The ultimate move, Amaterasu, unleashed a terrifying force—its damage scaled up to 150% [-]%, easily more than ten times her normal attack power. But its full potential required close range; up close, there was no question about its overwhelming strength.
"Drink!"
A slashing wave of pale blue sword energy shot horizontally toward the massive wild boar, spanning tens of meters. Trees shattered under the impact, the air ringing with the sound of splintering wood. The sword energy tore into the boar's flesh, rending it apart as blood and viscera spilled, and the sheer force of the strike sent the creature skidding backward several meters.
Although it looked like a single strike, the sword energy hit dozens of times in rapid succession, relentlessly cutting the wild boar until it finally faded from exhaustion.
Kiana panted slightly, eyes narrowed in awe. How powerful is this move?
The boar's belly now bore a gaping wound, exposing undigested meat, intestines, and organs. It toppled to the ground, rolling over in pain while screaming hoarsely.
"The vitality… unbelievable. Truly a creature from the world of pirates," Kiana muttered, impressed despite herself. Yet the wild boar's struggles waned as blood loss weakened it, its eyelids drooping heavily.
"Are you… dead?"
Kiana stepped closer, intending to confirm the kill. But as she approached, the boar lunged with a sudden, vicious bite, catching her off guard.
She barely dodged in time, but her left arm was trapped. The beast clamped down with its massive jaws, determined to crush her arm completely.
"Ughhhhhhh!!"
A sharp, searing pain shot through her, cold sweat pouring from her forehead. The boar had faked death! She'd been careless. Its teeth gnawed relentlessly, rubbing against the tender flesh of her left arm.
"Let go, you bastard!"
Kiana gripped the Pulse Tachi tightly, plunging the sword into the boar's eye. A spray of blood burst onto her face as the creature recoiled in agony, loosening its grip on her arm.
She jerked her left arm free, her right hand still controlling the sword, stabbing again and again into the beast.
Bang!
The impact sent her flying backward, slamming into a towering tree before collapsing to the ground. Branches and leaves rained down, covering her battered form.
"Puff!"
Blood poured from her mouth, and she could faintly feel broken ribs. But compared to her left arm, which was hanging by mere flesh and sinew from shoulder to hand, the rest of her injuries seemed minor. The bones in her arm had snapped completely.
At the top-right of her vision, a small HUD-like panel appeared: ten tiny grids, two glowing faintly blue, the rest darkened.
A blood gauge?
Kiana instantly recognized it as a Valkyrie health display, each grid representing 20% of her total blood volume. She had only [-]% remaining.
This was dangerously low. One more mistake could be fatal.
She glanced at the wild boar. The only saving grace was her right hand—everything else was too injured, and she couldn't even stand properly.
"Not dead yet?"
Her voice was low, tinged with frustration and despair. The wild boar still twitched, refusing to succumb. If it died, nearby predators wouldn't dare approach for a while—but Kiana didn't have the strength to face a second wave.
Reality is… unforgiving. In the game, I could have kept moving with even a single drop of health.
Her gaze fell on her shredded left arm, the pain radiating through her body.
"Ai-chan… I might have to call it here."
She pulled out her phone, her expression one of helplessness. She'd been careless, yes, but who could blame an otaku suddenly thrown into a world like this, with no combat experience? She had simply misjudged the situation.
Her stomach growled. Hunger gnawed at her, and she had approached the beast hoping to secure some meat—but instead, it had nearly taken her arm. The drama of it all left her both exhausted and embarrassed.
Ai-chan appeared on the screen, shaking her head at Kiana's disheveled state.
"Captain… are you stupid?"
"…Ai-chan, look at me! And you still scold me?"
Kiana's voice cracked. She needed comfort, but Ai-chan's words were merciless.
"The Crimson Armor's busted. Can't you switch to the White Training Armor?"
Ai-chan's tone was sharp, but Kiana realized she had forgotten—the world was real now. No quick character swaps like in the game. In the heat of battle, she had been locked into the Crimson Armor.
"And Captain… you're not powerless. That Pulse Sword in your hand still has weapon skills, right?"
Kiana quickly realized Ai-chan was right. She activated the sword skill. Six ethereal blades, shimmering pale blue, circled her. The chilling energy slowed her bleeding wound slightly, giving her a moment to breathe.
Whoosh!
The blades shot toward the wild boar.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The first strike shattered the last shred of life in the beast, covering its body in frost. The remaining blades were just icing on the cake, literally. The massive corpse was lifted briefly into the air, then crashed down heavily. Kiana was sure this time it was truly dead.
From the remains, she could confirm her observation: exploding materials indicated a confirmed kill. Among the scattered materials, she spotted a small pink plus sign. Excitement surged—these were supply drops, something familiar from the game.
The materials merged into her body, and her blood gauge jumped from 20% to 60%. Her injuries healed gradually: torn flesh knitted together, broken bones realigned, and the tingling sensation of nerves reconnecting reminded her of growth in the game.
After a moment, she was mostly recovered, though still fatigued and ravenous.
"Ai-chan… 60% blood… are all my wounds healed?"
"Captain, as long as your Valkyrie's blood volume stays above 50%, there are no lingering injuries."
"Seems… just like the game."
Kiana turned her attention to the wild boar's corpse. Clenching her tachi, she approached slowly.
"Thank you… you taught me I must finish what I start. I'll eat your meat with gratitude."
With a decisive swing, she severed the boar's thigh.
After this bloody lesson, Kiana swore: no matter how formidable the next enemy, she would never hold back. She would not stop until every material exploded into view, leaving nothing to chance.