He huddled in the damp air of the old basement.
The pain persisted, and the "Internal Injuries (Stage 2)" displayed on the system window indicated that his body was unable to sustain normal combat.
'Six months of lifespan...'
He gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to pay with his lifespan for a single battle.
During the four years he had survived in this world, there had been countless moments when he had to pay with his lifespan.
Now, his remaining life was too precious to carelessly use the system's "Regeneration" function.
Jay got up and leaned against a moldy wooden box in the corner of the basement.
The water seeping through the wall clung damply to his back, but he didn't care.
What he needed right now wasn't rest, but his next move.
When the basement door burst open, he was already in a prepared stance.
"To think the remnants of the infidels were hiding here!"
With a rough voice, two followers burst into the basement.
They wore much better-equipped armor than the group Jay had defeated earlier, and in their hands, they held heavy war hammers that appeared to be consecrated.
Jay knew his body was screaming in pain, but his body reacted even before the system's instructions came.
He took out his last weapon, a dull dagger, and then put it back.
The system window appeared before his eyes.
[Warning: Physical Condition (Internal Injuries Stage 2). Continuing combat at this time has a 68% chance of resulting in irreversible permanent life force loss.]
[Instruction: Evade. Lure the target into an ambush.]
Lure? Jay chuckled. He intended to attack first before he became the target of their trap.
'A trap... huh.'
The moment he thought that, the second follower raised his warhammer and swung it towards Jay's head.
Jay ducked his chin deeply, narrowly avoiding the hammer. The wind from the swing strongly struck his cheek.
At the same time, he activated a skill.
[Skill: Kick]
Requirements: Minimum 0.2 years of lifespan or a critical muscle tear.
Effect: For a short time, unleash explosive speed and power that surpasses human limits to attack the enemy's weak points.
He chose not to pay the lifespan cost for this skill. Instead, he endured the pain of a muscle tear.
"Aargh!"
With the excruciating pain of his right leg muscles tearing, Sungjin's foot accurately struck the joint area, a gap in the second follower's armor.
The warhammer's trajectory was disrupted, and the follower staggered backward.
"Damn it!"
The first follower charged forward. Ignoring the pain in his leg, Jay quickly threw himself towards the old stairs in the basement.