6 Survival 101

The growls of the beast in front of them sent streaking shivers down their spines. The beast's face gleamed with a terrifying primal hunger as it looked down at its prey.

"Fuck!" Ryan exclaimed as he tried to run but was restricted by his chain.

The two men pulled their machetes with trembling hands as they jumped off the carriage. They knew these beasts and that's why they knew running was pointless, so their only choice now was to fight for their lives.

"Listen, get these chains off me!" Ryan pleaded. He couldn't just be a sitting target for whatever the hell that was.

"Unchain me, I'm a skilled fighter; I can help!" Ryan shouted again. Then, with a hesitant and unsure gesture, the man took the keys and unlocked Ryan's chains. However, as he was doing that, the beast lunged at his companion.

Its claws cleaved clean through the carriage driver's body like a knife through butter. As the carriage driver's blood-curling screams of agony echoed through the forest, it felt so utterly foolish that they had even attempted to fight back.

"Fuck, take this." The man handed a knife to Ryan, whom he had already unchained as he watched his friend get mauled. "I'll attack from behind whi-" The man paused as he watched Ryan scramble off the carriage and dash away, running as fast as he possibly could.

Ryan couldn't help but wonder how this man saw someone get killed with such a horrifying ease and still had the audacity to talk to him about attack strategy. If he was braindead, Ryan wasn't. Ryan was however - hungry, thirsty, and tired, but he ran, as fast as his legs could carry him. He wouldn't die like this, not now.

[The system advises you use the Chaos shard]

[Would you like to use the Chaos shard?]

"Get the fuck out of my face!" Ryan exclaimed in annoyance as the blue screen blocked his view while he was hot on his heels.

Ryan then stopped instantly in his tracks. It happened too fast, so he wasn't sure how, but that beast was somehow in front of him now. He turned around to look back and saw the man he had left and ran was still fine. Why the hell did the beast leave the man and go for him?, he thought.

"How can I possibly be this unlucky?" Ryan mumbled under his breath as the beast approached him with slow and measured steps.

[Override - Using Chaos shard]

The blue screen obscured the view of Ryan's approaching doom, but along with that was a dark glow that swirled around his entire body.

[Stats have been raised]

Ryan felt it, the lightness of his body, the strength that coursed through his veins. Something was different; he was different. But he had no time to process whatever was going on as the beast lunged at him, its mouth stretched open for a chunk of Ryan's flesh.

However, Ryan had moved away just before it reached him, at a speed he would normally never be able to move. The beast let out a deafening growl as it gazed at the blood dripping from Ryan's knife—it was the beasts blood; Ryan had sliced a deep cut in its arm.

"What the hell? How did I...?" Ryan tried to process the situation, but the beast was upon him again. Aware of Ryan's speed, this time it was faster as it lunged atop him, sending Ryan crashing to the floor and dropping his knife beside him.

Ryan gripped the beast it by its large teeth, his hands the only separation between the beast's bloodthirsty mouth and his tasty body. As he held the beast's mouth at bay, Ryan quickly understood this wasn't strength he possessed prior, but he'd make the most of it.

With a groan of effort, Ryan, gripping tight on the beast's teeth, flipped it to his side. Then, as fast as he could with his right hand, he scrambled for the knife on the floor. Grabbing it, he quickly thrust it into the beast, causing it to let out a growl of pain.

Ryan pulled the knife as the beast attempted to get up. Then, taking advantage of the beast's disoriented state, as fast as he could, he shoved the knife into its eye, prompting another growl of agony.

Stabbed, cut, and one of its eyes gone, the beast turned away and retreated into the forest as Ryan fell to his knees in exhaustion, his chest heaving as he felt a burning sensation shoot through him, like his body was on fire.

Then Ryan heard the sickening sound of the machete handle colliding with his skull just before he went unconscious from the blow. He was too occupied to notice the other man sneak up behind him.

"So this guy was this strong... What if he tries to kill me?" The half-armored man said as he looked over Ryan's unconscious body.

"Damn it, Ruga is definitely dead. Should I just abandon it all and run?" The man contemplated.

"No, the horses were not injured. I can still finish the drop-off. I can demand a great amount if I tell them this story."

He picked up Ryan's unconscious body, dragging it back to the carriage.