Kibishi's POV

  Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!

  There wasn’t much time left.

  How much time was left before my nerves returned and I would feel the pain that would spread across my body? I couldn’t really tell, since my brain was overloaded by the cold.

  I was so surprised that I was still standing.

  My knife against giant cws didn’t seem like a no-brainer.

  No matter how many times we exchanged blows, neither of us was backing down. Right then, I had a cw mark on my chest. I also had one on my right hand, my waist, my right leg, and even my left foot.

  I even had scrapes on my forehead from the close calls during our exchanges.

  Ssh! Ssh!

  Left, then right. Left, then right.

  I waved my knife around, defending myself against a monster with a slight speed advantage.

  Ssh! Ssh!

  No good.

  The monster wasn’t at full power, but my body had grown sensitive to the cold. My nerves hadn’t returned yet, but my body was reacting preemptively as my brain struggled to make sense of my actions. My body wasn’t functioning as it should. My powers were helping me, but for how long?

  This was supposed to be a one-on-one death match.

  But I had overestimated my own ability.

  I KNOW that my powers are the key to beating this monster, but it’s the HOW that needs to be added. No matter how much power my supernatural ability has, if I can’t even use it properly, then it’s all for nothing.

  Ssh! Ssh!

  I countered every cw attack with my short bde. I could not express how frustrating it was to feel so powerless despite having the power of death.

  As sparks flew across my face, I saw my reflection every time my knife caught the light.

  My body felt numb. Yet it didn’t feel like my own.

  My arms moved to a rhythm as the cws tried to strike me.

  I wasn’t sure if my brain was functioning anymore. All I wanted was to kill this thing. I could not allow it to live. That was the ONE thing I could not let happen.

  Ssh! Ssh!

  My arms looked like spaghetti. You could say they seemed like doll arms being forced to act by a puppeteer.

  All in all, I guessed you could say I was just walking flesh trying to feast on its prey. Almost like a zombie…

  Ssh!

  Ah.

  My knife arm got scratch marks, and a tear appeared in my super suit. Despite it supposedly being stronger than ever, this monster was way out of my league…

  Thump!

  I fell face-first.

  I saw white, my eyes wide from the intensity of the battle. I slowly tried to lift myself, staring at the snow with dead eyes.

  I tried to pnt a foot and use my knee for support, but I just fell face-first again.

  Funny. I didn’t know why I kept falling.

  I slowly pushed myself up and tried to stand once more.

  Thump!

  I fell again.

  So I tried once more.

  Thump!

  Again.

  Clued in by the repeated falls, I slowly sat up and looked at my legs.

  “Oh,” I whispered, my voice dry.

  My boots were stained with my own blood, thanks to the monster breaking my bones halfway. They weren’t completely shattered, but I couldn’t stand properly. I wondered if I could stand regardless.

  I can’t waste any more time….

  I slowly rose as a shadow fell over me. I ignored it and finally managed to stand. I wobbled a few times, but I didn’t care. I felt no pain right then. That could wait until AFTER the fight.

  I would go for the kill—

  Wham!

  Crash!

  I crashed into a wall of snow. I hadn’t even seen it attack. I slowly looked back in the direction I’d come from and saw the monster rushing toward me.

  I grunted and forced myself out of the hole I’d made.

  Crash!

  Like a rocket, the monster crashed into the same hole and buried itself deep inside. I used that moment to run—

  Thump!

  I just fell. I scrambled to sit up. My foot seemed worse than before. Running was no longer an option. But I COULD still stand, even if not for long.

  I wasn’t even sure how long I had until the pain returned—

  Crash!

  The monster burst from the hole, its cw aimed at me.

  “Damn!” I cursed under my breath.

  Boom!

  I rolled away. The monster crashed into the ground with a deafening sound. I slowly sat up to see where it had gone—

  Boom!

  I hopped back as the monster closed in, cw raised.

  Damn.

  At this rate, it was just cat and mouse. It was the cat. I was the mouse. I used my palms to break my fall, pushing into a backflip. I put a solid distance between us, even as it followed. I wobbled upright and readied my weapon.

  I can’t outrun it. Better py smarter…

  I raised my knife hand. Heat fred inside my chest. My heart raced faster than ever. But this was good. I could see the monster’s fme.

  I’ll disable its movement!

  I dashed TOWARD the monster instead of away. Any more wasted time and it would be over for me and my friends. The monster’s movement hitched for a moment before it regained its stance and accelerated.

  I won’t let you get me scot-free! I thought, my brow furrowing in anger.

  I was going to lose, wasn’t I?

  There was no winning a fair fight. So I’d even the odds. I’d KILL it while it was down. It seemed a bit underhanded, but I didn’t give a damn! Fuck being fair! This thing needed to die!

  “RRRROOOAAARRR!!!!” Its roar shook the igloo.

  “RRRRGGGHHH!!!!” I screamed back.

  I brought my knife forward, aiming for the glowing fmes I saw through the power of death.

  This would at least slow it down.

  A few more feet until impact. My heart hammered like a car engine. My vision blurred at the edges, but I could manage. I didn’t care about the aftermath. I just had to protect my friends. If this power could do it, I’d use it.

  We were nearly upon each other.

  The wind from my speed whipped against my face. Snow blurred past my vision.

  I felt a thread of nervousness.

  A brief doubt whispered that this was stupid, but who cared?

  I had to do this. I HAD to.

  Nearly there.

  Almost there…

  Just a few more inches…

  “…”

  Almost there…

  .

  ..

  ….

  …….

  …………………

  …………………………There!

  “NOW!” I shouted with all my might!

  Thrust!

  I threw my arm forward with every ounce of speed I could muster. I couldn’t mess this up. I couldn’t miss this chance. I had to win!

  “….?!” The monster halted its attack mid-swing.

  It leaped backward, putting distance between us.

  “Eh?” My eyes widened at its speed. I wobbled, staring at the new gap. It was… a solid 15 feet away. About the length of a compact car.

  Not too far, but probably a safe distance from danger.

  But still…

  I sank to one knee, panting wildly.

  My focus was shattered now that it wasn’t actively trying to kill me. I had been so distracted I’d ignored my body’s condition. But now it was catching up to me…

  “N-ngh…” I grunted as my vision blurred further.

  Damn it. What lousy luck.