades without harm—had since fallen silent.

I had tried everything to reach it, pleading for it to speak again, but it was futile.

That voice... it clearly knew much about me. A conversation with it could have answered many of my questions—something I desperately needed.

Yet, there was no response.

Another mystery was my abnormal healing ability. I had been slashed, pierced, even had an arm crushed, but after a short rest, my wounds would vanish as if they had never existed.

'Grrrrrrrng.'

My stomach growled—a stark reminder of my most pressing issue. I hadn't eaten anything since waking up in this cave.

I didn't know how I had lasted this long, fighting endlessly without food, but it was starting to take a toll on me.

I had a mountain of meat available, though it was already beginning to rot. However, I had no idea what kind of poison it might contain. And besides... there was no way I would eat raw meat like that.

With my weapons constantly siphoning my strength and my exhaustion mounting, I knew I had to find a way out of this cave—before hunger or fatigue killed me.

That was why I had been using my free time more... productively.

At first, I thought about piling up the corpses to climb out, but that would take an eternity.

Climbing the walls or the roots seemed like an option, but each time I tried, I inexplicably found myself back on the ground.

It was as if... something prevented me from escaping.

So, I devised a more creative solution.

Time had passed. I remained fixated on the ceiling when, as expected, more winged beasts broke through, descending upon me.

Their sharp claws and jaws, which had once been a terrifying sight, now seemed almost laughable in the face of my weapons.

"This time, though, it will be different," I murmured.

Then... I threw my blades.

And I closed my eyes.

____________

I had recalled the overwhelming surge of emotion that had once caused my weapons to go wild.

"So maybe... controlling their movement could be my way out?"

At first, I struggled. But after countless attempts, those simple trials turned into training.

Lifting the weapons from the ground without touching them turned out to be surprisingly easy. The secret was to visualize an invisible line connecting to the weapons and simply will them to move along it.

It was instinctive.

Either this ability was normal in this world, or I was some kind of genius...

Or maybe... I had trained for an eternity before losing my memories and ending up in this hellish cave.

Regardless, I was getting used to it. Soon, I could move the weapons freely, as if they were an extension of my body.

I was undeniably connected to them.

Now, I needed a real test. I needed to be sure I could wield them effectively under pressure.

The winged beasts' assaults would be the perfect opportunity.

_________

Time slowed as I focused on the weapons falling before me. My concentration was absolute. I waited until I could feel their presence so vividly, it was as if I could see them despite my closed eyes.

Then, I opened them.

The beasts were already upon me, the first one's jaws just inches from my face.

Without hesitation, I traced the imaginary lines connecting my weapons to the monster's throat. In my mind, the lines became tangible.

In the blink of an eye, the creature's head rolled onto the floor. The others instinctively parted ways.

I directed my weapons back to my hands, readying myself. My heart pounded in my chest.

"This was success or death," I muttered with a smirk. "Seems like it was success."

I caught my weapons as they landed in my palms. Taking a deep breath, my smirk vanished. I fixed a cold glare on the remaining monsters.

"For me, that is. And now... it's your turn to be gone."