Chapter 10

Vivian saw 2 sunflower monsters up ahead and she immediately went near a bush to hide.

She picked up a stone and stealthily made her way closer to them.

As she was getting closer while still moving as quietly as she could, as if the two monsters sensed her, they suddenly turned to her direction and charged.

Puzzled for a moment, Vivian stood up and threw the stone on her hand to delay one of the sunflowers before charging.

Woooh!

Tak!

One of the sunflowers got hit in the head and staggered for a moment, while the other continued charging.

The other sunflower monster got close to Vivian and immediately thrust its head forward to breathe out an orange-colored gas.

Vivian, who already anticipated this and combined with her speed, easily evaded it by moving to the side before lunging forward and grabbing the monster between its neck and head with both hands.

Riiip!

She ripped the monster into two and then immediately turned around to face the remaining sunflower monster.

It was already close to her and performed the same attack that its late comrade did. Vivian replied with the same treatment she gave to its late comrade.

Riiip!

Without giving it a second thought, Vivian resumed roaming around to search for enemies.

***

A few minutes later…

Vivian was walking along the forest when a fox suddenly burst out in one of the bushes and lunged over to her with mouth wide open, seemingly ready to plunge its teeth against her flesh.

With her increased stats, she was able to evade the attack and create some distance.

She turned to the fox.

Grrr...!

The fox growled at her with murderous intent, causing Vivian's lips to curl up into an evil grin.

"Seem like you're different, huh. You're the first one who didn't run away."

She thought about throwing a stone. But as she was quickly searching for a stone, the fox made its move, lunging over at her once again.

Tch!

Vivian clicked her tongue as she evaded the attack and continued to create some distance.

I could try to catch or attack it mid-air but it's too risky…

Truth be told, the thing she did with the bird was pure luck partnered with emotion. Had she known that that bird could sting its opponents and cause such a status effect, she would have thought twice about doing so.

Meanwhile, for this fox, it was a different story. Between a bite and a sting, the damage that they caused was completely different. And if luck really decided to turn against her, she'd also have to deal with rabies. 

Assuming that such a thing exists in this world.

An idea popped inside her head.

She removed the satchel hung around her and held it in front of her.

"Come on! Attack me!" she said while provoking it by making a few fake jabs using the satchel.

As if the fox understood, it lunged forward at her.

Chud.

Thud!

Bam!

Arrrwww!

While floating in mid-air and baring its fangs, Vivian shoved the satchel against its mouth. And when the fox caught it with its mouth and bit down, Vivian immediately stepped forward and thrust the satchel and the fox down before delivering a death stomp.

She didn't kick it because she was afraid the fox would be blown away and give it space. And by then, either the fox could run away and escape or attack once again but won't fall for the same trick.

Bam!

Arwww!

Vivian intended to stomp the fox's head but missed and instead stomped it on its shoulder blades, causing it to yelp in pain. Nevertheless, it still managed to stun the fox for a moment and Vivian didn't plan to stop anytime soon.

Noticing that the fox was in pain, Vivian raised her foot once again. But this time, she was aiming for the head.

Bam!

"ARRRWWW!"

She managed to stomp that fox in the head and it cried out in pain.

As Vivian raised her feet to deliver another stomp, it tried to bite her feet, ankle or leg but was only met with another stomp.

Ba-Crack!

The stomp landed on the fox's jaw and there was a cracking sound, but Vivian still didn't stop.

Bam!

Bam!

The fox finally stopped moving but Vivian continued lifting her boot.

Bam!

After giving it another stomp, she stopped and saw the bloody and disfigured face of the fox.

"Just to be sure."

Pah!

She kicked the fox's head so hard that its lower jaw completely dislocated from its mouth.

"There," Vivian said and picked up her satchel.

She was about to resume searching for enemies but stopped and decided to pick up some stones.

Just in case...

She picked up stones that were as large as an infant's hand. She kept most of them inside her satchel and had 2 on her hand.

"I'm gonna need this."

With that, she continued searching.

***

A few steps later…

Beak!

Beak!

Hearing that familiar crow and the sound of wings flapping, Vivian's senses immediately switched to full gear and she turned to the direction of where it was coming from.

It's that type of bird again...!

Woooh!

She threw one of the stones on her hand and missed.

The bird passed by her and Vivian evaded its attack by moving to the side.

Woooh!

Vivian threw the other stone but still missed.

Tch!

She clicked her tongue.

This isn't working...!

I don't have any other choice...!

When the bird got close to her and it was about to sting her with its tail, she reached out her hand.

Chud.

Unfortunately, Vivian didn't catch the tail and got stung on her forearm. However, she managed to catch one of its legs.

BEEEAAAK!

Caught, the bird began crowing and flapping its wings wildly.

Vivian could already feel the numbing effect growing on her forearm so she immediately began to violently smash the bird to the ground like a club, causing its feathers to burst into the air with each time.

Bam!

BEEEAAAK...!

Bam!

Beeaak...!

Bam!

Bam!

Vivian let go of the bird because the forearm of the hand holding the bird's leg finally went numb and she proceeded to raise her boot.

Bam!

The bird's head was flattened.

Vivian let out a sigh and then swept her gaze around to find an area to rest for a moment until her forearm returned back to normal.

But just when Vivian was looking for a spot to sit down and rest, 2 monsters suddenly appeared -- a trunk monster behind her and a sunflower monster on her right side.

Caught in surprise and one of her arms still numb, Vivian moved to the left to create some distance but stepped one a stone and almost tripped.

Whaaack!

"AHHH!"

The trunk monster whipped her back with one of its branch-like arms. And although Vivian was wearing leather armor, it didn't cover everything. The whip attack she felt hit her lower back and butt, causing her to yelp in pain and stagger forward.

And before Vivian could even recover, she was hit with an orange gas on the side.

Psssh!

Fortunately, given that she staggered forward, the gas attack only managed to hit her around her rib, but a few of its particles still managed to reach her lips and one side of her face.

Pah!

Vivian winced from the burning sensation in her mouth and one of her eyes and she blindly threw a slap out of instinct and managed to hit the sunflower monster.

Whaaack!

Her back got whipped again.

With her senses overwhelmed, she decided to run away as fast as she could.

Bam!

She tripped from a tree's exposed root and fell to the ground.

With one of her arms still numb, she forced herself to get up in a very pathetic way and immediately resumed running. But this time around, she made sure to keep her other eye that wasn't affected by the orange gas very aware of her surroundings.

Up ahead, she noticed another sunflower.

She pivoted and ran in another direction.

Whether it noticed her or not, she doesn't know.

Shit...!

SHIT...!

SHIIIIT...!!!

She cursed inside her head as a thousand scenarios came rushing inside her head.

One of those scenarios that popped inside her head was that if she kept running and bumping into monsters, the number of monsters chasing her would only increase. And if she were to encounter those birds or foxes, her situation would be fatal.

She could only pray that she encounters the road to the city, an open field or a stream where she can recollect herself.

However, as if the devil was watching over her, she heard something she didn't want to hear.

Beak!

Beak!

"FUCK!!!"

Nevertheless, she continued running, and faster.

She ran as if the Devil himself was chasing her.