The creature didn't slow down.
It lunged again, its elongated limbs striking the ground with violent force as it attempted to close the distance once more. Dust scattered across the street with every impact, small cracks forming in the pavement where its claws landed.
Arin moved the moment the shadows shifted.
Left.
The monster's strike missed.
Right.
Another attack avoided by less than an inch.
His breathing was still heavy, his pulse still racing, but something had changed. The panic that had controlled his movements only moments ago was slowly being replaced by rhythm.
Watch the shadow. Move early. Stay alive.
Behind him, the street had nearly emptied. Most civilians had already fled, leaving overturned bags, dropped phones, and abandoned bicycles scattered across the road. A few people watched from far corners, shouting warnings he could barely hear anymore.
The creature roared again, clearly growing irritated. Its movements became sharper, more aggressive, each attack coming slightly faster than the last.
Arin felt it too.
"It's adjusting…"
His screen flickered.
[SHADOW SYSTEM] Movement Prediction Stability: Increasing
"That's… good, right?" he muttered under his breath.
The monster swung again. Arin stepped forward instead of back this time, narrowly avoiding the attack while passing along the creature's side. The sudden movement surprised even him.
"I can move closer…"
The realization felt dangerous, but important.
Running endlessly wouldn't save him. Sooner or later he would make a mistake, trip, slow down, or run out of stamina. If he wanted to survive, he needed to understand how the creature fought.
The monster twisted its body unnaturally fast, attempting to grab him this time rather than slash. Its long arm swept across the space between them, fingers bending at impossible angles.
Arin ducked instinctively, the claw passing just above his shoulder.
Too close.
He stumbled one step back, catching his balance just in time as the creature turned again, clearly determined to end the chase quickly.
Another pulse echoed in his chest.
[SHADOW SYSTEM] Combat Awareness Rising
The shadows around his feet stretched faintly again, thin strands extending forward like smoke pulled by invisible wind. He watched them for a split second, noticing how they reacted whenever he focused on the creature.
"Is it responding to me…?"
The monster lunged again.
Arin shifted sideways, letting the attack miss, then moved two steps back to widen the distance. His chest burned slightly now, his stamina beginning to drain.
"I can't keep dodging forever."
The creature paused for a moment after its last strike, its limbs repositioning before launching another attack. That brief recovery time—barely half a second—stood out clearly now.
It always pauses.
A small idea formed.
Not an attack plan. Not yet.
Just timing.
The monster charged again.
Arin waited until the last moment, stepping aside as the claw slammed into the pavement. Instead of retreating immediately, he remained close for a fraction of a second longer than before, watching how the creature's body shifted while recovering.
"There…"
Its balance dipped slightly to the left as it pulled its arm back.
Without thinking, Arin moved forward and shoved his shoulder lightly against the creature's side—barely enough force to matter, but enough to disturb its stance.
The monster staggered half a step.
Arin jumped back instantly, heart pounding.
"I actually moved it…?"
The realization sent a brief surge of adrenaline through him. He hadn't hurt the creature, not even close, but for the first time he had influenced the fight instead of simply escaping it.
His screen pulsed again.
[SHADOW SYSTEM] Interaction Confirmed
[SHADOW SYSTEM] Close-Range Response Synchronization: Initiated
The monster roared louder this time, clearly angered. Its next charge came faster, its claw striking downward with far greater force than before.
Arin barely avoided the blow, rolling sideways across the pavement before scrambling back to his feet. Small fragments of broken concrete scattered around him.
"That was close…"
The creature turned again immediately, not giving him time to recover. Its movements were becoming less predictable, more aggressive, abandoning precise strikes in favor of overwhelming speed.
Arin steadied his breathing.
"If it gets desperate, it'll make mistakes."
Another pulse spread through his chest.
The shadows beneath him stretched farther this time, extending several feet outward before pulling back again like waves returning to shore. He stared at them briefly, realizing they were reacting more strongly than before.
"It's changing…"
The monster charged again.
Arin waited, watching carefully. The faint ripple beneath the creature's feet appeared a moment earlier than before, giving him slightly more time to react.
Left.
He stepped aside smoothly, letting the attack pass.
The creature stumbled half a step forward due to its own momentum.
Now.
Without fully thinking, Arin stepped forward again, striking the creature's side with a stronger push than before. The motion wasn't powerful, but it disrupted the monster's balance enough to slow its next turn.
He jumped back immediately.
His breathing grew heavier, but a small spark of confidence began forming inside him.
"I can survive this."
His screen flickered once more.
[SHADOW SYSTEM] Close-Range Adaptation Progress: 12%
The creature turned again, clearly more aggressive now, its limbs spreading wider as it prepared for another attack.
Arin clenched his fists.
"I can't defeat it yet… but I can learn."
The monster lunged once more.
And this time, instead of reacting in panic, Arin moved with deliberate timing—watching the shadow first, then the body.