Showdown in the deadwoods

Four months Prior

Amidst the dense trees, the thud of Daniel's sprint echoed through the forest, his breaths quickening with each step. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting fleeting shadows as he darted through the foliage. "This is not my idea of weekend training, sir!" Daniel shouted in frustration. The massive grizzly bear pursued him, a menacing force of nature with fur that seemed to absorb the sunlight.

Its fur, a dull and coarse blend of dark browns and muted grays, stood out against the vibrant greens of the forest. Towering at an imposing 10 feet on its hind legs and 6 feet on all fours, the bear's scarred and weathered body spoke of battles faced and survived. Glowing red eyes out for blood it's jagged claws extended from massive paws and it weighed a staggering 1,648 pounds.

"Daniel, there's no escape; you must face it head-on," Father Michael said through the frantic pace of the chase. Daniel, breathless, yelled in response, "How do you expect me to fight that?" But his question hung in the air as he ran, and soon he found himself at an abrupt halt, an escarpment blocking his way. "Damn it! A massive dead end," Daniel uttered, realization started to sink in.

The previously open path now led directly to a steep and rugged cliff, rendering further progress impossible. "I guess I have no choice," Daniel said to himself. "Use what you learned—condense and solidify the air around your body," Father Michael instructed.

"Okay, focus... focus," Daniel whispered to himself, beginning to coat his body in an invisible layer of cutlery. "Remember, your lumen output may be determined at birth, but cutlery techniques are only limited by your imagination," Father Michael explained.

As Daniel focused on coating his fists, a sudden halt—the cutlery stopped working. "No! No! No! I can do this, I know I can," Daniel muttered as Father Michael approached. "Confront your fear of death now, or there'll be no tomorrow."

"I just can't. Fear of death is natural, and it grips me every time I face a life-or-death decision. What if I make the wrong choice?" Daniel responded in desperation.

"Fear is a luxury you can't afford. Hesitation in the face of your enemy will be your downfall. You either conquer it or embrace death," Father Michael stated. "But what if I make a fatal mistake? What if my decisions lead to death, mine, Holly, or others'?"

"Mistakes are inevitable. Indecision, however, is a death sentence. Those who hesitate pay the price. You either learn from them or perish. The choice is yours," Father Michael asserted.

"I understand, but it's easier said than done," Daniel replied, "Weakness lies in excuses. In the heat of the moment, your hesitation could cost lives. Don't let your fear consume you," Father Michael urged.

Before another word was spoken, roars echoed throughout the forest. Suddenly, the massive grizzly bear burst through the trees, knocking them aside like mere twigs. A massive tree crashed to the ground as the bear finally caught up to Daniel. "What do I do now?" Daniel muttered, his panic rising.

"Survival favors the decisive," Father Michael said, Daniel stood in front of the grizzly as it stood up on its hind legs, towering over him. Daniel covered his body in a thin layer of invisible cutlery. "Let's go!" he yelled, delivering a series of quick strikes to the bear's mid-section.

Daniel stepped back as the bear responded with two thunderous swipes with its massive paws, but Daniel swiftly dodged them, He then maneuvered around the bear's massive paws, ducking down to deliver strikes to the bear's legs. As the bear staggered and lost its footing, Daniel landed a strong blow on its muzzle, prompting a roar of pain.

"I can't believe I was afraid of you!" Daniel yelled out, confidence surging. Suddenly, with unexpected speed, the grizzly got back up on its feet and swung its massive paw with unbridled force, colliding with Daniel. The impact was a resounding thunderclap, sending him crashing through the trees like a human projectile.

The trees splintered and cracked under the sheer force of the collision. Leaves burst into a flurry, and Daniel, disoriented and battered, crashed through not one, but three towering trees. He struggled to get back to his feet as he lay in the debris. "Ugh... note to self... don't taunt... the bear," Daniel gasped for air, his breaths heavy. "Yeah luckily....I used cutlery.... to defend otherwise...I'd be dead i bear-ly made it" Daniel muttered as he got back to his feet with blood dripping down his face.

He focused his cutlery yoori on his fist " I'll try this to deliver greater force as my previous strikes were weak let's see if it works" Daniel muttered to himself. Father Michael, keenly observant, noticed the shift in Daniel's focus. The invisible layer of cutlery that had protected him evolved into something more potent. It condensed around his fists, a subtle yet significant transformation. recognition. "That concentration of cutlery around his fists—it's reminiscent of Yoori, a technique used only by Verdigos, the Arc Nun of the Church Order." Father Michael thought to himself.

"Yoori amplifies one's strength and releases it on impact, like a powerful magnet repelling its opposite," Father Michael continued his silent contemplation, his gaze fixed on Daniel's fists. "It's a technique that requires not just physical strength but a profound focus of one's cutlery." 

Daniel then rushed after the bear and at the crucial moment of impact, Daniel threw a punch enhanced by Yoori. The invisible force erupted from his fist, creating a shockwave that propelled the massive grizzly straight into the cliffside. The ground crumbled beneath the force, adding destruction to the path of the bear's unintended flight. " With a grin, Daniel mumbles to himself amidst the exhaustion, "Bear-ly seems fair... no, no, what about 'Bear fists'? Yeah, that's paw-sitively better!"

 Daniel celebrated his success. However, in the midst of his triumph, the Yoori coating began to wane. "Oh no, come on, work, damn it!" he yelled, frustration in his voice. The invisible layer that had amplified his strength flickered, leaving him vulnerable.

"As expected he can't master the technique in one try" Father Michael thought to himself. As the dust settled, the grizzly, surprisingly resilient, rushed at Daniel with speed. Its massive claws swiped through the air, finding their mark on Daniel's defense-weakened cutlery.

 Despite his best efforts to defend, bits of the claws managed to breach the invisible cutlery, leaving Daniel with wounds that stung with each movement. With bloody clothes clinging to his body, Daniel wiped the blood off his face, his fatigue evident. "I'm tired of this," he muttered.

In a daring maneuver, Daniel manages to outmaneuver the massive grizzly, getting behind it. As he attempts to lift it, but the bear's sheer weight proves overwhelming. Undeterred, Daniel persists, hugging the bear tightly. The grizzly, sensing the attempt, tries to shake him off by slamming into a nearby tree. However, Daniel anticipates the move and releases his hold, allowing the bear to inadvertently hurt itself. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel readies himself for another attempt. This time, he focuses his cutlery internally, channeling its power into the air pockets within the lumen of his bones. The cutlery reinforces his bones and muscles from the inside while increasing his strength. 

Daniel lifts the grizzly, his bones reinforced by the cutlery's enhancement. The air pockets within his bones act as conduits, carrying the amplified force. "Bear with me here, we're about to take this to new heights!" he exclaims. The air pockets within his bones act as conduits, carrying the amplified force. In a spectacle that can only be described as "bear-juggling," he throws the grizzly straight through five trees.

 As the grizzly crashes through the underbrush, the once dense foliage now lies in disarray. Daniel, though fatigued, stands amidst the aftermath, having utilized both his creativity and the power of to overcome the bear. Daniel breathing heavily but with a twinkle in his eye, "Well, that was a pawsome experience! Who knew bear encounters could be so uplifting?" he muses.

Present Day

As they walked into the secret passage, the wall closed behind them. "What tha!?" Damian muttered. "Hey Bean Brain, you're at the back, why didn't you stop it from closing!?" Damian yelled.

"Well, for starters, short stack, I didn't know it would close," Daniel responded with a smirk. "Short stack! Short stack... there's literally only a centimeter between you and me!" Damian exclaimed. 

"Look, shorty, I'm 6ft, and you're 5ft11, whatever gets you to sleep at night, princess," Daniel grinned. "Okay, okay, break it up, you two, we don't have time for this," Shawn quickly intervened. "Is it always like this?" Emily asked Shawn. "Well, they met recently," Shawn responded.

Time passed as they walked through the passage, and they stumbled upon a fork in the path. "I'll go left, and you guys split too," Daniel suggested. "No splitting up is a bad idea," Shawn responded. "Holly and the rest could be down the end of one of these. We can't all go down one." 

"I hate to say it, but he has a point. April and friends could be waiting at the end of one," Damian added. "Okay, fine, but who takes Emily?" Shawn asked. "We'll draw heights, and the shortest has to take her with him," Daniel smirked. "I'm cool with that," Shawn laughed. "Heh," Damian paused, realizing Shawn's 6'3 and Daniel's 6'0. "Wait a minute, isn't it drawing straws, not heights?" Damian yelled. "See ya," Daniel and Shawn said in unison as they ran down the tunnels, leaving the middle one for Damian and Emily. "Those cheating bastards," Damian muttered. "Guess it's just the two of us," Emily said as they walked into the tunnel.

Daniel had been moving through the tunnel for some time when he eventually met with a dead end. "Uh, damn it, what do I do now?" Daniel grumbled as he started to look for a hidden trigger. "There's gotta be something here, because I'm not walking back all that way," he said to himself. *Wait,* Daniel thought as he coated his fists in cutlery before punching straight through the stone wall and shattering it. "Huh, that worked!" Daniel muttered as he walked out into a moonlit courtyard of a looming castle.

Daniel stood in awe of the massive castle and its beauty—the lush courtyard covered with vibrant blossoms, intricate stone pathways, and blood-red roses around every corner. Towering, ivy-covered walls and elaborate sculptures adorned the surroundings. Gargoyles perched atop spires, their stone forms eerily lifelike in the pale glow. 'Idiot, you aren't here to sightsee,' Daniel thought, his muscles tensing up as the realization of the situation sank in. "Okay, let's go," he said to himself and walked through the courtyard, headed towards the castle door.

As Daniel turns around the fountain to the main door, he catches sight of someone standing waiting at the door, donning a black hakama paired with a deep crimson sash. His long, jet-black hair reached past his shoulders, occasionally obscuring his face. Lightening his crimson eyes, featuring a black, high-collared coat. *'Who is this guy?'* Daniel thought to himself. He locked eyes with the mysterious figure, a grin spreading across his face. "So you're the one making all the noise. I've been bored here, itching for a good fight," he said. Daniel responded, "Who the hell are you?" "The name's Soul, the strongest vampire you'll ever meet. This is where your road ends," Soul declared. "Vampire? Uh, I don't care what you are, really," Daniel retorted, clenching his fists and coating them in cutlery again.