Chapter 13- Metal Beast

I didn't know where I was, I couldn't tell how long... how long it had been since I had arrived here, there wasn't a proper day and night cycle. All I knew... was that I had to survive. I had to kill everything that stood in my path.

I was surrounded by the corpses of these scaly, hippopotamus like Mana Beast's. However, there was one left. It was attempting to run, and so I chased after it. In an instant, I managed to get infront of it.

And so, I swung my sword vertically and was able to split the beast in half.

'How... How many beasts have I slaughtered? It has to be in the hundreds.'

Once I had confirmed the beast had died, I began walking. My clothes were in tatters, .y clothes were covered in dirt. My long, white hair was in a similar state. My sword had chips all over it.

However, this wasn't solely due to the sword's lack of durability. It was due the sword's quality being too low. The sword simply wasn't durable enough to make withstand my maximum output, and I wasn't skilled enough to control my sword's Enhancement to the point where I could make up for it's lack of durability.

In others words, unless I was willing to let my sword break, I wouldn't be able to use my full power. As I kept moving, I felt a presence nearby.

And so, I turned around and saw a humanloid Mana Beast covered in metal plates. The Mana Beast slowly approached me, not showing any signs of aggression but I didn't let it's tricks fool me.

I tightened my grip on my sword, in the time I had been here, I had managed to reach a level where I could use my Arcane Enhancement at it's maximum output without really focusing. However, due my Arcane Enhancement being active at such a high output at all times ever since I came here, my Mana reserves were suffering.

But, it wasn't as if I could do anything about it. Well, not that I personally knew of.

And so, I dashed at the Mana Beast, aiming to cut of it's neck in one blow. However, the Mana Beast's arm... turned into a blade? And so it blocked my sword with its blade. But, what surprised me was the beast's strength and control over Mana.

Then, I threw a punch at Beast and it launched a counterattack, our fists met and a powerful shockwave was released, sending me back quite the distance.

I looked at my left arm, it had been pulverised after one exchange. However I wasn't surprised, the Beast fist was also covered in metal plating which I assume it Enhanced with Mana.

I decided on holding on the healing of my arm. After all, I couldn't use all three applications of Arcane Magic at once yet. And turning off any Enhancements would lead to my death.

The flesh below my elbow was all but ruined, by bones had fractured in ways that pierced my skin, and blood down the tattered remains of my arm.

The Mana Beast looked it's arm, it seemed like... it was surprised. Had it expected to kill me instantly?

Then, the creature swung its sword and a blade of wind was formed, I instantly realised that taking it head on would be... troublesome to say the least. And so, I dodged it. The creature launched more and more blades of wind in the same manner as before, each of the blades seemed to be aimed at places where I wouldn't be at risk of dying.

It was as if it was trying to subdue me, not kill me.

'Weird... it's not at vicious or as proactive as anything I've fought before.'

I said, as the beast took a moment, not launching anymore attacks.

Then, the beast put it's hands together and now, both its arms... had combined? And now, it had only one bladed limb.

The Beast then roared... no. It didn't roar. It spoke. I couldn't understand what it was saying and I didn't care.

'Maybe... I should use that?'

But, before I could decide, the Beast rushed at me. And I knew that if I prioritised the survival of my sword, that I wouldn't be able to match his power.

And so, I used Arcane Enhancement at maximum output. My blade began to break down but, the beast was so fast that it managed to reach me before my sword had fully broken.

Then, the beast swung with both arms and I met it's attack with my own blade. Our blades met, the power behind it's attack was immense but it was very clearly holding back. We were at a standstill, our blades pressed against each other, with neither of us being pushed back.

But that could only last so long, and soon my sword broke. In fact, it exploded. Vaporising my face, ruining my hand and causing shards of metal to be sent into my body.

I was sent flying backwards and I crashed into a tree. The beast then appeared infront of me instantly. I looked up at it as I slowly began to heal myself.

I was exhausted. My Mana reserves were bottoming out, I barely had enough Mana to heal my current wounds.

Once my wounds were fully healed, I noticed that the Mana Beast no longer had bladed arms. It had... hands?

But, I decided not to look at the beast. It was probably going to crush my skull or kill me another way.

I couldn't do anything if I was being honest. I didn't have the Mana to even use Arcane Magic now that I had fully healed myself.

'Damn it... Is it so wrong of me... to want to live?'