007 - A Gruesome End

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I could only watch as the Rhino slowly crept up on me, her decisive steps causing tremors to radiate throughout the forest floor from her weight alone. Stella was beside me, constantly radiating in the same glow as when I saw my injuries heal.

However, the more she shouted the name, the slower the healing became, almost as if I was getting accustomed to it, which explained why I remained injured when I finally woke up despite her possessing such a mysterious ability.

Besides, as I was getting stronger, most of her strength seemed to be slipping away. She grew paler by the second, almost as if her vitality was converted into healing powers meant for me.

"Stop it," I said as I held her hands, driving them away from my chest where they rested.

She looked at me and then at the approaching Rhino, yet her gaze was serene—much more than it should have been. The fear and dread she once showed had vanished, replaced with quiet acceptance, but for my part, I refused it all with every fibre of my being.

My mind raced at light speed, yet nothing came to mind. My body was weak—much too weak to contend against this mass of muscles. Had it been before I slayed the other two beasts, I could have probably outrun that Rhino, but even then, it seemed doubtful. After all, rhinos were known for their powerful charges.

“Are you not going to struggle anymore, or is it that you can’t?” the Rhino said.

But unlike her former companions, she wasn't gloating. In fact, she was careful in everything she did. She remained a reasonable distance away, watching me like a hawk. She had witnessed how the other two had perished, and she didn't wish to share their fate.

No matter how weakened I seemed, there was no telling what other means I might have. But unfortunately for me, I had already made use of all that I had.

There was nothing left but to await my end.

That was until I noticed a puny glint far in the distance.

At first, I thought it might have been the reflection of sunlight upon the morning dew, but that beam of light seemed unnatural. It was much too concentrated to have been diffused by water droplets, and it also seemed meant for my eyes alone, as not even Stella—who stood right next to me—had noticed the phenomenon.

That beam of light flashed thrice quickly, then disappeared altogether. With nothing else to lose, I put my trust in it.

I picked up a nearby fallen log, which fit snugly into my palm. Of course, such a blatant action didn't go unnoticed. The Rhino even seemed to relax, thinking I had grown desperate.

She wasn't wrong. I wouldn't usually rely on blunt weapons, especially against an opponent with such a thick hide. But what other choice did I have?

“At first, I might have been inclined to let you live, but thinking back on it, that might have been even crueller now that those twos are dead. Our boss isn't known to be the forgiving kind. So—I might as well grant you mercy while I still can," she said, but I took no notice of it.

My senses were entirely focused on the distance between us.

As she sensed no more threat from me, she stepped forward. Then, another. Another, after that, until she was but at arm's length from me. She looked down on us, and despite her earlier bravado, Stella couldn't help but shiver, if ever so slightly.

And yet, she didn’t beg for mercy.

She knew how pointless it would be, and I couldn’t help but respect her for it.

And besides, our deaths were still a long way away.

In one sudden movement, I rose to my feet, clutching the piece of wood in my palm. I swung it with all my might, digging my heels into the soft ground as my body rotated on its axis.

The log cut through the air, targeting the Rhino's head from the side. However, its speed was much lower than I would have liked, owing primarily to my weakened state.

It would have been easy for the Rhino to evade it, but emboldened by her sturdy frame, she chose to take it head-on, straight onto the horn as she turned her head to the side to meet it.

The log exploded into a shower of splinters, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing at how pointless it all seemed. However, she didn't seem to realize that I had chosen a rotten log on purpose, for my goal was never to try and knock this beast down but for it to explode just as it did, blocking its vision—if only for a moment.

And—that moment was enough.

Something cut through the air, originating from far away. A mass of darkness—which was striking against the verdant nature around it.

An arrow? I asked myself, just in time to see it land dead centre into one of the Rhino's eyes, making it burst into a shower of gore, some of which inadvertently flew straight into my mouth.

I had never consumed the orbital fluid of this type of creature—the thought had never even crossed my mind—but surprisingly, I didn't dislike the taste. It was sweet—somehow.

Conditions Met

[Blood Focus (Basic)] Skill Unlocked

I squinted, trying to understand the flood of information that streamed into my mind. It took me a moment to regain my bearings—a moment that could have been better utilized in striking the creature before me. Fortunately, it was much too busy screaming in pain as it clutched its now empty orbit to care about me.

When my mind finally stabilized and my sight rested upon that Rhino again, I finally understood the change. The number six was above its head, written in what seemed like blood. Judging by Stella's expression, this was something only I could see, for she showed no change.

There were many things this number could have represented, but I knew almost instinctively what it was—its level, as defined by this strange universal blessing. And truthfully, it was much lower than I expected.

I turned to face Stella, wondering if the same would appear above her head, but there was no such thing. I couldn't glean any information from her, yet the Rhino's level was fully apparent, but that's all I had.

Blood, is it? I asked myself.

But while this skill offered many possibilities, I also had many more questions. Was this a one-time thing, or would that information be updated in real-time? Also, it spoke of requirements. I couldn't help but wonder what would be needed to increase the scope of this scouting ability. I also wondered if blood was always required or could be substituted with other bodily fluids.

It may seem gross to some, but those were the kinds of inquiries rushing through my mind, trying to understand this peculiar ability. After all, access to information could usually be the difference between life and death. I couldn't let this go, yet I must—for now. The Rhino had finally stopped flailing and cast her attention back on me.

Or, more precisely, on Stella. Her intentions became abundantly clear when she positioned herself behind Stella, somehow hoping to use her small frame as a shield against this unknown assailant. Yet, it didn't take a genius to know how pointless it was. She was too rattled from the loss of her eyes to think clearly.

Still—I wouldn't give her the chance to attempt it in the first place.

I tugged on Stella's arm, dragging both of us to the ground. I stood over her, using my body as a barrier, but I felt no fear of being stomped on by that Rhino, for another black arrow rushed through the air—a volley this time.

These arrows were much weaker than the first, probably from their strength being divided equally into each one. I didn't know what kind of ability this was, but most blessings operated similarly. No matter how miraculous they seemed, no blessing was omnipotent, possessing endless energy. There was a limit to how much power that archer could unleash at once.

Most of the black arrows hit their target—all, in fact. Not a single one missed its mark, striking against its hide, resulting in minor explosions of darkness at the point of impact.

They were far from enough to pierce through, but the sheer magnitude of the blunt force trauma being imposed onto blood and flesh wasn’t something any living being could endure. She cried in pain as her body was bombarded with shadowy arrows before collapsing onto the soft ground next to both of us, exhausted and bruised.

Only then did the onslaught end, most likely due to a lack of line of sight. Judging from the trajectories of those arrows, I could now see many trees and small bumps in the terrain blocking the arrows' path.

I didn't miss a single moment.

I rushed to my feet and stood over the creatures, her one remaining eye pleading at me as she endured the pain. She had many contusions and bruises, yet not a single one even broke the skin, and I doubted I could do much better while being empty-handed.

So I reached for a large rock and lifted it high above my head. Thankfully, the forest was littered with them, so choosing one wasn't hard. Even as she looked at me with terror in her eyes, I didn't let it distract me from what had to be done. I steeled myself and let the rock fall, accelerating as much as possible.

The first blow landed straight onto her horn, breaking it in half. She howled as if a wolf, but I put my knee onto her sternum—my entire weight behind it—if only to keep her in place. Fortunately, it seemed the many arrows had done more than just break against her hide. They had mangled the armour of muscles underneath, making any movements agonizing.

I raise the rock and let it fall again, each time with even more force. After five times of this, the rock broke from the strain, yet I didn't stop. I picked up the nearest one before resuming my onslaught, never letting up, for I knew that if I gave her the slightest chance, she could quickly turn the tables on me.

There was no winning—in my current state—against this enormous mass of muscles. I could only hope she would perish before I became unable to lift that rock one more time.

With each blow, I heard part of her bone crack. It was almost silent—at first—but grew louder with each subsequent blow. Near the end, I heard... No—I felt her bones shatter into countless pieces, blood spewing everywhere as her face deformed under strain, yet I didn't relent a single inch.

She still drew breath.

Even as Stella finally snapped out of it and sought to stop me from going further, I pushed her aside and let the rock fall repeatedly. However, what seemed to shock her more than anything wasn't how ruthless I was in my methods but that there was no madness on my face.

My mental state could be deemed serene. My actions were precise, driven only by the desire to see this threat eliminated. I had no need to enjoy this or even be repulsed by how gory the scene was. I only did what was needed of me—no extraneous thought ever crossed my mind.

The last nearby rock finally broke as Stella watched—seemingly numb to all the bloodshed. For my part, I believed she was merely in shock from witnessing my actions, but I didn't care. I didn't have the opportunity to, for my opponent still drew breath. It wasn't an exaggeration to claim Therians possessed unequalled vitality. Even after all the abuse I put this Rhino through, it yet lived.

I felt fatigue creep up on me. My breath was ragged, and my mouth was filled with my victim's various fluids. Some might have gagged at this moment, but I felt nothing—just an unfinished task in need of an ending.

Through its now mangled and distorted visage, I could still see her looking at me, albeit barely. It seemed the Rhino was barely conscious, on the verge of death. And yet, I wasn't about to relent.

I stumbled upon her broken horn while searching for another rock to use as a weapon. Holding it firmly in my palm, I raised it high above my head, pausing as I took one last deep breath. Then, I let it fall, putting all my weight behind it. I aimed straight at the beast's last remaining eye—the only weak point not covered by its thick hide.

Of course, that horn met its target. It pierced through easily before lodging itself into its brain. The horn couldn't bear the strain of that thrust and broke in half—one part remained in my hand while the other was deep in its skull.

For the last time, the Rhino seemed to receive a new boost of strength and managed to shake me off, but its defiance was short-lived. I knew its end was near and didn't bother to ease its suffering. How could I? Trying to approach this thing in that frenzied state was a recipe for disaster.

I wasn’t courageous enough to risk my well-being for such an outrageous reason, so I simply let her bleed out. It took much longer than I expected, enough that Sirius had finally joined us, looking upon that creature’s last moment as he held his sister’s hand—a black bow in the other.

I stood at the side, body covered in bodily fluids, sweaty and exhausted. But also content—content that this ordeal was over and we all could survive. Still—I seemed to be the only one. Stella looked at me as if a stranger. It wasn’t so much as fear or disgust, but something closer to disappointment at what I had done.

I could never mistake that look, for I knew it intimately. My woman often looked at me similarly, but I didn't care. No matter what they might think of me, my actions were necessary, and that was all that mattered. I would do so again in a heartbeat if the same situation presented itself.

If anyone needed to dirty his hands, I should be the one. I would carry this burden with pleasure, as I have done countless times.

I looked upon this creature until it breathed its last, desperately trying to survive, but I felt no pity nor elation at my victory—only that it was necessary. I remained silent as I watched life depart from another of my victims with no guilt whatsoever—even unbothered by the message that appeared in my mind after its gruesome parting.

Death Confirmed

Activating [Blood Plunder]

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