The creature's roar echoed across the plains, its fury building to a crescendo as it charged forward once more, its massive form a blur of scales, claws, and venomous rage. The ground beneath us trembled with each step it took, as though the very earth were in pain.
But I was done running.
I pushed my body forward, feeling the raw pulse of adrenaline surge through me. No sword. No magic. No system. But I had experience, and that would have to be enough.
My fist, still sore from my earlier strike, clenched tightly as I surged towards the creature, my legs burning as I closed the distance between us. I didn't know what to expect, but I had to act now.
The creature's claws slashed down like an avalanche of death, its talons aiming directly for me. My eyes locked on the incoming strike. I could feel it coming, that surge of primal fury, and my instincts—those long-forgotten instincts—told me exactly what to do.
I ducked low, narrowly avoiding its claws as they sliced through the air, missing me by inches. I didn't have the luxury of hesitation. I had to be faster.
With a swift motion, I launched myself into the air, pushing off the ground with every ounce of energy my new, unfamiliar body could muster. I reached the creature's underbelly, just barely catching onto its thick, scaled hide. The sensation of the creature's skin beneath my fingers was like gripping steel, but I held on, my mind focused on one thing: survival.
I pressed my body against the beast, my legs coiling around its massive, serpentine form as it roared in frustration. From this vantage point, I could see its weak points—the soft underbelly where its armor of scales was thinner, the joints where its limbs connected to its body.
I had no weapons, but I had precision.
In the old days, I was a master of the blade. But now, with no sword and no magic, I would have to improvise. My fists, my feet, my body—these were the tools I had now.
The giant next to me moved with fluid grace, their glowing golden barrier flashing once again as they shielded me from the monster's retaliatory blows. The beast's jaws snapped shut with an earth-shattering crack, but it couldn't reach us. Not yet.
"Focus!" the giant's voice called out, sharp and commanding. "Strike with purpose!"
I gritted my teeth and slammed my elbow into the creature's soft underbelly, just below the ribcage. The impact shook my arm to its core, but I could feel the creature's blood pulse beneath its hide. I did it again, and again, until the beast let out a gurgling roar, its head whipping back in agony.
But I wasn't done.
I used the creature's own momentum against it, shifting my weight to keep my grip on its back, while delivering rapid, punishing blows to the joints of its limbs. Each strike I landed felt like a small victory. The more I moved, the more I understood the creature's rhythms.
Its claws came down again, but this time, I was ready. As the beast slashed at me, I launched myself to the side, my body moving with a fluidity I hadn't thought possible in this strange form. I could feel the air move around me as I evaded, my pulse racing.
Focus. Stay alive. Don't think. Fight.
I hadn't fought like this in ages. The battle-hardened instincts, the endless years of facing impossible odds, flooded my mind like a tidal wave. Every enemy I had faced, every war I had fought in, every battle I had won—it all came rushing back. The blood, the pain, the victories and losses—everything was within my reach again.
The creature roared in fury, but it was slowing down. It wasn't used to this kind of fight—this was a battle of attrition, and that was my domain.
I could see its eyes shifting, confused by my relentless assault, my sudden unpredictability. But I wasn't done. Not yet.
The ground beneath us shifted again, as the giant moved forward, their golden energy flaring, and in a flash, the barrier surrounding us disappeared, revealing the giant's true form. In that moment, the air itself seemed to bend around them, as if the very atmosphere recognized the power within them.
They raised their arm, and a beam of golden light shot out from their palm, striking the creature square in the chest. The beast let out a screech of agony as the light enveloped it, its body convulsing under the force of the attack.
But it didn't die. Not yet.
"Arthur, now!" the giant commanded, their voice now more urgent.
I didn't need to be told twice. With a final, powerful leap, I launched myself off the creature's back, landing just behind it, and using the momentum to strike at its unprotected flank. My fist hit with the force of a hammer, my knuckles cracking against the creature's ribs. The impact sent a ripple through its massive body, and I heard a sickening snap as its ribs gave way under the pressure.
The creature howled, its scream echoing across the plain as it reared back, its claws tearing at the earth in a futile attempt to regain control.
"Now!" The giant's voice rang out once more, louder this time, and with it, I saw the faintest flicker of something—light. Pure, untainted light, gathering in the air around the giant.
The giant's energy coalesced, and with a final, resounding motion, they thrust both hands forward, unleashing a devastating wave of radiant energy directly into the creature's heart.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
The creature let out one final, pitiful scream, before its body began to crumble, the energy from the giant's attack disintegrating its flesh, reducing it to ash in the blink of an eye.
The roar of the creature echoed in my ears, but soon it was gone. All that remained was the silence of the battlefield and the gentle rustle of the wind across the plains.
I stood there, panting heavily, my body aching, but victorious.
My heart was still pounding, the adrenaline still coursing through me, but the battle was over.
For now.
The giant stood next to me, their golden aura flickering softly, their eyes never leaving the dissipating cloud of smoke that had once been the creature.
"That," the giant said, their voice calmer now, but laced with a hint of approval, "was only the beginning."
I turned to them, still trying to catch my breath. "What do you mean?"
"The beast you fought was a sentient creature of this land," the giant explained, their tone becoming more serious. "But there are far worse things here, Arthur Smith. Things that will test you far more than this creature ever could."
I frowned, still trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation. "You're saying there's more?"
The giant nodded, their eyes narrowing. "This world is ancient. And it is full of dangers—both known and unknown. But you are not the same as you were. You are no longer the king of your old world. Here, you must forge your own path."
I looked down at my hands, clenched tightly into fists, my heart still racing from the battle. There was so much I didn't understand. So much that didn't make sense. But one thing was clear:
This was my new reality. And if I wanted to survive, I would need to learn to fight—and to win—again.
The giant's golden eyes locked onto mine, and I could feel their gaze piercing through me.
"You will be tested, Arthur. But know this—whatever happens, you are not alone in this world."
For the first time since I'd arrived, I felt a flicker of hope. There was something here, something I could hold onto.
And then, as if on cue, the wind shifted, and I felt a presence—a shadow—moving closer.
The real fight had only just begun.