Without hesitation, I buried my hands into the ground and slid out—from under the creature, just as it unleashed the blast.
The energy obliterated the ground, changing its landscape completely, the blast creating a massive hole enough to fit in an entire elephant.
'Damn, that would have been my body turned to dust.'
The creature turned towards me, eyes glaring dagger, it was neither satisfied nor ready to give up just yet. I knew this, I knew it was going to come at me again, but I was powerless against it.
The creature dashed towards me, but my instincts kicked in. I dodged precisely, sending it crashing into a tree.
For some reason I felt better than earlier.
'Was it because of my breathing?'
The answer hadn't been delivered but I felt stronger, like I could do things I never would have been able to do in my past life.
I dashed backwards, away from the creature and stood behind it. With no time to waste, it quickly removed its head from the tree—shaking it, before turning towards me.
Its eyes, piercing, mouth wide open, ready to devour me from real.
'Is it actually trying to kill me?'
I wasn't sure, but there was no way a creature who wanted to be friends with you would give off such a negative vibe.
'Figured.'
The beast—at this point, I couldn't call it a creature any longer since it was more of a beast with that form.
Before me, the beast raised its wings as though it was about to set flight, however it wasn't. It still stood, proud—on the ground, its pose giving a vibe that says it owned the entire area.
It's territory.
We locked eyes, and I noticed something unusual. Its body was warped with strange blue lights, like an energy being emitted from its body. It was beautiful, but at the same time, daunting.
I couldn't take my eyes off it, its entire body fully engulfed with the strange energy. I had read a lot of fantasy novels during my previous life and there was one thing they all had in common… mana.
'Is that what I think it is?'
It was the only logical explanation. Mana. This was a creature that wasn't registered in the archives of man throughout history. And if it's standing here, before me, it's either a legendary creature that we didn't notice to record, or a different world where creatures such as these roam freely.
I believed the latter since it had more reasons with it. A creature such as this, if it once existed on earth—wouldn't have been overlooked.
As I stared at the beast, fully engulfed with the mana around. It's wing high, standing proud—it was like I was looking at a majestic angel. It was beautiful, magnificent and most of all breathtaking. If someone told me at first this was a creature of peace and harmony, I would have believed them.
However,
The beast sprinted at me—leaving me no time to dodge, its shoulder crashed into my stomach hurling me into a tree, before I slammed to the ground.
"Shit."
Blood gushed out from my mouth. The pain, piercing through me like fire. I held my stomach trying to get back on my feet, but I fell back down.
"Damn. There's no time for this."
I looked forward—at the beast, it had already made the same stance as earlier, ready for its next attack.
'That same move?'
It stood the same as earlier—both wings high up, standing proud while being engulfed with mana.
'Is that some kind of technique?'
My mind raced, I knew the next attack was definitely going to be a hard one. My injuries were definitely going to be an obstacle, but I had one thing up my sleeve.
"System!"
I called out, not sure if it was going to answer or not. But I had hope. A part of me knew that it was there, watching, waiting for me to call it. The voice that spoke earlier, along with the panel wasn't just coincidence.
And just to my expectations, a blue panel appeared before me.
[Ding!]
[Reporting Status: A Middle Tier Mana-Beast stands about eleven feet away before you!]
[How do you want to proceed?]
'Mana-Beast?'
My eyes flickered at the blue panel before me, the female robotics voice already faded. The message wasn't what I had expected, but at least it was something.
"Middle Tier Mana-Beast?" I mumbled..
'Why does it sound like I've heard that before?'
I scanned through the message, that was all there is to it, I needed more.
"Isn't there some kind of power I can use to defeat this beast?" I asked, holding my stomach as I got myself back on my feet,
Then the female robotic voice came again, along with the blue panel.
[Notice!]
[Skill: N/A]
[Power Level: 0]
[You do not have the required strength to face a Middle Tier Mana-Beast!]
[Logical Advice: Run!]
"Run?! What do you mean run? There is no way I can run from a creature that can fly. Is there no way I can earn something to get a skill?"
I snapped, waiting for a response from the system. There was known, except, a sigh.
I was already a desert for this Mana-Beast.
"Tch!"
I turned and sprinted, away from the Mana-Beast while holding my stomach. It was tough, but I had to endure it.
'Perhaps help would come.'
Delusional.
There was no help coming. I was in the middle of a forest, and the more I ran, the further into the forest I went. Basically, I was entering the enemy's territory.
I turned to get a glimpse of the Mana-Beast but it was nowhere to be found.
'Where did it go?'
Puzzled, I turned forward and to my shock the Mana-Beast stood before me, eyes glaring with hate.
"Shit!"
I quickly halted my movement.
'How did it get here so fast?'
The question hung in my thoughts, but there was no answer. It wasn't as though I had fully comprehended this world and his creatures.
The Mana-Beast opened its mouth and I felt a struck of déjà vu. Its mouth opened.
"I'm dead." I uttered in fear.
[No you are not!]
The female voice echoed in my head.
I turned sideways looking for the blue panel, but there wasn't any. It was strange.
"Are you there?" I asked, curious, trying to make sure I heard right, and then.
[Ding!]
[You have only one option to face off against a Middle Tier Mana-Beast!]
The voice spoke, and a blue panel appeared before me.
Desperate, I stared at the panel.
"Tell me. Tell me how to get that power!"
My time was running out, and if I didn't do something right now, I might actually die… again.
[To defeat a Middle Tier Mana-Beast, you have to obtain a skill!]
"Skill? What kind of Skills?"
[Firstly, you have dodged as much of the attack as possible, only then would you have the chance to obtain a skill]
"Dodge? A Chance?"
As the voice faded away, I stood sharp ready to follow what it had said.
For the first time I feel complete, for the first time I felt like I could be able to do something and not just be a victim of bullying again.
"This time, I would make it for sure."
The Mana-Beast sprinted towards me, this time faster than before, and with the right calculation I was able to dodge with ease.
However, that wasn't the end. My stomach still hurts and the Mana-Beast still has a lot of strength left.
"This isn't going to be easy."
I stood, waiting, anticipating the next attack. My eyes locked in, hands away from my stomach. I stood in a ready stance as though I was a goalkeeper ready to catch a penalty shootout.
'Here it comes.'
Another dash from the Mana-Beast and I dodged it just in the last second. The beast lost its balance and turned back at me, furious.
It seemed frustrated, pissed off that it hadn't gotten any hit. However on my end, I felt a surge of excitement coursing through my veins. I was evolving.
"Come on, bring it."
The beast shook its head, sprinted once more with all the speed it could muster, but at the last second I dodged it again.
Now, I felt better, I felt good about myself, I had already won this fight. However, the Mana-Beast was just getting started.
It stood feets away from me, and resumed that position.
"Not the wings stance again."
But this time it was different, not only was it engulfed with mana but its mouth also.
"Damn, not that thing again."
I shrugged, the smile on my face vanished.
The beast wasn't playing anymore, and it was definitely showing it.
Before me it stood proud—wings high, its mouth opened as a ball of green energy began forming around it. This time, it was bigger and more powerful than the last.
"What am I going to do? What am I going to do?"
"Hey System! Are you there?!"
I called out, but there was no response.
"Damn!"
I was at a disadvantage. There was no way I could dodge that thing. If it was released, the entire area including myself would be eradicated completely.
'No, calm down Hitori, calm down.'
Calming myself, I took a beep breath and released it. The air was pure, different from how it felt when I first entered this world.
My guess, whatever the aetheric respiration was—filtered the natural air of this world and made it into something I could breathe.
But that was one time. The only time the system helped, although it had given me its information but there was no further assistance.
"I have to do this on my own."
I stood ready, my fist clenched, my eyes locked in. I was in the moment, that moment when you feel you're so locked in, you could catch a fly with your bare hands.
My breath ragged, waiting in anticipation. It was as if time had slowed down, because all I could see before me was a massive energy forming in the mouth of a beast while its waves destroyed the surrounding area.
The Mana-Beast adjusted.
'Here it comes!'
It released, the energy flying at tremendous speed towards me carrying with it waves of air capable of destroying my skin.
I stood, didn't flinch, waited. Everything was in slow motion, likewise the energy ball.
I could see it, moving, I could calculate the right time to evade it, but even my mind wasn't that advanced to run fast while in a slow moment.
There was only one choice.
I closed my eyes, sensing my surroundings. I could hear the sound of birds chirping, the footsteps of the ant with two heads waking about 10-meters from here.
'What is this power?'
I could sense my surroundings, even though my eyes were shut, I would see the massive ball of energy charging towards me. It was clear, bright, more so than when my eyes were opened.
Now, the energy, only a few meters away from me, I didn't flinch, I wasn't scared. I felt like I could overcome it, not only dodge, but destroy it. I felt way better than the days when I was bullied, I felt stronger.
I felt POWER!
[Ding!]
[All Conditions Met!]
[You Have Successfully Completed The First Quest.]
[Rewards Obtained: 5,000 CPs]
[Skills Obtained: Aetheric Sense! => Lv 1 ]
[Skills Obtained: Phantom Step! => Lv 1 ]
[Skills Obtained: Stellar Spark! => Lv 1 ]
[You've leveled Up!] × 2
[Level 0 n' Level 2!]
'Hmph!'